#I strive to analyze characters correctly and in a way that isn't offensive

[soliidago]

This is a really good analysis (and I fear I am only in two of the fandoms...)!!! However—and, I'm sorry if this seems like I'm nitpicking at all—I feel the need to slightly correct you on a few aspects of Wylan's section (I also just got carried away and kinda just added to what u said before, because tragically if you mention my faves I start ranting and can't stop).

During the Ice Court Heist, while breaking the chains to initiate the Black Protocol in chapter 32, he says this to Jesper: "I don't like the idea of killing people, either. I don't even like chemistry." I know it's not entirely that important of an aspect at face value, but I do believe it tells us more about Wylan as a character and his willingness to do things he still considers wrong to survive and help those he cares about. We can see that element of him repeated in the second book when he agrees to execute the rest of the heist and get their money back, not only because he needs it to get out of Ketterdam, but also because he feels he owes it to Inej, and then later because he wants to help his mother—two people who matter greatly to him. He's completely stubborn when he does accept doing these things and going along with Kaz's plan, and he does fight him on multiple steps on the way, but he ultimately agrees to most things (if not all(?)) even with it contradicting his morals and likes.

I also see the fact that he doesn't like chemistry while still doing and being fantastic at it as another important part of his character and upbringing. Throughout the book, we're taught that Wylan is incredibly book smart, while not even having read the books (which from my perceptive makes him all the more intelligent). He couldn't read, so to "compensate"* for that, he tried as hard as he could to be advanced in every other subject. I think the way that he strives to be acknowledged for the things he /can/ do as opposed to what he can't is also significant in his character and helps to show us how growing up in the Van Eck household that made him into the person he is today. I also think this urge to prove himself contributes to how stubborn he can be.

Sorry for the long long rant I just love analyzing characters and your writing inspired me to add on a bit!!! Love the Nico one as well I haven't read PJO in ages but I adore that series still!!! Have a nice day ^-^

*Wylan is an incredibly smart person who has dyslexia, and I don't believe his having it makes him any less intelligent, and to me there wasn't a need for him to need to excel in every other subject to "prove" his worth. It was an effect of living under Van Eck and growing to think his dyslexia took away from that when it doesn't, hence why I used quotation marks when using the word compensate. As for why I used the word at all, I am trying to partially use Wylan's view of himself to also construct an analysis of him, with includes the bias that he is lesser than others due to his disability and while a bias I do not agree with, since he is the character, to me it's important to acknowledge his persective on himself.

go on the rant GO ON THE RANT ANOUT MISCHARACTERISATION did I even spell that right

Sorry for taking so long oh my lord, I got a little intense with this. I wanted textual evidence, and I went on a few fanfiction-reading and tumblr sprees to really gather my points here. I treated this like a college essay. So consider this a sociological essay on fandom behavior and ill incorporate it into my thesis. So, Thank you for this opportunity to vent one of my biggest fandom pet peeves! I shan't squander it!

My issue with mischaracterization comes down to the characters being mischaracterized and the traits of theirs that are warped. Now don't get me wrong, OOC is a fandom-typical behavior. I did it a lot when I was younger, and I even engage in it now for goofy moments! Is exact characterization necessary for a fluffy AU or a goofy little dribble? No. Sometimes we just want to write something cute and fun.

My issue with it comes when we're writing something that does require accurate character interpretation. Now, I won't directly tell someone they're writing OOC - I usually just ignore it and keep reading or I just press the back tab because it's really not that deep. But it does bother me. I'm not the ultimate authority over how a character should be written - that changes based on the creator, narrative, how the creator interprets and even projects onto them.

To express why, allow me to do a bit of a case study of characters who are often mischaracterized in the (numerous) fandoms i participate in. I've seen some shit. If you don't know the character, don't worry, it'll tie into some cohesive point. Bare with me. Remember, this is just my opinion. I actively encourage intellectual conversation about things we disagree on! This isn't targeted at a specific person, it's just a list of some trends i see in fandom behavior. Also this isn't edited.

