How Queen Ojo exposes the underlying sexism in Wondla's TV adaptation
It's no secret that Queen Ojo's design and personality changes in the show have been one of the most contentious parts of the changes to the book. I think a big reason for it is that a lot of the changes to her character feel like they were an attempt to make her more traditionally feminine compared to how she is in the books
Ojo's book design is fantastic. She's massive, looking both alien and still regal. She's somewhat imposing when we first see her, and she's even somewhat of an antagonist. But during Battle for Wondla, we find out that Ojo genuinely does care for her subjects, and the moment she learns about Loroc's treachery, she works with Eva to find a way to stop him. Multiple moments throughout the book show how highly respected and loved she is as a ruler. Even Redimus, who had been thrown in prison by her orders, still kisses her necklace as a sign of respect
However, when you look at every change the show made to Ojo as a character, it comes across like they are doing everything in their power to try and remove her agency as a character and a ruler
Queen Ojo in the show is a lot more of a pushover than she is in the books. Loroc and Zin are already calling the shots by the time Eva meets her. None of the characters respects her as a ruler, not even Zin. Loroc is easily able to take over the throne from her when, in the book, he had to play the long game. Ojo's whole arc is about her proving to herself that she can be a good leader when she was already respected in the books. She and Eva become fast friends when Eva has to show Ojo that she wasn't lying. And this is without mentioning her redesign
She's much smaller; her more alien features are softened to make her look more human. She has a cute little tiara, and she just generally looks a lot more cutesy than the respected ruler she's meant to be. The art book makes constant mentions of her looking soft and beautiful, even comparing her to a goat or lamb. There's just this very weird vibe of them implying that Ojo needed to look beautiful and regal, almost implying she wasn't in the books
Now I want to make this clear. I'm not saying that the designers and/or writers are raging misogynists who are yassifying all the characters in the book. I think Ojo's show design is genuinely really pretty and could've worked for another character. But something about Ojo's changes in particular, and seeing all the other female alien characters be made to look more traditionally feminine compared to their book counterparts, leaves a bad taste in my mouth
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If you can’t find him, leave the palace and go to my workplace. They’ll keep you safe until they can contact him.
You’re a big girl now, Fayluna. I know you can do it.
Uncle Redimus’s words replayed in Fay’s head as she roamed around the palace, striking to dark corners and behind pillars, out of the guards’ sight. She still remembered the stories about the pillar-sized mechanics, but thankfully for her, they were dormant. Fay’s curious side urged her to touch one and see if he reacted, but her more rational side discarded the idea. Now’s not the time for that.
But try as she might, Fay couldn’t catch Daddy’s scent no matter how often she sniffed. Eventually, her search led her to one of the many royal foyers. She’s never been around here. It dawned on her that Daddy might not even be here right now. Perhaps he was hunting again? If so, she had to find a way out of the palace and find Uncle Redimus’s cremates.
Now the question: where is the way out?
Fay ran down the hallway, coming to a halt as she heard a commotion just as she was turning around the corner. She thought she heard Zin’s panicked voice telling the guards to get something off. Perhaps his hat got stuck in his head again? This time, the temptation to watch the Arsian flailing around and crashing into stuff was too great to pass by. Fay turned around the corner just in time to see Zin fall to the ground, right in front of her.
What she did not expect was for something… or someone falling right on top of her. Fay screeched in pain and crawled from beneath the perpetrator.
“Look where you’re going!” She snarled, fur bristled—but it flattened again when she saw who it was. Rather, what it was.
A hooman, just like the ones win the museum’s paintings… Sort of. This one had dark skin, and even darker fur on her head, tied in a bun. She was wearing a bright green jumpsuit of sorts.
The hooman recovered from the fall faster than expected. She got on her feet and ran off without even apologizing. Fay only followed suit so Zin wouldn’t see her. Uncle Redimus would be in big trouble if they found out she’d escaped.
The hooman stopped to rest in one of the pillars, but Fay ran past it and into the royal garden, jumping off behind the plants.
As luck would have it, the hooman joined her in that very same spot.
“Hey, this is my spot! Go find your–!” The hooman quickly placed a hand over her mouth—it smelled strongly of dirt and sweat—just as a guard peeked into the garden. Thankfully, it moved away when it saw no signs of the hooman.
That’s when Fay did her move.
“OW!” The hooman cried out after Fay’s teeth dug into her hand. “What was that for?!”
“That’s for falling on top of me, you smelly hooman!”
“It’s not like I meant to fall on top of you, I was trying to escape from that… thing!”
Fay’s curiosity got the better of her and she began to climb over and sniff out the hooman.
“What are you doing?!”
