FIRST-TIME WATCHING *Nimona* and Benji GUESSED the ending...

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First-Time Watching the Netflix original film "Nimona" starring Chloë Grace Moretz, Riz Ahmed, Eugene Lee Yang, Frances Conroy, Beck Bennett, Lorraine Toussaint, RuPaul Charles, India Moore, Sarah Sherman || Based on the graphic novel by ND Stevenson
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[@PinkPopcast]

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[@arinahfatini3161]

doe sit work for non Americans?

[@Yamismol]

My favorite part about the movie is that in the comics Nimona doesn’t come back. They are hinted at being alive but it’s an all around sad ending. The creator said this was a reflection of how he said about himself and his trans identity at the time. So now Nimona does come back and there is more of a happy ending for them, basically a sign that the creator is now in a much healthier headspace :D

[@m00n_beetle]

that's so sweet 🥹 thanks for sharing this!

[@PinkPopcast]

That is BEAUTIFUL 😍

[@alexconverse4839]

Nimona is more of an analogy of gender identity/expression rather than sexuality, the most direct comparison being gender fludity.

[@PinkPopcast]

And she’s still a fun character at the end of the day. Rizzo (myself) is showing off how on the spectrum he is by questioning the logic 😂

[@Cl0udlight]

​@@PinkPopcast​ I'm also autistic but I'm on the other end of that perspective! I'm nonbinary (bc gender is a social construct and wtf are those) and being both gender non-conforming and autistic has taught me that people get real uncomfortable real fast with anything they can't relate to 🙃 I don't think questions on their own are malicious, but when you're so aggressively villainized just for being different it becomes necessary to avoid sharing anything about yourself. You can't trust that people won't take what you give them and use it against you somehow, so you just don't give anyone anything. It's not fair to the people who sincerely want to learn, but safety comes first, so Nimona's defensiveness makes perfect sense to me.

[@onionloaf2804]

aaand it's written by a trans person 😌

[@The_Real_Prinzessin]

as a gender-fluid person this movie made me sob my eyes out the first, actually no, every single time, i watch it. its perfect.

[@LocalPunkKid204]

@@onionloaf2804fr we love Nate

[@-shiloh]

I feel like Nimona as a character represented an idea of trans culture. The questions Bal asked in a sense were kind of small minded : “why can you just be normal” or “just be a girl, it’ll make it easier for you”. I think Nimona shapeshifting represented transitioning where people always say, just be normal, it’ll be easier for you but at the end of the day, you don’t feel like you’re truly living if you don’t. Theres this whole stigma of trans people being dangerous and small minded people wanting to just get rid of the community just because they don’t understand it and I think that’s the similarities they were trying to pull. Nimona mainly resonates with me because everyone is trying to define her and push her into a box of what she is (“what are you”) and every time she says “I’m Nimona” and that’s enough for her.

[@eleven-hopper]

I never read the book but I'm pretty sure that Nimona is written more to be non-binary

[@daro8414]

I'm pretty sure the author of the original book is Trans and created the character while in high school (on Tumblr lol) so that interpretation probably the intention I'd say

[@PinkPopcast]

No that’s absolutely beautiful. It’s definitely not a 1-to-1 since transphobic media paints an enemy and danger where there IS NO DANGER! You’re human and owe NO ONE an explanation for your existence! Nimona is… ??? Who has dangerous super powers and a violent streak she forces on Ballister that I don’t blame him for questioning 😂

[@alexs.5871]

@@PinkPopcast She doesn't really force it onto him though? she rescues him from prison and even gives him the choice whether he wants to be freed from the closet (lol). She barely instigated any fight but mostly defended herself and ballister from the knights who attacked them. Also, how are her shapeshifting powers more 'dangerous' than the knights' swords and crossbows, the flying cars or the literal laser cannons? The giant monster she becomes in the end is a culmination of all the hatred thrown at her over the last 1000 years and even in that form she doesn't attack anybody except herself.

[@vapoet]

@@PinkPopcast Here is the issue, Ballister was more interested in what Nimona was than what her motivations were. He was going from the viewpoint of Nimona being a monster. He never asked Nimona why they wanted to cause chaos. And in some ways, Nimona was explaining why very early. He simply wasn't listening, or through it out the window when he saw what Nimona could do.

[@lorettabes4553]

9:43 After Nimona's backstory, it makes so much sense she would think of someone you have these feelings for as a 'nemesis'

[@PinkPopcast]

Oooo true!

[@jtm881]

That it is a good observation I didn't clock until now

[@WindowPains]

Ambrosius is voiced by Eugene from the Try guys which I LOVE. I love this movie. Also, I love the line "lets finish this before the whale gets here."

[@PinkPopcast]

I love how fixated they all were on the whale! 🐳

[@ShinuuuSh]

an interesting fact is that the combination of technology with the Middle Ages was more important. To convey that even though we are in the future, sometimes we still remain in the Middle Ages with some beliefs

[@PinkPopcast]

HOLY CRAP THAT’S SO GOOD!

[@JessIrais]

I get what Rizzo is saying about gay analogies in animation, but I think Nimona is still a nice representation. Everyone involved had good intentions (plus, the comic author is trans). I attended a webinar with the Head of Animation, and he said he wished Nimona win the Oscar because being an Oscar winner will get more people to watch the movie and the message will spread. He wanted it to win for the benefit of the queer community, and I think that's so sweet ❤

[@PinkPopcast]

Rizzo is being humbled in the comments remembering he is just a grump cis man nitpicking a good-intentioned kid’s film. (It’s me. I am Rizzo 😭)

[@FeJCisme]

The early people of the kingdom: “oh no the greatest evil! Genderqueer people!”

[@PinkPopcast]

😭😭

[@rachelruff8029]

Nimona is more about Genderfluid/Transgender than about sexuality. The point of this movie is to show this important message about people being people despite what we see as “differences”, and to say that “animation movies need to stop trying to tackle stuff like this” gives the impression that you think that animation is only for kids/ that using a story to convey something is worse than just saying the thing.

[@raelrojas5263]

I mean it does apply to Zootopia or the even worse Zombies (not animation but the same). Because in those they make the minority be responsible for the oppression they receive. Which is fricked. The issue is authors in those movies were white and centrists, who wanted to make the racists not the bad guys, but missguided souls that come from past trauma. But the only real trauma racism has caused, is on racialized minorities, actively forced into poverty and exploited, then justify their oppression on any lashing out this communities do after years of abuse. Buuuut that doesn't apply to Nimona, completely innocent from the start, just punk, tired of having to use "the masters tools", and opposing only acceptability. She never does any actual evil act in the movie, she just is. I prefer the comics ending and story by A LOT, but the movie at least respected what Nimona was, different "powerful" but power doesn't make you dangerous. I think the best way to compare it (outside of the genderqueer allegory) is how black men are treated in society, how their abuse is justified on how big and imposing they are "How powerful"

[@shanajeangedeon9060]

This entire reaction is just Benji being psychic and Rizzo screaming at him for it😂 "BENJI!!😩" had me dying every time🤣

[@PinkPopcast]

😂😂😂

[@PokhrajRoy.]

