How Did Someone I Despise As A Petty Bully Become A Favorite Character Of Mine? When I First Saw James

How did someone I despise as a petty bully become a favorite character of mine? When I first saw James Doakes in Episode 1, I wrote off his suspicions about Dexter as him bullying the weird kid. In a job that prioritized level headedness, I found Doakes to be very short tempered.

My opinion shifted when I saw him mentoring Debra, who's my second favorite character. Doakes was capable and encouraging, giving Debra guidance when she needed it. Ok, so he wasn't the nicest person, but at least he was competent.

What tipped Doakes over from being a likable character into my favorite one was the episode "Father Knows Best". We get some more background about Doakes, including the fact that he was Black Op who fought against the Tonton Macoutes in Haiti. His suspicion towards Dexter clicked for me.

The Tonton Macoutes, according to Doakes, were pure evil. They were sadists who unleashed unbridled misery and terror unto the people of Haiti. Doakes has had direct experience with evil, of the likes many of the Miami PD possibly can't imagine. That explains his antagonism towards Dexter. Given his background, he probably can tell that there is something seriously off about the forensic blood splatter analyst.

This doesn't excuse the way Doakes treats Dexter, however. It's unprofessional and makes Doakes look petty. Granted, I am a bit more sympathetic towards him and I'm eager to see what is done with him later in the show.

Princess Charlotte-Damsel to the Rescue

Remember how Princess Charlotte informed the Band of the Hawk of Griffith's location and helped them sneak in? Causality is a spiral. I would not be surprised if she plays the same role again, this time helping Guts' band rescue Casca from her imprisonment.

I think that Charlotte will find out where Casca is being kept when Griffith transforms into the Moonlight Child. Griffith most likely has measures to make sure his identity as the Moonlight Child stays hidden. However, the Moonlight Child is very playful. When he appears on Elfhelm, he engages with Guts' band and the inhabitants of the island. He'll likely try to interact with other people around the castle. In fact, Charlotte even stated that she wanted to open an orphanage. If she sees the Moonlight Child wandering around the castle, she might confuse him for an orphan. The Moonlight Child would escape from Charlotte's grasp and run to his mother, leading the princess to Casca.

Mind you, that earlier paragraph veered off into fanfiction. I'm not sure exactly how Casca and Guts' third reunion will go down, but it'll be satisfying to see if Charlotte plays a role in it.

Petyr the Disillusioned Hero

Petyr Baelish's story could be ripped out of a fairytale: the wimpy heir to a poor, unremarkable noble house fights for the affections of his beloved. I wouldn't be surprised if Petyr's bravery (one might say foolhardiness) was inspired by songs. Much to his disappointment, however, life did not reward his bravery. It's no wonder, then, that he frequently warns Sansa that life is not a song: he fell into that trap and paid dearly for it. Life taught Petyr no lessons, it only gave him more grudges to hold.

lydia bennet-19th century sansa stark

Poor Lydia. Her dreams were realized, but, unlike Sansa Stark, she never recognized they were nightmares too. Sansa and Lydia were beauties who insulted their sisters for not adhering to societal standards. Sansa grew exasperated with Arya's boyishness and called her a horseface. Lydia snarks about Wickham's previous love interest and insults Mary's performance. Sansa, however, quickly gets bitten in the butt by the standards she revered. Numerous tragedies, such as the Battle of the Blackwater and Joffrey's abuse, force Sansa to confront how women's conformity only leaves them at the mercy of others.

By contrast, Lydia seems to be rewarded for fitting into society's mold. She and Wickham are deep into the honeymoon phase when they get married. By the end of Pride and Prejudice, she still doesn't know about Wickham's manipulativeness. Lydia even gloats about her marriage to Wickham, seeing no issue with her actions. Slowly but surely, reality sinks in. In the epilogue, Lydia and Wickham move frequently, saddled by debts. Lydia isn't great at managing her money, but Wickham is expected to provide a living income. Even if she were a financial mastermind, Lydia's livelihood would still be hurt by Wickham's inability to manage money. However, the Wickhams are always cushioned from the consequences of their mismanagement. Sadly, it seems like Lydia will always remain blinded to the issues within her society.

Farnese-The Lily Blooms

It's not a coincidence that both Guts and Roderick look similar and have comparable talents. Both men are also important to Farnese: Farnese nearly worships Guts and Roderick is clearly attracted to her, but Farnese doesn't reciprocate his feelings. This dynamic mirrors the Golden Age love triangle between Guts, Casca, and Griffith. Just like Casca, Farnese has to choose not just between self-acceptance and self-rejection.

Farnese's journey is one of becoming more courageous through service. She was a fearful girl who armored herself with aloofness and acts of terror. She wanted people to be more scared of her than she was of the things that frightened her. Farnese's encounter with Guts during the Conviction Arc demonstrates a new way of confronting horrors- head-on rather than running away. Her inability to care for Casca forces her to confront her vulnerabilities and overcome them for someone else's sake. Farnese even learns magic so she can become more self-reliant and defend Casca herself.

Guts is the catalyst for Farnese's aforementioned development. Farnese worships Guts as the embodiment of the resilience she desperately desires. This is reminiscent of how Casca idolized Griffith. By giving Casca a sword, Griffith gave Casca a means of asserting and defending herself in a world that would otherwise oppress her. She, like Farnese, idolized a man who gave her greater autonomy.

Ironically, Casca's self-image became dependent on how Griffith could use her. She even disdained her womanhood, seeing it as an obstacle to serving Griffith. Farnese self-esteem isn't nearly as low, but she is clearly crushed whenever she doesn't get Guts' attention.

Her improvement finally grants her a chance to get more of it. It isn't until she meets Roderick, however, that she finally has a chance to be loved. Roderick is curious about Farnese, saying he always wanted to see the Vandimion devil child. The worst parts of Farnese's history don't scare Roderick away but only intrigue him. Likewise, Guts saw the worst of Casca: her abrasiveness, jealousy, and insecurity, all derived from her unrequited crush on Griffith. However, this only endears Casca to Guts further. Roderick is similarly patient towards Farnese: he understands she has feelings for the Black Swordsman, but isn't jealous.

Both Guts and Roderick respect their love interests' prowess as well. When Farnese protects the ship using magic, Roderick calls Farnese a goddess among angels. For a man from a society that prohibits witchcraft and limits women, this response is remarkably accepting. Farnese and Roderick's relationship will mirror the total acceptance found in Casca and Guts'.

Farnese's romantic relationships mirror Casca's almost 1-to-1. The protective admirer (Serpico), the unrequited love (Guts), and now her possible soulmate (Roderick). As of now, I see Roderick and Farnese getting together. Farnese's gentle and compassionate nature would make her a great partner, and I can see her joining Roderick on his journeys. I'll keep in mind what Lady Vandimion said about Farnese's unpredictability. Farnese may surprise not only her brother but us as well.

not dumb, just inarticulate

That title basically describes Kamina. There's an episode in Gurren Lagann where he compares his old village chief to Rossiu's village elder. Kamina recognizes that the two are similar but can't describe what they share in common. In fact, their village leader and Rossiu's priest are both close-minded. They harm their followers by stringently adhering to false beliefs and are too frightened to challenge them. Kamina notices they resemble each other, which demonstrates his perceptiveness. However, he can't pinpoint what links the two leaders because he hasn't been taught how to criticize his beliefs. On a more meta level, Kamina's lack of articulation can explain how harmful traditions are perpetuated by a lack of education.