Intro

Hello, once again! My name is Katapultman, your host for today's show! This time, I'll be taking a gander at "The Choices" and why I(and probably a lot of others) think it is the absolute pinnacle of TAWoG's characters and way of storytelling. I know there have been other people that have gone through this episode with extremely thorough analysis, but I'd also like to throw my hat into the pile with my own observations, while hopefully not regurgitating previously said statements. Now, I am also aware that this episode is adored by almost all of the fandom, so I'll try with absolute delicacy to dissect it. It's basically the opposite of my first blog, here I'll be analysing its success. And with that, we move on to..

The Analysis of the Episode

"The Choices" starts us off with a horrid family dinner. From the obnoxiousness of the kids to Richard's blatant negligence towards the situation, it sets up the segue to the episode, that being Nicole's query as to where she went wrong with her family for it to be so abnormal. From the freezeframe we go back to her past to see what really went down between her and Richard.

The next scene guides us through the day she met him. I've got to hand it to them, the way they managed to make the scene fluid and constantly changing is imperative when it comes to masking the actual subtlety of her choices. After yet another freezeframe we revert back to start, where we are traverse a series of alternate timelines, all of them delivering a great deal of dark humour in a manner of storytelling that has never been done before in a kid's show. It goes to show how much the show's humour has evolved from theimagery of Season 1.

And again comes the moment where she met Richard. From the start you see that they begin to bounce off and appreciate each other. Richard, not understanding the gain that there is from Nicole's constantly burdened life, asks the simplest question he can: "Why?". Why go through all of this, if you're not happy with it, why constantly appease your parents who do nothing but pressure you? This is where we see the purity of their love being born. It does not only stem from the fact that they enjoy each other's company, but because one without the other is lost. I think that's why the decision to make Nicole's parents so unloving and robotic towards their daughter was made. For a child, she needed someone who understood her, someone who simply loved her for who she is, and that one wasn't any of her parents, it was Richard - a boy, a boy that knew her better than her own parents only by asking the most trivial question he can - "Why?". This is what made their connection special, at that time, they only had each other, and for them, that was enough.

Now comes what I like to think is one of the greatest moments in the entire series. A moment that lives on as an example of how TAWoG has changed since the mess that was "The Hero," this is the absolute perfect way to end the episode, with no doubts. Not only does it mirror the masterfulness of the "Married Life" sequence in "UP," but it also manages to find its own footing and distinguish itself with some brilliant characteristics.

But enough of that, let's get into the nitty-gritty stuff, the actual montage. First, the obvious out of the way. It showcases Richard and Nicole's life in a beautiful and impactful sequence, accompanied by a stunning piano score. One of the first things I noticed during my rewatch of the scene is how the camera slightly tilts, as if though to instigate the feeling that someone is actually filming their life, which adds even more to the realism factor. Then, there is the oh-so subtle way they increase the quality of the montage: From an old film reel, to a modern camera, it masterfully captures how much time has passed since that faithful day.

I'd like to point out some of the highlights of the climax. The absolute best part about the entire thing is how it affects the characters we all know and love, espically Nicole . We get to understand why she needs someone like Richard to ease her fury - it all stems from her childhood and her estranged parents, something a lot of people can relate with. We get even more reasons as to why Richard is what he is. It's beautiful how when they're both kicked out, they know they have only themselves, they know they may not manage in this world even if they are together, but they still look up to it - they grab each other's hands and head into the unknown. Same goes for the scene after that - they live under horrible circumstances, yet they are still happy. It's interesting how the friction that Nicole's parents tried to create with Richard only strenghtened Nicole's relationship with him. And leading up to the last shot are some that are reminiscent of old episodes, tying everything up in one neat package. Speaking of the last part, it was a perfect way to end it - something as simple as a picture of the whole Watterson family, that perfectly showcased everyone's distinctive personality. From Gumball desperately trying to get into the frame, to Richard and Nicole simply gawking at their children's innocence and each other, it was touching.

Then comes the most unexpected thing from Nicole, she doesn't succumb to anger and lash out at her family, instead, she brushes it off as a joke. Strange to see that from Nicole, but it all builded up very nicely. This time, she didn't need Richard - she overcame it herself, which, to a certain degree, really shows how much Nicole's character has grown from her previous state of not caring who she lashes out on to caring.. a tidbit. And as we see the family playing about, we exit into a front view of the house, with the sanguine sky and the swift sunrise in the background as we hear the laughters of the Wattersons emaneting from inside - ending the episode in an astounding manner which emphasises how much time has passed since that disastrous family dinner.

Outro

Well, this was long overdue. Grinding in video games gets the better of me, I guess..? It only took twenty days, I mean... Heh, totally... worth.. it.

Now that I look at it, it's short as heck, holy..! Well, quantity doesn't matter, amirite? It's all about quality!

Aaanyway, if you've survived up to here, then thanks for reading and see you in the next article(which will hopefully be released before SCHOOL starts!). Toodles!