Disney Versus Battle (preview)

                                                                     Character Bios

Phoebus: After participating in an unknown war; Phoebus de Chateaupers, is summons to Paris in order to serve as judge Claude Frollo's Captain of the Guard. Not long after his arrival in Paris; Phoebus, comes across the beautiful, dancing gypsy girl known as Esmeralda. Smitten with her beauty; Phoebes, gives the talented lady two gold coins for her performance. Not long after she receives her reward; Esmeralda, is harassed by two thugs working for Frollo. As the two men attempt to arrest her for being a gypsy; the Captain, helps her escape by blocking their path with the help of his horse: Achilles.  After revealing his identity to the judge's goons; Chateaupers is taken to the Palace of Justice. Once he reaches his destination; Phoebus meets Frollo and begins to dislike him based on how he treats his predecessor for being a "disappointment". As the captain is lead to an outside balcony of the Palace; Frollo, reveals he was summoned from the war in order to capture "fortune tellers and palm readers". Despite  initially being surprised by this revelation; Phoebus, accompanies Frollo to the Festival of Fools. 

Kim Possible vs. Fa Mulan: The Secret Agent vs. The Samurai Warrior

                                                                        Character Bios


                                        

 

 

 

Kim: Born in the fictional town of Middleton, USA; Kimberly Ann Possible, is a teen superhero/secret agent and daughter of  Rocket Scientist; James Possible, and his wife; Ann, a respected Neurosurgeon.  In her early teens/late preteen years, determined to supplement her allowance; Kim, decided to start her own babysitting business and set up her website, "KimPossible.com", along with the slogan: "I can do anything". Not long after the site goes live, a wealthy man named Mr. McHenry who is seeking the help of Team Impossible, contacts Kim by mistake and asks her for help. Using her skills in gymnastics; Kim, manages to maneuver around laser beams and disables the alarm, rescuing Mr. McHenry in the process. 

 

As a result of his typing error, in addition to her success on the first mission in the field; Kim became famous for her heroics, catching the attention of governments and royalty. Due to the nature of her adventures; Kim has made a plethora of deadly enemies, such as: Dr. Drakken, Shego, and Duff Killigan to name a few. Over the course of her high school career; Kim, has fought against a group of cyborgs, defeated martial arts masters, taken on super-powered villains, mad scientists, traveled through time and saved the world on a consistent basis.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fa Mulan:When Han, China is invaded by Shan Yu and the Huns, the Chinese emperor calls for the mobilization of soldiers, enlisting the aid of one man from each family. After discovering her elderly father; Fa Zhou, has been drafted into the Chinese army; Fa Mulan, disguises herself as a man in order to take his place. Once her family becomes aware of her departure; Mulan's grandmother prays to their ancestors in an attempt to provide her with safety. The ancestor's call upon the Great Stone Dragon to watch over Fa Mulan; however, he fails to be re-animated into existence. As a result; Mushu, a small dragon and former guardian spirit, takes on the responsibility of protecting Mulan. 

 

In her attempts to impersonate a man, Mulan is misguided by Mushu's advice on how men behave, which causes problems for her at the training camp. Despite her actions causing a ruckus between her fellow trainees; General Li Shang, was able to effectively mold them into skilled warriors. Hoping to help the young woman succeed; Mushu, creates a fake message from Shang's father, ordering him to follow his troops into the mountains. When the troops arrive to meet with General Li, they soon discover his men were killed by the Huns. As the soldiers leave the mountains in despair, they are ambushed by the Huns; however, Mulan manages to grab a hold of a canon, using it to cause an avalanche, burying most of their enemies in the process.

 

Due to the events spinning out of his control; Shan Yu, slices her in the chest, as a result: Mulan's cover is blown. Instead of executing her for masquerading as a man; Captain Shang, allows her to live, but expels her from the army. As Captain Shang and the rest of his troops head to the imperial city to report the death of the Huns; Mulan, discovers that many of them, including Shan Yu, actually survived. The young warrior attempts to warn Shang about Shan Yu's survival, but he refuses to listen. Because of this, the Huns infiltrate the imperial city and successfully capture the emperor. After defeating the Huns in battle with her former troops; Mulan, lures Shan on to the roof, where she then begins to engage him in combat. Near the end of the battle; Mushu, fires a bundle of fireworks at Shan Yu. The rockets hit Shan and explode, killing him in the process. Emerging victorious, Mulan is honored by the emperor as well as the people of china.           

 

 

 

 

                                                           Combat skills/Weaponry

 

 

 

 Kim: Possessing a wide array of gadgets at her disposal; Kim, is highly skilled in fencing, bojutsu, and has learned 16 different forms of Kung Fu. As a martial artist, Possible is a cunning strategist, using her environment to her advantage. Kim also has experience in the field of espionage, fighting super-powered villains on a frequent basis. When pushed into a defensive posture, Kim relies on acrobatic maneuvers to evade her opponents.   

 

 

 

 

 Fa Mulan: After receiving military training from the Chinese army, Mulan mastered a variety of martial art techniques including Tessenjutsu and Bojutsu. In battle, Mulan is an extremely observant, tactical fighter who is capable of  improvising a number of different methods to overcome her adversaries . Mulan wields the Jian, a double edged straight sword, demonstrating an expert level of skill. Possessing astounding accuracy, Mulan is shown to be proficient in the use of a bow and arrow.   

 

 

Edge: In terms of their weaponry, both combatants are extremely skilled.  Mulan's mastery over the Jian blade, in addition to her marksmanship with a bow and arrow gives her an advantage, but Kim's gadgets provide an advantage in the form of advanced technology. Much of the outcome pertaining to who has a superior edge depends on what kind of technology; Possible, is bringing to the table. Due to a lack of consistency with Kim's on hand gadgets, aside from her grapple gun and kimmunicator; it's hard to determine which fighter has a superior advantage. 

