ik it’s probably a classic case of extrapolating way too much but... the way raph’s character design lines up w his whole arc and role and struggles...
like the fact that he is so so so much bigger than the others. raph is big, raph is strong, raph is steady and sturdy and he can literally pick up his entire family and carry them all at once.
and like, when raph is so big and so strong and such a reliable thing. when raph is the protector, the one calling the shots on missions, the mother hen, the first point of authority. when raph is there, overprotective, when raph (for all that his brothers poke at him not being good under pressure) always always ALWAYS comes through at the end of the day when things are serious, ALWAYS gives it everything he’s got.
his design and his learned role/behaviors in this family are just the perfect storm of why it took up to the season finale to drive home the issue.
so much of the series carries the default energy of “raph will handle it.”
raph will hold up the ceiling above you. raph will throw himself over you and take a hit and get back up and keep fighting. raph has a power that makes him even bigger and draws more attention and makes him able to carry MORE. raph will be the substitute parent. raph will be put into the mentor role through leo’s leadership arc.
and raph is big. he’s built to carry heavy loads. raph is strong. raph is bold and loud and always ready to try to push on. even if he doesn’t know what to do or what he’s doing, he won’t give up and we’ll all pull together and things will turn out okay.
(his room is full of teddy bears. he dipped out on a mission to try to take a picture of a pigeon carrying a slice of pizza. he’s terrified of being alone.
he’s just as much of a kid as his brothers are. he’s just as new and inexperienced with the things happening to them as his brothers are. but for him, for some reason, there’s like this double standard where that becomes a huge glaring flaw.)
idk this got very sloppy and uncoordinated. i’m very in my feelings about raph right now though.
i'm going to make so many people mad with this but idc. it is SO funny to me that there is a literal bust statue of cayde in the tower now. literally NO other character, in lore or in gameplay, who's died, has this much memorialization. it's been five years and you all really managed to annoy bungie into giving him the specialest boy treatment that he would have fucking hated
some tragic love stories be like: if i could bottle the galaxy, i would pour it into a cup so it would be easier for you to drink. do you want them? do you want the stars? or do they suit you better as adornments for your eyes than glitter on your lips?
but they don’t want the stars. they don’t want the galaxy. but how can they not? is that not enough? (it’s too much, that’s the problem. it’s too much.)
the level of co-dependency these two had pre-heartbreak is unmatched. Being joined at the hip is why everyone assumed Sidestep was Charge's sidekick (or that they where dating).
Behold, a distraction question: What is your favorite Rayman idle animation or mannerism? (@selfshipping-giratina)
AAAAAAAA!!! I LOVE IDLE ANIMATIONS. I LOOOOOVE THEM. would it be weird to say idle animations are a special interest for me within videogames? either way, I know exactly which ones I would pick!
THE FIRST ONE MADE ME CRY WHEN I FIRST SAW IT, FUN FACT. IT WAS VERY EMBARRASSING. I WAS IN A CALL WITH MY FRIENDS AND STREAMING THE GAME TO THEM, IT WAS MY FIRST TIME PLAYING IT AND I JUST THOUGHT HE WAS SO CUTE I GOT A LITTLE EMOTIONAL. it triggers in rayman 3 when you stand around doing nothing for too long - he starts kicking around his torso like a football! it's ADORABLE. my buddy thinks it's creepy, but I DON'T. look at him go!! he's having so much fun! 🥺
the second one is one of his battle idles from sparks of hope!! I JUST LOVE IT SO MUCH. IT REALLY SHOWS OFF HIS PERSONALITY - THE EXPRESSIONS, HIS BODY MOVEMENT... IT'S ALL SO GOOD. THE WAY HE SLOUCHES BACK AND LOOKS SO BASHFUL WHEN HIS HAIR POOFS BACK UP... AWWWW. SUCH A CUTIEPIE. 💖
speaking of sparks of hope, I also ADORE this one, which is based on art from rayman legends!!!
and here's giacomo boni's concept art for it!!!
I ADORE THIS ONE SO, SO MUCH. his idle animations from rayman 3 were what really solidified to me how hard I had fallen for him, so to see them return with JUST as much character and personality as they had 21 years ago is just something that is so, so special to me 🫶