oh i’d love to see that post with all of the twst characters core flaws/vulnerabilities that you’re talking about! you seem to have a really good insight into all the characters so i’d really enjoy hearing your thoughts on the subject
Ok I got a couple of people asking for this so. Here goes. As another reminder: a core vulnerability is not the same thing as a character flaw (though it can have overlap). Rather, its the soft spot, the thing that if poked causes the greatest amount of pain/embarrassment/insecurity/all at once. In some extreme cases their entire personality can be constructed off of trying to reject this part of themselves, while in other cases it may be something they refuse to ever deal with directly. Most notably of all though, from my point of view the core vulnerability is the thing which they are literally unable to fix (if it is something that needs fixing) without someone else's help. Whether its a friend, partner, or even a rival, someone needs to force them to look directly at it.
Also important: the severity of the vulnerability differs from character to character. For characters like Jack or Epel, they may be resistant to dealing with their Issue, but they aren't extremely defensive of it either. For characters like Azul or Leona, though, their own hyper awareness of that vulnerability means that they've built a lot more walls between themselves and the glowing red weak point at their core.
Riddle Rosehearts: Achievement. This one's an obvious pull (all of the Overblot guys are gonna be pretty obvious). Riddle defines himself entirely by his admittedly large capacities. He's the guy Who's Right. He knows everything worth knowing and he can do everything a promising young mage should be able to do. This contributes to two of his flaws. One: his superiority complex. Like many people who are intelligent and talented, Riddle tends to assume that if other people applied themselves more they could also do what he does, and the fact that they aren't on his level must mean he's simply a Better Person than they are. Two: his extremely tight need for control. This doesnt stem from a need for power, I'd argue, so much as a need for validation. If a person is in charge, it must be because their judgement is correct. If his judgement is questioned, then that must mean he's wrong about something, and that could mean that he isn't getting a Good Grade in being a Person, something that he can't sustain. Thus, dissent has to be wiped out and humiliated as quickly as possible. Otherwise his whole self perception begins to collapse inwards.
Trey Clover: Apathy. Trey gets a reputation as being a generally caring guy. He's the hardworking vice of Heartslabyul, with the patience of a saint to deal with that tyrant's tantrums. Its a convenient fiction for Trey, even if he does grouse about people taking him for too nice a guy. The truth is that Trey doesn't help people out of some deepseated empathy or messiah complex. At his absolute core: Trey just wants a little peace for a change. He wants things to be quiet, he wants to return to the placidity of day to day life. And it kind of doesn't matter what it takes to get it. If everyone is able to pretend that things are fine...then maybe its not worth agitating the waters to actually solve the problem.
Dont get me wrong: Trey's neither fundamentally selfish or uncaring. He really does love the people in his life, and is willing to work for their happiness and healing. As we saw with Riddle, when he gets the kick in the pants he needs to act there's nothing he can't do. But he does need to be kicked. The polite smiles, the quick bandaid solutions, and the ready agreeability are all ultimately the walls around the fact that deep down: he wishes people could keep their shit together for more than five consecutive minutes so he didnt have to do it for them.
Cater Diamond: Loneliness. This is simultaneously extremely obvious and very well-hidden. Cater's been shuffled from place to place his whole life. He's learned how to be personable, how to ingratiate himself with people and make them think of him a certain way. He's fun, adorable Cay-Cay, who's maybe a little obnoxious but such a friendly guy its hard to hate him. At the same time, he refuses to let many people past a surface level friendship. Vulnerability, insecurity? Its not a cute look. It doesnt look good on a Magicam feed. And really, what's the point in letting someone know him that intimately? They'll be out of his life, never to be seen again, one way or another, and he'll be stuck with missing pieces that may never grow back. For Cater, people are fun, they're adorable, they're beautiful, they're essential. But theyre never permanent, and you should never trust them completely with yourself. At the very least: he wants to be in charge of when the strings get cut.