I’ve heard great things about this. Also, such a momentous occasion with Eugene being in it.

[@PinkPopcast]

Guess we had to TRY it out ;)

[@kymira1072]

This movie actually works incredibly well as an allegory for Neurodivergece as well. Specifically autism. People used to think we were not human and parents believed that their own children had been stolen and replaced with a fairy or “changeling”. Changeling children were said to have behaviors exactly like autistic children. (And in some stories other disabilities or differences) They didn’t think we were human so they would burn, drown, poison, or abandon their autistic children. As autistic people, many of us learn to “mask” at a young age by mimicking those around us to avoid abuse or bullying. It takes an incredible mental toll that can physically ache and lead to a breakdown. When we feel safe and can finally unmask and Stim , it truly does feel free. Like exhaling a long held breath.

[@springdemon.w.]

It gets me emotional as well is seeing the credits, where there's a whole section dedicated to the people at Blue Sky (miss them o7) who iirc started the production of the movie b4 Disney disbanded the studio

[@PinkPopcast]

🥺

[@Ashely56]

25:23 shame on you Rizzo and this is why Benji has never shaped shifted in front of you😂

[@PinkPopcast]

DAMN! I am ashamed!

[@jptv8913]

I need a Rizzo as Bal cosplay immediately

[@PinkPopcast]

Would that even be considered Cos-Play!? 😂

[@Eggsther]

Nimona is more of a trans allegory (i say its nit even within the sub text but the text itself is trans) So Nimona existing that causes chaos in the institution is like how our society dominated by cisgenders feels like when trans people exist And how alot of people would just try to make trans people "explain themselves" when theyre just being themselves (hence why her answer is always just her being Nimona, she doesn't have to explain why she shapeshifts just how tran people don't have to justify why they exist)

[@PinkPopcast]

No I get that for sure. I guess since I don’t inherently distrust queer or trans people but WOULD distrust an inhuman kaiju who jokes about killing people im a little annoyed that people think I “don’t get the analogy” 😂 I am a nitpicking cis man tho so I need to stfu sometimes

[@SkwithOv]

@@PinkPopcast i agree, laughing emojis in response to most of the people bringing up anything about trans people being the point (rather than nimona being a gay allegory) is something maybe you should stop doing you don't get to say you're a safe person to trans people, trans people ge to decide that you're safe or not and i don't think laughing at everyone bringing up trans people is the way to go and maybe you should stop

[@PinkPopcast]

@@SkwithOv I was laughing at myself and even said I’m nitpicking and need to shut up. We promise we don’t disagree and aren’t laughing at anyone bringing anything up. I know Twitter has rotten our brains with how people respond but we are NOT antagonistic like Twitter people and have always been open to criticism and when I used the emoji it was to denote a sense of playfulness amidst the agreement. I will obviously continue to asses how our emojis are placed so as to never send the message that we are mocking or belittling anyone’s hurt or pain. This was never supposed to be an attack on anyone, we were merely mentioning something that makes US uncomfortable in how black or queer people are represented by something dangerous in cartoons.

[@SkwithOv]

@@PinkPopcast i don't know why you brought up twitter, i don't even use twitter. what i see is you laughing in multiple replies to people bringing up trans people. mean it as laughing at yourself or not, but it read as laughing at trans people to me and it made me feel uncomfortable, which is why i brought it up. i don't attack people and if i don't think someone is capable of change, generally i either make sure to leave a comment saying why they're wrong so that other people reading can see it, or i block them and move on with my life. if i DO think someone is capable of change i address them directly and try to explain TO THEM why i think there's a problem. but apparently that means i'm an angry twitter person 🙄 i saw a pattern of you responding to multiple people bringing up the trans comment using laughing emojis. i brought it up. see, me seeing someone laugh when people bring up a valid point about a minority group you are apparently not part of (trans people) makes me uncomfortable because it looks like you are laughing at them for bringing it up you COULD apologize and say "oh i'm sorry, i didn't mean it that way but now i see what you mean" but instead you wrote paragraphs blaming twitter for me not understanding what you mean, doubling down on the meaning of the emoji and how i'm wrong, and that you're open to criticism but you're not apologizing 🤷

[@Mayte-AC]

OMG YES! I read the graphic novel like 2 years ago I think, it’s different from the movie but I love both so much!

[@PinkPopcast]

Excited to have you watch along with us!

[@rubysmolen5155]

I love this movie and have been waiting to see when this reaction would happen, so excited! The animation is amazing! This was the best Queer+ film I had seen in a long time, and one of the most powerful! Nimona is a badass! It's based off the Graphic novel of the same name written by ND Stevens ( he created She-ra and the princess of power)

[@PinkPopcast]

We didn't find out it was queer until LAST MONTH otherwise we might have watched it much sooner!

[@miraeshin8652]

I think the question, what is Nimona and the answer being I'm me makes more sense in the story since I'm assuming that Nimona doesnt know what they are but has come to as far as to accept that they're probably not people and that should be fine but people don't accept that answer 😅

[@PinkPopcast]

Ooh that’s a clever perspective

[@besupaaa]

Oh my god I'm so glad you're reacting to Nimona. ✨🥺 It was such a special watch for me as a non binary person.

[@PinkPopcast]

🥰🥰

[@pen9108]

Not Benji just using his magic psychic powers to perfectly guess the entire movie

[@PinkPopcast]

Friggin right!? We gotta stop him! He’s a menace!

[@miraeshin8652]

This movie was made from Blue Sky studios (most known for Ice Age)who were bought and shut down by Disney along with this movie but then the movie was sold to Netflix 😅

[@PinkPopcast]

It’s a wild story! Thank god Netflix saved this gem

[@Templarofsteel88]

One thing to take into mind is that a lot of her actions are based on others precived vision of her. Be told you are a monster/bad guy enough you will eventually fall into that mentality.

