Rewriting Chloe Bourgeois's Character Arc
In my opinion, Chloe is one of, if not the most underutilized characters in the entire series, and her scrapped redemption arc will haunt me forever. So, I decided to write my idea for how her character could've progressed, while still leaving room for Zoe to enter into the picture.
This won't be the most polished product, it admittedly has been a while since I've watched Miraculous, and I put it all together in a rush, but this idea has been growing in the back of my mind for a long time, and I was gonna lose it if I didn't put it in writing. So, here goes:
Chloe becomes Queen Bee, and sucks at first because of her inexperience, and selfish, showboating tendencies. But as time goes on, akumatized villains get stronger and more frequent, and Ladybug and Chat Noir need her assistance more often, she learns to be more heroic as she gets more experience.
Then Zoe comes along. Chloe knew nothing about Zoe's existence practically up until she showed up. She assumes that because she was living in New York she has a closer relationship with their mother, and she also notices that Zoe is able to really connect with her father more than she does, so Chloe shuns her out of jealousy.
Zoe puts on her mean girl act in public to try and connect with Chloe, which leads to her being admired by Sabrina, but Chloe thinks she's trying to take her place. Zoe eventually drops the act, but this causes her to become more popular at school, and people begin comparing the sisters, favoring Zoe, further causing Chloe to distrust and dislike her.
Through some circumstance (injury or illness or something) she is unable to perform as Queen Bee the next time she's needed, so Ladybug gives the miraculous to Zoe as a stand-in. Chloe now feels as though she's being replaced as a daughter, a friend, and a hero. She nearly becomes akumatized, but she's able to resist.
The next time Ladybug comes to hand off the bee miraculous to Zoe, Chloe, still recovering from her (injury/illness), overhears. She snatches the miraculous, transforms, and runs off. She tries to fight the villain on her own, but is defeated. The villain is defeated by Ladybug, Chat, and Rena instead. Ladybug tries to take Chloe's miraculous back, but she runs off again, this time to Adrien's house.
Once Adrien arrives she tells him everything that she's been feeling, and reveals herself to him as Queen Bee. He tries to help her, but she gets upset when he suggests giving her miraculous back, thinking that he doesn't believe in her. This is the last straw, and she becomes akumatized with the goal of taking down all of the other miraculous users, and becoming the only hero in Paris. She reveals her identity to the city.
During the battle with Ladybug and Chat, Zoe, Sabrina, and her father all try to talk to Chloe, and she begins resisting the akuma, which slows her down, but ultimately she doesn't break free. She's eventually defeated. After being de-akumatized Chloe talks to Ladybug and Chat. Ladybug explains that she never intended to replace her as Queen Bee permanently, that the work she did as a hero will never be erased, and that she can still do good with or without a miraculous, but she can't have her act as Queen Bee again because her identity was revealed.
Chloe says goodbye to Pollen, and gives up the miraculous. Afterwards, Adrien visits her at her home, and tells her that he's proud of her for doing the right thing, and that he always believed she was capable. Chloe decides to open up more to Zoe after remembering how she tried to help her, and the two eventually become close. Chloe also starts treating her father and Sabrina better.
Ultimately, she maintains her sharp personality, but she also begins really connecting with her other classmates, and now becomes good natured frenemies with Marinette, instead of spiteful rivals. They still argue and get on each other's nerves, but it's more like banter than actual fighting.
Also, with someone to play sarcasm and banter off of like she does with Chat, this could cause some of Ladybug's traits to leak into Marinette's civilian mannerisms, something that Adrien could take notice of, furthering the romantic plot for them.
She also begins trying to use her money and influence to help people, living up to Ladybug's words that she can be good without a miraculous. Remembering how her friends and family nearly helped her fight off the influence of the akuma, she starts planning and funding communal activities, so the people of Paris can all build stronger relationships.
Zoe succeeds her as the bee miraculous holder.
And here it is. Impossible for it to be perfect, but I honestly think what I came up with is better than what we got in canon. Let me know what you guys think! Is my idea good? Would you make any improvements, or would you have taken Chloe's character in a different direction entirely?
I originally wrote all of this down with halfhearted intent to make a fanfic out of it, but after thinking about it, I realized I don't really want to make a whole story out of it, I just wanted to put it out there as a concept. But, if anyone else wants to use it and flesh it out in a bigger story, feel free! Just let me know, so I can read it!
(I already posted this in like two other places, so I figured I'd share it here toooo!)
