Scott Pilgrim: What it Means and Why you should Care, a Comprehensive Plot Analysis
The analysis below may be controversial--and therefore relevant--but it may not be.
I hope it is and I apologize if any of the following information is obvious to
anyone. It is not my intent to preach to the choir, one reason I'm doing this is
because I'm excited to (maybe) introduce some new ideas to an already established
fanbase.
Well. Here we are. This is an interesting situation I find myself in. I was inspired
to do this in part because of my love for the series, but also because of a
(fairly?) recent parody comic written by an artist I have quite a bit of respect
for, Newground's Hotdiggedydemon. The comic was entitled Scott Pilgay and can be
read here if you really want to see it.
http://browse.deviantart.com/?qh=§ion=&q=Scott+Pilgay#/...
Although the title is childish to say the least and the comic itself isn't very
witty or intelligent, the bit at the end, "If this comic confuses you, you can
differentiate between the characters by observing their personali-oh shit never mind
they don't have personalities," still stings. Of course this opinion isn't backed up
by anything, but the fact remains. Rather than be offended by this comic, I was
merely disappointed. The root of my disappointment was because the artistic merit of
Scott Pilgrim goes seemingly unnoticed—sometimes by its fans. That said: Scott
Pilgrim is one of the best comic books I have ever read. I have read Watchmen, The
Dark Knight Returns, Blankets, Maus,
Every volume of the Sandman, The Preacher series by Garth Ennis...and still I would
put SP on my top 5 list for graphic novels. Hell, it might be one of the best things
I've ever read period. To begin, I'm going to show that the characters are not only
realistic, but extremely multilayered. Next I will say that Scott Pilgrim is one of
the most meaningful and beautifully written works of art I have ever laid eyes on.
You may find that hard to believe, whether you’re a fan or a detractor, but I intend
to convince you in the paragraphs below.
How I got into the series
Before I start babbling on about subtlety and recurring themes, I'm going to tell
you about how I became a Scott Pilgrim fan. Earlier this year, in April, I entered
into my first relationship. To clarify, I turn 19 in January, so yeah; it was a big
thing for me. Even though it didn't last very long, it was extremely meaningful to
me and was a defining moment in my life. Long story short, she broke up with me. The
next month was one of the worst of my life, and I don't know how I would've gotten
though it without my great friends...and then there was Spaced. My friend Ben let me
borrow the complete series on DVD and I think it helped a lot. Not only was it funny
as hell, but I could really relate to what the characters were going through. It is
still to this day one of my favorite TV shows, and the Scott Pilgrim books reminded
me a lot of it. I had seen Shaun of The Dead and Hot Fuzz, but I thought this was so
much better. It was meaningful. I had seen the Scott Pilgrim movie advertised before
and thought nothing of it. That all changed when I heard Edgar Wright was the
director. I had to see it--and since I was going
To see it, I needed to read the books as well. After seeing the movie I wasn't
expecting much more from the books, the movie was really entertaining and
stylish--what I would expect from a Wright movie—but didn't have much substance. I
told myself I was hyping the books up because of Spaced, and that I'd probably be a
bit disappointed. And then I read the books.
Scott Pilgrim and Philosophy
I've read some philosophy before, and I had a class in it last semester. I enjoy it
to some degree, but my main complaint is that it's often impractical--which is to
say: how can I apply this to my life? My personal definition of philosophy then is
deep meaning which is practical and grounded in reality. The thing I love about SP
is it's completely unpretentious. It doesn't force any meaning down your throat and
in fact if you're not looking for it, you probably won't find it.
The Characters
Scott:
The centerpiece of the story, Scott just might be the most complex and interesting
out of the entire cast. It would seem that Scott is stupid, but he's actually not.
And in fact, he shows that he can actually be quite witty at times. He has a short
attention span, is immature in more than a few ways, and is inarticulate by and
large, but not stupid. Scott is also sort of a dick. Not that he does that
intentionally. He's also sensitive (not to others) and insecure. Scott is
intellectually and emotionally immature. He doesn't even understand his own
emotions--so how could he possibly understand those of others? This, along with the
fact that he lacks the ability to express himself in any comprehensible way--make
him hurt quite a few people (Kim, Knives, and Natalie--more on that later though),
even if he doesn't mean to. Scott’s character demonstrates the isolation, confusion
and lack of direction that comes with youth.
Ramona:
Scott's main love interest and the source of one of the biggest themes in Scott
Pilgrim. Ingeniously enough, much of Ramona's past is never revealed--but it doesn't
matter. Her personality and character development speak for themselves. Like Scott,
she doesn't really know what love is, what she really wants, and she lacks a sense
of who she is. One problem that they share is a lack of empathy--the inability to
relate to other people. Like Scott, she has an unwillingness to face her past; in
addition, she has a problem with commitment, which explains the cheating. Her seven
evil exes provide not only the basic layer of the series' plot, but also insight
into her past and more importantly--what type of person she is. One thing it
demonstrates is that she's prone to jump into relationships without thinking. This
is likely at least partially due to an overwhelming feeling of loneliness--perhaps
even depression. This is further shown when she meets Scott. After meeting him only
once previously at a party, Ramona proceeds to succumb to his advances, and becoming
his girlfriend after only knowing him for about a day. She doesn't know anything
about his personality, or his past. We find later that Ramona dated him to try to
change her own life, not because she loved him.
Kim:
Kim Pine is undoubtedly my favorite character in the series. On the surface she
seems cold and uncaring, but underneath lays one of the most nuanced characters in
comics. Throughout the series, she voices her hatred for Scott, but as time goes on
you can tell that it's not genuine. Despite everything that happened between them,
Kim still supports him in all his endeavors. She likes him. Which brings me to my
next point: Kim is a fairly well rounded person, with the exception to the rule
being that she doesn't let people in very often. Make no mistake, because of
everything she's been through, Kim has become fairly disillusioned--which explains
her cynical attitude. However, this is tempered by a high level of intelligence and
maturity. She understands people, especially Scott, and that's why she accepts him
for who he is and forgives him for his faults. Even in the movie, we can see when
Kim betrays her true nature.
