Randall coming to terms with his destiny?

[randallsnape7]

So... Randall has certainly been humiliated and beaten up a lot, he's been mocked and ridiculed, and right now, he's a helpless outcast with no home. While on the one hand, this can cripple and devastate and traumatize a person, on the other hand, all these trials could ultimately prove to be (in hindsight) tests to strengthen Randall's character, fortitude, and moral fiber... to prepare him for doing the very thing he was born to do: Save Monstropolis. Like we've said, a friend is going to have to truly REACH OUT to him and understand him like nothing we've ever seen, but how do you think Randall feels?

Whatever Randall's predicament is, he is going to have to come to terms with himself, deal with his emotions, forgive and be forgiven, before he can let go and focus on the present crisis at hand. In order for Randall to rise, he is going to have to first believe in himself, and so will Mike. What do you think must happen for Randall to walk back into the Monster World with his head held high, with the firm resolution of saving Monsters, Inc. from the evil at large? Usually, people who make any return after being forsaken KNOW that they are risking further ridicule, but what ultimately wins is the resolution to do the right thing, no matter what.

In fact... I have a quote somewhere from one of my Harry Potter books, called 'The Great Snape Debate' (one of my FAVORITE books of all time), which says something along the lines of: "Anti-heros differ from the traditional hero, because unlike the traditional hero, the anti-hero has to make the conscious decision to be good, and while this trait may be in their nature, it has been buried so deeply by life's blows and their own personal bad habits that they're not even sure it's still there... but when he makes that decision, he does so knowing it will cost him dearly, even more so than the hero. Anti-heroes give us the best of both worlds: We get the thrill of following them into darkness, yet we are moved when they reach for the light."

This statement was given to describe Snape's character as an anti-hero, but I also think it can apply to Randall.

[pitbulllady]

That does perfectly describe what I HOPE will be, for Randall. I don't know what it would take for him to get to that place, though. A lot has to happen just for him to be able walk around Monstropolis and not worry about being arrested! Unless he's been declared legally deceased, which means that SOMEONE has to know what Mike and Sulley did, then he's still wanted for conspiracy, at the very least. It's possible that given what has happened to him in the meantime, that a judge could grant him a suspended sentence or even drop the charges and put Randall on a term of probation, especially if he agrees to turn state's witness against Waternoose and is granted immunity from prosecution. But then, Randall HAS to have experienced the kindness of SOMEONE, before he rise to the task of becoming that hero. He has to believe in himself first, and that's going to be a problem. For either Mike or Sulley to accept him at all, he first has to prove himself to them, and in a big way, so you can rule them out for now. I've said before that in order for Randall to survive in the Human World, given that he WILL have serious injuries, someone will need to take him in and care for him, and maybe that person can be the one who will show him the good that is still within himself, help him to believe in himself for once.

pitbulllady

[randallsnape7]

If no paperwork exists on the company scandal, as Roz herself states, I wouldn't think Randall would have to worry about being arrested. That's one of those instances where corners will have to be cut... we, as the audience, will most likely have to wait until the beginning of the last third of the movie to SEE that Randall has indeed changed and embraced the side of good. To follow that with a bunch of legal proceedings would be a drag for the audience, and could possibly take up 45 additional minutes. The last thing the audience needs to see after Randall befriends Mike is a monster judge stepping in just to rehash everything the audience already knows in trial or court proceedings. Monstropolis needs to ALREADY be under tyrannical rule when Randall returns to Monsters, Inc.

Forgive me, but the idea of Randall on legal probation is probably the most anti-climactic scenario I've ever heard. If I actually SAW such a thing in a 'Monsters 3' film, it would tick me off, big-time. For the sake of convenience, Randall is simply going to have to be vouched for, granted clemency, or something. I don't care if it means breaking a few rules, I simply don't see that in the cards at all. The ONLY opinion on Randall that will matter to any viewer will be Mike, Sulley (if he saves Boo), and ultimately... Randall himself.