Ace Trappola: Egoism. ("Is that a vulnerability"- yes it is. Give me a second) On some level Ace really and truly does see himself as the main character of one of those movies he'd watch with his brother. Contrary to popular belief, I don't think that the cockiness is meant to cover some deep insecurity. If that were the case, he wouldnt be so ready to stand up for himself when he knows he's in the right. Ace has a hard time conceiving of other people as fully realized individuals with their own wants and needs. While its easy to see how aggravating it is for others, some of its most surprising fallout is directly on him. Its difficult for him to realize that someone's upset with him, much less why. He knows theyre not a mind reader, yet can't really grasp why someone would be hurt by something when he didnt really mean to hurt them. He doesn't contemplate how his actions impact others and can be thrown off completely if something happens that he didnt intend. It makes him defensive, and oftentimes, a lot lonelier than he ever wants to be. Truly, he's not a bad guy. Or a cruel one. Having Ace on your side is having one of the most dedicated fighters you'll ever know to work on your behalf. Its just going to result in a lot of hurt feelings if he's ever forced to confront the fact that "his way or the highway" sometimes means you'll take the highway.
Deuce Spade: Deuce is tricky. Even if he doesnt wear all his flaws on his sleeve he at least wears them just under the surface. Not a lot of secrets with this guy. If I had to pick one thing that really embarrasses him though: his hunger for approval. Deuce spends a lot of time cognizant of the fact that he's let a lot of people down before, and if he wants praise and affection he should have to earn it. At the same time, I think the desire to please at all kind of mortifies him. Deep down it makes him feel greedy and selfish. It feels like he's not actually doing the right thing because its the right thing. He's doing it to get the reward of people thinking well of him. That feels like a dirty motive to him, hence why he spends so much time denying it.
Leona Kingscholar: Caring too much. Ironic from the guy who's entire schtick is that he truly deeply can't be bothered. The truth is, though, I think he'd be much less demotivated if he cared a little less. Leona's curse, at its most fundamental level, is knowing too much. He knows the limitations that have been put on him, exactly how far he will be allowed to go. No matter what he does or how hard he tries: he will never be Falena. He will never be the firstborn. He will never have had a childhood where his gifts were praised, rather than just used as one more reason why he's a disappointment. And what's worse is: he cares. He CARES that he's limited by circumstance. He cares that he will never have the love that's given so freely to his brother. Its why he spends so much time putting up a facade of apathy, and why he gets so angry when people buy into it and chastise him for not trying enough. If he tried, there'd be no avoiding the kind of pain that comes with never going as far as you know you can. Every effort he puts him makes him that much more aware that what he really wants is forever out of his reach. Better to seal that core a million miles away, and pray that eventually, it goes away for real.
Ruggie Bucchi: Insufficiency. Much like his housewarden Ruggie is simultaneously hypercompetent while being deeply aware of his own limitations. For however clever, tricky, and hardworking he is: he's still a hyena from the backend of nowhere. On some level he knows he'll never be able to make the changes he wants to see in the world. Not without help. Its even engrained in his Signature Spell: for someone to Laugh with You...there has to be someone who cares to listen at all. Unlike Leona, putting up a front of laziness isn't an option for Ruggie. He may get called a bootlicker, may hate himself for the people he'll suck up to...but in the end, won't it be worth it if he gets what he needs? He's not enough on his own. He needs to amplify his voice through a roar that carries louder. And maybe someday, that power will be given to him directly, instead of by a proxy...
Jack Howl: Resentment and envy. He has a code of ethics that he sticks to no matter what: you get what you can take with your own hands. No more and no less. If you can't win it on your own power then what's the point in whining. Just get stronger, push yourself further, till its finally within your grasp. Its a philosophy that works for him, and he's certainly not planning on letting it go anytime soon. He'd rather die than be dishonourable. At the same time though...there's something about geniuses. People born with talent. Who could roll out of bed ready to mop the floor with the competition...and people who can't be bothered to put in the effort. This is a VERY small vulnerability. For the most part Jack believes in his own ability to work his way towards any goal. Even if the odds are stacked against him, he'll triumph. But at the same time it drives him insane that other people, especially people who he KNOWS could be doing better, can't understand that very simple truth. This isnt hard. Why dont they get it. Why dont they TRY. And why...cant he beat them when he cares so much more than them.
Azul Ashengrotto: Really, his whole personality is a core vulnerability. To make it a little more succinct, though, Im settling on Being Unmasked. Azul doesn't really see himself as a person who's grown and changed and developed since he was little. Deep down, he's still firmly convinced that he's that stupid crybaby octopus who no one wanted to play with, and if he isnt careful everyone will find out and turn on him. Its part of why he's so greedy for scamming others out of their talents. Its one more layer to the cover story, so that no one will be able to look beneath. The truth is that he HAS grown so much since he was little. He's gotten a lot more able to process his emotions. He doesn't crumble in the face of bullies, he instead flips the situation to his advantage. More than that, he's cultivated his diligence and intellect into genuinely admirable qualities that could easily stand on their own two feet (or, 8 legs). He doesnt need the masks. He's just been too scared to find that out on his own.
