My (possibly unpopular) take on Tonks
I know the books didnāt give us much about Tonks, and the films basically turned her into an extra, but my interpretation of her is a little different from most fans. This is purely personal, Iām not saying itās the only correct one, just how I see her.
A lot of people talk about Tonks as if sheās a punky, pink-haired badass who swears, makes rude gestures, and can change anything about her appearance at will.
But hereās how I see her:
ā¢ A fierce woman who only does what she wants, doesnāt take ānoā for an answer, and vents when sheās upset.
ā¢ Someone who fights tooth and nail for what she believes in, yet has a soft, fragile side too.
ā¢ Not a badass feminist stereotype. She married Remus, who had this huge protective instinct. A woman like that wouldāve felt smothered, and Remus himself wouldāve felt unnecessary. That would never have worked.
ā¢ Someone incredibly intense in love and conviction. She loved Remus so fiercely that his rejection broke her: her magic faltered, her Patronus changed... She loved him so fiercely that she didnāt care about being an outcast, about Bellatrix targeting her, about anything other than marrying him. She loved him so fiercely that she died because of it: running into a deadly battle after him, leaving her newborn behind, because she couldnāt stand not knowing if he was okay.
ā¢ A woman who loved to laugh and didnāt care about age or any other kind of prejudice. (She fell in love with someone 13 years older, was friends with Ginny who was 8 years younger, and married a werewolf. She really didnāt care.)
ā¢ Someone who changed her looks simply because she could. Pink was her favourite colour, and she only shifted her nose and hair. (Yes, she once disguised herself as an old woman, but honestly: make your hair grey, do an old-lady hairstyle, tweak your nose, and voilĆ ! Headcanon: She probably did it just to tease Remus after one of his ātoo oldā arguments. Remember this happens immediately after Harry finds them having a private conversation in Order of the Phoenix. The timing makes me laugh every time š¤£.)
And don't forget that Harry recognized her almost every time (he just wasn't paying much attention to the "old lady"). People act as if we don't know how she really looks like, but the books repeatedly describe her as having a pale heart-shaped face and dark eyes. Her hair is mostly pink, but it's naturally "mousy brown". She also shows up with long red hair and blonde curls.
ā¢ Definitely not the type to constantly swear and make obscene gestures. She mightāve used slang, sure, but anything harsher wouldnāt have suited Remusā quiet politeness... and honestly, I think she wouldāve found him boring if sheād been that brash.
And honestly? I see her as ADHD-coded:
ā¢ Loves changing her looks āļø
ā¢ Clumsy as heck āļø
ā¢ Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria āļø
ā¢ Big, intense feelings āļø
Why do I read her like that? Because it makes total sense in canon, that's the idea I always have when I read the books... and maybe also because thatās literally... me!
1. Iāve always hated being called by my real name (just now learning to accept it, because I love its meaning).
2. Iāve got ADHD (and autism. Yeah, jackpot, right? š
).
3. Iām an actress, so I keep changing my looks.
4. I donāt care about age gaps. Most of my friends are younger or older, never my age.
5. Iām not prejudiced; my friends are from all sorts of backgrounds.
6. Iām always cracking jokes.
7. I fight obsessively for what I think is right.
8. My feelings are ridiculously intense.
9. My mum married my dad, who came from a lower social class.
12. My grandfatherās surname? Black. (Well, actually āPretoā, which means āBlackā in my mother language, Portuguese. š¤)
11. I'm a proud Hufflepuff š
12. And, of course, I love Remus with all my heart. š©·
So yes, maybe itās unpopular, but this is my Tonks. Which is also why whenever I write Remadora, it always ends up as self-insert. š
