Part 5: The 5 Most Touching/Heartwarming Aspects of Phase 4
I’m getting these out rather quickingly, and I decided to move into the penultimate part of The Blog and that’s the heartwarming moments
I went into dark territory last time, going into what were the darkest moments. Now let’s get into the sweetness when the storyline swerves into rather touching territory.
Unlike the last time around, This will be in order and this is more of a Top 5 Most Touching Moments of Phase 4. Not all of these are full on scenes but more character progessoion in fact 3 of the 5 entries here are of this examples
So here is the Top 5 Most Touching Moments of Phase 4: The End of An Era and Dawn of a new Multiverse
5[]
A Truly Reformed Empire
Change is a major part of the storyline and one of the most touching aspects was how much Slade’s Empire managed to reform away from being the villains they were previously. Where as Phase 3 had them in some kind of hazy turn, The Empire reformed for real by saving Bender, Luan and the others from Darkseid.
While not Tamed, The Empire is pretty much now on the protagonists' side at this point. They may have been helping out of some pragmaticism at first though with the intent to stop worse foes. The Villains came around and act in open arms with the rest of the team. While just 6 characters are major characters, 4 of the 6 are either heroes or not true on villains. One could debate Slade and Anti Cosmo managed to redeem themselves not just by rescuing the heroes, but the influence the rest of the team have had on them.
On top in particular with Bender, Luan and Marcy Wu, Slade and his crew have developed a genuine connection with the cast they work with. Slade and Anti Cosmo look out for Bender and let him in on Slade’s terminal illness, Slade and Harrison take a fondness for Marcy Wu and the group works to improve the multiverse as well. Slade developed more philanthropic desires for the multiverse as a result of his second dance and willingly gave up his life to for Anti Cosmo, Harrison, Bender and Luan who joined him in his final stand against Rodrigo Redneb.
This became more prominent with Anti Cosmo, who started on his path was burying Brick and Butch. He convinces Harry and Slade to let Luan in the loop about what they did to Bender as he knows The Robot can’t keep to himself. Overtime, Anti Cosmo begins to develop an odd friendship and partnership with Bender throughout the storyline and befriends Luan, Wile E, Bean, Captain Hero, Marcy Wu and Libby as well. This leads into the finale where he and Bender actively go after the main antagonists to stop them and lead the charge against N.Tropy’s right hand man Rodrigo Redneb and aid The Calamity Trio deal with The Core and it’s forces. The Former even has Luan, Slade and Harry join up with the two to finish him once and for all.
I do bring up the fact that the group mainly Slade have done villainous things in the past, and if they can be forgiven. While some acts are not forgiven, for the characters they work with they are. With Slade’s passing, it can ultimately be going further and gain a better reputation with Celes in Charge.
4[]
A Changed Robot
Not Just Slade and Anti Cosmo managed to reform, But Bender managed to change for the better as well. Phase 4 does keep him willing to be brutal, commit crimes etc, but he is noticeably less of a jerk and more openly heroic here and has better relationships.
It’s interesting that he is not around Dib or the others and despite this, manages to be a better friend overall. Some of his relationships are the best he’s had.
His reasons are more justified for things he did in earlier storylines, He is more protective over his friends, and his relationships with Luan, Marcy Wu, Wile E, Libby, Anti Cosmo in particular really stood out. Most of the acts he does commit that cause trouble are less out of selfish desire and more out of well intentions and are indirect. The Alternate Multiverse situation are caused by Bender just trying to find Lizbeth. Him lying to the others about his involvement with the Multiverse Cartel and what happened to Brick and Butch is due to the very reasonable assumption that cops and agents could be on the payroll and that he can’t let things loose about the latter two.
Bender takes a genuine father figure role to Marcy and Libby aiding them in their endeavors, be a secret keeper for Marcy and playing a role in helping rekindle her friendships with Anne and Sasha. He wants to help Libby and takes her looking up to him seriously as with Luan, who Bender has no intent to be like him. He also steps up to help Wile E with his own situation and despite still killing his enemies it’s portrayed as more justified and in self defense. He is actually haunted by his team mates death here and uses his alias to insure that no one can know of his connection to them, and his decision comes from Putty figuring it out and having Midas targeting them.