Also, answer me one thing: What good would a monster judge sentence be.... if that monster judge becomes trapped in a cage by an organized group of power-hungry humans who know no boundaries??? To play it fair, there should technically be no monster LEFT to want Randall for conspiracy. ALL others need to become captured and lose their freedom... except for Mike and Randall. The kind of 'Monsters 3' I would like to see is one that shows the monster world so thoroughly violated and twisted by human invaders that to so much as SEE Randall's face in the moment of crisis will be a blessed relief. No legal proceeding necessary!

The climax of 'Monsters 3' needs to show that the entire future of monsterkind rests squarely on Randall's shoulders... that will make him publicly accepted as a hero by Monstropolis quicker than anything. No one is gonna THINK of arresting or prosecuting Randall if EACH and EVERY SINGLE monster's sorry behind is out of a freaking cage because of him.

[pitbulllady]

The problem is, the audience, especially those who saw MI before MU and had already formed their opinions of Randall being a bad guy, need to see a reason why Randall can just return to the Monster World and not face charges of any kind. To most of them, it's not enough that he was thrown into the Human World and beaten, and that will especially be true if he does bear obvious physical reminders of that experience. They aren't going to buy the notion that Randall can just show up and act like nothing ever happened, just start piecing his life back together and not be held accountable for any of it. Even if we only hear in passing that he did have to face some sort of judgement, it will at least offer an explanation for why he's now free. The only way around that is to have him return in secret, remain in hiding for the most part until he finds out what is going on and reveal himself as the one to rise up against the enemies in some surprise twist. Anyone who suspected him of being back would most likely think that HE was part of the group that's causing the problems, making his actions more a plot twist that at least the other monsters wouldn't see coming, and probably not the audience, either. Keep in mind that Randall himself won't know that the CDA covered up what actually happened, including what happened to HIM, so once he returns, he is going to assume that he's a wanted monster. He is either going to have to stay on the run and in hiding, which is no different than being in the Human World, or he's going to get caught right away, or he's going to turn himself in and face whatever the justice system has in store for him. He is not just going to be able to show up and pick up his life where he left off, as if nothing really had happened. His home or apartment or whatever will be gone. He has no job or money. It's possible that the CDA has actually erased all evidence of him ever having worked at MI, and gotten all his official existence wiped out, as though he'd never even been born, so you can imagine the challenges of dealing with that.

pitbulllady

[randallsnape7]

Clarence Oddbody: "Wait a minute... wait a MINUTE... now, that's an idea! What do you think? Yeah... THAT'LL do it. Okay......... you've got your wish. Randall's never been born." WOOOOOOOSH!!!!!!!!! Randall Boggs has never been born! He doesn't exist! Mike hasn't a care in the world!

Welcome to H U M A N T O P I A :

A HIP, RAD PLACE TO LIVE!!!

(Mike visits Celia Mae at her house.)

CELIA MAE: (sharply) What are you doing here?

MIKE: Where's Sulley?

CELIA MAE: He's serving time in jail.

MIKE: Sulley.... Sulley.... is in JAIL? How? Why?

CELIA MAE: He was ARRESTED... for taking part in Waternoose's conspiracy, and for letting a child into the Monster World. What do YOU care, anyway? James P. Sullivan is a TRAITOR... if you know him, you must be a jailbird yourself!

MIKE: He... he was my friend at college.

CELIA MAE: Oh, REALLY? When was that, Michael?

MIKE: When... when... it was after the Scare Games at Monsters University! He was in Oozma Kappa!

CELIA MAE: That's a lie. He was a part of the ROR fraternity and he humiliated John Worthington clear up to the final task.

MIKE: Did I EVER make it out of college?

CELIA MAE: Barely... your grades were never high.

MIKE: What did I do after college?

CELIA MAE: You're a garbage monster, you FREAK... one of the lowest in Humantopia!

MIKE: HUMANTOPIA? I thought this was Monstropolis!

CELIA MAE: No, you idiot! It's Humantopia! Remember? Monstropolis was dissolved ever since that group of humans seized control of Monsters, Inc., it made news headlines! Monsters, Inc. doesn't exist anymore!