Jade Leech: Always the bridesmaid, never the bride. The twins are hard for this kind of exercise, because the twins dont really conceptualize anything about themselves as something to be ashamed of. That doesn't mean that they think they're perfect or flawless or anything. Just that they don't really see a need to beat themselves up over it. Its not good or bad. Its just how they are. Jade in particular tends to turn his weaknesses into strength.
So why have I settled on this one? Jade clearly has no trouble putting himself in a backseat role. Indeed, he does it intentionally, seeking out stronger personalities and ambitious individuals to throw his lot in with. The side effect of this, though. Is that a LOT of people tend to project onto him. This is the case even with people who are theoretically close to him, like Azul. At times it can feel like no one knows the real Jade, and the little glimpses he does give them only serve to chase them off. It doesn't particularly bother him from an emotional standpoint, and yet Id argue that there's the occasional glimpses of him wanting to show what he can really do on his own (Bean day being a big one, he's so unusually personable and self motivated when his brother and Azul arent around), and being just a littttle bit irritated with people who buy so easily into his many facades. No one knowing who you are can be a big benefit in his line of worker. But sometimes...you want to be seen for yourself.
Floyd Leech: His brother. Again, Floyd doesnt really DO insecurity or masking. He is who he is, and he couldn't change it even if he wanted to. What's the point in getting all worked up about it? He's definitely not jealous of Jade by any means. He loves his brother, is proud of who he is. Why would he ever want to be Jade? Jade is Jade. As a result, though, it really does piss him off a little how often theyre compared. Jade is Jade. He's great but what does that have to do with him? Its annoying. Makes him feel like he has something he needs to prove, but in that frustrating itchy way that makes him want to start breaking stuff. Starting with whoever keeps trying to make him feel like he needs to compete.
Kalim Al-Asim: Went in-depth in the previous post. His title.
Jamil Viper: Jealousy. Its not his biggest flaw but it is the one he has the most self loathing about. Because its always directed at people he secretly sees as inferior. It stings that much more for it. He hates feeling envious of people who he knows he's better than in so many ways, and its the most likely thing in the world to kickstart his cruel streak. He lashes out because it easier than confronting the genuine inadequacy he feels at his core. Like maybe if he was a little stronger, a little more talented, a little more charismatic, whatever it is they have that he lacks...maybe then he wouldnt have been overlooked. Maybe someone would notice how much pain he's in then.
Vil Schoenheit: Insecurity. He shouldnt be flawed enough to be insecure, full stop. Vil's gotten beyond the point of punishing himself for perceived faults, into punishing himself for feeling like he has to punish himself. If he was really perfect, there wouldnt be any insecurity, would there? Its a decidedly neurotic way of being in the world. Makes him prone to self obsession like nothing else, as well as to lashing out at others when their praise feels too condescending. Are you suggesting he doesn't KNOW hes perfect? Intolerable. Die.
Rook Hunt: Rook is a man composed of nothing but walls and misdirects. Its rare to hear from him on his own emotional state. He spends far more time reacting to the feelings and desires of everyone around him. Furthermore, he's not a guy with a very extensive relationship with shame. People finding him weird or offputting is met with a smile and a laugh. As such Im mostly resorting to speculation here. If I had to guess what's tucked under that big hat of is, I'd say Rook has a far more extensive relationship with anger than he'd ever be willing to let anyone see. He keeps a very VERY tight grip on it, quick to accommodate the large egos around him and even quicker to brush over slights and make piece. But I don't think he ever really forgets, and very rarely does he completely forgive. The only time he'll let his anger really go to work is on behalf of others. And its only then that one can get a glimpse of just how terrifying this man could be as a proper enemy.
Epel Felmier: Gender presentation. I don't really fall into the camp of "Epel doesn't like being perceived as girly therefore he's a misogynist". Maybe its trans guy projection but there's a difference between feeling insecure about your masculinity and being disgusted by women. Its easy to say "it should be enough to be secure in who you are", but when there's a perpetual disconnect between who you are and how you're treated because of your looks I think its understandable to want to distance yourself as much as possible from your public perception. (Maybe Book 5 will change my mind, who knows). The reason its the core though is that I'd argue his issues run a lot deeper than getting annoyed when someone asks if he's a girl. Epel's real problem is...he actually does LIKE some of this stuff. His time at Pomefiore means that he's come to respect the work that Rook and Vil put in, as well as the general importance of beauty. He's even come to appreciate some of it aesthetically. Something can look "girly" and still meet his standards for cool. But by now...it feels like he's not ALLOWED to admit he enjoys it. It feels like an admission of defeat, like people are just waiting for him to admit he likes some of this stuff to go "see, I knew you were like that all along". His pride won't allow it. So he feels perpetually caught, forced to maintain a specific performance for the rest of his life just to get the scraps of the treatment he wants.
