CHRISTMAS SPECIAL 2019: BARBIE IN: THE NUTCRACKER

With 2019 post mortem being written up, this year will not be remembered too fondly. Personally it was the year i suffered two family deaths never mind all the political chaos In Ireland this year!

But 2019 was a year of Anniversaries of major franchises!

Rick and Morty turned 5,
Modern Family turned 10,
Family guy turned 20,
Power Rangers turned 25
The Simpsons turned 30
Scooby-doo, 40
The Summer of Love was 50 years ago

And In a New York Toy fair 60 Years ago, Barbie made her debut!

As a Brother of 3 sisters and Uncle to Many Nieces, One constant is no matter how different any two girls are, or how tomboyish or what trend she will follow, a girl will have at least one Barbie in her Natural!

Beloved by some, Mocked by Feminists, Barbie's Existence as a brand for 6 decades has being a strange one, From Being Accused that the doll encourages unhealthy and Unattainable Standards of beauty, to strange alliterations to keep up with the times and yes to keep up with the times Barbie has jumped into other media, Comics, Video games, cartoons and movies such as this but with all constant: They are all fluff for younger girls, the games are the worst offenders being either hand-holdingly simple or Cringe Inducing!

Hell, if want to know how bad the games Are, JonTron did a whole Video On Youtube a few years back!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ml8gK3B3daE
So to give the decade the Bum's Rush it deserves, I'm Reviewing something really out of my comfort zone, but in the Spirit of the Season, so let's dig in to Barbie in The Nutcracker

So The cover is not going to blow you away! It's Pink, It's Sparkly, It's Festive! What more do you want Dammit?

Speaking of Handholdingly simple, the Dvd Menu also guides us in how to work the blasted menu! I Press Play and Away we go!

After some Discount Tinkerbells fool around with the Opening Credits, We Cut to A Ballet Studio where Barbie and her kid sister Shelley are Dancing...and oh my god this Animation Quality...Did they not have Motion Capture in 2001?

I say this because we get 2 identically danced Sequence of the same routine...Where it would make sense for the child to stumble and not be able to jump as high as her Adult Sister.

But Shelley does stumble, though it's a plot device! Barbie's sister is worried about stagefright at her recital. So Barbie tells her Practice Makes Perfect, Follow your Heart, Believe in yourself, Heart Of The Cards, BLAH BLAH BLAH!

So to prove her point the film now becomes what it is-a Scene-by-scene Recreation/Disneyfication of The Nutcracker with Barbie as Clara!

So for all you So Called Manly Men Out there, I'll Give you the Shorthand Version. The Nutcracker is Tchaikovsky's Ballet about an Orphaned Girl who is adopted by her Butler Grandfather with her brother Thomas at his master's servant house and to earn their keep, they are made servants. Grandfather Drusselheim is a stern but sensible man, completely polar to his Daughter Elizabeth, A globetrotting Free Spirit who has just returned from China. As her Father gives her a lecture on getting Clara's hopes up with fanciful stories, But Elizabeth asks her father to loosen up.

"Thankfully I bought something from Victorian Era China to help with just that! I Believe the Locals call it...OPIUM?"

That Night Elizabeth gives her niece and nephew with Presents. Thomas with toy soldiers and Clara with a nutcracker. Thomas wants the appliance because it's shaped like a soldier and both siblings fight over it, Thomas accidentally loosening it's arm. Clara Proceeds to use a hair ribbon as a sling for the nutcracker.

Midnight falls, as Clara sleeps on the sofa and as the Clock strikes, Something Magical enters the living room via a mouse hole. The owl in the Clock's woodwork comes to life. Mice Soldiers invade the living room and the Nutcracker comes to life to defend it. Clara hears the noise and is awakened and confused. Maybe Liz DID bring some Opium back from China!

From the Mousehole, The Mouse King arrives and exposists he turned the nutcracker into his current state via Magic. He blasts Clara with a shrink ray when she attacks him.

Outnumbered and Down an Working Arm, Our Heroes Escape.

So the Quest Begins for Clara to return to her size and for the nutcracker to regain it's humanity. They must travel to the Sugarplum Princess's Island in The Sea of Storms in the world Beyond the Mousehole. The owl gives Clara a pendant that will act like The ruby slippers if taken off!
PLOT POINT!

