kajaono reblogged
This week a year ago, I saw Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning (part 1) for the first time.
I have a lot of complains about the finale episodes (plural) of the night agent but at least they understood that having a battle couple, fighting along side against the evil while being in love, is actually super cool and adds extra tension… and NOT boring
Imagine if The Night Agent season 2 really bring back Rose
That would be the second big action show after Mission Impossible where women are valued as long term and equal partners and not only as replaceable love interests
kajaono reblogged
Ilsa and Ethan: There's Still Hope
Spoiler Warning for M:I7!
I'm sure a ton has already been said about Ilsa in the new movie, whether it be lamenting her loss or developing theories as to her potential return in the next film, but here are some contributions I've been mulling over. This isn't going to be an exhaustive list of reasons why she's still alive, but I will try to address some and add my own thoughts into the mix.
I agree with the discussion that one of the best clues of this all being a fake out lies in Ethan and Ilsa's reunion near the beginning of the film. Ilsa plays dead during the fight and Ethan momentarily believes it before she attacks him and reveals herself to be alive. As it stands, this looks like a foreshadowing to her eventual, real death, however, I think it instead acts as setup to her still being alive. I think it's clear that her death fakeout exists to give us clues to her eventual return as well as deflect audiences from even considering it as we're trained to accept that foreshadowed events that transpire in most stories would simply be the end of it, but this isn't a typical story, this is Mission: Impossible, and nothing is as it seems and this film establishes that that's more true now than ever.
And if you're really going to kill Ilsa off, why do a fake-out at all? Why not just have her die later without warning and really shock the audience? Why already have the fans ruminating on the possibility early on and telegraph it long before it actually happens? Consider Julia's "death" in M:I3. The film starts in media res and there's a strong sense of tension throughout the whole film knowing that that's going to happen. Julia is going to get kidnapped and possibly die no matter what, but it's okay to spoil this scene in advance because she doesn't die. Because why would you tell the audience that's going to happen right away unless there's going to be some kind of twist where she lives? What's the point in watching the movie if you know that Ethan is ultimately going to fail and it's going to have a tragic, unsatisfying ending? Julia's death fakeout is a tactic meant to trick him and the audience and make him feel like he's lost only for the twist to be that he ultimately wins and Julia remains alive. I believe a similar tactic is being used with Ilsa which has the potential to be a very well-executed plot twist rather than a disappointing one if done correctly and not completely abandoned in the next film. I actually think that without the fakeout and just a sudden and completely unexpected death I'd feel more worried but, as it stands, I think the choice (among many others) actually serves to legitimize this all being fake.
After all, the best twists are ones that you can see coming if you're really looking for it and that's okay. It's okay that we've figured it out - that means the director ultimately did their job right. Some viewers, especially more casual fans, are taking what they were shown at face value and not considering there's any more to it. They're falling for the trick and that's fine too, because a good twist is one that is set up in a way that leaves clues but also remains largely hidden especially as the audience isn't looking for it. A magic trick that deflects us from seeing what the magician is actually doing. When Ilsa shows up in the next film, some people will feel rewarded for their observations and others will finally see all the pieces click into place that they disregarded before and both be satisfied, but I digress...
Another huge scene to look to for clues lies in the team discussing the severity of the threat and really cementing just how difficult it's going to be to trick the Entity before the party. I think it's very possible that there are missing conversations here that we will not be privy to until the next film as Ethan would never let his friends be in such danger without having a real plan on how to protect them and the audience always knows what the plan is so when things go awry we're aware the complications were unprecedented. In this case, we really have no idea what they're walking into, nor do we see them effectively prep for it. Unless I'm forgetting something, why did Ilsa need to be at the party at all? Why would Ethan put Ilsa in danger like that for no real reason especially after already enduring those brief, agonizing moments earlier when he truly believed she was dead and had to consider a world without her in it and knowing that Gabriel has taken someone from him in the past? Ilsa is her own woman and can do what she wants, but we don't see him even trying to protest her inclusion and voicing fear for her safety for her to even refute.
