So, as usual, the episodes are being released out of order. Because why on Earth would they ever be rational and just release a season by order of episode? So, since I’m not going to wait around until all of season 6 is out, here is my review of the episode “Climatiqueen”. I might do a review per episode or I might get lazy and just do a few reviews and just do one long review once the entire season has been released.

We’ll find out!

Season 6 Opening Review

So while I did write a review about the London Special, I don’t think I’ve spoken about the season 6 trailer yet. So let’s do it! Hopefully the next time I write a review for season 6, I’ll remember I already wrote about the trailer and not bore you guys with a rehash.

So, obviously the most glaringly obvious change is the animation. But of course, that is a constant for the entire season. And while it is definitely more detailed and a completely new viewer of “Miraculous Tales Of Ladybug And Cat Noir” might even prefer the updated style, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss the old style. I don’t know how to explain it but it just feels the slightest bit off.

But I think that’s the whole point. The characters have grown drastically since season 5 and the animation is designed to reflect that. And the opening is your first introduction to this thematic change. While the music may have remained the same, the world itself looks darker. A little more grim.

And while the previous opening still conveyed an air of childlike innocence and tomfoolery, that isn’t present at all within this version. Marinette is no longer the clumsy teenager obsessing over her crush. She’s a girl in an established relationship who is forced to keep secrets and lives in a constant state of paranoia.

And while Adrien does seem to notice this, no one really acknowledges her detachment and fear. She just switches straight into Ladybug. And while Alya previously helped her up and guided her towards her crush, Alya’s now the one forcing her to face the real world. She’s the one ruining a private moment by shoving a phone in Marinette’s face.

All in all, it doesn’t bode well for Marinette within this season. While her childhood had already been mostly taken by Ladybug, it seems the last vestiges of clumsy Marinette is now gone. She simply doesn’t have enough space for her civilian identity anymore. She must fully immerse herself into Ladybug, even when the spots are off.

Good Lord, They Brought The Pancakes Back!

I know as a fandom, we love making fun of Gabriel’s pancakes. And while I initially thought Marinette was just throwing shade because she’s a baker’s daughter, were Gabriel’s pancakes actually just terrible? Because what does Natalie mean they lacked sweetness? How badly do you have to mess up to forget to add sugar to your pancakes?

And it’s super telling that Adrien’s the only one who thinks his father’s pancakes were better than his. And it’s just one more reason why I think Marinette made the wrong call by lying to Adrien. At the end of the day, he’s the child of an abusive father. In rewriting history and pretending his father was a hero, Marinette has now made it impossible for Adrien to truly process the harm his father caused him.

His father is a martyr now. Everywhere he goes, he’s still chased by journalists wanting a quote from him. There’s no space for him to acknowledge the evils his father committed against him. And while he can acknowledge he doesn’t have any passions, he’s unable to admit this is entirely his father’s fault. For his entire life, he’s been little more than a puppet.

Sure, he has free will, but that free will only existed so long as his father allowed it. At any moment, his father could simply rub his ring and take away Adrien’s autonomy.

Core Themes Of The Episode: Social Media Can Be Corrosive, And Chloe Bourgeois Is Still Causing Problems

For anyone who disagrees with me blaming Chloe, let’s not forget the fact that she’s the one running the competition. She could’ve easily set rules or disqualified Aurora for bullying Adrien (her childhood friend) and yet she rewards shady behaviour. She’s also still out here encouraging vanity and superficiality. Like come on? How do you judge the quality of a content creator by the number of followers they have?

Chloe had brief moments of humanity and now she’s just reverted to the shallow, rich girl. She thinks of no one but herself. And her only value in life is her own happiness. She’s a waste of the opportunities that were given to her. And of course, I understand she was abused by her mother and neglected by her father. I understand that her parents are mostly to blame for her behaviour.

But she’s also a person in her own right. And making excuses for her bad behaviour doesn’t reduce the harm she’s caused. It doesn’t unhurt the people she’s hurt. And it doesn’t make it easier on anyone.

Final Thoughts

I really liked the episode. While the opening theme got rid of all the tomfoolery of seasons 1-5 trailers, the plot of the episode itself still contained the childish humour of the previous seasons. I especially adore the fact that Adrien and Marinette’s excuses for transforming still haven’t improved after five seasons.

I will never not laugh over the fact that Adrien ran out to get a girl water when there was a sink in the room! Talk about being blind.

And of course, Lila The Liar (or whatever her name is now) is growing more deranged by the day. She’s an efficient villain but that girl is one bad day away from having a complete breakdown. Though of course, considering everything she’s doing, you could argue she’s already having a breakdown.

I still don’t understand her motivations. While with Gabriel, I could at least sympathise with his desire to get his wife back, I don’t actually know what Lila wants. What is her wish? If it’s already been revealed, can someone please let me know?