#sbt thoughts

[ok so its been a bit since i watched the whole series front to bottom as i've been occasionally been watching it out of order so take this opinion atm with a grain of salt]

ok for real i was so ready for the bigger Ilana episodes because she has some heavy survivors guilt, homesickness, and some balancing to do with being a selfless princess and being mildly overbearing sometimes and frustrated with her endeavors falling short.

i absolutely love the way she carries herself too and sbt has such a strong sense of personality for the m.c's that she has very good dynamics and never loses her place in the trio. she is fun and fascinating to watch.

but while the series does well in unwinding lance from thinking that he's useless if he isn't fighting at least by 50%[ developed by his strong relationship to the other 2 to help him get out of his own head and TRULY think of whats best for them all and WHEN to fight] , and octus growing into his own personhood has reached the nice middle point by the final episode with his face being the center instead of his metal core [and fresh unique dynamics with kimmy and meat to show how he can be more than whatever he was meant for], a lot of Ilana's stuff feels like it is in the seed and growing phase still. like more than them.

she wants to be the leader she is but its harder to do in this high school so...? how will this affect her arc because she is going to go back at one point because she's a princess? what is the more positive arc she's having by being here vs being at home?

she misses home!...something that will be handled in the future... but its middle ground atm is the ball with a galaluna theme that has her finding the homecoming committee to help her capture some peace for the moment

and again she remains an absolute unit of a character because even if some of the bigger questions are up in the air because she has such a strong personality and presence and does get some smaller problems worked on via group development because the group dynamic is strong <3

she feels like all she ever does is try with lance but they still work out their relationship due to octus stepping in and saying yeah... both of you keep trying but not by snipping at each other about how much you DON'T understand each other! and there is like so many points where its clear she's lost in interacting with him that feel like her status as a princess as a complication might be brought to the forefront later [like lance bringing up that he does feel that people "like her" could never understand him and Ilana does have his reputation at the ready in the starting episodes vs them being closer but being reminded that his job is to protect her]

as the series proceeds they HAVE become closer [stuff like the chill hangout/doing the project together/ and lance dancing with her because yes the princess misses her home/and close enough that ilana can try to be supportive of his passions like in disenfranchised...key word try.] they even are united in their love for octus. they have slowly been overcoming that idea that they could never have anything in common.

and maybe as a princess the war tore that one boy she liked away [ and the whole episode is even her turning into a monster against her will] but as a student she can try to have something low stakes and sweet [and again how is that going to measure to up to her having to return? what change has happened that will be more challenged by the return to galaluna or even just by who she used to be]

and again octus not just being a tool her father gave her but a true friend she loves

the minor "some rules are ok to break" episode and little moments like maybe her being demanding of lance's nightmare and then apologetic when she hears it or her leadership skills with announcing the phone number coming in handy even if lance does ask her to tone it down, all the support that octus gives her as her fellow bottom of the barrel pal

so basically its not like NOTHING is being done with her its just that the payoff to these developments isn't as super clear as octus and lance's atm [imo]...and never will be WHY CN?

partically because its easier to pinpoint why being on earth is good for lance and octus [again imo]

CN really did drop the ball because i heard somewhere the next 10 episodes were already written??! i want to seeeeeeeeeeeee T.T

Also I love modula a lot, he’s an interesting villain and I love all his scenes. And there is a mystery, like is he under full mind control from his hat,are he and the hat creature partners with him actually having his own will power? Or is modula actually basically a revived corpse. As the king saying he saw modula die, suggests more then just a ship being shot down.

And Modula was also a loyal member to his people overall as far as we could tell? and he said that he was abandoned???? what happened that would kill him and have him feeling left behind to die by his friend?? even with the hat taking advantage it doesn't feel like the show is shading the events totally out of nowhere. that a hat could have him feeling ready to destroy it all and feeling derisive of "body heart mind. unite as one." and ready to squash any hope that ilana being alive brings?? [even if the hat is controlling him it doesn't feel like nothing when he says "LEFT. me behind."] it starts out so personal and then when we get him still being as competent as the general he used to be when he fights the soldiers in ep 2 and we get to SEE him being the good general too in flashbacks! so again! quite a turn around!

how much of the bitter feelings are his own and how much is brainwashed escalation/deception??

and even just the idea of the hat controlling him on a show about 3 people having a symbiotic titan. through symbiotic relationship..