#tinker ed

Hahaha, well, this is just typical season 5 slapstick but Edd having Xs for pupils after hitting the pavement is a funny 3-frame expression:

But the scene in the bush IS full of tension:

Look at them: Ed is in his underwear, Edd laying in Ed’s lap, Eddy sitting ass-to-ass on Edd…

And after Edd falls out, they literally do a shot where Edd spreads his legs followed by a shot with Ed zipping up his pants and Eddy looking smug.  Like I don’t know HOW intentional it is, but it certainly looks like the point was for it to be used out of context.

I also want to appreciate how good Edd’s perspective looks in this shot:

So the first steps this scene took on making Edd, Eddy and their dynamic pleasant again:

Eddy’s part in making Jimmy cry is unusually benign– it is in-character enough at this point for Eddy to believe roughhousing is friendly if he also makes Jimmy’s flying carpet real for a moment.  Eddy is having fun and this is how he thinks to include people.  Jimmy’s accident is even cushioned by his turban.

The thing that actually makes Jimmy cry and upsets Edd is Ed patronizing Jimmy and then walking away making “crazy“ gestures at Jimmy.  Juxtaposed with Eddy’s “fun” interruption of Jimmy, Ed’s offensive act comes across as more targeted and intentional. I should also say, I feel like season 4-5 Ed is pretty mean compared to the first 3 seasons, and I think that contributes to his loss of focus in the show’s later episodes.  There’s a weird feeling that Ed is willfully ignorant of the consequences he causes for others.  BUT I do like the idea of Eddy’s mean-ness rubbing off on Ed and Ed’s less motivated cruelty then helping humanize Eddy’s behavior in latter-day scenes like these.

It’s nice that Ed repents, though, and Jimmy’s expressions are wonderful.

Suddenly and without provocation, although perhaps inspired by Edd’s concern, Eddy quietly steps in to console Jimmy.  Quiet is a rare mode for season 4-5 Eddy, but speaking softly or in a whisper seems to come up whenever Eddy is the most open and real in later episodes.  I like that detail a lot because I feel like the funny thing about Eddy in old episodes is that he isn’t scratchy all the time.

Good expression matching between shots..

Eddy is soft and cuddly like mashed potatoes…

oooh, this seems a bit like Eddy trying to act like a good big brother, doesn’t it?  Maybe this is around when Eddy started noticing Bro’s negative effects and moving toward his season 6 positivity…

Eddy is petting Jimmy by the way, he’s not just leaning on him.

This shot indicates that Eddy’s soft side has caught everyone’s attention and is appealing to Edd and Ed successfully.

I would take a bullet for Earnest Eddy, man, you don’t KNOW, man

Gotta say, the digital outlines are ON-POINT in this episode. I believe credit goes to Christine Li for the inking this season.

Earnest Eddy lives on in all our hearts….

I totally get that the arms don’t have to make any sort of sense, but gotdang that’s a teeny forearm compared to the rest of his arm…

Please watch Edd squishing with glee in sync with Eddy and Jimmy being cutesy.

Note, we are only like 6 frames into this shot, Edd booked it over to Eddy’s shoulder.

Clutching his damn chest…

Oh hi Norbert Beaver

Oooh, to understand the importance of staging, pay attention to all the different things happening in this shot and how clearly everything reads:

All the squishing Edd and Eddy are doing is killing me, and check out Eddy mugging like Bro, so proud he’s pulling off this brotherly moment.

Please note that EDDY initiates this half-lidded glance they exchange.

Can Edd take a break from swooning in this scene!?

I really appreciate how hard Eddy tries to be upbeat and comfortable with this even though this is clearly pushing the limits of how he likes to be interacted with.

This Eddy is one of the weirdest drawings in the show,....  It’s like... both a happy and uncomfortable expression?  It keeps this from losing the show’s tone completely, though, we need to know Eddy’s still not a fan of people being cuddly with him.

Eddy’s even trying to be upbeat after Ed drags his crotch over Eddy’s face.

Everyone’s drawn really well in this scene, but Eddy is particularly versatile, look at him go!

Edd is so coming onto Eddy here...

Eddy’s coming right back onto him!  Ed is just like “jeez you guys, how am I supposed to read this as platonic?“

Even Ed’s comic relief fart song has him posing clutching his heart!

And while I’m not going to exhaust myself looking for everything I could read into, I would like to also note that Eddy diffuses Ed’s inappropriate joke with a peaceful resolution and I think that’s another good detail toward improving Eddy’s character.  One of my favorite beak gags ever!

I would also like to point out that this episode amounts to Edd and Eddy crossdressing, as all good stories should.

As a non-shipping bonus, here’s my favorite shot of the episode...