I want to implant Shawn and Gus into every media I watch they just have that immense power to seamlessly fit in and inevitably elevate whatever is going on. it literally wouldn't matter it could be a post-apocalyptic wasteland and Shawn would still show up at the survivor camp wearing shades drinking from a pineapple like "wow this place is sadder than Gus's dating life in high school" and Gus would be all "the water here isn't even being boiled properly Shawn. I'm not staying at this camp I will not be getting dysentery I'm already fighting my sciatica flare-up" and all the people at the camp would be like "what the actual fuck" as Shawn and Gus walk off bickering into the distance and disappear
okay everyone buckle the hell up cause I'm gonna nerd out to you about the makeup they used for this episode.
Yeah that's right I SAID MAKE UP
Everything from the top of their head to the end of their neck
purely intricate, beautiful makeup
(by the very talented make up designer Sheelagh Wells who is the only one to have worked both on doctor who in '63 and new who)
Each shaped individually to each actors face and able to pick up each micro expression we still struggle to produce with cgi to this day without it looking wrong or plastic
everything from the small cheek movements to the eyebrows to the nose crinkle, the actresses is able to act as if she usually would.
By not having to restrain her face to act in one peticular spot or with nothing but small motion capture dots on her face, means she can actually bounce off the more realistic reaction to the other actors performance rather than if they just said "right well pretend she's a cat and we'll add it in later".
and sure, okay, I'm not gonna lie to you, the main reason the nun cats were made to be nuns was because it meant that they could cover up as much skin as they possibly could to save time in the makeup chair, because like op said, they truly did have the budget of a crisp packet
but hey, if it works
IT WORKS
Yes, each actresses sat in the makeup chair getting the extensive hair and make up done for HOURS, but ultimately the sheer amount of detail they were able to add to the characters by doing this made it worth their while.
THEY ONLY HAD A BUDGET OF AROUND £800K PER EPISODE at the time, in 2006 FOR EVERYTHING INCLUDING LOCATION ETC
Imagine what these make up designers would be able to do with A HOLLYWOOD MOVIE BUDGET
FINALLY SOMEONE WHO IS AS INSANE FOR THE CAT PEOPLE AS I AM
THEY DID IT MORE TOO GRIDLOCK IS ONE OF MY FAVE EPISODES THANKS TO THIS GUY
Thomas Kincade Brannigan (yes of course he's dressed like that for the same reasons come on)
YOU GUYS TALKING ABOUT MICRO EXPRESSIONS LOOK
This whole episode reeks of "we don't have money at all so we will film only tiny tiny interiors". It almost feels like the whole scenario was written BECAUSE OF THIS
Brannigan is also the proud father... Of... A... Litter of actual real life kittens 😐 ok I remember I laughed out loud while watching I loved this.
Anyway this to say OFTEN THE BEST THINGS COME FROM INGENUITY IN FRONT OF LIMITATIONS AND PASSION
NOT FROM MONEY (and rushing your workers to make more money faster 🙃)
I had an idea of what would happen if Shadow milk cookie and Pure vanilla cookie when their magic or whatever merge a piece of it broke off and created a being who is like a fusion in terms of design of the two and is a child (This would be a platonic relationship) one day they found the beings existence
This is not for a ship shadow milk and pure vanilla’s relationship is the same as in the game
Oh they're fighting for custody 😭 Now, I don't really do child readers... so this will be you finding out about them and the Soul Jam when you're an adult. Y'know, for destiny and all that. Think I also took some inspiration from a different idea I discussed a while ago... forgot where.
Sorry if I lost the plot... Had to make some alterations. I hope you liked the idea I came up with? It was fun to write.
Yandere! Platonic! Shadow Milk + Pure Vanilla with Virtue of Knowledge! Darling
You are a Cookie born from the Light of Truth... A Cookie meant to embody both Truth and Knowledge.
You were born from the magic of the Soul Jam... a creation all on your own...
Or perhaps a fail-safe for the Soul Jam if something happened to the heroes who wield it.
The Light of Truth so far has had two users.
Shadow Milk... one who was once meant to be a hero of knowledge... soon turned Beast upon having his followers exploit him.
The current is Pure Vanilla... an Ancient Hero who follows his heart and stands for truth.
Your existence is meant to serve as an apprentice.
You are to be another user and defender of the Soul Jam... but such a destiny doesn't become clear to you until the events of Beast Yeast.
Being born from pure magic has made your dough immortal like your 'parents'... Yet you've gone years without knowing your origin.
But then the Light of Truth called out to you when Pure Vanilla fell into Shadow Milk's trap in Beast Yeast... dragging you into the biggest confrontation of your lifetime.
At least... That's what I came up with for a backstory.
It's kind of like you're a child of destiny meant to fix the whole Shadow Milk situation... Only to be dragged into a custody battle once these two know who, or what, you are.
Think about it... You end up being led to Beast Yeast by the Light of Truth, the very thing that created you before leaving you in the hands of other cookies who adopted you...
You're then led to the spire in the middle of Beast Yeast's woods... told by a mysterious disembodied voice that your help is needed here.
Which leads you into playing games with two beings you might as well call demigods due to how powerful they are with magic... and you even learn more about yourself along the way.
Imagine the chaos that occurs when you run into either one of them.
Pure Vanilla is calmer... even sympathetic before he knows what you are.