The scene where Ilsa meets Ethan on the balcony afterward is incredibly short and could feel tacked on given that there's no real lead up to it, but it could very well be the aftermath of a heavy conversation where - feeling burdened by the weight of what must be done - Ethan leaves the room to think and Ilsa follows. She looks particularly chipper here despite the seriousness of what's going on and I believe her benign comments about Venice are purposefully meant to distract Ethan in an attempt to cheer him up. Notice how he shakes his head a little after he answers, like he knows what she's trying to do before giving into her and hugging back. She's calm because she has faith in the plan while he's nervous about it. As a side note, I think it was a touching detail to have Ethan return to this same balcony to grieve (publicly).
We also see Ethan and Ilsa looking at each on the boat before he takes her hand on their way to the party. This, of course, acts as yet another sweet gesture to showcase how strong their relationship is at this point but, again, Ethan doesn't seem that happy. This isn't a relaxing date (which they deserve), he looks tense as he takes her hand. Notice how he's fidgeting as he strokes her fingers and rubs his own fingers together in his free hand. It's like he's trying to hold onto her as much as he can knowing what's going to transpire and, once again, Ilsa looks like she's trying to comfort him by stroking his hand back, never taking her eyes off him. It's a nice continuation of the dynamic of their previous moment together.
And, if this is truly Ilsa's last outing? Why hold back on basically every aspect of it? If it's truly Ilsa's last fight, why not make it her biggest, baddest fight yet that showcases all of her skill but also begins to feel truly unwinnable? We've seen her face intimidating foes before, so if she's truly going to meet her match, you really need to sell to the audience that all her usual tricks aren't working and let us see on her face that she knows she's losing this fight, which would also help build a sense of dread. I've only seen the film once at this time, but I don't recall her looking too worried at any point at the party or during her fight with Gabriel. She's a brave and skilled woman of course, but she seemed incredibly unfazed by it all, almost like she knew how it was going to go. I want to add that there's no way of knowing for sure when entering into any fight that you're guaranteed to survive. Gabriel could have stabbed her anywhere and there'd be no way to anticipate that beforehand but, as I've seen pointed out, her hand is also on the knife when it plunges into her chest. The only way to know for sure where the blade would go to look deadly but still survive it would be to guide it there herself and that seems like something the skilled Ilsa would be able to pull off.
And if it's truly Ilsa's end, why not go out of your way to make it as sad as possible? What if Gabriel leaves her just alive enough for Ethan to find her and they have a heartbreaking final moment together where they perhaps exchange a line or two before he watches her die? Of course, to add insult to injury, the grieving process is pitifully brief, focusing more on Grace's reaction than Ilsa's own friends. Why not have a stronger reaction from Ethan, Benji and Luther that absolutely breaks the audience's heart? Just compare Ethan's reaction to Ilsa's death to the assumed death of Julia in MI3, the other love of his life. Yes, technically, that was a very different situation and Julia was his wife after all and Ilsa isn't, but they don't even compare. Heck, we even get to see Ethan mourn Lindsey, a friend, in M:I3 longer than Ilsa. I understand that the movie can't languish in sorrow for too long and Ethan is used to compartmentalizing to get the job done, but this is also one of the biggest losses he's suffered and right on the heels of proclaiming to his friends how he'd never let anything happen to them. This is also the longest movie in the series so far and it has no excuse for skimping on the aftermath of the death of one of its biggest and most beloved characters. Ilsa's death is sad but leaves you feeling more empty and disappointed than utterly devastated - at least for me.
We've also seen Ethan act before, as is a necessary skill for a spy, and I think the fairly subdued reaction to her death speaks to his ability to act realistically sad (he's had practice for this exact situation too as he's probably channeling all the awful things he felt when he believed her to be dead at the beginning of the movie) but also speaks to the fact that it's not actually real because if it was I think it'd be a far stronger reaction. Yes, Ethan could just be becoming desensitized to losing people after enduring it so many times but I don't think he'd hold back for Ilsa. His partner. His equal. Someone he loves deeply and offers his only chance at a life beyond this. That chance, that love, that happiness, are now gone forever and that's not something you just take in your stride.