[@PinkPopcast]

True, but in real life, being genderfluid doesn’t turn you into a legitimate threat. In Nimona, their powers become uncontrollable which is almost like the film is validating the town’s concern. If Nimona’s shapeshifting represents genderfluidity, then it’s almost like the message is that what makes Nimona different IS inherently dangerous… … in real life, if someone wants to be dangerous that’s on them - it has nothing to do with their race, gender expression or sexual preference. i

[@MSinger4472]

@@PinkPopcast I do think an interesting point is at the end of that Nimona was more of a threat to herself than to the town, when she tried to kill herself. And I believe that is probably statistically true for trans people with risk for suicide and ideation. I do acknowledge that Nimona was a threat to the people in the beginning of that scene. I just thought that was an interesting point at the end, as well.

[@kaniamia]

@@PinkPopcast​​⁠Consider the bathroom debate. Consider the stigma around mental health. Consider all the fear-mongering about accepting refugees. People love to come up with all the ways that those different from them could potentially be dangerous, and they love to loudly point out those dangers as if they’re not talking about real people with real emotions. It’s not bullying, it’s not microaggression, it’s not hate, it’s just stating some facts, right? 🫤

[@klaralundgren6998]

YES! You should a 100% watch Peter Pan from 2003, no no. You MUST watch Peter Pan from 2003!!! Love your videos and your reactions to my favorite movies and series❤Never stop:)

[@PinkPopcast]

We LOVE that movie lol

[@joserico4934]

Ok, no shade to all other KZbinrs, but that’s how you do a sponsor lol! Normally I skip the promos on other channels but yours was hilarious! 😂💜 Love your videos btw!!

[@PinkPopcast]

Thank you so much! We had to much fun writing and filming that bit! “Rocket Man OUT!” 🚀

[@ya_fbr]

rizzo brings up a very interesting point, but i think the metaphor in this case is more about the fact that people are scared of nimona and deem her dangerous without actually getting to know her. the things they have been taught, their preconceived notions inform the way they see her and inform their decisions to kill her and hunt her down without a question because she *might* be dangerous. this is how a lot of transphobes feel. they won't even speak to one of us, they don't know anything about us, but they have already decided that we are dangerous. and at the end of it, is nimona actually dangerous? sure, she looks like an animal from time to time, but she doesn't actually turn into one (as the beloathed fin-legs of the anatomically innacurate shark so helpfully hint) - she is still nimona who just *looks* like an animal. the dangers of an animal are, after all, mostly to do with their savage and unpredictable nature - sure, the claws and venom are dangerous, but you don't automatically think a person who owns a gun will shoot you. that's just a tool they've got that they might never even use. and at the end of the day, nimona can't cause any more harm than so many of the humans in the movie have caused, so why is it that nimona needs to explain herself and make sure everyone understands what she is and her motivations, but - say - the guy who chopped his boyfriend's arm off without hesitation does not? and in the wake of all this, the dehumanisation, the loneliness for thousand(s) of years, being asked to explain why you are the way that you are (the way you have always been, the way you were born) and why you can't just stop changing and instead look "normal" and the way everyone else does will feel like small-minded questions, because they do come from that kneejerk fear that mostly inspires hate in others and they are still opposed to the possibility of just... getting to know someone without them having to make themselves easy to understand and instantly palatable.

[@PinkPopcast]

I like that assessment. From personal experience I haven’t questioned or been afraid of someone transitioning but I would ABSOLUTELY not trust the “blood-lustful” Nimona who can turn into a fire breathing dragon when angry 😂 But you’re definitely right and it still works as a beautiful metaphor and I can’t be so grumpy and nitpick queer works of art - Rizzo

[@ya_fbr]

@PinkPopcast nooo i think this is definitely a very cool and interesting discussion, and i truly do understand your perspective as well!! metaphors can be messy sometimes and an adhd brain can certainly be bothered by things not perfectly fitting 1:1 at times ;)

[@rebellarose6434]

Disney dropped the wrong movie, that’s all I’ll say 😌✨

[@PinkPopcast]

They WISH they’d kept this 😉

[@katebeckett5326]

Rizzo: “Story is the most important.” That just healed my little film student heart.

[@Eggsther]

"i would distrust somebody that could shapeshift" and that's exactly why this is the perfect analogy for being trans (specifically being genderfluid)

[@PinkPopcast]

But I DON’T distrust Trans or genderfluid people 😂 because boy to girl or girl to boy or non binary is still HUMAN! Nothing that can turn into a towering Godzilla monster when they’re angry is 100% safe!

[@PinkPopcast]

It’s a good analogy for other people I guess, but since I don’t have that inherent fear for queer or genderfluid people I feel judged because I ABSOLUTELY would distrust the bloody thirsty, shape shifting Nimona (maybe not “distrust” but I would definitely be asking a TON of questions they deem “small minded”)

[@SkwithOv]

@@PinkPopcast i don't think laughing about people bringing up valid points is the way to go about this :/ nobody is 100% safe, godzilla or human

[@PinkPopcast]

@@SkwithOv I promise you we are literally just talking about the movie and no, Godzilla is way worse.

[@bdd7881]

@@PinkPopcast I totally get what you're saying in both views of "they're shapeshifting into a dragon, there's gonna be some hesitancy with that" but also understanding that because there isn't that fear of tansgender/genderfluid people the initial analogy doesn't make sense and instead makes it seem like it's okay to fear them first then accept once they've proven themselves.

[@abe-bake]

I felt a bit frustrated watching this reaction because it felt like the trans narrative completely flew under your radar. Rizzo did say "oh I see what they're trying to do" but there was no trying, the shapeshifting was an allegory for genderfluidity, and the original graphic novel was created by a transgender author. At the same time, I get it though, I cannot tell you how to react to things, etc, it's your genuine reaction and that's valid, especially since both of you are cis you cannot speak on the trans experiences, but I just think this story raises a lot of interesting questions and is the great example of trans rep, so that can be a bit of a sensitive subject for me and other trans folks considering what's happening in the world (and US as well)

[@PinkPopcast]

No I totally get the trans rep which is what made me question HOW it was portrayed! You are human and beautiful and not dangerous and not at all a threat to anyone. You owe no explanation for your existence and transphobes are either A: Ignorant to how they’re resisting cultural change or B: Willfully participating in hateful speech (or worse). I was playfully mentioning that Nimona is sort of a legitimate threat which (in my eyes) undoes the analogy by hinting that who it represents could still harm people, even if accidentally (which is not true) But you are right! We are cis and could NEVER speak to your existence and at the end of the day, we really enjoyed this film 💖

[@JustWandering]

I don't think those issues went unrecognized, but I do think the issue is worth raising when it comes to analogies like this and X-Men and Zootopia. Comparing human beings to people with extrahuman powers, or to creatures who are inherently more dangerous within the world they live in, is a prominent trope. That doesn't mean it's automatically a bad analogy, or that it's invalid to appreciate it or feel seen by it, but I think it is worth discussing. Because while the issue of "they're inherently more dangerous than any ordinary human, do they still deserve equal rights?" is a fun conversation for an X-Men comic and can certainly be made to parallel civil rights struggles in real life, I know plenty of people in multiple oppressed groups who are frustrated with this type of representation specifically because they AREN'T more dangerous than anyone else. Nimona can both be a great kids' movie with a great trans allegory and simultaneously be representative of a trope that some people are feeling increasingly frustrated with.

