I actually spit out my drink

ᴏᴄ: ᴋᴏʀᴇʏ ꜱʜᴇᴇʜᴀɴ

Hair: blonde, long and straight with curtain bangs, usually braided or combed back

Complexion: pale, pierced and tattooed

Outfit: monotone colors, layers, long coats, poet blouses, either wears simple baggy/loose clothing or three piece suits no in between

Element: air, Korey has an enthusiastic fondness for crows

Significant Relationship: books act as her escape and anchor

Hobby: baking

Favorite Item: candy, any kind but especially lollipops

Favorite Place: her funeral home that functions as a clinic

Signature Item: family heirloom locket, a picture of her family inside

I feel like a lot of people think Carlisle is this boring old dad or whatever and it's like, sure in the context of humans. In the context of vampires though, he's super weird. He's the eccentric hippie living out on a commune or something, his lifestyle is just so out of the vampire mainstream and he's stuck with it even after hanging out with vampire royalty for two decades.

Dude has a house, and a job, and a wife (rather than just a mate), and kids, and uses his last name, doesn't drink human blood, and it all must just be so weird to all the other vampires, but to us it looks boring.

And I'm sure to SM it was normal and suburban and domestic and lovely but I'm reading it like "this is SO WEIRD!!" in an actually fascinating way because I had taken her 'most vampires are actually pretty feral' stuff literally (until we got to Breaking Dawn and met a bunch of them and they were all nice enough and knew how to drive and use computers as they hung out at the Cullen house), so I took the Cullens to be the absolute weirdos of the vampire world and it started with Carlisle.

Love to just imagine Alice explaining her visions of Carlisle/the Cullens to Jasper, who comes from the opposite vampire lifestyle and him just being like "that can't be right" and then they show up and it's just like she said and the Cullens are standing in their house in their nice clothes, Carlisle with his tie and doctor's bag, all looking at Jasper like he's the outlier and he's like "no you guys are the weird ones."

And Jasper's right.

I'm watching the First Doctor and Fourth Doctor eras at the same time. It's funny cause technically it's the same character but one is like an eccentric old man dressed like a professor and the other is a chaotic weirdo who dresses like he's homeles.

What about the other people the family interact with? It's pretty obvious gyro is a mad scientist but what about Fenton, Is he still still gyzmoduck? What about Daisy ?

Continuing the Daisy discussion from previous ask first, because I like her and she deserves it.

Daisy in the addams au has abandoned the idea of sucking up to a boss that doesn't appreciate her, and instead is starting up her own business in clothes design. That's not to say it's going super well yet, but it's a work in progress. She has a website and a plan, just not a boutique. That is until she runs into Donald. A kooky, clumsy guy with no fashion sense and a fishy disposition. He weirds her out and has octopuses in the pockets of his wading suit. But... at least he's polite? If confrontational... He's also not bad looking... discounting the deep rings under his eyes and the shiny scales stuck in his hair. But if you're imagining a scenario wherein Daisy swoops in to try and woo the nephew of a renowned billionaire in the hopes that she'd get access to his money and finally get her business up and running... you're wrong. No, what happens is Daisy is appalled and taken aback by the obviously overworked-to-being-crazed sailor, but promotes herself by saying if given the chance, she could construct a glamorous wardrobe that anybody would die for. And Donald... takes her seriously. Asks for the price of the commission. Daisy needs cash. For the sake of her business. She had no idea she'd end up taking measurements in the dank halls of McDuck Manor but she's a professional about it. Even though there's a ghost on the stairway. And the children are throwing a fizzing bundle of dynamite like a ball. And there are cracks and holes and spiders everywhere. And the maid (?) tried to kill her with just her glare alone. And now she's trying to appeal to the abstractly galling fashion sense of a weirdo from a whole family of weirdos, and... it's just the last straw. All Daisy's stress boils over. She has a breakdown and rages - crying about nothing ever working out the way she plans, even as hard as she works. About this crazy house, her life, her failures. But Donald sits with her and listens, talks her through it. Offers genuine understanding and encouragement. Daisy sees him for the who he is, then - a kind and supportive and wacko man who happens to have unusual interests. And, oh..... well, he does have a sort of... eccentric charm about him doesn't he?

You're right that Gyro is a mad scientist. That's not even a question. He's almost unchanged from his canon self, except his mad science isn't constrained by what's permitted by his employer, who permits everything. Gyro is unhinged, unchained and unmatched. His hair is crazy, his goggles charred and he's living his best life. Don't mind the giant red septic tank at the back of the lab, that experiment is on a time out.

