Wilt

[BabyCharmander]

Of course he can dislike Wilt if he likes--that, I don't mind--but it was completely unnecessary to bash him.

[Cassini90125]

He's entitled to his opinion, but this wasn't the right thread to post it.

[Ridureyu]

Sorry, I thought it was just posted. My bad!


Anyway, I like Wilt. A lot. We need a little more of him, but it's good that they haven't gone overboard since the movie.

[WiltsAKGirl17]

Okay, I'm going to go out on the proverbial tree limb here and try to bring the discussion back to it's original topic.

Originally Posted by pitbulllady

Wilt is one of the few character on the show that we've seen actually undergo real character development. We've seen drastic changes in his personality, from a confident, head-held-high helper in Season One(especially in the pilot), then the "deeper" they "dug" into the character, the more we realized that all wasn't well, that Wilt had some serious issues and was dealing with them in less and less of a good way as time wore on. His lowest, and yet most-interesting, points were in Season Four, prior to GWH, when it seemed clear that whatever demons he was fighting were winning the battle, and that there was something that he was keeping hidden. What little we've seen of him in Season Five, though, seems to indicate that Wilt is finally beginning to heal and find some closure to his unpleasant past; "Nightmare On Wilson Way" really showed a side of him that has probably always been there, but has been repressed out of fear of upsetting someone or making someone disappointed in some way, and now of course we know WHY that's been Wilt's obsession for the past 30 years. Wilt is by far the most down-to-earth, ADULT character on the show, which is one of the reasons he appeals so much to me, personally. I can't really relate to child or child-like characters anymore, and I certainly cannot relate to someone like Bloo, who thrives on chaos. Wilt is someone who embodies positive character traits, in spite of what most people would see as an insurmountable handicap, and that fact that he's overcome anything like that, and never uses it as a "crutch" or excuse not to do something, is reason alone to like him. His voice is very pleasing to hear also, both the pitch and the accent, which is as familiar to me as the scent of Magnolia blossoms and the taste of a home-cooked Southern Sunday dinner. Wilt is like a relic of a by-gone era when MOST people were willing to help others just because it made themselves feel good, not expecting anything in return, and I guess that to someone who lives for the "it's all about ME" credo, as so many people nowadays do, that must seem awfully strange and screwed-up.

pitbulllady

I?ve noticed something, pbl?you always seem to hit the nail on the head, especially where Wilt is concerned. Moving right along?

I agree that Wilt has undergone a major change in character. The series has let him evolve fantastically (kudos to Craig, Lauren and team!) from the pilot episode, and it just goes to show that there are two sides of the coin, story, river, whatever: on the one hand, you have sweet, optimistic help friend Wilt, whom we all met in the pilot; then you have the darker, cleverly hidden side of Wilt. This darker side, where his inner demons hung out, was fantastically explored in season four?s ?pre-GWH? period. This time frame in Wilt?s life, as explored by the show, sort of tipped off viewers that, ?Hey, something?s goin? on here.? (Perhaps this is part of what drew so much attention to GWH?)

And you are correct in that Wilt?s season five appearances show that he is recovering, and doing rather nicely. Although there may be the potential added factor of him not telling someone if he?s hit a road block in his recovery?as we?ve seen from Wilt in the past, it?s not like he?s going to say, ?Hey, I have a problem. Can you help me?? Nonetheless, the recovery process is there and occurring.

I wholeheartedly agree that Wilt is the most adult character of the show. Being slightly more mature for my age group (teen years), I appreciate maturity in others, which in turn makes Wilt appeal to me so much (among several other reasons). Wilt makes a wonderful role model?far better than other characters, both cartoon and live-action, on the air today, it seems?and he?s truly a wonderful person, despite having a ?handicap.? What gets me the most is his optimism. He rarely is unhappy, and it?s very, very infectious. (I appreciate this because I can be a serious black rain cloud!)

One of the big reasons I like Wilt is his voice, as well. I tend to like people who?s voice I enjoy listening to (his may explain why I enjoy watching Patrick Stewart so much!), and Wilt is no exception. Both pitch and accent are very calming and pleasant to listen to. (I love the comparison you used here, just so you know).

