Wilt

[pitbulllady]

Originally Posted by antgirl1

Ever since this morning, I've wondered this about Wilt.

Part of Wilt, as PBL says, is like a Father-Figure. Maybe Jordan was thinking of his father at the time that Wilt was created, so maybe Wilt was partically created as Jordan's own father, and another part is the basketball coach Jordan wanted, and maybe the "helper friend" we came to know.

All that pretty much falls into place with what Nina said herself in the movie-many children have a conscious reason for creating an Imaginary Friend, but also an SUBconscious one. She gave a specific example of her creating Eduardo to protect her from the bullies and gang-bangers in her neighborhood, but while he did do that, he fulfilled many other roles, too, that turned out to be even more important. He was a playmate, a gentle babysitter for her baby brother, and most of all, through his cowardice and childlike nature, he inadvertently taught HER to be brave and stick up for herself, so she could ultimately become a tough, no-nonsense police officer. In Jordan's case, he wanted someone to show him how to become a better basketball player, but his actual NEED went way beyond simply needing someone who could teach him how to play basketball. He also needed someone who could help him develop his own self-confidence and build his own self-esteem, and to teach him to, in Jordan's own words, "become a better PERSON". That would mean teaching him things like manners, respect and humility, among others. Traditionally the task of teaching such things to young boys fell upon the father, or if he was not present, an uncle or other close male relative, so given that Wilt became the primary male role model in Jordan's life at that point, it can be reasonably assumed that Jordan's real father was not present. Either his father was deceased, or in the case of Mac and Terrence, had simply abandoned his family, or perhaps he had a job which required him to be absent from the home most of the time, like active duty military, or in the South Carolina Low Country, a commercial fisherman/shrimper. Whatever the case was, Jordan had a strong subconscious NEED for an adult male mentor/role model, i.e., a father figure, and that's where Wilt came into the picture. So much of Wilt's behavior reflects that of a father, from that slightly-condescending manner in which he tries to explain to Goo why a badger version of Mr. Herriman won't do in "Bus the Two of Us", to his blatantly fatherly "Alpha" stance in "The Bloo Superdude and The Potato Of Power"-now who among you HASN'T ever had a parent, especially your dad, tell you, "BECAUSE I SAID SO" when you asked why you had to do, or couldn't do, something? You don't usually hear that from your peers, just from adults in charge. I believe that IF the writers were to really show more of Wilt in upcoming episodes, and let his character development really progress naturally, he will become even more "parental", as his inhibitions and hang-ups about disappointing others or going against the grain start to vanish, finally. Even though it was seen through Bloo's interpretation in "TBSDTPOP", and we just got a glimpse in "Nightmare On Wilson Way", I think what we saw there was the REAL Wilt, the Wilt that Jordan and his brother and neighborhood would have known "back in the day", before that game with Foul Larry.

pitbulllady

[WiltsAKGirl17]

Originally Posted by pitbulllady

All that pretty much falls into place with what Nina said herself in the movie-many children have a conscious reason for creating an Imaginary Friend, but also an SUBconscious one. She gave a specific example of her creating Eduardo to protect her from the bullies and gang-bangers in her neighborhood, but while he did do that, he fulfilled many other roles, too, that turned out to be even more important. He was a playmate, a gentle babysitter for her baby brother, and most of all, through his cowardice and childlike nature, he inadvertently taught HER to be brave and stick up for herself, so she could ultimately become a tough, no-nonsense police officer. In Jordan's case, he wanted someone to show him how to become a better basketball player, but his actual NEED went way beyond simply needing someone who could teach him how to play basketball. He also needed someone who could help him develop his own self-confidence and build his own self-esteem, and to teach him to, in Jordan's own words, "become a better PERSON". That would mean teaching him things like manners, respect and humility, among others. Traditionally the task of teaching such things to young boys fell upon the father, or if he was not present, an uncle or other close male relative, so given that Wilt became the primary male role model in Jordan's life at that point, it can be reasonably assumed that Jordan's real father was not present. Either his father was deceased, or in the case of Mac and Terrence, had simply abandoned his family, or perhaps he had a job which required him to be absent from the home most of the time, like active duty military, or in the South Carolina Low Country, a commercial fisherman/shrimper. Whatever the case was, Jordan had a strong subconscious NEED for an adult male mentor/role model, i.e., a father figure, and that's where Wilt came into the picture. So much of Wilt's behavior reflects that of a father, from that slightly-condescending manner in which he tries to explain to Goo why a badger version of Mr. Herriman won't do in "Bus the Two of Us", to his blatantly fatherly "Alpha" stance in "The Bloo Superdude and The Potato Of Power"-now who among you HASN'T ever had a parent, especially your dad, tell you, "BECAUSE I SAID SO" when you asked why you had to do, or couldn't do, something? You don't usually hear that from your peers, just from adults in charge. I believe that IF the writers were to really show more of Wilt in upcoming episodes, and let his character development really progress naturally, he will become even more "parental", as his inhibitions and hang-ups about disappointing others or going against the grain start to vanish, finally. Even though it was seen through Bloo's interpretation in "TBSDTPOP", and we just got a glimpse in "Nightmare On Wilson Way", I think what we saw there was the REAL Wilt, the Wilt that Jordan and his brother and neighborhood would have known "back in the day", before that game with Foul Larry.