Fenton is tired, stressed and needs a hug. He's a down on his luck young adult who has been kicked out and fired from every job, gig or side-hustle he's tried after graduating his robotics class. All he really wants is to help people and make a difference, but that's a pipe dream he doesn't entertain. Life is unfair and tough. He'd pretty much given up on being a scientist too until late one night he follows a strange light and the sound of screaming into a dark corner of the city, and falls (literally) onto a scene of carnage orchestrated by one Gyro Gearloose. The mad doctor yells at Fenton to stop gawking and help out with these escaped brain beetles already before they overrun the neighborhood. Fenton of course panics and starts whacking gross, squishy thing that moves with his bag until Gyro casually hands him an iron maul to fight with. When the bloodmist clears, Gyro laughs in triumph and gloats over his victory over his creations. This knocks a traumatized Fenton out of his white-faced shock and the guy instantly starts questioning how, why and HOW Gyro created those malignant monstrosities!!! He starts listing biological inaccuracies, scientific queries and all manner of hypothesis while Gyro "hmmms" in thought. Then Fenton has panic #2 when Gyro snatches the back of his collar and starts dragging him off into the night, decrying that he'd been thinking about asking Mr. McDuck for a new assistant recently, anyway. Which shuts Fenton right up. (Fenton's mother is a Detective. She knows about the crazy McDucks in their hellish mansion on the top of Killmotor Hill. So, naturally, Fenton's heard about them too. She told him scary stories about them when he was little. But....... Blathering blatherskite, is he desperate for a job.) And honestly.... I might have to think about the Gizmoduck aspect for a bit. It's a tricky one. I might have an answer later.

Wee introduction post!

SO. Let's go.

I'm starting this blog with a little overview of the OCs who are most present in my head these days. I (more or less) recently drew a shiny line up that I still like, after all, so why not use it?

I tried to get their heights somewhat right, give or take a few inches... I'll put their heights into the descriptions, too, though, for anyone (like me) who cares about these details. :)

Avery Constance St. James (*April 1st 1995 in New York City, USA; 5'2 ft / 1,57 m): a small but fierce pharmacist who lost her heart to an irresistably lively Irishman in 2022 (who refused to give it back), and who now juggles being a loving mama and thriving in her usual chaos.

Daryl Louis McKenna (*February 6th 1993 in Galway, Ireland; 5'9 ft / 1,75 m): rockstar scientist (biochemistry) and former drug abusing idiot who recently got engaged to Avery - a special lady he just happened to find when he wasn't looking, and who unexpectedly found his greatest joy in fatherhood.

Dexter Linus St. James (*August 11th 2023, in New York City, USA): a tiny Irish-American hybrid - the son of Daryl and Avery. Named after Dexter from Dexter's Laboratory and Linus Pauling.

Orla Deirdre O'Connell (*October 28th 1992 in Galway, Ireland; 5'9 ft / 1,75 m): an eccentric tattoo artist who appreciates the most beautiful things in life and who believes in love and classic romance like no other. Grew up with three brothers - Malachy (*1980-2006), Kieran (*1985) and her twin Declan, and thus handles life like a lady, but never without the appropriate dash of assertiveness.

Michael Theodore "Mick" O'Loughlin (*December 22nd 1992 in Aberdeen, Scotland; 6'5 ft / 1,96 m): a tall and elvenlike fella who stems from an ancient bloodline of highly fascinating individuals and who may have a supernatural streak to him. Motor mechanic in everyday life and a curious and whimsical guy overall, with soulful green eyes that effortlessly see behind the things others would not even dare to question.

Alistair Lachlan "Ali/Al" Abbott (*May 28th 1993 in Aberdeen, Scotland; 6'4 ft / 1,93 m): an eccentric weirdo, very charming and always a little clueless, with a heart of gold. A former rising football star who had to give up that particular dream to an unfortunate injury, and a surprise teenage dad who loves his friends and longs to meet the love of his life; who waits tables in a restaurant by day and woos ladies - who are willing to pay for his services - by night.

Lancelot Malcolm "Lance" Abbott (*July 27th 1988 in Aberdeen, Scotland; 5'4 ft / 1,63 m): a true force of nature, a capable internist, strong-willed and assertive (some would say stubborn) confident and outspoken, sometimes on the brink of being plain rude. An intelligent and complex person who may be a pain in the arse at times, but who knows what is right and important in life... such as suppressing some long lasting issues, ah, haha, oh well.

Maisie Rose Boyd (*June 11th 2011 in Aberdeen, Scotland; 5'0 ft / 1,52 m): the surprise love child of teenage parents Ali Abbott and Nessa Boyd, who is growing into a sweet and caring young lady these days.

Vanessa Christine "Nessa/Ness" Boyd (*January 14th 1993 in Aberdeen, Scotland; 5'2 ft / 1,57 m): a young and smart psychology graduate who is eager to finally start her career that she had to postpone due to becoming a mother at only eighteen. Gentle and kind, but also very straightforward, never taking crap from anyone and showing bluntness in just the right moments.

Caroline Miriam "Carrie" Anderson (*August 2nd 1987 in Aberdeen, Scotland; 5'4 ft / 1,63 m): a somewhat restless soul, always looking for something while never quite knowing what that something is. One hell of a doctor. Caring, not making any differences between people,and eager to look behind a facade... and entertaining the thought of running her own practice soon!

