*Spoilers.*
Obviously, Michelle Yeoh rocks it throughout this film, as we all knew she would. But Ke Huy Quan goes toe-to-toe with her the whole time as he plays the various multiversal versions of Waymond. The iterations of this character are a treat to watch, and when it’s all said and done, Waymond emerges as the surprising heart of the film.
Since I’m covering all the Waymonds here, I’m going to do my best to stay organized and follow the character mostly chronologically. So, we’ll start with the Waymond we meet, the Waymond of the main universe. He’s the epitome of what would be ungenerously called a “beta male.” He’s sunny and oblivious in the face of Evelyn’s stressing about their problems with the laundromat—when she sends him out to “handle” an unruly customer, he winds up doing a singalong with the guy instead of throwing him out—while alternately fretting around when she’s trying to get things done. He knows that their relationship is having problems, but he’s gotten it into his head that the way to get them to take their marriage seriously is to produce divorce papers (possibly because he’s more than a little intimidated of actually sitting down and having a conversation with Evelyn unless there’s an ultimatum on the table?)
Having met this seemingly inconsequential, feckless man, it’s then electric when a Waymond from another universe verse-jumps into “our” Waymond’s body. The jittery energy stills in an instant. This Waymond is confident and controlled. He makes no bones about the weird/embarrassing things he needs to do to access his various multiversal abilities, and in between filling Evelyn in on the major threat to all existence, he shows off his mad kung fu skills with our Waymond’s fanny pack. However, even though this Waymond has clearly done things with his life that our Evelyn can scarcely dream of, he doesn’t denigrate her or view her as less. He explains, as kindly as he can, that our Evelyn’s failures are precisely what make her the one who can save them, because all her wrong choices created parallel Evelyns she can verse-jump to. He’s as patient with her as it’s possible to be when the multiverse is in imminent peril, and when he’s killed back in his own universe, he goes to his death still believing that Evelyn can do this.
Later in the film, in what is plainly the Wong Kar-wai universe, we meet a Waymond who never married Evelyn. After that decision, both of them became far more successful than our Evelyn and Waymond are, and they encounter each other years later at the premiere of one of Evelyn’s movies. This Waymond, the one who got away, is also confident, that Tony Leung Chiu-wai brand of quiet self-assurance. He’s suave and gently dreamy, and he effortlessly breaks viewers’ hearts by telling Evelyn that he’d love her in any universe, under any circumstance.
While her experiences with these Waymonds give Evelyn a different perspective, they don’t exactly change her view of our Waymond, not right away. Rather, she’s wistful for what she could’ve had, holding her husband up against his parallel selves. Her Waymond won’t swagger in and fight to defend her. He won’t sweep her off her feet with devastating romance. But as the film approaches its climax and worlds are breaking apart, he’s the one who steps forward and brings some clarity. He’s confused and terrified, on the verge of tears as he shouts into the chaos, but he doesn’t back down. Here’s just part of it:
“When I choose to see the good side of things, I’m not being naïve. It is strategic and necessary. It’s how I’ve learned to survive through everything. I don’t know. The only thing I do know… is that we have to be kind. Please. Be kind… especially when we don’t know what’s going on. I know you see yourself as a fighter. Well, I see myself as one too. This is how I fight.”
Drop the mic right there. Waymond Wang, championing kindness and positivity in the middle of a fight to the death that cannot be lost. His words reach Evelyn right when she needs them, and they’re the way she finally sees how to pull Jobu Tupaki back from the brink. Without Waymond, Evelyn could not have saved the multiverse, or her family. Give the man a hand!
No comments:
Post a Comment