[@PinkPopcast]

@@JustWandering I think what works about the X-Men series is that it’s NOT an allegory. “Mutant” is not representative of anything else, it’s an in-universe progression. So instead of their oppression being an allegory, it’s more of “history repeating itself” as these evolved humans now how to face the same difficulties they elicited upon others in the past.

[@PinkPopcast]

I also think an AMAZING queer/trans-coded allegorical animated film that works is Luca, because the only differences between the townsfolk and the water creatures is cosmetic. They have no extra set of powers, they’re not any more savage, and at the end when Alberto is exposed and seen as SCARY, he’s not any more of a threat to humans than they are to him… … versus Nimona changing into a POWERFUL KAIJU 😭😂 it’s still a cute and beautiful sorry, I just don’t judge Ballister’s small minded questions because in THEIR universe, it’s wouldn’t be a stretch for Nimona to be a legit threat. In Luca, the town’s people’s fear is unfounded and never revealed to have any merit. They were simply scared of a visual “other” which works as a perfect queer/trans allegory 💖

[@user-vs6uh7gc6u]

I also relate to diverting questions when it comes to gender. I am not a male or female, im just myself, an entity that is not confined by gender rules. It does get exhausting though to always be told to just conform to 'normalcy' when to my culture that idea of being only two genders is part of the colonist idea.

[@TheJeminiteLaw]

0:40 your guys’ sponsorship segments are the ABSOLUTE BEST 😂🤣

[@Xenolilly]

I love that version of Peter Pan too!

[@PinkPopcast]

🙌🙌

[@blainevanity6]

It's my favorite Peter Pan adaptation ♥

[@_surayya_]

the "evil character is actually good and the good character is actually evil" trope is SO predictable and yet i eat it up every time! i get what rizzo is saying and agree, but i also love when they flip that on its head, like in x-men (think abt the whole thing where they're creating anti-mutant legislation to sneakily surveil the masses. the movies are kind of annoyingly neutral, but it felt v much like my experience as a muslim in the early 2000s. i'm not dangerous but people point to propaganda and go "see! you're all evil!" or "you're one of the good ones" because they're comfortable never questioning anything. these allegories are almost always clumsy and borderline offensive when you spend time thinking for 10 seconds though lol). it's a fine line because the people who make these movies want to make it an "understandable" prejudice so that they can redeem characters easily, but it ends up justifying that prejudice as if bigotry comes from stupidity and not hatred, doubly so in cases when the company who makes it is on the payroll of an imperial army (i.e. marvel). it's either the autism or the gay/non-binary/commie in me, but the way villains were coded when i was a kid (queer, socialist, anarchist, etc) just made me like them more, like magneto is cool as fuck and i don't think he did anything wrong tbh. also the "villain" always monologues abt their reasons and the "hero" is just like... doing what they're told and doesn't know why. almost like US imperialism requires heavy brainwashing and anti-intellectualism. that's when they hit you with the killmonger and have the villain do literally everything right and then one cartoonishly evil thing to make sure they have no credibility!

[@morsidlamini1224]

Benji predicting what happens make me miss “called it “ in every video what happened to that ? 😂😂and I didn’t even know You guys had a new video coming up even though my notifications are all on . KZbin doesn’t wanna see y’all win 🫠. Great video as always And also ! I never see anyone mention the amazing effort you guys put out into the sponsor videos ! They’re fun to watch 💖

[@morsidlamini1224]

I spoke too soon , there was a called it in here 😂

[@PinkPopcast]

Thank you!! We’re looking to start an email list soon so we can tell people when new reactions are out cause a lot of people aren’t being notified to keep an eye out for that ❤️

[@mads8545]

The way I squealed when I saw this was posted omg!!!!!!! Your videos always make my day!!

[@PinkPopcast]

We’re so glad!

[@Keeshya6]

Just discovered this channel with your Pride & Prejudice reaction. See this was on your channel and had to watch. Less than 10 minutes in and Benji has guessed the entire freaking movie! Lmao! Cracking me up!

[@mundanepants]

The laugh I loughed the second you said "bad like on Tumblr" because the comics were originally posted on Tumblr. It's the quintessential Tumblr movie. It's a shame the fraught development kind of ate away at the script. But it's such a good kids movie!

[@PinkPopcast]

“loughed” hahahaha 😂

[@beckmannm]

It's also funny because in the "on tumblr/webcomic" version, Nimona has an actual significant body count! Murder is Definitely one of the charges!

[@agness6766]

To everybody who reacted to this movie i always write this: It came out (quite literally) at my country pride week and me and my friends sits around tv and just Watch This movie is so healing, all over the top but at the same time best of storytelling. I'm glad you enjoy this lovely peice of cinematoghraphy

[@BlackLion56982]

Oh my... I think I predicted this video since I was searching a few days ago whether you reacted to this movie. I love how the line between evil and good is blurred in this.

[@beckmannm]

Yeah, the movie was very heavy handed with the analogy 😂. They were like, "let's make it VERY clear, it's for kids!" The graphic novel is much more ambiguous, Nimona as a monster is mysterious, and it's much darker in general. I read along with it as a webcomic, and reading ND's current thoughts on it is fascinating. He's like "oh this was about being trans and I i can't believe I didn't realize sooner"😂 It's just SO cool to see this go from webcomic to published graphic novel to development hell to cancelation to an actually completed movie! (I miss Ambrosius' long flowing locks 😢)

[@alisond929]

The movie was based off a graphic novel by ND Stevenson btw.

[@SnowLeopardTherian-qr2tl]

Literally loved this episode so much! Nimona is my favorite movie and seeing you guys react to it made my day! Also Benji keeps guessing all the endings! We need to keep count of how many movie endings he guesses correctly 😂😂😂

[@PinkPopcast]

😂😂

[@jaydengilchrist7091]

Me and Nimona have in common because, we both know how we feel when people call us names and we lash out on people

[@DoubleBlack2.0]

6:57 AHHHH!! Love the Ryan George shoutout! ❤

[@ANME1rocker]

I love predicting the movie as it's going and hearing what other people think. It's part of my fun!

