Cars development: Lightning McQueen learning how to handle unwanted / unexpected paparazzi
The contrast between cars 1 and 2 is INCREDIBLE considering how much Lightning has changed as a person. Because he went through a LOT of development since the first movie, he is a world of change.
But Lightning has changed more as a public figure aswell. For example, his reactions to paparazzi.
In the first movie at the start he clearly does not mind it, because well paparazzi shows his good, cool, and cocky side, right? It does until it does not.
The first time we saw Lightning clearly not wanting to be in front of a camera was Cars 1 when he got pulled out of Radiator Springs. He eventually got forced back in his trailer, but before that, when he immediatly gets surrounded by cameras and cars, it visibly stresses him out.
When watching this scene i always feel sorry for him. You can just see Lightning not liking this at all. Usually he poses for cameras and talks to the paparazzi in the movie, but right now, he is genuinly stressed and he wants to see Sally, and starts calling out her name but can't reach her. Lightning is uncomfortable. Visibly uncomfortable. Because he does not know how to handle this.
However. The moment after he drives off after arguing with Mater in Cars 2, essentially the same thing happens. He gets swarmed by paparazzi asking him about what went wrong in the race and why he lost, rubbing his loss in even harder while also shoving microphones and cameras in his face and totally surrounding him, not giving him any room, just barging into his space and asking questions.
Here it again takes 1 look to see that Lightning, just like last time, is NOT in the mood to be recorded. Except now hes not scared, hes just annoyed. I mean if i had just yelled at my best friend for ruining a race i had trained so hard for i would not feel like a camera under my nose either, but it happens here. Lightning doesnt move. Just looks around like 'seriously?'
In the first movie he clamps shut and doenst say much, but here he handles the paparazzi like a champ: gives one loud and clear answer, then drives off.
Thats his way of signaling: no more cameras. This is my answer. Leave me alone.
Then in Cars 3, Lightning doesnt actually do much. Luigi and Quido make sure the paparazzi keep a respectable distance, and Lightning just smiles and drives trough the crowd, no fear or annoyance, just a smile, no words and hes done.
And maybe this doesnt really count because here hes not alone, in the other two examples he was, but i think the fact that Lightning doesnt talk in this scene shows that he learned even more.
In the first movie he got overwhelmed, in the second he was not expecting it, was annoyed but willing to give an answer to a question he didnt even want to reply to, and here he's just nodding and smiling instead of answering a question he doesnt want to reply to.
In Cars 2, Lightning gets asked about his defeat. Wich he clearly does not want to openly talk about now. But he does reply and he does give an answer even though he doesnt want to.
Now he gets asked about retirement, a question he is shown to hate even more, and now instead one short clear answer, there is now no answer at all. He is not engaging in any unwanted interviews.
Lightning slowly learning how to handle paparazzi is honestly such a cool detail since its such a big part of being famous. Lightning has come a very long way from the first movie in every aspect and its so cool