pitbulllady

I think that all IFs are created for a purpose, obviously. Nina explained that fantastically in GWH, like pbl said-- there?s a conscious reason for the IF?s creation, but there?s also a subconscious reason-- Nina created a defender, a babysitter and friend, but also someone who helped her become brave: Eduardo. It would almost be like if I created Wilt-- I would have a friend, but also someone who would help me get my lazy butt off the couch or computer watching TV or writing stories and playing a sport.

There?s definitely an undercurrent of complexity and depth when Wilt is involved in any way, and Jordan is not exempt. He created a coach, true; what he got was that and an amazing friend and LIFE coach. I find it extremely hard to believe that someone could grow up with someone like Wilt and not come off a good person. Wilt trained Jordan well, and not just on the court-- what we saw of Jordan in GWH, you could tell he was humble despite his superstardom and he was very warm. It?s very plausible that Jordan?s father was an absentee figure in his life-- it?s rather doubtful that Jordan would have developed such an intense attachment to Wilt if there was a male figure in his life. In any case, I can very strongly see Jordan creating Wilt as a father-role; I would equate this with me creating a strong female IF after my mother died when I was eight.

I wholeheartedly agree that Wilt is very father-like. He?s extremely patient and helpful, which would be like a father trying his son (or daughter) to ride a bike, throw a curveball, etc. I also agree with the ?Because I SAID SO? line as being highly fatherly-- I?ve heard that line very frequently, often from my father or stepmother. (I will occasionally say this to my friends, but not seriously, as Wilt did in ?The Bloo SuperDude??)

I hope very much that in season 6, the writers put Wilt in more episodes than they did in season 5 and really develop his character. Perhaps placing Wilt in some type of leadership position and letting him grow that way? I would immensely love to see Wilt?s fatherly side come more and more into play, and to see him not be so hung up on making others happy before his own. When I described Wilt to my friend Lauren, I told her that Wilt would bend over backwards for you, even if it killed him, or something to that effect. Hopefully, someday, I?ll be able to tell her that he?s gotten to the point where he?s not so? eager-to-please, for lack of a better word.

If the parental side of Wilt is the real Wilt, as you mentioned, pbl, I?d very much like to see the real him developed and explored. (Obviously, I have high hopes for what I hope to see of season six?)

[Ub3rD4n]

Can I just second the motion that Wilt be included more in S6 for everyone, and have us move on? I'm pretty sure it's what everyone (on this thread, at the very least) wants.

[pitbulllady]

Originally Posted by WiltsAKGirl17

I think that all IFs are created for a purpose, obviously. Nina explained that fantastically in GWH, like pbl said-- there?s a conscious reason for the IF?s creation, but there?s also a subconscious reason-- Nina created a defender, a babysitter and friend, but also someone who helped her become brave: Eduardo. It would almost be like if I created Wilt-- I would have a friend, but also someone who would help me get my lazy butt off the couch or computer watching TV or writing stories and playing a sport.

There?s definitely an undercurrent of complexity and depth when Wilt is involved in any way, and Jordan is not exempt. He created a coach, true; what he got was that and an amazing friend and LIFE coach. I find it extremely hard to believe that someone could grow up with someone like Wilt and not come off a good person. Wilt trained Jordan well, and not just on the court-- what we saw of Jordan in GWH, you could tell he was humble despite his superstardom and he was very warm. It?s very plausible that Jordan?s father was an absentee figure in his life-- it?s rather doubtful that Jordan would have developed such an intense attachment to Wilt if there was a male figure in his life. In any case, I can very strongly see Jordan creating Wilt as a father-role; I would equate this with me creating a strong female IF after my mother died when I was eight.

I wholeheartedly agree that Wilt is very father-like. He?s extremely patient and helpful, which would be like a father trying his son (or daughter) to ride a bike, throw a curveball, etc. I also agree with the ?Because I SAID SO? line as being highly fatherly-- I?ve heard that line very frequently, often from my father or stepmother. (I will occasionally say this to my friends, but not seriously, as Wilt did in ?The Bloo SuperDude??)