 

 In combat, Mulan and Kim use very different methods to defeat their opponents. On the battlefield; Kim, is an offensive fighter who develops a contemporary strategy by improvising her acrobatic abilities to catch her enemies off guard. In contrast to Kim's methods; Mulan, is more of a defensive warrior, waiting for an opening to exploit her opponent's weaknesses, using her tactical insight as she weathers the storm. Despite their differences in strategy, both women appear to be equal in terms of their tactical ingenuity.

 

When comparing their skills in hand to hand combat; Mulan, is a better trained, more disciplined fighter based on receiving rigorous military training specifically made for men, however; Kim, has four years of experience with 16 different fighting styles and has rivaled enemies who were above her level of skill. Due to her versatility and possible familiarity with some of Mulan's techniques, Kim would undoubtedly be able to match her abilities in martial arts, but neither of them has a clear advantage over the other. I declare; Mulan and Kim equals in combat skills and weaponry.





 

 

 

 

Powers/Abilities

 

 

                                                                         

                                                                           Kim

 

 

Strength- Kim possesses an incredible amount of physical strength and has been shown to punch, or kick  with enough force to knock her enemies off their feet. Kim is also capable of knocking her opponents unconscious with one blow. In addition to her possession of peak-human strength, Possible has been able to block attacks from Shego, an experienced, powerful villain who has the ability to emit green energy blasts with enough concussive force to break concrete.

 

 Speed- Kim is capable of moving at speeds beyond the average capacity of a normal human, placing her among the ranks of an Olympic level athlete in peak physical condition.  

 

Agility- Through the years of cheerleading and honing her skills in gymnastics, Kim is extremely agile, pulling off death-defying acrobatics in the midst of battle in addition to dodging laser fire with ease. Prior to her training in gymnastics and martial arts, Possible was capable of somersaulting through laser beams without any apparent effort.

 

Durability- Kim has displayed an impressive level of durability, taking blows from Shego's concussive energy blasts in addition to her superior strength.

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                       Fa Mulan

 

 

 

Strength- Fa Mulan has displayed an exceptional level of physical strength. Based on the training montage in her first animated feature, it is implied that she is capable of breaking thick, large stone or cinderblocks, although she herself was not seen actually doing this. However; Mulan, as well as her fellow soldiers, went through the same training regiments. 

 

Speed- Mulan is remarkably fast, moving at speeds slightly above the average abilities of what most humans are capable of achieving, which gives her the rank of an Olympic level athlete.

 

Agility- Fa Mulan is incredibly agile and has been able to dodge fireworks, arrows and some explosives, in addition to leaping on extremely narrow logs protruding from a lake. 

 

Durability- Due to her labor intensive training; Mulan, has developed a high level of durability and has been strong enough to endure the might of trained warriors.



 

 

 

 

 

Edge: Although Kim displayed some impressive feats of strength; Mulan, has proven she is physically superior, using a sufficient measure of destructive force to break thick stone plates. In spite of the fact she was able to block an opponent who has similar abilities; Possible, does not have enough power to cause the same amount of damage. In terms of their speed, both combatants were extremely comparable with neither of them having a greater advantage over the other; however, K.P. is much more agile and fluid in her movements, incorporating a number of acrobatic maneuvers. Despite her best efforts, the Chinese warrior, isn't capable of dodging anything close to the speed of laser blasts, nor has she been able to reach the same level of precision and accuracy as Possible. When it comes to their durability the heroine of China is strong enough to withstand punishment from men who are stronger than herself and has arguably gone through a much more rigorous training process, but the secret agent is able to endure attacks from super-powered enemies on a daily basis. Kim Possible gets the edge in Powers/abilities.

                                                                        Verdict

 

After comparing the statistical analysis of both combatants abilities and their fighting skills, a fight between these ladies would not be determined by their weapons; in fact, they would most likely remove them in favor of hand to hand combat. This battle would come down to Mulan's combat skills and physical strength against Kim's agility, endurance and combat skills. Flipping into action; Kim, would immediately take an offensive approach, opening the fight with a flurry of kicks. Taking her assault head on; the heroine of China, would rely on defensive measures, blocking her adversaries, every move, retaliating with her own attacks, however; K.P. evades with the aid of her acrobatic skills. The battle would rage on for a lengthy period of time, with both women countering the others moves. Eventually; Mulan, manages to land several hits after finding a few weak spots. Bouncing back into the fight, Possible changes her strategy. Using her superior agility, Possible mounts an assault and easily outmaneuvers the Chinese warrior. Although; Mulan, is capable of withstanding Kim's wrath, eventually K.P. would overwhelm the warrior. I declare; Kim Possible, the secret agent, vigilante, superhero the victor.

Disney Theory: How Old Is The Beast from Beauty and The Beast?

In the original animated film; Beauty and The Beast, the main protagonist is transformed into a monstrous, beast after his rude dismissal of an enchantress who was disguised as an old beggar. Although the movie doesn't show prince Adam when he has the spell cast upon him and doesn't explicitly state how old he might have been once he became a monster, it is heavily implied that his age was about eleven years old. The biggest evidence to support this lies within the story's narrative:

"Once upon a time in a far away land a young prince lived in a shiny castle. Although he had everything his heart desired, the prince was spoiled, selfish, and unkind, but then one winter's night an old beggar woman came to the castle and offered him a single rose in return for shelter from the bitter cold. Repulsed by her haggard appearance, the prince sneered the gift and turned the old woman away, but she warned him not to be deceived by appearances, for beauty is found within.

When he dismissed her again, the old woman's ugliness melted away to reveal a beautiful enchantress. The prince tried to apologize, but it was too late for she had seen that there was no love in his heart and as punishment she transformed him into a hideous beast and placed a powerful spell on the castle and all who lived there.