Dallas Ariston Gray (*October 22nd 1987 in Glasgow, Scotland; 6'4 ft / 1,93 m): a half-Greek, hunkalicious metal lord with a voice from both heaven and hell, a primary school teacher, musician and not quite your average nice guy from next door - the unhingedness may be subtle, but it's so, so there.

Fiona Annabel "Fi" Christie (*March 4th 1994 in Aberdeen, Scotland; 6'0 ft / 1,82 m): a truly delightful creature with many talents, drawing people in with her... everything. A hairdresser and make up artist, a dancer (classic ballet, jazz, as well as adult entertainment) and a gentle soul. Her optimism may make her look naive at times, but

Jean Melissa "Melissa" Carter (*June 1st 1985 in Calgary, Canada; 6'3 ft / 1,90 m): a creative director at a local ad agency... who clicks on suspicious links in spam mails and who forgets to check whether she has enough gas before she drives distances… and strands in the middle of nowhere. May seem scatterbrained but is incredibly loveable and the apple of the eye of her wife, Donna.

Donna Yvaine Christie (*January 3rd 1985 in Aberdeen, Scotland; 5'9 ft / 1,74 m): older and slightly (read as: not so slightly) overbearing sister of Fiona. Has her heart at the right spot but is also used to success and getting what she wants, which makes her a little insensitive and even tactless at times; still often fails to understand that "not doing things her way" isn’t necessarily the same as "doing things the wrong way".

Graeme "Sully" Sullivan (*September 7th 1986 in Perth, Scotland; 5'11 ft /1,80 m): an incredibly creative person all around who has known his goal pretty early in life - making the world a brighter, more colourful place! Owner of a tattoo studio in town - "The Den Of Tallulah Banks" - which isn’t just a tattoo studio, but also a place where creatives can get together and local artists from town can exhibit their works without paying annoying fees.

Hallie Henderson (*April 2nd 1988 in Aberdeen, Scotland; 5'7 ft / 1,70 m): a music journalist, writing for the popular UK/Ireland based magazine "Grot Spot". Interested in pretty much anything, believes in people. Very gentle and caring... and just a little bit weird. Loves life but doesn't close her eyes to the crappy aspects of it. A realistic optimist who is far from naive but maybe a bit too forgiving sometimes.

Jett Jones (*January 15th 1984, in Newcastle Upon Tyne, England; 6'2 ft / 1,87 m): Hallie's friend and fellow Grot Spot writer. A Geordie beauty who never met her real parents but couldn't care less, as the lovely Joneses raised her well. Outspoken and blunt, appears to be afraid of nothing. Never refills the office coffee pot and would most likely survive a zombie apocalypse. Treasures her heart and shares her real name with hardly anybody.

---

And, as a bonus...

1984

Craig Diarmid Abbott (*October 8th 1962 in Liverpool, England | † June 2006 in Aberdeen, Scotland; 6'4 ft / 1,92 m)

Sofia Elena Jacinta Abbott, nee Thomson (*February 11th 1956 in Mexico City, Mexico; 5'8 ft / 1,73 m)

... parents of Lance and Ali, who have their own story back in the eighties!

***

Maybe therapy for StPD “doesn’t work” because the therapists keep telling clients who have a nervous system way more wired up than them, with severe hyper-vigilance, who read between lines as a subconscious norm, with clinical distrust in others, and with a completely different perception of reality, a bunch of bullshit that invalidates our lives.

“Have you considered that your anxiety makes you feel like people are staring when they aren’t?” Yeah, because every doctor before you mentioned that. But after diagnosing someone with something based on eccentricity and accepting that they’ve been through hardships from it, it doesn’t make much sense to pretend that people don’t stare.

My self image of being a freak is from people’s reactions to me. How can you note that people with StPD are at a higher risk of violence and social rejection because of oddness and social ineptness then pretend that it’s mean and paranoid of us to separate ourselves from others, distrust, assume negative motives and judgements, and feel like people view us as weird? It’s from real lived experiences. You can’t use the same treatment for Social Anxiety Disorder on Schizotypal Personality Disorder and expect that to help.

You’re the one in authority saying it’s the weirdo-social reject-lonely & sad-poor meow meow-magical girl-Willy Wonka-Taxidriver-apathetic-madhatter-agoraphobic-obsessive-paradoxical-asshole-spiritualist-unkept-freak personality disorder. And you’re going to pretend that I’m paranoid when I mention that people make fast negative judgments of me and stare?

It’s the last day of the school term before the Summer holidays and after a terrible week, all Yasmin Khan, the school's Pastoral Support Officer, wants is to fly home to the nest and nestle beneath her mother’s wing. Her parents’ idyllic country cottage 'Swallow’s Rest' couldn’t be a more perfect place for Yaz to unwind and forget her troubles. For one blissful month, she’ll have her dinners prepared for her, fresh-scented bedding provided, and coffee set on the kitchen table before she’s even sat down for breakfast. Just Yaz, her doting mother, her eccentric father, and her lovingly teasing little sister… Oh. And chaos incarnate in navy dungarees: the Khans' gardener, Jesse Smith.

