Why Nimona Hits Different

[@fragilesnowz]

What were your favorite parts of Nimona? Be sure to subcribe!

[@lefishe3068]

All. It was awesome!

[@gesjht5499]

The third act of course is my favorite part of the movie. When Nimona went through the city, all (or most) of the damage done was by the knights and not by Nimona, which mirrors what happened during her backstory. Also the moment when Ballister prevented her from committing suicide was beautiful and extremely powerful. Plus, the action is really well shot and choreographed. They used the shapeshifting ability to its full potential in those action scenes. The relationship between Nimona and Ballister is also really well done, and there's really good chemistry between the two. That being said, it's worth mentioning that I have a slight issue with the way they fall out for a bit near the end of the second act. Ballister saw the director confess and, since Nimona has already shapeshifted as Ambrosious, it couldn't have been her that killed the queen. This would disprove Ambrosious' argument that the director isn't the villain. At the very least, the director is 100% evil while Nimona's status is left more or less up in the air. So, I feel like Ballister's disbelief was a bit rushed and unjustified where, rather than confronting Nimona so angrily, a more suiting move would be to keep the scroll in mind and wait to see what happens, to get more evidence. Maybe he can bring up the topic slowly, which would build up tension leading to a big argument and resulting in the same outcome. Maybe Ballister could be seen as a bit uncomfortable and weary when he returns home before Nimona confronts him about this sudden change of mood, which would lead to Ballister reluctantly showing the scroll, leading to a building argument. Either of these options, I find, would be more realistic and be more effective at building tension and confusion since more time would be spent focusing on the drama. The focus would be on Nimona's past actions to see if those were real or not and evidence brought by both sides could be actions done in the movie relating to Nimona's character, like stealing cars or breaking stuff. This is a valid topic to discuss since Nimona has been extremely secretive about her past. This would also leave the director as an actual villain, which is the obvious line of thinking. Because as it is in the movie, the director is ignored with Ballister shaking his head in disbelief when Ambrosious suggests that it was Nimona behind everything (which would include killing the queen). And, as I mentioned, that suggestion shouldn't even cross Ballister's mind. It's a leap in logic and it would suit Ballister's character more if he tried to convince Ambrosious that the director is evil and that Nimona didn't do it (while of course keeping the info of the scroll in the back of his mind to fit the story). This is in line with his character since he has been trying to prove his own innocence for the whole duration of the movie. The two could then both part ways with perhaps Ambrosious not believing him and nothing being resolved, yet both leave in a deep think. This would solve the logic and character issue while also leaving the events of the film unharmed. It would also build even more tension making the final act and resolution even more gripping than it already is. While this issue is relatively small and didn't detract to the movie too much for me, it was my biggest problem with the film. It made the move to the third act a bit rushed and less natural. This doesn't detract from my experience too much however since the third act was an actual masterpiece of visual storytelling with more than enough tension to keep the story going. And, this film does too much right for a simple mistake like that to detract from my enjoyment. Nimona is a true masterpiece!

[@lilymatthosinhos2086]

as a trans woman, i can relate to ballister and to nimona in different ways, being told something is inherently evil your entire life and then realising you're not so different from said something and having to change and grow to accept them... and nimona saying she feels itchy and dysphoric when she doesn't shapeshift,and if she didnt shapeshift she wouldnt die die but she wouldnt be living... yeah,can relate to that the train scene was cool,kinda shows how she doesnt have a backstory in the "how she developed shapeshifting" way because she has always been a shapeshifter,she always was who she was, she does however get a different kind of backstory later: how the world grew to hate her,and she grew to hate it in turn and the scene where nimona says she kinda wants to *let* the people who want to drive a sword into her heart do it...i felt that

[@DarthTingleBinks]

The story she tells in the subway is actually very close to the flashback we get later on. She talks about flying with the birds, swimming the fish, and bounding with the deer, but that she still felt alone. Later, we see her try to get along with those same three groups of animals, in that order, each leaving her to be alone. Then she talks about hearing a song and coming upon a wishing well. And while the well itself was not a wishing well, it is implied the singing within Nimona's theme was a song that Gloreth was singing. And Nimona could very well have made a wish to herself for this to be her chance to make a friend. Speaking of, knowing that Gloreth found Nimona in the shade of the trees, literal shadows, makes the line, "Go back to the shadows from whence you came," hurt even more.