Despite his character check of his role as the token evil team mate, Bender comes off better here and even his reckless decisions he outgrows a bit by the end of the storyline. He even to an extent forgives King Andrias despite his betrayal and has an honest heart to heart talk with him about Slade’s death, Marcy’s Therapy Sessions and M.O.D.A.B’s departure from the present timeline, admitting the king was right to say “The more you love friends, the more it hurts when they go”. Andrias apologizes to Bender and admits he grew to like Bender as well Marcy Wu, he pays him with the riches of his times and admits to him That the King’s days are limited and he’s fine with it. Andiras Gives Bender the motivation to keep on despite what he dealt with and Marcy’s Journal to read.
3[]
Juane Arc and Joahnna’s Wedding
Streamverse is likely my favorite storyline of the series, and interesting enough the vast majority of the main characters are not in this with only Lydia, Lincoln and N.Tropy of the main 11 being in the storyline. But is also focuses on the beta couple of the series as well in Jaune Arc and Johanna and strengths their relationship like Lincoln and Lydia’s own relationship here.
Jaune and Johanna get Married and being proposed is a plot point here and how it all came to be. It show show much these two have grown over time. Due to how much the two dealt with in losing a previous love and everything that happened to the latter it’s satisfying.
Hilda, Mulder, Scully, Lincoln and Lydia all played a role in making it possible. With Hilda being a reason why, Mulder and Scully being confidants to them and Jaune taking advantage of Lincoln and Lydia’s sneak off tendencies to insure he can propose to Johanna and choosing them as the best man and maid of honor due to how stable they are.
It’s even revealed that when Lincoln and Lydia wed in the future, Jaune Arc and Johanna took the same spots they did. Streamverse’s ending is one of the most satisfying despite N.Tropy being out there solely due to the wedding being into effect
It also demonstrates that both couples are truly happy, and are the most functional and healthy for a reason. It also gets the Streaming Resistance involved and with their later involvement in Double Life Emerged, it makes them be here more touching and their willingness to help more stand out.
2[]
The Series' End
I did admittingly go the way of the bittersweet ending, but the ending to En.Tropized and by extentsion the whole series is more sweet than bitter and everything had been resolved for better or worse.
Let’s Discuss the Bitter Aspect of the end first
- One major element of the ending and the beginning is loss, and it can quality for a person, a feelings or something. Loss is something all the main characters deal with at point
- Ford, Slade, Deathstroke and other characters all end up dying as a result of what has gone on. A Loss of Life and the disbanding of The Mar Mar Gang, The Boys and President Wilson and Associates. With Only Hughie and Starlight surviving of the Boys on top of that.
- Anne, Marcy and Sasha all end up going their own ways in life, with Anne putting her mantle down with Team Free Will despite being friends still and Marcy disbands her Team though like Anne stays friends with the heroes
- N.Tropy’s actions did indeed cause a good deal of deaths and that can’t be erased
- Anti Cosmo and Bender both lost their closest and oldest friends with Slade’s dying and The Whole team of M.O.D.A.B leaving. It just tells you that everything is just done, and makes you know it’s over. Bender looking into all the empty rooms demonstrates it and with Anti Cosmo honor Slade’s dying request and carry the weight of being the only two people who know of the old multiverse now. People come and go and it was time for M.O.D.A.B to move on with some exceptions and Slade’s Empire to move on in a Sladeless direction
- Lincoln and Lydia both suffered blows to their families, Lincoln’s grandparents died and Lydia became an orphan. They lost many of their team mates and admit that the multiverse adventure is not something to go on full time considering they have inspirations and dreams. Lydia and Lincoln both know that some of their friendships will splinter as a result of time and growing up, which they took some time into doing and it was already shown earlier on.
It’s an all too real aspect of real life, people drift apart, people die and people change and one suffers lose as a result of the changing times.