"Scott, not that I care, but you should go talk to her (Ramona) before she's gone.
And I really don't care."
If she really didn't care, why would she even say anything?
Wallace:
Wallace is more sophisticated, more mature, more intelligent and more articulate
than Scott. As a result, he often acts as a moral guide. He's the reason Scott broke
up with Knives in book 2. If he hadn't done that, things would be much, much worse.
He gives Scott advice in his relationship with Ramona. He's everything a best friend
(and Wallace is undoubtedly Scott’s best friend in my mind) should be: supportive,
thoughtful, protective (his hatred of Envy comes to mind) and like every good
friend, busts Scott's balls every now and then. In book 4, we can see he cares
deeply about Scott. Besides little things like getting him out of the house during
a heatstroke, Wallace shows his character when their landlord informs them their
lease is almost up. He tries to find the best course of action that would benefit
Scott. Later in book 5, he lets Scott stay over after Ramona kicks him out.
Which takes a great deal of maturity, something unusual for someone her age. Later
in book 6 she says, "I'm happy being alone right now, Scott. I'm trying to learn to
like me. Alone." Maybe Scott and Ramona should follow her advice. This is something
that I've (mostly) learned to do recently. That line reminded me of something my
brother said. He said that before you get in a relationship you should have a good
amount of self-respect--and that you should be happy with your life the way it is.
The others:
As for the other characters, none of them make as much of an overall presence in the
series that the ones mentioned above do. Those that are important will be analyzed
in the individual volumes below.
The Books
Now, onto the main course. What follows will be a comprehensive analysis of books
1-6. If anyone actually has the patience to read this whole damn thing, I'll be very
appreciative. Book 1 is really more of an intro to the series and doesn't have quite
as much depth as the others, so I'll just discuss that briefly.
Precious Little Life:
As I said, what this volume does mostly is introduce the characters and their
universe, however, in order to make my plot analysis truly comprehensive; I need to
address everything, so yeah. The story begins with the introduction of Scott's new
girlfriend, the first he's had in almost a year: Knives Chau, a 17 year-old high
school girl. The questionability (it's a word now, dammit) of the relationship is
greatly reduced when it's revealed that not only have they not been intimate--they
haven't even kissed. In a phone conversation with Scott's sister, she questions his
motives for dating this girl.
"I...I don't know," Scott says. "It's just nice, you know? It's just simple."
"So are you legitimately moving on, or is this just you being insane?"
"I'll let you know, okay?"
Already his uncertainty of himself and everything around is manifesting. In a
relationship like this, he thinks he doesn't really have to worry about feelings,
all those complicated things. But what Scott eventually learns is that it's
impossible to have an uncomplicated relationship. When Scott meets Ramona, he all
but forgets Knives (after learning of Ramona's existence Scott barely even pays
attention to Knives when she's speaking), who at this point has become quite
attached to him. Ramona is attractive, mysterious and of course, someone his own
age.
Despite his desire for simplicity, his desire for an adult relationship is greater.
It's not that he's interested in her purely for her looks (although I'd say that's a
fairly big part of it), it's that he's obsessed with the idea of love (an idea that
has been perverted and warps by Hollywood movies and romance novels). He feels like
having a girlfriend (a REAL girlfriend--Knives thinks she is, but Scott obviously
doesn't feel the same way) will make him happy. Someone to talk to, and spend time
with. This is demonstrated when Ramona decides not to sleep with him after they go
into her place. Scott not only is okay with this, he's kind of glad. It shows his
desire to build a relationship--and not to rush it. In fact, Scott is desperate. So
desperate in fact, that he's willing to her seven evil ex-boyfriends when--in all
fairness--she's not really worth it.
Versus The World:
And here the story really starts gaining its legs. The volume begins with a
flashback to Scott's High School years which I believe is one of the greatest
moments in the series (which sadly, Adult Swim butchered). After getting into a
fight, he meets Lisa Miller. After a brief introduction, they become fast
friends...sort of. Immediately we can see Lisa's interest in Scott. After asking if
he's new to school, she quickly replies that she is too. While this is possible, I
think it's more likely that she's trying to impress him. And of course, she starts
hanging around him all the time. Just another example of characters in the Scott
Pilgrim universe setting their sights on a person not out of genuine interest but
out of desperation. If you don't think Lisa's desperate, look at the guy she likes.
The first time she comes into his house, Scott almost completely ignores her, and
what's worse is he doesn't even remember her. When Scott's in his own little world,
he's oblivious to everything around him--especially the fact that a girl has a crush
on him. Lisa's discouragement is made tangible when she asks Scott one school
morning:
"Do you hate me?"
Even Scott's parents apparently know more than he does when they question his
relationship to Lisa. But Scott, aggravated, says he barely knows her. And then he
meets Kim Pine.
Scott: I think I like her.
Lisa: What?
Scott: Kim P.
Lisa: You like her like her? You barely even know her!
Scott: Uhh...I mean, I'd like her to join our band.
Despite the fact that they just met, Scott is now interested. Lisa, understandingly,
is annoyed--since she's known him much longer. After she expresses this of course,
Scott gets embarrassed and takes it back. I think it's embarrassment rather than
guilt, because if it was guilt he would have to acknowledge her feelings first.
After Kim gets "kidnapped" (later revealed as a Gideon-constructed fantasy implanted
into his memory--check out the analysis for chapter 6 if you want to hear more on
that) and Scott rescues her, Kim joins his band and starts going out with him. The
next four pages (on a personal note) are some of my favorites in the series. It
shows the passage of time, showing the band, Kim and Scott's relationship, and the
fact that Lisa still hangs around (even when they're not doing band stuff), even
though he's dating Kim. And I think this clearly shows her obsession. In one of the
most artistically done comic panels I've ever seen perhaps, it shows Scott and Kim,
in the car (either his or hers), having sex for what is most likely the first time
for both of them. Kim nonchalantly states:
"Listen to this song. This is a really good song." To explain: Generally sex scenes
with couples in movies are portrayed in a certain light. It's a serious step in
human relationships, and as such these scenes try to show the beauty of intimacy and
the love the two people have for each other--and how that enhances the experience.
