Elemental: A tour around the world of Compromise

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Movie Production

Elemental is a 2023 romantic and comedy animation co-produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studio. The story borders on growth, compromise, love and courage, like its title, the characters include elements of Fire, water, air and land. Elemental is a depiction of the typical life issues young adults are faced with, in their pursuit for satisfaction and happiness.

Plot Summary

Elemental is a story of two fire couples, Bernie and Carmen who suffer elemental discrimination as a result of their migration from Fire City to a place where other elements (water, Air and land) reside, the Element City. This couple later had a girl child whom they named Ember. The fire couple endures different cases of discrimination from the other elements in the city. Ember, a spirited and fiery young lady is determined to help her aging Father, Bernie and take over his business which he started when they moved to Element City. Going on, Wade, a water guy coincidentally meets with Ember, the fire young lady. They become friends and their relationship evolves from there. Along the way, they encounter interracial problems which threaten their relationship. But, they realize how much love and compromise can push things to work. They overcome their challenges and find their purpose together as an item.

Well-blended elements mix

Elements do not mix in actuality but, symbolically. Yes. Elements do mix when they’re well blended. Ember and Wade are fine examples of well-blended elements that later mix. Ember says to Wade in one of their conversations “I could vaporize you, you could extinguish me” but Wade makes a counterclaim and says “I know but, let’s start small” Quite surprisingly, Wade unusually displays courage, being the boring guy, as opposed to Ember who is mostly bold and fierce. Going on, Ember's Father learns about the little thing going on between his Fire girl and the water guy. Things get a little messy between these lovers as they forge ahead in their newly discovered path of love.

There are many stories of young lovers who find each other at their lowest and from their worlds apart, stories of a very rich heiress falling in love with a young handsome but, poor man. Romance stories might have evolved but, one thing that hasn’t changed is the fact that love happens in the most unusual places and ways. Ember and Wade meet as a result of damage caused by Ember in her Father's Fireplace. Wade, being a City inspector finds out about this damage and proceeds to give her tickets which were submitted after. This would lead to the place's eventual closure.

Ember shows Wade why he should not submit the tickets right after he had submitted them. Wade reasons with Ember and decided to get the tickets back. While Wade and Ember try to get the tickets back, they get to know each other better and Wade begins to develop feelings for Ember.

 

Like Ember and Wade, we are mostly Fire and Water

 Carmen, Ember's Mother who is capable of “smelling” emotions detects that Ember and Wade are in love. She goes on to perform a small ritual on the young lovers, confirming their love for each other. However, she maintains that “Fire and water can not be together. This breaks Wade's heart but, still determined, he holds on to the tiny line holding him close to Ember. On the flip side, do not let anyone tell you that you can’t be with somebody; no gree!

On one of their love escapades, Ember and Wade try to touch, it hurts at first but, they try again and they realise they can touch. Quite unbelievable for them both but,  they get a new surge of hope to move further on with their love lives.

This is a relatable tale of most young lovers who find it difficult at first to make their love work but,  later find out they have so much in common. Nigeria is a nation of over 250 ethnicities, we have a lot of cross-ethic marriages and families have evolved from those marriages. This is a pointer to the fact that a lot of things do not even matter in the grand scheme of life, love is the utmost.

Public Proposals; a sweet nothing

 Public proposals are cute and lovely, especially when there are people around to chant “Yes” on behalf of the lady. However, several young people have opined that public proposals are usually just an encore for sore sights, it either goes well or, the lady decides to throw the proposal cake in the man’s face if she decides not to slap him off his knees.

Wade decides to propose to Ember but, she turns him down at the fireplace with a lot of fire individuals around,   because she does not want to disappoint her father and abandon Fire place. Although she doesn’t want to run the fireplace, she maintains that she will fulfil her promise of taking over the place and running it so, her father retires

 

The heart wants what it wants

“I do not want to run fire place” Ember finally opens up to her father. Her Father is disappointed but, he understands that Ember is young and she has to do what she wants. Ember displays great artistic skills with her fire, she makes objects from different elements by welding them together with her flame. Wade finds this skill interesting and encourages her to pursue a career in it.

Subsequently, Wade's family helps Ember secure a job in a company outside Element City but, Ember angrily turns down the offer stating that her father's Fireplace is the ultimate. This breaks Wade's heart a little more. Wade's Family supports Ember fully and encourages Wade to go after her and make it work.

 

Peak of the Epic

Ember finally takes over her father's fireplace but,  the water pipe there gets damaged and bursts thereafter. This leads to a ruckus as The place is washed down to nothing. However, Ember unyieldingly goes after her Father's blue flame so, water does not quench it. Wade steps up to save the day as he recovers the blue flame being a water guy and ultimately saves Ember and her family. Bernie is touched by this young man's deep affection for his daughter even after she turns him down. This softens his heart towards the young water guy but, by this time, the intense heat at the fireplace vaporizes Wade. He leaves an indelible impression on Ember’s Family. Did Wade return? Get a Netflix login and find out!

Now, why have you not fallen in love?