Idia Shroud: Idia's a rare case where the core vulnerability isn't surrounded by walls. His core vulnerability IS the wall, that deflects from his other character flaws. Idia has a darker side. He's possessive, scheming, and has an arrogance and capacity for cruelty that often goes uncommented on. None of this troubles him more, though, than his terror of failure. Its not hard for Idia to feel rejected and misunderstood just by virtue of existing. How much more so on the event that he actually fucks up. Better to scheme and plan and hide until he's certain nothing can go wrong. It makes him slow to act, makes him terrified of being stuck without his scripts and gadgets and plans. He hates this about himself more than anything, the fact that he cant ever feel in command of a situation just by entering it. In the end, though, leaning on that fear is the only way he knows how to keep all the balls in the air.
Ortho Shroud: Imposter syndrome. Its rough being built to replace someone who vanished under such tragic circumstances. Ortho works hard to keep up his cheery disposition. He's meant to balance Idia, be the perfect younger brother and keep him from falling into despair while he works towards his goals. He loves Idia, he truly does, and wants to make him as happy as possible. At the same time though, he can never fully escape his predecessor. No matter how much he tries. Though he'd never admit it, there are times when he resents even being asked. As much as he loves his big brother...is this really all he is? Just a way to fill that void? And why cant he stop feeling so guilty for not being able to fill it better? Would Idia be happier if the real Ortho were here? Would he be braver, come out of his room more, finally live up to all that potential?
Malleus Draconia: His desire to be recognized by others. Its not like he's struggling for praise. He's been on a pedestal his whole life, praised for everything. He's the Briar Prince from out of time, one of the most accomplished magicians of the age, and a powerful force in his own right. So...its more than a little humiliating to feel like really all you want is to be treated like a friend. He pretends it doesnt bother him when he's constantly overlooked and excluded, because he cant imagine anything more degrading than letting them see that it DOES impact him. It will come to a boiling point soon enough. But for now he just tries to let Lilia and Silver fill the gap as much as they're able.
Lilia Vanrouge: When you get as old as Lilia does you learn to stop hiding from yourself. Immortality (or at least functional immortality) means that eventually you get bored with your own insecurities. Might as well either change them or accept them. As a result, vulnerability has a softer meaning for Lilia: its his children. He's not in denial, exactly, and yet how much he truly values them tends to be a little unspoken. He's more a playmate than a father at times. Make no mistake though: anyone who messes with them will make one of the most dangerous enemies in the world.
Sebek Zigvolt: His humanity (well. Half-humanity). Sometimes it really is that straightforward. We're learning about Briar Valley in bits and pieces. Humans may not be an underclass, necessarily, but I think its fair to say that they're held at arms length given how much pushback his mother received for marrying a human (especially a magicless one). And that TERRIFIES Sebek, a guy who wants approval from all relevant authority figures as fast as he can get it. It terrifies him to feel like he's been disqualified from something by virtue of birth. As a result, he lashes out at people closer to humanity than him and sucks up endlessly to fullborn faeries, hoping that they'll be able to validate him by proxy. He can grow out of this in time. But for now he feels himself teetering on the edge of some kind of abyss. He'll claw as hard as he can so no one will push him into it.
Silver: Shockingly functional bitch, considering the circumstances of his life. However, his core vulnerability is a mirror to Lilia. Silver's core vulnerability is his father. Largely, this is positive. Silver would do anything to keep his father safe and repay him for raising him. They have a warm and affectionate relationship, if a little odd by human standards. But unlike Lilia I think there really is a dark side to Silver's vulnerability. For as many lengths as Lilia went to to make sure he never felt inferior, children compare themselves to their parents. Its hard for Silver not to notice his own faults when he's put next to Lilia, Malleus, or even Sebek. And that's a hurdle. How is he supposed to repay them when his efforts must seem so laughable and meaningless? What can he provide that they couldnt obtain themselves without effort?
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