Shows
The Legend-Makers“You Don’t Get To Destroy Who I Am”: Guardians, Daredevil, and the Solidarity Within Human Suffering | THE LEGEND MAKERSThis week, we talk a little bit about the universality of human trauma and one dysfunctional galactic superhero family’s efforts to prove healing from it is possible. Featuring a newly-discovered iconic trio of children’s stories, poor delivery of the same Community reference four times, and a reflection on North Stars, join us in this episode as we draw parallels between the two least tonally similar properties Marvel has to offer -- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Daredevil Season 3 -- and hopefully make a good case for why they’re both brilliant stories in their own right.
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The Legend-MakersSoldier, King, and Wise-Man: Archetypes of Positive Leadership in Storytelling | THE LEGEND-MAKERSWelcome to another much to think about episode, where we share some ideas and opinions and conclude with a big ole much to think about! For this week’s topic, we review the quintessential role of character archetypes in the history of storytelling, distinguish between archetype and stereotype, and then delve into 3 of our favourite ones. Join us as Phil and Brother miss the opportunity to make a bad “are you not entertained?” joke, get emotional about Black Panther, and have a heart to heart about Kung Fu Panda in an attempt to pick apart how and why archetypes of pos...2021-08-011h 22
The Legend-MakersSeeds, Collectives, and Omelas: The Hard Problem of Sacrifice in Marvel’s Infinity WarIn this week’s episode, we take a minute to reflect on ways and whys to balance individual autonomy and collective good in a more relaxed conversation about the somewhat contentious film Avengers: Infinity War. How are we defining “good”? Who gets to choose what “good” is? Is there a difference between a person choosing to sacrifice their self, versus a group or institution choosing to sacrifice that person on the group's behalf? And what, exactly, are we sacrificing along the way? Tune in to catch: an accidental spiral on the writing choices made in Civil War, a valiant attempt to...2021-07-241h 27
The Legend-Makers“I Believe We Can Do Better”: Symbols, Social Action and Community in The Falcon and the Winter SoldierIn an increasingly complex and globalized sociopolitical landscape, attempting to take part in meaningful social action can be difficult. It often, at least for us, feels as though we are being pulled in one hundred different directions ... none of which have a clear vision for a better future. So what’s a girl -- or the nicest man on earth and his grumpy cyborg buddy -- to do? Join us in this 2-hour Falcon and the Winter Soldier special as we learn what it means to “reify” a symbol (anything from a flag, to a person, to a single, innocu...2021-07-082h 00
The Legend-MakersChoosing to do Good: Power, Responsibility, Faith, and the Magic of Spider-Man | THE LEGEND-MAKERSSpider-Man: criminal (quoth J. Jonah Jameson), or universal hero? What makes our favourite web-slinging New Yorker such a good role model for personal good? How can there exist in the world a film as unquestionably perfect as Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse? And was it REALLY necessary for Chris Pine Spider-Man to die after only 5 minutes of screentime? We answer these, and other truly earth-shattering questions, on this week’s special Spidey Episode. Join us as Phil busts out her gold-standard Tobey Maguire impersonation and we unpack how and to what end each individual person has the unique capacity, and CH...2021-07-0457 min
The Legend-Makers“I Am A Jedi, Like My Father Before Me”: Fear, Detachment and the Force in Star Wars | THE LEGEND-MAKERSJoin us as we ponder the difference between the light and dark sides of the Force, recite some Lebanese poetry, explore the difference between true detachment and emotionless apathy, discuss some of our favourite character journeys, and -- most importantly -- engage in the evergreen sport of calling Anakin Skywalker the galaxy’s biggest clown. All of that and more in this -- a very special Jedi Episode!
A few logistical notes:
We will be taking a week long break after this episode to prepare for our next 2 installments (a short and sweet episode all about ou...2021-06-191h 12
The Legend-MakersWhy Believe in Love? Wonder Woman, Interconnectedness, and The Dreamiest Turtleneck Sweater | THE LEGEND-MAKERSOn this week’s episode, we follow Diana’s heartfelt movie arc and try to untangle exactly what the basis is for her bold statement, “I believe in love”. We explore the surprisingly metaphysical idea of humanity’s interconnectedness, discuss the dreamy swoop of Steve Trevor’s hair, and ask: why, exactly, should we love others and the world? And, indeed, what does loving others really look like?
As always, please don’t hesitate to comment with any question, ideas, or curiosities. Feel free to like, subscribe and share with your friends, as we continue asking these complex, impor...2021-06-121h 25
The Legend-Makers“The way I choose to respond”: Chaos, Corruption, and The Dark Knight’s JusticeOn this week’s episode, we take a look at elements of stoic and idealist philosophy, discuss the difference between fairness and justice, explore Batman’s position on human nature, and ask the perennial question: DO we live in a society?
REFERENCES
Framework for these Discussions:
Lakoff, G., & Johnson, M. (1981). Metaphors we live by. University of Chicago Press.
"The Carrier Bag Theory of Fiction" -- https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/ursula-k-le-guin-the-carrier-bag-theory-of-fiction
Tolkien on Myth -- https://jenniferjsnow.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/11790039-jrr-tolkien-beowulf-the-monsters-and-the-critics.pdf
Joseph Campbell's "The Power of Myth...2021-06-121h 25
The Legend-Makers“Spring Has Arrived; Let Me Not Despair”: Lord of the Rings, Eucatastrophe, and Really Good Wigs | THE LEGEND-MAKERSWhat is Eucatastrophe? Who does Phil want to be when she grows up? What does Spring have to do with Frodo and the Gang? And is the classic arrival of the Eagles just a convenient plot hole, or does it carry a greater significance also reflected in our daily lives? These questions and more will be explored on this first and very special episode!
Feel free to comment with any thoughts, questions, or suggestions below; we are always eager to learn and improve.
REFERENCES
Framework for these Discussions:
Lakoff, G...2021-06-121h 23