(Loud gunshots are heard, followed by screaming, indicating that another monster has been murdered.)

CELIA MAE: (sighs) Somebody else broke one of those human decrees. Humantopia is such a dangerous place to live, I suggest you get out of here, Mike! We are NOT getting back together... you're too LOONEY!

MIKE: We were MARRIED? But I... I thought you had forgiven me for that incident at Harryhausens!

CELIA MAE: (sharply) What? No, Mike... the very MOMENT you started consorting with that no-good Sullivan over that human girl, I told you that we were through. Now, GET off my property... good-bye!

MIKE: WAIT!!!! Celia... where.... where's Randall?

CELIA MAE: Who's Randall?

MIKE: Randall Boggs the chameleon! A purple monster! HE was the one working with Waternoose... not Sullivan! Where is he? Please... he used to work at Monsters, Inc.! Didn't I banish him through a door?

CELIA MAE: (shakes her head disdainfully) Are you DRUNK? There is no such person... now, I suggest you leave, or I'll call the police.

MIKE: But Celia--

CELIA MAE: GET OUT! I never want to see you again.

(Slams the door in Mike's face.)

MIKE: NOOOOOO! (runs past sleazy businesses)

HUMAN POLICE: "Hey, look! There's our suspect.... follow him!"

MIKE: This can't be happening! This can't be happening!

HUMAN: (points gun) FREEZE!

MIKE: I'm not a criminal!

HUMAN: Resisting arrest? (fires gun) BANG! BANG, BANG, BANG!

(Mike runs away, then stops in a secluded place and starts to weep hard.)

CLARENCE: Don't you understand all that is happening, Mike? It's because Randall was not born! You've been given a great gift, Mike... a chance to see what the world would be like without him.

Oh, and Boo died. She was killed by the humans who invaded the Monster World.

[pitbulllady]

I love it! That's what Mike should get for taking someone for granted like he did.
Speaking of Mike and criminal acts, anyone notice how many times Mike(and also Sulley) knowingly and intentionally break the law in both movies AND Party Central? I'm not even including their harboring of a human child or their illegal "banishment" of Randall, either. Mike especially seems to have issues with authority.

pitbulllady

[randallsnape7]

OHO! You would LOOOVE reading 'The Great Snape Debate'! One the big arguments presented in 'The Case for Snape's Innocence' flipside of the book is that Harry Potter HIMSELF becomes morally ambiguous throughout the series, frequently ignoring rules, laws, and authorities to do whatever it is he feels he has to do. It is TRULY a wonder how Mike and Sulley EVER made it through Monsters University in one piece. Sulley committed a SERIOUS breach of conduct and campus regulation by tampering with that scream machine. Dean Hardscrabble is the one that helped Sulley to see that Mike is NOT as good a scarer he THINKS he is, which is why he cheated.

One of the things I would LOVE to see in a flashback is to learn more about how Randall did at Monsters University. Sure he was kicked out of the fraternity, but I would estimate that Randall was a brilliant, talented, and obedient student who followed all the rules, respected his authority, and tried as hard as he could to be the best he could be. I really don't think there's much that Randall did in his life he would truly consider to be evil, because according to monster law, he paid his dues in order to get to Monsters, Inc., and he NEVER deliberately disobeys his authority once.

This actually brings to mind ANOTHER analogy you may find interesting: This situation between Mike, Sulley, and Randall isn't a whole lot different from Top Gun. Mike could easily be compared to Pete Mitchell (Maverick), Sulley could easily be compared to Nick Bradshaw (Goose - personality wise, minus his death), and Randall is like Tom Kazanski (Iceman). Being 'the best of the best', while Maverick shows off and puts his fellow men in danger, Iceman spends all his time just following the rules and doing what he's told, and he truly doesn't like Maverick's ego. That parody of 'The Right Stuff' shown in both movies signifies that these monsters are 'the best of the best'... that includes Randall Boggs!