He's already lost track of his friends and now this new cookie is lost too.
There's some suspicion at first... like the ancient hero can't tell if you're a creation of Shadow Milk's deceit or not.
But you seem real enough... Even with that familiar heterochromia in your eyes....
"You look lost... Stick with me, will you? It's dangerous for a young cookie such as you...."
Pure Vanilla is naturally protective on his own before even learning you're technically part of him.
Yet if he ever found out?
Now he's just more determined to make sure Shadow Milk doesn't get his hands on you.
"You have such a familiar glow to you... How could I have been so blind? You are part of me... I can't lose you."
Shadow Milk on the other hand seems originally irritated that someone is ruining his games with the thief that stole his Soul Jam.
Who are you exactly? A lost cookie who wandered too far from home?
Are you a friend of Pure Vanilla or something?
Yet... even Shadow Milk can't ignore a familiar glow and demeanor you have.
You have power... but what's even worse that stuns the Beast?
You remind him of himself... when he was younger, created with purpose... when knowledge was still what he ruled....
It's like he's watching his reflection... a reminder of what he once lost.
It makes him conflicted... perhaps even frustrated.
"Oh? A new naive toy in my Spire? Now just what is a little cookie like you doing here~?"
Shadow Milk is playful with his questions... but in reality he's interrogating you.
He wants to know why you remind him of himself... and when he learns a voice guided you here?
Probably even he understands.
You're part of him.
You're like him before the corruption... a creation from the Soul Jam he lost.
You're meant to be the new Virtue of Knowledge... the Soul Jam's creation to maintain balance.
Normally Shadow Milk would be frustrated... You're here to replace him just like Pure Vanilla...
Yet... he isn't.
No, instead he looks giddy.
You're perfect... the perfect toy... the perfect apprentice...
You're perfect to corrupt, to show the world that nothing stops deceit.
"Y'know, kid... You remind me a lot of me when I was younger... So young and full of purpose... but everyone will use you up eventually...."
In a way Shadow Milk is also... sympathetic.
He's aware of what will happen when you take on that title...
So is he taking you for himself to corrupt you... or to protect you?
It's not like he'd ever say.
I like to think that you end up becoming a temporary holder for the Soul Jam within the spire since you were created to be the next holder...
Then you're just constantly overwhelmed by the influence of both parties.
You are a cookie given the purpose of maintaining balance...
But how are you meant to do that with your two supposed mentors breathing down your neck in a spire that seems to defy reality?
On one hand you have Pure Vanilla... a hero trying to encourage you to the path of good, of Truth...
On the other you have the chaotic jester Shadow Milk who constantly makes you second guess yourself... who lies and tricks you into rethinking your destiny.
Take it from him... Cookies don't want a Virtue of Knowledge anymore....
All they do is whine and beg... They never look for answers themselves... They merely spread info that goes with their agenda.
Do you really want to serve them?
Why should you... with the power you have... you can just make them all submit.
Pure Vanilla tries his best to be a voice of reason.
He tries to tell you that you have a kind heart... That Shadow Milk merely wants to trick you to exploit that heart of gold...
If you listen to Pure Vanilla... He can teach you how to use the Soul Jam properly.
Cookies need a hero... and he'll help you no matter what.
A lot of Pure Vanilla's fights would end up being suppressed by Shadow Milk though.
Be that by interrupting or distracting him... or even making him Truthless Recluse... this game is no longer about Pure Vanilla to Shadow Milk.
It's about you... his newest little pet project....
Shadow Milk sticks around you all the time, often ignoring any other cookie in favor of figuring you out.
He promises he's a much better mentor than Pure Vanilla... He was once a teacher!
So why not let him teach you how to take your destiny... and prove everyone else around you wrong?
The spire doesn't help you think straight either.
It's hard to tell what's real and what's not.
You're forced into games that never seem to end... haunting circus music echoing through the halls.
Lies are around every corner... the only thing true is perhaps Pure Vanilla himself.
But even you're starting to suspect things.
Pure Vanilla probably doesn't lose hope for a while due to you, which puts off him becoming Truthless Recluse.
He's hopeful about you, often trying to comfort you once he's able to get you alone.
He hugs you, he reassures you... He tells you he knows you'll see things through.
He vows to protect you... to develop you into a kind and compassionate cookie who helps the weak.
Yet as he watches Shadow Milk toy with you... as he sees your faith being tested...
Pure Vanilla begins to worry you won't choose him....
You're constantly pressured in this spire... You don't know what's right.
The two are convincing... their charisma makes you teeter between them.
The Soul Jam doesn't offer you answers... and you aren't sure who to trust.
In theory Pure Vanilla is the right answer... He's a kind and wise mentor... a hero...
But Shadow Milk's tales of his past make you wonder if it's worth doing the right thing if cookies take advantage of it....
This spire seems to be a test... a trial to test you as the new Soul Jam user....
Will it be Truth... or will it be Deceit you pick?
The two tug at you... their words reassuring... yet they make you anxious.
By the time you reach the top of the spire... You must pick an answer, right?
Just who will be the better mentor... just what is a lie... and what is true?
Eventually you'll belong to one or the other...
You don't seem to be leaving this spire until you pick... if at all.
#this is one of those 'oh yeah we're stewards of the planet' moments #the skill with which she grabbed that bird tho #apex predators who take it upon themselves to heal and repair little things…
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