Has anyone else been a faithful fanboy/girl and freeze-framed Aeon during her little costume transformation scene? I made out all the outfits she's worn in the series, plus: Mongol, Crusader, Civil War Officer, Masai Warrior (one of my favorites), Arabian Bandit - plus a buncha others I can't remember. Wonderful stuff, eh? Does this arouse anyone else's desire to see alternative Aeon-verses set in historical times?

-- Charles Martin (cmmartin@princeton.edu), August 16, 2000

Answers

I always enjoyed seeing Aeon in non-black-leather outfits, basically, anything she wasn't normally thought of as wearing. Leather has always been her trademark and in a way, I think it brings viewers to have preconcieved notions about her. When I see her with a different look (hair down, different clothing, especially as in "A Last Time for Everything"), it somehow makes it easier for me to see her as a complex human being, which I think is a good thing. To keep seeing her as a dominatrix-assassin is a little narrow, I always thought of her as something more, and those unusual appearances help that along for me.

As far as Aeon in historical periods, I'd rather just see her in different situations, not necessarily time periods, but different phases of life. This is why I love seeing her in slacks and a sweater in "A Last Time for Everything" - she does have a potentially non- threatening side. I'd like to see Aeon picking up some milk at the supermarket, getting her mail, things like that. We've seen Aeon at her wierdest, under stress, in battle - let's see the everyday side of her a little more, I say. I can see how these action-oriented events make it easy to explore certain aspects of her, and it was done well, but I find that a lot can be explained through every-day actions.

-- Matthew Rebholz (matrebholz@yahoo.com), August 16, 2000.

I did that, but its not really all that important. It a was a while ago, but if I remember they keep repeating.

Although on a side note, I think that this is my favorite episode.

Reality is only thought.

-- NAdar D. Richards (nadar@BigPoppaPump.zzn.com), August 17, 2000.

Well this was an ingenious idea that never occurred to me! After reading this I went back and did 'freeze frame' the outfits, thank you, one of them she appears to be dressed as a Caesar, with the laurel leaves on her head, and another as a punk rocker with a mohawk, yeah, I always wanted to see her take a time travel, I can see her as a reincarnated Cleopatra, and Trevor as a reincarnated Anthony, and the drama of the Roman setting behind them. Aeon has a timelessness about her character, don't you think?

-- Barb e. (Suesuesbeo@aol.com), August 17, 2000.

I agree, I think, like Chung said, that the setting is mostly not important, except in how it can sometimes instigate certain character situations. I'd be just as excited trying to understand Aeon in any other setting. Despite the sci-fi aspect of the Aeon Flux setting, I think it's actually no more engaging than any other. Like I said, I'd almost rather just see her in some form in our current society. Surely none of her emotional situations need Bregna or Monica to take place.

-- Matthew Rebholz (matrebholz@yahoo.com), August 17, 2000.

I think the setting that Peter created for Aeon Flux is what originally drew me in to the series; it was so fresh and new, and I've always liked an element of the fantastic in my stories. To me, all the character development (verbal & otherwise) and human drama just helps to flesh out that setting. But one doesn't justify or negate the other, they work together creating a synergy of aesthetics, emotion & ideas. I've read scripts with no sense of visuals, that just describe locations as "house", "bar", "store", or "street". But I've also seen movies (5th Element comes to mind) that concentrate entirely on atmosphere, and lack personality. Aeon Flux, on the other hand, took me deep into it's world. So for me, setting is extremely important (especially given the allegorical nature of sci-fi).

-- Paul (gilbreathfamily@worldnet.att.net), August 18, 2000.

However, I do agree with Matthew that Aeon is more interesting as a 3-dimensional person than as just a leather-clad superspy, playing around with stereotypes is something the show did very well.

-- Paul (gilbreathfamily@worldnet.att.net), August 18, 2000.

Kinda dug the spy thing, but the sexiness was what surprised me, when you watch a movie you can think, gee, those actors might really have some chemistry, but this was art! How did he ever create such a strong attraction between two drawings? Incredible!

