"Transformers One has a Very Cringe Girlboss in it...
Waaaay more than a decade ago (But props to them for noticing it at all), the moments by itself it can be ignored (in context, she's obnoxious but that's just their dynamic, despite the fact that she comes off as abusive), but this isn't just a one or two time gag In some stupid kids movie I'll never watch again, the issue is it's more than what she says, it's the writing, the overtone & the fact that she says it without challenge or resistance from the people she's talking to, she gets to say it and she walks away with it as if in the right, it's not organic at all, ZERO chemistry between the characters. Very forced, telegraphed, mean, toxic even. But it's okay because the petite little female robot being a jackoff & domineering is supposed to be funny or bold. This is an overarching culture skill issue that's been beaten into people from shows, music, games, movies, comics, everyday life, politics, News etc. slowly and thoroughly. Much deeper lore. And It's not Girlboss (which is just another Infantilization of girls campaign slogan like #Girlpower-- cause notice how men don't need all these nickname slogans to get shit done, society infantilizes women and gives it a catchy zinger to make it look cute and people repeat it like NPCs), it's just bad writing that's very dated to this specific era of cultural incompetence that seems hellbent on enmity and division. # Most men don't enjoy it, they tolerate it because they can't do anything about it. The REAL target is the children, adults have defenses against some propaganda to reject it, children have absolutely zero defenses, they don't know what they're looking at and will internalize it. She even says Orion himself was incompetent at some point and yet again no one challenges her, Orion doesn't even give her a nasty look or anything and at NO point in the movie is her short comings put on display repeatedly so she gets humbled. *She's safe from criticism but she's running her mouth on all cylinders when it comes to the guys.* Orion even takes a shell for her at one point, and my immediate question was: "Why? How are they even friends, are they friends? We see why D16 & Oriion are friends but we never got to see why in Primus' name does Orion even talk to Elita that casually at all." If she became a Prime she'd be the most powerful being in the TF-multiverse no question, just more power stacked on what is otherwise perfection. This is the problem with modern writing, some think female characters with bad attitudes & smart mouths is progressive, bold, strong or quirky and it's just annoying. Because no one would want to be friends with someone like that. (ex. Bakugou) It's very awkward. And the "I'm better than you in every way" gag screamed contrivance. I did NOT see that coming, and I'm not sure why I was surprised given how she treated Orion the entire movie. Zero respect even after he becomes a Prime, no apology, nothing but suggests to be ranked as a Commander after he offers for her to be a Major- I've never seen anything like it. The ego. Just a vain, horrible character. Can't stand her. I like Airachnid, but I can't stand Elita. Every franchise gets infiltrated with this eventually, every single one, the times deem women being unlikable scabs is what a woman should be. Because notice the universal trait of this archtype is ego, but these same women will check a male characters ego while overlooking their own. It's just suffocating how transparent this propaganda is. # Toph & Katara didn't have to tell us anything. They demonstrated it, they proved it, they were flawed, jerks at times, they learned lessons. They weren't better or perfect or just tolerating the flawed antics of the boys, they were grounded & strong as shit in their own class. And they got called out when they were out of line, that si why those girls STILL hold up, they were written as humans, not deified paragons of goodness & all that is right. Which is way better than telling us they're the shit. Men are the enemy or the incompetence, the weakness, or for the women to be empowered the men have to be removed for her to propped up on high. In what timeline would a genuine patriarchy ever allow that kind of disrespect or double standard for so long so OFTEN that it's become the predominant culture to where other countries expect that from you & laugh at it, or emulate it themselves then surprise surprise they're also in decline. Coincidence i'm sure. Matriarchy cosplaying as a patriarhcy. Men, the same people that build the cities, the same people that are supposed to want to deal with women at all to keep birthrates up. Those are the people society wants to antagonize and piss off constantly. That's smart. I can't see that going south ever. **women in actuality are not asking for this, thats the actual tragedy,** women don't sit their basements making up scrabble words like "Mansplain" which only serves to divide & antagonize, making up new words to push men away-- this stuff trickles from up top downward to trend and infect the masses. That's how it works, usually. Movies are just an easier way to do it, because sometimes the trickle effect doesn't always stick. Point being, Elita's attitude is indicative of the times. The industry is providing these narratives & terms on behalf of women, but not for women benefit, hence why in many ways despite the west being so gynocentric, women are still struggling & not exactly in paradise. # Not because of 5 seconds of dialog in one movie, but the cultural attitude behind it, where that energy is coming from, hence how consistent this attitude & overtone has been for decades **When in reality, when men are weak, that hurts women anyway. When women are weak, that holds men back. You can't neglect & abuse one side and expect success for the whole. That's now how that works. That socio-math is way off.** # Which is also part of the punchline of this trope propaganda; Nobody wins. Pure social conditioning, it's disgusting, And so subtle, such a minute part of the film yet it sticks out like a splinter because it's so unnatural. just like this fabled gender war/sex war people think exists. Shackles & contrived nonsense. And again, this isn't injected in just one movie, if it was, this wouldn't be worth a thread or addressing at all. This is a cultural infection. And it won't stop. It's why characters, narratives like this will never stop or go away. The people that own everything you see, won't stop. It's sad. But not hopeless, just watch Transformers Prime and other media that's older & aged better, media you can trust to have their shit together. TF-ONE definitely looked nice, nice gags here & there, I did NOT like the voice acting choices (Alpha Trion's VA was perfect), just a star power marketing gimmick. But it looked nice, and that Prime vs Megatron 1v1 was fire. I'll give it that, it was at it's best when it focused on Orion & "D", thought it read like D's turn was set up fine but his sudden turn to being hostile to Orion felt too rushed, they should've let that cook a little more. Otherwise The Cybertron games still has the better story, Voice acting, & better writing. (Though they could've used more Arcee)