It does seem like Wilt?s attitude is something of a classic American antique?sadly, it seems like people have stopped lending a helping hand as often. I find amazing amusement in the fact that when I met a new student here at my high school, I extended my hand and he actually knew how to give a good handshake!

But yes, I enjoy Wilt?s character very much. Of course, if you knew me, you knew that already!

P.S. Please forgive my novel length post?I?m avoiding doing my Dreamweaver MX assignment in computer class.

[FamoKrishina]

'Bout time I posted in this thread.

Wilt is my favorite character in Foster's for a variety of reasons. I love everything about him, his optimism, his huge white smile, his adorable constant apologizing, his maturity in comparison to a lot of the other IFs (I've never been a huge fan of the more childish, chaos-loving characters like Bloo and Cheese), his kindness, his strengths, his faults, everything. He was always the character who intrigued me the most even before I started watching the show. Somehow, I already knew he would be my favorite. And I was right. I think one of the major reasons I like him so much is because he's so nice and considerate of other's feelings, something that seems harder and harder to find in the real world. We need more people like Wilt - I think the world would become a much better place. But anyway, I also like him because of the slight air of mystery that surrounds him. Sure, we now know what happened to his arm and eye, and why he's so scared of letting people down or stepping on their feelings, but we still don't know much about his life with Jordan outside the basketball court, or what happened to him during all those years between the game against Foul Larry and Wilt's arrival at Foster's. I've always had a tendancy to gravitate towards characters that seem to have that element of mysteriousness to them. It makes me want to learn more, y'know?

Sooo yeah. I love the tall red guy, and I love to see him being loved. I just wish he could get more episodes devoted to him.

[antgirl1]

Ever since this morning, I've wondered this about Wilt.

Part of Wilt, as PBL says, is like a Father-Figure. Maybe Jordan was thinking of his father at the time that Wilt was created, so maybe Wilt was partically created as Jordan's own father, and another part is the basketball coach Jordan wanted, and maybe the "helper friend" we came to know.

[pitbulllady]

Originally Posted by antgirl1

Ever since this morning, I've wondered this about Wilt.

Part of Wilt, as PBL says, is like a Father-Figure. Maybe Jordan was thinking of his father at the time that Wilt was created, so maybe Wilt was partically created as Jordan's own father, and another part is the basketball coach Jordan wanted, and maybe the "helper friend" we came to know.

All that pretty much falls into place with what Nina said herself in the movie-many children have a conscious reason for creating an Imaginary Friend, but also an SUBconscious one. She gave a specific example of her creating Eduardo to protect her from the bullies and gang-bangers in her neighborhood, but while he did do that, he fulfilled many other roles, too, that turned out to be even more important. He was a playmate, a gentle babysitter for her baby brother, and most of all, through his cowardice and childlike nature, he inadvertently taught HER to be brave and stick up for herself, so she could ultimately become a tough, no-nonsense police officer. In Jordan's case, he wanted someone to show him how to become a better basketball player, but his actual NEED went way beyond simply needing someone who could teach him how to play basketball. He also needed someone who could help him develop his own self-confidence and build his own self-esteem, and to teach him to, in Jordan's own words, "become a better PERSON". That would mean teaching him things like manners, respect and humility, among others. Traditionally the task of teaching such things to young boys fell upon the father, or if he was not present, an uncle or other close male relative, so given that Wilt became the primary male role model in Jordan's life at that point, it can be reasonably assumed that Jordan's real father was not present. Either his father was deceased, or in the case of Mac and Terrence, had simply abandoned his family, or perhaps he had a job which required him to be absent from the home most of the time, like active duty military, or in the South Carolina Low Country, a commercial fisherman/shrimper. Whatever the case was, Jordan had a strong subconscious NEED for an adult male mentor/role model, i.e., a father figure, and that's where Wilt came into the picture. So much of Wilt's behavior reflects that of a father, from that slightly-condescending manner in which he tries to explain to Goo why a badger version of Mr. Herriman won't do in "Bus the Two of Us", to his blatantly fatherly "Alpha" stance in "The Bloo Superdude and The Potato Of Power"-now who among you HASN'T ever had a parent, especially your dad, tell you, "BECAUSE I SAID SO" when you asked why you had to do, or couldn't do, something? You don't usually hear that from your peers, just from adults in charge. I believe that IF the writers were to really show more of Wilt in upcoming episodes, and let his character development really progress naturally, he will become even more "parental", as his inhibitions and hang-ups about disappointing others or going against the grain start to vanish, finally. Even though it was seen through Bloo's interpretation in "TBSDTPOP", and we just got a glimpse in "Nightmare On Wilson Way", I think what we saw there was the REAL Wilt, the Wilt that Jordan and his brother and neighborhood would have known "back in the day", before that game with Foul Larry.

