#but what’s there is EXTREMELY noble and likable

[from-the-coffee-shop-in-edoras]

I'm back to talk a bit more about Teddy! (I love that you call him that, lol. Also, thank you for answering my questions!) Since I haven't read UT yet, and there's isn't much about Theodred's character in LOTR books, would you happen to know (or maybe even share some of your own headcanons) what kind of person he was? Passionate and somewhat hotheaded like Eomer? A bit more levelheaded? Really tall, or a bit on a shorter side? I know he was a strong and skilled warrior, but apart from that, I know almost nothing and I'd very much like to 😀 Thank you so much!

UT is definitely the best source for everything we know about Théodred as a person, so let’s start there and work our way forward!

What’s straight-up stated in UT: Théodred was a “vigorous” man, “devoted to the king” and “high in his affections.” He “remained steadfast” in his loyalties to Théoden and Éomer despite Gríma’s best efforts to turn them against each other.

What we can infer from UT: He was an excellent leader – his men are “well trained” and execute maneuvers in “good order.” He was INCREDIBLY brave – even after realizing that Saruman’s forces at the Fords were coming for him personally, he stood his motherfucking ground and went down fighting. He was beloved – Grimbold and Elfhelm nearly died rather than allow Saruman’s forces to carry his body away. He was strong – he took a fatal wound (likely from an axe) but hung on long enough to give last words to his men at the end of the battle. And he had an amazing sense of duty and love for his family – those last words were a request to be left at the Fords long enough to see his cherished cousin Éomer arrive and take up the defense of Rohan in his place.

What I believe to be true of him (i.e., my HC):

–Growing up in a house without other kids and with a busy father, he spent a lot of his early years alone or with his Aunt Théodwyn. He gravitated to solitary activities as a result. He liked reading, for example (Rohan’s royal family was literate!), and he got a love of plants from his aunt. He thought using the sun, some water and his own hands to bring beautiful flowers to life was the closest thing to magic that he’d ever experience.

–His best friend was Boromir, who he met on visits to his grandmother’s family in Gondor. They bonded over the shared pressures of being an heir and the shared loss of a mom, and they remained friends their whole lives, which ended within 24 hours of each other 😭. (I love a good Borodred romance fic as well, though that’s not my personal HC!)

–He was unafraid to challenge tradition. He accepted duty that was for the good of Rohan, but resisted anything that only worked to control him as a person. That’s why he was still unmarried in his 40s. He wouldn’t marry for expediency or for an heir; he held out for love and was just as happy for the crown to pass to Éomer’s line after his own death. He also tried to advocate for others in the royal family (*cough* Éowyn) who felt constrained by tradition.

–He was much calmer and more measured than Éomer. Part of that is age (Éomer was 13 years younger), and part of it was in their natures. Théodred was born a little introspective and thoughtful, whereas Éomer has canonical hotheads (i.e. Éomund) in his genes.

–It’s v. important to me that Théodred had joy in his life since otherwise it’s pretty tragic. I gave him a fiancee, Eadlin, who loved him FIERCELY and made him very happy, and I also gave him a dog – the kind that looks huge and scary but is actually a big goofball – because dogs are the absolute best and all my faves have them.

Now I risk blabbering on at even further length, so I’ll stop there. But thank you for asking about him! ♥️♥️♥️ Teddy is one of my absolute FAVORITES, and I love to both talk and hear about him!

[emotionaldisaster909]

book 5/7 spoilers ahead!

You know what’s so amazing about Jun Wu as a character

(besides pretty much everything)

It’s that if I forget who he actually is

His Jun Wu persona

Actually feels very, very likable!

To me at least

While reading the book I was spoiled he’s not to be trusted since the beginning

However I always hesitated

And in book 5, when Jun Wu came down to help fight the spirits Bai WuXiang released

I was convinced that he’s actually a good guy and relieved to see him!

He really gave off that feeling of a dependable, truly admirable fatherly figure you can look up to

And when i read, look and listen to him with this impression

I actually extremely like him

How I wish he was actually like that

And the thing is

It seems like he wishes so too?

Partially

He seems to genuinely like this version of himself

That’s why he’s such a good actor

Because he’s not entirely acting

But wouldn’t that be so awesome

If we could have great but modest, strict but caring, just but forgiving, strong but imperfect, good Emperor of Heaven Jun Wu?

It would

I would be rooting for him

But

That’s the thing about him, isn’t it?

He was like this.

He could have stayed like this

Stayed a noble, righteous leader.

…

Did he choose not to be?

Or wheh insanity crawls up your mind

It’s like you’ve never even had a choice?

[constantlymisspelled]

Houses in Mandalore - History

For our own benefit, and simply because there was no mention of them earlier, I am running under the assumption that Houses weren't just a retcon from Disney to give Mandalore's politics a more familiar structure, but because they actually didn't exist until Tarre Vizsla's time.

In fact, if we run off the assumption that Tarre Vizsla left for Mandalorian space to quell political upheaval, we can even assume Tarre themself invented them, or ordered their form as a form of anti-corruption, or to force larger Clan's to share resources with others.

If nothing else, this inclusion into Mandalorian History, and direct political effect outside of 'fancy laser sword' gives Tarre a genuine reason to be remembered by other Clans and Houses outside of Vizsla.

Additionally, much like the noble houses of England, and the redistribution of power from the upper class to the general populace, I am also running off the idea that these Houses have been limited to a certain amount to per sector, per Armourer, and per planet, so as to stop large Houses, such as Ordo, Fett or Vizsla, absolutely dominating politics, as Houses are listed as a political faction in all forms of media I have read.

I'm not sure I like Houses as a concept too much - they bring a more human feel to Mandalorians, and I would also like to point out that modern Mandalorians are rarely ever non-human.

Either way, this places Houses coming into affect around 700 to 1000 years before current events, maybe even slightly earlier. They are old, and they aren't traditional - by Mandalorian standards. Even the Mask of the Alor was lost before this time.

Furthermore, since then, Houses have faced extremes that they weren't built for, such as the Dral Haran, and the Mandalorian Civil War, of which I am utilising to have been continued by the existence of Houses as they were before Jaster's time. After all, the Civil War has been occurring for almost 100 years by the time of Manda'lor the Reformer. And the signs of the leader - the belief of the Houses, the Mask, and the Sword - have been lost ever since, meaning Jaster had to come to power the good old-fashioned way.

By being genuinely likable.

This leads to a Modern Mandalore where the Houses are afraid to back anything politically in fear of starting another war, or more conflict, with or without contest for the position of sole leader. And that of course, can then snowball further to the New Mandalorians, Death Watch, and then the Empire.

However, I'm writing the codex as it would have been in what I've come to consider Mandalore's Reforming Era - where cultural pride and identity is raising significantly, and without the existence of House Vizsla, Tor, and the Dark Sabre, Jaster would have been a shoe in for the position.

Alas, what could have been. That is why the Codex will have stipulations on what Houses can and cannot do.

