I personally would like to understand how Aja and her brother lived before the attack? They didnt seem to have friends; like ones you just hang out with. Aja expressed her want of a 'normal life', perhaps she wanted friends as well? Krel and Aja always seem excited and surprised when someone calls them their friend.
It’s hard to guess at what their lives were, since we first met them on their coronation day, but I agree. I think they probably didn’t have much in terms of social lives before the coup. They’re royalty and heirs to the throne. In addition, their four arms immediately indicate to everyone who they are, so Aja and Krel would always have to deal with being treated like royalty. Essentially, it would be very hard for them to find true friends, as everyone around them would be treating them by their statuses first and as individuals second. They’d also probably lack the opportunities to find friends, as their royal duties would keep them busy.
I’d be curious to know what the security detail on them was like. Again, as the heirs, I feel like they would be well-guarded (especially because Aja is known to run away repeatedly - they’d want to prevent her future attempts). Yet, Aja can still successfully make it out of the palace and into the city, which means she can get around whatever guard detail she has.
Anyway, considering how they reacted to having friends on Earth and their excitement over it, I think they were incredibly lonely before leaving Akiridion-5. To an extent, they probably were each other’s only friend growing up. Because they wouldn’t be allowed normal social lives as royals and because no one else could understand their position like each other could.
I do 2 watches of favorite shows when they first come out. The first, a single binge-watching session through all new episodes, so I can feel all the emotions I’m gonna feel. The second is slower, to fully take in the new material and sort out my thoughts. This time, with 3Below, I’ve decided to liveblog my second watch through.
Beneath the cut, thoughts on 3Below Part 2 Episode 2: Moonlight Run
>First off, I do love Stuart talking to his old ship. As someone who talks to pretty much every inanimate object I own, I get that. It was cute.
>My initial response upon first viewing the stealing of the spaceship from Area 49B, though, was frustration. After an entire episode was spent breaking into Area 49B in Part 1, to do so again and so easily here, felt like an undermining to the intensity of “The Arcadian Job”.
However, I can also see why the writers did it. Our characters needed a ship to get to the moon. The only one that’s been established other than Mother is Stuart’s. Therefore, it would be easiest to utilize his ship rather than spend narrative time establishing a new ship someplace else.
Also, returning to 49B and Kubritz so early in the season re-establishes them in the audience’s mind as antagonists. Thus, when Kubritz & co enter into the plot in more major ways later on, we already have a point of reference for them that’s fresher than a single episode from last season.
So, yeah, on the one hand, a frustrating moment. On the other, I think the narrative gains outweigh the losses in this instance.
Plus, Stuart’s joke about Area 49B’s security system was funny.
Also the line about there not being any tracking device because the ship didn’t fly before. Really liked that one.
>This season keeps convincing me to love Zadra more and more. Just, I really like her concerns about the safety measures for a sleepover. She really reminds me of a concerned parent, but without breaking character for her.
>Also I love the wide shot of Arcadia in the background in the scene with Aja, Krel, Eli, and Toby. Just, I think they really improved on the animation this season. I could literally stare at that city for ages, it’s so beautiful.
>That look Vex gives Alpha when Alpha first walks up, before turning his gaze away as he says “Million with an M”. I just really, really like that look. The utter disdain I can feel radiating off Vex, it’s GLORIOUS!
>I love the shot with Stuart in the foreground and Aja and Krel complaining about road trips in the background. This scene made me genuinely smile.
>Also, Aja and Krel looking at Earth through the window.
>Okay, one of my ultimate favorite things from this season was seeing Stuart’s ship fly over the moon. It gave a very retro vibe (one that reminded me of old movies with poor special effects that had flying saucers). I really, really enjoyed it (also, it’s why I’m kinda glad they went with Stuart’s ship). A great moment all around.
>I’m fairly certain the music that plays during the low-gravity on the moon moments is a call back to 2001: A Space Odyssey. I know it’s a famous piece of classical (and it’s bugging me that I can’t remember its title/composer), but I’m fairly certain that that movie was the first time it was used in a space setting.
>I really, really love the relationship between Aja and Vex.
>How Tronos gets offended at the potential of Stuart suggesting he’s not a gentleman. Enough said.
>for the reference to Clue, Stuart gets double bonus points
>I don’t know why, but I find Aja’s fight against the guard super satisfying. How she decided to lure him into coming back, ambushing him, the fight itself, and then her quip to Vex about patience, just ahjfldhdlahsljg I could watch this sequence repeatedly.
>I can’t tell if Nana’s just messing with Zadra or she’s serious about the credit card thing, and I LOVE IT
I can’t believe I’ve never noticed this little hug the Tarron siblings do when they reunite before now! It’s so CUUUUTE!