(If you want to skip down, there's a TL; DR at the end. But be warned I was just sleep deprived enough for this to be hilarious and you'd be missing out on my utter genius. Never ask an autistic to describe their favourite characters if you don't want a 20 page notes app essay.)

1. Wylan Van Eck - Six of Crows.

Now, this is the character that spurred my thoughts here. Wylan's mischaracterization in the SOC fandom is interesting because I think it just shows a misunderstanding of the character and his arc. Maybe you only read the first book or watched the show. The majority of his development happens in the second book, where his true personality is allowed to shine. But there are definitely hints throughout all his "screentime" if you will.

Wylan is often portrayed as a bit of a "sunshine boy", an understandable interpretation because several characters in universe seem to agree. It's one of the biggest commentaries on him from the rest of the cast - he's a little rich boy, he's innocent, he's barely qualified to be their demolitions expert. None of which is true, by the way, but that's the base level explanation given to Wylan. (Actually the unraveling of this portrayal is integral to his relationship with the other crows but more on that another time.)

Wylan did grow up relatively sheltered, which can make him pretty naive at the start of the story. He hasn't really been participating in the criminal world for long. But innocent he is not. Wylan is pretty quickly revealed to be remarkably intelligent, even a bit of a mad scientist. He's directly compared to Kaz on multiple occasions, and his backstory serves as a direct parallel to Kaz's. He's a well meaning kid, who expressed a deep empathy towards others on multiple occasions. Which, once again, isn't innocence - it could maybe be a product of him being a bit naive? But I've always interpreted that as a special strength of Wylan's. He blossoms into a bit of a mad genius, but one who still cares about people. The idea that caring about others makes you weak is one that we see being addressed with Kaz, actually, so I always find it interesting when that same concept isn't applied to Wylan? I love Kaz and I love Wylan and the thread between the two is one of my favourite aspects of the series.

Also, I think it's important to point out that in terms of sexuality, Wylan isn't some uwu innocent gay boy? He's heavily implied to have at least some degree of sexual experience, whether it's rumour or reality. And if you factor in the TV show, he's plenty confident in his sexuality and its expression thereof. So the strange interpretation of him as someone who's never engaged in any sexual activity is interesting to me?

His relationship with Jesper is often mischaracterized, as well. This weird depiction of Wylan woefully pining after Jesper with little confidence or desire to do anything about it came almost out of nowhere? And the whole Kuwei situation. It's been awhile since I read the books, but I distinctly remember Wylan being pretty pissed about that whole situation. Like, really pissed. And super abrasive about it. He knew he and Jesper liked each other and he put that boy through the WRINGER over that kiss. Like saying Wylan is an uwu soft sunshine boy when he actively threatens to throw people off a boat because they have a crush on their partner is kind of hilarious, to be honest. Wylan was locked the hell in when it came to Jesper. It was very much not a sad one sided crush. And as much as I like the TV adaptation (Jack Wolfe as Wylan is the definition of perfect casting btw) I do think it strips a lot of the nuance of the relationship. Or not. I like both portrayals, but Wylan is infinitely more assertive in the books. He actively challenges Jesper and pushes him. Jesper noticeably likes him more when he, for lack of better words, "bites back." When he stands up for himself. Which he is good at doing. He also lies to and manipulates Kaz. Before that, he frequently talked back to and challenged Kaz at every turn. Is he always right? No, but he has his principles and he puts his foot down. The kid is stubborn. I equate Wylan's arc to Parker's from the show Leverage, which has a lot in common with SOC. Namely that Wylan is almost being fashioned into someone who could take Kaz's place, if that makes sense? Actually, the Wylan/Kaz comparison is so important to me and that could be a separate post.

