#character consistency

[fantasybuff3186]

Ml tokyo special thoughts

Just finished watching it and while it may not have added much to the plot i still liked it so here we go, as usual spoilers under the cut. May not be structured.

Okay to start of, I loved seeing the Marigami friendship like awwwww, it was so cute and I love that Kagami trusts Marinette implicitly with the way she told her story to marinette and also just how well she knows Marinette gathered from the way she knew marinette was up to something from her expression but to be fair I guess shes just that obvious, that aside I love how Kagami has just accepted her weird side because she wasnt angry at all, it really shows the awesome quality of friendships Marinette has with the way everyone including her boyfriend love her for her little quirks and thats a friendship I wish I can have one day.

Other than how sweet the Marigami friendship is in this episode, I couldnt help but draw parallels between Marigami in the past and in the present which made the episode so so much mroe fun, for instance when Kagami commented on Marinette's strange expression, it reminded me of Mr. Pigeon 72 where marinette went crazy trying to get Adrien and Kagami together, this episode reminded me of that and also was a callback to her phone stealing tendencies. All in all this episode was a sweet call back to the eccentric Marinette we had in seasons 1-3. I suppose Sublimation was also a callback but the flavour felt very different as it wasnt like phone stealing then yk and because there were consequences for her which was good but it didnt match the silliness of season 1. Frankly most of season 6 even with the funny moments have kinda been pretty stressful because of the secrets which keep popping up in some way so this episode was a nice break from all that stress and I will rewatch it again at some point. Now onto Kagami and I might mention more Marigami because its interlinked.

I liked the focus on Kagami this episode and learning about her childhood a bit more and it was nice to see how much growth shes gone through and to see that the Kagami we saw in Paris is similar to the Kagami from Tokyo since it was before she changed, the similarity is also seen in the way she stood up to her mother even when her mom had her ring, showing that Kagami has always been assertive. It was sweet to see her past because well we can see that she tried to befriend the people in the Stellar force in the same awkward way she tried to befriend marinette because she just didnt know what to do. It was also nice to see that well she techinically had a very Marinette like friend even in Tokyo showing that she and Marinette do actually work well together as friends. I mean Kazuno literally seemed like Male Marinette so lets talk about that.

(God I forgot how amazing she looked in that outfit)

He seemed like a male Marinette due to traits like his clumsiness, shyness, kindness, lack of confidence and attention to detail, all things Marinette is very well known for but of course he is a calmer version of Marinette. I could also see some Marinette like traits in the way he handled Kagami's confession. True Kagami was over him by then but it really reminded me of how Marinette dealt with Zoe's confession where she placed a lot of emphasis on expressing your feelings even when she first suspected that Zoe liked Adrien. That is something Kazuno also encouraged Kagami to do after he got the letter which we later see Kagami practice when she tells Felix her true feelings. Marinette also noticed the similarities between the match up of Kazuno and Leo(Whose civillian name ive forgotten because frankly I didnt like her much) with her and Adrien. I dont know why Kazuno likes Leo but I guess everyone has their type. I would really like to see more interactions between Kazuno and Marinette. Now lets talk about Leo and the stellar force.

(I couldnt find a gif of the stellar force so here we go) Now onto Leo and the stellar force, well simply put I didnt actually like her. I mean I know shes a good person but her haughty personality didnt sit right with me. I mean you can tell she cares deeply about her friends and is quite badass but the way she spoke, well I didnt like it. Shes not a bad person at all but she not fun either in my eyes and I dont like her ship with Kazuno but it is what it is and people like people. I just dont know she seemed very guarded I guess but enough about her, lets talk about the stellar force in general.