"Where you tend a rose, my lad, A thistle cannot grow.” ― Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden

Rating:

Mature

Archive Warning:

No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories:

F/F, Other

Fandoms:

Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005), Doctor Who & Related Fandoms

Relationships:

Thasmin - Relationship, Thirteenth Doctor/Yasmin Khan, Najia Khan/Hakim Khan, Thirteen/Yaz, Thirteenth Doctor/Yaz Khan, Thirteenth Doctor & River Song

Characters:

The Doctor, Thirteen, Thirteenth Doctor, Yasmin Khan, Yaz Khan, Najia Khan, Hakim Khan, Sonya Khan, The Master (Dhawan), The Master (Doctor Who), River Song (briefly)

Additional Tags:

Idiots in Love, gay pining, self discovery, In which Yasmin Khan is an oblivious idiot and Jesse is a goodhearted weirdo, Country cottage AU, Slow Burn, Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Enemies to Lovers, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Whump, Yasmin Khan is having a very bad no good time, for now, Neurodivergent enby gardener!Thirteen, School pastoral support officer!Yaz, Bill Potts - Freeform, Potter!Potts, Donna Noble - Freeform, Donna Temple , Therapist!Donna

Language: English Stats:Published: 2023-09-05 Updated: 2024-03-31 Words: 79,052 Chapters: 26/? Comments: 307 Kudos: 146 Bookmarks: 8 Hits: 3,138

i think slice of life was a good balance between shoutouts to the fans and the writers still having a hold on their story, like theres enough basis in fanon interpretations of these charcters but also the staff puts their own spin on it. the doctor is still a time traveler (kinda) and immortal and they do enough implication that you can read him as The Doctor or if you dont know anything abt doctor who he can read as some immortal eccentric weirdo thats got some weird lore going on and you dont need the context of fanon Or doctor who to pick up on that

@somethin-stupid-67

Season 6 still canonically happened. He went to prison in 2010. He did end up serving 6 years of his sentence, but in 2016 Kim was contacted by Caleb Dawson, the eccentric preacher of a unitarian church based in Wyoming. He was impressed with her recent heroism at the womens' clinic, but the truth is Dawson has been paying attention to Saul Goodman and his associates for quite a while. Dawson used to be a friend of Ricky Sipes (BCS S1E5), who did end up going ahead with his secession plan after Jimmy turned him down. Dawson opposes the government and prisons in general, and so he's been planting his followers on parole boards for quite some time now. Considering Saul has become an icon among libertarian weirdos (the church's main membership), Dawson would be happy to pull some strings for Kim; because Jimmy is a nonviolent offender, he can be transferred to a minimum security prison in Wyoming, and from there they can get him released on house arrest in a matter of months. There's just one thing Dawson needs from Kim first: The megachurch game is really a winner-take-all industry, and Dawson has made enemies with some of his conservative competitors; other churches he'd like to crush and absorb into his own. Sure, Kim's not a lawyer anymore, not on paper... but she's still got some magic in her... and if she could come up with a plan for the other churches to lose their tax-exempt status... well she scratches his back, he'll scratch hers.

Of course Kim initially runs for the door. She doesn't want to prank anymore; shit gets real. But the universe quickly chips away at her reluctance: before the meeting with Dawson even took place, a corrupt cop beat her for helping a 17 yo get an abortion (and this also leads to her breaking up with Glenn). While seeing a doctor after that assault, she learns she has a few good childbearing years left, but the window is closing fast. What's more, hard to say if it's depression, clairvoyance or what, but Kim has been having this persistent, recurring dream; she keeps thinking back to "Suspiria" 1977, a horror movie she and Jimmy watched one night only a week before they broke up in 2004. It feels like more than a dream; it feels like she's seen a glitch in the matrix. And if her nights are haunted with tingles of the supernatural, her waking hours are plagued with apocalyptic visions. She wants to dismiss the feeling of doom as just being a symptom of hating her life in Florida (something she's tried to just accept) but when Hillary loses the election, and she sees her own cowardice reflected back in Clinton's willingness to just "accept" the results even if thousands will die, it's the final straw. Maybe Kim's not a good person, maybe when she acts, people can get hurt... but she can't spend the rest of her life living a lie/waiting around to die.

*Hillary didn't lose the popular vote. You know what I meant; she won the popular vote but the EC handed the title over to the traitorous rapist anyway. We all saw what happened.

Between 2010 and 2016, Kim and Jimmy were still meeting in prison once every few months. The scene we saw at the end of S6 WAS supposed to be goodbye, but as Jerry Seinfeld famously said, never bet against the backslide. When Kim went back to volunteering as a law clerk, that meant going back to the same old vocational headaches, and that just made her miss him all the more. First she was only visiting the prison every 6 months, then only once a month; by 2016 she's in the lobby like clockwork every Thursday. Everything else in life has been a disappointment, and even if things were going better for her, she'd want him there.