pitbulllady

[WiltsAKGirl17]

Originally Posted by pitbulllady

All that pretty much falls into place with what Nina said herself in the movie-many children have a conscious reason for creating an Imaginary Friend, but also an SUBconscious one. She gave a specific example of her creating Eduardo to protect her from the bullies and gang-bangers in her neighborhood, but while he did do that, he fulfilled many other roles, too, that turned out to be even more important. He was a playmate, a gentle babysitter for her baby brother, and most of all, through his cowardice and childlike nature, he inadvertently taught HER to be brave and stick up for herself, so she could ultimately become a tough, no-nonsense police officer. In Jordan's case, he wanted someone to show him how to become a better basketball player, but his actual NEED went way beyond simply needing someone who could teach him how to play basketball. He also needed someone who could help him develop his own self-confidence and build his own self-esteem, and to teach him to, in Jordan's own words, "become a better PERSON". That would mean teaching him things like manners, respect and humility, among others. Traditionally the task of teaching such things to young boys fell upon the father, or if he was not present, an uncle or other close male relative, so given that Wilt became the primary male role model in Jordan's life at that point, it can be reasonably assumed that Jordan's real father was not present. Either his father was deceased, or in the case of Mac and Terrence, had simply abandoned his family, or perhaps he had a job which required him to be absent from the home most of the time, like active duty military, or in the South Carolina Low Country, a commercial fisherman/shrimper. Whatever the case was, Jordan had a strong subconscious NEED for an adult male mentor/role model, i.e., a father figure, and that's where Wilt came into the picture. So much of Wilt's behavior reflects that of a father, from that slightly-condescending manner in which he tries to explain to Goo why a badger version of Mr. Herriman won't do in "Bus the Two of Us", to his blatantly fatherly "Alpha" stance in "The Bloo Superdude and The Potato Of Power"-now who among you HASN'T ever had a parent, especially your dad, tell you, "BECAUSE I SAID SO" when you asked why you had to do, or couldn't do, something? You don't usually hear that from your peers, just from adults in charge. I believe that IF the writers were to really show more of Wilt in upcoming episodes, and let his character development really progress naturally, he will become even more "parental", as his inhibitions and hang-ups about disappointing others or going against the grain start to vanish, finally. Even though it was seen through Bloo's interpretation in "TBSDTPOP", and we just got a glimpse in "Nightmare On Wilson Way", I think what we saw there was the REAL Wilt, the Wilt that Jordan and his brother and neighborhood would have known "back in the day", before that game with Foul Larry.

pitbulllady

I think that all IFs are created for a purpose, obviously. Nina explained that fantastically in GWH, like pbl said-- there?s a conscious reason for the IF?s creation, but there?s also a subconscious reason-- Nina created a defender, a babysitter and friend, but also someone who helped her become brave: Eduardo. It would almost be like if I created Wilt-- I would have a friend, but also someone who would help me get my lazy butt off the couch or computer watching TV or writing stories and playing a sport.

There?s definitely an undercurrent of complexity and depth when Wilt is involved in any way, and Jordan is not exempt. He created a coach, true; what he got was that and an amazing friend and LIFE coach. I find it extremely hard to believe that someone could grow up with someone like Wilt and not come off a good person. Wilt trained Jordan well, and not just on the court-- what we saw of Jordan in GWH, you could tell he was humble despite his superstardom and he was very warm. It?s very plausible that Jordan?s father was an absentee figure in his life-- it?s rather doubtful that Jordan would have developed such an intense attachment to Wilt if there was a male figure in his life. In any case, I can very strongly see Jordan creating Wilt as a father-role; I would equate this with me creating a strong female IF after my mother died when I was eight.