As for the Sweet Part
1. N.Tropy is finally defeated and the Team Free Will Group don’t have to deal with him anymore
2. Victoria Neuman managed to redeem herself and take over for Deathstroke, pardoning Bender and helping Lydia and Lincoln with their actual desires.
3. King Andrias also redeemed himself and despite being near death’s door he accepts it and seems content.
4. Lizbeth has been found and she had managed to get both her old and new friends to return to the future with her aside from Bender, Starfire and others.
5. Bender has found peace with things and accepts the truth of what will naturally happen overtime. He also kept his team intact and despite the fact he misses Dib, Lizbeth, Skipper, Heloise and the others. Bender is just happy he knew as long as he did and that he succeeded in his objectives.
6. Marcy gets the help she needs and stays friends with Bender, Libby and others.
7. Anti Cosmo happily accepts his role in Slade’s Empire and honors his fallen friend’s wishes
8. Lydia and Lincoln despite their own tragedies, are wiser and managed to achieve their desire to be more like punch clock heroes under Neuman and have found a way to run Team Free Will in a way that works for them. They close stay as a tight couple and all their heroism they have done rewards them and being guided by the words of the adults no longer in their life.
9. Lydia, Lincoln, Bender and Anti Cosmo all look forward to the future in the final scene and agree to combine the old and new, the two duos have learned over their time.
Yes, It was natural to give the ending, a rather nice feel to it and unlike TGTTA 2 and all the other times I tried to end, I closed the book on things and downplayed most bitter aspects or real downers. While I didn’t follow up on everything, I focused on the main things and I don’t regret it.
1[]
Lincoln and Lydia’s relationship, Just their relationship
Yeah no suprise the most touching moment of heartwarming bliss comes from the two main characters. I have been unsubtle about this and if I mentioned Slade, Anti Cosmo and Bender earlier, the secondary main characters, then Lydia and Lincoln get their own entry and the top one at that.
I may have overdid with them about their friendship, partnership and their romantic relationship being so high in the prominence, but I did this with the intention to keep things from getting too bleak.
The Two act as each other’s biggest supporter, confidant and best friend to the point where character development was triggered majorly by the positive influence they have on each other.
Them being drawn to each other in a romantic sense makes sense when you take Lydia is Lincoln’s ideal match in appearance and being rather tomboyish in her personality, Lydia on the other hand is attracted to Lincoln’s kind humble and dorky personality while admitting to him being adorable. Lincoln has shown interest in girls, before just not this serious and Lydia only is attracted to him and He is the only person Lydia has such feelings for. Lincoln became the person he is by the end by allowing his true vulnerability to come out with her, and following what she advises and Lydia develops her own perspectives and becomes more open to being romantic with Lincoln and him alone by being around him. Lincoln was more hesitant than Lydia to adventure at the first and through her he becomes more open and Lydia becomes more desiring of a normal life around him.
Most of their story lines have a big moment between them that reinforces and strongly their bond.
1. Lydia brings Lincoln back from the brink of depression and self harm in To Live and/or Die in Loch Loud by explaining the concepts of death and life to him. While also advising him the directions he can go with all this.
2. After watching her parents get committed due to Vecna breaking their minds in Team Free Will: Disassembled, Lincoln calms her down from all this and when she accidentally kisses him. He also calms her down on this too and they honor Cleo and Amanda’s sacrifices who’s ashes are placed in urns on lantern boats and send them off in respect to find their way to peace.
3. Countdown to Chang’s Guide to The Galaxy has them console each other before heading off to Sinnoh with Lincoln’s gulit ridden parents and seeing his youngest sister while heading to the living home Lydia’s folks are in to the tune of Baby Mine. Lincoln also helps Lydia deal with the guilt she feels, and they sadly look at the other side of “It Gets Easier” view of adventuring and dealing with traumatic events.
This is also when they confess to each other that The two don’t just like each other, they Love each other romantically. Lydia is shown to be accepting of Lincoln liking Hilda and questions him thinking he liked Hilda, she learns Lincoln does like Hilda, but loves Lydia. Lincoln is even shocked, Lydia likes him that way and when they question where to go. The two agree to get together as a couple resolving their problems.
