Also I love how we get to see Ballister open up throughout the film, not only learning to challenge the Institute but also just step down from having to be the perfect knight (so that no one can question his right to be there) to get to be a little bit silly, have some fun, cause some problems and just be alive in a way he didn’t really seem to be at the beginning of the movie.
He’s stiff, he’s formal, he’s terrified of hurting anyone or going against his training or the Institute; he’s nervous around Nimona and her antics, tries to downplay his role and just not cause a fuss. You can really feel the desperation to be perfect and how hard he must have had to work to become a knight, one slip and everyone would have made it such a thing about how commoners couldn’t make it in the Institute.
Then he meets Nimona, and finally gives up on the Institute, and he doesn’t have to be perfect anymore! He can wear shades and take silly pictures with a shark and swing over the couch and grab a sword and have at all those assholes who were always waiting for him to fail; he can get out there and be loud and be himself without having to worry about what other people think of him!
It’s just such a nice, slightly subtle arc to pair with the louder Nimona arc and compliments it so well: Nimona learns that someone believes in her, and she doesn’t have to be loud and angry all the time just screaming at someone to see her; and Ballister learns that he doesn’t have to be perfect, doesn’t have to toe the line, and can be loud and should be angry and is allowed to do something about it!
i am losing my fucking mind. the way eberle just dropped down like his strings were cut and he looks up . like he knew it was finally over . he knows he did the damn thing…. and you can see how mccann skates over, he moves like he’s going to go fast at first and then be slows down, and his hand is out to cradle his head before he even reaches him, this is not a spur of the moment thing . he is going in for a kiss the minute he starts skating over . and it’s not a quick peck either no no no he really fucking plants that kiss right on his helmet . and he stays there. THAT is kraken hockey. baby. FUCK.