[However, I hope this has given people more to play with, world building wise. If you have any thoughts or ideas, let me know! I'll get into individual histories of the Houses sometime down the track, but for now I'm focusing on the Codex, and structuring the politics around it. I'll add notes and addendums when necessary.]

[Click to go to Codex]

[katshuya]

Many people like to say Elia and Arthur had something going on either

1-to justify Rhaegar x Lyanna

2-to give some joy to her story.

But honestly, how good can it be? I mean, ship what you want, but I'm talking about that if we imagined it to be a CANON thing, it wouldn't be pleasant due to the events surrounding the canon scenario.

Arthur abandoned her. You can't tell me that a love story with a man who abandons you to help your husband cheat is a great one even if you didn't like your husband. It is still unnerving for the woman.

Yes, I do wish his sad smile is out of guilt for what happened to Elia and her children but still in Jaime's fever dream it was only Rhaegar and Lewyn that talked about Elia and the children.

Arthur talked about killing the king.

I'm not saying this doesn't mean he didn't regret what happened to them. I'm saying it doesn't encourage the idea that there was anything between them. Which is what I want. Because this will be disgusting of GRRM to do to justify what has been done to her.

Elia went as a child on a tour to Starfall. Perhaps she could have been matched with Arthur, but most likely his older brother. Since she was the princess, it was only normal to look for the firstborn child who would become lord one day.

Whatever happened in Starfall didn't end up in any agreement since Elia's mother tried after that to match her with Jaime.

What we know is that in the end, Elia likes Baelor Hightower the most during that tour.

And why didn't Arthur just stay with Elia instead of becoming a kingsguard before her marriage if there was anything truly between them? It doesn't make sense. Are you telling me he abandoned her for kingsguard as tennagers? Or that he decided to fall in love with her after he became a kingsguard? Still no sense.

Also, I firmly believe and I could be wrong that Arthur's character will be that he was not the type to break his oath easily to love a woman. I have feeling he was a hardass. Jon Connington already hinted that. Besides, he was described as someone who took his vows seriously.

Again, I don't mind the shipping nor the fanfictions. Some fanarts are really cute, and I admit I read some and enjoyed it.

But in the CANON scenario, how much better was he than Rhaegar toward Elia? The best scenario would be that he wanted to return but couldn't because Rhaegar's place would be discovered in a case where Rhaegar only ran to save lyanna, then *accidentally* decided to take things further.

Besides, why would Rhaegar let Elia have a secret lover when he will be one day a king? This will affect him as a king in the eyes of the noble men. Why would Elia or Arthur risk that, too?

And even if they were star-crossed lovers that can only love each other from afar....doesn't the "my best friend is married to the woman I love and is having children with her one after another despite her delicate health but he is a good man who will take good care of her" sounds awful?

Why would Arthur be liked as a lover in the CANON scenario where he let Rhaegar harm Elia after using her to the point that she could die if she got pregnant again then he let Rhaegar humilate her again with Lyanna all so Rhaegar might agree that he can be with Elia???

He sounds too lame like this. Ok, grey, but extremely lame man and character. Too lame for that great swordman.

Yes, the characters are supposed to be grey, but honestly, how are we supposed to like something unlikable? Just because it's grey doesn't mean it's likable. Arthur isn't supposed to be a horrible man as far as I glimpsed.

I mean, Euron, for example, is supposed to be a horrible, cruel man, and we are supposed to like him as a horrible, cruel character.

But things like, Rhaegar is supposed to be likable as good grey character when he did certain things that normally for many humans they make him unlikable or R x L is supposed to be likable despite all the things of how they came to be. All feel unlikable because of the contradiction. It's not about greyness. They just don't match their intended purpose of view.

It's like the famous saying of "Daemon is so grey that he is between good and bad. And his morals are so grey"

Seriously, this guy has a very dark shade.

I'm not team black nor team green, so don't come to fight. I only observe the characters.

So what is there to be liked about this ship IN THE CANON scenario? Not in fanfictions where he actually returned or refused leaving her.

If there is anything I would like to know. Do tell me.

I prefer Arthur to be regretful about how he abandoned his princess and her children greyness. This seems more likable grey than lame Arthur, who left the woman he loves to Rhaegar's whims THEN abandoned her and her children alone for almost 2 years in danger to help her husband humiliate her further for prophecy and his not like other girls 15 years old girl, dark lame greyness. The previous makes Arthur more likable as character.

Again, I don't mind the ship as long as it is not Canon. Because it will be a disgusting way that shows Rhaegar as less guilty in the eyes of many just because she loved another, so he looks less accountable for abandoning them. When even in such a cringy scenario, he is not. Even if Elia loved another/didn't love him.

In conclusion, all of the above is why Arthur can not be used to justify R X L nor to make Elia's story better or less sad in the CANON events. And why it's not realistic and impossible that DORNISH Elia committed treason and very unlikely that she had even an emotional affair.

[hxhhasmysoul]

Happy holiday.... What do you think that made Yuuji is so likeable as a character? I've only been in the JJK fandom for a year, and I've seen a lot of other JJK characters' stan. But one thing in common, they all love Yuuji and mostly will include him in their top 5 fav JJK charas (including me :D)...

Also, extra kudos cause your blog is anti-gojo. Most of my moots love him and can't stop talking about him. I already tell them that I don't really like him (actually I hate him), they're okay but still so into him. So I'm so happy when I found your blog.

What do you think that made gojo so famous? Is it the pretty face and bad personality (I'm still confused until now)....? I dislike gojo kinda like I dislike dazai from BSD. They're both called "The one who stole the spotlight from the protagonist" (by my animanga group)....

I hope your holidays were nice! And everything best in the new year :D Thank you for the ask.

I think Yuuji is likable because he's very relatable. There's this post about how much we learn about him in the first few chapters and it clearly shows how there are just layers to him from the very start. How it's not easy for him to make close friends he can open up to but he tries. How he deals with family issues. How he is towards strangers.

There's this very strong humanity to Yuuji, he has super powers but he's extremely normal and human about it. He's such a contrast to the jujutsu society he enters where most sorcerers are so detached from the normies. Nanami isn't as detached, neither is Miwa. And Nobara isn't fully detached either. That is probably why Yuuji connects with her so closely, closer than with Megumi who's very steeped into the whole jujutsu ideology.

And as the story progresses we see Yuuji dehumanised, insulted and targeted. We see him trying to constantly reconcile his values with his new reality, we see him try not to lose himself when everyone tries to tell him he's wrong. When actually he's the one sane, the one that hasn't instrumentalised human life.

_

Yeah, this is a safe space for those who aren't in the Gojou cult. I think my main problem with Gojou is the dissonance between who Gojou is and what he actually stands for or does in the manga, and what a lot of his fans think he is. Also the fact that like two times his fans came at me and actively tried to evangelise the cult of Gojou to me. And like, I've never gone to anyone and tried to convince them to love Kenjaku or Sukuna, or even Yuuji XD

I think Gojou's looks contribute a lot to his popularity, something I personally don't understand, I find the white haired blue eyed anime boy ugly. But Gojou also has very flashy powers. And he's shipped with his friend turned antagonist, and it was all very dramatic and sad.

