Stolas and Blitz aren't written as equally at fault. I won't like Stolas until this changes, he needs his own appology tour, for people to see his classism/racism, and chew him out for it and for characters to acknowledge Blitzs POV and vindicate him the way they always do with Stolas. I hope it is Ozzie, Stolas using his privilege to get sex from the lower class would go against Ozzies morals about earning sex. I don't have confidence Stolas will get the same satisfying lesson that Blitz is getting, though. I don't think anyone in the writing room is sympathetic with Blitz the way they are with Stolas.
8:00 Notice he doesn’t have pupils unless he’s overly emotional or stressed? My theory is that he’s so numb/depressed that his pupils automatically disappear. He’s probably so miserable all the time and is so used to to hiding it behind smiles, alcohol, and pills.
This was an excellent and nuanced essay, and that is so rare these days. A lot of people in fandoms lack critical literary thinking and, as such, flood social spaces with simplistic, black vs white, biased (and very emotional) takes. It's so refreshing to find someone that adresses both characters and their issues with respect. As a little side note, have you noticed how much Stolas tends to hug himself whenever he gets sad/emotional/distraught? Why do you think he does that?
Thank you! I really try to give as careful and thought-out an essay as I can, though I'm still relatively new to youtube essays. Most of my essay experience comes from academia and being an english major/ethics minor. And I didn't really think about it until you mentioned it, but if I had to guess, it's a survival tactic, developed due to the lack of physical affection in his life. Hugs are something he recognizes as something comforting that he never got since his father was emotionally distant and his wife is abusive, so by briefly embracing himself, he can more effectively ground himself and give himself a moment of calm to regain his composure. It might also be a shrinking tactic. He tends to try to hide in certain stressful situations, like with the menu at ozzie's or when he presses himself against a wall at stella's parties, so it might be a learned behavior. The less attention he draws to himself, the less likely someone is to hurt him, so he reflexively tries to make himself smaller as a means of self-defense. That's just off the top of my head though, I could probably come up with something more detailed if I too the time.
From my perspective, I think Stolas was the first to realize he needed to change, and he tried to take steps toward that change. However, he still has not overcome his biggest problem of not listening & respecting others' viewpoints. Setting the whole classism/caste of Hell aside, he needs to learn that his decisions not only have consequences for himself & others but that he can't just exist in his own world. In "Just Look My Way" & Full Moon, he talked so much about giving Blitzø a choice, but that's not what happened. Blitzø didn't have a say in the transaction ending, or receiving the crystal, and was given 1 chance by Stolas to accept his offer to stay on his own accord. It's as if Stolas spent so much time rehearsing his speech with the hope of his preferred outcome happening, that he never truly prepared for what would happen (nor did he show enough patience to work towards that outcome). Stolas in Apology Tour is in full meltdown/destruction mode; Going to Verosika's party was a terrible decision. He's surrounded by people who hate Blitzø, who practically peer pressure him into admitting he hates Blitzø (which he obviously doesn't) and it leads him to start excessively drinking. He's continuing his pattern of self-pitying and destruction (similar to Blitzø). Even though I agree with some of the things he says in that episode, I don't think he was trying to get better. The only positive thing he did was reject Blitzø's sexual advances and, despite being drunk, verbalize one of his deepest desires... But he is not ready to begin growing by the end of that episode. Rather, he's ignoring the problem, giving into his worst vices, and is not trying to mend his relationship with Blitzø. I do think Stolas will face consequences for his behavior in later episodes, but as of now, it's a stretch to say Stolas was improving in Apology Tour. Because every step forward he took, he took 2 steps back.
Great essay, I love your perspective on Verosika, as well as Stolitz. It's a complex show, and I think you nailed that.
thanks!
Stolas and Blitz aren't written as equally at fault. I won't like Stolas until this changes, he needs his own appology tour, for people to see his classism/racism, and chew him out for it and for characters to acknowledge Blitzs POV and vindicate him the way they always do with Stolas.
I hope it is Ozzie, Stolas using his privilege to get sex from the lower class would go against Ozzies morals about earning sex.
I don't have confidence Stolas will get the same satisfying lesson that Blitz is getting, though. I don't think anyone in the writing room is sympathetic with Blitz the way they are with Stolas.
8:00 Notice he doesn’t have pupils unless he’s overly emotional or stressed? My theory is that he’s so numb/depressed that his pupils automatically disappear. He’s probably so miserable all the time and is so used to to hiding it behind smiles, alcohol, and pills.
This was an excellent and nuanced essay, and that is so rare these days. A lot of people in fandoms lack critical literary thinking and, as such, flood social spaces with simplistic, black vs white, biased (and very emotional) takes. It's so refreshing to find someone that adresses both characters and their issues with respect.
As a little side note, have you noticed how much Stolas tends to hug himself whenever he gets sad/emotional/distraught? Why do you think he does that?
Thank you! I really try to give as careful and thought-out an essay as I can, though I'm still relatively new to youtube essays. Most of my essay experience comes from academia and being an english major/ethics minor.
And I didn't really think about it until you mentioned it, but if I had to guess, it's a survival tactic, developed due to the lack of physical affection in his life. Hugs are something he recognizes as something comforting that he never got since his father was emotionally distant and his wife is abusive, so by briefly embracing himself, he can more effectively ground himself and give himself a moment of calm to regain his composure.
It might also be a shrinking tactic. He tends to try to hide in certain stressful situations, like with the menu at ozzie's or when he presses himself against a wall at stella's parties, so it might be a learned behavior. The less attention he draws to himself, the less likely someone is to hurt him, so he reflexively tries to make himself smaller as a means of self-defense.
That's just off the top of my head though, I could probably come up with something more detailed if I too the time.
i love your content i found you through your trans rep videos and ive loved your content since
That makes me really happy!
From my perspective, I think Stolas was the first to realize he needed to change, and he tried to take steps toward that change. However, he still has not overcome his biggest problem of not listening & respecting others' viewpoints. Setting the whole classism/caste of Hell aside, he needs to learn that his decisions not only have consequences for himself & others but that he can't just exist in his own world. In "Just Look My Way" & Full Moon, he talked so much about giving Blitzø a choice, but that's not what happened. Blitzø didn't have a say in the transaction ending, or receiving the crystal, and was given 1 chance by Stolas to accept his offer to stay on his own accord. It's as if Stolas spent so much time rehearsing his speech with the hope of his preferred outcome happening, that he never truly prepared for what would happen (nor did he show enough patience to work towards that outcome). Stolas in Apology Tour is in full meltdown/destruction mode; Going to Verosika's party was a terrible decision. He's surrounded by people who hate Blitzø, who practically peer pressure him into admitting he hates Blitzø (which he obviously doesn't) and it leads him to start excessively drinking. He's continuing his pattern of self-pitying and destruction (similar to Blitzø). Even though I agree with some of the things he says in that episode, I don't think he was trying to get better. The only positive thing he did was reject Blitzø's sexual advances and, despite being drunk, verbalize one of his deepest desires... But he is not ready to begin growing by the end of that episode. Rather, he's ignoring the problem, giving into his worst vices, and is not trying to mend his relationship with Blitzø. I do think Stolas will face consequences for his behavior in later episodes, but as of now, it's a stretch to say Stolas was improving in Apology Tour. Because every step forward he took, he took 2 steps back.
What needs to happen if they're going to get back together is that they both have a lot of growing up to do.
agreed