Wylan's mischaracterization is fascinating because it's less a gross misunderstanding of who he is, and more ignoring the depth and multiple facets to make him seem submissive (don't even tell me that's not what it is lmao) and soft and super sweet. Wylan is kind of a snarky shit! And that's ok! He's also stubborn and intelligent and yes, a little naive, and overall kindhearted, but he sticks to his guns He'll help hijack a tank and blow shit up, but he's also a highly empathetic and sweet artist. He's a little unnerving, if you think about it. He's cryptic about his background, he likes bombs, he plays the piano, he matches Kaz's freak, he lies constantly, he's sixteen and a member of the merchants council and attempting to overturn its entire structure. He built bombs for a living. He likes chemistry. Have you ever met a chemistry nerd? They're weird. In the best possible way. Wylan is weird. Please write him weird, please write him as a smartass. He's a sweet kid but he's mouthy.

Anyway,

2. Adam Parrish - The Raven Cycle

This one is personal. Not just because I was (affectionately?? I hope??) called the "Adam Parrish my friend group" (To this day, how am I supposed to take that?) or because Adam is probably my favourire book character of all time, but because the softening of Adam by fandom really ruins a lot of why he's such a well-written character? Idk, I know many people (including Maggie Stiefvater herself) have expressed that he's difficult to write. Which is fair. He's a walking contradiction. But reducing him to sad abused boy (which, like it or not, is what fucking happens) really bothers me. Because Adam's anger and his coping throughout The Dream Thieves cements him as one of the best examples of healing I've seen in awhile. Because it isn't pretty or enjoyable to watch. Adam is actively lashing out. Understandably so, btw. He's angry and he feels cornered and he's attempting to undo a lifetime of internalized hatred and trauma. And he's doing his damn best not to be like the people who hurt him. This portrayal means everything to me - as someone who, to start, is in constant fear of being like their abusers, and who hadn't ever seen abuse victims being angry before. I read this series when I was sixteen and filled with anger, and to read it again in my twenties when I've only just started to understand that this anger was a result of emotional and physical abuse. Anyway, it's difficult for me to not make this part a little personal, because Adam is a very personal character to me. And no, I have never murdered a man, but tbh I would if I had been in his position and I'm in full support of anything he does. Adam spends TDT attempting to reclaim agency. Because Adam is a little control freak and everything in his life has spiraled out of control, and he's grasping onto what little he can control. So he gets mean, and he's angry and scared and it's not pretty and it's not what people always want to see. But it's also very realistic, especially for a teenager with very little emotional intelligence. (Adam I love you. You are not emotionally aware.)

But once again, he's written as a lot softer by fandom. And not in the way he chooses to be softer (because Adam does actively fight and choose to be softer, especially when he loves someone - I think Opal is a great example.) but because it's easier to write. Which, fair, Adam isn't the easiest to write. I could reiterate and explain that Adam can kind of be an asshole and he's emotionally constipated and he is willing to malewife, manipulate, manslaughter his way out of a situation. Adam is willing to do what it takes to survive, even at his own expense. He's spent seventeen years in survival mode, and he never really learns how to turn it off?

Like with Wylan, who I compare to Kaz to emphasize how he's mischaracterized, need i remind the crowd that Adam and Declan would form a fascinating venn diagram? I'll never get over Adam being called a "creepily clever little fuck" or Adam admitting to studying Declan's behavior and imitating the behavior of people he actively dislikes because he wants to be respected and seen as one of them. While actively hating their guts, mind you. Also him and the Grey Man. Who Adam is also constantly compared to. I'm surprised more people don't talk about his active identity crisis in the Dreamer's Trilogy. He's only found one person he can be himself around. Adam has spent years and years building personalities and fabricated backstories and stretching truths. He's polite because people want him to be, he's gentle because it's what's expected. And I'm not saying these aren't parts of him, but it's almost like he's stretching these parts of himself to hide the parts of himself he finds less appealing. I think an integral part of Adam is having secrets, and as much as he'd like to known, he's too used to being unknowable to open up?