But that's the thing. Scott and Kim don't love each other. At least not really.
Perhaps they think they do, but it isn't genuine. Kim's offhand statement shows how
these characters don't appreciate the significance of what is taking place. And
thus, they make the mistake that countless young people make. I know you've probably
heard it a million times, to make sure your first time is special and that you love
the person. I don't mean to preach, but it's absolutely true. And that's what makes
this "scene" so crushingly heartbreaking.
Just as they consummate their "love" to each other (a love that no doubt at least
one of them thinks will last forever), Scott moves away, leaving Kim alone. The
implications here are staggering. Then Scott's flashback ends on a quiet note. All
of a sudden we're brought back to present day. Scott sits on his couch, playing
videogames. O' Malley is brilliant, and never falls into the trap of melodrama.
Subtlety is his game, and he's a fantastic player. As mentioned earlier, Wallace is
very much Scott's moral compass as well as his best friend. He forces Scott to break
up with Knives, which, while cruel, prevents further complications and is probably
the most merciful action at this point. Just as Knives expresses her love to Scott,
he dumps her. On the way home, Scott goes to feeling bad about Knives, to thinking
about Ramona within a matter of minutes, showing how fickle he can be.
Ramona has a certain unwillingness to talk about her past, especially when it has to
do with her exes. She lies to Scott, specifically about Lucas Lee. She claims that
she never cheated on him, but when Scott meets him at the end of the volume, he
tells a different story. It's the first hint that Ramona might not be who she says
she is. This furthers my point, that Scott doesn't even really know her. Of course,
it's possible that he's lying. Given his actions though (the fact that he allows
Scott to take a breather and even gives him food shows his sportsmanship and
moderately good nature--unlike the film I might add, which made him into a total
douche), I think he's probably telling the truth. It's not like he has much motive
to lie.
Fun Fact: The Lucas Lee movie Scott and Ramona watch basically has the same
background and plot as Scott's "rescue" of Kim. Most likely where Gideon got his
inspiration.
The Infinite Sadness (Note: I will be incorporating the end of book 2--with Envy
calling and the ending--into my analysis of book 3, just because I think it makes
more sense.):
This is probably the most difficult of the 6 volumes to interpret, mainly due to the
complexity based around the character "Envy" Adams, which I will get into in the
paragraphs below. This (story arc?) begins when Scott gets a call from his ex, out
of the blue. Natalie has called to ask his band to play a gig at Lee's Palace. The
second book ends with The Clash at Demonhead playing on stage, and Ramona telling
Scott that Todd (Nat's current boyfriend) was one of her exes. Once the show is
over, Scott, Ramona and the others go backstage with the band. Throughout the
volume, there's plenty of fighting, humor and vegan police, but the real draw
here--like the last volume--is in the past, not the present. The confusing part is
also here. In the numerous flashbacks Scott has of his time with Natalie, what's
real (Scott has memory problems remember, and that's partially due to Gideon)? And
what's left out? The first flashback sets up all those to come, showing first
Scott's college band: Kid Chameleon (Which Envy was a part of). The following page
shows a short-haired Scott collapsed in the middle of the street.
"Oh God...I'm so alone..." This is referring back to Scott's desert dream in book 1.
This was obviously not a very pleasant time in his life, especially if he has
nightmares about it. Eventually, Scott can't bear sitting across from the guy who
(in his eyes) stole his girlfriend. He lunges at Todd, who uses his psychic vegan
powers to send Scott through a wall. Then we get brought back to the past, this time
it's Scott's freshman year of college. The question I will be asking here is how
much of the information we get from the flashbacks reliable? At this point I'm going
to present you with a theory based on examples in the book and my own logic--so it's
going to be a little less concrete than the rest of my analysis. That said, I'll
continue. One question I find myself asking is whether or not Scott's relationship
changed him, and if so--how much? Kim provides a potential answer in her
conversation with Ramona later in the book.
"I moved down here last year and Scott was...well, exactly the same, but completely
different. You know? Something happened to him. Envy Adams, I guess."
This isn't very clear, but let's try to interpret it, shall we? I think the
relationship between these two characters changed both of them. Nat because of
Scott, and Scott because of the breakup. It's hinted throughout the rest of the
series that Scott wasn't that innocent in the relationship. I think that
Scott--before dating Natalie anyway--was at least a little womanizing. This would
explain Julie's hatred of him. It's suggested that he's had flings with Sandra and
Monique--her two friends. One of the facts that Bryan revealed to the actors for the
movie was that Julie's animosity is at least partially based on jealousy. It makes
sense, just another girl who loved him unrequitedly.
http://collider.com/aubrey-plaza-kieran-culkin-interview-scott-pilg...
I think his desire for love and companionship only came after the breakup with Nat.
I also think that's part of the reason Natalie changed, not because Scott was
abusive (at least not yet), but because he was neglectful, and we've already
established that Scott is emotionally immature, especially when it comes to other
people. Of course, we can see that Natalie has had a history of disillusionment ever
since Todd left that first time (The "They were eleven" flashback). As such, her
relationship with Scott was probably the last straw. In my mind there are two
possibilities here:
Possibility 1): After Todd left, she was stuck with relationship after shitty
relationship. Her hopes for Scott were clearly misguided, and she just lost faith in
other people.
Possibility 2): Something really bad happened to her (which we don't see), and she
needs someone to support her emotionally. Scott is incapable of doing this, so she
loses all faith in other people. Being "Envy" is her coping method.