And yes, maybe Rebecca needed or wanted out of this franchise to film other projects but that's only more reason to give her the best sendoff you possibly can and I don't think anyone, not even the director himself would be able to admit that this was worthy enough of her character and respectful to Rebecca. If even her final fight was, for whatever reason, purposefully undercut, then what else did the director choose to take away despite having so little to begin with and why? If, historically, it's not in his nature to pull something like this based on his previous work in the series and his own passionate comments regarding the character, why would he now? It's the overall lack of care in regard to her character all of a sudden that makes it all feel fishy.
And if this is it for Ethan and Ilsa, why not push the romance? Instead of just a hug on the balcony, why not feature their first kiss or, at least, a much longer conversation that cements where they really are before it all gets taken away? If the director attempted to include a kiss in the past but scrapped it because it wasn't the right time, he probably intended it to happen eventually. Why not sneak it in right before she dies if these are their last scenes together anyway? Maybe a kiss would only serve to telegraph her demise further by making the audience more nervous about her fate, but it also would have made it even sadder knowing they had finally reached that point right before she died. If the intention of all of this is truly just to make Ethan and the audience sad and it's going to hurt one way or another, you might as well push it as hard as you can to achieve the desired effect. Regardless, I believe that when she comes back in Part 2, they'll finally get that well-earned kiss and that's what the director is waiting for.
But why have Ethan lose another woman he loves at all? Why watch him go through an entire series where all he does is lose lovers only to have him ultimately end up alone especially after developing the perfect romantic partner with him and getting audiences on board with it over the course of multiple films? It all just feels unnecessarily cruel and, as it's nothing new for him, what is it really adding to the story or his character? Losing another lover is predictable at this point but bringing one back and actually letting him be happy? Now that would be a twist! What a triumphant moment it would be for Gabriel to see Ilsa return in the next movie (and perhaps have a rematch) and realize that he's the one who'd been duped? That the Entity is not infallible? That Ethan has been one step ahead of him this whole time?
I don't think I'm alone when I say that the best possible ending for the series and Ethan's story is to get to live his life with Ilsa given he wasn't able to with Julia, trusting the IMF in the hands of new operatives like Grace to carry on in their stead (notice how they focused on that other new recruit during Ethan's introduction as well like they're preparing him to pass the torch). He finally gets to go with Ilsa like she asked him in Rogue Nation and in Fallout and they both finally get out of the game and live happily in the peace that they helped ensure and so deeply deserve. Ethan has sacrificed his own happiness to save the world so many times, why can't he and Ilsa finally get to find some happiness with each other? This series has had it's bittersweet moments but it's never been a tragedy. The conflict is meant to feel insurmountable (it is called Mission: Impossible after all) but the heroes still win and get to be happy and I expect that to continue to be the case in the very end.
Now, I understand and agree with confronting real consequences as we face our final antagonist of the series, but I would honestly predict an actual death from Luther or Benji in the final film - staples of the series and longtime friends of Ethan - that would hurt the audience too but not steal a future from him and perhaps Ilsa's "death" is also meant to deflect from the real death that's coming which would still, naturally, makes things very bittersweet. That being said, if this series wanted to continue to lean into happy outcomes over sad ones, then simply having Ethan get to live peacefully in the knowledge that he was able to keep all of his friends safe would be enough for him and for me.
As of now, I'm actually feeling hopeful about the potential for Ilsa to return. I think there are currently more viable reasons for why she could still be alive than dead and I think it would vastly improve the story they're telling rather than take away from it or feel forced because, as it stands, the execution of her death does feel less than the caliber of what this series is capable of and a surprise return would certainly remedy that. It wouldn't feel like a gimmick given the nature of the series, nor do I think it would undermine the death scene we got since it didn't have any impact on the plot and barely any on the characters anyway. Ilsa returning would improve things, not take away and if this all works to bring her back, it will take what was a lackluster plot point and unceremonious exit of a major character to a brilliant showcase of subterfuge both for the characters and the audience and the latter sounds more like the Mission: Impossible I know.
The first time Ethan faked the death of a woman he loved to protect her; he lost her. Now he's had to do it again and this time, he'll get her back. There's still hope.
Amazing analysis, I agree with all point but want to add some context
This Movie was filmed under strict Covid rules. This is why the team is just send away without backup because they had to split up the different crews, so a potential infection on set would not delay the filming process. This is why the movie often feels darker and less cuddly then the previous once’s. Because it was filmed during a hard time.