Consider THIS: From a moral and realistic standpoint among 'Monsters' fans, children and teens who hope to succeed in life - whether it be college, a job, or a major career - should ACTUALLY make Randall Boggs their rolemodel, believe it or not. NOT Mike and Sulley! Neither one should be considered rolemodels! No siree! I PROMISE you that if any real-life young college student tried pulling all the shenanigans Mike and Sulley pulled while at 'Monsters University' at their own college, the authorities would MOST DEFINITELY expel that student. No questions asked... and people STILL think Randall is evil to the core? NO! I would even go far enough to say that parents of high school teens who are preparing for college should encourage them to take time to study Randall's approach to college, because Randall actually has a healthy, submissive demeanor for a college student which, if emulated and put into practice, could actually do a great deal in helping our young generation succeed in life. Randall's humble admission at his first day of Scare School "I'm so nervous!" is FAR better a mindset to have as a student than Mike or Sulley's arrogance, and I think that in all honsety, it's wrong to promote Mike and Sulley as successful people when they truly don't deserve it... at least as it stands right now. Like I said before: Mike and Sulley are not heroes!

If you step out into the world with Mike and Sulley's attitude, you will CERTAINLY fail...

...but if you step out into the world with Randall's mindset, you actually have a much better chance at success.... because Randall takes his job, his duties, and his responsibilities seriously, which is EXTREMELY important to learn when pursuing a career.

In MU, Mike and Sulley commit the FULL requirements for being expelled from college!

In MI, Mike and Sulley commit a full-fledged felony against Randall, which legally could get them thrown into prison for unlawful expulsion and banishment of a fellow corporation employee, and possibly first-degree murder. If Mike had Randall thrown in EXPECTING him to die in that door, that would make Mike guilty of malice of forethought - pre-meditated murder.

And Disney has the AUDACITY to make us think Mike and Sulley are clean-cut heroes?

Randall isn't so dumb, people! He should be treated with respect!

[pitbulllady]

Mike and Sulley actually commit full requirements for being expelled when they get into that conflict in the classroom, let alone what happens later. I promise you that if any students at any college get into a fight of any sort in a classroom, especially while class is in session, they will be OUT, at least for the remainder of that school term, and they will not get back any tuition spent, either. But Mike and Sulley went one step further; they, or Sulley at least, set off that Scream canister, which was EXTREMELY dangerous! That would be like someone in a chemistry lab setting fire to an acetylene tank in the room! Dean Hardscrabble was very right to have been primarily concerned with safety and grateful that no one got hurt, but there were lots of close calls. That thing actually passes right between Johnny's horns and the only reason it didn't hit him in the face is because he managed to scrunch down in that desk, being unable to get to the floor, his objective, because Chet(who was highly amused by this whole situation-that boy ain't right)had flipped up the little writing platform, trapping Johnny in the desk. The canister actually grazes Randall's chin, forcing his head up and back-THAT is how close it came to decapitating him! Sulley and Mike put everyone in that room in grave danger and it was just pure luck that no one actually got hit, and that is certainly cause for expulsion! Sulley deserves more blame than Mike, because it was Sulley who provoked the entire incident by deliberately slapping Mike's books onto the floor, which should have gotten him in trouble for that alone, but I guess Prof. Knight was too busy observing the individual Scare examinees and was trusting the students to monitor their own behavior.

Mike is not without blame, either. At the beginning of the movie, Mike displays a flagrant disregard of and lack of respect for authority. He refers to his teacher, disrespectfully, by her first name. Even after being specifically told NOT to "cross over the line" onto the Scare Floor, he disobeys, and even taking the "toxicity" of human kids out of the equation, in doing that, Mike put everyone at risk, himself included. It established, though, that he did whatever HE wanted or thought was right, regardless of what the rules said. We see Mike steal a door station key card from another student and use it to break into the lab and enter the Human World, all of which was illegal and dangerous. In doing that, he brought Sulley into that same situation, which could easily have gotten both of them killed or worse, captured by the humans. In MI, we see Mike do that same thing-snatch a door station key card from the folder of another Scare Assistant. He has no scruples against stealing, obviously.

pitbulllady

[randallsnape7]

Unbelievable, huh?

Randall Boggs is actually the best behaved of the three by FAR!