[@RS-bn1ty]

Omg! Frances Conroy (AHS queen) voices the director!

[@DarleneLesmana]

not the arrow in the knee reference lmao

[@PinkPopcast]

💘

[@beth12svist]

As someone who read the comics as it was coming out online, I need to say this: had the shark not been included, original Nimona fans would have rioted. 😂

[@pricemoore2022]

Awesome reaction of my favorite movie!!!!!😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@PinkPopcast]

Thank you!!

[@tateperson]

Never seen that many ABCi moments xDD 2:22 I don't know if it's a joke or simply a fact lol Also, it's been a while since I watched yall's videos but I like the new editing style

[@PinkPopcast]

Yay! I’m glad! Had to change it to work around KZbin’s new copyright system and figured it was best to focus on the actual REACTION!

[@tateperson]

@@PinkPopcast Well you did a great job :)

[@Princess_-gp3ep]

Nimona is very underrated! With all due respect to studio Ghibli, Nimona should’ve won the Oscar for best animated feature!!

[@sanneannelies843]

I love this movie, always makes my cry😢❤

[@PinkPopcast]

Aww so cute

[@sassquatch990]

Benji sitting there predicting the whole movie 😂

[@PinkPopcast]

😄😄

[@marlia7680]

For your point on relating the themes to nature, I think Moana does something similar with Tefiti.

[@Ar7ifur]

I think the monster allegory works a lot better than something like zootopia because of how loose monster is a phrasing. We, as humans, label anything beyond our understanding as monstrous. Ultimately, danger is not equated to being a monster, it is imposed and therefore scary. Because we can not understand it, we must fear it. But we do not take into consideration how unicorns, fairies, ogres, demons, pixies and dragons are all under the same "monster" umbrella despite how we choose to see them. Bears are oftentimes peaceful creatres, and yet when they make the news it is ususally due to the fact they hurt or killed someone. And usually that sort of thing could have been prevented if one didn't provoke it.

[@213fenix]

This did used to be disney but they dropped it cuz they werent for the premise or LGBTQA so the studio just got picked up by netflix to finish what they started

[@PinkPopcast]

Thank god for that! Disney sucks for not being supportive.

[@JackyCampos-lq4pf]

Benji: GLORETH IS EVIL!!! Me: umm yeah. That sums it up. Damm

[@stephaniefrost4910]

22:50 my brother loves to guess the ending of movies out loud sometimes lol it annoys me so much! I just wanna sit back & go along for the ride!!

[@PinkPopcast]

😂😂

[@PinkPopcast]

That’s how I feel too! Thankfully Benji doesn’t do this to me when we’re in the theater lol

[@Schnitzel_schultz]

B E N J I ! ! ! STOP GUESSING THE WHOLE MOVIE!!!!!😂😂😂😂😆😆

[@PinkPopcast]

😅😅

[@lensoscene89]

Damn, Peter pan and hook would be amazing

[@spookyspook07]

As a non binary person, this hit WAY TOO CLOSE TO HOME. Ive never cried so much with a movie

[@PinkPopcast]

I can imagine! 🥺😭

[@neivilde.1242]

idk if rizzo referenced the hit girl movie knowing that chloe grace moretz voices nimona, but either way, love

[@sammjaisais7135]

I want to clarify that when I watched this movie I was ugly crying near the end. I actually liked the pretty obvious trans metaphor that Nimona was as a character. I think that the message of questioning that what if the institutions we're part of are wrong, or hurt us, or are causing more harm than good, or are just allowing bad people to do more bad things.

[@Burpees73]

I love you Nimona.

[@PinkPopcast]

"And I love you, random citizen!"

[@Burpees73]

@@PinkPopcast I love this channel so much.

[@nbarrio]

I've been thinking a lot about Nimona and your reaction on the last few days and I don't agree with Rizzo's take, although I understand why he comes to his conclusion. Here a few thoughts (which I hope I can express in English 😅): I don't think anybody wants to put a connection between Nimona beeing a shapeshifter (new English word for me!!) and her violent attitude (which is more talk than anything ;-)) I think her behaviour has only something to do with her being hated, opressed, missunderstood, isolated from society for so many years. So it is just a reaction to the trauma she has suffered. And this has nothing to do with her beeing a shapeshifter (as a metaphor for trans/gay/queer/gender fluid) and is something that just occurs when you put people under this circumstances (minorities, women, children,...) Some of them will snap eventually as a way to cope with their trauma. I hope, you can understand what I'm trying to say. I know my English is not that bad, but these are quite complex thoughts to express in a foreign language 🙈 As for her explanation "I'm Nimona": just perfect!! That's who she is and nobody should need much more to love her. I have used she/her since that's how ND Stevenson refers to Nimona 😊

[@mangacraz00]

12:26 I’m glad I’m not the only one who was like ok that’s what makes you a monster Nimona. You eat tacos like that 😠😝

[@saintgrief3202]

I mean it's not so much an animated film just trying to add to the queer narrative... The graphic novel this is based off of is actually by a transmasculine / non-binary cartoonist called ND Stevenson (who also produced She-Ra). It was more a narrative of his experiences with being treated like a monster and the difficulties of trying to find a safe space in a world that was constantly against them for being "different". The aim was to change people's perspective of "good" and "evil" and try to make people start to question the institutionalised homophobia / transphobia that they've been surrounded by. It's quite academically acclaimed for this, the original graphic novel winning an Eisner Award, a Cyblis Award and a Cartoonist Studio Prize. I know what you mean about animated films / shows just shoving queer narratives randomly into shows, and yes showing them often as the "bad guys" but I would just argue that this was not that, and is far more direct and nuanced than most of the media around at the moment.

[@PinkPopcast]

But see when ND is treated like a monster, it’s invalid because ND is a human being who expresses themselves differently. We love queer stories in animated films, it’s just that we keep seeing metaphors or analogies that use humans as a stand-in for white or “normal” people (problematic in its own way) and dangerous creatures as a stand-in for oppressed groups. Someone who FEELS like a Nimona is 100% valid in not wanting to justify their existence 24/7. They are 100% valid in calling out bigotry because they are 100% human, just like the humans being assholes to them… … but Nimona, or the predators from Zootopia, or the Zombies from ZOMBIES, all end up becoming a legitimate threat at one point in their respective movies, essentially validating the bigotry and fear of the “regular people” - which is the OPPOSITE OF REAL LIFE where it’s just shitty humans oppressing other humans who pose no more of a threat to others than they do. Also, queer characters can be bad guys absolutely, so long as the message isn’t that they’re bad BECAUSE they’re queer. If Nimona’s shapeshifting represents gender fluidity, then what message is sent when their shapeshifting loses control and almost destroys a town (even accidentally)? It says what makes them different DOES inherently make them dangerous, just like the bigots warned… and that’s a terrible message 😂

[@Izzywildflowerr]

nimona was such a good film i loved ittt

[@juliarhapsody]

please watch peter pan 2002 high thank you

[@PinkPopcast]

OMG HIGH!? Yas! 😶‍🌫️

[@lost_in_the_forrest]

I don’t think animations like Nimona and Zootopia are meant to be one to one comparisons to real life issues. Otherwise they’d be completely different stories, they’d be non fictional instead of fictional fantasy. I think that they’re stories that are meant to resonate with those who get it, and maybe enrich the moral compass of the young kids watching this. But they’re not meant to be taken as fact in the way that true stories are, that’s why you can’t really compare them as such.