There was variety in the personality of the characters which was nice and makes for a compelling cast to watch and if they made a seperate series of this team I might watch it if I can look past the central ship of Kazuno and Leo because the lore seems interesting. All in all I honestly hope we see more of them and that theyre not just forgotten like the characters from the paris special. Though to be fair as of now they look like a standard power rangers team so I cant see myself getting as attached to them as I got attached to miraculous ladybug which frankly was pretty creative with the hero genre but I could see myself just watching it for just for fun. So yeah maybe more of the stellar force because I want to see all the characters fleshed out more because seeing so many differeing personalities work together will be a treat. So yeah need more crossovers and detailsss. Anyway enough about that, now I need to talk about Adrinette.

THEY WERE SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO CUTE JUST LIKE THEY ALWAYS ARE. I MEAN ADRIEN REMEMBERED THEIR SONG AND HE ACTUALLY PROPOSED DANCING ON VIDEO CALL WITH HER LIKE AAAAAAAA. Honestly they are so so cute I adore them and the me who watched season 1 wouldnt be able to believe that we actually got to see them work together like a couple. I mean younger me was so used to the formula of the series ending once the main couple got over that season 6 surprises me. I eman yes they were a couple in season 5 too but they werent as established but now theyre so established its cute.

Also its the way that Marinette is so confident in her relationship with Adrien that makes it even sweeter. I mean this sint the Marinette who goofed around too scared to talk to Adrien. This is the Marinette who drags him everywhere and says I love you to him on every call and sometimes even finds elaborate ways to do the same like in Yaksi Gozen. Like younger me would have never thought and I'm sad it only hit me now all because of this episode which feels like this big midpoint between miraculous of the past and miraculous of the present. Its not only with Adrinette but also with Marigami and then Kagami herself. The next part may be a sentimental rant.

Honestly this episode was much needed because it helped me remember at least what miraculous used to be and what it is now. How all the characters have grown in marvelous ways that I cant help but feel proud of them and love the show morebecause theres been real progression and you need to look back on the past to see it. Like honestly I love this show so much its crazy and I am so so glad I decided to start watching it that fateful day in 2020 in the midst of the lockdown all because I had nothing to watch and remembered this show one of my friends told me.

On the topic of nostalgia this episode also made me realise how much I missed the season 5 lucky charm outfit which is frankly the best outfit in my opinion. I dont hate her new design but that design was fire, It was really nice to see her old seasons 1-5 outfit and get an explanation into how the changes in both Marinette and Kagami occured so yeah basically this episode was a great connecting link to season 6 but I have to say that it wouldnt have hit as hard for me personally if I hadnt seen most of season 6 before watching this. Now lets talk a bit about Feligami and a bit more about Kagami.

Feligami was brief but it was cute and I loved that the point of this episode wasnt Kagami being confused about her feelings but her feeling guilt for a mistake she made which frankly is very in character for her and a nice change from those usual tv shows where the main character is confused about her feelings. It was also nice to see that the guy she liked in the past actually never did like her and only ever saw her as a friend which is also very different from typical romcoms so yeah amazing episode and very in character for the characters involved which is a big feat because sometimes writers forget who their characters were which isnt the case for anyone in miraculous at least in my opinion. Its a kids show but I feel like the character writing has really improved in season 6 and that even if season 6 is supposed to be a soft reboot, it hasnt lost track of the characters and has on the contrary finally understood what they want from each character which may have been slightly iffy in seasons 1-5. The show has finally found its footing and I hope and pray that they continue to keep up with the good work even for further seasons which may be challenging as too much content can grow stale but with season 6 and the tokyo special as a neat recap(since it came after) or neat transition(If it had come earlier).

Overall loved this episode and im looking forward to their further work. Thank you for making it to the end if you did. Bug out.

[saeki-rina]

Runaan is kinda out of character in season 7 of The Dragon Prince

I decided to start this thread because I haven't come across anything similar yet and the issue is bugging me. I would appreciate your thoughts and opinions because I'm very curious if anyone else has had a similar impression or has any other ideas about where it might come from.

My feelings after watching The Secret of Aaravos were like, "Runaan is out of character. He's not himself anymore, not completely. Man, he's become less believable to me as a character." I started to wonder why. Here's what I've come up with so far.

