#batmantas

People have a right to be upset with Charlie and how she's had REALLY bad lapses in judgement.

It sucks watching someone you see so much potential make the wrong choices and feel the story isn't doing enough to convince you they are worth rooting for.

but this is where you have to pull through the trenches and help yourself to understanding Charlie as a character and her arc.

I've said this in other posts and I'll say it here

Charlie IS NOT a paragon

We've grown up with many characters who served as inspirations, some had flaws some didn't, but they were always likable and shown to be wise, caring, and virtuous

Charlie's issue stems from something deeper

Her mother was Lilith, the Lilith who most known as the one who didn't want to be tied down and became an image of independence

her father is Lucifer, the "rebel" and while in universe he's a total goofball.

we see how much of that has affected his leadership skills as his PR with Sinners is for shit, partially cause Adam labeled him as such that the whole world thinks this and because of his own treatment of Sinners.

Charlie may have been spoiled sweet, but she is spoiled none the less and that doesn't make her a bad character or an awful person

it adds to what her arc is about

she grew up and became an adult who has emotional trauma but is also so sheltered from the reality of her world that she does not know how to handle things

Charlie is a headstrong, an all-loving hero who tries to do the right thing but messes up a LOT and can come off as being dismissive of others

but all this tells me is that she has the potential to grow because if this is her at her lowest level and the show still has more to tell

then it means she has time to grow more

And I do not doubt she will be a good leader and someone better able to work with people and avoid her past mistakes

Because she shares that core trait MANY of the heroes we grew up with have had, she just lacks the wisdom and experience she needs which is what her arc is all about

Optimus Prime(G1) and Batman (TAS) are two biggest examples of heroes and Paragons who both believed in redemption being possible for everyone.

But both these characters grew up in situations that shaped who they were that were FAR different from Charlie's life.

Optimus lived through millions of years of war and seeing the horrors the Decepticons brought

Batman grew up with the trauma of losing his parents

but both dedicated their lives to ensuring no one ever endures what they went through, to help others live in peaceful times

What makes their arcs differ from Charlie's was that they each had years to grow and had better support systems

Optimus had his mentor Alpha Trion and his comrades to help keep him grounded

Batman had Alfred, his only father figure who looked after him since he was a child.

Charlie had to grow up on her own and we were clearly shown that Lucifer's absence and Lilith's neglect contributed to how Charlie became

She had no one but herself from her teen years to adult years trying to figure things out on her own

so it's no wonder she had bad habits that pop in and make her do things like she did in S2 Ep3 and 4.

What matters is that SHE doesn't give up with trying to correct herself, even if it takes a BIG nasty fall for her to learn how to pick herself up.

This isn't to say "no you canz be mad at her, she is pookie who did no wrongz" no, we don't baby her, but we don't kick her when she's down either

She will get better and it is our job as the audience to let the story unfold and see where it goes, because she has learned to some varying degrees

lest we forget how she didn't handle the revelation that her own girlfriend was a murderer and how she gave her the cold shoulder in S1

But when Vox blurted out Angeldust's terrible secret, what did Charlie do?

she didn't judge Angel and she instantly showed she cared about him and didn't have any shock or horrifid expression, only thinking about him.

It might not be BIG progress, but it is progress

and I look forward to seeing Charlie grow even if she might fall hard, it will only make her eventual rise and maturity feel that much satisfying with how far she came.

KEVIN CONROY'S BATMAN - original

6' x 9'

#ripkevinconroy, based on batman the animated series

colored pencil colored marker

Artwork by Rick Celis