I think in JJK not only Gojou steals not exactly the spotlight from Yuuji... I don't know how to call it. But Megumi and Yuuta do it too.

My experience with this fandom is that a lot of the fans don't get what JJK is about and what kind of story it is. And they want to squeeze JJK into a certain stereotype of what a shounen manga is supposed to be.

So in that stereotype a shounen manga is one where a very special boy fights (sometimes metaphorically because it's for example football XD) his way through progressively stronger opponents to achieve his goal. The goal can be noble and grand or very personal. The boy also accrues friends along the way who help him fight somewhat but like the boy fights against the boss of the arc. And generally the plot revolves around him and happens around him.

Which some shounen surely are, I'm not super well versed in any genre, but from what I vaguely remember from trying to watch Dragon Ball a long time ago it had that kinda vibe... I wouldn't bet money on my memory of that though. Chainsaw Man also had that vibe to me, and Demon Slayer and Blue Lock - as much as I've seem of those titles.

It's just that I don't even know how statistically relevant that stereotype is. Hunter x Hunter isn't like that, neither is Hell's Paradise. Full Metal Alchemist leans that way at times but isn't really that.

And JJK isn't like that either. It's a story driven by its antagonists - Kenjaku, elders, recently Sukuna- and not its protagonist. It actively deconstructs the myth of the strongest Gojou is as much a product and a problem of the jujutsu society as Sukuna is. People talk that loneliness is the theme in JJK because recently Sukuna's fan club was asking him to cure theirs and he did, for all of them. But what people forget that the theme of loneliness as a motivator started with Yuuji. But the loneliness isn't the only theme. There's this huge discussion of what society should be, what is the place of jujutsu in society and in the world and Kenjaku and Yuuji are at the centre of that. There's the theme of the value of human life that Yuuji is the point of view character for, Nanami, Higuruma and Megumi occasionally chip into that but it's always in the context of Yuuji. There's a huge theme of bodily autonomy in JJK that connects many characters but Yuuji is very much central to it, together with Kenjaku and Yuuji's personal foil Mahito.

Also Yuuji isn't what you'd call a stereotypical shounen protagonist, he's much closer to a stereotypical shoujo protagonist and when you realise that, when you realise what the themes of JJK are, you see that there is no other protagonist of JJK. I'm linking to the ask where I outlined that.

So I think people who talk about Yuuta or Gojou being main characters actually just like these guys and are wowed by their super hyper flashy techniques and don't give much of a shit about what most of the manga is about. With Megumi I think it's because he's a pretends he's an intellectual and says these fake deep broody things while the close up is on his lashes. I mean his technique is super strong and flashy too... when Sukuna uses it because Sukuna is a jujutsu nerd and he actually knows how to use it XD

[quoteablebooks]

Genre: Fiction, Adult, Science Fiction, Space Opera

Rating: 5 out of 5

Content Warning: Death, Grief, Violence, Xenophobia, War, Terminal illness, Sexual content, Drug use, Genocide             

Summary: Follow a motley crew on an exciting journey through space-and one adventurous young explorer who discovers the meaning of family in the far reaches of the universe-in this light-hearted debut space opera from a rising sci-fi star.

Rosemary Harper doesn’t expect much when she joins the crew of the aging Wayfarer. While the patched-up ship has seen better days, it offers her a bed, a chance to explore the far-off corners of the galaxy, and most importantly, some distance from her past. An introspective young woman who learned early to keep to herself, she’s never met anyone remotely like the ship’s diverse crew, including Sissix, the exotic reptilian pilot, chatty engineers Kizzy and Jenks who keep the ship running, and Ashby, their noble captain.

Life aboard the Wayfarer is chaotic and crazy—exactly what Rosemary wants. It’s also about to get extremely dangerous when the crew is offered the job of a lifetime. Tunneling wormholes through space to a distant planet is definitely lucrative and will keep them comfortable for years. But risking her life wasn’t part of the plan. In the far reaches of deep space, the tiny Wayfarer crew will confront a host of unexpected mishaps and thrilling adventures that force them to depend on each other. To survive, Rosemary’s got to learn how to rely on this assortment of oddballs—an experience that teaches her about love and trust, and that having a family isn’t necessarily the worst thing in the universe.

*Opinions*

I am not a huge sci-fi reader, but with how much I absolutely adored Becky Chambers’s Monk & Robot novella series, I wanted to give her other series a try. I was not disappointed. There is something about this book that is cozy even though some serious topics come up during the events of this novel. This is very much a world-building and character-centered story, which might not be for everyone, but by the end of this novel, I was tearing up over the ship's AI.

The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet follows the crew of the Wayfarer, a vessel that tunnels wormholes to make transportation around space easier. Rosemary Harper joins this interspecies crew with her own baggage only to find that this crew is as rough around the edges as the ship itself. When the crew gets a long-haul job in new alliance territory, they have a lot of time to get to know each other and test the bounds between them as new issues arise internally and externally. It’s a job that will give them enough credit to live comfortably for a long time, but they have to survive the job to reap the rewards. 

Does that seem like a short overview for a four-hundred-page book? Well, that is because while there is a plot to this novel, it kind of isn’t the point. While the trip to Toremi space is always in the background, what you follow is the relationships between the crew members and the universe that Chambers created with her different alien races and their customs. Chambers approaches all of them with respect, but there is obvious tension between a few of the groups and misunderstandings that are bound to happen when different cultures intermingle. There are also a lot of conversations about AI and how it should be treated when it is sentient. Now, there are some areas of action in this book and I became tense on a couple of occasions, but this is firmly a character-driven novel. 

The crew of the Wayfarer is eccentric and loveable, think Firefly without all the war trauma. Even the members that aren’t very likable, to begin with, you grow to care about as the story progresses. They all also have very distinct personalities and issues that are dealing with. The reader is given an access point to the Wayfarer and the world via Rosemary as she grew up on Mars and had never been in open space before. However, throughout the novel, you get points of view from everyone on the ship as well as some other individuals that they come across. I didn’t think that I had become too attached to them, but the first time that the crew was in danger I was worried for them. By the end of the novel I was tearing up over the emotional turmoil they’re all going through. 

This is a really short review for a 5-star read, but I don’t have much to say other than I loved my time with the crew of the Wayfarer and can’t wait to get back into the world. I think that this is a good gateway book into the sci-fi genre. I can see why some people will not love this as much as I did, but truly I always wanted to get back to this book whenever I put it down. I also think that this would be a good audiobook if that’s your preferred way of reading. 

