A Deep Dive into the Transformation Trope

Saber's Socials

Video Credits
►Sabie Voice by Elsie Lovelock
►Sabie Sprites, Dance Animation, Thumbnail and Video Script and Research by Rishi
►Video Script and Research by ToonGrin
►Video Edits by Henri Yount
►Video Edits by gum
►Audio Edits by dBPony
►Intro Music/Outro Music by Hirosashii

🎨Art of the Week🎨

►Art by Zarla

[Shantosh]

Fun Fact: Elsie who plays Sabie is actually British and does a very convincing American accent when playing Sabie.

[wriggleby]

The voice acting of Sabie is INSANE, she totally has your intonation down!

[wylon]

It's a rather nice touch how Sabie manages to capture the same inflections in Sabersparks speech but still sounding like her own voice. It's a tricky balancing act for sure.

[Varjaklaw]

It won't be long until someone does a 1 hour loop of Sabie dancing

[starcommunicator]

I can't get over how much Sabie sounds like Saber. That takes skill as a voice actor.

[Moonlight.Howlings.]

Saber, you can’t just put your Gender Swapped Avatar with cat ears and tail without expecting Consequences.

[princeshadow]

Sable's realization of how she came to be is quite the haunting experience for her

[frip]

Props to elsie for getting sabers voice mannerisms almost perfect! She sounds exactly how a genderbent saber would speak

[erysecret]

Its actually pretty impressive how Sabie's voice actor captures Saber's vocal cadences really well.

[loopyloon]

3:11 Mom told me Jekyll & Hyde was a metaphor for alcoholism, the good doctor indulges in a brew that allows him to do as he pleases without regard for the consequences only to discover that not caring doesn't make them go away, so he tries to quit, but finds that he's become dependent on his drink to stay normal, & then he finally drinks himself to death when he loses all capacity for self-control.

[Spookworm]

I'm glad Sabie isn't like most genderbends (clingy to the original, for example), and the two counterparts clash and work together more fluently, gives them more distinct personalities rather than being carbon copies. God knows I wouldn't get along with myself! 😂

[DanGamingFan]

I love it whenever Sabie narrates. She never fails to match Saber's exact way of speaking, yet her personalityis completely different. It's familiar but also refreshing. And the level of absolute disgust she has for him is hilarious. You can bet one of those marketable plushie will be mine.

[MeliesCinemagician]

Another aspect of transformation that I don't think you really went into is the concept of transformation as escapism: that is, giving audiences the opportunity to think, "wouldn't it be cool to be someone or something else like this?" That was one of the biggest reasons for the creation of the original Captain Marvel, or Shazam - giving children readers an opportunity to live vicariously through the story of a kid who was their age who could transform not only into an adult at will, but the most powerful man in the world.

[verybigAL]

Jesus, it’s like I can hear Uzi, Meggy, and mommy long legs all in one character. I cannot stress how much I love Elsie and her work.

[BiGGMiXX]

Saber: You were created as a visual representation of a trope that will be continuously be used to gain more views.

Sabie:*Horrid realization* Oh my god.

[vixiestarfire]

The Last Unicorn is a nice subversion to this trope I think. Usually the character is a normal looking person turning into an animal (or monster) of some kind (Tiana turning into a frog, Kuzco into a llama, Odette into a swan, etc) but the unicorn in The Last Unicorn turns into a human! A very ethereal looking human, but still I can’t think of any other stories where a magical creature turns into a human (other then Shrek 2 lol).

[jbcatz]

Howl’s Moving Castle is a great example of physical transformation reflecting states of true self-confidence. Across the film when Sophie is assertive and more self-assured she regains her youthful form, going back to her older curse form when she is more passive and doubting. She also reverts when sleeping, it’s her own perception of herself that’s keeping her old. Howl’s character development shows when he stops dying his hair, being more confident as he is.

On the subject of Studio Ghibli, their adaptation of the Earthsea series is a lesser example of transformation because it’s more spectacle than serving the story. Therru being a dragon seems more to be for the visual hook on the poster and DVD cover, and the adaptation doesn’t explore some of the more interesting transformation themes the books had. Animal transformation was dangerous because you could succumb to the instincts of the creature you had changed into, one cautionary tale being of a wizard who lost himself completely to his bear form. Sparrowhawk himself nearly falls to this in bird form while fleeing a threat, taking days to recover his human mind. On a character development level the first book is about him going from a recklessly ambitious and proud young man to one who is humbled and understands himself and his limitations. The world itself undergoes a transformation as magic is sapped away, Sparrowhawk sacrificing his ability to use it in order to seal the gate between the living and the dead and spending the next book rediscovering who he is in light of this.

[karenbonds]

I love the TF trope for the potential it has. It could be used for wish-fulfillment, horror, comedy, tragedy, and everything in between. And the woefully underutilized concept of trying to figure out how your new form ticks.

There’s a reason the concept of transformation was created long before written history (cave paintings and legends depicting shapeshifters) and used in so many different myths and legends throughout the ages. (Ovid’s Metamorphosis being a prime example).

Also, learning how to draw or write a TF story can help you learn a bit about anatomy. (So you know not to snap the knees backwards.)

[garuelx]

I can assure you that the transformation trope was responsible for a lot of "awakenings" for people born in the 80s and 90s

[alvarostockle]

I'll never stop being surprised by how well Elsie captures Saberspark voice inflections.