Like now this one is black, this one is fat, one is Asian, this one is in a wheelchair, etc. That is because we fall in the Tokenism side of the spectrum.
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| Surprised the nerd wasn't Asian. |
Obvious parallels with the Nazis and the Horde are already there. I won't be going there, that path has been walked by everyone.
My first change would be making Bright Moon a sort of "Spain/Latin America" of Etheria. This change is for a couple of reasons:
-serves as an allegory of the tense relationship between the US and Latin America (the CIA toppling governments and "freedom fighters" toppling CIA puppets)
-since Latinos are a super diverse group we can have visual differences, while sounding somewhat homogenous.
-we can use the "Macho Latin Lover" stereotype with Bow, gave his misogyny backfire on him without it being "TOO OFFENSIVE" than if ge were to be, say, black.
-it also allows the old European notion that people with darker skin were commoners who had to break their backs under the hot sun, while nobles had fairer skin.
This old backwards way of thinking CAN BE USEFUL if used properly... like say having a mixed race Glimmer. Born from the Royal family and on the run from the Evil Horde, but has the skintone of a commoner. Perfect way to rally the troops and to become a symbol.
So let me begin with Angella, Glimmer and Micah.
Micah: is a fair skinned purple haired man with some hints of the Etherian equivalent of Romani People. (Mystacor) The idea is that Mystacor is "The birthplace of ancient mages" in Etheria and as wandering mages went through the planet, they began settling in other towns, kingdoms, hamlets, etc.
Maybe Glimmer and Castaspella have a common relative 14 generations before them, or Frosta and Peekablue could be related (if one were to trace their genealogy a couple of centuries before ) but back to Micah. He has Light powers like his daughter but are limited to Hard Light Constructs (ie, making a light sword and shield). Something about the Royal family of Bright Moon be mostly composed of Lunar Knights (males who can make Light Constructs) and the Mages, being Female, who NOT ONLY can make constructs, they can manipulate Light in many ways: become invisible, create illusions by light-bending, fire energy blasts, etc. The Moon Stone of Bright Moon can amplify the power of a Lunar Knight or Mage, but, this stone powers up the magical protections of the city. Without it, the city is not only defenseless, but its wielder runs a grave danger. Its power can be maddening.
That is the main reason why Micah ises the stonw to power the kingdom. It's too much power for one person to wield.
Angella: is dark skinned (thinking a Grace Jones skin tone here) With Strawberry blonde hair She is the former Queen of Mizar, who andicated the throne when she fell in love with Prince Micah of Bright Moon and married him (this was to preserve the independence of her people, but bith kingdoms are allies). The winged people of Mizar draw their power from the Sun. Their light powers allow for purificationand healing (of others. Their healing powers do not work on themselves.) They can irradiate energy that can inspire others.
Glimmer: is obviously a Mulatta. White father + black mother. She would be a bit on the scary thin side, due to health issues related to her powers. She is wheelchair bound most of the series. (I would have her walking when she finds and abuses the moonstone powers). Her powers are inconsistent, because she is mostly self taught, her nursemaid, Madame Razz may know Twigget magic, but Sun and Lunar Magic are a huge mystery to her. Once Bright Moon is freed from the Horde and Angella acts as regent until they can find Micah, Glimmer begins to train in sun and lunar magic. Her health would improve as the series progresses, but she will remain on her wheelchair.
Double Trouble: she is Olive skinned, since she is related to Glimmer, she would also be a Latina. As a shapeshifter she can be anyone she'd like. The Horde doesn't know about this power because she can resist Shadow Weaver's mind probe. (She can rewire her brain automatically as a defense from mind probes either chemical or magical.
The big twist is that her Evil Personality is male. The outfit for the character would be baggy to hide the fact that both "Beckham" and "Rebekkah" are one person. (Before you ask, yes, Berg Katse was a bit of an inspiration for this) And it allows Mattel to double dip and make two versions of her/him.
Bow: is a fair skinned "Latino" to show that he comes from a noblehouse. Brash, cocky, a bit lecherous (as much as we can get away with in a children's cartoon), chauvinistic, sexist, "alpha male" often gets in trouble due to his attitude. When the Horde attacked Bright Moon, Bow's father and him helped save Princess Glimmer from the horde. (Bow was about 13 and Glimmer was 5) He sees Glimmer as his little sister and swore to his father that he would protect the Princess until Etheria was free. He has stuck with the Rebellion as Glimmer's bodyguard. Only his squire and best friend, Josh and Kowl, the flying Know-it-owl, majordomo of House Reccula are the only survivors of his Family's estate after the invasion. Both of them get into arguments with Bow to cool his jets.
