Miles Axlerod - Blog Posts

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❤️ I think Cars 2 was real start of the 2010s Disney Twist Villain craze…

Previous Twist Villains existed before the 2010s, but I think the reason why it became more frustrating for Pixar and Disney movies in that time was because of one person: John Lasseter. Lasseter had been executive producer on all the Pixar and Disney films with the twist villain: Cars 2, Wreck It Ralph, Frozen, Big Hero 6, Zootopia, Moana, Coco, and Incredibles 2.

While Lasseter was the executive producer on previous Disney and Pixar films with a twist villain (Toy Story 2, Monsters Inc. Incredibles, Meet the Robinsons, and Toy Story 3) he also had a lot more oversight as well. He wasn’t the most powerful man in animation at the time.

I think Lasseter really liked the twist villain and production-timeline wise, he probably suggested twist villains while making Cars 2.

With that being said… I think Miles Axlerod is the smartest in the sense that he never brags about his crimes to his victims. He only reveals himself as the villain when there’s a bomb inches from him and seconds away from blowing him up. Axlerod was smart enough to be cautious, not going to his meetings in-person, using a disguise voice and I think changed his color(?)…

As for the amount of money he probably spent setting up the World Grand Prix as a sham… Well if the 2020s have taught us anything is that being a billionaire doesn’t necessarily mean you’re a genius.

I’m not saying Miles Axlerod my favorite, but I kind like him in the historical sense of animation production and writing, what he’s meant to represent in the movie itself, and for shallow reason of silly/scary fanfics about him. Like in the same way people use Prince Hans (no super powers or soft/sad boy-ism, but manipulation, charm, wealth, and privilege).

💚 I liked crashing into Mia and Tia on the Cars video game because it kind of gave me a glimpse of their personalities. Surprisingly they are different. Mia is more aggressive with her yelling and whining and has more lines than Tia (in the video game). Mia also has a slightly deeper voice than Tia. Tia is more likely to compliment herself (self confidence queen) and whine.

I don’t get why people assume they’re teenagers. Not only is that gross for Lightning… but Mater too since they’re in his tall tales as girls to impress.

Sarge is the underrated hero. Despite calling Fillmore a tree hugger, he clearly distrusts Axlerod’s history of being an oil tycoon enough to switch Allinol with Fillmore’s fuel at the last minute. He may call not trust Fillmore’s organic fuel, but he cares about McQueen’s safety than his bias. There’s also this line Mater said in Cars 3 that while Luigi and Guido were Lightning, they put Sarge and Fillmore in charge of the tire shop. Fillmore gave all the tires away and Sarge was hunting them back down because… you don’t just do that with someone else’s merchandise.

But at the same time, casually brings a cannon to a party when Fillmore asked:

Anyways,

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

TORTURE AND SALLY AND CRUZ! WHY ARE YOU MAKING HIM WATCH!

I know I should’ve seen it coming but it still made me scared!

IT’S HELL IT’S HELL IT’S HELL IT’S HELL IT’S HELL IT’S HELL IT’S HELL!!!!!

OH THANKS FOR THE ENDING! I GUESS I’LL JUST ASSUME THE WORST OF HAPPENED TO THE THREE!

Okay...

Mater, call the spies and get a Maui hook and go save your friends,

Holley, get out the taser and shock the minions and help Mater get them out.

Finn, put eighteen holes inside of Axlerod.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRn2jDfsOsQ

I love it and consider it canon and over-hated.

I know John Lasseter had genuine intentions with it because he loves these characters. I’ve seen the commentary, interviews, behind the scenes thing,etc. He made this because he wanted to. Not because of toys, if it were than I think he’d also own them as well:

The point is that I love Cars 2, I waited five years to have seen my favorite characters again and meet new ones in whatever screen time they had.

There’s flaws, not going to lie, but I still appreciate the movie. When I know there’s flaws and acknowledge them it kind of makes me appreciate the movie more.

I never found Mater annoying. If anything he actually became an interesting character with his knowledge of car parts, how he’s very literal minded like someone with Autism or in the spectrum, and how he’s never really thought about how people see him and it actually does make sense. He’s never left Radiator Springs, let alone the flipping country so of course he doesn’t know exactly how these things. Especially since Lightning doesn’t explain to him exactly what to do and not to do. Not to mention, Sarge, Fillmore, Luigi, and Guido seem to be terrible babysitters if they can’t keep track of Mater for leaving!

Also Miles Axlerod totally started the Disney Villain Surprise thing that Disney’s been recently in the animated canon (King Candy, Prince Hans, Yokai/Professor Callaghan, Assistant Mayor Bellweather, and Te Ka). Except I think he does it best and is probably the most intelligent of all of them since he was pretty prepared if Plan A didn’t work he’d have a back up plan. He also doesn’t show up to his meetings, physically. He live-streams at the meeting and with both a disguised voice and body.

That’s Axlerod’s engine, but not his body color. This is Axlerod just after the crash in Italy:

That’s a darker, grassy green, than the more pale-ish, almost bluish green. The disguise itself must have been design for him to easily and quickly place it on while getting his clutch assembly fixed and then taking it off to go back into the public eye. That’s pretty damn prepared.

Axlerod’s also a pretty amazing liar since he fooled a lot of the characters, including a lawyer (Sally), the spies, and the in-universe media. However, it’s not an out-of-nowhere type thing like Hans as it was foreshadow in a much better way while still keeping it a surprise (in my opinion).

There’s also the fact that unlike the other surprise Disney Villains, he didn’t reveal himself to the heroes due to him thinking that he won, but because he was under the threat of death by Mater. Yeah if you think Mater was basically holding Axlerod hostage with the bomb on him and if he didn’t turn it off, they were both going to die! Keep in mind, Axlerod wanted Lightning dead because he chose the alleged alternative fuel Allinol and thus gave alternative fuel another chance to redeem itself. Since when Mater came with a clearly alive Lightning and accused Axlerod of being the mastermind, Axlerod’s plan at this point was busted. The most he can get out of at this point would be his life and what he made off of the World Grand Prix. But even getting out this with his life is a problem for him since Mater figured it out and isn’t going to let him get away unless the bomb is deactivated. Unlike the other surprise Disney villains Axlerod was at a crossroads of being screwed either way. If he didn’t deactivate the bomb, he would die, (and possibly the spies, Lightning, and Radiator Springs would be arrested):

If Axlerod did than he’d go to jail. Axlerod chose the one where he wouldn’t die.

Mater noticed the bolts that are attached to the bomb on him were also the ones ordered by the mystery engine. An engine that was specifically made for a British car model and one that uses oil. There’s also how Mater specifically says that he DOESN’T leak oil. Axle rod put the blame on Mater because he was literally right next to him when it happened and easiest car to blame, because honestly if Mater didn’t come at that moment Axlerod couldn’t have blame Lightning, as the oil leaker and thus would have somebody calling him out as either a liar or a hypocrite. If it were only Lightning and Axlerod up there and no Mater, who would you assume as someone who leaked oil? The racer or the former oil baron? That’s why it’s easier pin the blame on the silly, hick of a tow truck.

What I’m getting at is while some may see it as stupid cash-grab I do see it as something rather interesting and different, with thought and care put into it. John Lasseter WANTED Cars 2 to be different. He LOVED Mater and saw a lot of himself in the character. He WANTED to do this movie.

Can’t exactly defend him on Toy Story 4 though...

Reblog if you actually like Cars 2

I can’t be the only one out there!

Why are my idea so weird?