XSTRIN Proposal
Logline
A boy is mysteriously transported to the mystical universe of XSTRIN, and through intense Magical training and loving relationships, he learns to form an identity in an alien place and bring peace to the turbulent realm.
Overview
XSTRIN is a story about identity and finding oneself. It’s about challenging ourselves in new ways to find the Magic in us all.
What is XSTRIN? Good question. XSTRIN is a dream. It is an ethereal universe of gods and goddesses, Magic, advanced techno-mystics, kingdoms and city-states. It is populated by various species such as the majestic Dulu, the carnivorous Fangs, the conniving Abwan, and many more.
XSTRIN is a living universe, and it is the source of all Magic. Magic is the manipulation of the external world via a practitioner’s Essence, or soul. Essence is the measuring stick for Magical potential; the more Essence and the more potent that Essence, the more powerful the practitioner. Eziyael King, the main protagonist, has a lot of Essence, and he is potentially the most powerful Magician…ever.
Eziyael is brought into XSTRIN on the brink of war. Wyng, a demigoddess, usurped the Tempus Kingdom throne from Oruba, her mother. After becoming queen, Wyng decided to begin conquering XSTRIN so that she could protect it from the prophesized “Great Threat”…which may be Eziyael! As Wyng begins mobilizing to protect her homeland, Eziyael navigates this strange and mystical place with little recollection of his life on Earth. As he travels, he meets many denizens of XSTRIN that teach him Magic and help him discover who he wants to be in this ethereal realm.
XSTRIN is an Afrofuturistic fantasy action adventure. The show carries mature themes and deals with heavy concepts such as the loss of family, war, and survivor’s guilt. With this in mind, XSTRIN aims to be on the level of Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Vampire in the Garden in terms of violence and maturity. Look to the genre of anime for inspiration; these shows (The Boondocks, Naruto: Shippuden, Attack on Titan, Jujutsu Kaisen) hardly shy away from realistic violence, dark concepts, and mature questions about life, faith, and hope. In addition to the mature themes, XSTRIN wraps in younger demographics (e.g. adolescents and early adults) with themes such as finding oneself, the importance of healthy adjustments, and more.
XSTRIN’s episodes will run 25-30 minutes, and will follow a three act structure. The three seasons will also follow a three act structure. The plot of each season and the episodes are heavily influenced by the characters themselves; that is, each character has their own journey relating to the overarching theme of identity. Each journey has ramifications that will be seen in the show. Characters represent different answers to the questions “What is identity?” and “How does one form it?” The characters and the world of XSTRIN will best be displayed in an animation style similar to Legend of Korra and Arcane.
Artistically, XSTRIN represents a unique opportunity. The characters, creatures, species, deities, and settings are heavily influenced by multiple cultures. The typical elements of fantasy are present: massive kingdoms, royal courts, warring nations, and fantastical creatures akin to elves and dragons. However, XSTRIN is a blend of Swahili, Yoruba, and African American cultural influences. This is an Afrofuturist show; the characters are modeled with Black features, the garb and art style are heavily inspired by hip-hop culture, and the lessons these characters learn are conveyed from a Black perspective. Furthermore, XSTRIN boasts one of the most unique soundtracks with its lofi score. This works well; lofi is a mixture of jazz, house, and hip-hop, encapsulating audiences with its nostalgic and wondrous feel, perfect for the aesthetic and message of XSTRIN. Lofi is a particularly popular genre with lovers of anime, which also influences the show stylistically and structurally. Anime itself is a blend of East Asian and Black culture, so the audiences of XSTRIN will recognize and appreciate the homage to the growing medium of anime.
Summary
Eziyael “Easy” King is mysteriously transported to the mystical universe of XSTRIN along with his aloof dog, Kachi. Easy wakes up with few memories of his life on Earth, an inability to speak, and a Psychic Curse on his neck.
Traveling in XSTRIN, he comes across a talkative teenage wild Ray named Gale, the Magical prodigy Kali, the wise old Master Busarah, and the fluffy creature N’ky. Together, they learn about each other, train in the mystic arts, and build bonds strong enough to be felt in any universe. Amidst learning about XSTRIN and trying to craft an identity for himself, Easy and the crew must protect XSTRIN from the hostile takeover of the demigoddess Wyng. Wyng usurped the throne from her pacifist mother, Oruba, who Wyng felt was too weak to protect XSTRIN from “The Great Threat” of Wyng’s prophetic dreams. After taking over the Tempus Kingdom, seemingly killing her own mother, and enslaving her powerful brother Norro, Wyng amasses the largest army XSTRIN’s ever seen. In addition to these efforts, Wyng uses knowledge fed to her by her prophetic dreams to cast an immense spell that could rewrite reality in the way she sees fit. During his travels, Easy begins to realize the toll of Wyng’s selfish efforts, and with the aid of his crew and the army of the goddess queen Althita, they defeat Wyng…but at the cost of both the lives of Wyng and Gale. Although the day is won, the pyrrhic victory takes its toll on the protagonists.
