As was foretold, we've added advertisements to the forums! If you have questions, or if you encounter any bugs, please visit this thread: https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/240191/forum-advertisement-faq-and-reports-thread/
Options

Cartoon Debate thread 1# "Is it cheating?"

MatthewMatthew Registered User regular
Welcome to the first of my "Cartoon Debate Thread's!" Where we take a subject from a cartoon (any cartoon) and put it up for debate.

#1 Debate.

"Jem and the Holograms."

Many of us know this show, and many of us know the central plot element. Jerrica Benton, a down on her luck owner of both a struggling music business, and an orphanage for girls, uses Synergy, her father's powerful computer, to become Jem, Pop sensation. She tours with her band the Holograms, around the world, having adventures, and raising money for her orphanage. All the while fending off their rival bands, the Misfits and the Stingers.

The debate topic? Jem/Jerrica's relationship with her boyfriend/road manager. He is involved with Jerrica pretty much from the start, but he, like many other people in the world, has no idea that Jerrica and Jem are the same person. Jerrica, while in the guise of Jem, often attempts to continue to act as his girlfriend, and get him to go out with her. While this does not appear to be troublesome, remember that she is doing as Jem! Since Rio has no idea that his girlfriend and the girl who keeps basically throwing herself at him is the same girl, Rio is basically being pushed into a relationship with another girl.

But at the same time Jerrica continues to apparently push cheating onto him, seemingly inviting this sort of thing into her life (which is often troublesome enough as it is). It can be argued that whatever happens to her, whatever heartbreak she may go through, she practically invited into her life (and may in fact deserve). She could solve all this by telling her boyfriend the truth about Jem, but Rio is known to take things very seriously, and that includes a pathological hatred of liars (the possibility of him accusing her of using him as a toy is very high).

So the question we have to ask is this
Jem-Jerrica-Rio. Is it cheating and what can possibly be done about it?

Character bios here
http://jem.wikia.com/wiki/Rio_Pacheco
http://jem.wikia.com/wiki/Jerrica_Benton

Posts

  • Options
    Fuzzy Cumulonimbus CloudFuzzy Cumulonimbus Cloud Registered User regular
    edited April 2013
    either way it is truly outrageous




    edit-didn't realize this was a D&D thread

    Fuzzy Cumulonimbus Cloud on
  • Options
    EvermournEvermourn Registered User regular
    It's important to remember that "It's showtime Synergy". Rio should just get with the program.

  • Options
    emnmnmeemnmnme Registered User regular
    I don't understand why Jerrica revealed her secret identity to her circle of friends but not her boyfriend at the very start. Does Jerrica not trust Rio with this information? Why did she lie in the first place?

  • Options
    Jubal77Jubal77 Registered User regular
    So I guess I wasnt in the norm on turning the channel when Jem came on in the 80s? :);)

  • Options
    ZombiemamboZombiemambo Registered User regular
    edited April 2013
    Whoopsies

    Zombiemambo on
    JKKaAGp.png
  • Options
    jothkijothki Registered User regular
    Maybe I'd understand if I knew anything about the show beyond the basic premise, but why does she lie to anyone?

  • Options
    Knuckle DraggerKnuckle Dragger Explosive Ovine Disposal Registered User regular
    Because her entire career is founded on the visual equivalent of Autotune?

    Let not any one pacify his conscience by the delusion that he can do no harm if he takes no part, and forms no opinion.

    - John Stuart Mill
  • Options
    DiannaoChongDiannaoChong Registered User regular
    jothki wrote: »
    Maybe I'd understand if I knew anything about the show beyond the basic premise, but why does she lie to anyone?

    2 words: hannah montana.

    steam_sig.png
  • Options
    RichyRichy Registered User regular
    I don't understand why Jem is trying to go out with Rio? I mean, she's already going out with him as Jerrica. Is she just slipping up and forgetting which identity she's in or is she doing it deliberately? Is she trying to get Rio to dump Jerrica to be with Jem, or trying to get Rio to cheat on Jerrica with Jem? If so, why? Does she prefer her Jem persona and wishes to pursue the relationship as Jem, or is she trying to break up by getting Rio to cheat on Jerrica with Jem? Or does she love Rio so much that she can't help wanting to be with him no matter which persona she's in... but apparently not enough to tell him the truth about her multiple identities?

    sig.gif
  • Options
    Mego ThorMego Thor "I say thee...NAY!" Registered User regular
    If she can be Jem, why does she ever turn back into Jerrica?

    kyrcl.png
  • Options
    jothkijothki Registered User regular
    jothki wrote: »
    Maybe I'd understand if I knew anything about the show beyond the basic premise, but why does she lie to anyone?

    2 words: hannah montana.

    Hannah Montana has the excuse of wanting to be able to have a normal life. Jerrica, less so.

  • Options
    emnmnmeemnmnme Registered User regular
    Similarly, why couldn't Prince Adam let Orco, Man-At-Arms, and Teela know that when he held his sword above his head and said the words, "By the power of Greyskull, ..." he transformed into He-Man? His friends are sworn to protect the royal family and they're already constantly attacked by Skeletor and his minions - maintaining the secret identity doesn't protect anyone. Just seems wrong to keep that from the people you trust to watch your back.

