One detail I really like in Nimona is that everyone is a terrible detective
Ballister is in the spotlight the most bc heās actively trying to prove his innocence. Except heās real bad at it. Like the first time we see him after the whole Queen killing fiasco, his notes on the wall show that he already suspects the Squire knows something.
But then he does literally nothing about it.
Instead he strolls into the Institute with an iron-clad ātrust me bro Iām innocentā argument that leads to extremely predictable consequences.
After Nimona gets him out of that mess, he actually talks to the Squire and miraculously get proof of his innocence! And then he promptly decides to not make a backup copy of the recordingā¦ or secure a witness statementā¦ or even ensure the safety of his single witness (some knight he is). Instead Ballister simply walks straight back into the Institute again with a new ātrust me bro, Iām innocent just look at this thing in my pocket firstā and predictably looses all his evidence.
Then a third time, he and Nimona get sneaky and record the Directorās actual confession, uploading it for everyone to see. But they only take a small soundbite, which backfires on them later when the Director makes the very logical āwe have proof Boldheart is working with a literal shapeshifter, so maybe it was a shapeshifter that said that.ā Ballister and Nimona didnāt even show that the Director was in possession of Ballisterās sword or that she tried to stab Ambrosius.
And Ballister (and by extension Nimona) arenāt the only terrible detectives. Itās implied that nobody did a proper investigation after the Queenās death or else the Squireās testimony would have been uncovered.
Plus Ambrosiusā suggestion that āhey maybe we should watch the clip for ten seconds longer to see if thereās anything else we missedā seems like a novel idea instead of standard practice. And upon discovering Ballisterās real sword, Ambrosius also makes no attempt to secure evidence of itās existence within the Institute (which could prove Ballisterās innocence) and instead gives it away.Ā
Taken at direct face value, this makes the characters seem incompetent and unintelligent. But the genius is that it makes perfect sense within the larger narrative of the story why the knights are not taught investigative or problem solving skills.
They live in a society where āmonstersā exist.
If monsters were allowed to have a voice, to prove to others that perhaps they are actually innocent, it would fundamentally shatter the perception that the accused were evil monsters to begin with. And this, in turn, would bring the entire system crumbling down.
Their society is one where anyone can be labeled a monster and there is no room for questions or analysis.
There is simply blind obedience to those already in power.
And this leads to innocent people being hurt.Ā
pixelskylines
jacobvanloon
prguitarman
discoholicmusic
ellievsbear