It was a small betrayal, but the fact is she did conceal her reasons from him, for why she really wanted him out. She emphasized the fact that the US prison system was exploiting him in a way that had nothing to do with whether he was rehabilitated; she emphasized how the nation was devolving into anarchy and he's the only man who's ever made her feel truly safe. She didn't mention that she was trying to get pregnant until Episode8 of Slippin' Kimmy, when he was already sprung. And at first he didn't react too well to the proposition; he's getting kinda fed up with how she jerks him around.

i would once again love to hear your thoughts

See when I posted that it did not occur to me how hard it would be to explain this.

AU to consider:

- Nihil is an exceptionally sheltered little weirdo raised Pentecostal who is, in her teen years, completely relying on Bestie to figure out things Outside of the church. So like. All of their sexual experimenting was with each other.

- For those of you unaware about Pentecostalism’s whole deal they’re very big on feeling the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, possession, it’s a very charismatic (in the religious sense) and high energy religion.

- Family is absolutely not dealing with her intersex situation gracefully and is raising her as a boy but not at all trying to educate her in any helpful way about her own body or. Anyone else’s. Which is how this falls on Bestie which is kind of funny because he’s an idiot.

- Nihil and Bestie inevitably get to fucking around and Nihil is having a Pentecostal meltdown about going to hell but not enough to make her stop. So. (She asks if he ever worries about going to hell and he’s like. No I’m kind of focused on the hot girl* I’m kissing.)

*Nihil still hasn’t really figured out she’s a girl but she’s getting there. There’s some kind of discomfort that she isn’t putting together yet.

- After they graduate they end up moving more into the city into an apartment together totally not dating but also not not dating. They’re confused.

- Nihil is interested in furthering her rebellion against her parents and separating from her Christian upbringing and would like to do this via Tattoos & Piercings. Thankfully Bestie knows a gal (Imperator).

- Imp is many of Nihil’s awakenings. Imp is how Nihil figures out she’s a girl. Imp has done every single one of Nihil’s (quickly numerous) tattoos. (Nihil’s working as a receptionist for a doctor’s office. It’s not exciting but it’s liberating to have her own money. And she can use it to get the pretty girl to decorate her.)

- She barely even comes in with ideas anymore, she just lets Imp try out whatever designs she’s itching to put on flesh. They’re clearly hitting on each other but being terrible at approaching the situation until Imp asks her out for drinks. They get absolutely sloshed. They fuck in a gross bar bathroom. And then again back at Imp’s apartment on her couch.

- It’s exactly Nihil’s luck that she gets knocked up from the first risk she has ever taken in her life. Calls family about it. They tell her they have to get married. Imp is so on board for this. They go from not dating to being married in like a month span.

- Imp’s family is all cool. Eccentric atheists and Satanists and a smattering of Pagans. Nihil’s family fucking hates them. Imp’s family is very understanding about Nihil’s gender situation. They are very thrilled for Imp’s new wife!

- Bestie is Nihil’s best man, obviously. He is only a little bit spiritually crushed by the fact that he cucked himself by introducing his best friend that he’s in love with to the girl she ended up marrying.

- When the baby is born Bestie is their go-to babysitter and it does Not take Imp very long to notice how he looks at Nihil and is like ohhhh okay they’re in love with each other. Got it. Instead of being upset she’s just like, well Nihil deserves happiness and I’m willing to share! So they discuss. And become a throuple. (You can imagine how thrilled Nihil’s family is about this development.)

- Imp isn’t sold on Bestie personally yet. But he grows on her. And it’s way easier to parent with three of them. She’s happy to adjust to this kind of life! She is MORE than happy to watch what kind of effect Bestie has on Nihil.

etc:

- All of Nihil’s tattoos are traditional or woodcut style. She went and got someone from someone else one time to see if she was really into the tattooing or just really into Imp—it ended up being some kind of fineline nonsense she hated and begged Imp to rework to be bolder. Usually Imp doesn’t like to fuck around with other people’s work but she can make an exception for Nihil, especially considering how possessive she is (she was not happy when she learned Nihil went to someone else).

- Nihil. Septum. So many ear piercings. VCH. Are you listening. She’s running out of places to put metal in her body. Her parents fucking hate it.

The fact that the strangest characters that Voltage Inc has made are doctors is warming my heart.

I am talking about Romance MD: Always on Call cast. Like, they are weirdoes, strange, eccentric, with unique humor, and a little bit of idiots. The most normal ones: Sen and Takado can be considered the strange ones in any other game.

I'm not saying that out of all the characters they are the most weird, because we have Jin Namba, Tsugaru and Yosuke. What I am saying is that out of all the games, their team is definitely on the top of the eccentricity. They don't have a single normal, adequate person.

