Inside Out 3 Emotions We Want To See In Teenager Riley

Disney and Pixar’s Inside Out 2 impressed us with the clever introduction and portrayal of new emotions – Anxiety, Envy, Ennui and Embarrassment – that played a pivotal role in Riley’s transition to a teenager. Remember when she dyed her hair red before joining the Firehawks? IYKYK, who would have thought that the emotion with the least lines had arguably the most impact? And can we give a standing ovation to the spot-on conceptualisations of Nostalgia granny, Deep Dark Secret, and the literal stream of consciousness?

At the same time, Inside Out 2’s simplified treatment of the oh-so-sensitive topic of puberty got us wanting more. Where were the defining elements of adolescence such as angst, crushes, mood swings, awkwardness and bodily changes – save for that gentle-looking zit on Riley’s chin? Would Disney and Pixar consider exploring touchier issues like menstruation? As we know, puberty is a whole lot more complex than trying to fit in and stay true to yourself while at a hockey camp.

With that in mind, we have taken some liberties to dream up the emotions we would like to see in teenager Riley in Inside Out 3, and that would possibly make it easier for parents to connect with their tweens and teenagers over the topic of puberty.

Disney and Pixar, are you with us?

Inside Out 3 emotions we want to see

Love

With a kind and gentle personality, Love is a product of Friendship Island, Family Island and all of the love Riley has for the people around her. Now that Riley is a budding teenager, the idea of love lingers in her mind and comes to reality when she has her first experience with love in high school. Love’s calm and mature demeanour ends up helping Riley navigate through the complexities of not only romantic relationships but also friendships.

Infatuation

Can Riley really be considered a teenager if she doesn’t go through a phase of having crushes? Meet Infatuation. She is loud. She is bubbly. Her eyes sparkle at every cute guy that walks past. Infatuation is known for recklessly diving into situations and thus becomes Embarrassment’s least favourite emotion. Her impulsive and unpredictable nature keeps the other emotions on their toes as they can never really tell who her next target of obsession is.

Rebellion

This is Rebellion and he is the opposite of everything you stand for. Go to sleep early? Rebellion will make sure Riley stays up till 5 in the morning. Come home on time? Rebellion prefers Riley to stay out past midnight. Covered in face tattoos and sporting a mohawk, he is different from the rest. Or at least that’s what he thinks. Rebellion’s need to be different comes from Riley’s desire to be independent from her parents to solidify her self-identity. As she grapples with her changing identity in teenagehood, Rebellion is definitely an emotion that we want to see in Inside Out 3. 

Shame

Shame is always ashamed. It doesn’t have to be anyone or anything that causes her to feel this way as this constant feeling of shame stems from her low self-esteem. This leads her to avoid interacting with the other emotions for fear of their opinions – she is always hiding from them. Shame makes it hard for Riley to take in constructive criticism, and the slightest bit of rejection can cause her to spiral out of control. While Shame can be destructive, she is not all that bad. At times, she helps Riley to recognise her mistakes, allowing her to become a better person. 

Guilt

Say hi to Guilt! Guilt and Shame might look and act similarly but they are certainly very different emotions. Guilt is solemn and reflective. Unlike Shame who avoids the other emotions, Guilt treats them with utmost consideration; he is careful with his words to avoid hurting them. He usually dominates the control room when Riley thinks that she has done something wrong. As Riley’s journey of teenagehood will be filled with conflicts, Guilt teaches her how to make amends and rectify her mistakes, salvaging her precious relationships with her family and friends.