Ending up in an ice cavern, Clara unwittingly steps on a fairy using the 3d model of Shelley. Snow falls and the flakes become fairies who dance With "Shelley" trying to get the most attention. There is a point to this, as the fairies guide the two out of the cavern, and into the Nutcracker's Kingdom of Barthemia. A Bat overhears the Heroes LOUDLY! EXPLAINING! THEIR SECRET! PLAN! (Because we have to rip-off Disney by having annoying talking animals!)

Clara and the Nutcracker arrive at a Gingerbread Village, where the only survivors are two more Shelleys (We are really getting the value from the same 4 models, aren't we?) A horse (to sell to young girls!). They tell the story that Barthemia fell because the Mouse King Rose to Power Because the Former King's son , was the unworthy and useless Prince Eric.
FORESHADOWING ON A STORY TOLD FOR GENERATIONS!

Running from Mice soldiers, they are instead captured by Toy Soldiers, namely the Grenadier Guard and Bengal Swordsman belonging to Thomas and they are called...Major Mint and Captain Candy!

Angry that the army failed, The Mouse king turns a Stone Support column into a Golem and Possibly Causing the collapse of his own castle due to this stupidity!

So Clara and the 3 toys set out on an expedition to The Sea of Storms, whilst searching for a boat, they uncap a well full of forest fairies and after more music from the masterpiece, they revitalize the desert into a forest and they gather food and water!

But Never Mind that Shit! Let's have the golem Ruck up for a scrap like he just came from a Boss Fight from a poorly designed PS1 game, But the fairies freeze the sea and they escape by carriage (MAKING FINDING THE BOAT, A UNLESS PLOTPOINT!)

But Arrive on SugarPlum Island, they do, But Clara doubts herself when the Toys enter the castle without her

They are scooped up into a cage and carried by Pim the Bat.

Clara is about to give up hope until the fairies bring her to the Mouse King's castle, The remaining Toys revolt, when the Mouse king lights a fire to public burn Eric. Meanwhile Clara frees Eric, Mint and Captain Candy from a Magic 2-way Mirror!

The Nutcracker Reveals himself to be Prince Eric and the Mouse King turns all the Villagers to stone and grows Giant with his magic! When the Mouse King goes to blast Clara with a Shrink Spell, Eric Reflects it with his Shield, Shrinking the mouse king but Damaging the Nutcracker in the blowback.

But True Love's Kiss, Friendship is Magic, God, Jesus and Rock and Roll, BLAH BLAH BLAH! And The Nutcracker turns into a Ken-Doll! Also "Yer A Wizard, Harry!" as Clara was the Sugerplum Fairy after all!

SO LETS WRAP 2019 UP!
Everyone dances but The Mouse king on Pim flies in to steal Clara's pendant and she vanishes from the world, but she wakes up from a dream, until Elizabeth introduces the Real Eric to Clara. So Clara accepts that is was all a dream!

...OR WAS IT? As Eric gives Clara the pendant she just lost in a "Dream". We dance some more, and we return to Barbie and Shelley who is now spurned on to dance at the recital.

THIS FILM IS NOTHING SPECIAL!
As last year's Christmas bust of Nutcracker and the Four Realms  proved, not even Disney Magic can make people care about Ballet! So even Pretending to be Disney had a better go in this adaption, which, without slapping Barbie's face onto this film would be forgettable! The 3d has not aged real, and the presentation will not suit everyone. But it's not terrible, it's just....MEH!

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!
I WILL SEE ALL YOU IN JANUARY!
BE SURE TO Read the first 2020 post on enlightenedtowers.blogspot.ie to find out what the next reviews will be in the new year!

CREDITS
Barbie in the Nutcracker was Reviewed, Compiled and Edited By Eamonn Bermingham (@RealEnli)
With Media from
Barbie In The Nutcracker
Barbie Games by Jontron
Barbie is Property of Mattel Toys
All Rights Reserved
All Media belong to their respective owners

FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL...BUT I STILL FECKING REMEMBER

(Part 1 can be found by clicking Older Post below!)

So Rachel (Mila Kunis) Books Peter a Room, Despite him wanting to leave. Alvis is surprisingly understanding and invites Peter to Dinner, Later he tells Sarah of similar situation where the Gallagher Bros of Oasis fame Double Teamed his girlfriend in front of him. But in Peter's Attempt to book the suite right next to Sarah's in a vain attempt to ruin her day, It just ends with Alvis and Sarah having Marathon Sex so Peter can see!

