#like tbt that issue in pokolistan where lois had to ask kon linda and john henry to go pull his ass out of the fire!!

[mamawasatesttube]

i think one of the best characterization exercises out there is thinking about your favorite character's flaws. what things do they struggle with? what are they often wrong about? how do they react to being wrong?

for example, i think kon's biggest flaws are his naivety (especially early kon), his brashness, and his unwillingness to ask for help, or even admit (even to himself) that he needs it. these often combine into situations like him getting in over his head because he acts with his heart first and his head later (a big example would be young justice during owaw. another would be the knockout situation, where he so desperately wanted to believe the good in her that he didn't want to hear anything else (note: this is very much compounded by the grooming), and a third would be his part in critical condition, where he showed up despite being depowered and didn't tell the others he lost his powers until they were already on the mission).

what i do also find fun is that while kon can be brash and quick to act, he also apologizes when he's in the wrong, without beating around the bush or hemming and hawing much about how he could've been right etc etc. the biggest example i can think of is when he apologizes to alpha centurion at the end of trial of superman arc, for suspecting him of being cyborg superman in disguise. he's impetuous and often leaps before he looks, but he also recognizes that when he's wrong, he should own up to it. which is not a trait too common in 16 year old boys (😭) and therefore stands out to me.

it's just good to think about, imo! what a character struggles with, what things they're often wrong about, and how they react to being wrong. flaws are what make characters interesting!