Season two picks up after the war against Wyng, Easy and the remainder of the crew decide to continue traveling XSTRIN and learning about Magic. Oruba, who was trapped rather than killed by Wyng, is returned to the throne and decides to merge her kingdom with the Rekenna Kingdom, led by her sister Althita. Norro embarks on a quest of atonement. All seems to be falling into place until each of the separated protagonists becomes aware of a plot to bring the most evil and powerful Magician back to life: Malbrakka the Mad God. Easy and the crew are met by Aivu, the Demigod of Deceit, who successfully manipulates Easy and Kali into leaving Busarah and embarking on a perilous journey. Oruba and Althita contend with seemingly random insurrections occurring in both their kingdoms. Norro’s quest leads him to many of the villages and kingdoms he helped destroy, and through finding himself he learns of a plot to recollect Malbrakka’s Essence. Thought to be dead but in reality trapped in the Nether Plane, a hellish nightmare-scape, Wyng and Gale must learn from their differences and escape back to XSTRIN in order to warn everyone of Malbrakka’s plan to return. The story moves quickly as the lesson shifts from crafting an identity to loving who you are. Each character is challenged on a deeply personal level to reevaluate their role in XSTRIN as the stakes continue to rise. All roads lead to the resurrection of Malbrakka, and the heroes are doomed to fail from the beginning.
The final season begins two years after the resurrection of Malbrakka. XSTRIN is engaged in total war against Malbrakka and his armies of demons. Busarah is dead. Althita and Oruba are mind-controlled. Easy and the crew must take all of the triumphs and hardships of the last two and a half years to defeat Malbrakka without guidance. Easy fully falls into his role as the leader of XSTRIN’s remaining Magical forces, and it’s a race against time as Malbrakka prepares to invade Easy’s old home, Earth. Identity remains the theme; the characters must learn to accept who circumstances force them to be without forsaking the core of who they are.
XSTRIN follows the exploits of these young heroes as they mature, learning about Magic, XSTRIN, and what it means to be themselves. Each season is character-driven, encapsulating audiences with the choices of unique peoples. XSTRIN aims to entertain and teach, and each of these characters and the events they endure does just that.
Themes
Identity is the main theme. Each significant character has a unique journey pertaining to identity. In season one, the theme is about crafting who you are, and it mainly follows Easy’s journey as he deals with having a clean slate in XSTRIN. Season two is about loving who you are; Easy must contend with the return of most of his memories from Earth and the new ones he’s created in XSTRIN. This contention forces him to choose the aspects of his Earth and XSTRIN identities he feels he needs to integrate. The final season is about honoring the truth of who you are. Easy has to grow up in the face of total war, and that means shedding some of the beliefs he held so tightly to.
Racial dissonance is at the core of XSTRIN’s story. Racial dissonance is the conflict many Black Americans face growing up in the U.S.; it describes the pull between white society and Black society. Many of us grow up in, learn in, and work in majority white spaces, but the simple fact of our Blackness contributes to a subconscious, and many times conscious, awareness of our otherness. XSTRIN is an allegory for this plight, but also an answer. Although we may at times feel out of place, the answer always lies within our blood; that is, our shared culture, experiences, and the innate knowledge of our people’s power and history.
Protagonists
Eziyael “Easy” King - A dedicated, intelligent, compassionate 13-year-old, Easy comes to XSTRIN with few memories of Earth and a drive to learn Magic and help others. His arrogance can sometimes get the better of him, and his snarky nature can put him at odds with Gale and Kali, but he loves XSTRIN and those he meets. As his memories of a post-apocalyptic Earth return, Easy doubles down on his mission to ensure XSTRIN finds sustainable peace. He takes himself seriously, which always causes fun interactions with the sociable Gale and laid-back Busarah. At his core, Easy seeks peace, and he’ll learn any spell or climb any mountain to attain it. Easy must craft an identity for himself, and learn who he wants to be in the magical universe of XSTRIN.
Gale - One thing’s for sure, Gale always has something to say. As a 14-year-old wild Ray, Gale has the bonus of existing as a being of pure Magical energy, but the con of never knowing where she comes from. A free-spirited and emotionally inept extrovert, Gale laughs at responsibility and loves the freedom of not caring. That gradually ends after she stumbles upon “Alien Boy” (Easy) and his demon (Kachi). Easy and Kachi ground Gale, and through her interactions with Easy, she comes to see that emotions aren’t all that bad. She loves nature, is easily excitable, enjoys traveling, and is an eager learner. She and Kali start pretty rough but learn to love each other as siblings; Gale learns to love Busarah as the mother Gale never had. Gale must assume responsibility in forming her own identity, and her challenge is to find form in chaos.
