Have you ever noticed how Zuma and Skye get the short end of the stick?
It’s clear from every episode and all the merchandise that Chase, Rubble, and Marshall are the shining stars of the show. Clad in strong primary colours, they are ready to take on any emergency that may strike Adventure Bay, or your toddler’s bedroom. Their faces are plastered on pillows, T-shirts, water bottles, backpacks, lunch kits, washcloths, soap dispensers, pencils, shoes, cutlery – anything you can think of that your child might possibly need can be brought to you by the Invincible Three.
Now, sometimes, the patterns on the merchandise call for a fourth pup. In this case, Rocky gets upgraded and the three amigos become the fantastic four. A splash of green to balance out the design and you’re ready for a “Ruff, ruff, rescue!”
But Skye and Zuma?
Seems like someone forgot them at the Lookout.
Skye dominates all girl merch, which is half the audience, at least. But you’ll never find her holding her own on with the Big Three (even though she’s the one who can fly, which, if you ask me, takes more skill, brains, coordination, and guts than barking into a megaphone, scooping sand, or falling down a ladder – again).
And Zuma…well, you’re lucky if you find him on a pair of swim trunks.
As they crouch ready for action on my dining room table, I can’t help but think about the cultural currents driving this hierarchy.
Chase is law enforcement, order, and security. When Chase speaks into his megaphone, everyone stops and listens. He controls traffic. He has a “Spy Chase” mode with night vision goggles. And he has a search drone. His net is always ready to catch you if you’re falling (or, if you’re Mayor Humdinger, to catch you when you’re trying to get away). Because of Chase, we can sleep at night.
Rubble is power, strength, and prosperity. He can dig it “on the double” in town, on the beach, or in the jungle. Nothing stops his powerful backhoe. He clears snow or sand, moves boulders, patches roads, even builds sandcastles. He’s the advancement of our progress bundled into a playful, loveable bulldog who is always hungry.
Marshall is rescue, help, and healing – with a friendly, disarming nature. He’s there to get you down from a sticky situation whenever you’re stuck. He’ll x-ray what hurts and bandage you right up. And best of all, he puts out fires. Everyone loves Marshall. He’s your average Joe hero.
And Rocky? Well, he’s the audacity that says we can recycle our way out of our problems. But he’s constantly sidelined in favour of the Power Trio. He’s too little, too late and his efforts can’t possibly put a dent in Ryder’s insatiable need to invent bigger and better pup toys – a massive Pup Patroller that plows through the arctic and the desert and the jungle alike with no regard for the natural habitat or the emissions it’s producing; an over-sized Air Patroller to haul and launch all of their vehicles in any location; a foreboding Sea Patroller to master the deep waters and set upon unsuspecting islands.
But I digress.
All I’m saying is, I don’t think Rocky’s bright idea to use an old surf board to fix the wind turbine in Adventure Bay can ever make up for the resources consumed and ecosystems damaged by the Paw Patrol’s ever-expanding arsenal of technological gadgets. Rocky – bless him – is a token pup.
In light of the roles Chase, Rubble, and Marshall play, it’s not that hard to see why Skye and Zuma find themselves conspicuously absent from the bedrooms and toy boxes of enthusiastic toddlers.
Skye, being a girl, is a solo pup; she’s not big enough to fly with the big boys (even though, they can’t fly). She is the smallest, squeakiest pup who is subversively brave – flying through storms, battling eagles. But you will never, ever find her on a T-shirt with the Top Three in the boy’s section of Walmart clothing. Ever. Skye is too dangerous. She’s too smart. Too capable.
So go ahead, let her dust the girl’s side of the store with her playful pink, let her inspire little girls to become pilots, but don’t let her into the boy’s turf. It’s too damn risky.
Lastly, there’s Zuma.
Who?
I know, the orange one.
There’s an orange one?
Yep.
Zuma is the most easy-going pup with his chill, “Dude” attitude. He doesn’t have the ambition of the other five. He’s the smallest boy pup, too. And he has a lisp. Zuma is also an ocean-lover. And we all know the last thing we need is to be reminded that our oceans are in trouble. So, let little Zuma care about what’s beneath the surface, but don’t give him too much air time. We love him because he rescues us from rough waters, but he can’t be allowed to join centre stage.
Do I think any of this is an intentional, devious scheme to brainwash our children into proponents of Manifest Destiny? Probably not. Which, when you think about it, is actually sadder than if it was an elaborate government plot to ensure the next generation embraces capitalism, consumerism, neo-colonialism, and western supremacy. At least then there would be someone to point a finger at, someone we could demand make changes. But I don’t think that’s it.
I think the power imbalance embodied in the Paw Patrol is so deeply ingrained in our cultural psyche that it seeps out into every area of life – even our children’s cartoons. And that, quite frankly, is devastating.
But, what the heck? They teach team work, problem solving, caring for others, creativity, bravery, and friendship. Doesn’t every parent want those things branded into their children? I certainly do. We reference the Paw Patrol to teach valuable lessons about safety and kindness all the time in our household. And there’s no way I can explain to my three-year-old daughter that she’s being brainwashed into a toxic iteration of Make America Great Again.
Sooo, I guess all we can do is encourage her to play with Zuma, Skye, and Rocky more?