Thus, it can be seen that in Rocky films, the constant line of thought that permeated all films was the underdog mindset, which is best encapsulated in Rocky Balboa (2006)’s “sunshine and rainbows” speech a lengthy speech between Rocky and his son when his son concerned about having to work in his father’s shadow entreats his father not to fight based on this reason, to which Stallone basically reprimands, casting aside his usually nonchalant persona to hammer in a few words of wisdom. As such, I have decided to take on a thematic approach, simultaneously embedding as many examples as I can possibly think of into the various themes explored by the legendary franchise, one that continues to motivate the common man and for some, fodder for thought after long days or struggles at work, or in other aspects of life. Having said that, taking the broad-brush approach, we tend to miss out the nitty gritty, which is also part and parcel of appreciating films. It seems difficult to decide which approach to take in analysing the franchise given that discussing each film in isolation takes away the wholesome view of things and how each trajectory led to the next, be it whether or not it was an upward or downward spiral. He had his fair share of trials and tribulations, clashes with loss and depression as age caught up with him and in this, symbolically mirrored the acting career and life trajectory of Sylvester Stallone. In essence, Rocky rose from being an amateur boxer from Philadelphia to one of the world’s esteemed boxers, taking on opponents larger, more powerful and often was the underdog. Of late, writing has become more private and treasured, but nevertheless the luxury of time has allowed for what could potentially be a penultimate piece of appreciation of one of my favourite fictional character, Rocky Balboa and his legacy spanning seven films and another spinoff of Creed (with reference to Apollo Creed’s son, Adonis Creed and the Creed legacy) from 1976 to this day. Writing has become a cherished opportunity to pen down musings these days, be it in terms of appreciating films in their entirety or documenting certain musings.