  • Options
    BSoBBSoB Registered User regular
    emnmnme wrote: »
    Similarly, why couldn't Prince Adam let Orco, Man-At-Arms, and Teela know that when he held his sword above his head and said the words, "By the power of Greyskull, ..." he transformed into He-Man? His friends are sworn to protect the royal family and they're already constantly attacked by Skeletor and his minions - maintaining the secret identity doesn't protect anyone. Just seems wrong to keep that from the people you trust to watch your back.

    Both man-at-arms and Orco knew.

  • Options
    L Ron HowardL Ron Howard The duck MinnesotaRegistered User regular
    Prince Adam's got a worse disguise than Superman.
    Like, all he does is put on more clothing. Doesn't even wear glasses or change his hair style. Both are obviously the same height and build, both have GIANT FUCKING GREEN CATS. Both carry the same sword.

  • Options
    ElJeffeElJeffe Moderator, ClubPA mod
    He-Man had a better tan than Prince Adam. And I'm sure everyone had green cats in that world, they were always just off-screen. Green cats are probably like Eternia's Beanie Babies.

    Also, Jem was just manipulative and was trying to trick Rio into cheating so she could catch him and then demand fancy jewelry as an apology. All those orphange-directors-turned-hi-tech-rockstars are the same.

    I submitted an entry to Lego Ideas, and if 10,000 people support me, it'll be turned into an actual Lego set!If you'd like to see and support my submission, follow this link.
  • Options
    PantsBPantsB Fake Thomas Jefferson Registered User regular
    edited April 2013
    emnmnme wrote: »
    I don't understand why Jerrica revealed her secret identity to her circle of friends but not her boyfriend at the very start. Does Jerrica not trust Rio with this information? Why did she lie in the first place?

    I think it reflects the romantic paradigm that underpins the central thesis of the show. The titular character represents the idealized persona that one seeks to present to the world. Women especially are socially rewarded for constructing elaborate facades that express glamour, attractiveness, celebrity and style, as represented by the fame and adoration that Jem receives. However, she also harbors her true self as an almost "secret identity."

    She is willing to display private self to her close friends, but in a romantic setting her fear of intimacy doesn't allow her to completely abandon her public persona entirely. The romantic relationship is a method for achieving "exciting adventure/fashion and fame" rather than true intimacy. Her inability to commit fully to trusting her beau with her true self rather than her "glittery" identity speaks of the societal dangers of so devaluing honesty and idolizing unreality, and insincere affectation and the deification of entertainment figures (the height of such paradigms). Divining the line between the plastic mask of the proto pop starlet and one's true face becomes increasingly difficult. As the famous theme attests: "Once you're a Jem girl/You're never the same "

    PantsB on
    11793-1.png
    day9gosu.png
    QEDMF xbl: PantsB G+
  • Options
    reVersereVerse Attack and Dethrone God Registered User regular
    Secret identity = super hero = cool

  • Options
    Knuckle DraggerKnuckle Dragger Explosive Ovine Disposal Registered User regular
    PantsB wrote: »
    emnmnme wrote: »
    I don't understand why Jerrica revealed her secret identity to her circle of friends but not her boyfriend at the very start. Does Jerrica not trust Rio with this information? Why did she lie in the first place?

    I think it reflects the romantic paradigm that underpins the central thesis of the show. The titular character represents the idealized persona that one seeks to present to the world. Women especially are socially rewarded for constructing elaborate facades that express glamour, attractiveness, celebrity and style, as represented by the fame and adoration that Jem receives. However, she also harbors her true self as an almost "secret identity."

    She is willing to display private self to her close friends, but in a romantic setting her fear of intimacy doesn't allow her to completely abandon her public persona entirely. The romantic relationship is a method for achieving "exciting adventure/fashion and fame" rather than true intimacy. Her inability to commit fully to trusting her beau with her true self rather than her "glittery" identity speaks of the societal dangers of so devaluing honesty and idolizing unreality, and insincere affectation and the deification of entertainment figures (the height of such paradigms). Divining the line between the plastic mask of the proto pop starlet and one's true face becomes increasingly difficult. As the famous theme attests: "Once you're a Jem girl/You're never the same "

    Or,you know, because The Holograms were her siblings, not her friends, and presumably knew as much about their father's work as Jerrica.

    Let not any one pacify his conscience by the delusion that he can do no harm if he takes no part, and forms no opinion.

    - John Stuart Mill
  • Options
    AngelHedgieAngelHedgie Registered User regular
    Prince Adam's got a worse disguise than Superman.
    Like, all he does is put on more clothing. Doesn't even wear glasses or change his hair style. Both are obviously the same height and build, both have GIANT FUCKING GREEN CATS. Both carry the same sword.

    Because Filmation defined "lazy animation"?

    XBL: Nox Aeternum / PSN: NoxAeternum / NN:NoxAeternum / Steam: noxaeternum
  • Options
    QuidQuid Definitely not a banana Registered User regular
    No Pants is pretty much objectively right.

Sign In or Register to comment.