Character Playlist: Phoenix, Part 2
Character art by Mr. K.
The Phoenix we meet in They Split the Party is a very different man from the one we were introduced to at the start of They Met in a Tavern. Before, he was someone who believed that his glory days were behind him, and was seemingly permanently held back by the weight of his scars. He was isolated, withdrawn, and unsure of himself.
Now? He’s reconnected with his company, accepted the challenge of being a better person than who he was before, and generally turned his gaze from the past to the present.
“Back in Black” — AC/DC
Don’t call it a comeback.
For the record, thanks to my dad, I associated this song with dudes tinkering with projects in their garage before the Iron Man movies came out.
“We Are Young (feat. Janelle Monáe)” — fun., Janelle Monáe
This might just be a generational thing, or it might be because Chuck is seared into my identity as a human being, but this song will always be an anthem of nostalgia and connection between old friends. Which is at least 60% of what Phoenix runs on.
“Cat’s in the Cradle” — Harry Chapin
There was originally supposed to be a scene between Phoenix and his father in They Split the Party, exploring how much of Phoenix’s personality he gets from his father, and how much being a father himself now affects his decision making. It got cut for length and pacing reasons, maybe we get it in the next one, maybe not, we’ll see.
Either way, the cycle of fatherhood is major component of Phoenix’s internal character dynamic.
Shit, I should call my dad.
“My Wish” — Rascal Flatts
If there’s one thing better at pulling Phoenix’s eyes toward the future and the bigger picture, it’s the tiny person who’s going to be living in that future and affected by that bigger picture.
There’s a tear-streaked father-daughter dance somewhere in Phoenix’s future, and it’s playing on repeat every time he looks at Robyn.
“overwhelmed” — Royal & The Serpent
As a neurodivergent adult with heaps of trauma, stakes, and responsibilities heaped onto him at basically all times, Phoenix has his limits tested more often than he’d like. And he can’t always keep up with it.
“Someday” — Nickelback
Committed to being better isn’t the same as actually being better. Not yet, buddy. But someday.
“Old Town Road - Remix” Lil Nas X, Billy Ray Cyrus
Maybe not the first thing you would think of when you hear “ass kicking song.” But, as evidence, I submit exhbit A. Now replace the shield with magic gadgets, and you’ve got what’s been in my head ever since I saw that video.
“Little Talks” — Of Monsters and Men
This song is Arman and Elizabeth’s dynamic to a T…except, you know, they’ve genderswapped it. Ah well, close enough.
“Hero” — Skillet
I mentioned in the last playlist that I tend to think of Phoenix as the Batman of the Starbreakers. That is, the ordinary man standing alongside a bunch of demigods, doing what he can with what he has.
“Sugar, We’re Goin Down” — Fall Out Boy
“Loaded god complex, cock it and pull it.”
And so Fall Out Boy’s “The Phoenix” avoids his playlist for a second time.
Phoenix is part of the main cast of my novel, They Met in a Tavern, available now from your favorite book retailers, probably. I mean, it’s available from a lot of places, but I don’t know your life.