2: about the „why not a kiss“-question. The director and writer CMQ said multiple times how much he is against a romantic storyline between Ethan and Ilsa because he thinks that would be „boring“. I heavily disagree, but this is why all their kiss scenes got cut, and why they didn’t got a finale kiss
Why Ethan mourned Ilsa so little is also beyond me, but so far CMQ is really eager to keep Ilsa death. BUT: all the points you mentioned are amazing set ups, to bring Ilsa back. And I think if the pressure (aka the frustration of the fandom) is high enough Ilsa will most probably be back, in one way or another. Even thought it was never planned
But the movie leaves enough room to fit in a faked-death. Especially because Ethan wasn’t there when Ilsa was killed.
My theory is that she faked her death because only when everyone believes she is dead, also the entity will believe it and leaves her out of future calculations.
So there is enough rom for a „hey I am not dead“-reveal and I really hope CMQ will use that and bring Ilsa back. Even if it is just for a cameo
While talking about Ilsa in the newest MI movie I heard the argument multiple times: „authors are not obligated to write for their audience. Stop complaining.“ if you really think like that you have a really romanized view of Hollywood and being an author in general. Being an author is a job. Of course authors have creative freedom but they can also not do everything they want. Do you think RTD brought Rose Tyler back at the end of season 4 because he wanted to?! No because the studio told him to do it.
I guess what people actually want to say is: „a movie doesn’t have to please the audience.“ which is a HUGE difference compared with the statement above.
The point is: I do not expect a movie to please all my wishes. If it happens that is amazing but if it doesn’t happen, I am also cool with it. That’s the risk of being a fan.
BUT: an author still writes for his audience, in one way or another. Because every genre has a specific audience, and every establish franchise has a specific audience that an author has to please somehow. An author can not suddenly write a idk romantic comedy for his action audience.
Look at Loki. Marvel always wanted to get rid of him, again and again and again. They tried it one last time with Infinity War. But fans were so upset they had to bring him back once again and now he even has his own show
Or this tiny dog from Scooby doo. the audience hated him so much that the network had to get rid of him pretty quick.
The audience has a certain influence on what is presented on screen and imo that is good. If we wouldn’t Hollywood and storytelling would never change and evolve. If you publish a story you will always have audience feedback and if you are writing for a big studio you have really strict regulations. And the studios pay really close attention to Fan wishes, because that’s how they make money eventually
Does it feel like a cheat code? Definitely but sometimes you have to use companies greet to establish a certain influence.
But why is that relevant you might ask? First at all, I totally get that some people are totally okay with not having influence all, and that’s okay. But if we would never raise our voice gays would still be buried, women would still be replaceable sex object, people of color would be still villanized and men wouldn’t be allowed to show vulnerablity.
I like the certain influence we have and sometimes I have no problem to use it. Not to influence the course of a story but to spread awareness how we treat certain groups of society. If you like that or not is a completely different discussion imo.
So CMQ killing of Ilsa and insisting that she is dead for real is such a weird movie. Idk if it is was his choice or if the studio came up to him and asked him to write a new female character, that could eventually replace Ethan as the lead of MI. Whatever it was I think they underestimated the fan reactions when they decided to kill off Ilsa. Because when you look at the recent promotion for MI7 Ilsa is suddenly everywhere. I am going bold for a moment and would say they heard us. At least the marketing department.
And I am pleased. Write what you want CMQ but please free us if the boring trope of replaceable women in action movies. And I will keep on being loud about that. No matter what some people might say about that.
Mission impossible 7 spoilers!
This isn’t even about Ilsa specifically, it is more about how her death was handled
Her death didn’t left a gap in the team. Grace was there immediately, ready to take over. No one mourned Ilsa
If Benji would have died, he wouldn’t have been replaced immediately. They would have mourn him, there would have been a gap. Yes eventually he would have been replaced but not immediately. Look at Top Gun 2 (SPOILER, SPOILER, SPOILER for top gun Maverick) where Ice Man dies. It blows a hole into Mavericks heart, you can see and feel that. Ice man gets a huge funeral. Everyone is there and you feel that there is no one who can replace him ever. And the movie doesn’t replace him.