Am I going somewhere with this? Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe I just want to gush about Adam Parrish. Can you blame me?

I also think his dynamic with Ronan is frequently mischaracterized. Which, by the way, I love p

Pynch so much? Like they make me physically ill. Ronan and Adam are, affectionately, two assholes who love each other very much. The fact that Adam is comfortable enough to fight with (i think I even recall a few allusions to some lighthearted physical fights, nothing full on) and bicker with and be abrasive Ronan is a big deal. He isn't worried saying the wrong thing is going to send him running? (I also think part of this is Ronan likes that a pretty boy is kinda mean to him which is very valid im not gonna lie) They've both gotten used to each other's jagged edges and they show the uglier sides of themselves because they know the other can handle it without judgement. Pre-series pynch is really fascinating to me and I wish we had gotten it more, actually. They had a really beautiful friendship dynamic, and seeing how comfortable Adam is around him really speaks to how well they work together. I bet if Ronan had kept it up at that pace, they'd have gotten together in ten years. He was just playing the long game, guys. He had a plan. This is often just scraped and turned into an enemies to lovers dynamic (which, i guess, was how Adam maybe perceived it? Ronan was doing a victorian slow burn.) And I wish I could speak on Adam's character without bringing up Ronan but these codependent motherfuckers make it impossible. Ronan's involvement in Adam's arc provides a lot of insight into who Adam really is, not who Adam desperately wishes he was.

The pynch dynamic is where Adam is often miswritten, in my opinion. It's subtle, but the two aren't always written as equals, and them being and feeling like equals is a huge deal to why they work. Because they treat each other like people, not projects. Neither of them thinks the other needs fixing, neither does either of them expect everything to be easy. They're both relatively abrasive individuals, and it works because they're able to be openly abrasive with each other. Not because either of them is fixing the other. They slowly learn to be more vulnerable and depend on each other, but that's because they establish that by being their authentic, untempered selves. It's why the best Pynch fics involve them flirting by picking on each other.

Also, and this will seem petty, and it's probably a personal gripe of mine more than anything. In universe, Adam is not oblivious. (Like I said, everything is different and I have both written and ready oblivious Pynch!) He is fully aware that Ronan has a crush on him. It's actually my favourite part of that mid series dynamic. Adam knows. Ronan doesn't know that Adam knows. Adam doesn't know that Ronan doesn't know that Adam kno-

Adam chooses to be oblivious because he has poor self esteem and doesn't think he's worthy of being the object of Ronan's affection. Not because he can't tell. Because Ronan was being so obvious I picked up on it in the first chapter they showed up in together, but I digress. Adam is smart. But he's also really insecure. And has a huge fear of being overly reliant on other people. Which creates friction.

But when he locks the fuck in and decides "eh screw it im getting a boyfriend out of this" and just starts shamelessly flirting thats djsjdjsjdj. Like good on him. Adam just goes "fuck it someone needs to make shit happen." Which happens, mind you, after Adam has begin to reclaim his agency and sense of self directly after escaping an abusive situation. People grow and find themselves once they're in safety. Pynch progresses because Adam is able to heal on his own terms.

However, my biggest gripe with how Adam is written in his relationship with Ronan revolves entirely on the really odd gender roles people sometimes force on Adam? I like their relationship because it's a queer relationship where both characters are very masculine. (Assume I'm using the antiquated concept of masculinity). I mean they're both very obviously teenage boys. And they interact like two very dumb teenage boys who are in love with each other. I like seeing them be young and stupid and in love. I think of the grocery cart scene daily. Sometimes Adam is written in a way that almost feminizes him and ruins that refreshing element of their dynamic. Ignoring that out of the two, Ronan is probably the most unconventional in his masculinity. Just by the way. But I digress.