Later on, Lydia sacrifices her desire to get her family back to having a normal head to get Lincoln’s family knowing how much he gives to others. She does this so someone can give him something after all this, showing how much she understands what he goes through. This rewards her with being adopted by Mulder and Scully and gets her old home back.
Chang’s Guide to The Galaxy deals with the whole thing between Lincoln, Hilda and Lydia and how the two of them are going to tell Hilda the truth. Lydia and Lincoln despite deciding to keep their relationship upgrade to girl friend/boyfriend secret, they decide to avoid this with Hilda. Lydia doesn’t show jealously to Hilda’s liking for Lincoln and tries to deal help letting her down easy and helps Lincoln try to save Hilda from Vecna. Hilda and Lydia do fight over him, though this is because Hilda actively provokes her be pushing her buttons about her braces and being an enabler to Lincoln’s abuse. Even then she is still willing to extend an olive branch. Lincoln even feels he owns Hilda the truth and tries to tell her, which shows a refreshing pace to things.
Chronicles of Zaragoza’s ending sees these two not only stay together, but they get married are young adults while secretingly helping the heroes. Showing they have broke the cycle of what is seen as the norm for the heroes of the wiki. Streamverse even reveals the playfulness of the two even as they grow up, as Lydia was who proposed and used a Chinese finger trap as a way as Lincoln does Prank Wars.
Streamverse is full of moments of this starting from their vacation in Orlando they take alone to enjoy. They also get Flashbacks which show the true commitment they have with Lydia going out of her way to help Lincoln deal with the ramifications of Trauma from Morag, and Lincoln helping Lydia deal with her own situation with family. This event indirectly helps get the secondary couple to get hitched themselves.
On top of that, they bite the bullet, to go to Sadie Hawkins as Lincoln doesn’t want to go unless Lydia asks him and Lydia has no interest in it despite how many girls are asking Lincoln. They go and become a bit more public about their relationship with Lincoln declaring openly why Lydia means so much to him and while she is the one he loves and how he sees her as a real woman for the confidence she displays and how she goes her own way.
Double Life Emerged shows how their relationship began to form with Lydia giving a similar speech to Lincoln that he gave about her in Streamverse. Lydia sees Lincoln as a real man and ideal due to him being tough, thick skinned, and brave, but also admires that he is willingness to display vulnerability, insecurity, show he’s in touch with his more femmine side and accept for help.
En.Tropized gives these two plenty of big moments and it shows due to them being always being the 5 most important characters in each segment.
Book 1 sees them deciding to proceed with how to deal with their future and how they support each other in it.
Book 2 sees them both become a year older like what Loud House did with Lincoln in Season 6, having them both be 12 and how they go out their way to help the other have a good B Day, They also begin to consider becoming more serious in their romance
Book 3 has Lydia recovering her parent’s final notes and Lincoln’s grandparents final will. Despite how serious everything got with the Arcane Order and N.Tropy, they still have a very sweet moment. Lincoln reads Lydia’s parents final words to her before they died and reads what Pop Pop and Myrtle left him which he does to help her in her own gulit that her adventuring life style led to her becoming an orphan which displays how proud her folks are of her for being who she is, despite not always agreeing with her work in Team Free Will and are sad they won’t see her graduate or getting married to Lincoln. Lincoln also reads his own note to her, about his grand parents, and he admits to Lydia he sees Pop Pop as his hero, and he regrets not telling him that. Lydia tells him that Pop Pop probably knew and even notes Lincoln is becoming like him in certain regards though retains his own traits and that he made him very proud.
Book 4 has them fight and defeat N.Tropy together and form Team Free Will under them with a new stance to their revelations. Lydia and Lincoln are not scared to grow up unlike most kids, and are looking forward to it, but at the same time are more than happy to act like kids, have youthful activies and other stuff going for them.
In Short, a close and strong friendship that is consitiently on display sheds light even when times are dark or serious.
Stay Tuned for the final part where others miscellaneous things will be mentioned, and how things ends off.