#morally gray female characters

[almadash]

Everybody makes mistakes✨

Characters are Rilda (the morally gray calico) and Crystalline (the always supportive but tired griffon).

Been experimenting with some vertical comic strips, aka the webtoon style. I would really like to start a comic there someday, but so far it’s still a dream. Expect some more short comics like this, though!

[clown-eating-pig]

I really love gertrude robinson bc how often do you get an older woman character who just really sucks? She sacrifices ppl that trust her. She is so focused on keeping the world from ending that she completely doesn’t notice one of her assistants routinely torturing the others. She dismembered a guy. She does her job badly on purpose. She’s cunning and sneaky. She dares her murderous, immortality seeking boss to kill her. She gets murdered by her murderous, immortality seeking boss. She’s not particularly friendly. She somehow had access to plastic explosives. She’s a manipulator and a liar. She’s bound to the avatar of destruction. She helped a guy get rid of a pig by telling him to put it in conk crete. She is like the opposite of a sweet little grandma and that’s beautiful.

[thewriteadviceforwriters]

Crafting Compelling Morally Gray Characters: A Guide for Fiction Writers

In literature, there is often a clear distinction between good and evil. Heroes are portrayed as virtuous and villains as wicked. However, in recent years, there has been a rise in the popularity of morally gray characters - those who do not fit neatly into the categories of good or evil. These characters are complex, flawed, and often make decisions that challenge the reader's moral compass. In this guide, I'll help you explore the art of crafting compelling morally gray characters and how to make them stand out in your fiction writing.

What Are Morally Gray Characters?

Morally gray characters, also known as morally ambiguous characters, are those who do not conform to traditional notions of good or evil. They may have both positive and negative traits, and their actions may be motivated by a mix of good and bad intentions. These characters often blur the lines between right and wrong, making them more relatable and intriguing to readers.

Examples of Morally Gray Characters

Some well-known examples of morally gray characters include:

Severus Snape from the Harry Potter series: Initially portrayed as a villain, Snape's true motivations and actions are revealed to be more complex and morally ambiguous.

Jaime Lannister from A Song of Ice and Fire series: Known for his arrogance and incestuous relationship with his sister, Jaime's character evolves throughout the series, showcasing his internal struggle between his duty and his personal desires.

Walter White from Breaking Bad: A high school chemistry teacher turned methamphetamine producer, Walter's character is constantly torn between his desire for power and his moral compass.

Why Are Morally Gray Characters Compelling?

Morally gray characters are compelling because they challenge the reader's perceptions of right and wrong. They are not easily categorized as heroes or villains, making them more relatable and human. These characters also add depth and complexity to a story, making it more interesting and thought-provoking.

The Power of Relatability

One of the main reasons morally gray characters are so compelling is because they are relatable. They are not perfect, and they make mistakes, just like real people. This makes them more human and allows readers to connect with them on a deeper level. When readers can see themselves in a character, it creates a stronger emotional connection to the story.

The Element of Surprise

Morally gray characters also add an element of surprise to a story. Their actions and decisions may not always align with what the reader expects, keeping them on the edge of their seat. This unpredictability makes the story more engaging and can lead to unexpected plot twists.

The Exploration of Morality

Morally gray characters also allow for a deeper exploration of morality in a story. By challenging traditional notions of good and evil, these characters force readers to question their own moral compass and consider the gray areas of morality. This can lead to thought-provoking discussions and a deeper understanding of complex moral issues.

How to Craft Morally Gray Characters

Crafting morally gray characters requires a delicate balance of positive and negative traits, as well as a deep understanding of their motivations and internal struggles. Here are some tips for creating compelling morally gray characters in your writing.

Give Them a Strong Motivation

Every character, regardless of their moral alignment, should have a strong motivation for their actions. For morally gray characters, this motivation should be complex and not easily defined as purely good or evil. It could be a desire for power, revenge, or even a sense of duty. This motivation will drive their decisions and actions throughout the story.

