William French
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Infinity Train episode 10--The Engine! LONG POST SERIES WRAP-UP
🕑 Added 2019-12-03 03:57:03 +0000 UTC~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And with the faded end credits theme itself fading into nothing…Infinity Train has concluded.
I think I am…content.
Content is a good word. That ending brought things to a close in, appropriately, a way I find very peaceful. Tulip’s worked through her issues. She’s ready to face her family. She’s ready to face the world. She’s ready, in fact, for anything. And what she’s found…is peace.
Minda said in chat that he thinks the show is a metaphor for using fiction to deal with your problems, and I think I agree with that. A core part of experiencing fiction is finding ways we can relate to it. The characters, the events, the higher-level themes of the story–we all try to find something of ourselves in fiction, and whether we succeed or not, even the most brain-dead action blockbuster changes the way we look at ourselves just a little. (Even if it’s just to the degree that now you have a new action movie fantasy to daydream about.) The stuff we lose ourselves in the most is, ironically, the stuff we find ourselves in the most.
The stuff we find ourselves in the most, the stuff that speaks to us, that lets us know, hey, I understand, I get it, is oftentimes the stuff we can best use to work through our own problems. It doesn’t always have to be something profound, though. Sometimes it just has to be a rock; sometimes an episode of Pokemon can be just what you needed to get through the day, to get things off your mind for half an hour. Sometimes we just need something to metaphorically listen to our problems, the media equivalent of a teddy bear. Both ends of the media spectrum can be used to help work our way through the issues plaguing us. Find whatever helps you the most; the people who care won’t judge.
I expressed some discomfort with leaving Amelia behind, but in light of the show being that kind of metaphor, I think thematically it’s better this way. You can’t drag someone to their answers, to making peace with themselves or their traumas; you can push, and prod, and offer a helping hand, but you can’t force someone to find those solutions. They have to do it for themselves.
Amelia has a lot of work to do before she can go home, before she’s able to find any measure of peace. I’ve been down a deep hole before, myself; I’ve been to the point where I didn’t feel much hope for the future, for a future without constant pain or self-abuse. I know a little of what she must be thinking, with that massive reminder of her own failings written in glowing green across every spare inch of flesh. And…not everybody makes it. Not everyone comes out the other side at all, let alone in one piece. Some people stay bogged down in their troubles forever. Some don’t…stick around. It’s okay to have weakness. It’s okay to be afraid; it’s a terrible, rough road ahead, in many cases. It’s a scary thing. It’s a painful thing.
But it’s better than letting your pain swallow you.
Tulip…man, Tulip is such a good character. We really got to see her journey from a sad, angry teenager through hope and dismay and fear to a peaceful conclusion. I really love well-completed arcs like that. She’s truly found her way home in more senses than one, and if I seem to be saying little about her, know that much of this post HAS been about her.
Infinity Train was an incredibly satisfying show to watch. I love the comedy, I love the horror, I love the emotional ride it took me on–especially in the last few episodes. I got to spend an extra few days thinking Atticus was dead, too, which I’m sure is making this catharsis extra sweet. Oh, but that would have been the second episode of the day on day 4 for the rest of you, wouldn’t it? What a fun cliffhanger >:)
Anyways, I highly recommend it. It’s a good show! Tell your friends it has the Loreweaver Seal of Approval!
As far as this specific episode, The Engine comes in at my new #1 for the series, eclipsing The Chrome Car, for its satisfying emotional conclusion and wrapping up its character arcs in such a good way. I’m very happy with it.
What’s up next? Well, on Wednesday I’m going to start this month’s Patron Picks off with Paranoia Agent. I’m going to plow through all three, because apparently we get new Steven Universe episodes this month! I’m excited to see what the new series is like! Aside from that, when I get the chance I’ll be streaming my blind playthrough of my first-ever Fire Emblem game, Three Houses! You can find what I’ve uploaded to Youtube already here, or find my Twitch channel here. I hope to see you guys there!
