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insaneladybugAs much as I love Articuno's design, color, and ice powers, it seems like he and the other Legendary Birds are all really rather jerks. The moment one is taken, the others just want to take over the kidnapped one's territory and have more power. And the way they attack Lugia ... oy. That was brutal. I love when they all harmonize at the end, but I have to wonder if the thing would repeat all over again if one was taken or otherwise disappeared.
(Also, honestly, Articuno is a way cooler name than Freezer, LOL. So unimaginative. And I think I read that Moltres's Japanese name is Fire? Seriously? Boring!)
Then I had the thought of an AU branching off from the movie. Team Rocket is apparently thought dead in the movie, or at least, we don't see anyone acknowledging they're alive except Slowking, and he breaks the fourth wall talking about all the people watching them. ROTFLOL. I know the novelization has Ash and company see them alive, but I don't like how the novelization handled the scene. It downplayed their sacrifice and had Ash saying something about how they'd never change (meaning it negatively). So, I won't accept the novelization version. Anyway, I'm toying with the idea of Team Rocket running with the idea that hey, while they're thought dead, maybe they really will try going into business for themselves like they talked about at the end of the movie. Every time I watch the film, I always hate the thought of things going back to the status quo afterwards. It's just too meaningful to be dismissed that way. Of course, they'd end up drawn into the conflict again anyway, but they'd probably be or end up on Ash's side in it.
I put aside Johto for a while because I was getting frustrated with all the formulaic episodes. I tried one again tonight and got frustrated again. Honestly, the first two seasons had so many episodes breaking away from the formula and having Team Rocket be awesome/show their softer sides/etc. Johto seemed to hardly ever do it. Most episodes were formulaic, with them as the bad guys, and the few times fun things with them did happen, like the Wobbufett Festival one or the one with Articuno saving them (and what's he doing in Johto when the movie says he only lives in the Orange Islands?!), the writers mostly trolled the viewers by having them turn traitor again. Ignorance is Blissey and the flaming Moltres episode are two of the only ones I've really liked so far on this Johto set. They seemed to be pretty rare, breaking away from the usual Johto formula. I have enjoyed some of the others, like the first owl illusion one and the two with the Snubbull, but as far as good Team Rocket content goes, those are about the only season 3 ones I can think of that are good for them. Maybe there's some other nice Team Rocket episodes on the set, but the summaries all sound like the rest are pretty formulaic.
I also watched Training Daze again. It was sweet seeing how they first bonded and how nice James was. I still wish they hadn't changed the dialogue about him running away and such, but I did love the heavy emphasis on teamwork and being loyal to each other. It was cringeworthy that not even Cassidy could say Butch's name right, though. Although it was funny when, after "Hutch" he goes, "That's it. I'm changing my name." ROTFLOL.
The episode really does contradict earlier canon, though. We know from season 1 that Jessie and James knew each other long before Team Rocket. Training Daze heavily implies that they only met in Team Rocket. I like the origin story, so I tried to bridge the plothole by saying that they'd had a falling out after the bike gang and hence, were cool to each other upon meeting again in Team Rocket.
Another plothole not so easily explained, however, is that James clearly doesn't know Butch and Cassidy in The Breeding Center Secret. But in Training Daze, there's no way he wouldn't be aware of them.
One more reason to consider the first two seasons as absolute canon and everything else is nebulous. They were rebooting things as early as Johto!
(Also, honestly, Articuno is a way cooler name than Freezer, LOL. So unimaginative. And I think I read that Moltres's Japanese name is Fire? Seriously? Boring!)
Then I had the thought of an AU branching off from the movie. Team Rocket is apparently thought dead in the movie, or at least, we don't see anyone acknowledging they're alive except Slowking, and he breaks the fourth wall talking about all the people watching them. ROTFLOL. I know the novelization has Ash and company see them alive, but I don't like how the novelization handled the scene. It downplayed their sacrifice and had Ash saying something about how they'd never change (meaning it negatively). So, I won't accept the novelization version. Anyway, I'm toying with the idea of Team Rocket running with the idea that hey, while they're thought dead, maybe they really will try going into business for themselves like they talked about at the end of the movie. Every time I watch the film, I always hate the thought of things going back to the status quo afterwards. It's just too meaningful to be dismissed that way. Of course, they'd end up drawn into the conflict again anyway, but they'd probably be or end up on Ash's side in it.
