I mean, there’s no question that Mary wouldn’t win, right? Even without getting into the supplementary stuff by other writers, she’s an apparently immortal magician who is easily able to enter fictional/pocket worlds (see: jumping into a chalk drawing).
#As Mary’s job is kind of about creating a cushion of fantasy to ease troubled families through hard times to help the kids grow up to be somewhat decent people, if she were to somehow end up in Elm Street on one of her wanderings, I could see her easily turning Freddy into a Teachable Moment about how nightmares can’t hurt you or how evil monsters appear in stories to show that they can be defeated (as Neil Gaiman or GK Chesterton apparently once said).
Heck in the original books she’s apparently older than mountain ranges, is on first name terms with the primal forces of the universes, and is implied to be God’s nanny. The question isn’t so much who would win, so much as what would Mary do to Freddy to make an example out of someone who intentionally hurts children?
…
That said, as much as I kinda lost patience with the League of Extraordinary Gentleman books years ago, Alan Moore’s dialogue for Mary is excellent.
Also, just reminded me of this fun Paul Kidby art of Susan Sto-Helit, a character from the Discworld novels, who in addition to being Death’s granddaughter is also a former nanny and a very successful teacher of primary school age children.
…Yeah, her character arc kinda takes from from being goth Mary Poppins to goth Miss Frizzle, and that’s just part of the reason she’s great.
Oh my gosh that’s the best way to describe her :D
Also yes seriously, Freddy Kreuger would not stand a chance here
today im thinking about the huge buff bread guy from kikis delivery service. highly underrated guy
Genuinely just a good man. Wife adopts teenage witch that needs a place to stay in the city? Sure. Even though you got a kid on the way? That’s fine. Cat too? Love cats.
My favorite moment with him is when he goes to get some prepped baking sheets and he does this fancy twirl with them in front of Jiji. Like, there’s no other people in the room, he does this to impress a cat.
I don’t think he ever says more than a whole word the entire movie, and I still love him more than most Disney princes based on this one moment alone.
And the part where he wanted to surprise Kiki by making that beautiful elaborate sign OUT OF BREAD to advertise her business and he was all anxious for her to get home and see it
But then when he sees her coming he gets all bashful and runs away 😭
the most underrated thing about the ghibli movies is how deeply they are love stories to working people, to the small folk, to moments of love and kindness. its not just about magic, many movies are about magic and fairytales. Its not only about the people in the stories, but about stories in the people. And they are just loveable.