Irrational plot-hole climaxes are okay

• eg: Cars Climax
  • [?] Lightning McQueen stopped right at the finish line, before pushing Strip Weathers to 2nd
  • He could have crossed the finish line first before Chick Hicks, get first place, then double back to push Weathers to 3rd
    • the mechanisms of the racing world perfectly allowed him to do so
    • with no negative external-world consequences
      • to himself, or to others
  • [*] BUT there are internal-character consequences.
    • it shows he will not vouch for a system that disregards the worth of people
    • it reflects how he desires to re-do Doc’s history, honouring him
      • if he had crossed the line, then “the multiple-time legend would suffer a painful end to his career” and McQueen would be that “rookie who overshadowed” him
    • this action shows how McQueen had changed after Radiator Springs
  • [*] and in fact, there are external consequences!
    • who gets the first-place fame and reporter attention?
      • Hicks, the selfish winner, is hated
      • Weathers gets the cheer of the crowd, reporters’ attention—avoiding Doc’s tragic history
      • we see McQueen slip away from all the glory that he once chased
    • this is the new reality that Lightning establishes for the racing-world
  • we ask… what is the Piston Cup? What is a person worth?
• eg: Aladdin climax
  • [?] Aladdin could have given Jasmine the lamp and have her wish the Genie free instead?!1! And then get more wishes to make his status better so he can win Jasime?
  1. Aladdin promised Genie he’d use his last wish to set him free
  2. Aladdin used to operate on loopholes and tricks and lies, but must no longer
  3. Aladdin used to believe he needed to be a prince in order to have worth
  4. Aladdin used to care about himself before others

I think it’s all boiled down to simply this:

[!important]
These climax alternatives, though clean of plot holes, allow the protagonist to achieve their ==Truth-fuelled Need== AND their ==Lie-fuelled Want==. That’s the wrong message.

It gets tricky when the Want itself is not necessarily a bad thing. Winning first place at the championship is great. Being a prince is great. But the issue is that these good things were Lie-fuelled. They are based on Lies, that they should no longer believe that they need these Wants (e.g. to have worth).

In a climactic [rejection of the Lie-fuelled Want], they also climactically [reject the Lie], and thus they [champion the Truth].

Now, there are stories where the heroes also do get their Want, on top of their Need. But it’s in best taste when through some coincidence or external force (e.g. if the story had the Grand Prix and Weathers give McQueen the trophy anyways). Even if the hero gets the trophy after saving the day, the hero doesn’t/shouldn’t view the Want in light of the Lie anymore.

‘Cause, we realise that in finally getting the Want, or not: it’s nice to have, certainly, great even! But finally in the light, against the beauty and goodness of the Need, we finally understand the true nature of the Want—it’s just an empty cup.