[ardentpoop]

you're the only person that understands dean in this forsaken site,I fear

not gonna lie to you it feels that way often

a modest percentage of people are CLOSE to understanding him but they flinch away from really examining his behavioral patterns and his most off-putting traits. w/ a lot of male protagonists like him people spend too much time (just as the narrative does) sitting w/ how HE feels - or claims to feel - abt his actions as opposed to how he’s making other people feel.

anyway reading fic kind of makes me grind my teeth every time bc pretty much nobody’s doing it like I know I can. does nobody want to delve into his extremely deep-rooted misogyny/homophobia and where it came from and why it comforts him and how it impacts sam. does nobody want to portray the inside of his head following a major argument with sam and how he justifies the behavior sam is angry at him for and how impossible it feels for him to admit fault (and why that is). etc.

yes he can be really charming and likable. yes he loves sam so much it physically hurts. all of that just makes the abuse worse.

as much as I let off steam by insulting him as a character I don’t just get mad at the audience for badly misinterpreting him but also for completely missing or glossing over his complexities just as they do with sam’s.

he is not a good brother and he is not a hero and all his problems wouldn’t be solved by him having gay sex lmfao. he is a deeply wounded and violent man who accepts his post-s1 role as patriarch as a necessary and noble one, his wires re: family are so tangled as to be ludicrous (is sam his brother or his sister or his wife or his son? yes. and if he can’t have a substitute for his father HE needs to be his father. and every Good woman is his mother until she comes back as less than an apron-wearing sandwich-serving goddess.) as a hunter he is extremely dangerous - notoriously “shoot first,” and his prejudice towards the Freaks he kills bc he enjoys being a “warrior” hardly lifts at all by the end of the series. even (especially) knowing that sam was “once” one of those Freaks, and that he’s had to ally himself with plenty of people he would’ve thoughtlessly murdered if they hadn’t been useful.

again, I could go on forever. I love dean. he’s fucking awful and he makes me sick to my stomach regularly. he would be less terrifying if he didn’t have that beautiful face that distracts so many ppl from what he’s actually doing and saying <3

[shoechoe]

13, 22, and 23 for ask game!

13. Unpopular opinion about XXX character?

I do have a bit of an inflammatory one here, so I'll elaborate: I think Jonathan is a very cookie-cutter protagonist and I... don't really understand why people get so mad at you for saying that. I find Jonathan perfectly likable, but I can't say there's anything really unique about him compared to dozens and dozens of other popular protagonists. He's strong and noble, he has a special talent in the series' magic system, he's sweet and naive due to his kind nature, all the other characters admire him for his strength and talent... You have to admit you've seen it all before. I believe even Hirohiko Araki stated that Jonathan "may be a bit on the boring side" in one of his interviews (though take that with a grain of salt since I can't remember where I read that from).

However, to justify myself: Considering what Jojo is, I actually don't see Jonathan being "boring" as an issue. In fact, I think it may be the point. I think Jonathan is a character that really becomes better upon retrospect; when you become familiar with every other Jojo and their wildly varied personalities, Jonathan's simplicity is kind of nice to fall back on and remember. I also think it enhances all of the other characters- you start with a sort of base, bland-ish protagonist to introduce you to the Jojo "system" as you could call it, so the future protagonists stand out more in their variety (it's probably part of why Joseph blew so many people away with his strong personality compared to his predecessor.)

In other words: I think Jonathan took the hit of being the "boring" one so the future Jojos could be more interesting than him. Really, what matters about Jonathan is less him and more the legacy he leaves in general with both the plot and characters and the series itself- and that's cool. However, the fanbase tends to maul people who say he's boring... so.

22. Popular character you hate?

Yeah... Anasui. It sucks, because I think he's the only part 6 character I outright dislike, and he pretty much replaces Foo Fighters, who I'd say is a much better and more fun character. I think I've expressed why I dislike him enough, so I'll leave it to that.

23. Unpopular character you love?

...Does Diavolo count? (Joking.) The only character that comes to mind here is Donatella- in my opinion, she's an extremely minor character when she really, really shouldn't have been. It would've been so cool to see Trish or maybe even Diavolo talk about her way more, especially since she was so important to Trish's life and was the only person Diavolo apparently formed a connection strong enough to sleep with (though honestly, maybe that's the reason why Donatella is kept to the background- I'd find it difficult to logically elaborate on Diavolo having a fling with somebody at any point in his life while keeping him in character...) I guess it's less that I "love" her and more that I love thinking about her and wonder about ways she could've been treated better.

[max1461]

This is a rant but also a question sorry. I'm a grad student (PhD student in Europe, so a bit different) as well and I think the people here are rancid. Just a bunch of mean nerds. Extremely judgemental about students who are struggling. Love playing into the trope of depressed but noble (underpaid) """ Intellectual """

They never talk about science unless it's an opportunity to appear "Scientific" (Name drop science buzzwords) and public shaming the speaker during and after the presentations is very common.

Anyways. My question is has this been your experience as well or it just where I am? What are academics like where you're from? Do you think academics have a serious dickhead/likability issue? Do you think academics are "smarter" Than the average population?

I think academics in general are huge dickheads but most of the one's I've happen to meet in my grad program have been very nice. I think I just got luck. Many of the ones I encounter seem to suck. Also might differ by field; linguistics is famous for having a lot of assholes but I actually think it has less than average. My sister is an art history student and she's surrounded by just the nastiest people I've ever heard about. Could just be individual departments too.

[ariadnesweb]

Protagonistdom in Deltarune

[Image Summary: A chart divided into 3 by 3, titled "Why This Deltarune Character Would Make a Good Protagonist, and Why They Would Also Be Terrible"]

Longer Description under Readmore

Kris:

Pros:

• 1st Character we play as.

• Lack of strong personality traits allows for easy projection.

• Human (Aka Average) – Pretty relatable background, as a quirky loner from an American middle-class family.

• (Above point doesn’t apply to everybody playing Deltarune, but it does apply to Toby’s target audience.)

• Status as well-connected outsider means other characters talk to Kris – easy exposition.

• Surprisingly charismatic – Darkners and Lightners have no problem following Kris’s lead, which is pretty plot convenient.

• ‘Laidback’ approach to life ensures Kris will never commit actions against our will.

• Their normalcy means Kris doesn’t have any cool powers to rely on, and have to solve problems with more immaterial & universal characteristics.

• Noble and funny personality makes them a likable person.

Cons:

• Character actively hostile to our control.

• Might be miserable as protagonist.

• Actively hides information from us – what Kris knows is extremely different from what we know. Especially as Kris is to some degree – aware of the 4th wall.

• Extremely mysterious person – makes it hard to understand what’s going on with them.

• Genuinely unhappy with their ‘human’ status, as it alienates them from their peers.

• Also doesn’t seem very happy to be powerless against the whims of others (or the plot).

• Very easily ignored in favor of more interesting people.

• Might only be a Hero because of their Human Soul – which can close Dark Fountains but isn’t theirs.

• ‘Charisma’ might just be other people projecting their own desires and needs unto Kris (ala Queen).

Susie:

Pros:

• Genuine outsider to both Hometown AND the Dark Worlds à Susie tends to have a similar amount of information as us, and we tend to have similar reactions to the same things.

• As a hero, and as Kris’s friend, she is the character with the most active screentime, so we get to know her pretty well.

