“How’s the view up there, little buddy?”
Theories on the outfits.
Well mostly the ribbons and masks.
First Jack: His ribbons are tied to his wrists and have bows. This shows being controlled or puppeteered (is that a word?) but obvious because we can see the bow. (Also seeing the bow means easier to untie aka loosen the control.) But!... His ribbons are the only ones that aren’t flailing around. They are tied to his back. This gives me the vibe that he is still somewhat in control of himself. Not to mention harness and suspenders like he is constraining himself. It fits his tsundere personality. Also he is holding the one ribbon in his hand and the other looped on his arm, making it hard to grab and gives him more control over it. If the boys are being turned into puppets, Jack is most likely the last one they are turning or he is able to fight back against it… probably both. His mask is barely visible. Yes, because of the angle, but like most of the others the branches are thin and mostly around his eye. Slightly poking over his nose. If you squint or really zoom in.
Jade: Interesting! His ribbons, while flailing about, are not tied around his wrists but forearms. And the big ribbon and bow on his shoulder and almost like it’s going across his body. Given Jade’s personality and unique magic, it is not unlikely he is somewhat aware of being controlled or pretending to be (ribbons not on wrists) and still has somewhat control over himself (ribbon on shoulder). And his mask… looks to me has the least amount of branches trying to grow and is just around his eye. (Note: it’s around his yellow eye that he uses for his unique magic.)
Lilia: Ribbons loose thus easily grab-able and around wrists to control. Now his bows; fit into his cutesy vibe but the black spots tell me he has lapses or moments where he sees through the illusion – moments of consciousness (being in control of himself). His mask though small, is creeping over his nose – a sign of being more under control.
Trey: He is a difficult one. His ribbons aren’t on his wrists but like Ace and Ortho, his bows aren’t visible. So I am a bit stumped on what exactly this means. But his mask does have more obvious creeping branches.
(Fun little note: Trey and Jade’s outfits match, especially the sleeves and wrist cuffs. Also Cater and Vil’s outfits and Leona and Floyd’s.)
The SR cards give me tin soldier vibes. While R cards more booth workers. Trey looks like he sells popcorn, peanuts and cotton candy. Jade looks like the people that take your ticket or advertise shows outside the tents. I can kinda hear the “Step right up! Step right up and try…!” Y’know?
Now Leona: He is the only SR that doesn’t have tassels. It is in your face like the other SRs though. And I will explain what I think the tassels mean with Cater. Ribbons around the wrist and bows visible. Also the ribbons hanging from his clothes. Kinda in the sense of Lilia’s – there is control over himself but it’s hard to grasp and can still be grabbed by the “Puppeteer”. Also worthy to note his mask is almost not noticeable. Yes the angle and his hair but it’s still small.
I think there are degrees as to which they are being controlled or turned into puppets. Leona a little less than the SR but a bit more than the R.
Cater: The tassels! I think these are meant to be a distraction. They are more eye-catching than the ribbons and like I said very in your face. Trying to grab your attention. Trying to distract you from what is actually going on. It also matches that Cater, Floyd and Vil have the tassels because it matches their more attention grabbing presence and personalities. While Leona (no tassels) is more reserved and he is usually more in the background or shadows. Again, on the wrists and bows visible. They also are reaching for us. Either to grab us or be distractions which fit the tin soldier vibe. His mask does have some creeping branches.
Also Cater and Vil are the most neat and presentable while Leona and Floyd’s jackets’ being open fits their more lax personalities. But that is just their personal style.
Vil: Matches Cater. Tassels are around the wrists and bows visible. Also very in your face. And his mask has very noticeable branches. And may be just because he is Vil but he is very attention grabbing. (Also those stilettos! Damn! Kinda envious. I look like a baby giraffe learning how to walk when I wear heels.)
Floyd: Now Floyd is also very interesting. He has four tassels on each arm (the others have two tassels or ribbons) and two on each leg! His mask is also smaller with less branches. And around his yellow eye. This tells me the Puppeteer is controlling him but it’s difficult. They had to use even more restraints on him. Also it’s over his wrist cuffs not under like the other three SRs. This does match Floyd’s personality, that he’d be harder to control.
And finally the SSRs!