I hope very much that in season 6, the writers put Wilt in more episodes than they did in season 5 and really develop his character. Perhaps placing Wilt in some type of leadership position and letting him grow that way? I would immensely love to see Wilt?s fatherly side come more and more into play, and to see him not be so hung up on making others happy before his own. When I described Wilt to my friend Lauren, I told her that Wilt would bend over backwards for you, even if it killed him, or something to that effect. Hopefully, someday, I?ll be able to tell her that he?s gotten to the point where he?s not so? eager-to-please, for lack of a better word.

If the parental side of Wilt is the real Wilt, as you mentioned, pbl, I?d very much like to see the real him developed and explored. (Obviously, I have high hopes for what I hope to see of season six?)

Wilt definitely needs to be more of a presence in Season Six, and not just as background "filler", either. He needs, as you say, to have some more character development, as it is ashame to have such a complex character and simply waste that.

Wilt DID, in Season Five, reach a point a couple of times where it seemed clear that his obsession with pleasing everyone else to the point of not standing up for himself was beginning to wane. He had no qualms about scaring little kids in "Nightmare On Wilson Way", and was quite proud of that accomplishment, actually, and in "Better Off Ed", he not only stood up to Bloo and refused to go along with his paintball scheme, but criticized it outright, most UNapologetically!

pitbulllady

[antgirl1]

Originally Posted by pitbulllady

he not only stood up to Bloo and refused to go along with his paintball scheme, but criticized it outright, most UNapologetically!

pitbulllady

Not quite, PBL. He did say sorry before he criticized it. =P

"I'm sorry, Bloo, but this is the worst idea you've ever had."

[WiltsAKGirl17]

Originally Posted by pitbulllady

Wilt definitely needs to be more of a presence in Season Six, and not just as background "filler", either. He needs, as you say, to have some more character development, as it is ashame to have such a complex character and simply waste that.

Wilt DID, in Season Five, reach a point a couple of times where it seemed clear that his obsession with pleasing everyone else to the point of not standing up for himself was beginning to wane. He had no qualms about scaring little kids in "Nightmare On Wilson Way", and was quite proud of that accomplishment, actually, and in "Better Off Ed", he not only stood up to Bloo and refused to go along with his paintball scheme, but criticized it outright, most UNapologetically!

pitbulllady

Wilt is anything BUT ?filler!? It?s hard to call a bright red IF with one arm, a blind eye and a huge blue 1 on his chest?not to mention as amazing a personality and backstory??filler.? Ah, but I go on! It?s almost like Wilt?s been languishing in a corner somewhere, but he?s waiting for the opportune season six moment to wow us.

Based on what I saw of season 5, Wilt was quite different from his earlier appearances. In ?Nightmare on Wilson Way,? I?d imagine that him scaring the little kids was just for their amusement, maybe a little of his own amusement as a happy byproduct. I haven?t seen ?Better Off Ed,? but it?s great to hear that he?s standing up to Bloo. There?s hope for him yet.

Not that there wasn?t any to begin with.

Originally Posted by antgirl1

Not quite, PBL. He did say sorry before he criticized it. =P

"I'm sorry, Bloo, but this is the worst idea you've ever had."

Well, he could have said that in the context of ?I?m sorry THAT this the worst idea you?ve ever had.? At least that?s how I interpret the statement; not knowing anything about the scene this line is from, I could be horribly wrong.

[pitbulllady]

Originally Posted by WiltsAKGirl17

Wilt is anything BUT ?filler!? It?s hard to call a bright red IF with one arm, a blind eye and a huge blue 1 on his chest?not to mention as amazing a personality and backstory??filler.? Ah, but I go on! It?s almost like Wilt?s been languishing in a corner somewhere, but he?s waiting for the opportune season six moment to wow us.

Based on what I saw of season 5, Wilt was quite different from his earlier appearances. In ?Nightmare on Wilson Way,? I?d imagine that him scaring the little kids was just for their amusement, maybe a little of his own amusement as a happy byproduct. I haven?t seen ?Better Off Ed,? but it?s great to hear that he?s standing up to Bloo. There?s hope for him yet.

Not that there wasn?t any to begin with.



Well, he could have said that in the context of ?I?m sorry THAT this the worst idea you?ve ever had.? At least that?s how I interpret the statement; not knowing anything about the scene this line is from, I could be horribly wrong.

*I* did not mean that Wilt was "filler", or a background character who just shows up at random moments when you need to have someone, as you say, standing in a corner somewhere, but that is how he's been used this season. He really hasn't been important to any plot, other than "Nightmare On Wilson Way". In many episodes where he has been seen, he has no speaking lines, or only one, and in many others, he's been completely MIA.