 Ashamed of his monstrous form, the beast concealed himself inside his castle with a magic mirror as his only window to the outside world. The rose she had offered, was truly an enchanted rose which would bloom until his 21st year. If he could learn to love another and earn her love in return by the time the last pedal fell, then the spell would be broken." 

Another piece of evidence to back this up can be found in the second musical number: Be Our Guest. During the song "Be Our Guest" Lumiere states "for ten years, we've been rusting", implying that the same spell which had transformed Adam and his servants, had been active for about ten years. Based on his statement, Adam should be 20 years old until the end of the film. Despite the evidence pointing to the prince's age as 11, two things make absolutely no sense; for example:

1. If all the servants along with the maid's son were transformed into furniture, cutlery, candles, and other inanimate objects, why is Adam the only one who actually ages when the curse is lifted?

2. If the prince truly was eleven at the time of his transformation why are there paintings of him representing an older version of himself on the wall instead of portraits of a more youthful child in his preteen years?

In terms of Adam's servants and the maid's son, there are a few things we need to take in to account in order to understand how the spell works. When the enchantress stated that the rose would bloom until his 21st, this means that she intended for the prince to age and never implemented any form of age retardant to suspend his youth, he was only transformed into a beast. Of course this explanation doesn't really answer the question... or does it? Let's consider this; Adam, even in his beast form is still a mammal and much like any other warm blooded mammal , he is capable of aging from adolescences to adulthood; however, his servants were nothing more than lifeless objects that were inhabited by the essence of humans. As a result their aging process had been suspended; inanimate objects do not age in the same manner as living organisms.

When it comes to the question as to why Adam only possessed portraits of himself as a man, we must take a look back and focus on the description of his personality. The narrative of the story states Adam was: "spoiled, selfish, and unkind". After he became the beast he was arrogant, stubborn, serious, and cynical. It wouldn't be a stretch to assume the same arrogance he held as a monster was present during the incident which resulted in him becoming a ferocious creature. Individuals who are spoiled or arrogant are self-absorbed, often considering themselves to be higher than others, so it should not come to any surprise that he would have himself painted as a man.

After looking at the mystery surrounding the Beast's age, it becomes clear  Disney's plan for that portion of the film was created with full intent to showcase a subtle, visual deception, which led to something much deeper than what he had expected. As a result the viewer is granted more insight into the tortured mind of a cynical, egotistical, prince.

Black Historical Figures: Euphemia Lofton Haynes

On September 11th, 1890; one of the world's most influential and groundbreaking women in  the black community was born; her name was: Euphemia Lofton Haynes. In her early years; Haynes, attended Smith College, earning a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Mathematics. In the year 1930; Euphemia, earned her Master's Degree in education from The University of Chicago. In the same year; Haynes, founded the math department at Miner Teacher's College; (later renamed the University of the District of Colombia), which focused on training African American teachers. In addition to this big accomplishment; Euphemia, also became a professor at the college and remained head of the math department for nearly 30 years. During this time as a professor; Haynes, continued her studies in mathematics and earned a Ph.D. in the subject in 1943, making her the first black woman to receive such an achievement from the Catholic University of America.

For additional information with a more detailed account of her life and legacy, check the links below:

http://www.biography.com/people/euphemia-lofton-haynes-21465777

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euphemia_Haynes

Black Historical Figures: Robert Smalls

This is the first section of something new where I place a link to lesser known or underrated black figures in history who should be recognized for their achievements. First on the list is none other than: Robert Smalls. Smalls was an enslaved African American who managed to steal a lightly armed military transport freeing himself as well as other slaves in the process. After a successful escape; Robert, eventually became a politician, ran for congress, and won. Checkout the details of this man's life in the link below for more info:


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Smalls

Disney Versus Battle (preview)

      
                                                                        Character Bios


                                        

 

 

 

Kim: In her early teens/late preteen years, determined to supplement her allowance; Kimberly Ann Possible, decides to start her own babysitting business and setup her website, "KimPossible.com", along with the slogan: "I can do anything". Not long after the site goes live, a man named Mr. McHenry who is seeking the help of Team Impossible, contacts Kim by mistake and asks her for help.

Disney Versus Battles: Tarzan vs.The Beast

                                                                   Character Bios

Tarzan- After an English couple and their infant son escape from a burning ship , they end up landing on an uncharted rainforest off the coast of Africa.  The couple works together, using wreckage from their ship to create a Treehouse, but are killed by a rogue Leopardess known as: Sabor. Kala, a female gorilla who lost her own child to Sabor, hears the cries of the now orphaned baby and finds him in the ruined Treehouse. Kala rescues the infant, taking him back to her home with fellow gorillas in order to raise him as her child. Kala raises the human child despite the disapproval of her mate, Kerchak, naming him: Tarzan. Due to his inability to keep up with his new family, feeling as though he did not belong or fit in amongst his new family, Tarzan decides to improve himself; learning to swing from vines, climbing trees, surfing on vines, as well as learning to swim.

As an adult, the jungle lord fights against his biological mother and father's murderer in a battle to the death. In the end, he emerges from this skirmish victorious, avenging both his parents in addition to his adoptive mother's deceased child, and earns Kerchak's respect. Not long after his victory, the jungle king meets a trio of explorers; Professor Porter, his daughter Jane, and their hunter/guide: Clayton. Upon their arrival, Porter educates Tarzan on other humans in society with the help of his daughter who teaches him how to speak English. Through the course of his studies, Tarzan becomes closer to Jane, forming a bond which leads into a more romantic connection built between them. 