Kalim: I’d like to point unlike the other two, Kalim has his bows showing. Since he is used to Jamil’s unique magic and fought of Jade’s, while the other two are ‘almost completely puppets’ Kalim is a little less than them. Will maybe be the first of the three to gain back control over himself. His mask is thick! The other’s branches were thin. Maybe it is the close up but his definitely looks bigger but again less than Ace and Ortho’s branch-wise.
Ace: He has no bows showing! Thus making it more difficult for the control to be untied. The SSR ribbons are also in your face but more performative than distracting. They’re puppets on stage putting on a show. And his mask is very thick and creeping over his nose and under his other eye. And I think (kinda hard to see) by his left ear.
Ortho: Very similar to Ace. No bows on the ribbons. And his mask is almost completely under his other eye. He also got the tin soldier look. Not quite sure what it means but worthy of note that it matches Vil and Cater.
If I had to rank them on almost completely controlled (turned into puppet) to not as much:
Ace and Ortho
Kalim
Vil
Cater
Floyd
Leona
Trey
Lilia
Jade
Jack
So that’s my theory. I could absolutely be reading way too much into it but it felt like the ribbons and masks have to mean something.
Added little things I noticed:
All of them have red feather on their hat like Pinocchio.
The SSRs background look like Geppetto’s workshop but trashed.
The clocks with Ace. Like the whole clock music score while Jiminy Cricket tried to sleep.
The piano in Kalim’s. Maybe ‘dancing to the tune’ but its kinda broken, so broken control maybe.
Cleo the goldfish’s broken bowl in Ortho’s and the birdcage which Pinocchio was in when trapped by Stromboli.
The hidden characters in their clothes:
Figaro the cat on Ace’s belt.
Jiminy Cricket with Ortho (he is very noticeable)
And maybe I’m wrong but on Kalim’s ascot there a vague fish shapes that look like Cleo the goldfish. Which could be the reason for the gold jacket (we don’t see Kalim in a lot of yellow. It does look good.) And his train on his jacket looks like her fin tail.
And the wishing star images on everybody.
Especially Ortho who kinda gives me Blue Fairy vibes.
Other people have discussed it but very fitting that it’s Ace, Kalim and Ortho that are the SSRs. If I had to compare to the other half of the cast in GloMas. If Fellow and/or Giddle (?) “are” = Rollo; Ace = Azul, Kalim = Idia and Ortho = Malleus. (Ortho and Kalim could be switched.) They are to Fellow and Giddle as Azul, Idia and Malleus were the foils to Rollo.
(spoiler warning)
R Cards
SR Cards
SSR Cards
// The audio isn’t mine ! It comes from an episode of Titans and can be found here.
It’s Hawk and Dawn who are singing, but I like to imagine Raph singing instead, since it’s Alan Ritchson the actor. What a voice (and what a man, darn it)
TMNT © Kevin Eastman & Peter Laird
This so cute!!!
Earrings are significant pieces of jewelry in Martian mouse culture, with the quantity, material, shapes, and embellishments signaling a variety of things such as an individual’s maturity, lineage, marital status, etc.
Throttle’s morning star earring is a style specific to his clan, passed down from his mother’s side.
It is a common romantic gesture between loves to exchange earrings, and a sign of remembrance to wear a departed loved one’s earrings.
Hoops or rings usually indicate a romantic or familial attachment, while studs are usually worn for accomplishments.
Modo has two identical gold hoops in his ear because one of them belonged to his wife.
Other jewelry like rings or bracelets are usually avoided, especially by Freedom Fighters, as they pose a bit of a safety risk should they get caught in the moving parts of a motorcycle or get snagged on a weapon.
However after spending so much time on Earth and no small influence from Charlie, the Bros became familiar with the concept of wedding and engagement rings.
Vinnie wears a wedding band after marrying Charlie
Even Throttle got behind the idea. He and Carbine have matching wedding rings, both usually worn on a chain with their military service dog tags. Throttle wears his under his bandanna.
Biker Mice commission for https://twitter.com/BARONVONBADBEAV :D
Had tons of fun with this one, I got to draw my favorite boy AND challenge myself with drawing a motorcycle (which I’ve never done before)!
Thank you
Body Language Cheat Sheet for Writers
As described by Selnick’s article:
Author and doctor of clinical psychology Carolyn Kaufman has released a one-page body language cheat sheet of psychological “tells” (PDF link) fiction writers can use to dress their characters.