It’s pretty hard to not know anything about Scott Pilgrim. If you don’t know about the comics, then you’ve probably seen the movie, or watched one of the iconic clips. Originally written by Bryan Lee O’Malley, Scott Pilgrim was first published in 2004 as a series of comics following the titular character as he defeats his dream girl’s seven evil exes so he can date her. The comics were later adapted into several different media forms, including a movie in 2010, and a video game that was released in 2021. The most recent, and arguably best adaption is Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, the new Netflix-exclusive animated series. While most adaptations make slight changes to the source material, this new iteration is a radical departure, flipping the narrative on its head. The result is a story that’s free to explore a wealth of previously underdeveloped characters.
Ramona Flowers really gets to shine in Scott Pilgrim Takes Off. The original reduced Ramona to the part of Scott’s literal “dream girl” — her entire arc revolving around Scott and his journey. This portrayal, however, sees Ramona as a complex, three-dimensional person with a life outside of Scott. The show retains her iconic traits that originated in the comics, but with more room to explore her character, they also gave her depth not seen in previous versions. Her interactions with the evil exes take viewers into the histories of these characters and provides a nuanced background to the ongoing conflict that’s lacking in earlier attempts.
When Ramona faces off with her fourth evil ex, Roxie Richter, she faces the cruel way she ended that relationship. We see how the pair met, get snapshots of them as a couple, and witness its ultimate dissolution. Ramona acknowledges the relationship as a legitimate one for the first time in the franchise, and she apologizes for hurting Roxie the way she did. It’s a moment of introspection and growth leading to an emotional climax, as the relationship is treated with the respect it deserves. I found this moment rather cathartic because of how well they handled Ramona’s bisexuality compared to earlier representations.
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off is an incredible exploration of the world around Scott Pilgrim. Characters that were shoved to the side or used as gags, like Knives and Julie, are given more fleshed-out traits and take an active role in the series. The original Scott Pilgrim was very much a product of its time, but cultural shifts have altered the way female and marginalized characters are written, and audiences have renewed expectations. Even the evil exes — festooned with cartoonishly comic book traits and personalities — are given a closer appraisal. While there are plenty of other reasons to watch (the amazing art style for example), the agency afforded the female characters is truly my favourite part about this new take on an old favourite, and gives these women the spotlight they deserve.
