Corpus Colossus - Tumblr Posts
This page from the first issue of the prelude mini-series to MAD MAX: FURY ROAD (revealing the backstories of both Nux and Immortan Joe) is incredibly significant because this implies so much about the resilience of the Five Wives featured in the movie.
According to official canon (since all the stories in the comic prequels were conceived by George Miller himself with help of fellow FURY ROAD writers Nico Lathouris and Mark Sexton), the Immortan gathered all the healthiest women he could find that were scattered across the Wasteland so he would be able to produce a healthy male heir given that three of his older sons were imperfect and could not carry on his twisted legacy in the desert kingdom that he created and ruled. Two (Scrotus and Corpus Colossus, pictured above) had physical deformities while one (Rictus Erectus, played by Nathan Jones in the film) had a developmental disability despite his relatively healthy exterior and physically intimidating size.
It is revealed that the first few waves of women taken to become Joe's breeders had tried and failed to sire him a healthy male child. What is troubling is the fact that Joe had imposed a strict "three strikes" policy upon them: if a breeder produced a child that had any physical or developmental imperfections, or if they delivered stillborns, or miscarried and committed any of these offences three times, then they would be cast out to languish among the Wretched populating the grounds of the Citadel.
While we will be able to find out more concrete details about the Five Wives (as well as Furiosa) in the second issue of the prequel miniseries coming out next month (to be released by Vertigo Comics, by the way), I'm now very curious as to how Angharad, Capable, Toast, Cheedo, and The Dag lasted so long under Joe's captivity and achieved the status as his "most prized breeders" considering that there was a three-strikes rule in play among his harem of imprisoned women.
The War Rig Family Returns Triumphant To The Citadel With Immortan Joe's Corpse
Things I Loved About This Scene:
The quiet tension of everyone in the Citadel seeing the Gigahorse driving towards the loading dock until Max steps out of the vehicle to reveal the mangled corpse of Immortan Joe and celebratory shit just got way too hella real.
Max just kicking Joe's corpse to the ground like it was yesterday's garbage and the Wretched just going apeshit tearing his dead body apart with unbridled joy knowing that their tormentor is confirmed gone to hell. That was such a fucking satisfying moment like I can't even.
The super cute War Pups just looking at Corpus Colossus and those boys deciding to just fuck it and let the vanquishers of Immortan Joe up on the loading dock at the behest of the Wretched, while the elder minions are just too shell-shocked at the death of their former leader to even react against the War Pups' actions.
I really loved the telescopic POV showing Capable, Toast, Cheedo, and The Dag emerging like ethereal post-apocalyptic warrior princesses from the Gigahorse and Max helping an injured but undefeated Furiosa out of the driver's cab and onto the hood of the monster truck. That was such a great shot of the War Rig Family and I imagine Angharad and Nux looking down on them with immense pride and joy knowing their sacrifice for their comrades didn't go in vain.
Major props at the inclusive attitude of the Wives as they happily pull up the citizens of the Citadel onto the loading dock to rise up with them. It really shows how they see the Wretched as their equals and that they want them to share the victory and freedom now that they are all free from Immortan Joe's tyranny.
I also loved how the Milking Mothers opened the floodgates to let the water flow free so that the citizens down below can truly savor a life-saving resource that was cruelly withheld from them under Joe's rule. Even though it was a wide shot, you can really sense the elation on the Milking Mothers' faces when they activated the waterfall mechanism because they know that everyone in the Citadel deserves to drink water and not something so barbaric as breast milk.
Obviously, it goes without saying that the silent exchange between Max and Furiosa―him from below and her up above―is an incredibly powerful moment which I absolutely adored. The audience just witnessed a tacit understanding and recognition of mutual respect between two similar people: fierce road warriors who are now bound not just by blood, but by their epic shared experience of defeating a post-apocalyptic dictator amidst intense action and dramatic events.
Very few movies contain a really memorable and highly emotional closing shot that encapsulates the exhilarating climax of a film, and I'm happy to see that this masterpiece has a perfect ending. Seeing Furiosa and the Wives looking down towards the audience as the loading dock slowly covers the screen to black was the glorious icing on top of an explosively delicious feminist action summer movie cake! Also: the Dag looked so adorable clutching the apothecary bag of seeds. You just know that she'll definitely make good use of the contents of that satchel and will honor the Keeper of the Seeds by planting her precious collection in the Citadel gardens in order to continue the eco-positive legacy of the Vuvalini.
I made a damn good mixtape for this specific moment in the movie if I do say so myself. Citadel liberated, Citadel victorious indeed! And for real, this movie deserves all the damn awards come awards season early next year otherwise outraged shit is going to hit the fandom's fan. Oscars, you have been warned.
Mad Max: Fury Road Quotes + Antagonists
Rictus Erectus + Sin (x)