Disney reportedly chose to pull a finished episode of the children’s cartoon series Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, for its plot involving a transgender high school athlete. Disney has opted not to air the episode “Gatekeeper,” which features a boy who identifies as a girl The episode centers around Brooklyn, a recurring character who is a trans classmate of Lunella Lafayette, also known as the titular Moon Girl, and a volleyball match in which Brooklyn competes against an opposing coach who tries to prevent him from playing as a girl. The series is based on the Marvel Comics series of the same name.
The original premise of the series followed girl genius Lunella accidently pulling Devil Dinosaur into modern-day New York City, and the two working together to protect her neighborhood from danger, among other mishaps. The original Devil Dinosaur was created by Jack Kirby for a decidedly different take in the bronze age of comics. The cartoon is definitely aimed at the 7 to 9 year old age group.
Several creators took to social media platform BlueSky, which has been called a safe space echo chamber by many, where they claimed to have worked on the episode in question, which was initially scheduled to premiere in early 2025. The creators expressed their disappointment with the show’s cancellation. Gizmodo reported that at least two people claimed to have worked on the episode came forward, but eventually deleted their posts.
In the episode titled “The Gatekeeper,” Brooklyn reflects on his past playing soccer and the “darkness” of having to play on the boys’ team. This conversation is overheard by the opposing team’s coach, Greer, who attempts to disqualify Brooklyn from the game. However, Brooklyn’s coach, gym teacher Coach Hrbek, stands up for him, saying, “Brooklyn IS a girl, and she’s gonna play.” The episode then takes a turn into supervillain territory, as Greer uses a magical key to trap Brooklyn and his teammates, along with Lunella in the girls’ locker room.
Brooklyn, voiced by actor Indya Moore, identifies as trans in the episode, telling teammates, “I’m trans, my very existence breaks Greer’s rules.” Brooklyn’s trans identity is further emphasized through visuals, such as Pride-themed kneepads and a “Trans is beautiful” sticker on a water bottle. The episode’s color palette is reminiscent of the transgender flag, and its themes of prejudice, exclusion, and finding support from progressive allies are unmistakable.
Artists who worked on Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur expressed their disappointment on social media that the episode had been “shelved because of which party that won the recent election,” likely referring to Donald Trump’s victory in the presidential election and the Republicans gaining a majority in the U.S. House and Senate. In recent years, conservative politicians have campaigned to ban trans and non-binary student athletes from competing in girls’ and women’s athletics due to the danger they pose against weaker females in competition. Activists seem to ignore the many differences and advantages between male and female athletes.
Despite what these creators are saying, a source at Disney stated that the decision to hold the episode was made more than a year ago and was not based on the outcome of the recent U.S. elections. The source clarified that the decision was specific to this episode and not because of Brooklyn’s trans identity. They also noted that the episode is not officially banned but is “being held,” increasing the uncertainty surrounding its potential release.
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Although “The Gatekeeper” may never officially air, the completed episode was uploaded to YouTube. Clips were leaked online earlier this week. In this sequence, it’s made clear that the trans identity of the character is central to the episode, giving it a “very special episode” vibes. It’s no surprise that this show has a perfect 100% rating at Rotten Tomatoes.
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur “The Gatekeeper” Clip 13
Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur premiered on the Disney Channel in February 2023, and was also made available on Disney Plus, and stars Diamond White as Lunella, Fred Tatasciore as Devil Dinosaur, Alfre Woodard as Lunella’s grandma Mimi, and Laurence Fishburne as The Beyonder.
Despite the cancellation of Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur earlier this year, Disney and Marvel still had approximately 10 episodes in the can and are airing them as the shows final season. Disney probably has had enough accusations of grooming, and this episode was pulled in response to those accusations.
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