His personality definitely reflected a change, though. I didn't get the impression that any of the trick-or-treaters in "Nightmare On Wilson Way" were amused by Wilt's little trick. The older kids were completely unimpressed, and the younger ones ran away screaming in terror, while Wilt stood there with that big manic grin on his face, lol! It was more for HIS amusement than anything else! He was also clearly disappointed when that fake arm trick failed to get a reaction from the first group of trick-or-treaters, and that in itself is a first-for Wilt to openly show disappointment in someone else. Previously, he would have more or less faked it and concealed how he really felt, lest his demeanor bring someone else down, since keeping others happy was his primary, if not ONLY goal. Now, it's like he's finally starting doing things for WILT, once in awhile, and is letting his feelings show at last, instead of bottling them in. It's like he's finally starting to acknowledge that HE counts, too, instead of always putting everyone else first and himself last. We got a glimpse of that in "Room With a Feud", which shocked a lot of people that Wilt would really go all-out to get something, rather than simply giving up what he wanted to someone else, because he thought of them as somehow more deserving that he was. I really enjoyed that episode because of that, and I've really been wanting to see more of that side of him.

pitbulllady

[antgirl1]

I relistened to "Here Comes the Sun" by The Beatles, and I began to wonder: Can you see Wilt as a fan of The Beatles? (At least until the Abbey Road album released) I almost certainly could.

[WiltsAKGirl17]

Originally Posted by pitbulllady

*I* did not mean that Wilt was "filler", or a background character who just shows up at random moments when you need to have someone, as you say, standing in a corner somewhere, but that is how he's been used this season. He really hasn't been important to any plot, other than "Nightmare On Wilson Way". In many episodes where he has been seen, he has no speaking lines, or only one, and in many others, he's been completely MIA.

His personality definitely reflected a change, though. I didn't get the impression that any of the trick-or-treaters in "Nightmare On Wilson Way" were amused by Wilt's little trick. The older kids were completely unimpressed, and the younger ones ran away screaming in terror, while Wilt stood there with that big manic grin on his face, lol! It was more for HIS amusement than anything else! He was also clearly disappointed when that fake arm trick failed to get a reaction from the first group of trick-or-treaters, and that in itself is a first-for Wilt to openly show disappointment in someone else. Previously, he would have more or less faked it and concealed how he really felt, lest his demeanor bring someone else down, since keeping others happy was his primary, if not ONLY goal. Now, it's like he's finally starting doing things for WILT, once in awhile, and is letting his feelings show at last, instead of bottling them in. It's like he's finally starting to acknowledge that HE counts, too, instead of always putting everyone else first and himself last. We got a glimpse of that in "Room With a Feud", which shocked a lot of people that Wilt would really go all-out to get something, rather than simply giving up what he wanted to someone else, because he thought of them as somehow more deserving that he was. I really enjoyed that episode because of that, and I've really been wanting to see more of that side of him.

pitbulllady

Oh, I know that you didn?t mean Wilt was filler; I?m just saying that he is not filler as a general statement. Sorry about the confusion there.

Based on what I?ve read about season five, he wasn?t really a part of anything except ?Nightmare on Wilson Way.? But what we did see in ?Nightmare?? was good-- he?s changing. My memory of the ep is rather fuzzy, but I do recall that whole fake arm dealy got one of two reactions-- none or pure terror. In the case of the latter reaction, Wilt definitely smiled. This could go back to the idea that Wilt is very much a father figure-- I can?t speak for anyone else, but I know my dad scared me and laughed when I jumped. He still does it on occasion, too. What dad doesn?t do that sort of stuff for the amusement of his kids?

In the case of the former reaction, however, I can see the difference between pre- and post-GWH Wilt. As you said, earlier in the series, he would have hidden his disappointment that his trick fell flat and got no reaction. I agree that before GWH, he would have walked off a cliff to make someone happy; now, he?d probably not be so willing. He may even flat-out say no. Earlier in the series, he hardly ever-- "never" may be the word I'm shooting for here-- think of himself: look at this line from ?Camp Keep a Good Mac Down:? If it helps, I?ll starve first. This is no doubt much healthier for him than trying to please the whole world single-handedly. It?s also much healthier for him to show his emotions than keep them inside. Based on what we?ve seen in the past, Wilt was the poster child for the Vulcan philosophy ?The needs of the many outweight the needs of the one? from Star Trek III. (Yeah, I just equated Foster?s with Star Trek. I?m strange like that.) Now, he?s not buying into that concept so much.

I really liked the side of Wilt we got to see in ?Room with a Feud.? I don?t see any real reason that he wouldn?t have any desire to tan someone?s hide-- it?d be just weird if he didn?t, considering the fact that he plays sports so avidly. Putting that bit aside? we?ve seen the give-give-give-give some more side of Wilt. We?ve seen the darker side of Wilt in GWH. Why shouldn?t we see more of the competitive, I?m in it to win it, side of him?