• Strong but simple personality – Susie is an active agent in the plot, but not so involved she can’t be pointed towards more convenient goals.

• As the most willful character, and free from player control, she represents the ideal of ‘freedom’ best.

• She’s Heroic, to the point of being the most inspirational character – Kris, Noelle, Berdly, Ralsei, and Queen agree.

• Despite this, Susie is an underdog, with a negative reputation as a dumb bully.

Cons:

• Outsider status means background information on Susie is extremely lacking.

• Likewise, Susie doesn’t have a need to interact with most people in Hometown – they can both ignore each other.

• Despite being a major character and plot driver, Susie places herself to play second-fiddle to Kris – marking Susie’s preference to let others take the lead.

• She’s also not the most likable person, being blatantly confrontational and rude. This can be annoying for some people to have 24/7, especially if they want a fluffy story.

• Due to Susie’s position as an outsider and her own stubborn personality, her sources of conflict tend to be external rather than internal.

• And because Susie’s already has such an independent spirit already, her own base personality is unlikely to change drastically - at times she may seem simple.

Noelle:

Pros:

• Character with the most stable (and sane!) personality in the story, with clear goals and endpoints.

• Though Noelle is sometimes hesitant to act, to the point where she’s pulled around like a plot coupon.

• This allows for Noelle to give a pretty balanced view of the world around her – acknowledging the troubled history of friends like Berdly, Susie, and Kris.

• She’s also extremely detail oriented, noticing and reasoning out mysteries like Kris’s recent possession, or the strangeness of the Dark Worlds.

• All of this is used in Noelle’s little monologues, whether it be the introspection of Snowgrave, the diary entries in the Spamton Sweepstakes, and the glimpses of her words in normal Deltarune, to fill in the world around her.

• Noelle is also a pretty important person, whether because of her important upbringing, her friendly attitude attracting others, or her strong emotions/magic.

Cons:

• Noelle is, because she’s so simple and honest, far from the most interesting character in the game.

• She’s pretty predictable, actually.

• Noelle’s also a coward who doesn’t like enacting change, so while her conflict-avoidant tendencies might save her from a confrontation or two, Noelle alone wouldn’t escalate or engage in ridiculous situations.

• Ridiculous situations have to come to Noelle, instead.

• The above point is slightly complicated by the fact that Noelle isn’t originally a Hero of Prophecy, and has no expectation to run towards danger.

• Instead, Noelle is busy with a regular life schedule, filled with mundane problems and mishaps, very separate from the adventures in the Dark Worlds.

• Noelle’s long history in Hometown means she prioritizes it over

[nikibogwater]

Final Daniel Spellbound Blethers:

They were. So. Close. 

Daniel Spellbound was just inches away from being amazing every second of its runtime. They had the creativity, they had the intrigue, they had the interesting world and likable characters, but every time this show approached the line of Greatness, it would always trip in some small, but still painfully noticeable way.

(Mild spoilers and a very long rant/review under the cut)

Daniel as a character is ripe with potential for meaningful development. He’s just likable enough for the audience to care about, but still has those rough edges to him that need to be sanded down over time. He starts the series as largely cynical and self-centered, perfectly set up to go through an arc that would result in him growing into a loyal and selfless hero. Except....the writers forgot to give him a solid arc, and by the end of the first season, he’s just magically (ha) become a better person without any clear development. He doesn’t really learn anything, he just....changes for no real reason. And yet the pieces were right there, the writers had given themselves everything they needed to craft a great character arc, and they just didn’t use any of them.

This also extends to the relationship between our main trio. The dynamics are there, we can see that these three work well as a team, and by all appearances, they seem to care about each other, but we’re never shown any real growth in their relationships. These characters never sit down and just talk to each other. There’s nothing to their friendship outside of the main plot. I can’t really see these three hanging out and being friends in any situation besides the one they’re currently stuck in. Which is extremely frustrating, because again, the potential is RIGHT THERE, I can practically taste it. Daniel and Lucy have a fun rapport, their friendship could be something very compelling and emotional, but the writers stopped just short of the goalpost. 

And Hoagie--ohhhhh do NOT get me started on Hoagie. I really liked him in the first episode. In that context, his non-stop snark and obnoxiousness made sense and fit the situation he was in. But the episode ends with him and Daniel becoming business partners--and perhaps, maybe even friends. SO WHY IN BLAZES DOES HOAGIE CONTINUE TO SPEND THE ENTIRE SEASON BEING AN OBNOXIOUS LITTLE SNOT WHOSE ONLY CONTRIBUTION TO THE STORY IS THAT HE CAN TRACK THINGS BY SCENT?! And another question: WHY DO DANIEL AND LUCY PUT UP WITH THIS LITTLE JACKASS?! And a follow-up to that question, WHY DO THEY NOT ONLY PUT UP WITH HIM, BUT ACTUALLY LIKE HIM AND CONSIDER HIM THEIR FRIEND?! 

I’m not exaggerating when I say Hoagie does absolutely nothing to endear himself to these characters, or to the audience. He has zero positive traits, apart from sometimes occasionally deciding to do the noble thing because Plot Reasons. He made me smile one time throughout the entire season, and that was in episode one. And to make matters worse, just like with everything else in this show, this issue would have been such an easy fix. Either take away Hoagie’s ability to speak altogether, or sprinkle in some of those quiet character moments where we actually see him make an emotional connection with the others. 

I hate to keep comparing this show to Tales of Arcadia--really, I do, I know it’s not entirely fair--but I have to bring up Archie the talking cat again because he is the perfect example of what Hoagie should have been as a character. Archie is snide, mischievous, deadpan, and haughty. But he is also shown to be loyal, affectionate, and loving towards Douxie. (I mean, he’s also much quieter than Hoagie and has much better comedic timing with his jabs, so there’s also that). For every snarky comment that comes out of Archie’s mouth, we also see him actively working to keep Douxie safe and accomplish their goals. For all his teasing, we can still see how much he genuinely cares about his friend. 

Hoagie desperately needed that balance--something to make the audience believe that at the end of the day, he is truly Daniel’s friend, no matter how much he may bluster and complain. So much of his characterization could be forgiven if they had written in even just one scene of Hoagie and Daniel opening up to each other emotionally. I kept waiting for Daniel to bring up Hoagie’s missing eye, or for one of Hoagie’s jabs to sting just a little too much, and lead into a conversation where he (and by extension, the audience) learns a little more about why Daniel is all alone, why he takes the dirtiest, sleeziest jobs, why he has this disdain for magic users. But it just never happened. It was all set up and ready to go, and the writers just never got around to it.

There were other small factors dragging the show down, most noticeably in its music, moments of painfully bad action choreography, cringe-inducing snippets of dialogue (especially from the villains), and weird contrivances. What’s most bizarre about all of this is that this is not a consistent issue throughout the entire show. Some of the action sequences work just fine, sometimes the dialogue is snappy and fun, sometimes the music perfectly sets the mood of the scene and every beat works to reinforce a certain ambiance. 