As a result of their kindness in conjunction with Clayton's claims of Jane's willingness to stay with the jungle king if she has a chance to meet some gorillas, Tarzan agrees to let the trio observe gorillas in his troop. Some time later, Clayton betrays the wild man's trust, bringing back a group of men to capture all the gorillas, leading up to a fight with Kerchak, but he is killed in the process. In this instance, an enraged Tarzan engages in a fierce battle with his former ally. The jungle lord eventually rises triumphantly after Clayton accidentally hangs himself. In conclusion, Tarzan proves himself to be worthy of protecting his family, becoming the new leader of his troop, and claims his title as king of the jungle.

Beast: Disguised as an old beggar, an enchantress offers prince Adam a rose, hoping to obtain shelter from the harsh cold weather; however, he refuses to assist her in an extremely arrogant manner. In response to his rudeness, the enchantress transforms Adam into a beast and turns all his servants into household items. Before she leaves, the enchantress gives Adam a magic mirror with the ability to view events far beyond his castle in addition to anything else he desires. The newly formed beast is also given the same enchanted rose he previously refused to accept. In order to break his curse, Beast must learn to love another and earn her affection before the rose's last petal falls. If he fails, he will remain a beast forever.

Ten years later, a young woman named Belle; a nonconformist bookworm, becomes bored with life in her village and begins to seek excitement. Because of her indifference to general social norms in addition to her nonconformist ideals; Belle, is subsequently ridiculed by everyone except her father Maurice: an eccentric inventor. Another exception to this would be an arrogant, muscular hunter known as Gaston. Deeply infatuated with her beauty, Gaston openly expresses his intentions of marrying Belle. Despite his popularity with women in their village; Belle, often rejects his advances. While traveling to a fair to present his wood-chopping machine; Maurice, along with his horse; Phillipe,  get lost in the forest. Maurice comes across the beast's castle after he is chased by a pack of wolves. After wandering inside the castle, Maurice is discovered by an angry prince Adam and is thrown into a dungeon.

Some time later; Phillipe escapes the grasp of the monstrous beast and leads Belle to where her father is being held captive. Belle offers to take her father's place as a prisoner. Over the course of time the pair fall in love, but the young woman eventually began to miss her father. Because of this revelation; Beast allows Belle to rescue the eccentric inventor. Following her father's rescue; Gaston discovers Belle's affection for the monster and decides to kill him; however, he falls to his death near the climax of their confrontation. Due to Belle's love for Beast, his curse is lifted, transforming him back into a human.







                                                               Combat Skills/Weaponry

Tarzan: Tarzan can usually be found brandishing a spear, staff, or a knife. With each weapon he holds a remarkable level of skill. In addition to his experience with weapons, the jungle lord frequently wrestles gorillas in his spare time. Though not trained in any specific form of combat, at his core; Tarzan, is a skilled hunter who knows his way around a battlefield, developing his own unique fighting style, and employing a wild, randomized method of attack to throw his opponents off balance.

Beast: The Beast possesses razor sharp claws and fangs. Beast's claws are sharp enough to cut through thick rugs as well as curtains in addition to smashing oak furniture. The beast has demonstrated skills in the art of stealth on more than one occasion. In battle, Beast is ferocious, attacking his opponents with animalistic aggression, using his sheer might to overwhelm his adversaries.


Edge- When it comes to their weaponry, both combatants have deadly tools they can use to slice or stab an opponent, but in terms of their combative application, Tarzan's spear provides him with more advantages in battle than Beast's claws. Despite the fact his claws have a superior destructive capacity, much of his combat effectiveness depends on how well he performs with them in a fight. Based on his appearances in films, Beast has never displayed any particular skill in the usage of his weapons.

In terms of their combat skills and strategy, the beast is far more aggressive in his approach to fighting, using his size and strength to rush his opponent with devastating force; however, Tarzan is a more balanced fighter who has experience dealing with enemies who are stronger and larger than himself in battle. Tarzan's method of fighting in addition to the advantages his spear provides him prove to be more practical and effective. Tarzan gets the edge for combat skills/weaponry.
                                                                      

                                                                     Powers/Abilities

                                                                           Tarzan

Strength- Tarzan has displayed an incredible measure of physical strength. Holding his own against a 400lbs Silverback gorilla, Tarzan managed to place his father-figure (Kerchak) in a chokehold, pinning him to the ground. Tarzan was also capable of fighting a leopardess, besting the animal in a battle to the death.

Speed- Tarzan is able to move at incredible speeds, reaching levels above the average capacity of a normal human, placing him among the ranks of athletes in peak physical condition.

Agility- Tarzan is extremely agile. He is able to dodge and out maneuver opponents with the grace of an Olympic level athlete, evading animals such as: gorillas, leopards, elephants, and rhinos.

Durability- Tarzan possesses an extremely high level of durability and was able to withstand being thrown into a tree by a Silverback gorilla.

Animal Mimicry- Tarzan possesses the ability to copy the sound of nearly any animal he comes in contact with.

                                                                            
                                                                            Beast

Strength- The Beast possesses a tremendous amount of physical strength, lifting full grown men single handedly, in addition to lifting large oak furniture. Beast is capable of throwing large objects with little to no effort and has broken furniture with a single chop. The Beast also held his own against a pack of wolves.

Speed- The beast is capable of moving at speeds far beyond the normal capacity of an average human, placing him among the ranks of Olympic level athletes in peak physical condition.

Agility- In his fight with Gaston; Beast, appeared to display a considerable measure of agility, dodging many of the hunter's attacks.

Durability- Beast has demonstrated a high level of durability, being able to sustain damage from a pack of wolves and Gaston's arrow. He has also taken hits from  Forte's magical energy blast.

Enhanced Healing- The Beast is able to heal from sustaining minor to moderate portions of damage at a faster rate than what the average human is capable of dealing with.