That Ilsa - after saving the team for two and a half movies - doesn’t even gets a goodbye is so badly handled.
I don’t want to reduce it the whole time to male vs female on screen representation. But it’s part of the problem imo
Why MCQ is wrong when he says that Ilsa and Ethan would be boring as a love couple
Ilsa and Ethan, Rita Vrataski and Bill Cage. MCQ has a thing for couples who love each other but can be never together. And what happens after the movie ends is up to the viewer. That is of course perfectly fine and I actually also like it. Its kinda thrilling
And he wrote those couples so perfectly and nuanced. This is why I was so surprised to see how boring and bleak the love relationship was in Top Gun Maverick.
NOW knowing that he thinks established love relationships in action movies are boring, explains A LOT.
But I think in his whole „love couples in action movies are boring“ attitude he overlook something really important. The problem starts with Ilsa and Ethan being not a „one movie - will they/won't they“-couple. They have an established relationship over the course of three movies. They might have started as yet another one of MCQs "They can't be together“-couples but they devloped a dynamic. They proved that they work together really well. Not only as a romantic couple but also as indivual characters.
Especially the finale scene in MI6 showed how well Ilsa and Ethan can work together as an agent couple (without „omg, pleas keep save *sobbing* don’t hurt yourself *good boys kiss* ) but as real professionals and then switching to a tender love couple once the danger is over. And I think fans wanted that and nothing more for Ilsa and Ethan. No one wanted to see them going on dates, because eventually we are still here for Tom Cruise jumping out of airplanes because Benji is asking him to. What fans expected to get in Mi7 was a: Tender opening scene with Ethan and Ilsa (we kinda got that with the desert hug), then fighting together, maybe holding hands once (we also got that) then action - action - one anxious long and a nod - action - action - action - kiss - the end. Nothing more. Like The Old Guard f.e.
And I think that is the most confusing thing about this whole situation. There are AMAZING action movies out there with a romantic lead couple. The old Guard, ant man 2 (who are also aiming at an more adults viewers) and dare I to say, even Vampire Academy, the tv show? which yes, has a lot of love drama but it honestly boils down to: how can we be guardians, who put the mission above everything and love each other at the same time?“ and they find a solution. There is this beautiful scene in the final fight where Rose tells Dimitri to run, he shortly struggles, stands stills, looks at her, anxious, and then runs away. And we didn’t asked for more for Ethan and Ilsa
That MCQ appearently thinks Action love couples are boring tells us a lot how he views fictional love in general
Also, the moment where he decided he didn’t wanted to write a boring love relationship, the woman had to die. Not the man, the woman.. which …. Yeah they can not replace Tom Cruise… (yet) but either the woman dies first to give a man character motivation or is left as a mourning widow. Nothing else… wow, groundbreaking. We really haven’t moved a bit in female representation huh?
The weirdest part of Ilsa dying is which light it shines on Grace
I know the plan is that Hayley eventually replaces Tom Cruise and takes over the MI movies, which I am completely fine with. It wasn’t handled really subtle but anyway
I saw it and was like: yeah why not? She is probably not gonna jump out of airplanes but Tom can not do this job forever and her taking over is a logical decision and way better written then anything the James Bond writers wrote recently
Then Ilsa dies and Grace survives. Teaching her that she needs to take responsibility and also leads to her working on the case and becoming part of the IMF. I am following so far
But: after Ilsa died Grace wasn’t only an eventually Tom Cruise replacement anymore. she was also an Ilsa stand in. With a less interesting back story and without any really character motivation
So IF fans should accept Hayley as the Ethan… that will be some hard work. We saw how angry people where when a woman had the 007 title for two minutes. Hayley needs optimal starting conditions to make a second era of the MI movies work
Killing off the fan favorite in her favor, to give her a character motivation and then handle her as yet another replaceable MI woman AND a cheap Ilsa stand in, are absolutely horrible starting conditions
I really like Hayley as an actress, but killing off Ilsa to let her character shine was disrespectful towards her and Rebecca
I saw so many comments say: „I really liked Grace until the point Ilsa died“
Imo the whole thing was badly handled and if this is how MCQ thinks people will accept Hayley as a MI lead… they won’t. If that should work he needs to bring back Ilsa back
Because for this to work we need both women, not only one
Another thing I had in my draft, actually the same point as the longer post but I liked it too much to delete it
Puh now don't get me started on MCQ hating the idea of Ilsa and Ethan being a couple while writing them as one
What shows what a hurtful toxic sterotype he has of movie couples but also that if a couple becomes too annoying, the woman has to die not the man.