Show Their Flaws and Vulnerabilities

Morally gray characters are not perfect, and they should not be portrayed as such. They should have flaws and vulnerabilities that make them more relatable and human. These flaws could be physical, emotional, or moral, and they should play a role in the character's development and decisions.

Create Internal Conflict

One of the defining characteristics of morally gray characters is their internal conflict. They are torn between their good and bad tendencies, and this struggle should be evident in their thoughts and actions. This internal conflict adds depth to the character and makes them more relatable to readers.

Avoid Stereotypes

When crafting morally gray characters, it's important to avoid falling into stereotypes. These characters should not be one-dimensional or defined solely by their moral ambiguity. They should have unique personalities, backgrounds, and motivations that make them stand out as individuals.

Show Their Growth and Development

As with any well-written character, morally gray characters should experience growth and development throughout the story. They should learn from their mistakes and make decisions that challenge their moral compass. This growth and development will make them more dynamic and interesting to readers.

How to Make Morally Gray Characters Stand Out

With the rise in popularity of morally gray characters, it's important to make yours stand out in a sea of similar characters. Here are some tips for making your morally gray characters unique and memorable.

Give Them a Distinctive Voice

A character's voice is an essential part of their identity. It should be unique and reflective of their personality and motivations. For morally gray characters, their voice should reflect their internal conflict and the complexity of their moral alignment.

Create a Strong Backstory

A character's backstory can provide valuable insight into their motivations and actions. For morally gray characters, a strong backstory can help explain their moral ambiguity and add depth to their character. It can also create empathy and understanding for their decisions.

Use Foils to Highlight Their Morality

Foils are characters who contrast with the main character, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses. For morally gray characters, foils can be used to showcase their moral ambiguity and challenge their beliefs. This can add depth to the character and create interesting dynamics between them and other characters.

Morally gray characters add depth, complexity, and relatability to a story. By challenging traditional notions of good and evil, these characters force readers to question their own moral compass and consider the gray areas of morality.

[thousandyearphantombunker]

"We want more morally grey/flawed female characters"

You bitches can't handle APPLE WHITE!

like people keep saying "you couldn't even handle rose quartz" but this is even more pathetic to me. How can y'all make this kid into a monster?

[wannabeprincess-8]

annabel: I hate myself and I will be as cruel as I see necessary and sacrifice anyone to be with lenore, i am extremely self destructive and couldn't care less if I died as long as I can be with lenore

people: girlboss!

annabel: *is self destructive and cruel*

fandom: you bitch!

[madsgotmadagain]

"We need more complex female characters!!"

Bro you couldn't even handle them sit down

[milliesnotes]

Why do people keep saying Emily “got ruined”

Y’all she was never nice, are we forgetting she was helping YUL manipulate Grett at the beginning of the season 😐

[bitchdafuqyousay]

i cannot stand you hoes

you fuckers will really just find any reason n excuse at all to hate on female characters, huh. like damned if she does damned if she doesn’t. they cannot win with you bitches smh

she’s upfront n emotional? ugh she’s so annoying she’s always in hysterics she needs to calm down. she’s levelheaded n even faced? god that woman is such a cold hearted bitch she doesn’t care about anyone she’s practically a villain! she’s got a temper? she’s always angry she’s so mean. she’s jovial all the time? she’s so annoying whys she always so happy it’s not realistic!! she’s super smart? she’s such a know it all she thinks she’s so clever n better than everyone else. she’s not a super genius? oh lord she’s sooo stupid what a ditz. she’s open n trusting? how can she be so naive n forwards she’s such an idiot! she’s reserved n keeps things to her chest? she’s so dishonest n a total snake i bet she’s secretly a villain!!

she’s super strong? she’s way too op it’s all just plot armor n makes no sense she needs to be knocked down a peg! she’s not as strong as the other (male) characters? god she’s useless she’s a total drag an absolute burden on the other characters!! she’s conventionally attractive n sexy? the over-sexualization is terrible she’s just pointless eye candy it’s annoying. she doesn’t meet conventional beauty standards? that bitch is so ugly haha look at the size of her forehead n her flat chest!

let’s not even get fucking started on the way y’all scream “villain” at any female character who isn’t a saintess of pure n unrestrained morality, but then throw a bitch fit about “mary sues” when another one is. female characters cannot do anything right in y’all’s eyes n you’ll take any chance to hop on them n drag em through the dirt by their necks. you hate a woman for the same qualities that make you love a man it’s pathetic.