And, as some of you know, doctors are strange. Of course, this can be said about lawyers and police officers too. But doctors are a whole other level. We joke about all the things in the world, act as anti-heroes, have an abnormal concept of normality. So, the fact that Voltage depicted it, is making me more than happy.

Good & Evil - Flawed Heroes

Welcome to Good & Evil: A Study of Heroes & Villains. I’m discussing different forms of heroic and villainous characters, different types of protagonists and antagonists, and providing examples of them each from various sources. We’ve covered the basic building blocks of the “Hero” and “Villain” archetypes, so now, let’s start getting a bit more complex. Today’s topic: Flawed Heroes. To begin with, it must be said that the phrase “Flawed Heroes” is somewhat unspecific. On a technical level, most heroic protagonists worth their salt have flaws of some kind: if they didn’t, there would really be no conflict or tension. After all, if they were completely perfect, the story would be over quite quickly. However, the specific flaws we’re speaking of are internal ones: less physical and more mental or emotional. While simple Heroes are essentially role model figures who will always make the right choice, no matter what, Flawed Heroes are characters who either will EVENTUALLY make the right choice, or else will always make the right choice, but not always for the right reasons or in the right way. They have personal issues that they need to tackle, lessons they need to learn, or simply go about things in a way that might not always be the most agreeable.

The most classical example of the Flawed Hero, I would say, is Sherlock Holmes. From the books on through virtually every noteworthy incarnation, Holmes is the quintessential Flawed Hero. He is the tenacious detective who will always bring justice to those who deserve it, and he will, in the end, always catch the right target. However, he won’t always be NICE when he goes about it: Holmes is mercurial, antisocial, obsessive, rude, arrogant, eccentric (if not, indeed, half-mad), and has an addiction to drugs, among other less-than-savory habits and traits. While he also generally avoids bloodshed, he’s not above allowing people to die, or even - if absolutely necessary - killing them himself, provided it is the only way to bring a case to a happy close. However, therein lies Holmes’ integrity: despite his many, MANY unhealthy and unpleasant behaviors, he is a person who - deep down - values life and morality. He will always try to bring a case to a non-lethal close, always try to do what is best for everyone involved, and will never ignore anyone who has a problem worth his time. Holmes is not a perfect person…but he is a good man, even if he doesn’t recognize it, himself.

A similar situation can be found in the central character of the BBC sci-fi series “Doctor Who,” the time-travelling alien known only as The Doctor. The Doctor has been played by many actors over the decades, and each incarnation differs from the last in some greater or lesser degree. However, one thing that all the Doctors have in common are these three facts: all of them are a pack of weirdos, all of them have egos, and all of them have the propensity to do morally questionable things in the name of a good cause. While some versions of the Doctor are nicer than others, for lack of a better way of putting it, none of them are perfect people without flaws or personal issues. However, regardless of their faults and troubles, each Doctor consistently proves to be well-meaning, and values fairness and kindness. To paraphrase a line from the show, the Doctor may not always ACT like a good person, but he (or she, in number 13’s case) will always TRY to be.

If Superman is the quintessential Hero of DC Comics, then I would argue Batman, a.k.a. Bruce Wayne, is the quintessential FLAWED Hero for the same company. Much like Superman, Batman has been reimagined and reinvented numerous times, and some versions sway to different areas of the scale (Adam West’s Caped Crusader is more of a classic Hero, while Michael Keaton’s Dark Knight is more of an Anti-Hero), but at his core, I think Batman stands as a character who is pretty uch heroic, but still has problems. Disregarding his lack of conventional superpowers, Bruce Wayne has several issues as a person: he’s obsessive, depressive, cynical, and at times curt or even cold. While he typically abhors outright murder, he has fewer problems maiming or just scaring the daylights out of criminals who encounter him, and the zealous, at times militaristic passion he has when warring on crime can, at times, seem overwhelming. However, at his heart, Bruce Wayne is not only a good man, but a man many wish they could be: he is charitable, much more caring than he lets on, and while his methods are unorthodox, he is rarely truly cruel or callous. Bruce Wayne has issues, but he is not in any way a villainous figure. He stands as a beacon of goodness in a dark world…he’s just not always the easiest beacon to get along with.

While Batman, The Doctor and Sherlock Holmes are relatively “static” in their flaws - by which I mean, they are characters where the issues are constant pretty much from beginning to end - a very common pattern with Flawed Heroes is their tendency to evolve and become True Heroes. Very often, these protagonists will start off as people who do not make the right choices, but - after facing various trials and learning various lessons - they ultimately DO make the right decision at the most crucial point in the story, and thus prove their mettle, becoming a Real Hero as they overcome temptation. Sometimes they will be presented these temptations over and over again, but they will - inevitably - either resist or at least take something away from these roads that should not be traveled. I can think of no finer example of this type of character than my personal favorite superhero, Spider-Man.

