A place for those who "Trust the Fungus"

After watching the movie again last week, it hit me just how cold Koopa's affections for Lena are; to the point where they can even be considered nonexistent. Lena’s lines (”All you care about is her [Daisy]!”) and attitudes indicate just how strong her feelings for Koopa are. We also know they have a past, what with Lena being his former secretary and her knowledge of how Daisy came to grow up in Brooklyn.

I've always thought that their relationship was entirely one-sided. Koopa has always only had one love in his life: Daisy's mother, and even then it wasn't a "real" love. That's evidenced very clearly through his transference of the supposed sincere affections onto Daisy.

It really seems that, in the end, they're just selfish desires to join into the ruling elite by being with a Portal-Keeper. At this point Daisy is the only surviving member. His relationship is almost comparable to Gendo Ikari's relationship with Ritsuko Akagi in Neon Genesis Evangelion in that it was purely a means to an end to be rejoined with his true love, the deceased Yui Ikari.

As an adult, I can more clearly spot things like Koopa's attraction to Daisy's mother and his "Lolita Complex" when it comes to Daisy. I'm still toying with the question of whether or not he truly loved the Queen, but I think he probably did. I consider it more than likely that the meteorite probably came into play after they'd either begun a relationship or ended one, and what ultimately turned him into the power-hungry character we see in the film.

I haven't seen Neon Genesis Evangelin yet, but I do know the type of relationship you're referring to. To me - and keep in mind much of the following is inspired by the excessive romantic in me - the Lena/Koopa/Daisy love triangle also bears a strong resemblance to that of Soi/Nakago/Yui of Fushigi Yuugi. Soi was in love with Nakago, whose affections for Yui were carried out purely because she had the ability to help him obtain world power.

Was Daisy's mother ever named?

Peach Blossom wrote:As an adult, I can more clearly spot things like Koopa's attraction to Daisy's mother and his "Lolita Complex" when it comes to Daisy. I'm still toying with the question of whether or not he truly loved the Queen, but I think he probably did. I consider it more than likely that the meteorite probably came into play after they'd either begun a relationship or ended one, and what ultimately turned him into the power-hungry character we see in the film.

From what we've heard Koopa's affections were not reciprocated, but according to one script the two did have some interaction that may have bordered on the inappropriate. It was surely a capital crime to interact with the Queen/a Portal-Keeper as Koopa did.

lalalei2001 wrote:Was Daisy's mother ever named?

Strangely, she never was. Not in any of the scripts. Parker Bennett, one of the original script-writers, helpfully suggested "Queen Bea."

Redstar wrote:From what we've heard Koopa's affections were not reciprocated, but according to one script the two did have some interaction that may have bordered on the inappropriate. It was surely a capital crime to interact with the Queen/a Portal-Keeper as Koopa did.

Yes, I think mutual feelings are more apt to occur in fandom-based universes than on screen. (The creators were careful to keep the movie kid friendly, such as with the case of Lena and Koopa’s “kiss”.) Even though Koopa’s feelings were not returned, the idea of the Queen being attracted to him is something I think could have potentially existed. She was just careful to bear in mind her role and not let herself succumb to any infatuations she may have had.

Redstar wrote:Strangely, she never was. Not in any of the scripts. Parker Bennett, one of the original script-writers, helpfully suggested "Queen Bea."

Oh, I like that allusion to the Grand Funk Railroad song.

Peach Blossom wrote:Even though Koopa’s feelings were not returned, the idea of the Queen being attracted to him is something I think could have potentially existed. She was just careful to bear in mind her role and not let herself succumb to any infatuations she may have had.

Daisy's mother being my favorite character in the film, I find it hard to imagine her having any feelings, either romantic or sexual, towards Koopa. Just taints the pure image I have of her.

Redstar wrote:It really seems that, in the end, they're just selfish desires to join into the ruling elite by being with a Portal-Keeper. At this point Daisy is the only surviving member. His relationship is almost comparable to Gendo Ikari's relationship with Ritsuko Akagi in Neon Genesis Evangelion in that it was purely a means to an end to be rejoined with his true love, the deceased Yui Ikari.

It goes back even further than that. It's also like Richard III's proposition of...Queen Anne, is it?...and her daughter in Shakespeare's play.

Prime Evil wrote:

Redstar wrote:It really seems that, in the end, they're just selfish desires to join into the ruling elite by being with a Portal-Keeper. At this point Daisy is the only surviving member. His relationship is almost comparable to Gendo Ikari's relationship with Ritsuko Akagi in Neon Genesis Evangelion in that it was purely a means to an end to be rejoined with his true love, the deceased Yui Ikari.

It goes back even further than that. It's also like Richard III's proposition of...Queen Anne, is it?...and her daughter in Shakespeare's play.

That sort of love-square could be a common theme in early works, as far as I know. Evangelion just seemed like the closest parallel, at least in terms of my personal resevoir of pop culture to draw from.

Interestingly enough, there's some strong Shakespearian themes within the first movie and its implied backstory. I can draw a lot of parallels between it and Hamlet in particular.