Josh: is a brown skinned Latino, who is seemingly of common birth. A squire of the young Lord Kyle (Bow) Josh has gotten in many scrapes to stop Bow from doing something stupid. Apparently there is some royal blood in him, since he can "coat" items with light and use them as "light weaponry" (ie, take a stick and create an energy field around it, creating a sort of rapier) He's calm, cool, collected... pretty much the opposite of Bow.
Castaspella: As I already Mention the Romani, Castaspella and to an extent Shadow Weaver should have a bit of a "Gypsy vibe" to them. Kinda darker Mediterranean skin tone, black hair for weaver and brown for Casta. The reason for using Romani people as mages comes from the idea that Romani people where sorcerers. Since Etheria is kind of an Eurocentric Fairy Tale world (which WOULD EXPLAIN THE ORIGINAL'S WHITENESS!!) I went with the people who have a mythology of magic and mystery as inspiration.
Frosta: The inspiration for her is easily traced to the Native tribes that live in the coldest regions of Alaska and Siberia. While she's a cryomancer and The cold doesn't bother her anyway ;) I chose Frosta to be the heavyset one. Lives in the cold and a thicker layer of fat would keep her a bit warmer than if she were Glimmer thin.
Entrapta: You know she is white because only bad guys are allowed to be white and it's offensive to have evil minorities.
Flutterina: She is white, and speaks with an Irish Accent. (Keeping her white so if MOTU crosses over and the Neitlichverse marriage of Clamp Champ and her happens, the "progressiveness" is kept.)
Mermista: Samoan inspired. Because having Originality with sea faring characters is overrated. But mostly because I want her to use a sort of leiomano...
Perfuma: Since she's a plant elemental, she's green, because chlorophyll. And Captain... Kirk demands... his... saCRifice!
Peekablue: Going Classical Greek on her. Both on outfit, hair and face. She would be like a Greek statue. Lining up with the whole ORACLE thing she has going on.
Sweet Bee: Here I will take a HUGE departure... She will still be white... BUUUUT She will be a LOT more insectoid in her default state. To "Blend in better" with the Etherians, she takes the appearance of a white girl. (Mostly because Mattel wouldn't want to sell an insectoid doll to girls. The toy would be the reversed thing Girl with insectoid clip-ons) She will be a bit thicker, but that's due to her Bee Nature.
Netossa: is White!! And you almost had a heart attack there. She will remain black. She will have an athletic build with strong arms to toss her nets. Her outfit will have Asian influences, but that's due to her betrothed.
Spinnerella: ASIAN!! Why? Simple... Her spinning around reminded me of Darkstalkers' Hsienko and Ranma 1/2's Mousse. Seeing that all she does is spin around having a lot of roped or chained weapons coming out of her clothes to damage her opponents seemed like a good idea. She is Netossa's betrothed. She would have a lithe, petite frame, though her clothes are bulky looking (due to the ridiculous amount of weapons within... I mean she has enough weapons to arm 20 people with MULTIPLE weapons.)
Catra: WHITE HUMAN... Cause she's evil and cannot be anything other than white. No I won't make her into a furry... Full time, of course. She will have a hybrid mode. (Mostly snap on pieces for the feet and hands on the toy.) and a full panther mode (sold separately)
Sea Hawk: He would be a Tanned Latino... with a cybernetic arm and from the waist down, he'd be cybernetic as well... Also, he's fat, greedy and even more Brash, cocky, a bit lecherous (as much as we can get away with in a children's cartoon), chauvinistic, sexist, "alpha male" than Bow.
Light Hope would be female.
These would be the mostly off-the cuff changes I would have done IF I HAD BEEN IN THE POSITION OF HAVING TO USE A FAUX DIVERSITY BRUSH on this project.
The focus of the show would be Adora's redemption, the Great Rebellion Kicking Ass and freeing their people while being super cool and super badass. I would not go for the "It's for little girls" angle. Mostly because it LIMITS the show. It needs to be a show that BOTH Girls and Boys can enjoy. It needs to be entertaining, while it teaches cooperation, teamwork, standing up for what's right, friendship, and other positive values. If you make it "for girls", for some reason action gets toned down and they go for too much talking... with no real character growth. If you make it "for boys" it's nearly all action and no real character growth. But we can't forget the REAL TARGET AUDIENCE...
the 30-somethings that want to pass on the torch. While Yes the kids are the "Official Target Audience" by Calling it She-Ra you want my old ass watching. So, IF I were in charge I would strive to make a show "FOR KIDS" that is also "RESPECTFUL ENOUGH TO THE SOURCE MATERIAL" that "OLD FARTS LIKE MYSELF WOULD ENJOY WATCHING IT".
I am Highly critical of this reboot, BECAUSE OF HOW IMPORTANT POP IS TO ME. Right now I'm afraid that these Hipsters (who I'm pretty certain didn't grow up with the show) are going to take a massive dump on it.
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