The Grateful South

i only just started s3 but i’m starting with troy because liek oh my god look that’s the same picture ? he is the reason im making this, that is actually him.

now in no way am i an expert on sheep, or any animal, but this was definitely decided with personality in mind !! troy often reminds me of a ram in the way he’s assertive and territorial, plus his aggression reminds me of the way adult male sheep will ram into one another, which can last a long time due to endurance and their stubborn tendencies. another factor is how rams can be considered dangerous because of their violent outbursts and size/strength.

i also really love how troy is the ‘black sheep’ in many social situations because of his violence and just overall weirdness. it is confirmed that troy did not fit in with others, thus why he had to be pulled out of school when he was young. i also really like how the otto’s reason that it was due to his behavioral issues and violence, whereas troy felt he did not fit in with other kids and had a hard time relating and interacting with others. i love seeing both perspectives, esp. bc jake and jeremiah were older and concerned about troy’s anger, while troy, being young, did not see the situation as his family did.

bonus oh my god. spot the difference. got you, trick question, there is none. look at him awwwww that’s him.

alicia reminds me of a hare appearance wise, and i feel like her personality and habits also match hares except for the fact that hares prefer solitude rather than sticking with groups of their species. this clashes with alicia pretty significantly because she clearly cares very much for her family and they are obviously a big priority for her. i do think that metaphorically this could work considering how alicia often feels like a glass child (i believe im using that term right?) compared to nick, and she is usually overlooked by her mother (and i think others although i can’t name anyone off the top of my head) because everyone just assumes she is doing okay and can take care of herself, which has caused alicia to grow independent, especially growing up with her depressed father and nick’s substance abuse + emotional problems.

i specifically chose a hare for alicia rather than a rabbit because rabbits often symbolize innocence and i find alicia to be a good portrayal of someone being a good and kind person while still being strong and unafraid to defend herself or her family. i sort of like how the opposite idea works for nick, he is brave but he is also cautious and a runner, rather than fighting he often escapes or talks his way out of danger. idk tho, that’s more of a concept than anything really thought out. another trait of rabbits i have heard of is that they thrive on routine !! in the apocalypse, there is not much routine. alicia is shown to be good at moving from place to place as far as i have seen, she has no problem picking up and leaving when the time comes, whether it is for safety or to stick with family/friends.

i think alicia could also work as a deer if we’re going off looks, however i don’t like using deer because i feel like people often compare any old character to a deer. i get it, they’re really great animals, but goddamn, there are so many other ones that are cooler and can be more specific to characters personalities and looks !!!!

am i crazy for saying kangaroo? this one was tricky, i havent fully grasped madison’s character so i am sticking with the motherhood thing. also, this may not be well-written as i do not know much about kangaroos ! sheep and hare happen to be animals i have some sort of prior knowledge on so i was able to associate them with their given characters easier than i was able to think of one for madison :( i will say, i did not choose kangaroos solely because of motherhood, i actually forgot about the whole kangaroo-mom trope lol. if i’m being honest, i did look up animals that are often strong mothers, but when i saw kangaroos on the list i was reminded of how they can be unexpectedly aggressive.

something i learned from my research (as in a quick scroll through google and an article or two) is that although some kangaroos can be shy and cautious, others are more bold and curious. it is pretty clear that madison is cautious, even in the scenes that take place prior to the apocalypse. kangaroos can also be social and communicative, we see madison talk her way both in and out of trouble, doing the same for other people. kangaroos also reject rigid routine, which i spoke about a second ago in alicia’s section !! there is also a hierarchal structure to kangaroos, older animals are seen as protectors and teachers to younger generations, and they do not like when they or their families/mob is threatened, causing them to show aggression and not hesitate to attack others.