#character complexity

Skyler White is a complex character who gets reduced to either being a “bitch” or “innocent victim of Walt”

Imagine someone like Petunia poking at every raw nerve: mocking your looks, poverty, and family—relentlessly pressing your deepest insecurities. Be honest how many of you would actually keep your cool?? Yeah, thought so. But sure, let’s hold nine-year-old Snape to standards most adults struggle to meet.

Sorry—not sorry—that Severus Snape was nine. Sorry that he was neglected and surrounded by violence. Sorry he felt so insecure after being humiliated for wearing his mother’s clothes, passed down out of poverty, in front of his peers. Sorry he didn’t have years of therapy to regulate his emotions and meet your impossibly high standards for 'acceptable reactions.'

But sure, keep judging a child just trying to survive in a world that offered him nothing but pain. If labeling a traumatized kid a 'Nazi' or 'terrorist' makes you feel superior, go ahead.

a part two to my previous post, essentially. (I'd 100% recommend checking that one out as it covers any other topics regarding mha and disabilities that I don't over here)

my hero academia has always been a story that revolves around the mistreatment of those born different/differently-abled, and I think the fact that that is constantly overlooked ruins the entire theme of the story.

This theme is set right from the get-go, chapter 1 izuku is shown to constantly face harassment, bullying, mistreatment, and downright abuse by the hands of not only his peers but teachers as well, with his middle school home room teacher pointing out how midoriya wanted to apply to U.A. KNOWING he would be ridiculed.

Now here comes the question of why, why is izuku treated so awfully for something that seems so genuinely inconsequential, I mean most people in the mha universe don't even become pros, and out of the few who do become heroes so little actually become well known and revered, so why would it matter if he has a quirk or not? Well, it all has to do with the nature of quirks themselves. See, quirks arent just powers that you can tap into when you need them, something you turn on and off. I'd think of it as more of an extension of yourself - we see this when inko (izukus mother) used her quirk to float this around the house to move them towards her, or bakugo using his explosions to light a fire and help him cook. Tsu using her tongue to grab things. Ojiros tail helping him stand when he's tired, leaning on it, todoroki using his quirk to cool himself and others down when overheating, or warm up when too cold. These are all examples of quirks being used as extensions of the body, not easily removed from ones identity or characteristics. I feel as though having a quirk genuinely changes the way you think, as in you wouldnt know how to function without one.

So quirks arent just for heroes, theyre something that is so genuinely seen as needed for every day function. To survive as a normal person in society, to socialize and fit In. The abnormal is the normal, and anything other then superhuman is subpar.

Not having a quirk means that you supposedly can't function on the same level as those who have quirks. That you are not as able-bodied as those around you.

You are disabled.

Izuku midoriya was disabled (at least to their standards ) and it was something that everyone around him constantly ostracized him for. (I reference disability in the sense of it being physical, but I think this could also be applied to having mental disabilities as well, different nuero types ECT)

But then something happens.

Izuku somehow gets a quirk, he somehow gets a quirk, and everyone around him sees him as this new person.

Because he's no longer suffocatingly uncomfortable to be around. He's no longer the weak disabled kid that cant be left alone because what if a villain attacks?? How will he possibly defend himself? How will be ever be successful in life without a quirk to get him by?

Something that I saw a lot was when someone who didnt have a quirk got brought up, people would get really uncomfortable. They would apologize. Because not having a quirk is awful, and it's so unfortunate. Midoriya even does it to Melissa when she admits that she in fact does not have a quirk.

Now, fast forward to after the war, izuku midoriya loses his quirk.

He is officially back at square one.

And everyone is back to treating him as awfully and neglectfully as they did before- only this time, instead of being just disabled, he's a veteran as well, which I think has people treating him even worse then they did before. (If you want more about this, check out my previous post, as it goes hand it hand with this one. )

Tumblr, hopefully your algorithm gets this, but I LOVE Catra. I love her. I love this tortured mess, I love the writing that went into her character, I love her waffling precarious hold on sanity and reason. I love how she struggles to cope with her trauma. I love the realism put into her character despite the fantasy setting. But I also love that they didn’t push the realism too far, because it is at the end of the day a fantasy story. I love the delicate balance they wove into her character. I love the complexity and thought put into her entire character arc through the whole series. (And before anyone comes to crucify me, I say I love Catra, as a person who suffered immense parental trauma and manipulation. As a victim of some of the worst of it. I shouldn’t even have to mention my own trauma to justify appreciating a FICTIONAL character. But here we are.)

Would I have loved one extra season to really explore her redemption more thoroughly? Yes of course. An extra season would have been delightful to explore a lot of the character relationships more thoroughly. But we didn’t get that, and what the show creators did give us was still wonderful and satisfying. (Even if I have some critiques on some things.) the writing of the show at the end of the day is still smart, and tight, and so so competent. (Looking at the myriad of other story driven cartoons and shows that fall apart in the later seasons or just have an overwhelming amount of inconsistencies and botched writing. **coughs** Voltron, Miraculous, YGO, Netflix Carmen Sandiego, Bleach, many animes in general, just to name a few. Not that I didn’t love and adore most of these shows too.) the fact that She-ra (2018) stayed consistently tight and snappy and smart with their writing, narrative, and characters from beginning to end is a treasure.

Morally grey characters are a staple of literature and storytelling, and they can be some of the most compelling and thought-provoking figures in a narrative. These characters often blur the lines between good and evil, making readers question their motivations and actions. However, the acceptance of morally grey characters hinges on how their complexity is presented within the story. While morally grey characters can be intriguing and even empathetic, it becomes problematic when their moral ambiguity is used to excuse or downplay abusive or harmful behavior.

Complexity vs. Excuse: Morally grey characters should be portrayed with depth and nuance. Their actions and motivations should be explored in a way that allows readers to understand the complexity of their choices. However, this complexity should not serve as an excuse for abusive or harmful behavior.

Accountability: It's essential that morally grey characters are held accountable for their actions. Their choices, even if morally ambiguous, should have consequences within the story. This accountability demonstrates that the narrative acknowledges the impact of their behavior on others.

Character Development: Morally grey characters should ideally experience growth and change over the course of the story. They may grapple with their actions and seek redemption or self-improvement. This development adds depth to their character arcs and provides a path for reconciliation with the audience.

Exploring the Grey Area: Morally grey characters can serve as a vehicle for exploring ethical dilemmas and the grey areas of human nature. However, this exploration should be done with sensitivity and an awareness of the potential real-world implications.

Avoiding Glamorization: It's crucial to avoid glamorizing abusive or harmful behavior, even within the context of morally grey characters. Romanticizing or justifying such behavior can send harmful messages to readers.

Balanced Perspective: Authors should strive to present a balanced perspective on morally grey characters. This means acknowledging both their strengths and flaws, their virtues and vices. Readers should be encouraged to form their own opinions rather than having a character's behavior imposed as unquestionably acceptable.

True, but I think that’s a really awesome thing, too. It sucks that we didn’t get to canonically see them in scenes not relevant to the plot aside from the omakes where they’re all irreverent goofballs, but we still have the freedom to imagine how they’d be “off the clock” so to speak. It’d also be really boring if everyone interpreted them the exact same way, and that’s added to the series’ lasting power in my opinion. These characters are just fun to think about~.

OH MY GOD! YES!!!

Thank you for saying it!

Its- grahh!

Anne, Sasha, Marcy.

I've seen both fan content and character "analysis" that completely ignore how they are growing in a more slow and natural way and leave them as one note characters equal or worse than how they were at the start the show.