1. Runaan started looking out of character for his age.

In The Secret of Aaravos, Runaan looks younger to me than in The Dragon Prince. And much younger. What's the logical point of that? Even if we assume that while trapped in the coin the aging process stopped for him (which is not confirmed in any way, as far as I know), still - Runaan should look at least the same age as in Season 1. Not younger. Sure, maybe the team just decided they preferred a slightly changed/"new" character design, but still - it makes me as a viewer confused. Because I look at Runaan and just think "why did he suddenly get a decade younger?".

And I know Ethari also seems to look a bit younger with her new hair compared to Season 3, but not enough to be confusing. It's entirely possible that a new haircut or different clothing can make you look younger (I believe that's what Ethari is going for). But Runaan hasn't changed a bit in his appearance, and he still - looks much younger.

Credits - I know, the artstyle depends on artist, but still - chrologically younger Runaan looks more like in season 1 than 7

Bloodmoon Huntress

artbook

season 1

season 7

I noticed that Runaan already looks a bit younger in season 1, when he's not serious, irritated, angry, etc., but still, not as young as in season 7. There are limits.

2. Runaan behaves inconsistently with his character.

I don't mean like all the time, but in very situations. In my opinion, it comes down to a few things:

A) in season 7, Runaan's facial expressions are often inadequate to the original character creation.

I really understand the plot situation (2 years in the coin, regaining freedom, Rayla, a chance to return to Ethari) and the fact that Runaan could have changed - become more gentle. And it's no wonder that he's often sensitive this season, after all, he's in the company of Rayla or Ethari.

But I have the impression that the creators wanted to show how much is going on emotionally in Runaan so much that they overdid it. And there's nothing left of the ''COLD AND SHARP as steel'' assassin. His face is so expressive, he constantly seems lost and sad (but like a puppy, not an elf who after 2 years of absence might not keep up with the world).

I love the scene of returning to Ethari and the subtle smiles when she looks at him after picking mushrooms or during dinner, and the fact that he's also shown when he's grumpy [ ''Runaan's expression sheet is the only one to not feature a smile. This elf exclusively broods'' (The Art of the Dragon Prince), ‘’ our favorite broody assassin’’ (https://thedragonprince.com/runaan-birthday/)] . Very interesting, after seeing him only on duty or in prison in Season 1. But most of what is in Season 7 seems to me to be out of place for a serious, composed assassin.

In my opinion, the flashback from Season 3 did a very good job of balancing Runaan's standard seriousness of his expressionless face (or just neutral) with a situation where tenderness towards someone close to him creeps in. It looked natural and very believable.

B) some gestures do not fit Runaan's previous portrayal

Runaan's body language this season is strange to me. Even if he is lost after two years, hurt, tired - ok, I understand. But while in Season 1 his movements were decisive, confident, and - I really don't want to refer to stereotypes, but I can't find a better comparison, for which I apologize - "masculine", in The Secret of Aaravos Runaan sometimes moves strangely "softly". Maybe it's the animation, maybe the choice of shots, their fluidity, I don't know. But for me, even during the mission with Callum, Runaan no longer has the confidence in his movements that he had in season 1.

Unfortunately, I will refer to stereotypes again, sorry, but these are simply the only comparisons that came to my mind.

Two gestures in particular do not fit Runaan's creation so far. The first, when he looks at Silvergrove, putting his hands to his chest, and the second, when he tells Ezran "And yet with grace and strength, you have managed to lead with kindness". I know what the creators wanted to show, but I think the way they did it does not fit how Runaan was presented to us. In both situations, he looks more like the archetypal delicate and sensitive princess, not like a composed assassin who deals with many emotions and changes in mindset. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that Runaan (or a man in general) can't be sensitive or delicate. I just think that it would be more consistent with Runaan's personality to show all of this in a more subtle way. For example, in the first situation Runaan might simply fall silent at the sight of Silvergrove, his gaze becoming softer and more thoughtful, camera focusing on his face (like when he saw a dragon egg or coins with Lain and Tiadrin in 1 season).