[@llxtsuki7653]

26:15 not the Wicked reference 🤣🤣🤣

[@Tranzrights]

im pretty sure the whole movie is posted officially on yt for free

[@Tranzrights]

I've had this account for ages and I can't change the username 😔

[@Tranzrights]

Fixed it 😁

[@Viyanca]

Ah yessss I love the Zootopia slander

[@Doodycalls]

Ballister is 100% nimonas side kick let’s bfr

[@chihuahuagirl128]

Honestly, I think the Director lady was paranoid....I mean she frames Ballister for killing the queen all because he wasn't noble-born, & tried to manipulate people into not trusting a commoner to become a knight, her fear of anything beyond the dome, plus her murderous intent towards Nimona....all for the "Will Of Gloreth" Pfft that's what happens when she lets her fears dictate her life, ya know, cuz she mentioned her nightmare of the crack in the wall.

[@jaimeantoniomangune5793]

Love this video 💗

[@Mountain_Biking_Vampire_Which]

I completely agree about the really ignorant allegory is often found in movies about black people or queer people but I have sobbed at Ninona like every time I've seen it because as a nonbinary intersex person it's amazing representation yes she is not out as that but in my opinion the allegory is really well done and as trans people we are often seen as monsters so I thought it wasn't that far off I just think it's a stunning movie and the representation is really nicely executed do I think they should have just had a non-binary kid absolutely but that would never be green lit because you know people hate us

[@BlissOfCydonia94]

the director pulled a man of steel!! 😡

[@LovesKyouya]

I mean the analogy is for children to understand not us adults so maybe not pshychoanalyze it too much...? They're just trying to keep it simple. Still love the reactions!

[@PinkPopcast]

No for sure, but our “annoyance” is that ALOT of children’s media does this, essentially equating people who are OTHER to something that, at one point, posed a threat or could still pose a threat. It’s subtle, but since a lot of movies do it, the message *could* be misconstrued as inadvertently validating the in-universe bigot’s fear… Nimona = Did end up losing control and could have killed countless people, more than any unarmed human, cause they have a power that does pose a legitimate threat - also they expected Ballister to just “accept them” despite showing nothing but disdain for his wishes, a supposed love of murder and violence, and a lack of transparency on who they are, despite him raising legitimate in-universe concerns. Zootopia = Predator’s inherent savagery CAN STILL BE EXPLOITED because they have a history of violence Z.O.M.B.I.E.S. = zombies DID kill and maime uncontrollably in the past but they’re chill now cause white people tamed them We don’t wanna teach kids to overlook differences IN SPITE of legitimate fears, we want to teach them that those differences are merely different expressions of our humanity and that bigotry is NOT VALID because we are all humans and there was NEVER ANY VALIDITY to fearing people that are other (i.e. trans, queer, poc, disabilities etc.) Luca is one of the best representations of otherness in a cartoon because the differences are only cosmetic. The town’s people are afraid, but the in-universe history is that the sea “creatures” are no more dangerous or “savage” than they are.

[@LovesKyouya]

@@PinkPopcast I get what you're saying. It's subtle, but you do have a point.

[@Burpees73]

New top 5

[@yukivermillion]

so- when is peter pan coming out?

[@csengebiczo1756]

I don’t know if anyone mentioned this before but the knighthood in the modern futuristic world represents how time passes and development is great but this society still remains backward thinking, with their ideas and ideals. Going forward but still stuck in the past with the mindset.

[@raelrojas5263]

Hey I know you've been through it with the comments, so feel free to ignore mine if you're burnt out. I just want to offer my two cents, trully not make you feel like you owe any explanations or anything. Outside of the very well explained comments I've seen on the gender queerness allegory. And the ways the question the protagonist was asking were never valid questions about her violence or reasons, but her being weird and her needing to be normal. I see Nimona's oppression very closely related, not just to genderqueer people which is the main allegory, but to black men. To apparent "power", she seems dangerous because she is powerful, too often abuse on black men and boys is justified on apparent power, big black men are seen as a threat just cause of their bodies. Nimona is innocent, like you say through the movie shes just mean and punk, she has given up on trying "acceptability", The swords pointed at her from the very begining are justified on her apparent power, never the use of it. She is much less willing to kill the knights than the knights are willing to kill her. The violence and actual power of the state is a bigger danger to "Nimona" and any other "Monsters" than said monsters. The fact is they live in a kingdom with a permanent and powerful military force, justified by monsters that never did anything to the kingdom. PS: the comic I feel is sooo much better in many ways. But I like that the movie respected some of this stuff.

[@mijiu111]

Please react to Trolls

[@Caffin8tor]

Is it gay already 🤣 Based

[@atomiccrouton]

also like I'm not sure where you live but I live in the Southern US and I'm gender fluid. I'm constantly surrounded by people who think I'm going to corrupt children to prey upon their innocence like a monster. My gender also changes usually daily. I've been doxxed, attacked, and had to even get the authorities involved once because it was so bad. I've had to cut off members of my family and cut off people I would have liked to keep in my life for my own safety. The way the little girl looks at Nimona after Nimona saves her is how people look at me when they find out I'm trans. I understand how not everyone is going to connect with Nimona but I definitely do. I've been constantly beaten down and I feel exactly how Nimona feels. By the time you meet someone like Ballister, you can't trust anyone until they've proven they're safe. Even then there's no guarantee they won't hurt you. His questions are because he's freaked out by her very existence. It has nothing to do with Nimona, or her wellbeing. It's all about trying to force NImona into a box and make her something she's not. That's why his questions are bullshit until he gets to the scene with the arrow. Then his questions turn into her well being and her as a person. Not her as a "monster" or "freak".