[@fragilesnowz]

Wow, the symbolism and details in this film still manages to astound me

[@kevincrady2831]

@@fragilesnowz I just noticed the foreshadowing in their first meeting, where Nimona puts her finger on the point of the broken bottle and aims it down toward her chest. Also, I think it was a very interesting narrative choice to make Nimona so OP. Usually, that's a major error ("Mary Sue") that destroys dramatic stakes and makes for an uninteresting character. But in Nimona's case, it makes the point that the Kingdom's warriors and weapons were never a threat to her--their hatred as such was the only power that could bring about her destruction.

[@fragilesnowz]

@@kevincrady2831 That's a really good analysis

[@arandomnamegoeshere]

Agreed. And I think there's some additional depth there. As noted, the story Nimona first tells is actually her story. But she's still guarded. She doesn't tell the whole story to Ballister. Telling the complete truth of her experience would expose her completely - let Ballister know that she is indeed the very creature, not a kind but the actual one, Ballister's training and his entire society has been aimed at destroying. Neither Ballister nor Nimona are ready for that degree of truth... yet. That goes with another scene. There was a comment on the "I'm a shark!" exchange about sincerity being capped with a joke. It's a fair point. But I think what is missed there is that it isn't just a story-telling trope. It's Nimona. Nimona exposes a very deep, personal truth about how people treat her in that moment. Then covers that moment of vulnerability with a boisterous, chaotic display. But also... the "I'm a shark" bit exposes another key element about Nimona. Ballister keeps seeing Nimona as this girl child. But Nimona keeps telling him that its just a form Nimona can take - its not the entirety of how she sees herself or experiences life. "I'm a shark" is just as much of what Nimona is as any other form she chooses in the moment. It's presented as chaotic humor. But it is a fundamental part of Nimona's personality - a vulnerable admission in chaotic armor.

[@DarthTingleBinks]

@@kevincrady2831 I've never agreed with the idea that an overpowered character makes for low stakes or that it makes the character uninteresting. There are a LOT of Mary Sue/Gary Stue characters I've seen that have managed to keep the tension and stakes in stories, while also managing to make the characters compelling. And that's just the characters that I can agree are actually overpowered and "perfecf". Most characters I hear the label thrown at I disagree entirely. None of this is really important, I just felt the need to relay my disagreement with the majority opinion regarding OP characters in stories.

[@slash2456]

Gesundheit is a German word that people will sometimes say instead of bless you when someone sneezes. She thought the name sounded like a sneeze

[@fragilesnowz]

Oh ok!

[@JuliusCeasar-27]

It can also mean that his name is hard to pronounce. My dad always says „Gesundheit“ when I tell him the name of an Anime character. But maby she really thought his name sounds like a sneeze, I like the idea

[@slash2456]

@@JuliusCeasar-27 I guess everyone will use words differently as I've never heard it used that way but it could be

[@arandomnamegoeshere]

That's kind of the joke though. Anchored in the traditional reaction to a sneeze. Set up as a "that name sounds like you involuntarily made a sound" theme. Dad jokes get their own meanings. Cultural ballast.

[@Nighlocktheawesome00]

Also, I loved how the Director just went into full villain monologue mode when she confessed her crimes after stabbing "Ambrosius", completely failing to notice how over the top Nimona was acting when she pretending to die. I mean, Nimona was really phoning it in with her acting in that scene, how did she not notice something was off?

[@basillemmie4595]

I think it would have been a bit problematic if Nimona did end up dying of a grand sacrifice. Media has a great impact on people, their ideas of the world around them, and themselves. People who struggle with suicidality likely would see themselves in Nimona, and if they see this suicidal being kill themself as a grand sacrifice, and then being remembered fondly because of that, it might encourage viewers who are also struggling to believe that is a good option in their own life. I'm not sure if that makes sense, but it's just food for thought.