Spider-Man (and I’m specifically talking Peter Parker here) has an origin story that fits this idea to a tea: when he first gains his incredible abilities, helping people out is the last thing on his mind. He instead goes out to seek selfish pleasure and material gain, and it’s indicated in some versions that, if he had continued on this path, he might have become a villain rather than a hero, over time. However, when personal tragedy strikes because of something Peter did or did not do, he learns that “with great power comes great responsibility”: his actions and inactions have consequences, and those with power and prestige should do what they can to help the less fortunate. Even after learning this harsh lesson, Peter still makes mistakes - some more dreadful than others - but this isn’t because he’s an idiot or because he’s a bad person. It’s simply because he’s a human being, and he always does his best to make sure the mistakes of his past do not become his follies in the future. It may take Spidey a little time to reach the right decision, but he will get there, one way or another.

A rare but interesting twist on this formula, which has popped up more often in recent years, is the Flawed Hero who does not realize they ARE flawed..and for that matter, neither does the audience! These sort of “twist flawed heroes” are intriguing because they make us question our ethics and ideals just as much as the characters do. A great example of this is Judy Hopps, the main character in Disney’s Zootopia. Judy, at first glance, seems to be a pretty straightforward hero: she’s optimistic, determined, and joins the police department largely out of a genuine desire to help people and do good. So, where does the flaw come in? Well, Judy comes to realize that she has a fundamental problem with her perception of the world: it’s very black and white, with one group of animals - the predators - always being seen as evil, and the other group - the prey - being seen as inherently good. Over the course of the film, she realizes this bias in herself, and when it causes trouble for not only her life but the lives of others, she comes to understand the fallacy in her line of thought, and begins to re-evaluate her entire view of the world around her. The audience learns from Judy’s journey just as much as she does, which makes her a particularly relatable protagonist. Flawed Heroes, on the whole, achieve the same basic goal and function as more typical Heroes, but have a different way of going about it. Instead of being characters we want to be like or wish to become, they are characters who more accurately show us the good humanity is truly capable of. People aren’t perfect, we all have our own foibles and fancies, and we all have lessons we have to learn at some point along the way. This does not mean we cannot do great or wonderful things, nor does it mean we should give up on believing such things are possible. By showing us the humanity that lies under the surface of a hero’s journey, Flawed Heroes tell us that, no matter what we’ve done or what we’ve been, we, too, can overcome the toughest obstacles not only against the world around us, but within our own souls. They are still figures of hope...they just have to work a little harder to make that hope a reality.

Top 3 Star Trek The Next Generation characters

By Ames

You’ll remember that for our podcast coverage of Voyager episode “Flashback” featuring Hikaru Sulu, A Star to Steer Her By picked our three favorite The Original Series characters. Now we’re feeling inspired seeing more familiar faces in the Delta Quadrant with both Reg Barclay and Deanna Troi appearing in “Pathfinder,” so we’re doing the same for our favorite minor or one-off characters from The Next Generation!

Some of the characters we’ve picked have that eccentric, colorful kind of energy that would feel at home in our original TOS lists, and some have a more cerebral complexity that the different series of the 90s are more known for. We see some strong patterns forming in our lists below, along with a very clear winner. Place your bets now as we revisit the adventures of the Enterprise-D below and in our discussion on this week’s podcast episode (topic starts at 56:20). Engage!

[images © CBS/Paramount] 

Chris – Revenge of the nerds

K’Ehleyr

Berlinghoff Rasmussen

Reginald Barclay

All of Chris’s picks have Big Nerd energy in their own ways and may get ostracized from their respective cultures a little bit for it. From our girl K’Ehleyr, a half-breed fully accepted in neither her Klingon nor her human races; to Berlinghoff Rasmussen, a time-traveling weirdo who reminds us a lot of Chris’s TOS fave Harry Mudd; to the constantly trampled upon everyman Reginald Broccoli. At least, I think that’s his name…

—

Jake – Gone too soon

K’Ehleyr

Doctor Katherine Pulaski

Alidar Jarok

We all really wish all of Jake’s faves had stuck around! But sadly, our favorite Klingon gets murdered by Duras, leaving us only with her terrible son to remember her by. We were just starting to really get a feel for Dr. Pulaski as CMO of the ship before her season was over. And one of Jake’s favorite Romulans couldn’t live in a world where defecting from Romulus proved to all be for nothing. Well, nothing but a damn good episode.

—

Caitlin –  MILFs in space

Doctor Katherine Pulaski

K’Ehleyr

Lwaxana Troi

We see some familiar faces again in Caitlin’s list. Not only do all of her picks run their corners of the world like absolute bosses, but they look freakin’ hot doing it too! We’ve got the stone cold Katherine Pulaski who, fans will remember, used to nail Riker’s dad; yet again, K’Ehleyr is here breaking hearts, kicking ass, and taking names; and the galaxy’s biggest cougar Lwaxana Troi rounds things out with her trademark lust for all of life!

—

Ames – Unbreak my heart!