I know all of this makes it sound like I hate the show, but I actually really loved everything they had to work with. I loved Daniel and Lucy as characters, I loved the way the writers delivered important worldbuilding information to the audience without it feeling forced or overwhelming, I loved the amazing creativity on display with the visuals. I loved the endless potential this show had for a heartfelt and exciting story. And yet somehow, in spite of giving themselves all the groundwork they needed to accomplish something like that, the writers couldn’t quite put all the pieces together. I had the same issue with Roster Teeth’s RWBY series. I was never able to enjoy that show for what it actually was, only for what it had the potential to be. And somehow that is so much worse than just watching a terrible show and hating everything about it.

The last episode of Daniel Spellbound does set up a plot for a second season, and in spite of all my criticisms here, I do really want to see it get one. I think a lot of these problems can be chalked up to inexperience, and that maybe with one season under their belts, the Daniel Spellbound team will finally be able to cross that line of Greatness that they’ve only managed to briefly touch with this first season. I want this show to do well, and it has everything it needs for that. I want to see more shows like this, not connected to any pre-existing IPs or writhing under the thumbs of greedy corporate execs who couldn’t write their way out of a wet paper bag. 

So if you have time and are even remotely interested, I would recommend checking out Daniel Spellbound for yourself. It’s only 10 episodes so far, and if nothing else, I can safely say that it was never boring, nor do I feel like it wasted my time. It was a very earnest effort at creating something new, and for that alone, I give many kudos to everyone who worked on it. 

[darksideofparis]

I'm fascinated by the fallout the Doctor and Ava are gonna have following Last of the Time Lords. Can you give me any juicy information on the fallout and how they both handle it?

Absolutely! I'm looking forward to writing the fallout, as it forms a big part of the Doctor/Ava romance and, to a further extent, how the Master is treated by the Doctor and Ava further along in the series.

Basically, the fallout occurs because of the Doctor's actions towards the Master on the Valiant towards the end of 'Last of the Time Lords', i.e., stating the Master would come aboard the TARDIS, then cradling him and begging him to regenerate after Lucy shoots him.

I haven't hammered out the details yet, but basically, Ava is aboard the Valiant for part of the Year-That-Never-Was and, like everyone else aboard, suffers abuse from the Master. Nothing severe, but I am leaning towards the idea that the Master repeatedly tries to "seduce" her, stating that he is "in love" with her, and Ava fights him off, with Lucy, of all people, later helping her escape so she can join Martha.

Essentially, Ava suffers a lot of sexual harassment and unwanted attention - nothing she wouldn't have already experienced on movie studios in 1944, but it is still extremely uncomfortable and hell for her during an already hell-on-Earth year.

So, hearing that the Master will be with them on the TARDIS, then seeing the Doctor mourn this despicable person who tormented and tortured not just her, but people she's grown close to over this hellish year . . . Ava snaps.

Prior to all of this, the Doctor and Ava were getting closer. They got especially close during the events of 'Human Nature'/'The Family of Blood' (which, I should note, will be extensively AU in this version - like different time period, much more likable John Smith, etc.) and solidified a relationship during 'Blink'. So, hearing and seeing what the Doctor chooses to do regarding the Master after all the turmoil she's been through, the Doctor having witnessed some of it himself but apparently just brushing it off . . . is it any wonder Ava furiously confronts him about it after Martha leaves?

To wrap up this long post, the Doctor and Ava have a massive row. Words are said, some of which really dig below the belt. And Ava is dropped back in 1944 California, older, wiser, and far more traumatized than any of her peers, but unable to talk about any of it.

And the Doctor is once more alone on the TARDIS, echoes of his and Ava's cruel, final words ringing in his ears. . .

And that's where we end Series 3! Fortunately, there will be a reconciliation in Series 4, thanks in no small part to one Miss Donna Noble. . .

[nobleburn]

Words of affirmation?

Does your muse like giving compliments?  When they're warranted. Nikolette isn't the kind of person to say something she feels is untrue for the sake of someone's feelings unless she's sucking up or trying to manipulate someone, and she more easily finds things worthy of praise with people in her own social circle/class. Still, she won't hold herself back from compliments or praise often. How easy is it for your muse to say ‘ i love you’? To her fiancé (who has specifically requested that she not say that to him in public, and she just occasionally ignores it), it's extremely easy. With anyone else, it's a bit harder. Niko is a romantic even if her ideas are a little twisted and she's poorly suited to the role she wants to play. She doesn't take a confession of that sort casually, and expects to be confessed to first (this plan will not survive contact with the enemy love interest). After the first time, it may become easier, but for the first time she says it, things have to be perfect. What is one compliment your muse is dying to hear? (also asked by @orderbourne thank you!) This is stretching the limit of "compliment," maybe, but what Nikolette would really like to hear, is that she's being actively chosen by someone who knows the kind of person she is and cares for her anyway. Her primary relationship is an arranged marriage with someone who doesn't seem to like her too much, and who she keeps many things from in an attempt to be more his type or otherwise more likable.

Because of that, her understanding of things is that it's fine, or even expected, to tailor one's persona for their partner, including concealing certain traits or hobbies. She's also used to the idea that while she is the best potential partner for her fiancé (in her opinion), it just as well could have been any girl of her station. Her relationship was decided not due to her traits, but rather due to her family background and her father's influence. Her fiancé didn't choose her, although she's dedicated to making him like her.

For someone, in full knowledge of her (many, many) flaws as well as her eccentricities that defy her intended image as a demure and proper lady, to choose her and love her anyway would be the greatest thing she could hear, even if she's not aware of it yet. At that point, you can have her heart. What is something your muse loves being praised for? Oh, most anything, really. Call her pretty, applaud her fashion sense, praise her noble bearing and manners, compliment her skill with healing magic and the basics of arcane magic. You can even praise her horse if you want, because Lamy is basically her baby and any compliment towards her is a compliment to Niko by proxy. Say anything like these, and you're likely to earn a smile as Nikolette presses her hand against her chest and proclaims that of course she's excellent in all of those things, but you've done well in noticing.

What will really get her, though, is to praise her for things that she keeps more hidden. Compliment her on her swordsmanship and her knowledge of weaponry, fighting styles, and the like, even if they're not ladylike. Praise her piano playing, even if she's only good rather than excellent. These compliments she might brush off a little, but if you push through and ensure she gets the intended meaning, she will be very touched.

[h-worksrambles]

Pokemon Legends Arceus: I wanna talk about Kamado

Kamado is not a character I tend to see talked about much in Pokemon Legends Arceus discussions, and when I do, it’s usually with an air of indifferent dislike. And it’s not hard to see why. He’s frankly a rather one note character in the game, and what little characterization he gets only serves to make most players resent him. And yet, despite that, I have a strange amount of brain worms about this guy, his role in the story and what I think he could have been. Full spoilers for the game obviously. Also, I have not yet played the free DLC so if anything in there could add to this, feel free to leave a comment to let me know.  