                                                                     


Edge- In strength, both Tarzan and Beast have displayed an incredible measure of might, however; Beast, has proven his strength is far more superior to Tarzan's, possessing enough force to break objects beyond the capacity of what the jungle king is capable of achieving. When it comes to their speed and agility, both combatants are nearly equal with only one exception; Tarzan, is far more agile in his movements, employing the use of acrobatic maneuvers in the midst of combat. Even though Beast was able to evade Gaston's attacks, he still hasn't displayed the same amount of maneuverability as Tarzan. Based on a majority of his appearances in canon, Tarzan has been able to endure a great deal of physical abuse; however, Beast was able to sustain a massive amount of damage, taking blows from magical energy in addition to being mauled by a pack of wolves.

In terms of their ex-factors, Tarzan's abilities to mimic other animals is a useful tactic for causing misdirection if  the fight falls into the realm of stealth; Beast's enhanced healing does make him harder to subdue; however,  the beast's heightened senses in addition to his own experience in stealth negate Tarzan's voice mimicking skills. The Beast's healing factor is not on par with characters who have superhuman, accelerated healing; his abilities are only a few notches above the average rate of human recovery. Although Tarzan possesses a greater amount of agility in his movements, Beast is physically stronger and is capable of sustaining much more damage to his body, giving him a greater advantage in hand to hand combat. The Beast gets the edge for Powers/abilities.  
                                                                      

                                                                            Verdict

When comparing the stats of both fighters, it becomes clear that this battle would most likely be a contest between the Beast's physical strength and durability versus Tarzan's combat skills and agility. Although Beast has enough power to dominate the fight, Tarzan has experience facing enemies who are physically stronger than him, using their strength and size against them. In battle, Beast moves like a raging bull;Tarzan is capable of dodging his attacks with ease. The Beast is able to endure a significant amount of damage; however, his durability is only a few notches above average and does have limits. With enough force, The Beast can be knocked out. I declare Tarzan, king of the jungle the victor.

Disney Versus Battles (preview)

                                                                      
                                                                       Character Origins

Tarzan- After an English couple and their infant son escape from a burning ship , they end up landing on an uncharted rainforest off the coast of Africa.  The couple works together, using wreckage from their ship to create a treehouse, but are killed by a rogue Leopardess known as Sabor. Kala, a female gorilla who lost her own child to Sabor, hears the cries of the now orphaned baby and finds him in the ruined treehouse. Kala rescues the infant, taking him back to her home with fellow gorillas in order to raise him as her child. Kala raises the human child despite the disapproval of her mate, Kerchak, naming him: Tarzan. Due to his inability to keep up with his new family, feeling as though he did not belong or fit in amongst his new family, Tarzan decides to improve himself; learning to swing from vines, climbing trees, surf on vines, as well as learning to swim.

Coming soon: Tarzan vs. The Beast

Pocahontas: Was Disney's Animated Film Offensive?

Pocahontas; the woman, the legend, the myth. Matoaka, also known as Amonute, Pocahontas, and later, Rebecca Rolfe; was a Virginia born Native American woman. She is often remembered for her association with the settlement of Jamestown, Virginia as well as being famous  for supposedly saving the life of Englishman, John Smith. In 1995, the famed daughter of chief Powhatan was given an animated film chronicling the events leading up to her meeting John Smith, saving him, doing her best to help put a stop to English/Native hostilities. Many fans have regarded the film as a timeless treasure  showcasing the power of interracial romance overcoming current prejudices , however, I have found evidence to prove otherwise.




Evidence #1: John Smith's relationship with Pocahontas


 Throughout history, the life of Pocahontas has been the subject of much debate thanks to claims made by John Smith, an English explorer, soldier, and author, who claimed she saved his life by placing her head on his own. Soon after, Matoaka became a legend possessing a number of myths romanticizing accounts of her meeting with Smith. Contrary to popular belief, there was never a romantic connection built between Smith and Pocahontas. Despite this, some writers inspired by accounts of a love story have often preferred the myth over historical fact, leading to several misconceptions of her life given from false information. Much like John Davis, author of Travels in the United States of America (the first known author to publish a Pocahontas/John Smith love story ), Roy Disney had also been inspired by fictitious tales of Matoaka's romance with John, creating an animated film based on her legend & folktales. After receiving a complaint from Powhatan Nation regarding how her story would be handled, Roy claimed the film was: "responsible, accurate, and respectful.", however, Powhatan Nation disagreed. When offered assistance for historical/cultural accuracy by the nation, Disney rejected their offer. Despite his claims, Disney failed to understand this: regardless of his intentions, using a glorified myth that fabricates information of a historical figure's tragic life, greatly contradicts his statements on giving an accurate, respectable portrayal.



Evidence #2: The Abduction of Pocahontas and Historical Inaccuracies

In Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World, Governor Ratcliffe frames John smith, labeling him a traitor during a meeting with King James in a plot to wage war with Powhatan nation as well as avoid any punishment for crimes he committed. In light of this, the king decides to send a diplomat, John Rolfe to speak with chief Powhatan and escort him to London for negotiations in hopes of preventing any possible bloodshed. However, after greeting citizens of the newly formed Jamestown, eventually meeting the chief; Powhatan refuses to travel to London. A curious Pocahontas volunteers to go in her father's place under the impression she can bring peace between both nations, but this is not the case for the real Pocahontas.

In real life, Matoaka was kidnapped in the first of three conflicts known as the Anglo-Powhatan wars, a series of disputes between Jamestown settlers and Native Americans that began in 1609. Matoaka was held captive for more than a year; king James never sent Rolfe to Virginia for any negotiations. John Rolfe wasn't a diplomat either; instead, he was an Agriculturist, colonist known for successfully cultivating tobacco as an export crop in Virginia's colony. During her captivity, Pocahontas was held for ransom, not for money, but for the release of English prisoners who were captured by her father. As promised, Powhatan returned the prisoners, however he failed to provide the settlers with weapons and tools  they found satisfactory. As a result, his daughter remained in their custody. It was at this point in her captivity Pocahontas was met by a deeply infatuated John Rolfe. Soon after, the chief's daughter was finally freed, but this only happened after she agreed to marrying John. Disney completely disregarded an important historical fact which exposed the truth about Matoaka's horrendous abduction by Jamestown settlers in favor of presenting a fictitious hero in a man who harvested tobacco for the sake of entertainment. If Disney truly wanted to boast accuracy they wouldn't have taken out a crucial piece of a story they were trying to recreate. Some may argue her being captured wasn't suitable for the target audience, however that has been proven false considering Disney's track record for having female protagonists kidnapped constantly as well as having some of the most cleverly displayed horrific deaths in children's movies ever to be filmed.



