Many posts
ago I wrote that I loved what Christopher Nolan did with Lucius Fox in Batman
Begins, but I didn't specify what. It was not just casting Morgan Freeman,
though that is usually a sound strategy. What I liked was that it made the
gadgetry that much more believable.
Accepting
Bruce Wayne spending years developing physical strength and fighting prowess is
one thing. Accepting that he is also studied magic and became a brilliant
inventor and engineer is something else. Having someone else contributing some
of that know-how, and getting it from an entire department, even one that was
now shut down, was more realistic.
As long as
we are starting with superhero movies, I loved Spider-Man 2. There were
interesting things going on with Peter trying to have a normal life, but what
was touching was seeing that he didn't have to be alone in the superhero life.
The imagery in the train scene was a little over the top, but still, the
passengers were caring and supportive, and MJ could know, and support him, and
be there for him.
"Grimm"
is not technically a superhero show. There are parallels, but even with the
supernatural element, it is very grounded in reality. And, there might be
disagreement over how realistic this is, but this hero has not been
angst-ridden.
It could
have gone the other way. Aunt Marie found it to be a curse. That makes sense.
She lost her sister and brother in law, and presumably their parents were gone
by this time. She had to give up her fiancé because of her responsibility. There
is evidence that Aunt Marie was never simply a "behead-them-all"
Grimm, but she was probably also never showered with gifts by Eisbibers.
I do think
part of Nick having a better time with it was his role in law enforcement. Stopping
wrongdoing was already his thing, and he could lock people up instead of always
having to cut off their heads.
(I say that
thinking that being a librarian was also a very good fit, and betting that not
every new Grimm has a trailer full of helpful information.)
I also
think a huge benefit for Nick has been Monroe. Monroe crashing through a window, and then
offering Nick a beer, and being willing to help and answer questions. That's
not typical behavior for any Wesen, especially a Blutbad, but it
worked, and it started Nick's new world as a friendlier one, where he learned
that he did not have to cut people off.
There were
some rough spots, with Juliette turning down his proposal even before she lost
her memory, and Hank and Wu both having some bad moments of disconnection, but
the end result is stronger relationships and stronger support.
Nick does
not need to know everything, and neither does Monroe, and sometimes it doesn't even have
to be in the trailer. Rosalee knows herbs, and the seedy underbelly that exists
with drugs and gangs. Juliette knows veterinary medicine, and has her own
insights. Hank brings his existing police background, but now knowing more
about what might be out there.
There is
stronger connection within this group. They have not played it up a lot, but it
is really great that Nick and Monroe's significant others are now friends;
there are ways in which they are both very guy. This is not just for the cases
that come up, either, because Juliette helped Monroe decorate for Christmas, and then
helped Monroe and Juliette work through a relationship snag. It doesn't
hurt to have more people care about you.
The last
time I wrote about this, it looked like Renard was shifting from grey to
villain. His turning point involved coming clean to Nick. This is what I have
been asked to do, and I don't want to do it. Things can be different. Nick may
still not trust him completely, and he may have a point, but there is a
transformation of the relationships because of the new openness.
It is going
beyond their group. No one exactly loves the Council now, but they can call on
each other. There is at least a realization that things don't have to be the
way they have always been. Nick survived the Wild Hunt not just because he had
knowledge from the trailer, or help from Monroe, but also because Monroe's very traditional father loved his
frustratingly independent son more than he hated the Grimm. And he can (maybe)
start to see things differently too.
Dystopian
themes have been coming up a lot in my reading and writing lately, and regardless
of the cataclysm that led to environment, what makes it ugly is always the
reaction - the way people start treating each other when things get rough. If
we remember that the purpose of science fiction is not to predict but depict,
then it is about now. What makes it ugly or beautiful now is how we are to each
other. And there can be some pretty awful situations now, but the pockets of
love and kindness are what make life worth living, and make life beautiful.
"Grimm"
keeps choosing love. Even when there are real monsters, and real danger, their
characters keep coming together and supporting each other. It makes the show
more enjoyable, and it makes their triumphs more real. It's pretty hard to
fight the darkness alone.
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