“Why do you only grow fur in your head?”
“Ow! Stop it!”
“Ew, your claws are tiny!”
The hooman snatched her hand away. “Would you keep your paws off me?!”
“Is it true you hoomans live in deep underground caves? Zin says you have retractible claws. Is that why they’re so tiny?”
“Human nails are not retractible.”
Fay jumped back with a startled hiss when the hooman’s hand suddenly spoke. More specifically, it was a black round object attached to it.
“No no, it’s okay! That’s just an omnipod.”
“Is it a hooman toy?”
“I am certainly not a toy.”
Her curiosity piqued, Fay grabbed the hooman’s hand again to examine the little artifact closer. “Oooh, it talks! Can you sing a song?”
“Singing is not in my programming.”
“What kind of toy are you?”
“Would you knock it off?” The hooman pulled her hand away again. “Look, maybe we started on the wrong foot. My name is Eva!”
Fay puffed out her chest. “My friends call me Fay, but you call me Fayluna.” That said, she began pushing Eva out.
“What now?!”
“This is my hiding spot! Go get your own!”
“Hey, you–!” Eva almost tripped as the ref-furred alien tried pushing her out into the open. “Stop it, you’ll get the both of us caught!”
“Well, you started it!”
Fay heard the echo of very light footsteps approaching. In a panic, she ran over to hide beneath the smaller plants, knocking Eva over in the process.
Eva cursed under under her breath, rubbing her sore back after the creature practically pushed her to the ground. Soon, she saw the reason why: it was the alien in the golden robes from before. Zin and Loroc had called her ‘queen’…
“You wouldn’t believe what we have in the palace today. An actual hooman! It caused quite the scare…” She spoke to the statue in a forlorn voice. “I-I very much miss you, father…”
Fay watched the scene, head tilted slightly. She looked… sad. It’s hard to believe this is the Queen who ordered her and uncle Redimus to be kept in jail.
Unfortunately, her shifting moved one of the plants in her hiding, startling the Queen into noticing her presence. Fay squared in dismay and tried to dig further into the bushes, curling up.
“What is this? A Dorcean cub?” Fay’s fur bristled as Queen Ojo knelt down, smiling kindly. “It’s alright, little one. I won’t hurt you.”
Reluctantly, Fay got up. She trembled as she stepped unto the marble floor.
“Are you by yourself, little one? Where are your parents?”
Fay swallowed hard. “…I can’t find Daddy.”
“Is that so? Where did you see him last?”
“Uncle Red told me I’m not supposed to talk to strangers.”
Oddly, Queen Ojo giggled. “A very wise lesson, young one.”
Another plant twitched. This time, it was Eva who’d moved one of the bigger leaves from the palm tree. Queen Ojo gasped.
“Guards, guards!” She called, protectively putting herself between Fay and Eva. “It’s over here!”
“No, no, no!” Eva stepped out of her hiding spot. “Don’t! Do not call the guards!”
“Please don’t!” Queen Ojo stepped back in fright, but to Fay’s surprise, she still tried shielding her with her body as much as possible. “Don’t melt my brain!”
“What? No, of course I’m not gonna–!” As Zin’s voice echoed down the hallway, Eva’s expression shifted. “I mean, yeah, don’t give me a reason to, ‘cause I might melt it. Got it?” She stepped back into the plants. So, the guards. Call them off, or else…”
Fay barely managed to hold back her laughter. This hooman isn’t a good liar, yet Queen Ojo didn’t seem to see through it. No offense, but she really should get out more.
The cub remembered to hide out of sight behind the Queen’s robes just as the guards entered the garden. The Queen managed to regain her composure.
“Guards. Good. You are looking for the hooman?” She pointed to another corridor. “It went that way. Hurry.”
With the coast clear, Eva came out of hiding. “Thank you… I mean, thank yourself for saving your brain. Not that I wanna do that… Human melting thing to you… But I might have to! Unless you help me find something…”
“Daddy could do way it better, hooman.” Fay said flatly.
Ignoring her, Eva held up the omnipod. “See this? Zin bought one of these from a trader in Lacus, and it’s somewhere in this palace.”
“I would bow, Your Majesty, but I can’t.”
“That toy is boring! It doesn’t even sing!” Fay pointed out.
“It’s rude for children to speak when adults are talking.”
On your Project Ark headcanon, would the reintroduction of Earth species also include plants? A part of me was curious how resilient some seed vaults would be to potentially last until discovery.
Oh, yeah! But sadly, not all plants could adapt to the new biosphere. With Queen Ojo's aproval, Zin made a new greenhouse area for ancient human flora in the Royal museum. Needless to say, it was quire popular amongst Orbonians.
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