Author: KA Byrnes

Hide and Seek

Again, let me remind you that Hawkeye is a newly-dropped series, and spoilers abound in my breakdown. Critical Notes, as always, follow.

LEFTOVER NINE

We begin with last episode’s cliffhanger. Clint grabs Kate in the Ronin suit and unmasks her.

ONE

They introduce themselves and leave the alley. Run credit logo.

TWO

Walking down the street now, Kate peppers him with questions. Are you assessing threats? She’s clearly star-struck. Promoting herself a little, she calls herself the world’s greatest archer.

They’ve arrived at her large apartment over the pizza shop. When they enter, the dog greets them. It’s not her dog, she corrects Clint, and she inherited the place. Throughout, he is surprised and impressed by nothing.

THREE

(There is no Three.)

Continue reading “Hide and Seek”

JULIA (1947), NINE

The title’s subject, the Bishop’s wife, Julia is universally loved. Like Mary Bailey, is she an everywoman? Or is she a real person with flaws?

She’s pretty and she’s gentle. She’s socially naive, though. When Dudley takes her to lunch, and the other ladies start to gossip about her, she is unaware. Social damage, to herself and to her prominent husband, is dangerous, yet because her intentions are pure she doesn’t see it.

She’s not particularly useful as a bishop’s wife. The community can look up to her kindness and gentility, but she’s not a saleswoman. Henry carries the whole weight of organizing his fundraiser. She longs for simpler times and a quieter home life. She’s not ambitious, which is a strength, but she’s also not in sync with her husband. She’s lovely, someone who attends functions at Henry’s side, but she’s not the manager.

She’s a Nine. She knows what’s right and she knows what she likes, but she won’t argue with anyone to make it happen. Avoid conflict, smooth the waters, and carry on. A Nine is an asset to an ambitious partner, but only in a background role. No leading, no fighting, and no pushing. It’s a perfect choice for Julia’s character.

The Snowball Effect

Nothing but love for this episode, I promise.

ONE

Bubble-wipe to a real life iceberg scene. Over wintery landscapes, the French narrator speaks of the mighty iceberg that can sometimes stray into warmer waters. 

TWO

Cut to the three-palm island as an iceberg floats in. Now we look at Bikini Bottom, that cozy community, as snow begins to fall.

THREE

Continued scenes of snow-covered undersea buildings as the weather fish, wearing a trapper hat, reports on the winter blanket covering Jellyfish Fields and the neighborhoods.

Continue reading “The Snowball Effect”

NEBULA, FOUR

Angry and jealous. Oh, is Nebula a Four! All of the hurt she’s suffered, physically and emotionally, have left her wide open to more pain. She doesn’t armor up like most people would. She attacks, yes, but deep inside she hopes for love. The more vulnerable she feels, the harder she hits. 

She’s portrayed so beautifully, so accurately, that I really have nothing more to say. Gillan leaves it all on the screen for everyone to see. 

Previously On

LEFTOVER NINE

We start with “Previously on Wandavision”, but this isn’t a normal recap of last week’s episode. (I don’t think. You never know when you’re being trolled on this show, lol.) A news report lays out “Devastation in Sokovia”, and then gives us background on the Maximoff twins, including footage from Marvel movies. Hayward speaks during the report, detailing that Wanda stole Vision’s body, and we see Darcy tell Vision that Wanda killed him. That we know from last week, but now we have actual movie footage that shows the event. Thanos pulls the infinity stone from Vision’s head. 

ONE

The recap ends with Agatha’s introduction of herself in the basement, also seen last week.

Roll logo montage.

TWO

Cut to torches and a title screen: Salem, Massachusetts, 1693.

Agatha is dragged through the woods by women in cloaks. Forming a circle, they place Agatha on a scaffold in the center and restrain her with magical bonds. An older angry woman asks Agatha if she’s a witch. Yes, she says. You’ve betrayed your coven, says Angry. You stole knowledge and practiced dark magic. At first Agatha looks cowed, but it’s an act. “Help me, mother,” she calls to Angry. She turns the power of the bonds back on the witches’ circle and drains their life away. Angry blasts her with a super beam, but Agatha drains her, too. Reaching down to her mother’s skeleton, Agatha unpins a brooch from the bodice and floats up and away.

THREE

(There is no Three.)

Continue reading “Previously On”

Mum on a Pig

This is another repurposed piece, with the mum added to a finished encaustic. Hilariously, I never published the pig (below), although I thought I had. (I’m busy looking through the archives this morning so I can link to a post that doesn’t exist . . . lol.)

Well, he’s a good boi, but I didn’t do him justice, and now he’s under a flower.

GAMORA, NULL

Ah, the Front Row Kid! She’s obedient as a child, which wounds Nebula, and she’s obedient as an adult, working for the betterment of the universe against her father’s wishes. Every other teammate should and does drive her crazy with their disorder.

I quite dislike Gamora, possibly because she strikes too close to home! Here’s where I think the portrayal goes wrong, though: the dilemma of a Front Row Kid is that they’re only organized on the outside. On the inside they’re terrified of failure. I don’t see that tension in Gamora. She’s too physically competent. It gives her a confidence that her personality shouldn’t have.

I would’ve liked to see the portrayal go either into One, as a physical and orderly being, or into Six, as a cerebral and orderly being. As a One she would’ve been less uncomfortable with the other teammates, and she would’ve had a playful, biting wit that nailed their disorder. As a Six she would’ve been less confident, less physically capable, but her moral certitude would’ve persuaded and comforted the other teammates.

Is it fair to call this Gamora a Null? I could probably call her a Four as a kind of catch-all, but Nebula owns that Enneagram number so thoroughly that anyone else feels false. I could call her a Nine based on her physical competence and her stoic personality, but she doesn’t have the generous sweetness of a Nine. Possibly a Three, based on her get-’er-done competence, but she’s too uncertain to be a Three. I think they miswrote her. I’m sticking with Null.