My opinion/feelings about Mal;
Summary; what the title says.
Okay, so I'm gonna be honest. While I generally prefer Audrey and Uma over Mal (mainly pre d1 and after d1), I don't actually hate Mal. Like, yeah, I'm critical of her. But I'm also critical of Chad, Audrey, and my other favorite characters when they do bad things. My main problems with her mainly have to do with the writers. You know, cause they're rarely consistent with character development.
So, yeah I don't hate her or wish she didn't exist. She would be a main antagonist in more of my fics (other than my oc story and ones where I'm just staying what she did in canon) instead of a frienemy like protagonist if I did. It was brought to my attention that I might act that way do to how little time I focus on her and how it usually tends to be negative.
And to that, I say, I don't hate Mal. Sure, I might hate the things she does sometimes but I do that with other characters (Chad anyone?) And I understand that she's just a teenage girl with a bad upbringing. I just get frustrated sometimes with how demonized other characters (Ben mainly) are and get critical of her when I go to defend them. What I do hate is how the writers watered down her personality by always making Ben the damsel in distress and getting rid of her hobbies. Like come on, what happened to her art hobby? And her pranking? I don't want to just hear about how she's queen and I doubt everyone else does either!
Also, I think if everyone else got an equal amount of screen time than she probably wouldn't get bashed as much. You know, since the movies and wicked world and some of the books revolved around her alot. That much screen time when it's compared to everyone else's does no one a favor.
It just makes her look worse because we don't see the other vks do as much bad as she does (and most certainly doesn't help that they decide to make a couple of the bad things she did permanent like what happened with Mad Maddy's hair and some of the things she tried to do with Evie before they were friends). Which is something we definitely would have seen if descendants had been a TV show or if it had given the other characters a bit more focus. Plus I feel like the Fandom as a whole would probably like Mal a tad bit more if bad things the other kids did were mentioned at least once. And if they kept her hobbies. But I already talked about all that in wasted potential as many of you know. I just wanted to correct that mistake.
Also, I do very much indeed ship Bal. I'm pretty sure Bal is one of the only ships I actually have for Mal. I don't think Baudrey would have lasted much longer (no offense baudrey shippers) because it seems Ben mentally checked out of that relationship in school of secrets the web series. And while I think Ben could do well with many of the other characters, I like him best with Mal (just my opinion). And don't really ship Mal with many other people because I just like her that much with Ben. Was the love potion icky? Yes, but she didn't take advantage of it too much. Which I'll give her credit for. My only real problem with it is I'm not sure she ever told Ben the real reason why she spelled him and that it was a bit creepy but I tend to over look that as a mistake on the writer's part. Because I like to imagine Mal told Ben the truth at some point. I also drop it for the most part because Ben isn't too bothered by it. The only other reason I still get mad about it is because of how painful it must have been for Audrey but Mal is far from the only person I'm mad at for that.
*side eyes the other aks for seemingly not getting mad at Mal and Ben for that.* The other vks, I get since they didn't like her and like Mal were just doing what they needed to do to survive. But the other aks? Like they look bad no matter what. I'm sorry but Ben was obviously spelled. And if they knew-- if the teachers knew-- and did nothing that looks bad.
And if they didn't... well, that's kind of worse, isn't? I mean, alot of them must have known Ben throughout their school years and yet they don't know him better than that? I don't know him good enough to know that he would have never dumped Audrey like that? I've known him for less time and even I know he would have dumped her less publicly and wouldn't have tried to kiss Mal publicly afterwards. Even I know he wouldn't sing a song to another girl while dating another one soberly. Come on.
But that's not all. Answer me this; if they didn't know Ben was spelled, why did no one try kicking his butt or Mal's? I don't hate Mal or Ben or Bal, but you're telling me that no one had a problem with Ben dumping Audrey like that for another girl? Because you know how bad that looks, right? It looks like Bal were cheating together (even though we know they weren't) and planned this to humiliate Audrey. So why is it that no one tried to fight Ben or Mal, or call them (or just Ben) out on it? Why is everyone laughing, smiling, and clapping when Audrey was done dirty in this scene?
I know Audrey is a bit needy and bratty but even in real life that little song and dance routine would have caused some problems. And I'm royally ticked at all the other aks for just laughing, smiling, and clapping during that scene because even if they knew Baudrey wasn't gonna last, that's just crappy on their part. Especially since alot of them were against the vks coming here in school of secrets (like Audrey was but at least Audrey helped. Did you know she set up the limo with the sweets? No? I didn't either till I watched school of secrets!).
It's crappy because they didn't know Ben well enough to know he was spelled. And it's crappy because none of Audrey's so called friends were mad on her behalf or at least trying to comfort her (looking at you cheerleading squad. Audrey should not have been able to get to the stans to kiss Chad or harm Ben-- since they didn't know which she'd do). So yeah, while I'm critical of Mal and the other vks during that moment that pales in comprasion to how critical I am of the other aks during the series. Because most of them ain't crap. They're like Fairweather friends to not just Audrey but everyone else.
Ben brings the vks over or plans to? Everyone is talking about how he's gone mad. Mal makes a mistake on live television (yes it was disrespectful but she was raised on the isle and we've all struggled to not spite out something we didn't like when eating)? Everyone is talking about it. Mal and Ben are obviously drowning in stress? No one notices. Audrey gets dumped in the most humiliating way possible? Everyone just goes with the flow. And so on.
Honestly, I need to see a fic where someone chews Ben out for that without making him seem abusive or having him break up with Mal. And I need to see a fic where someone calls out the aks on their bull. Or one where someone realizes that poor Mal and Ben are stressed (shout out to @ginnyrules27 for being one of the only fics I've seen where people have realized that last bit). If you guys know where I can find any of those fics -- or fics about them main aks and vks being friends that aren't overall critical of Chad and Audrey and Mal (don't even have to have the sea three in them) -- leave them down in the comments below. No, please seriously. I read so much fanfiction but it's hard to find ones that I like. The ships don't even have to be canon in the last one. I just need some good fics to read. It's been awhile since I've seen a good Mal fic that my friends and @ginnyrules27 didn't write.
Oh and in conclusion, all of our vks and the main aks deserve better from both the writers and the inverse characters.