Either way I think it's safe to say that she's developed a deep disgust for other
people and life in general (Scott only partially responsible for this). Another big
thing is the possibility that Scott has or has had a drinking problem (at some time
in his life). Sure, Gideon may have changed one or two things, but what's Scott's
excuse for the rest of his crappy memory. The New Years party is referenced many
times in the series (by Envy, Stephen Stills, etc.), and I believe it was the main
reason Natalie dumped Scott. Whenever someone tells Scott about the party, (and even
when people just mention alcohol) Scott immediately replies that he doesn't drink.
This is shown to be a falsehood when Scott orders two Gin & Tonics for himself and
Ramona. He calls it a "special occasion", and uses that as an excuse. This would
very logically explain his memory loss.
The following is an example from book 2, but it's relevant enough to justify usage
here.
Ramona: What'd you do after that?
Scott: I...I don't remember.
Ramona: Bull!
Scott: My memory of that year is hazy. I swear to god. Very hazy.
Ramona: As if! Did you graduate?
Scott: I don't remember.
Ramona: Whatever!!!
Scott: So after that, the first real memory I have is, there was this restaurant
that opened way out on Queen West--
Ramona: You remember some restaurant better than your last year of college??
Obviously, it's implied that something happened on New Year's. Whether or not Scott
is or has ever been an alcoholic, it's hinted at many a time that Scott got more
than a little drunk that night. This is a conversation between Scott and Stephen, in
one of the flashback pages:
Stephen: Do you remember the fight you had on New Year's?
Scott: With who?
Stephen: With Envy. You got really drunk.
Scott: I don't drink.
Stephen: Oh right.
Scott: Was this like a fight fight?
Stephen: You don't remember it at all?
I'm thinking the page before that was just before the "fight" and that the two
panels following the aforementioned conversation are a little after. I'm not 100%
sure of this, but I think any abuse Natalie suffered that night was purely verbal.
Mainly because she refers back to that night in book 6, and if Scott had actually
struck her I think she would have phrased it differently. Scott comes back an hour
or so later, sober and with a haircut, but she wants nothing to do with him.
Now you might be asking, "Gee, well wait a minute. Scott's one thing but Wallace and
his sister hate Envy too! You're not trying to say they all have memory problems,
eh?"
Well no, I'm not. But any information they would get about his relationship with
Natalie would come from Scott. The very definition of the unreliable narrator.
Later, Natalie asks Scott if they could talk "Like normal people. Like it used to
be." Scott replies:
"Did we ever talk like normal people?" He actually shows some self-awareness here,
questioning whether they ever had a good relationship. After Scott sees Knives
sitting in the shadows and decides to go over and talk to her, feeling guilty.
Knives: I've had a weird couple of weeks, you know?
Scott: I completely know.
Knives: But I-I mean, I'm not totally happy, but there's no way I'd go back to my
old oblivious self! I like it here. I like all the...confusion and heartbreak.
Scott: It wasn't that bad...was it?
Knives: Scott...yes it was. But I feel like I've learned some stuff along the way. I
know things now.
Knives opts to feel--even if it means pain--as opposed to shutting down. Scott
assures her however that he’s not worth it, something he really believes.
Fun Fact(s): This is the first time Ramona actually admits to some not so desirable
personality traits in the past, when she tells Scott about her and Todd. Also if you
pay close attention, when Kim is talking to Ramona, Kim basically gives away the
plot twist in book 6.
Gets it Together (my personal favorite):
In book 4 and 5 is where the series really starts to cover ground, thematically.
Since book 4 works with a variety of themes, separate sections have been dedicated
to each.
Ramona and Scott:
Right off the bat we have Ramona telling Scott that he's the nicest guy she ever
dated.
"That's kind of sad." He replies, mouth full of burger. And if we've learned
anything about Scott Pilgrim at this point, we know that's true. Fairly early on,
Scott and Ramona have a conversation in her apartment which is quite revealing.
Page 26:
Scott: Whatever! I just like you, so I thought I might try to understand you. So I
thought I might try to understand you.
Ramona: Wow, good luck. So why do you like me, anyway?
Scott: *Chew chew Chew*
Ramona: I mean, I like you because you're pleasant and simple minded...
Scott: No, no, I mean...you're...nice...you're really...hot...I mean that's not the
main thing! But you totally are.
Ramona: Woo.
Scott: And you're...umm...mysterious...
Ramona: I'm mysterious?
Scott: Yeah, I mean, in a good way. You know, alluring.
Ramona: We've been dating for like four months and the best you can come up with is
mysterious?? Shouldn't you know me a little better by now?
To begin with, the question, "Why do you like me anyway?" Implies a degree of
surprise on her part. Just another hint that Ramona doesn't think of herself very
highly. Then there's the fact that Scott is as good as speechless after she asks
him. Scott can't think of anything because he doesn't really love her. He only
thinks he does. And Ramona's reason, "pleasant and simple-minded," isn't much
better. Bryan shows his genius here in the way that often serious moments are hidden
by a layer of comedy. It’s misdirection at its finest. Generally, if you’re
laughing, you’re not thinking about implicit meanings…
Further evidence of Scott's uncertainty is shown on page 141. It's a dream sequence.
The voice he's hearing is likely Ramona's (or rather, representative of her).
Voice: Do you remember the code, Scott?
Scott: No!! I don't know anything!!
Voice: You knew it once.
Scott: I...but...you're everything I ever wanted. Aren't you?
Voice: Isn't that up to you, Scott?
It's clear that Scott doesn't know what he wants. He knows he wants to be happy, but
he doesn't know how. He thinks that Ramona will make him happy--but what if he's
wrong? Like many of us, Scott is looking for meaning. He just doesn't know where to
start.
In this volume, "The Glow," (Gideon's special brand of emotional warfare) starts to
become more relevant. When under the effects of "The Glow" (shown by a halo of
straight lines around someone's head), the victim falls pray to his or herself,
making the person focus on their own problems, and nothing else. It's not exactly
mind control; it's more like something that exacerbates what is already there. After
meeting with Lisa Miller several times, Ramona becomes obsessed with the idea that
Scott is cheating on her (a fear that partially comes from knowledge of her own
guilt--it's heavily implied that Ramona cheated on Roxy).
