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Questionable Character

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ReindeerFlotilla:
"...but I'm not sexist!" said nobody, yet. But I kinda figure it's coming so I want to get it out of the way.

I recently apologized (sincerely) in a pre-emptive manner because it was possible that what I was suggesting as inconsistent was perfectly consistent and I had just missed some posts. I'm probably just bad at internet (Internet, but nobody like a pedant), so I tend not to put too much effort into retaining who said what, until it gets extremely repetitive. So, while this might a response to something you, dear reader, wrote... The odds I remember you wrote it are infinitesimal.

Also, I believe you aren't sexist. What follows if my observation about a pattern I see, which may not exist. It's not about what you are. It's about what seems to be happening.

/Preamble.

So, I obviously have something jammed side up my ass about the hate on people seem to have for their least favorite characters. There's a grain of salt to take with this. Still, I've noticed a pattern and it really bugs me that it is (might be?) there--not out of simple social outrage, but because I can't be sure if that pattern (if it is real) is result of mind sets or of Jeph's writing.

(Disclaimer: I pretty much adore Jeph's writing, even when I criticize it. So that's a thing.)

There's point. I promise.

The hate on bugs me, but even more bothersome is how it seems nigh exclusively aimed at the women of QC. It's not like I haven't considered the extenuating circumstances. The women vastly out number the regular men at any given time. The men tend to display less overall character dimension. There are exceptions in the cast--Marten and Clinton, but I'm going to dismiss Clinton simply on the basis that his character was introduced to be unlikable. So the fact that he raises ire means he's doing his job. Marten is a bit more questionable in terms of content, but I would argue that he is THE main character, having the most "screen" time.

Marten also doesn't seem to draw as much "hate on" so much as he draws a kind of paternal resignation. This doesn't surprise me, or suggest anything to me. Again, Main Character. You have to love hating him to still be reading.

Anyway, that's the thing nibbling at my awareness right now. It just feels like the girls are held to a higher standard than the boys when it comes--not to having a like/don't-like opinion, but--to the need to express exactly how terrible a character is. Even in the case of Marten seeming to get a fairer share, it feels like he's judged on what he did, while the girls are judged on what they are.

Thrillho:
I haven't read the entire post, but were you here during Svengate? He got a LOT of hate.

ReindeerFlotilla:
Nope. I haven't be privy to any evidence of Sven hate at all.

Doesn't mean it didn't happen. But I haven't seen it. I don't recall a lot of hate over his last appearance, though. The most dramatic thing I recall was me saying he's the closest thing QC has to villain, and the disagreements that spurred. Which were so mild I only recall them after thinking real hard on whether I've seen any Sven hate.

Penquin47:
The characters who IMO have behaved the worst, in alphabetical order:

- Angus.  Faye even called him on having seen one too many John Cusack movies where in the end, persistence wins the girl over... and then, in the end, persistence won the girl over.  He was creepy, stalkerish, and after the incident at the bar where Faye told him to go away twice and he responded by GIVING HER HIS PHONE NUMBER, I was done with any potential Faye/Angus relationship.

- Dora.  When it's gotten to the point where your super-chill boyfriend is cranky because you ignored his request to leave something alone, got mad at him for being upset by it, and stormed out... you've behaved very badly.  She did the right thing breaking up with him, but her relationship with Tai seems to be heading down the same road.

- Faye.  The early violence was for comedic purposes, but the later mean-spirited verbal barbs weren't.  Her whole relationship with Sven was Faye behaving badly.  "This is just about sex but I expect you to be fully committed to me even though I'm going to treat you like crap" is not a good way to have a relationship.

- Sven.  During the relationship with Faye, I kinda got the sense that he was at least trying to make it work?  But then, Gina Riversmith.  Faye made it clear she expected monogamy, he didn't comply and wasn't going to tell her until his intern forced his hand.  I'm ignoring the douchebag "I'm the hero of the romantic comedy come fall into my arms even though you already have a boyfriend" moment because I have no idea where that came from.

Of course, the entire cast (except perhaps Emily) have had their moments of not behaving well, but these seem above and beyond.

eschaton:
Every character in the series has one or more glaring personality flaws.  Which makes sense, because if they did not, the series would be boring.

Actually, I'm not quite sure I can say what Steve's personality flaw is.  Unless you count being a bro as a personality flaw.  But then, he slowly faded into the background of the series, and has been sort of flanderized as a character over time. 

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