[@PinkPopcast]

Ugh that sucks. Honestly it’s beautiful you feel connected to this film and I’m sorry you have to deal with that. We both used to live in Texas and know firsthand it must be difficult. For us, we get the analogy, we just think films that compare genderfluid/queer/trans/people of color to something so inhuman almost ends up validating the bigotry and fear. YOU (commenter) in real life are still human. You might present different but we live in a world where only humans exist and our fears are based in willful ignorance and biases. We might tell boogeyman stories, but at the end of the day, if we cared enough, we would see that everyone is still human and deserving of existence… In movies where they compare people to shapeshifters or predators or zombies, it’s almost like telling people that we should OVERLOOK concerns IN SPITE of their validity - cause in Zootopia, the predators (representing oppressed minorities) had a history of violence and “savage” nature. In ZOMBIES, the zombies (representing oppressed minorities) had a hunger for brains and death that was tamed by humans (representing white people). And in Nimona (who represents queer/trans/genderfluid etc.) they are outspokenly violent, force their way on Ballister, and are capable of turning INTO the monster they say they aren’t. People might be afraid of someone genderfluid in real life, or trans, but those fears are INVALID cause, even if the individual IS awful, it’s NOT because of their gender-expression, sexual orientation, race etc. But Nimona, or the predators from Zootopia, or the Zombies from ZOMBIES all end up becoming dangerous in their movies BECAUSE of who they are inherently (even if it was just for a moment). Since a lot of kid’s films fall back on this style of metaphor it starts to send a subtle but incorrect message in our opinion. You (commentator) are a beautiful, amazing human and we are SO HAPPY YOURE HERE AND ALIVE AND WITH US! We appreciate you, and you are so valuable and the opposite of monstrous 💖

[@joseantoniovargas6548]

​@@PinkPopcast Hard and I mean HARD disagree with Nimona being inheritenly dangerous because she's a shapeshifter, the movie literally shows that she wantwd to be part of a group and to belong somewhere, and where is the danger when she meets Gloreth? The very first thing she does is help her get something, she isn't shown as dangerous. And the analogy about Zootopia falls flat once you think about two seconds and realize "Oh wait, humans were like that too before we formed more socialized centers". Humans from tye very fart past were savages just as much as the carnivores in Zootopia

[@PinkPopcast]

Humans weren’t eating other humans. And Zootopia’s history is one where the herbivores (white people) were good, and the carnivores (minorities) were savage - unlike in our world. I don’t disagree with you: Humans WERE savage. But in these animated films, there is always a distinct difference that SEPARATES the film stand-in for “normal” from the stand-in for “othered” - and THAT is what we disagree on. And it’s not shapeshifting that is bad, it’s a non-human who can turn into fire breathing or other dangerous creatures. I don’t think it’s wild to suggest the in-universe characters are valid in being cautious or afraid. BUT IN THE REAL WORLD, it’s just humans vs. humans and bigots unwilling to understand other humans they’re oppressing. Also at the end of the day, this was such a minor issue we had with the film. It was cute and we got the analogy. For us, calling Ballister small-minded falls apart in the movie world as, unlike in our world, he has ZERO access to other shapeshifters or any history other than the violent one presented to him by Glorith or Nimona themselves. Again, it was such a minor nitpick but it’s also not the first animated film to do it.

[@joseantoniovargas6548]

@@PinkPopcast We didn't eat other humans, true, but man did we kill each other for less needed reasons. Which makes the point make even less sense since eating is for literal survival too, they would've died or not. As for Nimona, did she actually kill, and I'm not talking about subduing but actually kill anyone even before she met Bal? Yes he has the right to be freaked out at first but the analogy does suffer from her being a shapeshifter. Sorry, I don't want to be mean but it's just that I really care about both movies and these points that people point out that say oh these metaphors don't work are just frustrating, especially for the Zootopia one because you just need to look at human history and just see way more bloodshed than in nature

[@PinkPopcast]

No I understand. We really didn’t mean for this to be such a sore point for the people who enjoyed the film. We loved it. And yes, humans suck. We still stand by the fact that these films always have scenes in which the “othered” character reverts back to their savage way or turns into the monster. It’s like saying, “Trust black people or queer people, because if you don’t, they will GO BACK to being the monster you always knew they were.” It’s the GOING BACK to part of Zootopia that annoys us. We stand by our frustration with that film and ZOMBIES for essentially saying Black People = Predators and then turning those predators against the innocent white people. As for Nimona, this just came on the tail of those films but we still like it. I do think Luca does the analogy much better because, despite how “scary” the sea monsters appear, they are no more dangerous than the humans in the film. If Lucas decides to go on a rampage, that has nothing to do with his sea heritage and he poses no more threat than the bully. The film plays with the “looking different” and shapeshifting aspect so beautifully without ever turning the stand-in analogy into something that is arguably dangerous. At the core, they are all the same which is beautiful… Nimona turns into a kaiju. Last we checked, that’s a genuine threat. It just kind of undoes the whole film arguing they were never a threat.

[@icyboi13]

I think you’re forgetting that humans can be inherently dangerous but we (hopefully) choose not to be & work together. Humans are horribly dangerous (for most of history & even now in Ukraine, Palestine, & everywhere else where we hurt one another). I do see what you’re saying with equating gays or POC or any group with “dangerous,” but most people could & sometimes are dangerous (especially men, but really anyone). There’s a reason many people are afraid to walk anywhere at night (or even during the day).

[@staywillstay4skz179]

nimona is like my only favorite female lead

[@saoirsecameron]

The problem is you are treating it as a broad gay allegory rather than a specific trans allegory. The shape shifting monstrosity is part of the point and quite on the nose.

[@PinkPopcast]

Are you saying Trans are monstrous? Cause that is our problem with the allegory, even though is was written by someone genderfluid - a lot of films use monsters to represent minorities which almost validates the film bigotry because the monsters inevitably end up doing something dangerous BECAUSE of who they are… whereas in real life, no one is monstrous BECAUSE of their gender identity, race or sexual preference…

[@saoirsecameron]

@@PinkPopcast I think it’s pretty clear based on the text that “monster” is a dehumanizing label placed on Nimona and not actually an innate characteristic of her shape-shifting ability. In general I chafe at the expectation that queer art, and trans art in particular be held to a higher, near imperfect standard of never having any potential problematic readings for two reasons: 1) cis people are out here creating truly wild shit about us and don’t face nearly as much criticism 2) trans people deserve to voice their authentic experiences and perspectives through their art without the unfair lense of “but how will it affect how cis people see us” placed on them.