>Alpha’s defeat so early in the season has been something I’ve spent a lot of time considering. Initially, it rubbed me the wrong way. Up until that point he seemed like an extremely important character. So, to have his end be in episode 2 felt like the show wasn’t giving it the significance or weight it deserved.
However, then I got to thinking about it. Subsequently, I came to like this narrative choice more.
Alpha, as a character, is most important as an adversary to Vex. Yes, Aja and Krel are his bounties, but he doesn’t have the same personal history with them as he does Vex. I really like that Vex defeats him in this fight, because Vex is the one who needs to defeat him.
To make Alpha one of the final villains to defeat in the season would divert some attention from Aja and Krel’s battles during the finale (which are more important narratively, as they’re the protagonists) to Vex. But, it would also not bring full attention to Vex (as some attention would still be on Aja and Krel’s).
This way, arguably, none of the important battles (Vex vs. Alpha, Aja and Krel vs. Morando and Kubrick) are fully receiving the attention they should, as they are drawing focus from each other.
By separating them, the show gives each time and weight.
Alpha isn’t as important an antagonist to Aja and Krel, so it makes the most sense for him to be the one removed from the finale, where Aja and Krel’s fights should be front and center.
Placing it so close to the beginning does give some early on action (which is a good way to get people excited), but it also made the first episodes feel a bit rushed.
All things considered I think it was a good choice, but one that had a few flaws.
Any thoughts on the actual conclusion of Aja & Steve’s argument? I can’t help but feel like the ending inadvertently validated the concept of earth dates being the universal “normal” while akiridion stuff is “weird” and that doesn’t really sit right with me.
I think the idea behind their final conversation at the cafe where Douxie works was that they are trying to come to a middle ground. Neither Steve nor Aja can change who they are, they don’t want to change, and some of their dialogue, to me, came across as them reaffirming that they like the other just the way they are. They do enjoy being with each other and they want their relationship to work.
That said, I don’t think they reached a satisfactory resolution here. Steve’s dialogue of “see, this is a date”, and then his comparison of it to Akiridion adventures, does put human dates in the position of “normal” compared to the Akiridion adventures, which Steve describes as “slimy, noisy, and stinky” (in addition to “exciting”, so he does give them one positive adjective there). To me, that shows he’s still not completely fine with/accepting of Akiridion adventures.
Aja validates Steve’s discomforts by saying “point take” and agreeing that they should be doing more Earth stuff, just them. That works to reassure Steve and address the issues he’s brought up (and he is allowed to want to do more Earth things/be dissatisfied with the current situation of their relationship where they aren’t). But, it does nothing to find a true middle ground between Steve’s human-ness and Aja’s Akiridion-ness.
I think it’s especially clear in Aja’s next line that she’s Akiridion and she can’t change that and Steve’s followup that he’s human and he can’t change that, that they haven’t found a middle ground resolution between their two stances. They recognize their differences exist, but they’re not at a point where they can really exist harmoniously together with them. Steve will likely (tho probably unintentionally) still go on thinking of human stuff as ‘normal’ and Akiridion stuff as ‘weird’. Aja will reassure him, but not change herself for him. This will continue to lead to conflicts.
I also think this conversation is an indication that they won’t stay together at the end of the show. They like each other, yes, but they also have different goals and want different things from life. Aja will embrace her Akiridion heritage, return to her home planet, and become its ruler. Steve won’t leave his family on Earth to go with her.
tbh, in the long run, I don’t see them staying together romantically as their lives continue to pull them in different directions, but I can definitely see them remaining fond of each other/still being friends.
Now that I’ve had some time to process things, if anyone wants to talk character development, narratives, and story analysis for 3Below Part 2, feel free to come into my ask box.
(I’m in an analytical mood for this new season, so come at me with your discussion ideas)
Just a note, to those who have sent me in asks about story/plot/characterization for the new season of 3Below:
I think I’m going to wait until I finish my liveblog to start answering. Just so I can use my notes from the liveblog posts as references for my analysis. I want to give you guys well thought-out responses and it would be easier to do so with a long set of notes/thoughts for each episode.
(in the meantime, if you guys wanna keep sending in asks, I’m completely okay with that)
if anyone wants to send in any character analysis-related asks for Aja Tarron, I’m 80-90% sure I’m going to write an entire thing for her like I did for Strickler that one time (except probably with a more positive spin to it because I like how she was developed more than him), and wouldn’t mind questions to help me along.
Would anyone be interested more in-depth analysis like the one I did for Strickler?
Cause honestly I love both media and story analysis (plus I’ve enjoyed reading all the responses to the Strickler one, both here and on AO3 - like a lot of good thoughts and discussions have come from this imo).
They wouldn’t happen very often, since it takes me a while to put together arguments, gather evidence, and write (plus I have fanfics and hopefully art I want to do too), but I wouldn’t mind adding ‘analysis’ to the pile of content I do.