I wholeheartedly agree that Wilt is very father-like. He?s extremely patient and helpful, which would be like a father trying his son (or daughter) to ride a bike, throw a curveball, etc. I also agree with the ?Because I SAID SO? line as being highly fatherly-- I?ve heard that line very frequently, often from my father or stepmother. (I will occasionally say this to my friends, but not seriously, as Wilt did in ?The Bloo SuperDude??)

I hope very much that in season 6, the writers put Wilt in more episodes than they did in season 5 and really develop his character. Perhaps placing Wilt in some type of leadership position and letting him grow that way? I would immensely love to see Wilt?s fatherly side come more and more into play, and to see him not be so hung up on making others happy before his own. When I described Wilt to my friend Lauren, I told her that Wilt would bend over backwards for you, even if it killed him, or something to that effect. Hopefully, someday, I?ll be able to tell her that he?s gotten to the point where he?s not so? eager-to-please, for lack of a better word.

If the parental side of Wilt is the real Wilt, as you mentioned, pbl, I?d very much like to see the real him developed and explored. (Obviously, I have high hopes for what I hope to see of season six?)

[Ub3rD4n]

Can I just second the motion that Wilt be included more in S6 for everyone, and have us move on? I'm pretty sure it's what everyone (on this thread, at the very least) wants.

[pitbulllady]

Originally Posted by WiltsAKGirl17

I think that all IFs are created for a purpose, obviously. Nina explained that fantastically in GWH, like pbl said-- there?s a conscious reason for the IF?s creation, but there?s also a subconscious reason-- Nina created a defender, a babysitter and friend, but also someone who helped her become brave: Eduardo. It would almost be like if I created Wilt-- I would have a friend, but also someone who would help me get my lazy butt off the couch or computer watching TV or writing stories and playing a sport.

There?s definitely an undercurrent of complexity and depth when Wilt is involved in any way, and Jordan is not exempt. He created a coach, true; what he got was that and an amazing friend and LIFE coach. I find it extremely hard to believe that someone could grow up with someone like Wilt and not come off a good person. Wilt trained Jordan well, and not just on the court-- what we saw of Jordan in GWH, you could tell he was humble despite his superstardom and he was very warm. It?s very plausible that Jordan?s father was an absentee figure in his life-- it?s rather doubtful that Jordan would have developed such an intense attachment to Wilt if there was a male figure in his life. In any case, I can very strongly see Jordan creating Wilt as a father-role; I would equate this with me creating a strong female IF after my mother died when I was eight.

I wholeheartedly agree that Wilt is very father-like. He?s extremely patient and helpful, which would be like a father trying his son (or daughter) to ride a bike, throw a curveball, etc. I also agree with the ?Because I SAID SO? line as being highly fatherly-- I?ve heard that line very frequently, often from my father or stepmother. (I will occasionally say this to my friends, but not seriously, as Wilt did in ?The Bloo SuperDude??)

I hope very much that in season 6, the writers put Wilt in more episodes than they did in season 5 and really develop his character. Perhaps placing Wilt in some type of leadership position and letting him grow that way? I would immensely love to see Wilt?s fatherly side come more and more into play, and to see him not be so hung up on making others happy before his own. When I described Wilt to my friend Lauren, I told her that Wilt would bend over backwards for you, even if it killed him, or something to that effect. Hopefully, someday, I?ll be able to tell her that he?s gotten to the point where he?s not so? eager-to-please, for lack of a better word.

If the parental side of Wilt is the real Wilt, as you mentioned, pbl, I?d very much like to see the real him developed and explored. (Obviously, I have high hopes for what I hope to see of season six?)

Wilt definitely needs to be more of a presence in Season Six, and not just as background "filler", either. He needs, as you say, to have some more character development, as it is ashame to have such a complex character and simply waste that.

Wilt DID, in Season Five, reach a point a couple of times where it seemed clear that his obsession with pleasing everyone else to the point of not standing up for himself was beginning to wane. He had no qualms about scaring little kids in "Nightmare On Wilson Way", and was quite proud of that accomplishment, actually, and in "Better Off Ed", he not only stood up to Bloo and refused to go along with his paintball scheme, but criticized it outright, most UNapologetically!

pitbulllady