Tucker is unsympathetically the butt monkey. All the emotional and physical abuse he gets in the series are often played for laughs, but it’s sad to think he only gets two measly episodes focused directly on his character arc. It’s no surprise he acts the way he feels in a lot of situation he himself cannot control.
Despite his limited time on the spotlight, said two episodes keenly focus on the inner desires and corrupted nature of Tucker’s inferior complexities, even if "King Tuck" isn’t as well put together as this episode. "What You Want" is a simple masterpiece that takes advantage of Tucker’s personality, expanding it to create a better, three-dimensional being.
Imagine, if you will, that you’re a normal being with no extraordinary abilities. Tucker may have Einstein-levels of computer hacking, but compared to Danny’s ghost powers, his skills are common, dull, and plentiful—especially in this age of computers. Now imagine how Tucker must feel that his best friend since childhood suddenly turns into this unique, completely different, but in his eyes, totally awesome half-ghost hero. While he admires in awe, Tucker slowly begins to realize his equal friend isn’t so equal after all. They shared, did, and had everything in common or at least enough to balance one another while tuning out their differences. By the end of the accident, Danny got something Tucker can’t ever get. Suddenly, he isn’t Danny Fenton: normal best friend "since forever", he’s Danny Phantom, alter-ego supercharged hero extravaganza!
Constantly bullied and picked on, ignored by the higher ups and the ladies he desires, Tucker sees Danny getting these powers as the final straw. He’s had to endure a lot of shit, but he at least had Danny to confine him with. It’s become clear that even Danny is distancing himself in his eyes, playing and acting the role of a far superior figure that ranks him next to or above the popular socials Tucker frustratingly had to struggle with. It's a kick in the teeth, insult to injury, and just to top it, more infuriating then paper cuts. Oh, sure, Danny suffered the same, but he has ghost powers! He will eventually gain the admiration of millions and even a few love interests. To Tucker, Danny IS superior. Their equality dropped and he’s had enough of it. Danny's the guy who saves people and gets praised for. In Tucker's eyes, he's pridefully flaunting his powers. Danny may have apologized for the last, but his "show-off" is mostly in Tucker’s head as he embellishses and exaggerates out of spite. Why should his best friend be the chosen one? Why can’t it be him who has all the fancy powers? Why couldn’t it have been someone else? As each day passes, his jealously increases, and with it, their friendship.
Naturally, when he gains his own ghost powers, Tucker easily takes advantage of it and uses it to his leisure. Not the type to play hero, pranks gets him through his immature fourteen-year-old mind. Therein lies the problem. He doesn’t care how and who gave it to him, he doesn’t care if it creates wanton destruction, he doesn’t care if he hurts his best friends’ feelings; in his eyes, he is now the superior being, thus he’s allowed to create mayhem and havoc. But Danny, ever the hero, and having learned his lesson, knows there is always karmic justification for this kind of harassment. Tucker goes through a Dark Arc as much as Danny’s, but cleverly inserted differently. Danny must figure out a way to adapt his technique for the good of the world. Tucker must learn to control and surpass his vice and easily corrupted nature. Danny eventually succeeds over his, but not Tucker. Despite his goofy exterior, Tucker has a much harder time letting go of his sins.
The episode does a marvelous exploration on the concept of inner and outer desires, tainted treachery and vice, and importantly, friendship, something Tucker almost gave up because he selfishly couldn’t control his urges. Though he’s usually the most loyal of the trio, Danny proved he, too, can fit that bandwagon when he refuses to give up. Their arguments and eventual reconciliation were well done; heartwarming without being sappy. Rickey D’Shon Collins marvelously captured Tucker’s frustration, managing to balance his squeaky voice with a much deeper tone as he got angrier. It’s short and subtle, and possibly miss able, but brilliant. My only complaint is how cheap and ineffective Danny managed to turn Tucker back. Instead of a cliché, but appropriate friendship speech, Danny cheaply pushes Tucker into the Fenton Ghostcatcher to change him back. Tucker’s Aesop felt flat and automatic as a result.
The animation is par the norm. What is visually striking are the flashback sequences depicting Desiree’s origins; colorfully drawn in an oil paint setting instead of the often-used-for-flashbacks Sepia-tones. My major nitpick is the way the animators draw sick character. Sweats coming and sticking onto their faces is just visually bothersome and disturbing. Even so, I was irritated they forgot to keep up that artistic appearance when Danny started to get the chills. Come on, at least keep the droopy eyes.
Desiree herself is absolutely gorgeous; long flowing hair, beautiful integration of green and blue (and it’s usually a color combination I think clashes horribly), and overall sexy and seductive. It’s only fitting her name is "Desiree" and more so that she is a genie: wishes, dreams, and desires are all human needs. But Desiree possesses a selfish heart and in turn, creates it so all the wishes has that same repercussion of misfortune. If she didn't get her dream, then no one else is! As much of a great villain she is, the writers were wise to keep her appearance as a minimal. I don’t know how far or limited her abilities can stretch, but the potential to keep reusing an all-powerful genie often produces cheap plots, dues ex machina, an overpowered villain, and most annoyingly, more half ghosts. Danny and Vlad should be the only two; anything else is over excessive and should be kept temporary or played in alternate timelines.
9/10
Also, Chibi Paulina.
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Article written revised in: Aug. 21, 2009
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