As a psychologist who has spent years studying and helping individuals navigate their emotional landscapes, I must say that the portrayal of emotions in Pixar’s Inside Out is nothing short of extraordinary. The characters, each representing a different emotion, are not simply caricatures but complex entities with their own strengths, weaknesses, and lessons to teach.
The sequel to “Inside Out,” titled “Inside Out 2, is generating buzz among upcoming films in 2024. It’s rich with feelings, introducing fresh emotions such as Anxiety. She emerges as the film’s most vibrant character. This decision by Pixar appears sensible, considering anxiety’s prevalence across various age groups, from adolescence to maturity. It’s an emotion that resonates universally. Given my personal familiarity with anxiety, I found Pixar and Disney’s portrayal of this intricate emotion particularly captivating.
As a devoted fan, I’ve been pondering over the role of anxiety in “Inside Out 2” and its character portrayal. Anxiety often exhibits behaviors that can be problematic, yet labeling her as the villain might oversimplify things. It’s a complex issue, one worth delving into.
Warning: Inside Out 2 spoilers are ahead. Proceed with caution.
Anxiety Has Some Classic Traits Of A Pixar Villain But Doesn’t Quite Fit The Role
Anxiety doesn’t come close to some of Pixar’s greatest villains in terms of malicious intent. However, she behaves in ways fitting for a villain. For example, Anxiety tries to remove the other main emotions to ensure she can execute her plan to change Riley. She also makes her do bad things (like stealing the coach’s journal). She believes she’s doing what’s best for Riley, but that doesn’t excuse the bad deeds. Her actions also match the qualities of a dictator, at least in the simple sense of taking control and not allowing others to have opinions or take actions against her.
Unlike some Disney villains who act out of malice or self-interest, Anxiety doesn’t function in this way. Instead, it prioritizes the protection of Riley, although its methods may be misguided. Characters like Lotso are far darker and more jaded. However, Anxiety is not driven by narcissism or a need to control or prove superiority, despite sometimes appearing as if it does so for the greater good.
She just wants Riley safe and happy.
Anxiety As An Emotion Can Be Villainous But It Can Also Fuel Greatness
Anxiety is one of the most emotionally damaging feelings. It can stop someone from doing things they love out of fear, hinder growth, and sometimes even change someone’s personality completely. It can cause extremely harmful behavior. Too much anxiety can lead to painful emotions like depression.
However, anxiety isn’t a purely bad emotion. It has layers and some of them can be helpful when channeled correctly. Some anxiety can push people out of their comfort zone and result in major accomplishments. We see this side of it in Inside Out 2. Riley meets Val and her friends because of her worry about starting high school without her middle school friends.
1. If she hadn’t been concerned about feeling lonely, she might never have tried to befriend them. Moreover, her improved performance in hockey is due to her attempts to win over the Firehawks. Riley pushes himself too much, but the concept of working harder isn’t inherently bad. It becomes harmful when it leads to physical and emotional self-damage.
Representing anxiety as a complex character with both beneficial and detrimental aspects provides an accurate portrayal, reflecting its dual nature.
Anxiety Does Some Bad Things In Inside Out 2 But For A Reason
In a statement made earlier, it was mentioned that Anxiety takes drastic measures to safeguard Riley. The main point to remember is that these actions are motivated by a desire to assist Riley, rather than any malicious intent. Although Anxiety’s behavior might seem overbearing at times, it is unintentional. In truth, Anxiety thinks the steps she takes are crucial for helping Riley.
By the finale of “Inside Out 2”, she recognizes her errors and teams up with the other feelings to help shape Riley into a well-rounded individual capable of expressing multiple emotions. True antagonists, however, are unwilling to cooperate as they firmly believe they alone possess the correct course of action.
As a fervent admirer, I’d like to offer a slightly rephrased perspective: A genuine villain remains oblivious to their errors and fails to seize opportunities for redemption, even when it involves saving another soul. momentarily, anxiety transforms into an adversary due to excessive concern. It can unexpectedly taint even the most noble feelings.
She’s Just Another Version Of Fear
My preferred emotion from the movie “Inside Out” is Fear. Given this, it’s understandable that he would comprehend that Anxiety is essentially a heightened or peculiar version of him. At its heart, Anxiety represents another manifestation of fear. As an emotion, it stems from the desire to protect a person from actions that could potentially harm them.
As a follower, I find myself constantly guarding Riley against the risk of isolation, apprehensive about the potential consequences if she doesn’t align with the Firehawks. Every action she takes stems from this fear. One particularly striking scene in the hypothetical sequel to Inside Out involves Anxiety orchestrating a series of frightening scenarios within Riley’s pillow fort, aiming to instill dread about her potential exclusion.
She truly believes that fretting over Riley is the most effective way to ensure her safety. Fear, in essence, is a milder form of anxiety. While fear can sometimes be unreasonable, it arises from awareness of potential dangers such as monsters or fire. Anxiety, on the other hand, can be more unfounded and stems from worrying about future events that may or may not occur, including concerns about Riley’s well-being and possible social repercussions like isolation.
As a gamer, I often find myself fretting over potential encounters with formidable creatures in virtual worlds – let’s call that “Gaming Fear.” Meanwhile, there’s “Academic Anxiety,” which stems from apprehensions about academic performance and the possibility of losing out on future career opportunities. Although they might seem different, they share some common ground – both rooted in the fear of failure or underperformance in their respective domains.
If Anxiety Can Be Seen As A Villain In Inside Out 2, Then So Can Joy In Inside Out
In many instances, people might liken Anxiety to a domineering antagonist as she often seeks dominance over Riley. She persistently imposes her will on Riley and seldom allows others to have command, much like Joy in the movie Inside Out.
In the upcoming Inside Out 2, it’s important for Anxiety to understand that it shouldn’t control Riley entirely. While she thinks her guidance is best, she should allow Riley to feel all her emotions, not just keep Sadness at bay from the control board. Anxiety needs to learn that being the dominant emotion can lead to excessive destruction.
In Riley’s inner world, Joy should take the lead, but all her emotions are essential parts of her being. Interestingly, both Joy and Anxiety share a common journey across the films. Although it is evident that Joy is the central character, her actions may seem questionable to some due to her unfamiliarity. On the other hand, since Anxiety is introduced as a new element, viewers might initially perceive her with caution.
Yet, while Anxiety and Joy may seem different, they share a common need: to comprehend the importance of the full range of human emotions.
Inside Out As A Film Series Doesn’t Villainize Any Emotions
One key theme in the movie “Inside Out” is that every emotion plays an essential role. Without sadness, joy cannot be fully appreciated; joy attempts to construct a perfect world of emotions for Riley by offering only happiness. However, this limitation impedes Riley’s emotional growth.
Essentially, the sequel to Inside Out conveys similar themes. As a result, it’s clear that Riley requires all her emotions, none can be deemed as good or bad. Each emotion plays a vital role in the intricate process of living and understanding life. They are all essential elements that make up what it means to be human.
Anxiety shouldn’t always be seen as something completely negative or evil. It’s not a defining characteristic of her.
It’s clear from the impressive earnings of “Inside Out 2” that there’s a strong chance we’ll witness the reappearance of characters like Anxiety, Joy, Sadness, and others in another film. I’m excited at the prospect of following Anxiety’s development and observing how new emotions create chaos, only to learn to collaborate effectively.
Inside Out 2 is currently playing in theaters nationwide.
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2024-08-01 16:07