Let’s begin by covering what we know about Kamado. We’re introduced to him as the leader of the Galaxy Team and thus the de facto head of Jubilife Village. He agrees to take the player on as part of the team and give them a place to stay, assigning them missions while trying to remain a neutral party between the Diamond and Pearl Clans. After that, his screen time only really amounts to giving you missions, often reminding you of your status as an outsider. And for most of the game, that’s it. His design suggests he is the ancestor of Professor Rowan, and like his descendant he’s the stern authoritative mentor. But the player has no real closer relationship with him like they do with Laventon or even Cyllene. And his frequent reminders of your outsider status are rather off putting, since he still insists on it even when everyone else has accepted the player. If anything, it seems he’s masking his own cynicism. “Don’t get cocky, now. I still don- I mean, the villagers don’t trust you quite yet”.   Then we head off to Alabaster Icelands to quell the last Noble Pokemon...even though it actually hasn’t caused any trouble yet. Everyone’s a little uncertain but Kamado insists that if a Noble possibly represents a threat, they have to act, even if that means making the first move. And at this point, I’d imagine most people went: ‘Yep, he’s gonna be the bad guy.” Sure enough, when the rift in the sky gets even worse, and Kamado abruptly blames the player and kicks them out, most players seem annoyed and indignant, but not terribly surprised. The player has no reason to see this guy as anything more than a jerk. And the flimsy attempt at redeeming him during the Spear Pillar crisis falls very flat. So, why bother talking about this guy then? Because, on the way up Mt. Coronet, Beni drops a very interesting tidbit about what Kamado could have been. Kamado is not originally from Hisui. He came from another region entirely, after his home town was wiped out by wild Pokemon. With a handful of survivors, he comes to Hisui and establishes Jubilife Village as their new settlement. With that in mind, it’s easy to see what the writers were going for with Kamado. He’s seen what Pokemon are capable of and is extremely loath to trust them or allow his people to get too close to them. He lashes out and irrationally throws out the player, due to a paranoid fear that he could lose his home all over again. On paper, he could have been a sympathetic character whose fear drives him to reckless actions, representative of an older generation of traditionalists resistant to change in the form of Pokemon training, but who ultimately changes his ways and learns.

The reason this doesn’t work is because the reveal comes far too late to have any impact, and the player has been given no likable characterisation to latch onto (except maybe for that one time he sumo wrestles you or when he slips back into his natural accent, which are admittedly fun character traits). Yet, still, as I finished the main story, I found myself thinking: ‘You know, Game Freak nearly had something here.’ Pokemon is way too reliant on its villain’s motivations being ‘I want to take over the world’, or half baked, heavy handed philosophy. The most realistic one is still honestly Team Rocket, who are just selfish, violent criminals. We get some pretty good secondary antagonists like N and Team Skull, but the main baddies are usually laughably cartoonish and/or incomprehensible, and not really in a fun way (outside of maybe Ghetsis or Lusamine).

Kamado has the potential to be one of the series’ more compelling and grounded villains, but the execution was lacking. Which finally brings me to why I made this post in the first place. To use the enviable power of hindsight to suggest how to fix Kamado (this comes with the reminder that writing is really hard, and it’s much easier to script doctor someone’s work than build something from scratch. I’m not here to dunk on any writers involved in this game).

To me, the key to make Kamado work as a villain is to keep the setup for his heel turn, but to contrast this by making him more likable, so that him kicking you out feels like a proper betrayal from a character you like. Instead of being constantly stand-offish, I think Kamado should be willing to welcome the player in. He’s a litttle reserved sure, but ultimately he knows what it's like to be a stranger uprooted from his home, and so he’ll offer to help this kid. He made Jubilife Village as a place for people with nowhere else to go, after all. Meanwhile, have scenes (even just in side quests) of him going out and helping the locals, getting involved in the community, not just sat at his desk. Establish that he is fiercely protective of his new home and followers and will let nothing hurt them.

Contrast this by emphasising his fear and mistrust of Pokemon. I think setting up a contrast with Laventon is key here. Laventon is younger, more optimistic, and genuinely fascinated by Pokemon. He wants to interact more with them, study, them, train them, and ultimately befriend them. But Kamado, who has seen the more destructive side of Pokemon, is having none of it. Have scenes where he disagrees with Laventon over the importance of studying Pokemon (setting up the old vs new ideas theme), even assigning him other tasks so Laventon can’t focus on his research. Then, once the player has had time to witness this, have Beni tell the story of his backstory much sooner (perhaps at one of the many times Rei, Akari and Laventon are eating at his restaurant). And now, you’ve had time to like this guy, to disagree with, but still understand him, long before the heel turn. Meanwhile, he should only start to subtly mistrust the player around the halfway point, as he sees their aptitude with Pokemon training (feeding into a primal paranoia that you're on 'their side', a stranger more in tune with these fearsome creatures than any human he’s ever seen). With this extra development, the exile scene becomes a betrayal from a once likable character as his fear gets the best of him. The second he sees the sky he's like 'oh god, it's all happening again’. He clearly isn’t thinking clearly. But now, in the moment, we as the player know exactly why. We can see he’s not in his right mind, that his protective anger on behalf of his village has kicked into overdrive, and we can’t make him listen to reason. 

In our version, Kamado still goes to Coronet with the rest of the Galaxy Team to try and stop the rift himself, except this time, we’re too late and he gets the crud beaten out of him by Dialga or Palkia. (Side note, it might be morbidly funny to see him try to fight them with like a katana only to take a Hyper Beam to the face). This leads to him having a moment of shame and reflection. Kamado came here because he wanted to protect his people, who he’s devoted everything to these past years, but out of anger, he nearly led them to their deaths. He's escorted away with his wounds, but not before apologising to the player and begging them to stop the Legendary Pokemon, and save the villagers. Then cement it by having him do...anything to contribute to the plan to stop the other legendary, before ultimately deferring to Laventon, finally letting go of his previous distaste for the Professor's research.

Also, I don't think we should have battled at all him until the postgame. Fighting him in a Pokemon battle atop Spear Pillar feels really out of character when his trauma induced fear of Pokemon is his defining trait. If he’s mortally afriad of the threat Pokemon represent then why he is using them? And why are they really strong in a way that suggests he’s been training them consistently? Not every antagonist needs to be fought in a Pokemon battle, especially not one who’s whole deal is that he hates the darn things. Instead, when he challenges you to a Pokemon battle in the postgame, it's a mark of personal growth, slowly getting over his past assumptions.

I feel a little bad that my first blog post talking about Legends Arceus is to discuss something I didn’t like about it, since I honestly loved my time with this game. It’s the most fun I’ve had with an entry since Sun and Moon back in 2016. But I couldn’t shake the thought from my head about what this story could have been. It could have been a story about different groups of people so wrapped up in traditions, that they’re reluctant to trust each other, or to trust Pokemon themselves. But these people slowly learn to open their eyes, learn from their mistakes, and come together. Through that, we have a super heartwarming origin story for Pokemon training itself. And Kamado could have been the key to this. In Pokemon Platinum, Rowan once asked us if we truly loved Pokemon, and now we see his ancestor learn to do the same. What we have instead is a basic Pokemon isekai where our grouchy boss bows to down to our super special awesome protagonist, realises they were wrong to ever doubt our sheer perfection and so learns to be slightly less of a jerk. Serviceable sure, but kind of disappointing in hindsight.

