Hollywood’s Bad Boy Reimagined, and Where They’re Headed
With THE rise in archetyping couple dynamics: golden retriever, German Shepherd, black cat, beige flags, alpha/beta/sigma discourse, just a girl, masculine/feminine energies:
Have gender roles wormed their way into internet trends and BECOME…RELATABLE?
let’s dive into two characters a number of guys seem to attach themselves to and answer some burning questions.
like, Can a Ken also be an Anakin? Are they Two sides of the same coin? Does this make Obi-Wan Barbie?
God forbid a Ken got their hands on a lightsaber.
Why are “I am Kenough.” sweatshirts flying off shelves?
Why can’t we stop singing “I’m Just Ken”?
Barbie actor Simu Liu dubbed the song a “non-toxic masculinity” anthem in an interview with Drew Barrymore.
THE FORCE or KENERGY?
What is it about long robes, sociopolitical enlightenment, and identity crisis?
We see Ken face the dark side and come out the other end. By then, he’s shown what kind of man (doll?) he really is.
KEN
A. Accessory
B. Non-threatening
C. Lesbian-coded
D. House-husband
Examples
Peeta Mellark (The Hunger Games series)
Killian Jones (Once Upon A Time)
Peter Parker (The Amazing Spider-Man)
More so than anything, the supporting characters in their partner’s career and relationship.
ANAKIN
A. Angst
B. Guilt-wracked from the pain their powers cause
C. Relies on love interest for emotional capacity
D. Attachment issues galore. Rejection = fatal
E. Toxic and manipulative
F. Lives on a Hollywood pedestal
Examples: Lucas Scott (One Tree Hill), Conrad Fisher (The Summer I Turned Pretty), Marcus Baker (Ginny and Georgia), Edward AND Jacob (Twilight), Gale Hawthorne (The Hunger Games series), Rumplestilskin/Mr. Gold (Once Upon A Time), Jess Mariano (Gilmore Girls)
Bella and Edward from Twilight (2009)
I Do Not Fear The Dark Side As You Do
As Audience members, We watch Ken and Anakin grapple with knowledge of a higher order. They Descend into fear of losing the one they love while harnessing newfound power, privilege, and destiny.
Are inferiority complexes fed by A significant other’s power and influence?
Both boys have extremely successful S.O.’s supporting their journey to higher being. But can only they hold all the power?
While one hangs in the balance between good and evil, brought up to restore balance to the very thing that destroys them, and the other’s job is Just Beach, both find themselves torn between their feelings about the world they were brought into and What They Were Made For.
In conclusion straight people I am praying for you.