Writing About All Things Pop Culture
*Slow clapping from being thoroughly impressed* Those magnificent people who work on Rick and Morty. They did it. After an (admittedly) lackluster second half to Season 4, Rick and Morty manages to stick the landing with the best episode since “The Rickshank Redemption.” Not to mention, it’s the best finale since “Wedding Squanchers.”
So, it may be because I’ve been really busy now that I’m back at work, but I just couldn’t get into this week’s episode of Harley Quinn. Last week, we saw Harley Quinn try to bury her feelings for Ivy by doubling down on being a villain. However, that ended as well as I thought. Steven Universe Future taught me that it’s not healthy to bury your emotions in denial. Just when Harley’s about to confess to Ivy, though, she sees how happy she is Kite Man and can’t go through with it. As a result, this episode sees Harley try to pull the “I want my beloved to be happy” trope and support Ivy. But Star vs. The Forces of Evil also taught me that bottling up your feelings can lead to heartache.
If you thought that this would just be another family camping episode, then you don’t know Rick and Morty.
So, the last episode of Harley Quinn ended with Harley and Ivy escaping Bane’s Pit. And then they kissed. THEY. KISSED. We knew it was coming, but to happen so suddenly is as crazy as Quinn is. The last time I got the same reaction to a kiss was the infamous “Booth Buddies” episode of Star vs. The Forces of Evil. Unlike that show, though, this episode actually addresses the effects of the kiss. Or rather, Harley denies there being any effects all episode, with terrible results.
Okay, people, on this day one year ago, we saw the ending to two awesome shows. One of them was an animated cartoon, while the other was an adaptation of the life’s work of a guy that’s dragging his heels on finishing his work. Rather than talk about the ending to Game of Thrones since there’s enough hate for that, I wanted to talk about the end to the other good show on May 19th, 2019.
Well, this episode of Harley Quinn should have made Harley+Ivy shippers very happy in the end. And then they kisssss…. Shipping wars.
Rick Sanchez, I knew you were a sociopathic monster that cares little besides himself, but dang, man. The “Vat of Acid Episode” hammered home how petty Rick can be. That’s what everyone who’s watched it says, and I see no reason to argue with that. Comedic sociopathy aside, the “Vat of Acid Episode” hammered home an important point for me. That point being how far Rick will go to keep Morty under his toxic influence.
Here’s to my all-time favorite cartoon, Avatar: The Last Airbender! I could go on for hours and hours about how amazing this show is. From the fighting based on real-world martial arts to the inspiration from real-world cultures, to its incorporation of anime art-styles. Avatar: The Last Airbender was, is, and hopefully always will be, the gold standard by which I judge cartoons. And I’m glad it’s up on Netflix in America.
You know what I spent all weekend watching? Solar Opposites, from the co-creator of Rick and Morty, Justin Roiland. It’s awesome!
So, I’ve never actually seen any films from the Alien franchise, but I know the premise. Monstrous aliens that reproduce by injecting hosts with parasitic embryos that hatch by exploding out of their victim’s chests. Something like Alien is easy pickings for the likes of Rick and Morty, and that’s just what happens in their newest episode, “Promortyus.”
I don’t remember where I read it, but a big theme to the third season of DuckTales is legacy. Huey, Dewey, and Louie are starting to realize that, for better or worse, Scrooge will have to pass the torch down to them one day. While that is awesome, it makes wonder if they’re capable of stepping into Scrooge’s shoes someday. And what prompts this question, you may ask? A trip to Valhalla to fight a world-eating snake in a wrestling match. It’s one of those episodes of DuckTales.
Well, I knew it was only a matter of time before Joker re-appeared. Albeit, he doesn’t remember being Joker. But can he truly change for the better?
Against my better judgment (I’m trying to adopt a normal sleep schedule), I stayed up to watch the midseason premiere of Rick and Morty. As a result, I watched an episode that I can only describe as meta fourth-wall breaking high on pot. And the ending was enough to make what happened in Lost look sane.
Somber. If I had to describe the final episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, it would be somber. We’ve known for fifteen years how the Clone Wars ends, and we’ve known for five years how it ends for Ashoka and Rex. They escape, Maul escapes, and don’t meet again until Rebels. What I wasn’t expecting was how they all get out of Order 66, and it rivals the best the movies have to offer. Or video games, for that matter.
Huey and Astro BOYD in DuckTales Season 3, Episode 6 “Astro B.O.Y.D.” 2
You know what my favorite part of the new episode of Harley Quinn was. They tore a new at toxic fans and haters. Also, Batman’s back.