This turned into a meta analysis on Adam and Ronan but I hope my point was clear nonetheless: write Adam how he's written. Which is achingly complex, and difficult to simplify for a specific reason. He wouldn't work as a character if he was stripped of any of these details. Please don't reduce him to make him more palatable.

(I could rant about Adam more, specifically his bisexuality but Ive gone too far. Maybe another time.)

3. Akechi Goro - Persona 5

I have a Persona 5 icon and it's my duty to talk about Akechi Goro, my favourite little guy. My unhinged little man. What a little freak. What a delightful slap in the face.

I've compared Akechi to Adam before, which to many seems like a bit of a jump but rest assured when I lay it out side by side I'm kind of on to something.

I like Akechi a lot. Major comfort character. And he's a controversial character within the Persona fandom because he's done some pretty shitty stuff. Mostly because of the murder and blackmail and the betrayal and the-

But this isn't to defend Akechi. He needs no defending. He did it all and I don't care he should walk free anyway. Can we blame him? He's a Gemini. Also, he was SEVENTEEN. Probably younger when the (multiples) murders occurred. I feel like we ignore this a lot when talking about Akechi. Do you think his prefrontal cortex has been developed??? Look at him. He's got until at least thirty before his neural networks are refined. Also, and maybe this is controversial, as somebody with daddy issues, if I thought murdering someone would get people to care about me I probably would have as a teenager. Because guess what, the parent who cares about you literally dying, then not having parents, then having a parent who refuses to acknowledge you and uses you as a tool to achieve their own goals tends to send some people a little off the rails. Also, mathematically, that is a young teenager doing murder. A literal child. He doesn't need prison he needs therapy. Also sometimes murder is the answer and I think we should consider he was just doing what needed to be done. More of us should murder. And maybe he was just flirting? If you criticize the attempt, maybe you're just homophobic.

Ok, so all joking aside, yes Akechi did some appalling shit. Like. Enough for a life sentence. And when people jump through hoops to say what he did was ok ("oh he didn't have a choice" "oh he's just a victim uwu") it completely disregards why Akechi is such a well-written character. I dislike people trying to sanitize Akechi, because that directly contradicts what his arc is about - being authentically himself, after years of pretending to be something he isn't. (Are we seeing a trend here, folks?) Stop writing Akechi nice. Stop making him some sad misunderstood little boy. He's a teenager who, yes, did what he did by convincing himself it was how to survive and take back control of his life, but he also committed several unforgivable atrocities. We can understand, even sympathize with, his actions, while acknowledging they were horrible. Reducing him to an uwu sad victim ruins the nuance and intrigue of who he is. He's an asshole, he's cynical, he hates the world, he's never had anyone he can be himself around prior to meeting the protagonist, he won't accept help or support because free will is his greatest pride. He wants to be his own person. Also he's kind of funny. Just saying. I think we can forgive him a bit for being funny. As a treat.

Also, in regards to shipping (because poorly handled shipping is the bane of every nuanced characters good writing) Akechi is not only canonically very rude (i get a little jolt of happiness when writers make him rude, btw. it's like a little treat. here, mean!Akechi) when he's not playing a facade (even when he is, he's just passive aggressive), he also actively wants to be better than other people. Which affevts his dynamic with Akiren, who is the other side of the same coin. And he gets a little... uh....stabby when he's not. Maybe he hurts our feelings when we've spent hours befriending him only to be told he hates us-

But need I remind you a few details about Akechi fandom forgets that pisses me off: He's implied to regret some of the murder (not a justification, just a regret) but sees it as necessary, he likes that Akiren is willing to be combative and disagree with him, he appreciates honesty and authenticity, he doesn't believe when people like him, he's a little fucking unhinged, he trauma dumps every opportunity, he likes bouldering, and he is TALLER THAN AKIREN. Everytime we twink-ify Akechi an angel loses its wings. In my heart he's alive and he went to therapy and got the diagnosis he needs. I've read some gorgeous fic that really addresses the nuance of Akechi growing up and learning some healthy coping mechanisms. And getting a dog. I think Akechi should get a dog.

