Eternity
Astrid finds that training to become a roller derby skater is not quite as glamorous as the match she watches that introduces her to the sport. She is forced to practice repetitive tasks over and over for extended periods of time. Visual imagery is used effectively in this graphic novel to convey the sense of the loss of time that comes with doing the same thing over and over again. A narrative square has Astrid complaining "Only thirty seconds! I felt like I had been skating for all eternity." The cartoon panel in which she says this places her in silhouette within a primordial sunset in which the dark shadow of a T-Rex and a pterodactyl joins her. This prehistoric visual imagery helps convey the sense of time being out of joint when doing something unpleasant repeatedly.
Foreshadowing
The very first panel in the book portrays a rainy night in which Astrid and her best friend Nicole are accompanying Astrid's mom for an evening of cultural enlightenment. Astrid's mom holds one umbrella. Behind her are Astrid and Nicole, sharing one umbrella while holding onto each other with their arms around each other, wearing galoshes and laughing. The narrative box pointedly has Astrid saying that the story begins back when "Nicole and I were still best friends." The visual imagery is juxtaposed against the rather ominous foreshadowing of the text. At this moment, the two young girls are almost literally connected at the hip but the dark and stormy night surrounding them hints at the stormy future awaiting this friendship.
Duality
Astrid exemplifies the nature of duality. She is constantly working on two different levels of self-awareness. When her new friend Zoey dyes her hair blue, the resulting imagery perfectly demonstrates this aspect. In the same panel, the newly blue-haired Astrid imagines herself as a fearless and powerful roller derby queen. At the same time, the real-life part of her duality is firmly grounded in practicalities. She is shown with her hands on each cheek anxiously worrying aloud that "my mom is going to kill me." The blue hair in this case is imagery that represents both her fears and fantasies.
Skater Names
The self-adopted nicknames of the roller derby skaters become a type of imagery that motivates Astrid to pursue her dream of empowerment through the sport. Astrid attends roller derby summer camp and learns the nicknames of the skaters. These creative monikers include Slamwich, Little Bonebreaker, Scream Soda, and Ruthless. Astrid introduces herself using just her name. Eventually, she will adopt the skater name Asteroid as an image of her newfound self-confidence and empowerment.
