Jay Nixhope

THIS.

that charlie redesign wanted me to redesign some others so here are some others, i was going to do husk, nifty, and sir pentious but i didnt feel like doing that

are these designs easier to animate? probably not am i claiming to be a better character designer than viziepop? yes

i might do the others but probably not i dont want to be know for this

individual characters and design notes below

Why did Catra, a violent, unhinged, and dangerous war criminal, get off Scott free and an unearned redemption arc? Why was Shadow Weaver not given a redemption arc and was given the death sentence?

I’m bad at respecting pronouns. I will do my best, but if I call N.D. by his deadname or misgender him, that is an act of forgetfulness and not malice. Please be patient with me.

First, the way you’re framing this is (unintentionally, I hope) a little intellectually dishonest. I would definitely not call Catra unhinged. She’s impulsive and definitely attempted more harm than Shadow Weaver did (while being a grown-ass adult perfectly capable of making her own decisions…), but I would not call her unhinged. Her behavior is typical abusive behavior, and I laugh at the idea of war crimes in She-Ra at all because Bright Moon also doesn’t even have a prison. Moreover, I’d argue Shadow Weaver is equally as dangerous as Catra up until Micah arrives and she starts to change. She was the one throwing away soldiers on pointless missions, sacrificing the collective to get Adora back, and trying to wipe her ward’s mind (not to mention the physical abuse both she and Catra committed).

That said, the reason Catra was forgiven by the narrative and Shadow Weaver wasn’t is pretty simple. N.D. doesn’t believe Shadow Weaver is capable or worthy of redemption.

I do agree with him that you can’t redeem someone who doesn’t want to be redeemed, but the language about someone not being “capable” or “worthy” of redemption is entirely different than acknowledging that universal reconciliation isn’t a thing. He is making an assertion about Horde Prime’s value and worth in this statement. Not the free-will choices he made. N.D. can pretend as though it’s about actions all day long, but this is not the true motivation. He’s also conflating Prime’s actions with his worth by bringing up his bad actions and long lifespan, which has nothing to do with anything. It’s all window dressing. What makes Prime’s end work is that he COULD have chosen at any point to repent, surrender, and face consequences, but he chose not to. Get that? C H O S E.

It’s also worth noting that N.D. doesn’t see Shadow Weaver as redeemed.

Here are all the effed-up things in this passage:

N.D. admits he didn’t plan Shadow Weaver’s arc from the start, which is laughable and shows he has a dearth of writing skills. If you’re going to write a story, literally the bare minimum is knowing the climax and ending. But he couldn’t even be expected to know that? Come on.

N.D. acts like it’s so terrible for Shadow Weaver to think she’s the good guy when that’s a.) literally how Catra behaved for the whole story, and b.) how everyone thinks of themselves. Everyone wants to think they’re going through life with the best of intent here.

N.D. asserts that Shadow Weaver ruined the lives of people she never ruined the lives of. She was never in Castaspella’s life before S5, and all signs point to her treating Micah with utmost kindness up to and including when she was possessed. I challenge anyone to find one instance where she treated him at all similar to how she treated Catra and Adora. They won’t find it.

Shadow Weaver does not care about Catra. She cares about Adora but the Spell twisted her love so much it no longer resembles the real thing. Love is an action, not a positive feeling, and the fact N.D. is stating otherwise shows he doesn’t know what the hell he’s talking about.

Shadow Weaver’s sacrificial ending was suicidal. I don’t really care who’s mad about me saying that. She said “it’s too late for me” and burned herself alive. Suicide is selfish and cowardly in its own way, but N.D. in other interviews portrayed the final act as a way to smarm Catra and Adora for resenting her, which does not come across in the scene at all. Again, N.D. has no idea what he is talking about here. I have autism and even I understand the basic concept of PORTRAYING WHAT YOU INTEND IN YOUR STORY. And if she was truly being selfish all along and never changed, only manipulated the girls to the bitter end, the next point makes no sense either.

The idea that Shadow Weaver has to “affirm” and “get closure” for the girls in order for them to heal is toxic. Not that Shadow Weaver shouldn’t repent and apologize, but Adora and Catra’s healing can’t be hinged to that or else the moment she makes a mistake in her journey, they’ll instantly be heartbroken. YOU CANNOT SEEK VALIDATION FROM OTHERS. And this brings to attention the tonal whiplash. Catra and Adora should be, by all accounts, utterly distressed. But they just…forget about Shadow Weaver immediately after that, like it was as easy as her death achieving their happiness. Demented. And to think kids are having this message as their takeaway.

No lie, I think Nate is just straight up a not good person.

yeah, i usually don't like to jump to conclusions about a person i barely know, but the proof is there. just the way the show was written alone reveals a lot of problematic ideals. art usually reflects a person's morals and personality. it's not as black and white though, the framing matters a lot.

say, making a crime thriller movie wouldn't mean you're a criminal, but if you frame the crime as this cool badass thing to do, then that would raise some questions. similarly, it's okay to include themes of abuse in your work but if you romanticize or sexualize it, then that says a lot about you as a person.

Exclaimed the 30-year-old rich white woman who cannot stand criticism regardless of whether it can benefit her series of horny demons and it is curious that you say that since you threatened, abused, despised and discriminated against the people who do your job. In reality, those people who only like to make a living from the art of feeling happiness in animation, you gave them horrible treatment and of course if they leave because of contempt, you will call your fans who wet their panties 24 hours a day to defend you and pamper you like the spoiled bitch that you are, you give high pity, even a 16 year old boy like the artist "Bee The fool" who was also threatened just because he didn't like that the uwu soft owl Stolas was a damsel in distress, acted more mature than you and that all your absence is full of "adults", and that they are only children in the body of adults, more abbreviating the "Manchild"

oh too