[@fragilesnowz]

What your saying makes perfect sense. Have you ever seen Bojack Horseman? If not, I highly recommend the show, but basically the protagonist, who struggles with depression, nearly dies at one point, but survives for the same reason you just mentioned.

[@stephenskillern8065]

I really think she should have died, HEAR ME OUT. I'm perfectly fine with the fact that she lived (or at least from what we can tell based off hearing her voice and his reaction), but I feel like it completely removes the impact of her actions. On one hand it makes it more family friendly, on the other hand i think it would have been (while sad) more poetic if she died either way though not the point of the movie so I'm less concerned how it ends. Obviously everyone has different opinions and I'm not saying what is better just wanted to share my thoughts. I respect everyone's opinions.

[@thesquishedelf1301]

@@stephenskillern8065 I feel like it makes most sense for Nimona not to die, but to leave and never come back. Even though she didn't die and _could_ come back, she never does. She never could die, really, she's a force of nature. But a force of nature that, in an emotional whirlwind, destroyed a stagnant power structure and left space for the newly freed society to grow on its own, without her. In other words, the death was not of Nimona, but of her role in the other character's lives.

[@stephenskillern8065]

@@thesquishedelf1301 interesting perspective 🤔

[@wolfella5793]

@@thesquishedelf1301never read the comics but I think that’s what she did in them which I don’t agree with because I was already so sad at the end if she never went to see balister again I think I would have been absolutely destroyed XD

[@someguythatdoesstuff7658]

Out of all the movies accessible to kids I have seen, Nimona has one of the best climaxes to that sort of movie ever because of how shockingly dark and adult it is. If you really think about it, the 3rd Act is about the intervention of Nimona's suicide attempt, no subtleties or undertones...

[@fragilesnowz]

I know!

[@olleselin]

Can you believe that this film was once made by Blue Sky Studios (behind the Ice Age franchise) before it was shut down?

[@fragilesnowz]

Yeah! It's crazy

[@olleselin]

​@@fragilesnowzi really feel bad for all those employees who used to work there... 😔

[@tourmelion9221]

😢

[@Charles-7]

all cause Disney didn't like that it has two characters who are well, gay and personally I don't mind it, I just find it stupid that they shut down a studio over a same sex couple

[@joshpetzoldt6344]

​@@Charles-7While I don't doubt that was part of the reason Disney shut down Blue Sky Studios, I expect it also came down to the rather sad fact that they probably felt their with their own animation studios and Pixar being so successful, they just didn't need people making more animated films, no matter how good they were. Bloody capitalist pigs!

[@Vladimir_4757]

They foreshadowed the phoenix part earlier on when nimona first meets Balister. She says "We'll rise from the ashes like a fiery phoenix" towards the beginning. I feel this was definitely intentional

[@fragilesnowz]

Yep! I love the little foreshadowing!

[@waffelz_]

Gesundheit is German for “good health,” but is also used as “bless you” if someone sneezes, as an example. The joke in the scene where Nimona says it basically goes down to “good luck, homie”

[@JuliusCeasar-27]

4:44 If you are German you definitely know this one, but for the rest: Gesundheit means Bless you in German. Gesundheit also has another meaning in Germany. When there is a really hard to pronounce word or something that sounds difficult to say germans often say „Gesundheit“. I’m Nimona‘s case this would mean she thinks that Ambrosius name is hard to pronounce. (She also never says his name, always calling him „The guy that chopped of your Arm“ I think that is because she has no idea on how to say Ambrosius name)

[@JonathanMandrake]

I think the awkward arrow scene can be excused, simply because at the start, these kind of discussions can be quite awkward and it's just ... fitting to how I'd react

[@fragilesnowz]

Maybe. The point of this scene was to show Nimona that Ballister can be trusted and personally, I think it could have been done a bit better

[@Mono_Entertainment]

Fun fact: Nimona was animated using something called "Cel Shading," which was used in Marvel's "What if," Breath of the Wild (tears of the kingdom, etc), and even games like persona 5 or Hi-Fi Rush, which also is the semi-unintentional reason behind the look of the white halls that many people complain about

[@MiG21fanboy]

I also love how they show ballister being gay and then just move on, like they dont make it his entire personality nor linger in it for over 30 min They just show it, and then continue. Making it feel like something casual and normal instead of forced and abnormal

[@slash2456]

Also all the animals in her true backstory appear in her made up one

[@fragilesnowz]

Yeah, the attention to detail is amazing!