Later, when he finds Roxy staying at Ramona's apartment, Scott becomes infected by
the glow (which seems to be brought on by extreme emotions--stress, anger, sadness,
etc.) and runs off. However, he runs into Negascott and snaps himself out of it.
Negascott, of course is completely metaphorical in the series. He has no lines of
dialogue, and just appears as a shadowy version of Scott. He represents every
negative aspect of Scott's personality. So when Scott sees him in the story, it's
basically a metaphorical self-awareness. Suddenly realizing what he has to do, and
putting himself aside, he runs back to Ramona.
Scott and Lisa: The implication here then is maybe Ramona isn't the right girl for
Scott. Lisa Miller represents missed opportunity in this volume. When they meet in
the mall, Scott doesn't even remember who she is until she introduces herself--which
shows how much she meant to him. Say what you want about Scott, but he's nothing if
not committed. When he wants to do something, he sets his mind to it.
His relationship with Ramona is important to him. So after Lisa reminds him who she
is, Scott is quick to let her know he has a girlfriend. Lisa's choice of clothing is
very revealing, and we can tell he's tempted by the blush on his face and the way
he's speaking. Later, he's forced to go to Lisa's apartment (Ramona got pissed at
him and Wallace is having a guy over). For the first time, Scott voices his
uncertainty about Ramona.
Lisa: And you guys obviously have something special.
Scott: I guess. I mean, we haven't even said the L-word...she's cool, but she has
her own issues and stuff. Some of them are actually pretty much--I mean, they'd be
dealbreakers if I was just a tiny bit less infatuated, y'know?
Then, in a sort of roundabout way, Lisa confesses what she's always felt about
Scott. Hours later, he wakes up, panicked. He asks if they did anything. In the end,
Scott had shown his determination.
"No we didn't. Because you pushed me away and started babbling about how you're so
in love with Ramona, and I started to cry, and you tried to cheer me up, and we
ordered a pizza and got really loud and then my sister came out and freaked on us.
So we shut up, and you fell asleep, and I went back to the guest room."
Versus The Universe:
The book opens with Scott's birthday, and then transitions to Julie's party. Knives
talks to Stephen Stills, who basically tells her that Scott isn't worth it.
Stephen: You can't still be pining for him.
Knives: I-I'm not! It's just...when he's with her, he seems so happy. When will I be
happy?
Stephen: You know he cheated on you, right?
Knives: Well, yeah, but...
Stephen: He was dating you because it was easy. As soon as Ramona showed up, that
was that.
Knives: I was easy...?
Stephen: He two-timed you guys, and he acted like it was nothing. He's my friend,
but come on. Anyway, it's been what, six months since you broke up?
Knives: Seven months on Monday.
Stephen: Yeah, see? You had a right to know.
Knives: What about Ramona? Does she know?
Stephen says here what I've been saying from the beginning. He tells Knives how
little she meant to Scott. Her last question, however, never gets answered. She
feels that Ramona has a right to know, and that's where the troubles begin. Also,
Knives's comment on happiness suggests that the type of idealized love that Scott
feels is viral. She's waiting for someone else to make her happy--rather than doing
something about it herself.
On starting on page 30, we see that Ramona (and this is a common thing with
married/unmarried couples) is becoming more suspicious of Scott. Even though Lisa is
gone, she can't shake the feeling he's cheating.
Ramona: Do you ever think about her?
Scott: Envy Adams? ...Why would I?
Ramona: I dunno...
Scott: Well, do you ever think about-
Ramona: It's just, I mean...how do you get over it so fast? It's amazing. It's like
a power.
What Ramona is likely thinking here is: "If he can get over her so easily, how
quickly would he forget about me?" Her suspicion is partially based on her knowledge
of herself, and at least somewhat based off the things she and Roxy were discussing
(vol. 4). On page 32, Ramona turns and sees her reflection in the window. Her
expression is one of worry. This supports what I've been saying. Ramona sees herself
in a very negative light, and she doesn't expect much better from anyone else. When
Sex Bob-Omb plays a show at Sneaky Dee's, Knives meets Ramona in the bathroom and
tells her about Scott. Ramona is surprised, but not that much. Knives confirms what
Ramona's been suspecting all this time.
But since she still doesn't have any definite proof, Ramona waits. When Scott
forgets his keys ("Didn't I say I wouldn't let you in next time that happened?"),
Ramona uses that as an excuse to get away from him and do some thinking. Scott uses
Kim to meet up with Ramona (Just in case you're wondering what that "favor" that he
asked her was). After the three of them start talking, Kim goes on about how she
found out her former boyfriend (Jason Kim) was cheating on her with her roommate.
As a result of this, Ramona starts glowing again. Kim notices it, and this is the
first time that the characters really say anything about it. It disappears before
Kim can show her though. That night at another one of Julie's party (It seems like
Ramona didn't really want to go--but she was sort of dragged), Ramona--not really
wanting to be there--decides to spend her time on the balcony, smoking. Due to
recent events, she's not in a very good mood, which causes her to act in an
unusually bitchy way to the people around her. Kyle (one of the twins) comes out to
greet her with a bottle of wine (?) on page 84.
Kyle: We thought you might need this (the bottle).
Ramona: Oh, you know me so well.
(She takes it)
Kyle: There's no shame in being yourself, Ramona. All this, here--this is temporary.
Real life's waiting.
Kyle, (and likely Ken too, since they finish each other's sentences) seems to be of
the opinion that people can't change. Also that people are just bad, in general.
What he's basically saying when he says, "Real life's waiting," is that Scott's
going to turn out to be a douchebag and she's going to be alone again. There's an
awful lot of disillusionment going on in the Scott Pilgrim universe. Then Kim comes
out and snaps a photo of Ramona's head glowing. She shows it to her, and Ramona
denies that she knows anything about it.