K'Ehleyr

Hugh

Timicin

My picks are giving me the feels all over again. Why?! Why couldn’t that honorless Duras have taken Alexander instead of K’Ehleyr?! I also have the softest of hearts for our BFF (Borg Friend Forever) Hugh and his touching friendship with Geordi. And another of the podcast’s favorite overall episodes, the legendary “Half a Life” is made so tragic by the nuanced and yet powerful presence of Timicin. Who else could tame Lwaxana’s heart?

—

Just like in our Best Klingons post, K’Ehleyr absolutely runs away with the win, yet again sweeping the lists of all of your hosts here. Pour out a glass of bloodwine for our hands-down favorite character from The Next Generation, and stay in our tractor beam because we’re keeping the blog on the Enterprise-D for a couple more weeks while the podcast is simultaneously on the Voyager over on SoundCloud (or whatever podcast thing you like). You can also like us on Facebook and Twitter, and we’ll see you in Ten Forward!

As a card carrying weirdo, the real reason I will never forgive Chibnall is that he took one of the most iconic "I'm weird & proud of it" characters of all time, & not only made them ashamed of being weird and also just like ppl's negative conceptions of weird ppl as detached & uncaring.

The Doctor(TM): Charismatic & confident, but chooses to be eccentric, nonconformist & anti-authoritarian because they chose to, & that is what makes them special. Due to their background as an outsider & vast knowledge they see everything from a pragmatic big picture pov, but they are nonetheless compassionate or at least making an effort to be when it doesn't come naturally.

Whatever Whittaker's Character was: Nervous & insecure, wants to be normal but can't seem to manage to. Is special because she's a walking plot device/ source of superpowers. Doesn't seem to bond with or get attached to ppl past a superficial level & will just ignore a friend who is scared of getting cancer because she doesn't know what to say. What's anti-authoritarianism or humanism??

Like, ovsly this character has been tactless & insensitive before (a lot) but there's a big difference between an abrasive arrogant jerk who cares deep down (a lot of their suffering is because they're really bad at not getting attached even after repeated losses), and a superficially agreeable nervous wreck who is deeply detached from everyone on a fundamental level.

When I first discovered the show I was very much delighted to finally find an eccentric science nerd character who, despite having some degree of oblivious tactlessness, wasn't, like, fucking Sheldon from the Big Bang Theory, and that's why I loved it.

I never even watched the spinoffs because the 'verse is pretty silly all things considered, I was into it explicitly for Eccentric Science Nerd Protagonist (and particularly one that explicitly isn't an english major's idea of an eccentric science nerd, but, with depht. Like, obviously Whittaker's character cracks oldball jokes & wears steampunk goggles and all the superficial trimmings of nerdy weirdness. But is she humanist, anti-authoritarian and nonconformist?? More like an emotionless exposition machine...)

If Chibnall's run was my first contact with the show, I would never have become a fan. It just doesn't have any of the things I liked about previous iterations of it. Indeed I would probably not have finished one season & come away thinking it was pretty dumb & lowbrow show the way it fails to do moral dilemmas in a real consistent way & gets very hamfirsted about even the aesops I would agree with.

how do they see themselves (in general)? is it an accurate depiction?

do they have any tattoos? if so, where?

[for Crowley]

AN INTRICATE CHEAT SHEET FOR MUSES // accepting

— I'm not sure he actually...conceptualizes himself, you know? Like I think it's hard for angels and demons to do that, especially a demon like Crowley. He lives in a grey area in and in between reality, unbound by physics. I don't even think he has a clear understanding of gender (like he understands his body is a certain shape but he would never call himself a man or even a woman. He's a demon or perhaps even more vaguely "supernatural entity", as he described Aziraphale and himself when they quarreled about how best to handle an interaction with the former Sister Loquacious). Crowley doesn't really consider himself a nice person, but I think it's more of an issue of knee jerk traction and some lingering trauma from getting quite a raw deal in being cast out. (As a side note I'm so sorry this is just oops all side notes: I don't think he's constantly brooding about being a demon, I think facing down the Armageddon and another Heaven vs. Hell grudge match opened up some old wounds, but in general he's fine with being a demon, even if he doesn't want to deal with the work involved. He's a slacker.)

As for how he's perceived by others, it really just depends who's looking. Humans see him as however they need to see him (gangster, doctor, IT tech, nanny, tutor, etc.); other demons think he's a weirdo that gets away with more bullshit than he probably ought to; angels don't seem to think much of demons in general (Aziraphale aside, who blatantly adores him). Crowley comes off as confident, a bit disaffected, and on the cold side. Definitely eccentric, kinda rude (he's really just distracted), bit dodgy, and very mysterious. Honestly, I feel like he gets away with a lot being tall and handsome.

— Yes...no...maybe? I don't think he could cope with a stranger touching him for any length of time longer than a handful of minutes, so if he wants tattoos I think he just manifests them until he gets bored with them or they're not longer in style (because he's a very stylish creature, and I suppose there's some very clever cerebral reasons to say he bothers, but I also find it very funny to think he's a bit of a fashion slave).