[@anocelott]

4:44 - 'Ambrocious' sounds a bit like a sneeze, so she says 'bless you' 13:10 - It can look like Gloreth is not sure what to do in this scene and just turns around to leave ig, but i think she turns to check if anyone else saw Nimona shift, then comes back to tell her it's okay:) Honestly I don't think Gloreth is really a supervillain, she was just brainwashed by adults not to trust. The backstory scene was so cute too T^T wait you want her to die??! duude i could not take it please i cried enough during the monster scene... (also not 100% but saw somewhere that in the comics she was immortal so idk i think the phoenix wasn't necessary for her survival at the end but just a symbolic thing, not sure tho cause i didn't read the novel) Anyways I love the movie so so so much, it's perfect in any way I look at it and more of these videos I watch more details I see, it's just getting better and better. Great video and very fun to watch! I love how you went through the whole movie too.

[@fragilesnowz]

Thank you!

[@Laezar1]

5:40 Nimona turning into a shark is NOT a moment of random humor AT ALL! it's the core of the themes of the movies. The movie is a trans allegory and ballister asking her to shake hand in her girl form and her saying she isn't a girl is crucialy important for her characterization. Yes it's played with a positive and slightly humorous tone, but for any trans person who's gone through that kind of stuff it's painfully obvious what she's going through and how hurtful ballister's rejection is, it's made even more obvious and played more seriously in the subway scene but this scene is important to set it up. I was going to stop there with the comment but went a bit further in the video and you're saying the same thing about the subway scene so you're clearly missing the whole subtext of the movie. Nimona is trans. This is not a gag, this is a very important and serious scene that characterize her excelently. You have to understand that scene to understand the movie. Here she's upset at ballister for viewing her human form as "normal" so when asked for a backstory she makes fun of it but that's because there is no backstory to give. Notice how in both this scene and the previously mentioned scene she answers about how she "became" like that with "I am Nimona". She is what she is and there is no justification or backstory, nothing that *made* her this way, it's just who she is, how she exists even if it falls outside the norm. As a nonbinary person this is the best representation I ever got in any movie. You also have to understand the reason the tone is lighthearted is because of what she says later about the fact that when she shapeshifts she feels free. Often transidentity is represented as like, this negative depressing things that make you feel awful and hate yourself and it's so important to show gender euphoria, to show that freedom of being oneself. The fact that the scenes where she shapeshifts freely are so happy is because they are scenes where she is free to be herself. If you don't understand that you simply can't fully grasp what the movie is about.

[@fragilesnowz]

Thanks for the clarification! When I made this video, I had very little knowledge about the trans or even LGBTQ+ community. In college, I've made friends who are much more knowledgeable and they have the same opinions as you do.

[@Laezar1]

@@fragilesnowz Neat! glad you're open to learning ^^

[@birdbrainiac]

That was great video, except for one part. You mentioned the arrow scene was weak, but I am going to argue that it was extremely important for the audience this movie is especially meant for: trans and gender-nonconforming people (and anyone pushed to the fringes like disabled or neurodiverse people). So many different parts of the movie tie into this (the monster scene, talking about how everyone wants to kill her and sometimes she wants to let them, when Ballister is asking why she can't be just normal on the train, the reason why it was important she not die which yoiu correctly point out, and more): when she talks about what shapeshifting does for her and, and how yes, she could suppress it, but she sure wouldn't be living. This is talking about how society pressures people who are different to conform, to force themselves in a box that other people can understand, and to simply not be themselves. Nimona could only be vulnerable and talk about this to Ballister once he had shown he was starting to empathise with her (his care over the arrow and what he called small-minded questions after). It's a very important scene. I'm stunned at how well-written this movie is. There is no wasted dialogue, everything matters (even when Ballister talks about starting to feel for the zombies when watching TV: because they are being treated as outsiders).