-- Barb e. (Suesuesbeo@aol.com), August 18, 2000.

Of course I'm referring to the impression of a strong attraction between two drawings, heh heh, lest you think me crazy.

-- Barb e. (Suesuesbeo@aol.com), August 18, 2000.

Funny, I thought you were crazy, although not enough to go Cool World on us... :) I think the actors had a lot to do with it, John & Denise are real professionals, and supposedly had a great rappor in the studio. I wouldn't mind seeing them work together in a movie...

-- Paul (gilbreathfamily@worldnet.att.net), August 18, 2000.

Mmmm, cute Paul, maybe for that I should extend you a free invitation to Phoenix, it's really nice this time of the year.

-- Barb e. (Suesuesbeo@aol.com), August 18, 2000.

Hah! That's funny. I grew up in Chandler, AZ and always wanted to move to Seattle. I wonder why... :)

-- Matthew Rebholz (matrebholz@yahoo.com), August 18, 2000.

Something interesting to note, sex-wise, is that Aeon seems to be a lot sexier in the half-hour eps than she was in the shorts. Not that she wasn't sexy back then, but observe: she wore no lipstick, had flat shoes, had an extremely... insectoid way of moving, even in her facial mannerisms, and her leather outfit, while revealing, was still less provacative than the ones she wore later. Anything I'm missing?

-- Frostbite (mbkrooks@bellsouth.net), August 18, 2000.

Well, as far as her style of gesturing in the shorts as compared to the longer episodes, I think of it as simply a way to communicate in a setting devoid of speech. Lipstick - I hadn't noticed. The heels only seemed to be high in "U or D", from what I remember - but that's minor. As for her costumes being sexier in the later ones, I don't really agree, in fact if you look closely in "Leisure" (in which she wears the standard long-episode outfit), it's actually a little different: the top reveals the bottoms of her breasts, which I assume would have continued into the third season were it not for MTV's broadcast standards (which didn't seem to apply as much to the LTV shorts, for some reason - maybe it was different 4 years earlier, or LTV "fit" the more extreme aspects in their minds?). Anyway... what I notice more about the differences in Aeons is how much better she's drawn and animated in the shorts, with several rare exceptions during the long episodes.

-- Matthew Rebholz (matrebholz@yahoo.com), August 18, 2000.

Just going on from that last pondering. The LTV and MTV episodes were created (drawn/painted) at different studios. I would have to check on that exactly but Peter mentioned this in an interview he did. He went on to say that he was not happy with the animation of the MTV episodes.

-- William (stateofflux@yahoo.com), August 19, 2000.

I got the joke, Barb. Thanks for the offer, but I don't think I'll go to he... er, Phoenix anytime soon, heh. LA is hot enough for the snow dog!

-- Paul (gilbreathfamily@worldnet.att.net), August 19, 2000.

Thought I heard a dog yapping? Huh. I like the way Aeon is drawn in the shorts, she wears pink lipstick, her features are finer, she has the look of a girl at times, young and feminine, as if she is running around in her scivvy's. She's somewhat like a sprite at odd moments, and her movements are quick, which seem to convey greater stealth to me. The whole 'stealth' aspect to me is important, the look in her eyes, her street saavy, her lithe movements, her cunning, her prowess. She's like a sleek jungle feline that catches your stare.

-- Barb e. (Suesuesbeo@aol.com), August 19, 2000.

Of course I'm assuming that it *was* a joke... no offense to those who actually like hot weather. Barb, keep in mind that the shorts were done over a period of two years, twice that of the series, so naturally, they're going to look more polished. And as always, you live up to your name, although I would never try to verbally disarm someone as it's a form of manipulation! Peace.

-- Paul (gilbreathfamily@worldnet.att.net), August 19, 2000.

I wish people would stay on topic with these posts. But who am I to complain? Is it just to make sure that people read your message? Its nice to be on a active post isn't it?

