Hello SFIT students, today we’re looking at Big Hero 6 season 2’s “The Globby Within” and “Hardlight,” which are the last of this month’s new episodes.
1. Are Globby and Felony Carl…
Life’s going great for Globby at the start of “Globby Within” until Nega-Globby starts asserting control of his body: he’s starring in commercials, he’s a celebrity and popular patron of Joe’s Diner, and he’s now living in an apartment with Felony Carl and his cat. We see them cuddling up on the sofa while watching TV:
Yeah, they’re gay. No further questions at this time, your honor.
2. Retcon Time
“The Globby Within”‘s subplot sees Fred establishing a secret lair for the gang in an abandoned factory his great-grandfather used to own. At first, everyone is reluctant about the idea, with Baymax revealing he’s been counting how many times Fred has brought up the idea (379). To be fair to Fred, we’ve never seen him bring it up until now, but I guess that’s what retconning is for. I must say, I genuinely laughed out loud when he does so again at his house, and describes it as a “clandestine meeting place” when Go Go dares him to bring up it again.
3. Uncle Cruz
Megan’s dad, Police Chief Diego Cruz, really dislikes vigilantes, and brands Big Hero 6 criminal accomplices of Globby after he catches them curing him. More annoyingly, he’s also visiting Aunt Cass’s cafe every morning, and not because he likes her coffee (he doesn’t) – he likes her likes her. Isn’t that weird? Wouldn’t the logical end result of this make Megan and Hiro cousins, with pink skin, no overbites and five fingers on each hand?
Anyway, in “Hardlight,” Cruz gets kidnapped by the titular new villain, and is still ungrateful after being rescued by the team. How stubborn is this guy? Hardlight’s arrival completely disproved his theory vigilantes and vigilantes alone cause supervillains. I get the message that you should help your enemies too, but I sincerely hope he chokes on Aunt Cass’s coffee (well, even more than he already does).
4. I’m Sure We’ve All Met This Guy
Oh yes, Hardlight, he’s a techno wizard-themed supervillain who wields hardlight constructs (hence the name), and wants life to be a video game so much, that he terrorizes civilians and challenges Big Hero 6 to a fight solely for the thrill – so a lot like El Fuego from two episodes before. Is this really the only supervillain origin they can think of now? Still, Hardlight’s a wonderfully insufferable villain, who claims he’s a “underappreciated genius,” and in an all-too-real touch, keeps referring to his victims as NPCs (non-player characters).
In the denouement, Hardlight is revealed to be Ian, one of Krei’s long-suffering employees, so there’s bound to be better parallels that’ll be developed. His defeat – Cruz using Hiro’s magnets to remove his gauntlet – is a bit too convenient, but he’s such a visually distinct villain that I’m excited to see him again. Since he’s voiced by Will Friedle, how great would it be to have a Kim Possible reunion by teaming him up with Christy Carlson Romano’s Trina?
5. Peace of Mind
In “Hardlight,” Fred hires Roderick “Roddy” Blaine (John DiMaggio) to build their new Basemax: he’s a delightfully mellow, salt-of-the-earth character, nothing like the sort you’d imagine to build a superhero hideout. His insistence on practicality means he drives Fred (who wants everything to be zero gravity for some reason) up the wall, and I look forward to finding out if their dynamic develops: unlike Heathcliff, he’s not one to indulge him. I also really liked learning he takes a mindfulness break every 90 minutes: I think I’m personally going to take that message to heart.
Bonus thoughts:
– Another power metal song plays during Globby and Nega-Globby’s rematch, and I must admit I never expected to hear Andy Richter singing on a Disney cartoon.
– Everyone’s mimicking Baymax’s “oh no” now, like a pet owner who’s becoming more like their pet.
– The game Hiro first encounters Hardlight is on is called Minesmith, although it more strongly resembles Street Fighter than Minecraft.
Well that’s it for now: hopefully season 2 will resume soon, but who knows? At least our favorite gang have a new clandestine meeting place.