4. Tim Drake - DC Comics

...

...

...

So.

You've made it this far. Congratulations, you've hit my peak brainrot. As a DC Comics fan, I'm accustomed to varying characterization. Tim Drake is a character almost no one can seem to write well. Because there's little to no consistency. So it's difficult to say "hey this is wrong or bad writing" in fan works because... well, there's probably a comic or show or cartoon with that characterization! Even his arguably best comic, Red Robin 2009, is out of character - though this out of character decision is thematic and works for the fact that his entire life has been tossed into a fucking blender on puree mode. So, it'd be easier to say how Tim shouldn't be written? And the biggest issue here is that the poor writing is an example of fanon bleeding into canon. Preaching to the choir here, I know. But seriously.

Tim Drake's feral wet cat energy seems to get thrown into an interpretation that he's some sad, simpering little guy who just bends over backwards and lets shit happen to him. Which is just... not my favourite writing of him. I think we forget that Tim Drake is kind of an asshole. Like, I've always compared him to Peter Parker in that regard. I'd actually encourage more people to lean into Tim being a messy, skateboarding, too-smart-for-his-own-good teenager. Because it's my favourite interpretation of him. Bro is too smart to finish high school. That's so funny to me. But guess what, because of that and dropping out of high school he's lost a significant amount of socializing time with people his own age.

Which brings me to my biggest gripe with how Tim is written: He has negligent parents. Like. Not full on abusive, according to most interpretations, but parents who either weren't there or didn't really give a damn, or who kind of gave a damn but didn't really understand him or really try. Which doesn't necessarily make them the worst parents in the world, of course, but depending on the severity upon which it's written Tim is easily a kid who grew up way too fast. It's probably why he developed the relationship with Bruce that he did - he's been trained to behave and act like an adult (though he chemically is incapable of that, mind you) and to take care of himself, and that has led to him being a little emotionally stunted. And a little isolated from people his own age. Is this a trauma like... say.... being beaten to death in a warehouse at fifteen then brought back to life? No. But it is a specific form of trauma people love to dismiss. Because as a post I recently reblogged pointed out: Normal teenagers with normal parents and healthy coping skills don't become vigilantes. I don't know where the hatred of Tim Drake comes from but calling Tim Drake well adjusted and self actualized is so fucking funny, actually. The closest we got was the end of the Red Robin run, which was immediately eradicated with the arrival of New 52. Idk, Tim wasn't properly loved or socialized with kids his own age and that can really mess a kid up. Just a thought to consider.

Also, Tim is snarky and maybe a little full of himself in a way teens tend to be. Like... he got his ass beat by his dead predecessor and not only held his own but continued to mouth off and insist he was better when he was being threatened with murder. Damian went "hey I'm gonna kill you" and Tim basically said "OK bet." Awkward little boy Tim Drake (WFA Tim Drake, to be fair) is fun! It's cute! But it leaves out how utterly unhinged and unsettling Tim can be. Depending on who you ask, Tim has a bit of a stalking problem. And if you read a different set of comics, at best he hyperfixates a little too hard. The usual points for why hes a weird dude stand, but most of those come from the Red Robin run (which, as I mentioned, is kind of OOC because of the trauma dump) and aren't typical Tim behavior. But I'd also argue most well adjusted people don't engage in half the actions Tim resorts to during periods of stress....?

(Not to mention he's canonically the Robin most likely to become a supervillain.)

(He's also a bad boyfriend. He's a better friend than a boyfriend.)