Oh boy I have at least two more rants to write
Killing off Ilsa was both damaging for Grace and Ilsa
I already saw two accusation flying around saying that 1. we are pitting Grace and Ilsa against each other and 2. that we are reducing Grace to a love interest.
So let me give some context. When I was sitting in MI7 i was hoping the whole time we would see Grace and Ilsa working together. Or we would see Ilsa working with the female killer, to cause chaos. In short, for the movie to pass the Bechdel test. It didn't happened. Which already left me disappointed. So many women and none of them has a single interaction with eachother. What a shame
But why do I care so much? Its an action movie after all. Why do I excpect female characters to be treated correctly in the MI movies? In short, when the MI movies started they were like a second Bond. Especially the women were Bond girls. Easy replacable. Don't get me started on the femme fatale trope of MI1 or the damsel in distress in MI2. And the Bond movies struggle so much to get away from this hurtful potrayal of female characters. The MI movie didn't. Quickly they developed cool, kick ass female agents who were equal to Ethan and NOT his love interests. BUT (and that is thing everything boils down to eventually) they were still replacable. Not the men, they weren't, because they are men. But the female actresses all got replaced with every new movie being released. UNTIL Ilsa. And that makes her so special. We finally finally had a woman who got her time to devlop a character, a back story, because she stayed longer then one movie. And from the beginning onwards she was a troubled character (and not in the tragic damsel in distress way Nyah was.) She was complex because she had time to be complex. This isn't about ilsa. This could also have been Jane Carter or Nyah or Zhen, because they all deserved it. But it took us five movies and 16 years to finally get a female character who was allowed to stay around.
Then Grace appeared. When I saw her, my hope was that she would be yet another cool kick ass female character who would stay around for longer (so far, i was true) and work together with Ilsa. Female soldiarity. As equals. Finally making the team more female, moving it away from the whole tierd trope "three men and one women" (which is so outdated and still gets used in shows like Paw Patrol. It is like we haven't moved a single bit in female representation. there can only be one woman)
And this is the problem. I am sure there are Ilsa stans who pit Ilsa against Grace, no question on that. But the bigger problem is that the movie did it first. MI6 had this wonderful scene where Ilsa says about Julia: "I like her".
I hoped for something like that between Ilsa and Grace but what did we got: "Only one can survive" So it was always one against another. There can only be one woman. But why? Why MCQ? Why can't there be two?
Because now Ilsa is dead. And she isn't THE woman anymore. She isn't the woman anymore who was not replaced by yet another female character. No, now she is just one of many. Claire, Nyah, Zhen, Jane, Lindsey, Ilsa, Grace.
Ilsa is now just a name on a list. And the horrible thing is: Grace as well. By killing off Ilsa you showed that BOTH Ilsa and Grace are replacable. And thats horrible.
Hayley (Grace) was/is supposed to be the next Ethan Hunt. But now her role of a hero will be always founded on a dead woman. Which btw is the reason that many casual fans already said: They love Grace but the moment Ilsa died, they started hating Grace/ or: The moment ilsa died they decided they wouldn't watch another MI movie EVEN THOUGH they love Grace and thinks its a pity for her
And thats what I think too, you could have had TWO amazing female heros. But instead MCQ killed one of them to bring up the other. This is NOT the female representation i want in my movies
Also if Hayley will take over the MI movies she needs good starting conditions. Look how much people hated that a woman of color took over the 007 title for one minute. Imagine what will happen when studios say: Ethan Hunt is done, here is Grace" People (Men) will be furious anyway. Already making them furious now by pitting her against Ilsa and building her legancy on Ilsa is the worst start her character could have and i wonder why MCQ didn't considered that. I mean MI TV show stans are still angry at the first MI movie and refuse to watch the movie movies completly for what happened in MI1.
