i keep telling myself i'm gonna make this post and then i don't but i think the world is ready for it. so here we go
why i think susie and berdly could make good friends
i've thought this since before the most recent chapters but i think the characterization we get from susie (and berdly a little bit) in the newest chapters further solidifies my thoughts on why these two could have an interesting dynamic. this post is largely due to my annoyance with people leaving berdly out of lightner group dynamics but i'm going to hone in on these two specifically because i think the other two have a much more cut-and-dry dynamic. but this one's a little complicated!!! in a way. i'll get there.
first point:
susie and berdly have similar backstories
probably the most obvious thing here but these two have similar histories. susie's the new kid, having frequently moved around in her life and somehow ending up here for this part of highschool. she is ostracized, as she directly states that people only became friends with her as a joke, and people are largely scared of her (likely due to personal prejudice). she wants to have friends, she wants to be liked, but people look past her or avoid her outright. she is really, really lonely. this parts mostly speculation but it can be assumed based on how frequently she moved, the state of her room (which we see in the bit where ralsei explains how darkners and the dark world works), and the fact that when toriel instructs her to call her parents she just doesn't, that her parents are poorer and don't really care where she goes or what she does.
berdly's story is a little different but largely hits the same points. he is self-described as a "forgettable little bluebird" that only really had noelle as a friend, and even then it is Vague how well these two were friends prior to the spelling bee. but by his own admission he definitely didn't have A Lot of friends, which is only further exacerbated once he wins the spelling bee and develops his coping mechanism of self-superiority. this is pure speculation but if you extrapolate from his dynamic with queen and the fact that queen is meant to represent noelle's mom (but i take it further and assume she is also meant to represent Berdly's parent) it can be assumed that he also doesn't have parents who give a fuck about him, outside of grades (since he harps on that the most). i think it's also worth noting that we only see berdly in public places (school and the library) and his house is not shown on the hometown map, which isn't new because neither is susie's but i think the fact that the two characters with questionable relationships with their parents don't get their houses shown is Certainly Something.
so both these kids are lonely, socially awkward teens who want friends. does this mean they have to be friends with each other? not necessarily, but i think further thought on them is worth having!
second point:
these two are definitely capable of being civil
berdly's crush on susie will largely be ignored because i don't think this is something he genuinely has and will shed once he has the realization that he is, in fact, not looking for a lover but for a friend. but these two Do work together in chapter 2! and as much as susie kinda dislikes being the one to do it, she Is the person to give berdly the peptalk needed for him to realize that it's okay for him to make mistakes. berdly's interaction in chapter 4 in the library is another thing that i think points to them being capable of friendship. berdly kind of keeps up the air of not liking kris and susie, but it's obvious he is questioning it. susie kind of brushes him off (basically saying "we can go if you don't want us around") but she isn't outwardly hostile to him or shows any signs of truly disliking him. i think post chapter 2 she has learned to tolerate him, while berdly is stuck between wanting to change and not being sure how exactly to do it. my hope for future chapters is that berdly's realization that That Wasn't A Dream will kickstart his "redemption arc" (he doesn't need this but it's the easiest way to say what i'm trying to get at). berdly is annoying but, famously, everyone is pretty tolerant to it.
last point:
i think their dynamic potential is neat!
these two fascinate me so much. susie largely does not put up with bullshit, hates being kept in the dark, and is steadfastly loyal to those she considers her friends. berdly is cocky, is a bullshit spewer constantly, and is ALSO steadfastly loyal to those he considers his friends. berdly wanted to create a dark world FOR NOELLE. because he thought it would make her and him happy. he was willing to do all that just for a friend. and it goes without saying that susie has also done some crazy shit for her friends. she goes through the trouble of repairing tenna (if you get all the recruits) and she often throws herself into danger to protect kris and ralsei. these two have the recipe to make the most annoying rivals-but-they're-actually-besties dynamic the world has ever seen!!!! you think berdly's rivalry with kris is a lot? imagine how much he would butt heads with SUSIE. the two would argue every day for forever, but at the end of it they're still going to hang out because they're pals! susie is a great match for berdly because she isn't afraid to challenge him on his outlandish shit, and when he takes it a step too far she will always be there to pull him back and tell him off. the two have the potential to rub off on each other in very fascinating ways (berdly learning to let loose a little more and susie learning how to harness that ego). i also think they'd make great study buddies :-) susie is smarter than she lets on, and i think berdly would really enjoy having someone other than noelle to learn from (those study sessions would get derailed so fast tho Make No Mistake)
in conclusion: consider the berdly-susie friendship :-D
i think by the end of this game we will see these two becoming friends. i wholeheartedly believe this. but until that happens i want people to explore these two more genuinely!!!!! don't just make berdly the butt of a joke--INVOLVE HIM!!!! HE HAS FRIENDS DON'T SHUT HIM OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and consider the endless possibilities for these two being pals
okay thank you goodbye <3