Apologetic but still self-aware worrior talks to king like that? It's hard to believe for me.

3. Runaan seems more like Rayla's brother than father

Because of his younger appearance, some indecisiveness in body language and a strange impression of "girliness" (again, sorry), as well as some plot situations, I stopped seeing Runaan as Rayla's father. At most an older brother, but it was really hard for me to convince myself that he was the same elf as in Season 1 or Bloodmoon Huntress.

And sure, I understand that maybe they wanted to show that now Rayla is taking care of him, that they are more equal, that Runaan allows her to take responsibility and prove herself. Still, the probably intentionally comical scene of Runaan resting and setting off to Ethari came across to me as if Rayla was scolding her siblings, not the adult elf who raised her. I understand that Runaan is impatient here and could have acted unwisely, but in my opinion it was a bit over the top.

In my language version, Runaan's voice actor changed - from someone with a ''typically male" voice to someone who sounds very "young". I know that this definitely affected my perception of Runaan, but then I watched all the scenes in English for comparison. It was better - now Runaan JUST LOOKED younger. But it still wasn't the Runaan from Season 1 or 3.

Summary

The more I think about it, the more I feel that Runaan's character in Season 7 is not consistent with what the creators presented in Season 1, 3 or the books (art book, Callum's Spellbook, Bloodmood Huntress).

I am deeply disappointed, because I followed this series mainly because of the Runaan, Viren and Aaravos storylines. And in each of them I see certain clashes and puzzling decisions of the writers. But nothing persecutes as much as the "new" Runaan - younger, more delicate (at times "girlish"), who says that he is Rayla's father, but somehow does not give that impression (cause he seems to be too young for that).

I do not understand these methods of the creators. I know what they wanted to show (maybe the confusion, the more delicate side of Runaan, his uncertainty, the change of previous beliefs about himself and his profession), but the way it was done does not convince me.

And although there are moments that I absolutely love and consider credible in the context of Runaan's personality (and the only problem is his younger appearance) - for me his character is no longer consistent with what we have seen and could read about him so far. In season 7 he's so often just looks like a lost, uncertain, delicate pretty princess to me.

I do not see in him that mature, determined warrior with the aura of a protector.

I feel more like I've met his twin brother - very similar in appearance, but very different overall.

season 1

season 7

[atomicpatrolcreation]

Why didn’t you like Maya as Phoenix?

My biggest issue with Maya becoming the Phoenix is, simply put, that it felt unnecessary and didn’t add anything to her story (I felt something similar with Quentin Quire).

Maya is a character who feels very out of place in that kind of storyline—there’s a reason we almost never see her in comics with cosmic plots. It’s hard to make her presence feel necessary, and not all writers can pull that off (even some of the best struggle when doing similar things).

I read her entire run as the Phoenix, and it was strange because her characterization felt out of place. Maya was created as a character meant for “street-level” adventures, so it always works to see her show up in stories like Daredevil, Kingpin, the Defenders, or Spider-Man (even just cameos, but good ones).

But my biggest struggle in accepting that this happened is that there’s always a reason why the Phoenix chooses a host (especially if it’s not Jean or Rachel). That’s something well established in the comics, but in Maya’s case, it was just “now she’s the Phoenix’s host, there’s no reason, it just happened.”

And again, that feels out of place because the Phoenix is supposed to take hosts when it has a mission (For example: Hope Summers after M-Day. The only ones who break that rule are Jean and Rachel—but Jean is the Phoenix, and Rachel is considered the Phoenix’s daughter, someone the Phoenix deeply cares for, so *shrugs*). Beyond that, I don’t have any issues with the character.

Idon’t like her or dislike her—it’s just weird that Marvel decided to give her the Phoenix. I think instead they should’ve given her something tied to her Cheyenne heritage if they wanted to explore magic or something mystical.