Kali - As a Chi’Yahi, Kali has known competition all their life. Their people reproduce via budding, so most Chi’Yahi end up just like their parents. So, they compete to differentiate themselves. Kali and their twin, Qim, decided to differentiate themselves by creating a new form of Magic, an act thought only possible by the gods. It proved too much, killing Qim and leaving Kali to deal with the ramifications. As such, Kali is about their business - ambitious, level-headed, and deeply caring. Kali is quite dry, contrasting starkly with Gale and Easy’s snarky ways, but they certainly have their moments. Kali and Easy’s rivalry as angsty 13-year-olds contributes to Kali’s funnier interactions. They are always seeking to take charge of a situation, even when they have no clue what’s going on, and they can come off as overprotective. They always have the best intentions in mind. Kali must discover how to use their trauma as motivation rather than justification for who they are.
Antagonists
Wyng - The main antagonist of season one, Wyng still has a few redeeming qualities. She is extremely confident, being completely unafraid to do what she thinks is right…even in the face of overwhelming evidence that she’s wrong. She is extremely cunning, self-righteous, and unsociable. Despite these traits, she genuinely wants what’s best for Tempus and XSTRIN at large. She is deeply misunderstood, and she would do anything for the safety of her family. As a 17-year-old, she can be stubborn, a little awkward, and prone to moodiness. Yet, she always finds a way to be an efficient leader, planner, and Magician. Wyng’s quest is to learn the importance of questioning who she is.
Norro - Known as the Shadow Prince, Norro is Wyng’s 15-year-old brother. A Magical prodigy, Norro felt pressure to study the mystic arts, somewhat alienating him from those in Tempus. He is reserved, extremely loyal, and relentless, pursuing his duties without hesitation. On the outside, he’s calm, cool, collected; in reality, Norro is deeply self-loathing. He’s never had the opportunity to be his authentic self, so he consistently drowns himself in his duties as a warrior for Tempus. To make matters worse, he disagreed with his sister’s coup d'etat, resulting in his older sister cutting off his right arm and making him swear fealty to her. Now an emotional slave, Norro takes his orders from Wyng like a robot, wreaking havoc across XSTRIN in her name. Norro’s journey is to be unafraid of who he wants to be.
Malbrakka - Malbrakka the Mad God is the creator of Nether Magic, or the “Dark Arts.” At the beginning of time, he created Nether Magic to absorb the Essences of his siblings, other gods and goddesses, to become the most powerful being in XSTRIN. His aim is to be the brain of XSTRIN; he believes XSTRIN is in need of controlling, and he’s the perfect candidate. Malbrakka is power-hungry, dramatically evil, and fractured, driven to insanity by all the Essences he’s absorbed. His only aim is to feed. However, he isn’t a one-dimensional mastermind seeking destruction for destruction’s sake. His overwhelming desire to continuously grow in power is a result of his need to feel special. As a god, he felt that being equal in power to his siblings meant he was nothing. To him, everything, including his own self-worth, is a measurement of power. This unhealthy need drives his character; a man that does not know what he has, has nothing at all. As the most powerful Psychic Magician, he bends others to his will with his mind, and with his Nether Magic he absorbs the Essences of others. He is the thematic antithesis of identity, representing hive-mind, a lack of individuality, and suppression.
Audience
The audience for XSTRIN is wide-ranging, bringing a unique opportunity to reach out to multiple demographics. As a show aimed at older kids, it has the elements of a classic kid’s show: comedy, action, simple stories and morals. This brings in the preteen cohort. In addition, the fantastical sci-fi elements will appeal to the imaginations of both younger and older children. For the older kids, they will be satisfied by the mature tones and will have the ability to better empathize with the teenage cast. The middle to high school ages will be a big draw for the show, especially with themes of identity, learning about self, and accepting who you are.
The cast of the show is diverse. The main cast consists of several female characters, characters of different races, and characters with a wide range of experiences. Eziyael King is a young Black boy, and this, coupled with the heavily Black aesthetic, makes it clear that the target racial demographic is Black. This show is made purposefully to increase representation of Black children, and to show Black children that they can be the face of something fantastical. XSTRIN shows many different people in positions of power, demonstrating that men and women of all races are capable of wielding power. The wide range of ages for these characters brings in young adults, especially given that older characters have more mature storylines to follow. Specifically, college aged kids (18-22) will appreciate the darker action, complex humor (missed by children), and anime inspiration. The heavy influence of anime, both visually and musically, will bring a growing base of loyal anime followers to XSTRIN. The story structure in later seasons begins to mimic those of popular anime such as Attack on Titan, My Hero Academia, and Naruto: Shippuden.
XSTRIN will get deeply political with the theme of war. This presents a wonderful opportunity to appeal to a wider range of adults. Like Avatar: The Last Airbender, which captivated a wide range of age cohorts, XSTRIN can present these more complex political themes in a way that interests older adults (24-40). This is advantageous; XSTRIN will grow to be a family show, one for which every person in a household has a reason to watch.
Finally, XSTRIN is deeply multicultural, which will bring in different races and ethnicities. The African, Black American, East Asian, and European fantasy aesthetic will garner wide appeal. Our culture is at a turning point; we are seeking more nuanced and better diversified experiences in our media. For years, we have failed to see successful animated shows that featured a wide ranging cast with a Black character in the center. Now, XSTRIN provides that opportunity; it is the amalgamation of years’ worth of research into Swahili, Yoruba, and Black cultures.