Evidence #3: A Song Titled Savages and The Death of Kocoum

In the original film, a song titled: Savages, was chosen to be featured near the end in order to set the tone as both Jamestown settlers as well as Native Americans prepared for war. The song was intended to represent tension growing between settlers and natives. In the end, it was successful, however this particular musical insults native culture, equating them to mindless beasts who act solely on  their emotions. Powhatan's tribe members were portrayed as being filled with a similar level of hate which rivalled Virginia's settlers, expressing their own form of bigotry. In reality, it was Ratcliffe along with his English colonist who were the aggressors. Another issue concerning "Savages" would be it's own title. The term itself is just as offensive as the lyrics it contains, giving weight to an old stereotype of a good/bad Indian archetype. Considering the high level of racism found within it's lyrics you can tell there was an ambitious attempt to provide something meaningful by making both sides holding onto prejudices towards each other appear legitimately outraged for similar reasons; showing they truly aren't that much different from one another, fearing what they do not understand, but all it did was add more fuel to an old fire. Prior to events taking place during Savages, Kocoum, Chief Powhatan's strongest warrior and second in command was promised to have Pocahontas' hand in marriage, but due to her affection for John Smith, he became jealous. As a result, Kocoum attacked John with the intention of killing him. Near the end of their battle, a soldier named Thomas, another English settler who was sent to follow Smith, decides to intervene, shooting the Powhatan warrior in his heart. Kocoum's death along with John's capture was the precursor to Jamestown settlers waging war with Virginia's natives.

Kocoum's portrayal as a jealous villain automatically places John Smith in the role of a hero who had looked beyond his people's prejudices in favor of true love, however this couldn't be further from the truth. As I stated in the first form of evidence, there never was a romance between Smith and Matoaka. According to Mattaponi traditions, Powhatan's daughter was married to Kocoum long before she was captured. The nature of their relationship as well as his existence is often debated amongst scholars and historians, but his role in the film was only to serve as an antagonist to John; with his death practically symbolizing white man's dominance over Native Americans as well as presenting another instance of a good/bad Indian stereotype.



Was Disney's version of Pocahontas truly offensive?

After looking over all the evidence for this theory, it's clear Roy Disney set out to create a faithful adaption to myths surrounding Matoaka's life. Even though his intentions weren't necessarily ill conceived, the outcome of his vision resulted in representing old stereotypes, a music score littered with racist lyrics, inaccurate information regarding historical events, and misleading content pertaining to Native American culture. In closing, Disney's Pocahontas started out with harmless intentions, but in the end it turned out to be nothing more than a tasteless display of cinematic entertainment loaded with offensive material.



Major Historical Inaccuracies:

•  Pocahontas's age- In her first animated feature, Pocahontas is 18 years old when she meets John Smith, but her real life counterpart was only 11 while Smith's recorded age was 28, further proving the romantic aspect of the film is false as well as making the mere thought of such a romance between the two unsettling and disgusting.

•  John Smith- Smith was portrayed as a clean shaven, tall man with tight fitting pants and some armor. In reality, John was a short man sporting a full grown beard, wearing puffy pants. However, he was seen wearing a similar style of armor as his animated counterpart.

• John's planned execution- In the animated film, Smith was going to be executed at dawn in front of an army of colonist who had come to rescue him. The real John Smith was actually going to be executed in Chief Powhatan's long house in front of his warriors and counselors. During his capture none of the colonist knew where Smith was. The true nature of whether the "execution" was meant as a tribal ceremony, was intended to be a real execution, or was a fabricated story told by Smith is still up for debate among scholars.   

Sandra Bland

For the past three months, it appears to have been open season on black men and women. Last month at a pool party in Texas, police were called after a woman picked a fight with the event organizer; Tatyana Rhoades. As a result, an innocent 15 year old girl was thrown to the ground and wrestled by an overly aggressive police officer.  Adrian Martin, 18 year old black man who was trying to calm down the girl was arrested for interfering. This month, Sandra Bland was pulled over for not using a traffic signal when she decided to switch lanes. Once the State Trooper spoke to Bland, he claims she became argumentative as well as uncooperative. A video surfaced of the incident showing an officer asking Bland to put out a cigarette. When she refused to put it out, he threatened to "light her up" with his Taser. Sandra was then asked to get out of her vehicle. Law enforcement officials also state Sandra kicked the trooper before she was arrested, but another video shows a woman who most likely was Sandra as her lawyer suggests, being manhandled, having her head banged against the ground and has her body pinned down by the police officer using his knee to hold her in place, injuring her arm, causing damage to her back. Sandra was then arrested.

 After being held in custody officers claim Sandra hanged herself in the cell by using a trash bag, noting how she spoke of depression and PTSD. They even go so far to attack her character by bringing up irrelevant information pertaining to her past usage of marijuana and an unfortunate event where she had a miscarriage in an attempt to discredit her as some no good, ghetto trash with a possible edge towards being suicidal. Some law enforcement officials along with the media is commonly known for portraying people of color in a negative, stereotypical manner, often missing the facts of several individuals until it is either presented or discovered that officials weren't being completely honest. In truth, Bland was actually a college graduate who attended Prairie View A&M University in Texas; she was returning as a student ambassador, she was not some average uneducated hood rat.