[electracraft]

today we learnt that if the dream team were to recreate an irl manhunt george would fucking die, just like in minecraft manhunt

[evienyx]

I kinda forgot how you came up with fractures, i know for a fact that you said it started as an au of another fic but I want to know it's origins

I mean, I started writing Fractures back in summer of 2019 (which is insane, let me say), when I was 14.

It is now 2023, I have just turned 18, I've gone through an entire pandemic and started college, and have written over 270,000 more words for this story.

It's kinda hard to remember where it initially came from, and the best thing I have to really go off of is the author's note on Chapter 1 and notes that I wrote for myself when I first started this story.

So, from what I can gather from those and what little I remember:

Most of the idea for Fractures came from the idea I had about what ATLA would be like if Zuko hadn't been there in the first place, but had been off doing something else. The first big problem that came up for me was the fact that Aang would still need a firebending teacher, and if Zuko wasn't there, Iroh was likely off with him, and therefore not available.

So, I started trying to figure out what I could do to separate Zuko from Iroh for pretty much the entire length of the show without making it too weird. From there, I realized the easiest thing would be if Zuko had never been sent to capture Aang in the first place. I decided that the easiest thing would be to simply throw Zuko into prison since the Agni Kai, make sure that Iroh hadn't been there at the Agni Kai, and go from there.

At that point, my interest had shifted from how the Gaang's adventures changed to instead being solely Zuko-focused. I wrote and published a one-shot of the start of the AU I'd made, but I kinda left it at that. There were people who commented wanting more, but I didn't really believe in my abilities to actually write a story of a larger scale. I also didn't know if there was any interest left in ATLA in the middle of 2019. The idea of writing it interested me, but if I was going to do that, I was going to go all in on it, and I didn't know how I felt about that.

The thing that really tipped it for me, if I'm being honest, was reading Towards the Sun by @muffinlance. Seeing an ATLA author succeeding and holding an audience, specifically in the times before the ATLA Renaissance because of Netflix, inspired me a shocking amount. It was the kinda thought of "well, if Muffin can do it, then so can I!" Which, to be fair, totally ignored the fact that she was a fully grown adult at the time, while I, 3.5 years later, have just now reached 'adult' status.

Still, it was enough for me, and so I wrote the next chapter in one night, published it, and we were off.

[thebabiestbatfam]

[Image description: A comic panel featuring Tim as Red Robin and Harper in a non-descript black vigilante outfit, without a mask. Tim is getting onto his motorcycle and has his head turned back to her behind him, talking to her. In the upper right corner, there is a smaller panel with a close up of Tim’s face. Tim says “I thought he was being blackmailed by Hush. There’s no reason to do now...” in the first panel, and “Harper. I can’t let Batman die” in the smaller panel.]

that’s pretty much the foundation of many of your major arcs and your entire character, so

yeah

(Batman Eternal 2011 #36)

[geekns]

Loki - a deeper look

Loki’s journey through the MCU only makes any sense to me if i overanalyze all of it. For examples, what I comprehend through subtext found in the Avengers is: Loki was tortured by Thanos. Loki blatantly presented himself as an enemy to the yet-unassembled superheroes, ensured the Avengers would team up, and was relying on Erik's resistance: all to ensure that he would be defeated. Then he allowed himself to be captured so he could be protected from Thanos on Asgard. 

For some of this, this is basic, right? We’ve eagerly watched Loki for years, we’ve analyzed his actions, we know who he really is. That’s why we’re Loki’s Army. So why does Loki seem so OOC in Loki?

The TVA is not completely all-seeing, but I still maintain that Loki was never alone during the Variant. Take his escape in “Glorious Purpose:” his movements through the Time Twister seem to completely remove him from view rather than blur him (unlike when he's slowed with the time/prune-stick thingy). So the TVA couldn't see him while he is in Time Twister transit, but it certainly did not take them long to find him. 

It took them less than a minute to realize he was missing. It took Loki a few seconds to find Casey, he had two minutes with him before B-15 found him, it took him just over four minutes to watch the end of Alpha Loki's life, B-15 had already found him again, and then he had a couple minutes, tops, to decide what he would do with all this new info before Morpheus found him. That's 5-10 minutes of freedom.