[@PinkPopcast]

@@saoirsecameron That i do agree with. It's like the Model Minority issue in which non-whites have to be EXTRA good in order to be seen as safe. Ugh. Again, we really liked this film and queer stories can ABSOLUTELY be problematic, but Benji and I definitely keep seeing this pattern. Nimona isn't the only film to do it (if it was we probably wouldn't have mentioned it). All we were saying is that, in the movie world of Nimona, Ballister really isn't being small minded (unlike in the real world where he would be). Cause in the movie world, despite who Nimona represents, all Ballister knows is that Nimona is a magical, non-human shapeshifter that never listens to his wishes, oversteps his boundaries, calls for murder and violence, labels his lover as an enemy, and becomes a literal monster... so him asking questions is pretty valid. Again, it's an amazingly cute kid's film. We are just saying alot of kid's films do this and we personally find it annoying (ZOMBIES was especially frustrating to Benji as a black queer man).

[@PinkPopcast]

also I gotta be honest, my first response was a legit question cause I couldn't tell if you were just disagree with our criticism (fair) or if you were legit saying Trans people were monsters in real life and I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS NO BIGOTRY GOING ON lolol 🤣 Thank god you were just disagreeing with us! Disagree away

[@chadstchad]

wow, how frustrating. terrible reaction.

[@BlazingCorpse420]

I get the analogies of these types of movies too, but I agree with Rizzo bc I would also be distrustful. But after I saw or heard about them being not evil I would be like ah okay, we ride at dawn obviously lmfaoooo. Im afraid of animals, including humans, so that could be why tho 😅

[@EmzKitten]

I’d love to see an arcane reaction if you’ve not done one already, and I absolutely loved this one definitely a new subscriber ❤️

[@besupaaa]

Rizzo, I can see how you're frustrated about Nimona answering "I'm Nimona" to the questions, but to me it always reads like the perfect answer. Seeing myself in Nimona, as someone who's your existence is "not normal" or "weird", I don't need an explanation to exist. I am just me, don't owe anyone some crazy story that's gonna validate my existence. And also, being able to just be yourself (I'm Nimona) should just be enough because... That's all that matters isn't it? Why Nimona is or what Nimona is... You know?

[@applejuice0000]

Real

[@PinkPopcast]

No exactly but you don’t threaten anyone’s existence (that’s the battle we’ve been fighting in the real world for centuries). You’re a human being… Nimona is a shapeshifter who brags about being violent and killing and forces her quest for revenge on Ballister. He ain’t crazy for being concerned 😂

[@alisond929]

⁠@@PinkPopcast on the other hand, her questionable words never matched her actions in the movie.

[@PinkPopcast]

@@alisond929 fair… still think Ballister isn’t out of pocket for questioning their motives!

[@alisond929]

@@PinkPopcast that’s also fair

[@rayrayl.4087]

I personally don't think Glorith was evil- she was just a kid who was misguided by her parents. She didn't have a problem with Nimona until her parents told her to. If you remember at the beginning of the story, Glorith is first introduced to us as a grown woman fighting a monster. But in actuality, she was a child when she met Nimona. This tells me that the adults in power used her story to reshape society. Who knows if she actually approved or if they forced her to become a silent figurehead.

[@PinkPopcast]

Ooo that’s true! I thought maybe she had chased after Nimona once she grew up but that makes more sense!

[@tangally]

If I had a nickel for every time Chloe Grace Moretz wreaked mass destruction to the The Dickies cover of The Banana Splits theme, I’d have two nickels, which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it happened twice…

[@PinkPopcast]

Yes it is!

[@ichbinben.]

The thing about Nimona is, she's not actually a monster. She was just a kid who could shapeshift, she didn't use it for anything bad. But society rejected her anyway. The villagers' first reaction was calling her a monster, they didn't even try to understand, didn't hestitate before they attacked her. Nimona wasn't a monster, and they branded her as one anyway, so with time she just started to go with it, lean into it. Like "If they're gonna see me as a monster, I might as well be one" I read that as part of the allegory on oppresion. People are marginalized not for anything they've done, but for who they are. They're shamed, disenfrachised, attacked, and when they lash out, it's taken as proof that the oppressors had a reason to oppress them all along. But they didn't. It's like if Jack hits Paul and then Paul hits him back, and Jack claims "See, that's why I hit you, I knew you were gonna hit me, too" It's completely backwards.

[@rjturnipsauce]

+

[@PinkPopcast]

@@rjturnipsauce like I for SURE understand the real life allegory and find it beautiful, especially knowing more about the writer… … in the ‘film world tho’, I would still be cautious. He didn’t see their whole backstory, all he knows is Nimona to be a pushy, “bloodthirsty”, unpredictable non-human that talks about murder AND has a power set beyond any human being… I don’t think his questions are “small minded” in the context of the story removed from all real world analogies 😂

[@ichbinben.]

@@PinkPopcast I wasn't talking about the "small-minded" thing or anything "in-world", but more about the stuff Rizzo (I don't know which one of you wrote this comment) was saying, it sounded to me like he was saying that she kinda is a monster. No hate though, I just really relate to Nimona.

[@PinkPopcast]

Fully understand! They are an amazing character 💖

[@emmaothorell]

Both me and Benji as soon as we saw the Director: "It's her." 🤣

[@PinkPopcast]

CALLED! IT!

[@reablu4562]

Literally dying because I get in trouble for predicting the villain too 😂

[@ErinnPG]

Me watching any movie with a twist: Hey do you think x person is evil? and being right 99% of the time hahaha

[@Denf0]

The issue I have with Rizzo's take on the metaphor is that you can say Nimona's potential for harm is greater than a human's, but at the end it was a human about to do something exactly as monstrous as what Nimona is capable of. Obviously it's with the aid of systems and technology but given enough determination and resources humans can be as destructive as anything non-human. They aren't exactly the same, but imo it's enough to give more validity to the metaphor than he's giving it credit for. Loved the reaction though, of course. I was so surprised with how well-done the humorous moments were in this movie and how well it balanced the absurdity of its setting with the gravity of its message.

[@PinkPopcast]

I can fully agree with you! I’m still a cis man at the end of the day so it’s easier for me to nitpick some that that doesn’t hit home for me as hard as it does for someone else! Just wanna make sure films aren’t still comparing queer/trans/POC to something inhuman who craves violence 😂

[@Denf0]

It's a good critique, generally. In this case, I believe it's less comparing queer/trans people to a character and more of designing a character around the narrative about queer/trans people, if that makes sense. The idea that queer/trans people are dangerous or not human is still super prevalent in a lot of places, and many people who experience that trauma will use negative self-talk and violent pretense as a way of "beating people to the punch" before they can claim that about them without really knowing them as a way to make it less painful.