Funny thing is that's not in the script!
that's just a regular Tuesday for Russel Brand!

Drunk and crying Alone, Sarah rubs it in by Issuing a complaint about a "Crying Woman" to the front desk. This leads to more crying. Dinner is even worse as The Waiter/drug-dealer, Matthew (Jonah Hill) Gives Peter a single Table in front of Alvis and Sarah's table, All the engagements by other Patrons is not making him feel better, either! Sarah calls out Peter on Stalking her which he denies and they leave insulting each other in earshot as they leave, Peter takes it well by Getting drunk again

...So Rachel Gets off Work and we learn that Peter Hates Being A Tv show composer Not just because he works on Sarah's show, It's because what he does not music, just tone and mood! But he has lost his spark, he wants to compose A Dracula Musical, and he can't even Play Tv show themes in key!

After Running into the Newlyweds again (Yeah, i FORGOT TO MENTION IT, But there is this running gag of this Awkward couple who were saving themselves, and the Husband is Yer Man from the Office with the Big Teeth, But they are have trouble with the sexual act of marriage!) Peter takes up surfing from a mainland poser (and possibly the guy who was trying to buy weed from Matthew Earlier!)

Videochatting with his Half Brother, Peter Decides to ask out Jennifer. Beats Feeling sorry for himself and or hanging with all these weirdos!

....But It's the Fourth of July, and Rachel is Busy. Matthew is fanboying over Alvis and he convinces him to sing on stage, But in true Russel "Hairy Spermbank" Brand form, it's a song about his Big Dick Energy. Angry, Peter Haphazardly agrees to Help the cooks "Prepare" Boar for Tomorrow's Dinner

However Killing an Animal has given Peter the Courage to ask Rachel out!

So Killing a Boar raises your Guts before your Date in Hawaii?
The Extra content in Persona 5: The Royal is weird!

Rachel Exposists her back story. She and her high school Boyfriend had moved after graduation until he cheated on her, With No money, Hotels like This one Pretty Much Scout Pretty girls to work, so she is saving money to return to the Mainland. Peter tells Rachael about his Dracula Musical, but the split has given him Writer's Block, But Rachael Old Boyfriend turns up and turns into a huge fight. At a Bar Later Rachel Pays for drinks by Joking that she didn't bring Peter to "Hold her Pocketbook!" Flashbacking to all the red carpet events he went with Sarah and that's exactly what happened, in fact one instance he wasn't even allowed to get his photo taken next to girlfriend because he wasn't "a real celeb". Peter Learns as he is using the little boys room that A Picture of Rachel flashing her boobies over the Urinals, Rachael has asked that it be put down, but the Barman looks like he runs with a Biker Gang. But she has another surprise, she has asked the bar to let him play some music from his musical, his unfinished work-in-progress Musical about Dracula, which he sings IN CHARACTER! And no-one knows what to make of it, But least Rachel liked it! Peter goes to kiss her at the end of the night, but she doesn't want to complicate things, Plus she he learns from the other staff that the Front Desk girls are paid to have "Pity Dates" with Rich Single Male Guests

The Next day, Sarah Learns her Show is Cancelled, So Alvis wants her to be part of his World tour Groupies, First we learn Peter was her Bagholder in Public, Now with no Job, Sarah is now a More Famous Person's Accessory

IRONY!
IT'S NOT HOW AN IRON TASTES!

So Peter learns that he is out of a job after the show gets cancelled From Sarah, No skin off his nose, as a composer he will always have work. But here we see that Sarah is so obsessed with fame that "If her Body could Support it!" she would have plastic surgery to get Scripts...Only she turns around and says "I HAVE TOO MUCH DIGNITY FOR THAT!" Peter cheers up Sarah, who says she is always happy she had his support, he Flash-backs to Sarah laughing in his face about the Dracula Musical.

We cut to the beach and a scene that was Inevitable.
The Human Spermbank teaching a Virgin Sexual Technique with Giant Chess Pieces, the Phallic ones, of course!

So Later that Morning, Sarah spies Rachel asking Peter to go on a hike with her, During which he opens up about the writer's block and draws a parallel towards Rachel Not having a GED: A broken heart is stopping them having what they want, Rachel says maybe sometimes all you need is to "Take A Leap Forward" (Note: this scene was on a cliff-top, so what happens next makes sense) and she takes her words literally as she dives into the sea below.

OH!
SO THAT'S WHY MILA KUNIS DID THIS SCENE BRALESS!