"Ramona, come on. If you can't tell me, you can't tell me. I won't be offended," Kim
says.
To which Ramona replies, "Okay...I can't tell you." She knows more about the glow
than she's let on.
After the party Scott and Ramona part ways with Kim. Before she can take the subway
home though, she gets kidnapped by the Twins. When Ken says, "He's important to
you," he's referring to Scott. It may not be obvious, but Kim is definitely one of
Scott's best friends. This and the events that follow in the rest of book 5 and book
6 support my analysis of Kim's character.
Meanwhile, in bed with Scott, Ramona can't sleep because she has one question on her
mind. (Pg. 104)
Ramona: Did you cheat on me?
Scott: Muhh.
Ramona: Scott.
Scott: Yes?
Ramona: Did you cheat on me with Knives Chau?
Scott: What? No. I cheated on Knives Chau with you.
Ramona: Is there a difference?
Scott: ...You weren't wronged?
Ramona: I guess I just thought you were better than that.
Scott: So did I! I just...it happened. I've been trying to forget about it. I'm--
Ramona: You're a bad person.
Scott: --I'm a bad person! You think I'm a bad person?
Ramona: Well, you're a liar and a cheat...
Scott: I'm trying to be better, Ramona. I'm trying to change for you.
Ramona: Great. Good job. You tricked me into thinking you were a decent guy. But
you're just another evil ex-boyfriend waiting to happen, aren't you?
Scott: Are you breaking up with me?
Ramona: I don't want to talk about it.
Scott: I'm sorry.
Ramona: What?
Scott: I'm sorry for being a bad person. Please don't break up with me.
Ramona: Sometimes sorry isn't good enough.
Scott: Ima fight the twins and Gideon and make everything better. Starting tomorrow.
Ramona: Yeah...you do that.
Scott: Don't break up with me.
Scott talks about how he's trying to forget what happened with Knives. I'm
foreshadowing a bit here, but that's one of his biggest problems. The reason people
make mistakes is so they can learn from them. You know that old quote about History?
Well it applies here. Scott also sees himself in a new light after their
conversation. I mean, he has low self-esteem to begin with, but I think that Scott
doesn't know how much his actions affect other people, or at least he doesn't think
about them much.
The next morning Scott gets a text from Kim about what happened and runs off to save
her. Apparently Scott appreciates their friendship just as much as Kim does. When
Scott is losing badly, Kim thinks of a way to motivate him. Kim says that Ramona
sent her a text, and that she's worried about him. However, when she's saying this,
her phone reads "low battery," which implies that she made it up (credit goes to my
friend for noticing this when I didn't). When Scott frees Kim from the cage, the
first thing she's worried about is Scott. I think It'd be pretty difficult--if not
impossible--to dispute that she cares about him.
Scott sets his mind on Ramona and goes home to set things straight. However, when he
gets there, not all is as it seems. Her head is glowing, and she eventually
disappears into thin air. The following is one of the most heartbreaking lines of
dialogue ever uttered in a work of fiction. It's a line that supports everything
I've been writing about Scott so far.
"Ramona, I...I love you, okay? I love you here and now. I don't care who you are, or
where you're from, or...what you did. As long as you love me."
And truth be told, if it weren't for one tiny word (the English language is like
that), this would be a very sweet, romantic thing to say. But he said "are," not
"were." The first time I read it, I was confused. I thought maybe it was a typo. But
it's not. It's not that Scott wants to be with Ramona. It's that Scott wants to be
with someone...and it doesn't really matter who. "As long as you love me." This
shows what a truly lonely and miserable character Scott is. He wants happiness and
meaning in his life and he thinks that will come with having a girlfriend. Someone
he barely knows. Someone not worth fighting for. And then she's gone, leaving Scott
alone again. And that's likely one of his greatest
fears--being alone.
Over the next few days, he's sort of aimless, moreso than usual. He sees Negascott
in the mirror--an overwhelming sense of guilt no doubt, he holds himself responsible
for Ramona leaving. And more of a sense of guilt about everything. Before Kim goes
off to move back in with her parents, Scott apologizes--for himself. She smiles and
accepts it, as if to say, "You don't need to apologize, I know you never meant any
of it."
Prologue to Volume 6:
Honestly, book 6 is not one of my favorites. It certainly has its great moments, and
it's just as funny as any of the previous volumes. However, it gets a bit
melodramatic at times and the satire is a little too much. I'm not particularly fond
of the change in art style (Scott no longer looks like he's 24...), and Scott is
portrayed as far too much of an idiot here. I mean, maybe he's never been brilliant,
but here it's like he's mentally challenged at certain moments. And most relevant to
this plot summary is that volume 6 doesn't seem to follow that closely to the
previous books in terms of character and theme (Scott being one such example).
Still, this is supposed to be comprehensive, and six is part of the series.
Finest Hour:
Early on, Scott has a nightmare in which Ramona impales him into the ground with a
sword, and Natalie, Knives and Kim proceed to eat his flesh. I don't think it's
saying that he's misogynistic, but rather that the opposite sex intimidates and
confuses him. He feels like women exist to torment and manipulate him. This sort of
thing is dangerously close to being misogynistic. Just because he was raised by
girls doesn't mean he understands them.
After waking, Scott goes out to a local bar and meets up with Knives, who has just
recently turned 18. After turning down Scott's "delightful offer", Knives goes on to
talk about how she's gotten over him.
"Scott. I don't want you anymore. It doesn't mean I don't love you. But...I've moved
on. I'm happy being alone right now, Scott. I'm trying to learn to like me. Alone."
Unlike Scott (and probably Ramona), Knives understands the difference between desire
and love. Also, she throws the idea out there that--just maybe--it's not necessarily
such a terrible thing to be single. My brother once told me something that's really
relevant here. He said that in order to be in a good relationship, you need to be
happy by yourself first. This is basically what Knives is saying, and it might be a
good idea for Scott and Ramona to follow her advice. It's amazing to me that an 18
year-old girl is more mature than two twenty-something year olds. It shows that
experience doesn't mean much--unless you learn from it.
