I’m so excited to be doing my second Villains Profile for a Barbie character. Yeah, I know he doesn’t fit the theme of Halloween but I don’t care. I love this movie and I’ve been wanting to cover him ever since the movie came out. I wanna talk about something important though. If you’ve followed my journey for any length of time online, you’ll know this year I came out as gender fluid and this movie played a big part in my gender journey. I don’t know if that makes much sense but it’s the truth. Rewatching it for this blog re-established how important it is. It was when Barbie told Ken that he had to figure out who he is, separate from her.
First Appearance/Grand Desire
I believe it makes the most sense to combine these two categories together. As we hear when the movie opens, Barbie has a good day everyday but Ken only has a good day when Barbie looks at him. Ken is chasing something he’ll never get. Barbie doesn’t love him and just finds him annoying. Having seen this and Gerwig’s Little Women, she believes in self-empowerment. Jo didn’t need Laurie to be happy even though he wanted her. And Barbie doesn’t want Ken, no matter how hard he tries.
Ken has to look inward to figure out who he is. No wonder, I related so deeply to both journeys. To put it in simple terms, somedays I’m Ken, somedays I’m Barbie. And while I’m learning to accept both sides of me, that’s where Ken struggles. In many aspects, Ken’s journey is just beginning when the movie ends.
I had an ex friend who was also big into Barbie especially the animated movies and hated this movie but I think her hatred was a misunderstanding of the story as she was so attached to the animated Barbie as am I but Gerwig set out to tell a mature story about identity using children’s toys.
This is reflected in What Was I Made For which in many ways works just as much for Ken as it does Barbie. If Ken doesn’t have Barbie, he doesn’t know who he is. Taking this idea further, look at the parody commercial selling depressed Barbie
Personality
On the surface, Ken is an idiot and that is not an incorrect reading of his character. But imo, there is so much more to him than just being an idiot. Consider we are dealing with children’s toys so they have the mindset of children. This is exemplified when Ken says he and Barbie can do boyfriend and girlfriend stuff.
Barbie Land is a section of the movie where the idea of a child playing is best on display. However, when Barbie and Ken enter our world, it’s as though a child is being faced with the adult world for the first time. Again, this is seen when Ken takes in male led dominance of our world. It’s an information overload and he has a child’s understanding of what it means to be a man.
We see this with what he does to Barbie Land, he is acting out for attention. No different than an annoying little boy mocking the girl he secretly likes. While also raiding his older brother’s closet trying to look cool, not only what it actually means to be a man. This is where Ken is, he thinks he knows what it means to be a man by just observing how men treat women in our world.
Most Evil Deed
Again Ken is a giant child and what he does is wrong and one can view it as malicious behavior but I believe it’s again best to look at him acting out. That’s what we see when he returns to Barbie Land and teaches the others Ken’s about patriarchy. They Stepford Wives-d the Barbies to make them subservient to the Kens. Yes, this is an on the nose commentary about feminism and how feminism isn’t women having more power than men but rather having equal power to men, which they still don’t have. Again, going back to the beginning of the movie, the Barbies had all the power in Barbie Land but by the end of the movie, they are willing to work towards giving the Kens more to do.
Song
I’m Just Ken
Do I need to explain how massive this song was. Didn’t think so, let’s move on. This song ties back into a recurring theme I’ve brought up throughout when looking at Ken, he thinks he is owed love from Barbie. He doesn’t think he has to work for it and because Barbie constantly rejects him. Making him think he isn’t good enough to be loved, this once again ties back to how Ken doesn’t have any self worth and can only find value from someone who doesn’t care for him at all.
What Does Ken Learn?
Usually I’d end with demise but with Ken, that doesn’t make sense. Instead, I’d rather look at what Ken learns, Ken learns he has to be his own person. He is just starting to get there when he see him wearing his I’m Kenough hoodie.
Self-worth and self-value are hard things to find and so many people struggle with them. Hi me but once you are able to truly love yourself, you will find others that love you as well.
About Author
While I don’t really have any interest in watching the Barbie movie, I am glad it has been able to resonate with so many people and, for some like you, help them learn more about themselves and get to a better place personally.
Personally and mentally, you know I’m a big Barbie fan. I’ve said What Was I Made For is Rachel’s song as I played that song when I met her so to speak. And then rewatching it with a focus on Ken made me realize how just like Ken, I need to figure out who I am separate from what people say about me. It’s a tough process but I’m getting there.