There are cameras everywhere in the TVA. And agents, Minute Men, administrative employees with various states of awareness of their surroundings, and even Miss Minutes herself. If i were Loki, i would assume that my every movement is being watched while I’m in the TVA and out of it.

In fact, Loki’s not even alone when he finds out about the destruction of Asgard!

So what would you do if you were being watched 24/7, would be caught inside ten minutes even if you were able to escape, and resisting and/or not cooperating is going to certainly end with death? Loki's solution seems to be acting as if he's cooperating for as long as it is expedient. Stalling for time, trying to seem harmless, etc.

Yes, it's not the Loki we want to see. Give me Avengers or TDW Loki any day of the week, i'm begging you, just let him use his full capabilities of magic and physical strength. But some of us are finding parallels to his actions that match all of the films he's been in (bless you guys). For instance, when have we known him to overact and be purposefully annoying in the past?

Loki's current behavior is typical of when he's grieving, trying to appear as if he's earning someone's trust, etc. I'm sorry, i know that the overacting is jarring, but surely this is a choice on Tom's part. No, it's not believable that possessed humans can throw him, but equally so, it's not believable that B-15 could, either. 

Loki's interactions with Mobius even echo his conversation with Thor in Ragnarok just before "Get Help." Annoy, appear to be cooperating, do not be assertive or threatening. Yes, even charm his way to the top, but no, it's not about overthrowing the Time-Keepers to rule. Yes, when Thor and Loki are talking in the elevator, Thor assumes that Loki wants to rule Sakaar (Loki merely assumes that Thor doesn't want him to come along back to Asgard). This misconception is one of those things that gets repeated over and over again: “Loki only wants to rule,” they're constantly shoving it into our faces, and I have never bought it. 

In Thor, he wasn't expecting to rule. In the Dark World, he tried to convince Thor to take the throne. In Ragnarok, he immediately ceded the throne to Thor when his brother finally decided to take it. In “the Variant,” the Variant tells Loki that she has no interest in ruling the TVA, once again assuming that Loki means to rule (which is one of the reasons I don't feel like she's Lady Loki, but i digress). 

The only reason Loki wanted to rule is because his mind was twisted by Thanos, that's the only time that ruling was his glorious purpose. And this version of Loki has already shaken that off, decided that purpose was hollow, not in the least bit glorious. Loki is perfectly capable of ruling well, that's not what his heart's desire is.

Loki wants to get to the top so he can save himself, plain and simple. He doesn't want to die. His strategy is consistent again (per Ragnarok, both with the GM and Thor), to prove himself useful to the people who are actually in power. And he doesn't stick his neck out unless he's forced to. If he is caught out being selfless, he plays it off as if it's for glory rather than because he's actually a decent person.

Now, ultimately, Loki probably does have it in mind to overthrow the TVA, but because he does not like their control over him and it would be fun to take vengeance. But, from what I am seeing set up here (and i may be 100% wrong), TPTB are setting us up to be distracted by the superficial Loki--that version of Loki that the people who don't overanalyze everything they watch are used to seeing (because they still do not properly understand what is obvious to us)--just so they can subvert that and give us the Loki that we know and love, as he truly is. 

Someone who wants you to think that he doesn't care, or only cares about himself, but deep down is quite noble and selfless. Who manipulates things behind the scenes for the good of his brother and the good of Asgard. Who is tragically misunderstood and would never wear his heart on his sleeve in public. Who has been literally tortured, and lied to, and told what his intentions were rather than listened to or believed in.

But IF they are just fucking this up then i'm done. I like my version of Loki better than the superficial one that we've been force fed in the past. This is already the MCU’s/Disney’s last chance with me.

[trashassassin]

Portraying Characters with Accuracy and Consistency

What time is it? It’s guide time. Again.