[nellasbookplanet]

*grabs fandom by the shoulders* please tell me you understand that the dichotomy of the 'fan favorite man who’s done nothing wrong ever how dare you imply otherwise he's just a TRAUMATIZED BABY' vs 'woman who’s a selfish bitch who should just die for not always prioritizing the male favorite and for getting in the way of my m/m ship' is bad on both sides.

please tell me you understand these kinds of readings remove complexity and agency from both the male and female characters as well as the narrative as a whole. please tell me you don’t just want to flip the dynamic. please tell me you didn’t think it was originally bad only because it was the male character who should be demonized and the female character excused. please I am begging you to develop media literacy and to step away from radfem rethoric

[firesofdainix]

"We need more ambiguous female characters!" You guys can't even handle Princess Bubblegum

[arospecsyourblockdudes]

One thing about me is that I always have been and will always be a Gertrude Robinson defender. Everyone would love her if she were younger+hot and/or a man I’m not lying to you I know it. I’m sorry no one can understand the tragedy of an older woman realizing that she gave up having an actual life outside of the Institute and the entities for literally nothing but maybe you should’ve respected women more idk

[alivingfire]

i'm going to take the phrase "morally gray character" out of the hands of amateur book reviewers and put it on a high shelf until everyone is ready to use it correctly

[fiapple]

literally, i love nami so much, you do not even understand. you cannot begin to fathom.

[lovely-cherubs]

You wanna know what’s more refreshing than a strong, well written, female character? A strong, well written, MORALLY GRAY female character!

I want, no, NEED more morally gray female characters.

[saph-yells-into-the-void]

theres this trend on twitter where they'll caption a picture of a female character with the phrase "'we need more complex female characters' yall couldnt even handle her" and idk how i feel abt some ppl using popular male characters in this trend 😭

[thesilverlady]

it's strange thing when i've opened the book i've discovered that the greens barely has any characterization, yes i got it , it's a history book so they will not be as complex and as deep as pov characters in the main books. But honestly even minor black characters get more characterization than main green characters, like take for example baela and rhaena we know about their personalities , childhood and their relationship with others much more than we know about Aegon ii the main claimant of the green and if you see Rhaenyra as the main protagonist Aegon could be considered as the main antagonist. so it's such a weird choice from grrm , was he more interested in writing the blacks than the greens, that's why they get more to them and the greens were neglected along the way, or Grrm simply made a deliberate choice of writing the greens as undeveloped?

I'd say the latter one, anon. Look at the Blackwood & Bracken Feud for example. George made it very clear who he wants his readers to side with. Same goes for the blacks and the greens.

While the overall dance is rooted in misogyny when it comes to the figureheads of the war I consider aegon & rhaenyra to be that.

George didn't develop the characters that were meant to be disposed quickly. And while the greens as a whole were definitely never given much of an insight I'd argue team blacks suffer the same. Rhaenyra is one of the main and most important characters of the dance and George always had her restraint; first passing over her isolated childhood, then brushing off the horrible marriage. The only happy moments we get are few sentences at the time when aegon III and viserys II are born. Lucerys and Joffrey also have the exact amount of personality as Helaena has aka none.

Meanwhile characters like Corlys, Addam, Daemon, even freaking Criston have a personality in which you can make a case of.

So I wouldn't even say it's a matter of "making the good characters shine more than the antagonists"

It's George playing favorites.