Peter dives too, but nearly kills himself, But it does lead to a kiss. She jump cut to the Virgins finally consummating  their marriage. Peter's suite which was given to him by Rachel because she felt sorry for him, has being booked and now he has to share the shack with Rachel and Alvis.

Peter tries to Surf But Bumps into Alvis. Turns out Alvis had being banging Sarah for a year before the split behind his back, so as he surfs away Peter accidentally ploughs into Alvis and he starts to drown, Peter saves Alvis Pulls a shard of coral from his leg, but the sight of blood causes him to faint, with Alvis following suit from Blood loss.

Peter comes to in the shack and calls out Sarah on cheating on him. she retorts that Peter just became this slob and she tries everything to get him re-involved with the relationship.

Later that night a recovered Alvis is not wearing the shirt, she bought him, so Sarah has a flashback to all the times she bought Peter terrible gifts and he was too nice to say anything...But she must have said something as we jump to him complaining about the shirt and Sarah invites herself and Alvis to sit and join Peter and Rachel's date

Sarah's attempt to talk about herself backfires because of the boys (Dat film ye did in Oz WOZ BLOODY HAWFUL! OO'S 'EARD OV MOBILE PHONES KILLIN' PEOPLE?)

Stephen King Apparently in 2006,

So the awkward evening turns into Drink after Drink, Even Alvis who swore of the booze is drinking like it's the Trenches of WWI and a Doctor was coming to saw their legs off! and wouldn't you know it, Cock-on-Legs' Character reveals fame has made him turn into a COCK-ON-LEGS!
Sarah and Rachel have a verbal cat-fight!

Rachel and Sarah have sex, whilst in the other room Sarah mounts a Drunk and tired Alvis and fakes an orgasm, So Peter and Rachel share a laugh and have more histrionic, fake orgasms...But the truth comes out, Sarah calls Alvis a pretentious fake and Alvis Just replies "NO, U!" And goes back to sleep! Whilst Peter is sad that he is going home in 4 days, he's now happy enough to enjoy himself without booze, weirdos or Pig Slaughter, Alvis is returning to returning to England, he wants to know how Peter Lasted 5 years when he couldn't hack a week!

Peter goes to comfort Sarah and she tries to initiate sex but after all Sarah did to him, Peter no longer finds Sarah's naked body attractive and he can't get it up!

When Peter Confesses to Rachel she doesn't want to hear it and Tells Peter to leave and never contact her again. To Prove his love, he steals the picture of her flashing her boobs from the Bar's Urinal and endures a beating from the Barman to return it to her. Back in L.A., Peter sorts his life out, looking after himself, exercising and finalizing a script for his Musical and invites Rachel to opening night. He decides to use puppets after all including one that looks like Rachel as Dracula's lover and a spiteful witch that looks like Sarah. Looking it the audience during the Standing Ovation, he sees Rachel.

So let's Finish This!
Love at first Bite is a Success, Rachel is in California studying her GED, AND SO OUR FILM ENDS WITH Rachel walking in on Peter changing out of his unitard and they share a kiss that turns passionate.

THIS FILM DOES NOT SUCK!
BUT RUSSELL BRAND DOES!

The Jokes are funny, the characters relatable and our hero's story is a progression, Peter is a slob who had come accustomed to not care about himself because he had a rich famous girlfriend to compensate, though as the story goes on that was not the case! Every misadventure had Peter think about certain parts of himself and he overcame it by not thinking the same way he does! And as funny as not getting excited seeing Kristen Bell Naked (IMPOSSIBLE!), It was somewhat believable that something like that would be the pay-off!

But lets no forget the hairy, no talent, skinny-jeans wearing, deviant elephant in the room!
This was supposed the launchpad for Russel Brand's career in America and even the Challenger Space Rocket had a better launchpad than Brand, and didn't go up in flames as much!

NEXT MONTH ON BOGGER BOX OFFICE!
DID YOU KNOW THAT THIS YEAR THE BARBIE-DOLL TURNS 60?
AND THAT I HAVE NEVER REVIEWED A SINGLE ANIMATED BARBIE FILM?
LET'S REMEDY THAT, SHALL WE?

CREDITS
Forgetting Sarah Marshall was reviewed, Compiled and Edited into 2 parts by Eamonn Bermingham (@RealEnli)
Forgetting Sarah Marshall is property of Universal Studios.
Father Ted was Produced by Hat trick for Channel 4
Cell was Published by Charles Scribner's Sons
All rights reserved. All property belongs to their respective owners

I WISH I COULD FORGET FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL....

