Current Fixation: Danganronpa & Naegami

Then it pans over to this glorious scene

I won’t lie, I forgot he was a predator. Yes the first movie made it clear on the racism between predators and prey and the like but during the second movie, I forgot? about it? It wasn’t in the forefront of my mind and it became instead a small part of their characters (ofc I know it’s not small, the movie just did a good job in making me focus on the plot).

It wasn’t until this scene, with him shrouded in darkness, with only his yellow iris’s glowing, stalking towards the light, that I was harshly reminded that he is a predator. The scene succeeded in making me feel threatened at that moment. At that singular, small moment, he wasn’t the awkward dork I was coming to love, a harmless animal who could never harm anybody, he was a predator with the intent to kill. (And technically already did with how he just left Judy and Gary with nothing)

He quickly finds the Beaver and he pulls the awkward, trusting guy act again! Almost easily in fact! It disarms the Beaver just long enough for him to strike. And I especially love the way they did it. They didn’t take forever for him to stab her. He stabs her immediately (we see him moving his arm!!!) and proceeds to keep trudging on, not even looking back!

Another thing I love is how the creators put in is the detail of him continually changing out the cartridges of poison. In a way it further cements the cold hard fact that he is continuously making his choices. He reloads the syringe, (not even looking at it mind you!), and proceeds to hunt for Nick.

Every move he makes, every step he takes is purposeful. He doesn’t feel like a villain who needs a good talking to from the main character to redeem himself. He doesn’t even feel like he’s one step away from backing out. Even though he obviously doesn’t like causing unnecessary harm to Judy or Gary, (or even the beaver,) he has a purpose and it makes him even scarier, even more threatening and it’s beautiful.

There’s a point that’s made when Pawbert is being thrown across the room by his father in the next scene. We saw glimpses of his abuse from his retelling of his relationship with his family and when we first meet them. It’s what I love about this scene, that they don’t shy away from how uncomfortable and sick it is. You even see the two sibling’s in the back not enjoying it. They are victims too. They just were able to get Daddy’s approval. It’s the way Pawbert still seeks out his fathers approval even after getting tossed across the room that pulls at my heartstrings.

The slow descent into insanity is pretty funny, especially with the “The Screaming” reference, but regardless, in the end he doesn’t change. He became the twist villain and he didn’t even fully remove his defining characteristics. He kept his awkwardness, he kept his kindness, and he kept his one true goal; the goal he told us from the beginning in fact; he wants his fathers approval above anything.