I put aside Johto for a while because I was getting frustrated with all the formulaic episodes. I tried one again tonight and got frustrated again. Honestly, the first two seasons had so many episodes breaking away from the formula and having Team Rocket be awesome/show their softer sides/etc. Johto seemed to hardly ever do it. Most episodes were formulaic, with them as the bad guys, and the few times fun things with them did happen, like the Wobbufett Festival one or the one with Articuno saving them (and what's he doing in Johto when the movie says he only lives in the Orange Islands?!), the writers mostly trolled the viewers by having them turn traitor again. Ignorance is Blissey and the flaming Moltres episode are two of the only ones I've really liked so far on this Johto set. They seemed to be pretty rare, breaking away from the usual Johto formula. I have enjoyed some of the others, like the first owl illusion one and the two with the Snubbull, but as far as good Team Rocket content goes, those are about the only season 3 ones I can think of that are good for them. Maybe there's some other nice Team Rocket episodes on the set, but the summaries all sound like the rest are pretty formulaic.
I also watched Training Daze again. It was sweet seeing how they first bonded and how nice James was. I still wish they hadn't changed the dialogue about him running away and such, but I did love the heavy emphasis on teamwork and being loyal to each other. It was cringeworthy that not even Cassidy could say Butch's name right, though. Although it was funny when, after "Hutch" he goes, "That's it. I'm changing my name." ROTFLOL.
The episode really does contradict earlier canon, though. We know from season 1 that Jessie and James knew each other long before Team Rocket. Training Daze heavily implies that they only met in Team Rocket. I like the origin story, so I tried to bridge the plothole by saying that they'd had a falling out after the bike gang and hence, were cool to each other upon meeting again in Team Rocket.
Another plothole not so easily explained, however, is that James clearly doesn't know Butch and Cassidy in The Breeding Center Secret. But in Training Daze, there's no way he wouldn't be aware of them.
One more reason to consider the first two seasons as absolute canon and everything else is nebulous. They were rebooting things as early as Johto!
no subject
Date: 2017-12-13 11:51 am (UTC)(LOL, yes, some of the original names leave a lot to be desired. *snerk*)
An AU fic would be awesome--was that where you considered the defection would take place from? Or were you thinking of it being more Johto?
As for Articuno being in two places, it seems that the birds like to roam. Zapdos shows up in Master Quest out of the blue. Alternatively, there could be 2 of them. There are multiple Lugias--the male one from the Orange Islands, and a female in the Whirl Islands with her baby. It's not discussed, but I don't think it's too much of a stretch to think that the Orange Islands Lugia (whom Ash references) could be the female's mate--and subsequently, the baby's father.
But yeah, Johto wasn't too kind to Team Rocket--Hoenn even less so.
Yeaaaah, Butch and Cassidy suffered during Chronicles. And yep, so much retconning, oyy.
no subject
Date: 2017-12-13 12:00 pm (UTC)(They sure do. LOL. And I know some of the dub names are cheesy, but when I heard Charizard's Japanese name ... Lizardon? Really?)
Well, the defection fic where they're supposedly killed in the fall of the HQ building is ... in my nebulous timeline, LOL. So some Johto events have happened, but not all. I pick and choose what I want to be canon from the Johto seasons.
Yeah, I was thinking it being another one was the more likely explanation. I really wondered why Articuno wanted to be in a tropical area at all, though. I think I remember the Master Quest Lugias ... vaguely. That is a sweet idea that maybe the Orange Islands one is the father ... although the family is sure separated then.
Yeeeep.
Totally. **headdesk.** When I read about the Chronicles episode where they try to rob Professor Oak's lab, I cringed. I don't think I want to see that....
no subject
Date: 2017-12-13 12:18 pm (UTC)LOL, that conjures up an amusing image of Charizard in a fedora and 20s gangster-style clothes. A Lizard Don. *snerk*
Ahh, nice!
...Yeah, why would Articuno want to be in a tropical area? LOL. maybe the underground cavern in there is cooler, heh. And true... Lugia could be migratory, so the family could be together?
Oh gosh, that ep... I was initially excited when it was announced because I'd written a fic on the old Gateway years prior where Butch and Cassidy had captured Oak and Ash-tachi got help from Jessie and James... But this... oy. Mine was so much better, and I was 12 when I wrote it!
no subject
Date: 2017-12-13 12:37 pm (UTC)It must be! And yeah, coming to think of it, if Lugia is the guardian of the sea, it would seem he'd travel all over to make sure the sea was okay everywhere.
Your fic sounds epically awesome!
no subject
Date: 2017-12-13 12:48 pm (UTC)Yes, true!
Aw, thanks!