Remember when Russel Brand was A Thing?

You Know, the Former Vapid Pondscum from Big Bugger, the sometimes Comedian, definite sexpest who use to bump the uglies with the Equally Vapid Fake Feminist Katy Perry As a Meal ticket to Penetrate America Like his many Page 3 slags! Long story short, Katy Ditched Brand and Neither side of the Atlantic could give a Monkey's!

And today, of all the talentless actors that have graced BBO for nearly 12 years, I finally Hang Russel Brand's Potrait new to Gervais, Sandler and Grant in my Rouge's Gallery

The Cover is...Well it's Effective!

A disheveled Jason Segel is on A Beach sadly holding a crumbled picture of Brand and Kirsten Bell in an embrace. Over his head a heartshaped cloud and a jetstream makes a cupid's arrow through the heart. The dvd claims that we have the option of seeing an extended version, but we only care about what was expressed to cinema goers, unless they pull another Ella Enchanted on us and conspired to make the real ending a dvd extra!

We Open to a Shirtless Segel eating children's cereal and watching access hollywood about...himself! This is Peter Bretter, a small time composer who works backstage in a show headed by his girlfriend Sarah Marshall (Kirsten Bell). On the same show A song by The band Infinite Sorrow, headed by Alvis Snow (Brand) Think Bono, But A Bigger Wanker, because his actor is a Real-Life Wanker!

Sarah calls Peter and Peter Lazily cleans his flat and changes into a towel, When Sarah breaks with him we see Segal naked and crying (If i decided to watch the extended version all the male nudity would what the scenes extended!)

After Bleaching my Eyeballs, Peter goes on a Downward Spiral of One night Stands and Career Suicide, Eventually his brother has to stop him from commiting Arson, so he tells him to go on Holiday and sort his shit out!

He arrives in Hawaii and he is checked in and checked out by a receptionist played by Mila Kunis. Sarah and Alvis turn up and that's our Premise!

JOIN ME NEXT MONTH WHEN I REVIEW THE REST OF THE FILM ONLY ON BOGGER BOX OFFICE!

CODE LYOKO: RETURN TO THE PAST NOW! SEASON 2 FINALE: REVELATIONS AND KEYS

More Action Openings for Episode 51 Revelations, Under Fire by Mantas in Carthage, Aelita is downloading more Data that Jeremie can use to make an Anti-Virus for her by Cracking the Dairy of Lyoko's Creator, Franz Hopper.

In the cafeteria, Discussing Grade Averages (How would they know THAT?) Aelita reveals her's is a grade average of 93%. When Ulrich let's slip "It because you are Not Human" Aelita doesn't show offence but feels like she knows it all already, like she had learned it all, it's that Feeling of Deja Vu that she had being experiencing since becoming Human in season 1's finale! Odd splits from the group when a text from a mystery girl tells him to meet her in the Dark Isolated Woods where the Haunted House Is....in case it's too subtle for you....

A tower Has Being Activated on Lyoko, Just as Odd get's Evil Dead'd by a Spectre.

"ODD" turns up and Jeremie teleports with the others on the mountain Zone, he realizes his mistake too late. Xana calls of his attack, now that he has an assassin and fall-guy in the heroes midst. Jeremie activates a tower of his own (Much how Franz Did in Contact in the last episode) For the Extra Processing power to Decode the Dairy

An Ambush and Fake Odd makes it's move, Yumi's avatar Returns to earth, Cut to the Hermitage and Odd wakes up in a Submerged Sewer Drain where is left to drown. The Plan by Xana is to corrupt Aelita's Upper limit of Data recovery and Steal Data via her link to Jeremie's Own Data: the Vechile programs, Franz Dairy, even The Realization Program.

Back on the Mountain Zone, Ulrich boasts to Fake Odd that Real Odd never Beaten him in training. Xana's Response?.....

I AM A SHADOW....I AM.....THE TRUE SELF!

Yumi finds Odd at the Hermitage and Rescues him. Xana is about to win...Until the Tower Becomes a White Tower, Franz has come to help and Jeremie Decodes all of the Dairy. During the Brief in his room a Sombre Jeremie Reveals as much, But he Reveals something else...Before Franz Virtulized Himself onto Lyoko, he Virtualized someone else...

