magicallytipsy

Twisted Wonderland Brainrot

TipsyThey/She

216 posts

For The Character Bingo - Ruggie!

For the character bingo - Ruggie!

***Standard disclaimer: These are just my personal opinions of the character(s); regardless of what I may think of them, sharing my thoughts is NOT meant to offend or to shame anyone that thinks differently.***

Ruggie has some of the same positive traits of Vil (determined and hard-working), but I find him way more approachable than Vil could ever be. I think part of it comes down to Ruggie’s humble roots, and part of it comes down to his overall personality being more mischievous and laidback than Vil’s. He’s the common man, someone that I find much more relatable than a celebrity.

Ruggie has gone through a lot in his life, and all of those experiences have helped harden him without necessarily stripping away his cheer. You’d think that going through such hardships like losing his parents at a young age and growing up in a severely impoverished neighborhood would make Ruggie cold and cynical, but you’ll more often than not find him laughing and smiling in spite of it. He isn’t hopeless about his circumstances or his future--he’s actively working to change it and make it a brighter one for himself using his wits and his resourcefulness, and I find that extremely inspirational and admirable.

I feel that he is oftentimes boiled down by the fandom into two traits: being greedy and liking food. Those are aspects of Ruggie’s personality, but it really does not tell the whole picture and stops woefully short of seeing just how complex he really is. I really appreciate that Ruggie’s past carries over and has consequences in his behavior; I haven’t seen a lot of media that accurately portrays how living in poverty has an impact in how one acts. Ruggie does a lot of little things to save money, such as not wasting food, scavenging leftover materials and morsels from others, reusing/repurposing old items, and haggling when possible. These are things that real impoverished people would do. How do I know that? Because I have friends and family that been through the same and have done similar things in response to being strapped for cash.

We can really see the effects of growing up poor and what that has done to Ruggie’s mentality. He’s always concerned about when and where his next meal will come, and he incessantly saves things and money because he never knows when he might need it. This lends him more depth and complexity than if he was just a random hyena stealing wallets and licking influential people’s boots in hopes of getting in their good graces. Ruggie knows the money he stole and those relationships may not last forever, so he sees the value in a more secure and stable income and being self-sufficient.

Another big misconception about Ruggie is that he’s being “pushed around” and “used” by Leona, and that Ruggie hates it and wants to bring Leona down. Yes, it’s true that Leona runs Ruggie ragged and yes, Ruggie gets annoyed by it, but Ruggie still maintains a certain sense of loyalty because this arrangement is something that he 100% consented to. People tend to make it out like Leona forced Ruggie into serving him, when the truth is that the relationship is MUTUTAL. Leona states it clear as day in episode 6 that Ruggie is not very strong, so he made allies of people who ARE strong to benefit from them. Ruggie is VERY aware of what he is doing, and it’s a sacrifice he is willingly making to get something out of the deal (Leona’s protection, free food and clothes, and presumably wages), while Leona gets Ruggie’s services in return. It’s no different than any other odd job Ruggie takes on for additional income, so I’ve never understood why people are so quick to jump at Leona’s throat for “using” Ruggie, who “uses” Leona just as much.

Outside of Ruggie just being a very interesting character to me, I find him very cute actually, he reminds me a lot of my pet! His laughter and sly grins are really adorable, and I never get tired of seeing them~ Not gonna lie, I have a fondness for characters that enjoy eating (since I like eating and trying new foods myself), so Ruggie feels particularly endearing to me. I also relate to him a lot in terms of that anxiety concerning money and securing a safe future. I don’t have the same cheerfulness that Ruggie has, but I think I could really benefit from being around him. Ruggie’s vibes alone put me in a good mood! He’s the kind of guy I’d love to drag along with me on a food tour, or just someone I’d love to seat and cook for. I can’t help but want to support him and cheer him on in pursuit of his goals.

For The Character Bingo - Ruggie!

More Posts from Magicallytipsy