2. So is saying "Grace is just a stand in for Ilsa" sexist? No. But the movie treats her like one and thats sexists. Grace is amazing! She is funny, she is lovable, she is deeply human and a really clever thief. But instead of using those talents to let the movie shine, MCQ decided that Ethan would turn to her minutes after Ilsa died, touch her, nearly kiss her etc. Which is like...? Same things he did with Ilsa one hour ago in the desert. Does that reduces Ilsa and Grace to a love intrerest? No, both are so much more. But it is established that Ethan has a thing for brown haired women. His wife was one, his girlfriend was one, Ilsa was one and then Grace walks on the screen, with the same fashion scene as Ilsa etc. But without the established backstory. Still kinda helpless und clueless. Yeah she can fight and save herself and is kickass. But the whole thing is that Grace is "Before joining an agent organisation" and Ilsa is "after leaving an agent organisation" was... really telling imo. Take that the way you like
That Ethan seemed to have an instant attraction to both Grace and Ilsa was only a part of the mirroring, part of a bigger picture, it doesn't reduce Ilsa or Grace to a love interest
Edit: I noticed this part sounds confusing. To summarize it. Ilsa is: established backstory + fighting skills + saves herself + love interested. Grace is: no established backstory + thief skills + kinda saves herself + love interest. Because she doesn't has a troubled past like Ilsa the focus was shifting so much stronger to the love interest part of her, that even though that she is so much more then that, eventually she just felt like another: Amazing super agent who can kick ass, but who is eventually only there to kiss the male main character to boost his ego and to help him learn a lesson and become more humble" What we already had so so many times. And is so boring. Ilsa was more then that because of her backstory. But then go a stand in with Grace. And so we end up at the „both are replaceable“ part again
Funny that MCQ hated the idea of Ilsa being a love interest so much that he rather had her dying then her kissing Ethan. While it was him who wrote multiple kissing scenes in the first place and it was him who immeditaly wrote "and ethan gets all touchy touchy on Grace" So MCQ, whats the truth?
TL:DR: Killing of Ilsa hurted both Grace and Ilsa and was a step backwards in female representation in action movies because Ilsa and Grace should have fought along side each other. The legacy of one woman shouldn't be build on the death of another
Before I go to bed I just want you all to remeber the power fandom has:
We talk queer Jaskier into existence
Because of Fans the whole sonic movie had to be redone
Fans were partly responsible for Warner canceling their Dark Universe after one movie
Fans brought Sense8 back for a two and half hour special.
Fans made the 13th Doctor queer and fall in love with her female companion
Tom as Loki only stayed around and got his own show because of fans. Marvel always thought he was too old and wanted to replace him
And so on
I believe in us. Be loud! Keep on being loud, and respectful
What do you all take away from Chris closing his insta comments btw?
Imo he accepted some backlash but not such a big one
Remember How MCQ only hardly shared any set pics of Rebecca aka Ilsa and I was already nervous and complained and people told me to calm the fuck down?
Yeah whatever 🫠
They only good thing I take away from him deactivating his insta comments means he heard us
The question is if he understood us though
Threads is not available in Germany yet. But I really hope you all are on there and tell him respectfully that we love Ilsa and that she is more then just a love interest. We never wanted to see her and Ethan on honeymoon, splitting up the team. We wanted to see them as family, kick ass, rescuing the world, and them retiring somewhere together because after everything Ethan and Ilsa went through they deserve that
Ilsa doesn’t deserve such an ending, reducing her to yet another replaceable love interest. MCQ doesn’t want her to be a boring love interest but this is what the ending made her into. One of many, too old, easy to replace. And this is so disrespectful to Ilsa and women in general
So please, Tell MCQ this on threads, thank you
If Ilsa is just another replaceable love interest eventually, this would be the biggest disgrace to her character
If i wanted to trick the evil killer computer virus into believing I am dead, you had to believe it Ethan
See, fixed it!
kajaono reblogged
Dead Reckoning spoilers:
Spoilers under the cut, answer to your spoilers.