That same night he runs into Natalie, who is back in Toronto to play a show for
Gideon. In book 6, we see more of her human side. Despite whatever Scott did, she's
being pleasant with him and making conversation. Scott though, is still acting like
kind of a dick to her. (It's a very common thing for guys to demonize their exes--I
did it at first.) She starts talking about before she started calling herself
"Envy", but Scott doesn't remember.
"Scott, do you remember anything? Like, ever?"
"Well, I remember you breaking my heart."
"The feeling is somewhat mutual. I know I'm changing. We're all changing.
Just...don't forget about me. This is the only me he knows."
There are two sides to every story, and Nat has her side to tell. This acts to
support my theories on volume 3. After seeing Gideon face to face, Scott flees.
Showing once again what a good friend he is, Wallace forces Scott to go on a
wilderness sabbatical and get his head straight. So he goes to visit Kim up north.
She takes him out into the forest.
Scott: It feels like we're alone in the world! No grown-ups! It's like "The Tribe."
Kim: Scott. We are grown-ups. And I have no idea what "The Tribe" is.
Scott: I don't think I'm ready to be a grown-up.
Kim: I don't think you are either, buddy. But hey, you'll get it. It just takes
practice.
In this short exchange, you can see the large gap in maturity between these two
characters. It also reveals another crucial aspect of Scott's personality. When the
eighteenth birthday comes around and you graduate High School, how many of us are
actually ready for college and what comes after? Society expects us to make a very
dramatic change all of a sudden. Once you hit 18, you're legally an adult. Once the
time comes, you have to be ready. O'Malley has shown us the alternative.
Then suddenly, Scott kisses her. For a moment she goes along with it--she still has
feelings for him after all--but then she breaks away. Scott is confused.
"You're so, like, uncomplicated..." Scott says. Ramona's mysterious, and Kim is
uncomplicated. Unfortunately for you Scott, everyone is complicated. As you can see,
he wasn't in love with Ramona at all. He needs someone, and if that someone isn't
Ramona, perhaps it could be Kim. His mind wanders from one possibility to the next.
Kim goes on though to talk about High School, and as it turns out, things are not as
Scott remembered. Scott told Lisa he was moving, not Kim. And Simon was some nerdy
kid Scott beat up so he could date Kim. Confronted with this new information,
Scott's head begins to glow. Negascott appears, and Scott attacks him. The
metaphorical equivalent of avoiding the past. Eventually he listens to Kim and gives
up (faces his past). Scott puts his hands over his face.
"I remember everything," He says weakly.
"I don't deserve to get her back." Scott says, suddenly horribly self aware.
"So fight for her. Earn her back," Kim replies, and kisses him. "That's for luck.
And it'll never happen again." Kim, clearly, is of the impression that people can
change. It isn't easy, but it's possible. Despite her cynicism, she believes in
that.
With that, Scott is off to fight Gideon. It's very probable that when Envy starts
performing at the Chaos Theater she warns Scott about Gideon with the line, "It's
time to start looking behind you..." This would make sense if she saw him in the
audience. And she does say that it's a new song for an old friend...
Scott and Gideon fight, and Gideon kills Scott with the sword of love. Apparently
you go to subspace when you die, because that's where Scott finds himself. There, he
finds Ramona. The things they talk about offer a rare insight into Ramona's
personality.
Scott: But you came back...you came back for me.
Ramona: I...had to come back. But I came back for me.
Scott: So...you left for you...you came back for you...
Ramona: Yes, I'm selfish. I've dabbled in being a bitch. But listen...I came back
because...because I'm always the one who leaves. I could never say goodbye. I don't
want to be that person anymore. So...I'm sorry, Scott. I came back to say I'm really
really sorry.
Ramona moved to Toronto for the same reason (The twins talk about this briefly in
volume 5) she chose to start dating Scott. She wanted to escape from her old life,
start over and be a better person. She thought maybe in a relationship with a good
person, she'd be able to more easily change herself. As with Scott, Ramona believes
she needs another person to solve her problems. Of course, as Scott learned, you
can't just run away from your problems. Also, her never being able to say goodbye is
part of her inability to break up with people (properly), hence the cheating. Scott
uses a 1-up to come back to life, and he and Ramona come back from Subspace to fight
Gideon.
After making both of them glow, Gideon questions: "Who the hell dates seven evil
dudes?!"
Ramona replies that maybe they only became evil after she dated them. And while the
implication is that they turned bad because of her, and Gideon comments on that, I
refuse to believe that someone could turn into a total asshole because of one bad
breakup. There had to be something wrong with them in the first place--perhaps part
of why Ramona dumped them. When Ramona tries to disappear again, Gideon stabs her
and then begins a short little monologue explaining the glow.
"Wow, man. She's been riding the glow into subspace. This makes sense. It's how I
made my millions, buddy. Emotional warfare. Seals you inside your head. Just you and
your issues. And once you're hit, that's it. No cure. It's chronic. But this
brilliant self-hater, she found a way to turn it to her advantage..."
This how Ramona left Scott back in book 5. The glow is a weapon that takes away
empathy from the victim. It's depicted as evil in the story because it takes what
can be considered (and clearly Bryan does) an essential human element. When Scott
says later that he understands Gideon, he's fighting the glow with what it was
designed to rob people of--empathy. This implies that they have something in common,
however that doesn't stop Scott from doing what has to be done.
After defeating Gideon, Scott and Ramona ride the elevator up together. Ramona
actually opens up to him, something she's never done before.
"I guess that's my problem--I'm always trying to beat the clock, outrun the
universe...like nothing can change me, as long as I change first. I feel like I'm in
this river, just getting swept along...and if I hold on to anyone, if I'm holding on
for dear life, I'm not getting anywhere. I'm stuck...I never wanted to get stuck."