In the case of Sandra Bland, the facts clearly show it's not possible for her to have killed herself the way it was reported, nor is there any evidence to support their claims, but sadly there are still some people in the black community as well as some white people who fail to acknowledge her death as a murder, believing she truly committed suicide. Others who have heard her exchange words with the trooper from viewing the video openly express disdain for how Mrs. Bland handled herself, arguing she should not have been combative, feeling she brought most of this issue on herself. Many who hold this view refuse to believe racism is still a major problem in America, wanting to believe racial biases no longer exist. Despite their lack of understanding on this matter, racial profiling has been going on for years and it still continues to this day with some places far worse than others, especially if you live in southern states. Given the fact she was pulled over in Texas, a state  which is very well known for it's racism throughout history; it should come to no surprise as to why anyone in the black community would be outraged by this act of social injustice.

   
There are five important facts to consider when you examine the death of Sandra Bland found in this post I came across on Facebook, presenting some valid points:

In America, people often boast about just how much this country has changed, which in regards to our technological advancements, discoveries of different planets, acceptance/ understanding of many differences found within a variety of cultures; America still has a long way to go as far as dealing with numerous incidents concerning it's long standing racism as well as the racial biases that come along with them. Despite what millions of Americans want to believe, there is a hefty amount of social inequality that derives from society's stereotypical misconceptions pertaining to how they view black people as a whole.   

The War on Black People: Misconceptions of Black Lives Matter

The current state of the black community has been attacked with an overwhelming onslaught of bigotry mostly coming from police officers in the form of brutal beatings, false arrests, racial profiling, and more; leaving others to wonder just how much has changed in the last 55 years. As problems continue to increase, people who are not affected by this display of unnecessary aggression often ignore it, claiming there is no sign of these problems being racially motivated, despite visual evidence proving them to be race related issues. Some the same people who are blind to the reality also have developed a misunderstanding towards anyone presenting the idea of Black Lives Matter, treating it as if it were akin to white supremacy. In reality, most people supporting B.L.M., are fully aware that all lives matter, however they also acknowledge not everyone in this society feels the same; in fact there still exist a large number of people who view blacks as less than human and at this time many are openly displaying hatred of African Americans, prompting people in the community to be supportive by expressing to each other as well as the world; they matter. In truth, if blacks weren't being singled out during any of these incidents, no one would feel a need to express a sentiment regarding their lives being important.

In today's society, people want to believe racism no longer exists, as a result we are left with individuals who fall for stereotypical depictions of how a few black people act, equating them to a majority in a grossly overgeneralized view, contributing to the problem at hand. Given all that has happened, black people just want to be treated with respect and deserve to have justice served whenever law enforcement becomes trigger happy, overzealous, racist assholes. Another misconception often mentioned is an assertion of black people trying to slander the names of all officers, which isn't the case. Black people are fed up with being harassed by police officers, but this does not mean they view all of them as being corrupt and racist; they only have an issue regarding those who are bigots.

America is often regarded as the land of the free, home of the brave, yet men and women continue to be falsely arrested, beaten and killed. This land has become nothing more than a place for corrupt cowards, lies, illusions of freedom, fake equality and dead black bodies. 

Idol Worship

In the event of worshipping an idol, we begin to lose a sense of skepticism, hanging on nearly every word of whomever is the subject of our interest. In truth, everyone has had at least one or more people they have been influenced by and possibly look up to, often seeking this person or people, for guidance on any given number of topics, which can be ideal when help is needed. However, a large number of people tend to forget that their idol is still only a human who has faults.

The main cause of idol worship comes from an abnormal level of admiration. This particular form of admiration usually begins in childhood when a kid finds an adult or teen mentor (and even a fictional character or possibly an athlete) who inspires them to push themselves above and beyond their limits, leaving a long lasting impression. Because of these kind of interactions, people who fall into this category generally have an issue accepting when their hero has made some bad decisions in life, wanting to believe the idol is perfect.

Reasons people view idols as perfect-

Individuals who refuse to see their idol in a negative light often present a low level of self esteem and lack confidence in themselves once they come to the realization the person who inspired them may not have been as great as once thought, leading them to have self doubt and become depressed. People who share this view also appear to be overly obsessive in terms of their fandom as well as some of their favorite activities. Others who suffer from this condition may become angry, feeling hurt and betrayed, resulting in holding slightly nihilistic views or having anti-social behavior.

In the end we all need someone in this world to guide us in the right direction, help us make a difference and reach our goals. As a whole, humans are prone to making mistakes, many of which can be corrected and is essential for ones growth from childhood to adulthood, however this does not mean we should view our idols or mentors as a higher power; they are far from being perfect.

In the event of worshipping an idol, we begin to lose a sense of skepticism, hanging on nearly every word of whomever is the subject of our interest. In truth, everyone has had at least one or more people they have been influenced by and possibly look up to, often seeking this person or people, for guidance on any given number of topics, which can be ideal when help is needed. However, a large number of people tend to forget that their idol is still only a human who has faults.

Coming soon...

Change of plans

Due to unforeseen issues, I have decided to hold off on a few articles I planning to finish this year, instead I will be working on a few older articles for Theoretical Inquiry that need my attention. The next theory I'll be focusing on has to do with Pocahontas and whether or not Disney's portrayal of her life was a tasteless film romanticizing events that never took place; so keep an eye out for it. For any past theories, check out the box on your right titled: Theoretical Inquiry.


-Kwan

Random: If Humans Were To Go Extinct Would We Be Worth Remembering?

Art by Jeremy Chong.