[@fragilesnowz]

Well said. I could have clarified a bit more on why I felt the arrow scene was "awkward". It was mainly due to the length of the scene, and how little dialogue was in it despite the fact it was supposed to be a transformative one. Just my opinion though.

[@annazeidman5187]

honestly i think the generic-ness of the movie helps it in the sense of the viewers digesting the themes (mainly the parallels to lgbt stuff)

[@fragilesnowz]

Yeah, if the movie was a super-detailed metaphorical meaning for life, it probably wouldn't have been as well received as it is. My point was that while at its core, this show is a generic topic, the *way* they manage to write it is incredibly unique and creative.

[@ledhceb]

You really might want to look up the author ND Stevenson and the history of the Nimona web comic and its impact on the author. And just entertain the possibility that a shapeshifter that is misunderstood might just possibly contain a bit of metaphor, allegory and subtext based on the authors experiences.

[@chada4806]

I love this movie so much. It really hit me in the feels. This video was very good! Thank you dude! :D 👍

[@fragilesnowz]

Thank you! ❤

[@hollyberry0602]

I don't often cry at movies but Nimona got me lol I loved it too!

[@chada4806]

@@fragilesnowz thank YOU😎💪

[@chada4806]

@@hollyberry0602 sameee

[@justconfusedstratusstudent5061]

WHoa, you caught so many details i missed. I love it

[@fragilesnowz]

Thank you!

[@Laezar1]

I disagree with the director being that obvious. Her justification of "we've already given you a chance" made sense to me at least from her viewpoint. And since ballister trusted her and looked up to her and she was presented as a mother figure of sort I took it as more of an indication that ballister's nature as a commoner meant more than any trust that could have been built over time. It made sense to me both narratively and thematically with what I had seen so far but I did go in knowing nothing about the movie. I thought it was actually a really smart way of showing how someone from a marginalized groups needs to do more effort to rise up and has a much tighter margin of error before they lose everything. So yeah it did fool me, well the reveal didn't exactly surprise me but there was enough uncertainty that I was at the very least curious.

[@sandwichqueen]

I liked it because I know how it is to be told who you are for your entire life.

[@hannahmetzger4880]

I feel like my favorite part aside from all the emotional bits is the worldbuilding. 😂. I WISH we would have gotten to see what daily life is like in the Knights' city (forget if they even mentioned if the city even had a _name),_ but I like what we _did_ manage to get, too!! I just would have preferred _WAY_ more worldbuilding and going into more depth about how Gloreth built up the city from a small village into an actual kingdom, more details on how she created the Knights, etcetera. But again, for what we got, it was all still pretty good. :3.

[@fragilesnowz]

I'm sure in the comics, the author expands on the world building!

[@noahdean9685]

I wish we got a flashback to adult blond hero who was friends with nimona as a child having regrets of betraying her best friend, so she builds the wall to not only to protect her people but to protect nimona from the people and herself!

[@fragilesnowz]

While that is a good idea, I like to think that Gloreth's parents warped her perception of Nimona so much that Gloreth grows up thinking that Nimona was always a monster

[@melissa3920]

I think the idea Gloreth planeted about the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics "to protect our way of life" cemented the fear of monsters that would hold the prison wall up for a thousand years or more. Knights were trained to defend the kingdom, not to go outside the wall and hunt the monsters. And when Gloreth drew the wooden sword on Nimona, it was to make her look heroic in front of the townsfolk. Meanwhile, she only ask Nimona to go back to the safety of the the shadows. And, if you watch the end credits, the word "friend" is graffetied on the statue of Gloreth.

[@loodgack]

13:31 is the most important sentence in the entire video, easily this just describes today's society and communities so well. I just wanted to see a review about this film, but I'm curious now.

