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I have been wanting to write a one-shot fanfic about this comparison, but I procrastinated. Then I figured I could make a dreamwidth post, so I procrastinated that instead. With this promising enthusiasm, here's the post:
Amanda Palmer, half of the dark cabaret duo The Dresden Dolls and solo artist, released a book a few years back titled 'The Art of Asking' in which she tells her story putting an emphasis on the importance of vulnerability, but aside from the big picture which inevitably will not match with Red vs Blue's, she wrote something relatable in a way that made me go 'This is why Tucker is relatable'.
'No shit, Sherlock, every character that is done in any way shape or form is relatable. Because life sucks' - OKAY, FINE, BUT HEAR ME OUT.Amanda's dream was to be a rockstar, but she started as a living statue. She would climb a big box wearing a long wedding dress, painting her face white and stay very still, giving a flower and intense eye contact to whoever would give her a coin. Her character was named The Eight Foot Bride. People in the area remained strangely fascinated with her because of how many hours in a row she would perform and stay still, even with bad weather, one time even when some asshole set her on fire. Plus, those small interactions gave something to the people, they made them feel seen, to the point that a stranger even proposed to her. Many people fell in love with her, because she was perfect; she enjoyed being the bride, and the bride was indeed part of her, but the real her was a problematic rockstar with an ungraceful demeanour, controversial lyrics and a loud mouth. Hence a dilemma that she carried with herself for a lot. During her musical career, in fact, she has gotten quite a few complaints from people.
With Tucker, I think it's pretty much the same although in a wildly different context. He is both the bride and the rockstar, and he is going through a phase where he truly feels the weight of this dilemma. The 'rockstar' Tucker was and remains a true part of him, that IS Tucker to his core, but during the Blood Gulch he exaggerated that side of him because he didn't want the responsibility of being the 'bride'. Because while Tucker was always competent, badass, caring and responsible (we can already see it when he is facing Wyoming in season 5 and then it's emphasized in season 7 against the insurrectionist leader) during the first half of the show as well, he wanted to hide it. Why? Because he knew that once he took the responsibility he couldn't be himself.
While Amanda went from 'bride' to 'rockstar', Tucker went from 'rockstar' to 'bride' during the Chorus trilogy once he learned how to take a leadership role and his actions started having much heavier consequences. He feels constantly insecure - for example when he asks advice to Washington - because of his dilemma and the arc words are 'you just have to try', because the point of his character is that he doesn't WANT to try. Yet he is trying, way too hard, and it does show.
Now, let's pretend that the writing of season 16 hasn't received very...Divisive opinions. Tucker might as well try to merge these two personalities of his into something that includes both, yet in season 16 he has 'reverted' to his old self. While I personally disagree with that decision on the writers' part because it doesn't seem to me like they thought that one through, IF that sudden change is thought through then it successfully highlights the struggle that Tucker's character is eperiencing, a true identity crisis. Let's not forget that even before that happened he did ask Washington 'Is it bad that I kinda wish I was [the person I used to be]?'. Because there were less consequences back in the day, he could be himself and fuck up and somehow everything would find a way to be okay again. And now that he is a role model, something relatively perfect compared to his real self, something close to what he is supposed to be, everything crumbles so much more easily and yet he can't stop for his own good and for the good of his teammates. The sudden regression could be easily be interpreted as a response to trauma and stress, but then it has to be carried for many seasons still, because season 17 adresses it but doesn't resolve it.
What I'm trying to say is: refreshing decisions in terms of characters on which to focus on are welcome BUT Tucker's perspective if not addressed in a more definite way will remain incomplete. It could even be a non ending in which he's doomed to carry this weight forever, why not, but I hope he really gets to be introspective and be a hero without shrinking himself, because he will lose himself otherwise, and if he does lose himself I would like to see episodes in which the other ones notice that.
Amanda Palmer, half of the dark cabaret duo The Dresden Dolls and solo artist, released a book a few years back titled 'The Art of Asking' in which she tells her story putting an emphasis on the importance of vulnerability, but aside from the big picture which inevitably will not match with Red vs Blue's, she wrote something relatable in a way that made me go 'This is why Tucker is relatable'.
'No shit, Sherlock, every character that is done in any way shape or form is relatable. Because life sucks' - OKAY, FINE, BUT HEAR ME OUT.Amanda's dream was to be a rockstar, but she started as a living statue. She would climb a big box wearing a long wedding dress, painting her face white and stay very still, giving a flower and intense eye contact to whoever would give her a coin. Her character was named The Eight Foot Bride. People in the area remained strangely fascinated with her because of how many hours in a row she would perform and stay still, even with bad weather, one time even when some asshole set her on fire. Plus, those small interactions gave something to the people, they made them feel seen, to the point that a stranger even proposed to her. Many people fell in love with her, because she was perfect; she enjoyed being the bride, and the bride was indeed part of her, but the real her was a problematic rockstar with an ungraceful demeanour, controversial lyrics and a loud mouth. Hence a dilemma that she carried with herself for a lot. During her musical career, in fact, she has gotten quite a few complaints from people.
With Tucker, I think it's pretty much the same although in a wildly different context. He is both the bride and the rockstar, and he is going through a phase where he truly feels the weight of this dilemma. The 'rockstar' Tucker was and remains a true part of him, that IS Tucker to his core, but during the Blood Gulch he exaggerated that side of him because he didn't want the responsibility of being the 'bride'. Because while Tucker was always competent, badass, caring and responsible (we can already see it when he is facing Wyoming in season 5 and then it's emphasized in season 7 against the insurrectionist leader) during the first half of the show as well, he wanted to hide it. Why? Because he knew that once he took the responsibility he couldn't be himself.
While Amanda went from 'bride' to 'rockstar', Tucker went from 'rockstar' to 'bride' during the Chorus trilogy once he learned how to take a leadership role and his actions started having much heavier consequences. He feels constantly insecure - for example when he asks advice to Washington - because of his dilemma and the arc words are 'you just have to try', because the point of his character is that he doesn't WANT to try. Yet he is trying, way too hard, and it does show.
Now, let's pretend that the writing of season 16 hasn't received very...Divisive opinions. Tucker might as well try to merge these two personalities of his into something that includes both, yet in season 16 he has 'reverted' to his old self. While I personally disagree with that decision on the writers' part because it doesn't seem to me like they thought that one through, IF that sudden change is thought through then it successfully highlights the struggle that Tucker's character is eperiencing, a true identity crisis. Let's not forget that even before that happened he did ask Washington 'Is it bad that I kinda wish I was [the person I used to be]?'. Because there were less consequences back in the day, he could be himself and fuck up and somehow everything would find a way to be okay again. And now that he is a role model, something relatively perfect compared to his real self, something close to what he is supposed to be, everything crumbles so much more easily and yet he can't stop for his own good and for the good of his teammates. The sudden regression could be easily be interpreted as a response to trauma and stress, but then it has to be carried for many seasons still, because season 17 adresses it but doesn't resolve it.
What I'm trying to say is: refreshing decisions in terms of characters on which to focus on are welcome BUT Tucker's perspective if not addressed in a more definite way will remain incomplete. It could even be a non ending in which he's doomed to carry this weight forever, why not, but I hope he really gets to be introspective and be a hero without shrinking himself, because he will lose himself otherwise, and if he does lose himself I would like to see episodes in which the other ones notice that.