At first she's talking about running away from her problems, being able to start
over any time she wants. Kind of more of what I wrote earlier. As for the river
metaphor, she obviously has a problem with commitment. Even with all the problems
they have (between the two of them); they're still willing to attempt to make the
relationship work. This requires quite a bit of faith on both parties, and requires
Ramona to make a commitment. So, they're starting over. And hopefully this time,
they learn from their mistakes.
Conclusions
So, taking into account all the characters and all six books, how do I tie it
together? What are the major themes at work here? What is Bryan Lee O' Malley trying
to leave with us? I answer these questions in the following section.
Romantic Love: Probably the most prominent theme in the Scott Pilgrim universe is
the nature of romantic love. This is extremely relevant, especially since the
divorce rate in the United States is over 50% percent, and divorce is a significant
problem in other countries as well. Why? Because so many people get married,
thinking they love someone when they don't really. Part of this is the fallibility
of man, sure, but a large part of it is false idealism. Love has such a strong
presence in popular culture that it's easy to get confused. Movies, television and
romance novels glamorize love in unrealistic ways, and love is used as marketing
tool. Greeting cards, Valentine's Day, etc. Bryan explores this theme expertly with
his two main characters, Scott and Ramona. Now, I don't think of myself so highly
that I claim to know the true meaning of love, but I think I have a more realistic
concept than most people. And I'm not being cynical either. Love can be beautiful
sure, but it has to be love first. Love, as the series explains, requires a degree
of empathy to work. You need to understand someone before you can love them. Love
isn't magic--it's based on a connection between two people.
Personal Change: Rather than answer it himself, O'Malley has left it up to his
audience to decide. Can people change? An always interesting and practical
philosophical question, one which I have struggled with myself. It would be pleasant
to think that we can, but it's unwise to make such assumptions. Personally, the
question is not so much "can people change," rather "how much can they change."
Because, it’s pretty obvious that you can't just completely change your personality,
but the changing of smaller aspects of your personality may be possible. Changing
aspects of one's life that are unsatisfactory is a given, but can altering one's
life situation alter one's personality? I would say only in a very small way. If
someone hopes to make any serious changes to their personality...I would say it's
possible. It would be extremely difficult and require extraordinary amounts of
patience and self-awareness.
The Youth/Our Generation:
We're the technology generation. Internet, television, texting, Facebook, etc. And
while these advancements have a great many practical uses, they also (like all
things) have the potential to be abused. And while I've certainly spent a fair
amount of time procrastinating on the Internet (even while working on this), I can
proudly say I've never dedicated an hour of my life looking at lolcats, or whatever.
The internet is virtually "everything by everyone," (to borrow Newground's motto),
and as such there's just as much worthwhile content as there is mind-numbing
garbage. Television, while it has some truly amazing shows that rival films, is also
an intellectual wasteland most of the time. Facebook, while a great way to keep in
touch with people you care about, also serves as a monumental time waster with all
the crap they have available. As for texting? It may be convenient, but the more we
rely on text-based communication, the less socially competent we become. I find it
very sad that almost none of my friends ever want to talk on the phone.
"Dudes, I just went to my dad's. He lives in the middle of nowhere. I thought I'd
get my head together and come back in a week or two. You know, like a wilderness
sabbatical. Yeah, but it didn't really work out that way. I just ended up sleeping
all day, dicking around on the internet and watching every episode of the X-Files. I
mean, I tried calling you, Scott..."
When asked where she had been all this time, Ramona unwittingly shows us how
addicting technology can be. And if there's one thing you can never get back, it's
time. Scott does something similar when Ramona leaves him, playing videogames all
day and lazing about doing nothing. There's something to be said about escapism
here. Mainly that you should never want to escape from life. If things are that bad,
you need to make a change--and that requires actually doing something.
But don't get me wrong, I'm not looking down on anyone. I'm part of this generation,
and the things in it effect me about as much as most people. And while our
generation has unique flaws all its own--it's not really that much worse than it was
hundreds of years ago. Despite what your grandparents say, I doubt their generation
was much better off than our own. Bryan Lee O'Malley satirizes the internet
generation, covering a broad range of topics.
One, is the problem of apathy. The definition of apathy is the lack of caring. About
anything. However, those that claim to be apathetic are liars, maybe even to
themselves. Unless you're brain-dead, everyone cares about something. Everyone has
ideas, beliefs and values. They may not be the same values--they may not even be
very good--but everyone has them, whether they admit it or not. Kim Pine for
example, may seem apathetic to those who don't know her well--and perhaps that's
what she wants people to see--but it becomes clear that she holds life in high
regard, despite her cynicism. And at the very least, she believes that most people
mean well, if nothing else.
Perhaps an even better example is Stephen Stills. The following is from book 4.
Scott: If someone keeps one secret, does it mean they probably keep a lot of secrets?
Stephen: Stop. I don't want to talk about anything except Knives and the band.
Scott: Knives Chau?
Stephen: Knives like the one in my hand. Restaurant talk. Band talk. That's all.
Throughout the series, Stephen's interests remain pretty much the same. Earlier in
the same volume, he has a conversation with Knives at Julie's party. From this, we
can determine that Stephen knows what kind of person Scott is, but still remains
friends with him, much like Him. However, unlike Kim, Stephen has different reasons
for this. And back to the conversation between him and Scott in volume 3 (in the
flashback scenes), from that we know that Stephen knows what Scott did on New Year's
Eve. What I get from this is that Stephen isn't very picky about his friends. He
doesn't really care who he hangs out with. He never opens up to anyone, and always
keeps people at a distance. This sort of attitude usually stems from depression, or
a string of bad events. Based on my own experience, people find it easier to shut
down and close themselves off, rather than feel any pain. However, life isn't that
simple. There's no switch you can flip to just turn off your emotions, as many of
these people find out--and often that makes things worse. As a former friend of mine
once said, "I don't think I'm very good at being apathetic."
In addition to the unique problems of this generation, Bryan also covers universal
themes of youth: Depression, confusion, low self-esteem, pain and isolation.
You rock!!