I did notice the mischaracterization took over when he was confirmed queer! Which is! :) Interesting! :) I wonder! :) What about him being :) queer :) could have POSSIBLY :) led to his mischaracterization as an :) awkward soft boy :)

I love gay panic Tim and I actually liked the foundation of his relationship with Bernard, but it came at the expense of everything else I like about Tim which is that he's messy and a little pretentious. And does shit like "hey i can have a girlfriend as Robin and a girlfriend as Tim". i also loved the idea of his identity crisis being tied to a sexuality crisis! Then it just fizzled out. Not the point, but I did notice an influx of mischaracterization when he was confirmed queer and they sanitized all his problematic traits because DC seems to be afraid of making their queer male characters interesting and messy. Messy bisexuals deserve representation too.

Tim can also legitimately be very sweet. His relationship with all his friends is a testament to that. I've never loved romantic Timsteph, but their sweet moments are very important to me. I love the idea of them developing a platonic relationship. And not because i want more gay stuff, but because i think they're healthier when they're platonic. They're better for each other as friends.

Also, his relationship with Bart and Kon. Believing in Bart when people dismiss him as being a hyperactive idiot. The emotional depth of his and Kon's friendship. Like, romantic or not WOW. it's incredibly well-written. Tim is legitimately just... a messy teenager. A well-meaning, snarky, emotionally stunted teenager with parental issues. Him being a teenage CEO does nothing to negate how messy he is. I'd argue he should be written messier. Let messy people be messy.

Also give me more overcomplicated plots to solve issues that really shouldn't be complicated? When I say Tim is too smart for his own good, I mean he's the type to plan a military coup to cover his coming into class late. Some of the best Tim characterization I've seen shows him being paranoid enough to set up a ridiculous amount of schemes for simple issues.

Basically, people like to dumb him down or they don't make him dumb enough. Because he's smart dumb. He's smart but he's stupid. He's a 90s dork. Alexa, play I'm Just A Kid by Simple Plan.

5. Nico Di Angelo - PJO

I could speak on any PJO character here, frankly, but I'm choosing Nico because he's been stuck in my head since I knew how to analyze characters. I took one look at that little gremlin and I weaved him into my identity for the rest of eternity.

I forgive people for this one because Rick Riordan can barely figure out how to write Nico, but it's ok because he's Uncle Rick and he tries. I figure the best way to explain Nico's writing is that when Rick is on his shit, it's some of the best writing I've ever seen. When he's off, it's almost unreadable. And I love Nico. He introduced me to gay people. I did not know you could be gay before Nico was gay. But OH MY GOD i need this fandom to write Nico with SOME depth, even when his author can't. And as a disclaimer: I like most Nico ships. I'm so pro shipping in almost every capacity. I think shipping is fun and goofy and should just be a good time. Jason and Nico? Hell yes. I love them. Nico and Leo? Underrated dynamic. Nico and Will? Did I mention learning about gay people??? Solangelo introduced me to Troye Sivan and it was all downhill from there. Now I'm trans and biromantic. The transitive property of homosexuality. But when I say shipping can mean the absolute downfall of a character? Yeah, I'm thinking about Nico.

When Nico gets shipped he can often be stripped of all his interesting qualities. Nico and Percy's relationship loses a lot of it's depth, the intrigue and the best parts of it are reduced to Nico having a crush. Nico and Jason is reduced to a gay crush. Nico and Will become a perfect, fluffy gay couple. This is, obviously, not for everyone! I follow some wonderful individuals who ship and create content for these ships who really nail it! But when people don't, it just dhshfhsjhfrjjr Do we not like interesting things????

I liked Will and Nico because they pushed at each other. Will had a backbone and he kind of calls Nico out on some bullshit. Now, if Nico had been given an opportunity to explain that he wasn't imagining his isolation and if Rick acknowledged it was a weird choice to retcon that....? But nevermind.

Going into Nico's character. I might get a little mean. Let's power through!