His Only Child....

A Daughter!

"THAT...THAT CANNOT BE TRUE, JEREMIE! I WAS ALONE IN LYOKO FOR SO LONG I WOULD HAVE NOTICED ANOTHER GIRL WITH ME, UNLESS!"

Jeremie confirms Franz is her father!

Episode 52, The Key, and everything from 2 seasons worth of mysteries makes sense. Framz posing as a science teacher living in a house on the campus of Kadic academy, why the school has a Nuclear generator, The Tunnels to the factory all over school grounds, The Hermitage, The flashbacks, EVERYTHING!

Jeremie Uncovers the Truth for Aelita. After Unleashing XANA on an unsuspecting world in 1994, Fearing retribution from various governments and fearing for his life, He used the Return to past program 2000 times on the same day (Meaning he lived and worked non stop for 7 years) To build and program the scanners in an attempt for him and his daughter to escape arrest. Turns out Aelita does not have a virus added that is bonding her to Lyoko, in fact it's the opposite a fragment of herself possibly her human memories, is being guarded in Carthage! Aelita's Confusion, and the fact the others have a nonchalant and relaxed attitude since tonight is the night of the End Of Term dance, Makes Aelita question her Identity. After so long they have to remind us that the Ulrich/Yumi/Sissi/William Love square exists, I get it, It's the season finale and all the loose ends must get tied, but it gets completely ignored compared to what happens next.

Jeremie finds Aelita has shut down the Supercalculator, the pink haired girl slumped on the cold metal floor. Since Lyoko, XANA and Aelita draw their existence from Aelita tried to commit Suicide, basically. Jeremie resets the computer and Promises that he will save Aelita from a Bleak future!

Ulrich and Yumi stood up Sissi and William, Odd has basically become the most hated Man in Kadic due to his mass dating, means they are free to conduct the final dive into Carthage. But Xana doesn't make it Easy: They have 3 minutes to find "The Key" or it is lost forever!

Revealing a staircase into the depths of Carthage "The Key is Still Heavily guarded. Then the room starts to collapse. One by One, Odd, Yumi and then Ulrich sacrifice themselves to Get Aelita Closer to the key, Even Franz comes out of hiding and takes control of some Mantas to act as steads for Aelita and Ulrich.

But in the end the Key is a fake!
With Aelita all alone, The Sycozoa can absorb all of Aelita's Memories. Xana has Won.

Jeremie cries as Aelita's Body is disrespectfully tossed onto the ground.

Lyoko shuts down from the inside out.

 All the towers in the zones turn red and now, No longer bound to The Supercomputer, Xana's plan for world conquest can go unabated and Unchallenged as it enters our world!

Franz, now just a ball of data visits his daughter as her life...her very short life (as evidenced by her voice actress, Sharon Mann, making Aelita's voice higher pitched and her dialogue more juvenile!) Flashes before her eyes. Happy memories of living at the Hermitage until her Mother Disappeared and the day the CIA came to arrest her father, it was Franz that told Aelita to Hide the Train station Locker key in Mister Puck and the last thing she remembers as a human is being Virtualised before the Supercalculator was shut down, stealing her memories and making her an AI, 9 YEARS LATER!

Franz sacrifices his own data and life to restore his daughter and Lyoko.

That night They Realize that Franz sacrificed himself so his daughter can continue the fight. Despite Xana no longer bound to the supercalculator, at least neither is Aelita. Despite Nearly Dying Aelita promise to fight on, but her friends tell her it's a fight she will never be alone in!

Despite Artistic and Continuity Errors, Season 2 Builds on the Mystery and Drama. The Action is Ratcheted Up as the 3D graphics improve in resolution and Movement, 13 years later, the 3D graphics from season 2 and beyond are good quality: The models do more than run and jump for 5 minutes, though there is plenty of that still! Whether or not you predicted Aelita was Human after all back in the day, The Reveal was a slow burn, not to the level of the slow burn that will lead into Season 3, but still paced well!

Now to Character Development, Though we are introduced to a few new characters, Sam and Trevor were one-shots and Yumi's family doesn't extend Yumi's home-life any further than Horoki jeering his sister about Ulrich, No, of all the new characters, Let's talk about William!

