Idiocy at its finest
Some of my fondest memories throughout childhood and my teenage years involve going to the movies with my cousins and dad. We’ve purchased advanced tickets, waited in lines on opening day that wrapped around the theater, and rushed the concession stand to stock up on goodies– all of us were very well versed in all things cinema. I’ve been interested in film for as long as I can remember.
While my tastes have changed and expanded throughout the years, the rare excursion [have you looked at ticket prices lately?!] to Malco delights me, especially if it’s a film where the audience’s energy is almost palpable. Most exhilarating of all of these are series…..Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, etc.
Let me tell you one franchise that will never get a dime of my money: Transformers. Michael Bay has made a career of blowing stuff up so I’m sure I won’t have to look far to find something else to satiate my appetite for destruction. Other than Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox I have no idea who stars in them, so it’s no aversion to the actors, though I’m not particularly familiar wither either one of them. It’s not even the premise, either. Machines are cars that turn into robots with mass firepower. Woohoo! Certainly it’s not realistic but I’ve heard of concepts much more far-fetched.
Why do I despise Transformers so? Because the person who stalked and harassed me for years loves it. That alone is enough to make me vow to never watch any of them. I’ll literally change the channel if I stumble across a preview. It makes me sick to my stomach.
Lord Megatron. All I know is that he is a character/transformer/whatever the hell you call them. However, Lord Megatron doesn’t just grace the screen at your local multiplex or bounce around on the pages of your comic books! My stalker referred to himself as…..Lord Megatron. Apparently the arch-nemesis [bookmark this term because I'll revisit it later] of Lord Megaton is some sort of Octagon Prime– really?!– and that was me. Even though I’m cracking up as I type this there’s absolutely nothing funny about it because this deranged lunatic took my peace of mind and did not stop until the police were involved.
In retrospect I realize there were glaring red flags regarding Lord Megatron’s behavior, most of which stemmed from his obsession with superheroes, villains, and comic books. I know plenty of sane, well-liked, and socially adept individuals– of all ages and genders– who collect comic books and have a healthy appreciation for superheroes. This is normal. Who hasn’t emulated a superhero, especially as a child? Not to suggest this is something you should ‘grow out of’…..I know I can’t sit through a Spiderman movie without wishing webs could shoot from my fingertips while I leap tall buildings in a single bound, scale vertical surfaces, fly all over the globe, and save the world on my off day. Doesn’t everyone want that?! I no longer read comics [back in the day I had quite the Betty & Veronica collection] though I certainly don’t think anything less of people who enjoy them, especially graphic novels or those illustrated stories with a more complicated plot better suited for adults.
My problem is when people’s obsession with superheroes, villains, and comics becomes entwined with their perception, thus skewing their version of reality. In the case of Lord Megatron, he was so caught up in his fantasy world he could not distinguish fact from fiction. Not only is this unhealthy but it has the potential to become dangerous. Whether it’s comic books, video games, or anything else– a hobby should not evolve into a delusion. Please do not read this and go assault that geeky heterosexual boy who would not detach himself from World of Warcraft if a beautiful, naked woman was two feet away from him just dying to take his V card….but be mindful of those who do not seem fully grounded in reality. Whether it’s stalkers or rapists or serial killers, I’ve found that there is a noticeable detachment in these types even if these people can retain some semblance of normalcy and function in the world relatively well.
With infinite love, gratitude, and respect,
Sloane [a.k.a. Octagon Prime]
With infinite love, gratitude, and respect,