Also, I know the counterpoint to this may well be: “But Kamado isn’t really the main villain! Volo is!” And...sigh...I could do a whole other post about how Volo is honestly a much more underwhelming villain, with an admittedly fantastic boss fight. But that’s a discussion for another day.

Thanks for reading my needlessly long post about a character no one really cares about.   

[transgenderer]

Lately I've had this feeling like...okay, capitalism, as practiced, is horrific, much the way that communism, as practiced, was/is horrific. We are yet to develop an unhorrific society, fingers crossed we figure it out one of these days. BUT I think in the same way that there's a noble ideal behind communism I think there's a noble ideal behind capitalism? And like, I can totally respect not caring about that ideal, because the reality is what matters, and you don't want to get caught up believing the shitty execution is the beautiful idea, but like...I care about that beautiful idea, a little.

There are a couple beautiful ideas about capitalism (or more generally market economies, capitalism was originally like specifically about *capital*, but ppl have been using capitalism to mean market economies for like. Literally a century now so whatever). The famous Adam Smith one is the idea that everyone working for their own best interest ends up almost miraculously coordinating to satisfy people's needs, in a very robust way, there's no single point of failure, the solution emerges from the interactions of a whole bunch of redundant pieces, and it adapts to new desires etc etc. Like a perfectly synchronized ballet with no choreographer on a constantly shifting stage...

Anyway so that's the common one but the more affecting one for me is the vision of a society where you don't need to be likable or unannoying or normal or whatever to have material support, you just need to be useful. And like I think to a certain sort of person that is an extremely comforting idea, and that's real and significant yknow?

[wordsnstuff]

Guide to Writing An Unlikable Protagonist

Patreon || Ko-Fi || Masterlist || Work In Progress

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What is an unlikable main character?

A character whose demeanor is not welcoming, or whose motivations are not sympathetic. However, their antics or perspective is interesting enough to make engaging with their narrative entertaining and worth investing in. They may not be the most pleasant character, or particularly easy to root for, but it remains enjoyable to watch the story unfold with them at the center. We may not like them, but we still care for them. This is the difference between an unlikable protagonist, and a protagonist that is simply bad. Even if we determine that they’re unworthy of sympathy, or that their actions are reprehensible, we remain compelled to empathize. 

Secondary Characters

When your protagonist is, by nature, difficult to root for or sympathize with, it’s important that the secondary character’s reasoning for remaining connected to them is clear. Perhaps one character witnessed their upbringing and clearly sees why they behave in particularly unsavory ways. Perhaps another friend is more interested in what the protagonist has to offer than in the protagonist themselves, so they put up with the negative aspects of their personality. One friend may just be extremely insecure in their own right, and has trouble setting boundaries, so the protagonist’s toxic behavior goes largely unchecked because the friend can’t or won’t stand up for themselves. This is an interesting way to explore the story through relationships between characters. Noble and relatable protagonists are easier to do this with, but unlikable protagonists can be very complex and intriguing to the reader when you explore their flaws through their relationships. 

Redeemable Qualities

Your protagonist doesn’t have to be likeable, but they have to have some role or characteristics that make it reasonable for a reader to be invested in their story anyway. Wanting a character to prevail is not the only effective means of engaging with a narrative. Even if your protagonist isn’t a delightful person, they can still be a three-dimensional character with better qualities that compete with their flaws. Real people are complex and real people have negative characteristics that can overshadow their positive ones. You have to make it clear to the reader where the protagonist is strong and where they are weak, and how that affects their behavior or mindset. If they’re unlikable for the sake of being a negative character, they’re uninteresting. 

Understandable Motivations

The biggest aspect you have to pay attention to, with any character, is demonstrating their motivations. What do they want, what do they think they need, and what do they actually need? What are they willing to do to get it? What are they not willing to sacrifice? Where did this motivation originate, and how does it affect their relationships? Even if a character is altogether unlikable, they can still be interesting and understandable. There are plenty of unpleasant people in the world, and they have a place, but if you’re going to write about one, make them interesting, and give them a reason to be unpleasant. 

Interesting, not Annoying

It’s very easy when you’re designing a character to mistake complexity for intrigue. Yes, you want to make your character as realistic as possible and as clear in the reader’s mind as you can, but if you shove a bunch of traits into the protagonist without any real consideration for their implications, you’re going to end up with a convoluted mess of contradiction and plot holes. Be incredibly clear and intentional when setting the tone for an unlikable protagonist. When you instill a new characteristic in the character that becomes visible to the reader, you must account for how that trait impacts the way they react and respond to the conflict. Keep the personal details relevant and clearly connected to the plot, and if you can, show them through relationships with other people rather than in personal monologue. If their mindset is displayed through their narrative action, rather than through their narration or point of view, the reader will register it more objectively, and it will inform their interpretation of the character’s future behavior more effectively.

Common Struggles

~ How do you keep readers invested if they don't like the character?... A protagonist doesn’t have to be pleasant to be interesting. You want your reader to engage with the story, and you’re attempting to depict it through a unique perspective. You want them to be invested out of interest in what’s going to happen in the plot, rather than the protagonist, and part of that is witnessing the protagonist’s arc. They stay to watch how the character evolves and what they learn. They may not be likable by the end, or even redeemed to any extent, but the arc should make sense and it should be interesting to watch. Even if it’s like watching a train wreck, they should be sucked in by the story, and that doesn’t have to solely rely on the protagonist. 

~ How do you make it clear that you are not condoning the unlikable character's actions?... Don’t make excuses for the character’s actions through text or subtext, and don’t give them an undeserved happy ending unless that in itself is apart of the overall message. Think about the story you’re trying to tell, and think about what you want the reader to take away from it. If you’re constantly using the narration to make unchallenged excuses and justify the protagonist’s actions, you’re neglecting to consider the reader’s interpretation, whether it’s conscious or subconscious. If they get a happy ending, despite morally reprehensible notable actions, and the intention behind that ending is unclear, you may be sending the wrong message. 

~ Should the character become likeable by the end of the story?... Not always. Sometimes the character’s arc is about the reader understanding and developing empathy for the protagonist as they learn more about them. Sometimes it’s focused on establishing that someone doesn’t have to be pleasant to be justified in their behavior or sympathetic when they’re struggling. The character doesn’t have to change their disposition by the end of the story to have undergone a full arc. It’s really about what you’re trying to convey to the reader through the story that should determine what happens to the protagonist by the end. 

~ What are the benefits of writing an unlikable main character?... It can depict the story through a unique perspective, and some stories are naturally suitable for a protagonist that is less than delightful. It can add interest and interpretive engagement to a story when you do it right, and unlikable characters can be just as satisfying to watch as they grow and learn. 

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Masterlist | WIP Blog

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