[@fragilesnowz]

Thank you!

[@minemanfan409]

Really good review I found Nimona’s arc to be quite rushed, but perhaps that’s what the producers wanted

[@fragilesnowz]

Yeah, I wish we had more time to think if Nimona was being truthful or not, but it still worked out!

[@minemanfan409]

Yep!

[@RuntyTiger]

Would love a separate video on the movie tackles difficult topics :)

[@Ari-8449]

7:08 Well, can't argue with that lol. That is quite a good smear frame

[@fragilesnowz]

I laughed for a good 5 minutes when I noticed it

[@Legomoviefan2008]

7:08 ballister thinks he’s Blu and jewel 💀

[@fragilesnowz]

I had to stop editing for a full 5 minutes to recover from that smear frame🤣

[@Legomoviefan2008]

@@fragilesnowz btw rio is from the same studio that did nimona. And technically in a way ballister reminds me of jewel. Am not sure if you actually seen Rio but am going to say it anyways. Both Jewel and ballister are characters where if I show you one ordinary image of them two you would think they are just 2 serious characters. Like Jewel being the feisty female bird and ballister for being the knight with a serious tone. But when you actually watch the movie. You would see that they are actually 2 characters that can get extremely awkward moments when you pause. Jewel from Rio is worst because I hate her. Btw I missed blue sky. It’s a underrated studio and even though they are gone. I am happy with Netflix for bring this film to life. It made me cry!

[@gesjht5499]

I like the video and you give some interesting thoughts and opinions, but I think it would be better if you focused more on your thoughts and feelings rather than tell a summary to the movie. It feels like the summary takes up around 60% of the video and it's a bit jarring having to wait through it to hear your thoughts and feelings. It would be a lot more effective if you cut out the summary entirely and keeping only brief moments for context, since people who click on the video would most likely have already seen the movie.

[@fragilesnowz]

What you say makes sense and I've thought about doing videos in that manner. It's just that I keep thinking that the audience needs background information, and I eventually end up just summarizing the entire thing😅

[@BadDoodles]

Love ur vids

[@fragilesnowz]

Thank you! ❤

[@fragilesnowz]

@@olleselin Hi!

[@fragilesnowz]

@@olleselin ?

[@fragilesnowz]

​@@olleselin Oh that

[@loganlabbe9767]

Gloreth actually protected Nimona from the angry mob. Thats something even Nimona doesnt grasp. They weren't ready for her, so she told her to "go back to the shadows from whence she came". Where she would be SAFE. She didnt try to kill her.

[@Stardust_7273]

Small thing, but the reason Ballister was knocked out so easily by a small piece of debris is because it was flying from so away and the speed of it caused it to be more harmful. My cousin was hit in the head with a golf ball on a large golf course, and she ended up with a head injury that caused her to have a permanent speech impediment.

[@alexismariaotero]

is there a button to share this just generally everywhere?

[@fragilesnowz]

[@corvididaecorax2991]

I do kind of feel like it would have been better to not have Nimona come back. There are plenty of stories where everything works out in the end. There are far fewer that convey the lesson that sometimes because we didn’t get it right the first time we lose someone we can't ever get back. Ballister let his emotions get the better of him for one horrible moment, and that nearly led everything to ruin for everyone. It would have more impact if he didn’t get a complete second chance and instead only a partial one.

[@fragilesnowz]

Well said! Unfortunately, this *is* a kids' film, and it probably wouldn't have been the best message to put across 🤷‍♂

[@Paul-D-Hoff]

The whole idea of a movie is to JAR you. If not, it would be normal and who needs to watch that.

[@Emery_Pallas]

I don’t think there’s a lot of films looking to encase you in earthenware pots, but to each there own

[@RobeonMew]

It's not unique. It's Arcane in another area

[@alexs.5871]

could you elaborate?

[@Paul-D-Hoff]

OH MY, no sight line dots on the glass, OH OF HORROR, can you find other things that don't mean anything?????????

[@fragilesnowz]

Dude, that was a joke Does it look like I dislike this movie?