Chronophasia- The symphony of concepts let forth in this episode boggle the mind. Well not so much boggle as stimulate Most of the ideas in this episode hve been talked about at length but I would like to throw this into the water and see if it floats. Does it seem as though the boy like Mr. Goodchild, forces his way on people. He uses his power to give to Aeon what he wants her to have. Puts her into a seemingly unbeatable situation, until she gives up(the breaking of vial). Its a sad episode once you watch it with this angle. You see Aeon as more helpless and weak than she was in "A last Time For Everything". I suppose it adds dimension, but it breaks me. The same thing happens when I see Trevor cry. So supreamly gifted but so fragile.

I am usure if anyone has talked about this before. Please send me feedback either way.

-- NAdar D Richards (nadar@BigPoppaPump.zzn.com), August 20, 2000.

Well, the actual topic to this column is regarding seeing Aeon in historical times, I always find the info people bring up about Aeon to be worthwhile, if you set strict guidelines that way you will only find less will be written. But the points you make about Chronophasia are great, yes, I felt like that too, in fact I forgot that was my original impression of it, she was commandeered more or less into being his mother, and maybe that was a comment on a forced entry into motherhood, (same as David Lynch's comment in Eraserhead, regarding fatherhood)? I remember Aeonfluxfan saying once, "oh no, Aeon a house mom, nooo" and my answer was that I thought it was nice the boy had a mother who loved him, but after I read my own answer and thought, "hey, I see her point," it seemed to take away from Aeon's person.

-- Barb e. (Suesuesbeo@aol.com), August 20, 2000.

My name is almost Trevor backwards, (Trebor)! Aeon's hair forms tusks, like the wild boar. She represents the goddess Artemis or Diana the twin of Apollo. She's of the moon, he of the sun. She of the wild animal, he of the domesticated animal. Apollo is the god of laws and culture, such as art and music. I liked her as a soccer mom with her hair down, less the virgin who couldn't be had. The relationship of Trevor and Aeon (Diana/Apollo) is incestuous, and can't endure.

-- Robert (Robert@aol.com), August 21, 2000.

Well I don't know about that, I'll have to bone up on my Greek mythology :) So insightful Barb, aww I can't stay mad at you...

-- Paul (gilbreathfamily@worldnet.att.net), August 21, 2000.

Very interesting thoughts, Robert. I never thought to look at it that way. Aeon's hair is definitely a prominent symbol, I'm surprised your theory is the first I've heard of it.

-- Matthew Rebholz (matrebholz@yahoo.com), August 21, 2000.

Now that I know Peter Gaffney writes for Daria, (thanks to a certain missing snow dog), I am reminded of it's ending, and the costume changes that resemble Chronophasia's transformation scene. Also, Mat, don't you see where Holly is rather like Aeon in more everyday situations? What more do you want, the back seat of a Chevy?

-- Barb e. (Suesuesbeo@aol.com), September 19, 2000.

I always did place Daria on a high pedestal, I'm afraid I don't watch it much lately, but I've always valued its writing. It can be really funny, and yet serious and surprisingly deep at times. And, I always did like the closing credits...

Barb - so far, I haven't seen Holly hardly at all, much less doing anything interesting. Sure, we've seen her drive cars, but I don't even have a sense of her character, and I doubt I will; after all, she's only a vehicle for advertising. Despite the femme-fatale aspect, I really don't see much of a similarity between her and Aeon.

Also, on second thought, maybe it wouldn't do any good to see Aeon in "normal" situations. As Peter says, the situation is just a vehicle for the characters and what they stand for, and as I think about this, perhaps a more outlandish setting can work better for demonstrating more abstract and formless concepts. A bizarre, science fiction setting like the one we see in "Aeon Flux" is very useful because it takes certain fantastic things like Custodians and demigods for granted. They're useful for carrying ideas to the viewer, and because the setting is already strange, the viewer doesn't need to be distracted by thoughts of bewilderment; it's taken as a given.

-- Matthew Rebholz (matrebholz@yahoo.com), September 19, 2000.