(I swear this blog is quickly becoming a hub for my long rambles and geekery about Steven Universe and Wander Over Yonder…I need to add more variety…)



….“The New Toy” is probably my favorite Wander Over Yonder episode so far (next to “The Hero,” and “The Big Day,” of course).



And, it’s because of the ridiculous, over-the-top live action H.A.T.E. RV commercial, if not the H.A.T.E. RV itself. Everything about the parody commercial captured how corny and pandering classic “boy toy” commercials were. In a nutshell, these commercials contain the following in some form or respect: There’s kids playing with and commenting about the toy, a dramatic narrator, some reference to how “tough” and “awesome” the toy car is, a laundry list of “kewl” features and add-ons; usually some kind of tiny button or a transforming mode that drove parents nuts with how needlessly complex some could get. It’s a marketing play to peer pressure, installing this toy as a must-have “status symbol,” and an appeal to what is considered definitively masculine (Please take these observations with a grain of salt).



Hater’s take contained all of these, but added the twist of being narrated by a an incredibly childish, lovesick villain. He’s thoroughly convinced that Dominator would be impressed to the point of swooning and melting into a pile of silly puddy: The H.A.T.E.R.V. is a display of power, prestige, and masculinity. So, it’s the essential three elements for a stereotypical commercial, but re-packaged and applied to an adult man. “Girls like cool cars!” comes into the equation; the very idea that leads teenage boys and young men alike to go bankrupt over (or rent, if they’re a smart cookie) a high-end luxury car in the hopes that it increases how attractive or overall desirable they are. (Looks like Hater’s still studying notes he took from Emperor Awesome). I’ll return to how this impacts and adds to plot a bit later here.

The real clincher of this bit is the disclaimer. Especially the bit saying,”…This is not a real toy. This will NEVER be a real toy.”

So, it’s not only a pot shot to the classic commercial model, but commentary on the network exec push for cartoons to include certain, possibly unnecessary elements to drive toy sales. Even if a certain character, vehicle, or element conflicts with a running plot thread or doesn’t really gibe with the show’s tone, do it anyway! But it doesn’t end at unnecessary elements crammed in. Toons can be given the ax for not selling enough toys or drawing in the right demographic for attempts to market and sell merchandise. Two recent examples of just this: Young Justice appealed to a much older and mature demographic than intended. As a result, marketers were at a loss as to how to sell and market their series of pre-produced action figures intended for that 8-11 boy demographic. And, rumors circulated about Cartoon Network cancelling Genndy Tartakovsky’s Symbionic Titan in 2011 for not “being conducive to toy sales.” Granted, there were other reasons beyond toy sales for both cartoons getting cancelled, too. If anything, I want to point out that it’s still a relevant thing for cartoons to face pressure towards pushing toys (Here’s a list of other examples: http://io9.com/7-cartoons-screwed-over-by-their-own-toylines-1637672006).

Beyond Hater’s commercial, the episode pushes this point further home when Hater builds his own life-sized version of the H.A.T.E.R.V. He flaunts and flexes, triumphantly shouts out the names of vehicle modes and features, and wrestles with the vehicle until it cooperates with him. All while looking more and more like the kind of fool that stars in a certain Main Ingredient song. He channels the excited, happy-go-lucky spokes kid in the toy commercial. Even if the ‘toy’ isn’t quite living up to his hopes, expectations, and ridiculous daydreams, he’s persistent. Then, Dominator turns the tables on Hater: She cleans house and defeats Hater and his army with the very vehicle he was hoping to impress her with. He’s the lovesick, impressionable damsel that he portrayed Dominator as in his commercial; a fairly ironic twist. It’s satisfying, expectation-breaking follow-up to the question “Where is the ‘Lord Lovesick’ plot point going?”

The H.A.T.E.R.V. is part of building up to and emphasizing how ridiculous it is for Hater and Wander alike to focus on Dominator being a girl. From Wander wanting to play matchmaker, to Hater entertaining marriage fantasies, to Sylvia fearing the consequences of a possible Hater-Dominator evil power couple. These definitely pose a gamut of interesting plot points and story threads, poking fun at societal expectations in regards to gender and cartoon tropes alike. Hater is Dominator’s biggest competition, but he’s losing now because he lost sight of his bigger goals to conquer the universe in a misguided chase for love. Consider the stereotype about gamers coveting and worshipping the rare ‘gamer girl’ or how a guy might bend over backwards to let a girl win because she’s a girl. In short, compromising self and goals for the misguided hope to garner female attention and affection. Wander automatically assumes that Hater and Dominator are a good fit because of similar life goals, wardrobe, and attitude. Consider how some cartoons couple male characters with their female dopplegangers by default (Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Donald and Daisy Duck, etc).

Of the main cast, Peepers is the only one aware of both Dominator’s true character and goals, as well as how futile and fruitless Hater’s courtship attempts are. Now it’s just a matter of time before everyone else wisens up and teams up to take her down. Personally….I’m kinda hoping for an awesome Peepers and Sylvia team-up while Hater and Wander have a heart-to-heart.