Establishing his character early as the Love-sick Delinquent Who Graffiti-Tagged his last school with Love Poetry, kind of sets off William as a Complicated Character, He is in love in Yumi at first Sight and Because Yumi is in a kinda-sorta Relationship with Ulrich, he does see Ulrich as a threat. But surprisingly, he can give Ulrich Sage advice when he acts Possessive and Immature, almost like having a code of honour, like stealing another man's girl is not what he wants. He can hold his own in XANA attacks, something that makes his involvement in season 3 important.

Ulrich sadly gets progressed into a unlikable character, due to William's arrival, coming off as an insecure, clingy, selfish dickhead. His "Relationship" with Yumi is still not official, so most of his Interactions with her are speaking for her, Aping William and being more Emo and Aloof than the Aloof Emo he is supposedly dating. The Limit was Attack of the Zombies, the Heroes were not comfortable with attacking there transformed friends....Until William was turned into a Zombie and then Ulrich couldn't help himself! Let's not Forget The time Ulrich used Time Travel to cheat on the Lottery, Not to help Yumi so she wouldn't move back to Japan, but to Keep her near him!

Spaking of, Yumi gets a little progression, but it's realistic, she hates the extra attention she has from William and Ulrich and from Sissi, She is also Protective of Aelita like during her Night-Terrors. Though treated more like a stock female has a drawback, it seems Yumi is always the first to die on Lyoko, this became the basis to the Running In-Joke "Pick on Yumi Week"

Odd has 3 things going for him in Season 2: His Big Eater Tropes, His Artistic Flair and His Reputation for Being the Schoolyard Cassanova! Having No Upper limit in food, translates to his love life, and if Odd were just 2 years older, that fact would be terrifying to the Mothers of the students! It has bitten him in the ass as seen above. Odd is not the smartest academically, bit makes up for it in Art, and can pass tests if motivated. I am not a fan of him gaining Powers as the plot demands such as shields and being able to swim usually lethal Digital Water

Jeremie has the lion's share of development, Despite Not Taking an Active role in battle, he has an Emotional Investment in the Mission: His love for Aelita. What started as a friendship amongst intellectual Equals in Season 1, became a tender first love, whilst Ulrich and Yumi is toxic, Jeremie and Aeita is pure, Jeremie is devoted to his girlfriend even to the point of when she was Drowning her dove in to save her, no questions asked. Anything that disrupts the relationship is met with raw feelings that sometimes the Jeremie can't cope with (Valentine's Day and XANA'S kiss for example!)

Now that the secret that Aelita is and always was Human is revealed, We can talk about her Lyoko form and it's Deeper Meaning.

Resembling an Elf, A mysterious Creature who is said to be the originators of The knowledge of arts and Music and a Deadly weakness to Iron, Fits Aelita Hopper, a Girl of Germanic Descent with a seemingly Out of Nowhere talent for Music, when she takes up being a Dj, sorry when she takes up being a

DEEEEZHAY!

This knack for Music, becomes weaponized like the others talents On Lyoko, as her Creativity is activated by singing a sustained note, we only learn that She was thought piano by her father. Elves being weak to Iron is possibly a nod to why Aelita is so vulnerable to the threats in her "own" world, Aelita is Intelligent, Formal and Friendly, all thought to be traits from just being an interactive interface for Lyoko, but as time went on other feelings of anger and sarcasm and even sultriness towards Jeremie (though she was brainwashed at the time!) have rising to the surface. Aelita has lost Memories from episode 1, explaining her Clothes, her pink hair, and clothes and being constantly rescued, gave her the nickname princess by odd, it also explains her strange look of one earring, a kimono style top, sarong and a ribbon tied around one leg of her bodysuit. She's "Incomplete" without her human memories something that get's fixed in season 3. as of this season, Aelita's progression from Naivete to the truth is a steady one!

XANA has the Most Development, For an Emotionless Killer Virus, He sure has an Ego, XANA seems to now take it Personally that Teenagers are whooping his ass, his plans now seem to be targeted Murder and Psychological Warfare, over just The Genocide of the Human species! 

AND THAT WAS SEASON 2!

I deserve a break After all this, but no! Join me soon for part 1 of Forgetting Sarah Marshall, 

ONLY ON BOGGER BOX OFFICE AND FOR NOW

WE WILL WAIT UNTIL NEXT TIME IN 2020 For us to

RETURN TO THE PAST

NOW!

CREDITS
Code Lyoko is Property of Moonscoop
Star wars is the Property of Lucusfilms and Disney
Harry Enfield and Chums is Property of The BBC
All Rights Reserved.