Nico is classified homosapien, category emo. Which is cool. I'm in my early twenties and I also wear black nail polish and old band t shirts! But the weird fixation on it by fandom is so weird to me. Specifically because if Nico shows an ounce of developing past that, fandom gets so weird about it? Like, TSATS is a flawed book. But I like Nico getting to be a little happier. If it was fleshed out a little longer, Nico could slowly become someone like who he was at the beginning of the series - not exactly the same, because that's not how healing works! But him joking around is a good thing. Him smiling and laughing and healing is good. He's still struggling tremendously, but he is healing. And there's some weird push against that idea. I don't love how it was portrayed, either, but I actually love the idea of Nico healing.

Nico, prior to the big splat, was awkwardly social. And probably autistic. But thats a conversation for another day. He was traumatized, yes, but he had interests and he got excited about things! The absolute trauma train that followed battered him down and warped him. And that was something I, and many others found comfort in. Seeing a mirror image of our trauma in a character is such a big deal, especially when you find out this character you adore and have latched onto for years is queer! But the second Nico shows any development past being sad and worn and beaten down the entire fandom seems to work itself into a frenzy??? He's not a sad boy all the time and for some reason that pisses people off.

Also, Nico is more multifaceted than fandom (or Rick??? for some reason???) gives him credit for? He's mouthy and self destructive and overconfident in his powers. He's self loathing and insecure and polite to adults. He gets along with Dionysus of all people. He's quiet and introspective and notices the little details. He befriends odd creatures no one else seems to like. He gets excited and infodumps. He's a dork. He's worked towards pride in his identity. He's still grappling with internalized homophobia.

He's short. He's gay. He's empathetic. He's also an incredible swordsman. He's creepy. He's tremendously powerful. He gets reduced to a gay stereotype by fandom all the time. And by Rick, sometimes. Which... don't get me wrong, Nico finding Anakin Skywalker hot is funny as all hell. But there's so much nuance in how Nico is portrayed as a queer character. Specifically because many people didn't see it coming because Nico is so much more than a gay guy. Or he was, to start. But surprise surprise, once he's confirmed queer fandom attitude just... shifted. In a weird direction. I think, once again, taking the parts of a character that maybe make them seem a little "unsavory" or "complicated" and reducing them so they're easier to like or write is just in poor taste and comes from a deep misunderstanding of the character.

I could go off longer about Nico, but I think I've made my point. Once again, I see fandom reducing him to a handful of stereotypes and making him softer and less complicated.

Honourable Mention to Oikawa Tooru, who didn't fit the theme. Megumi Fushiguro, who didn't fit the theme. Neil Josten, who i would've written too much about. And many more.

TL;DR:

"Wow, Jay, what an odd combination of characters you've selected! How could you possibly tie them together!?" What do these guys all have in common? They're almost all queer men in queer relationships who have dealt with trauma as crucial point within their individual arcs.

(Disclaimer that Akechi is not confirmed queer, but his VA and the game itself likes to poke at it, and fandom has almost unanimously decided it's canon. People who write him almost always write him as a queer man. And it's my post.)

My ultimate point here is, that while mischaracterization happens to characters in every area of fandom, the trend to make queer male characters who have suffered trauma into soft boys is a particular pet peeve of mine. And I don't think I'm reaching with that. Characters like Tim or Nico, who were treated differently pre and post queer arc, are examples of how them being in queer relationships alters how people think of them. They're stripped of their nuance and their personalities and their grit so can fit into a mold for their queer relationships. Which is a massive disservice to their character, and an even worse disservice to what their attitude and behavior when healing from trauma represents. Characters like Adam or Akechi, who have what many consider "unsavory" responses to trauma (and contradict the perfect victim mentality) get sanded down for shipping purposes.

I hope this is insightful. I went into several cans of monster and my fingers have gone numb, but I needed to get this out. If I made you angry, please tell me why. But also know it's fandom and I acknowledge that fandom culture and behavior is all in good fun! OOC isn't always a bad thing, it can be fun! But I find analyzing fan behavior and character analysis absolutely fascinating and love getting asks like this!