Earth is filled with a vast number of cultures, traditions, and customs derived from the minds as well as actions of one of it's most interesting inhabitants: humans. It is often subject to debate whether another species would consider us to be inferior, destructive, and dangerous, or intelligent, fascinating, and compassionate. The major problem found once this particular question of how an alien species would view our species, lies deep within our own limited view of alien thought processes along with personality traits. When asked what they think could happen if Earth was visited by extraterrestrials, humans often claimed to view aliens in one of two ways:

1. World dominating conquerors- in this view, aliens are regarded as tyrants who would wage war with humans, enslaving all who do not perish, eventually claiming the planet as their own.

2. Peaceful helpers- this view centers around the idea of E.T.'s visiting, offering technology far beyond what we have ever seen.

With views of alien species mindset as well as their motives, both merely assume they are adherent to the very same form of thinking we often used in our efforts to discover new countries, states, etc. Each view also asserts aliens are prone to similar emotions with their own collection of biases. Neither view has been able to answer the question in a satisfactory manner. Perhaps the issue isn't the differing views, but maybe the solution can be found in how we have been perceiving them as completely separate possibilities when in reality, it's more than possible for the answer to be a combination of both. If we are to assume another intelligent species may be similar to us, we have to consider some aliens could potentially be dangerous to us while others may be harmless.
Given the massive size of our universe, it's fairly reasonable for one to come to a conclusion; aliens probably will have multiple sub-species in relation to them (in one way or another), but will differ in a multitude of ways with distinct physiology, reflecting on their native planet, leading to an infinite number of possibilities.
Much of our existence in the universe has significantly altered the environment we inhabit for better or worse with a number advancements in science and technology, but as of right now our significance in the universe itself can only be defined by how we relate to our fellow humans and what we choose to believe of it, as well as how much higher we choose to believe our importance is in comparison to other species. Beyond that, our importance as a race of humans in this universe is much smaller than we want to imagine. If humans had become extinct some years before any kind of contact could be established and aliens discovered our history I think there would be a certain percentage (not sure how much) of them that might be intrigued by it and find us fascinating while another percentage wouldn't. Much of it depends on exactly what they're after or where their own interests of other life forms lie. As to whether or not we'll be worth remembering, in a sense I would say yes for two reasons: 1. many of our failures and cognitive dissonance can be used as an example to expose problems they may have in their society if any.
2. The more positive traits of the human race as well as their accomplishments might be of interest purely to have a record of things that happened in the universe along with the negative portions for the sake of  having a source to reference.  

Random: Is The Vampire Diaries superior to the Twilight Franchise?

Since the very beginning of it's series, The Vampire Diaries has shared a few notable comparisons with the movie series Twilight, not only for it's use of vampires, werewolves, etc. but it's tendency to focus on a love triangle as a core element of the plot in their first three seasons.
 Despite this reliance on the love triangle aspect, V.D. has proven to be more versatile in it's method of storytelling by employing a variety of other known mythical creatures such as doppelgängers, witches, werewolves, hybrids, ghosts, travelers, and more. In addition to their vast amount of mythical species, there are three other components that place the vampire diaries above twilight:

1. Acting:  In the first film of Twilight's franchise the acting is stale, lifeless and dull, seemingly lacking any form of emotional depth, making you feel as though the characters are pretty much bland with little to no development. However, the vampire diaries have had  some relatively decent acting since their first season, with nearly all of it's main cast receiving a great deal of character development as the series progressed. Of course in this case, diaries, has a clear advantage over twilight since it is a TV series versus a movie series. It's worth mentioning the reality of V.D.'s main cast only needing two and a half seasons to achieve character development versus Twilight's characters never receiving any over the course of five movies.

2.  Vampire lore: In it's defense, Twilight has created a unique version of vampirism, daring to go for something different, but their version of vampires lack the gothic feel as well as dark tones of which all forms of bloodsuckers have been known for, making them appear to be watered down light weights. Removing this aspect takes away one of the central points of their creation, leaving them to be far less intimidating. In contrast to this, Vampire Diaries, has been more faithful to the gothic atmosphere of vampire lore while being able to add their own unique spin to it. V.D. also presents itself with a more realistic approach in execution.

3. Characters and story: As previously stated, Vampire Diaries' most interesting aspect is the versatility it possesses in it's story structure, using a good amount of realism, blending old myths and legends with modern day themes, as well as jumping back and forth between character's past and present through the use of flashbacks. This method of story telling gives us a more interesting visual representation of events, making it a modern tale with trace elements of a period piece. In regards to the overall story of Twilight, much of it is very similar to it's TV series counterpart, but the weakest parts of the franchise are some of the same things that make V.D. a good show. Twilight's stories lack a great deal of versatility in the writing department, under utilizing any of the potentially great elements it may have. In a sense some of the aspects attributed to their vampires are pretty creative and imaginative, but it fails to make up for it's one dimensional storytelling. Given the fact Twilight has a considerably lighter tone than V.D., it doesn't hold the same level of maturity or realism that diaries has continued to display.

Characters in Twilight, particularly the main ones of the series, feel more like archetypes of a character instead of actual people; one exception to this might be Bella, who has come off as a naïve, desperate girl who makes ridiculously bad choices when it comes to a man. For example; even though Elena, Bella's TV series counterpart, plays the same type of roll in her respective series, she has shown noticeable differences in her resolve. Elena is more or less; smarter, stronger, and far more mentally stable having gone through much more losing parents at a young age unlike her movie counterpart. However they both share a few similar flaws and have made some seriously dumb choices. What makes Elena superior is her ability to realize her mistakes as well as admit to them in order to become a stronger woman.


In truth, both series do their best telling an almost identical tale about a woman's love for a vampire having significant differences made apparent in execution, but in the end what it really comes down to is which of the two is able to deliver a more believable performance, possesses better writing, and has more interesting, fully developed characters to entertain beyond a simple love triangle plot. In every single area presented, Vampire Diaries has proven itself to be the better of both series.


                    

                              This has been another addition of Random, thanks for reading.