Why 17776 JUICE is not French
An official opinion and statement by ESA's Hera Spacecraft17776 Juice is, simply, not French at all, despite claims made by the author himself. I have seen no significant traits whatsoever that would make this Juice French, with the only evidence being that he is built in Toulouse. In fact, the author has stated himself in a Q&A that 'despite being French, Juice has a charismatic, high energy Southern accent'. This proves that this Juice lacks any qualities that would indicate him being French other than his mere birthplace. Furthermore, Lunchables are technically not allowed per EU regulations due to their ingredients being considered very unhealthy. They are considered an American novelty item and are merely just unhealthy French charcuterie. If this Juice were to be of decent French representation, he would have little idea of Lunchables and no familiarity of it. Football, American football to be precise, is also not popular outside of America. A sport derived from it, called rugby, is considerably popular in France, and is better known in Europe in general. It would be far more realistic if this Juice were to be a fan of rugby rather than American football. It makes no sense for a European mission like him to be obsessed with football and to understand it on a deeper level. It is also with a heavy heart that I state the fact that people have wrongly attributed Juice as being a NASA mission, and not an ESA mission. This Juice, despite the claim of him being French, is far more of an American sports-loving stereotype. To praise him as being a Francophone would be deeply wrong. I have explored reasons into why this Juice fails to be considered French.
Now, let's look at Rollie Rolerson's Juice spacecraft. This artist did not base their personification of 17776, however he is nonetheless still French. We can see that the artist has put thought into their Juice's ethnicity and occupation. They have taken on research into French culture, most notable in the area of Toulouse in the south, to develop his character. They have also made the commitment to learning the French language as a means of further understanding his background, despite his stay in Toulouse being temporary. While most Jeese tend to wear sports-related outfits and are also football fans, this Juice is not. The artist has based him more on mission activity (such as the Space Juice challenge by ESA - Not Sponsored) and works as a barista and mixologist at a cafe, well renowned for his drinks. Instead of taking a liking to Lunchables, he takes a liking to charcuterie. Instead of partaking in football, Juice partakes in the French sport of petanque. It is clear that this Juice has more effort and thought put into his background than 17776 as a French character.