So, I know a lot of people don’t have a single care for keeping canon characters accurate to their original portrayal. Maybe you’d prefer to portray the secret soft side to that notoriously ruthless villain or turn a previously sweet and innocent character into a yandere. And that’s totally cool.

But some of you may be actively trying to keep the canon characters that appear in your fics as in-character as possible, but either feel as though you’re failing or have received criticism on this aspect of your writing. 

Not to portray myself as some sort of expert in these matters, but I definitely have a method for writing canon characters that I feel may be helpful to some folks.

Do your research.

Familiarize yourself with the canon material. Play their game. Read their book. Watch their movie. And once you’ve done all of that (maybe even several times) read through their wiki page! Wikis are a great place to read up on the ins and outs of a character’s personality, their relationships to other characters in the story, the lore in their history, etc.

Take special note of how they speak, act, and of any unique quirks or mannerisms they may have. For example, some characters curse like sailors while others wouldn’t even dare say “dang it,” while others still only feel comfortable using profanity around people they trust.

Or perhaps they are afraid of heights and could never even think about going on a roller coaster without displaying a significant amount of panic. Throwing these things into your story is a great way to make a character distinctly themselves. That being said...

Don’t overdo it.

That goes equally for canon characters and original characters. Gonna call out the exceptionally popular series of romance novels again here as an example. The main character of the story has this habit of biting her lip that shows up all the fucking time. Think of this this way: you’re using these quirks and mannerisms as accurate reactions to the situation the character is in. Try not to throw them in randomly as fanservice if you can help it.

Also, as with everything, show, don’t tell.

Let’s take our hypothetical character that is afraid of heights again and put them at the top of a very tall building. Instead of having them say “I’m afraid of heights,” show it through their actions. Show that their hands are shaking or they’re afraid to go too close to the edge. Phrases like “I don’t like this,” can also be useful without being too on the nose.

Don’t make a character act differently for the sake of convenience.

Using our acrophobic character again, it would be one thing for them to push past their fear at a crucial moment to save their friend from falling off a bridge, for example, and another entirely for them to have the fear in one scene and have it disappear in the next for no discernible reason.

It’s also never a good idea to have a character abandon/change their values to better suit the desires of your OC/the reader/another canon character they’re interacting with. For another example, let’s say the character in question is really against people running home businesses. It wouldn’t make sense for them to then abandon their hatred for home businesses just because the reader wants to start one with them. This can be done well, however, if it is done gradually. A sudden change of heart for, again, the sake of plot convenience, is always going to appear very jarring and out-of-character.

Avoid the social chameleon.

This applies more to original characters than canon characters, but is still very important. Even if the character in question is meant to represent the reader of the story, be sure to give them their own unique flavor. Don’t simply leave them as a blank slate that reacts differently to each situation they’re presented with in whatever way the plot requires to be pushed forward. Give them their own goals and desires beyond simply continuing the story. Make their personality clash with some of the canon characters of the property you’re writing for instead of having them be equally liked by everyone.

Write stories from their perspective.

Even if you never intend on posting them, this is a good exercise to put what you’ve learned about the character to the test. Practice writing out what they would think, feel, and say in a variety of circumstances and monitor your work for consistency, perhaps even passing it off to a trusted friend to get their opinion of your characterization.

As with anything, practice makes perfect.

You know how at the beginning of a new show, the actors/voice actors often take a while to find their groove in portraying their character? Writing characters is the same way. The more you portray them, the more familiar, and confident, you’ll become in doing so.

In conclusion...

I hope y’all found this helpful! I certainly had a lot more to say about it than I thought I did. One more important thing to note is don’t let anyone tell you that you’re not allowed to have your original characters in a story with canon characters. There will always be proponents of “cringe culture” that tell you such a thing is unacceptable, but you’re not writing for them. You’re writing for yourself and for the people that can appreciate the unique flare OCs can bring to a property. Perhaps I’ll write a guide on how to make well-rounded original characters someday, but today is not that day. I’m rambling already. Until next (guide) time!