#flawed characters

[onearmedlegend]

My page did a Thing

[justiceiscalling]

you guys want bad dad bruce wayne so bad you’ll go out of your way to absurdly mischaracterize him. i totally understand the need for angst, i do, but come on. he knows the line between discipline and abuse, he literally locks guys up for that shit. so, here’s my take on bad dad bruce wayne.

overall, he’s honestly a good dad. he’s there when he’s not busy with the league and batman, which is rare but he tries to make breakfast every morning and at least one family dinner. he spars with his family but he holds back and only dishes out what he knows they can handle (he’s gotten yelled at by all his kids for going easy on them, mainly from tim and damian). he tries to stay present in his kids lives but to tell the truth he can barely keep up. he just knows that they’re alive and healthy, that’s all that matters.

i know, this seems like a good dad. so where’s the bad dad?

he’s manipulative as fuck.

bruce wayne is insanely charismatic. he puts on the bruce wayne persona without blinking, he manipulates people everyday in every way possible, he can make a right wing pro choice in a matter of minutes, he could make a heavy leftist senator vote for pro guns (not saying he would or wouldn’t do either, these are just examples) and manipulating people is far too natural for him.

and it’s an easy way out. he doesn’t want to do something? well… he doesn’t have to. tim wants to quit red robin but bruce knows how much he is needed for their team? let’s just say tim signed his life away the day he put on that suit—plus, bruce knows he loves the wind against his skin, he just needs a reminder.

intentionally or unintentionally bruce manipulates the fuck out of his kids on a daily basis. it took everyone a while to notice it, sometimes they still don’t—and, honestly, duke and damian are in denial.

so yeah. that’s my take on bad dad bruce. he’s good. he cares. it’s just he cares too much and he’s super controlling and needs things to go his way in his city, for better or for worse. of course, i also LOVE to write good dad bruce where everything he does for his family is just misunderstood bc his wordings as shit as his comprehension of emotions.

but peak parenting bruce? that’s good and bad. because a good character has flaws, some of which he’s aware of, some so subtle that he doesn’t notice.

[scarlett-fire-cat]

In Defense of Sally Acorn: A Flawed, yet Strong Female Character

Like Elise, Big the Cat, Chris Thorndyke, and several other characters, Sally is a character that is misunderstood and overhated. The reasons as to why she gets hated are this; "She's inappropriate because she's naked", "She's bossy", "She's useless because she doesn't have any superpowers", "She's a Mary Sue", "She's a selfish bitch", "She's mean to Amy", "She stole Sonic away from Amy", and she slapped Sonic, therefore, "she sucks and is a terrible character".

To start off, the whole "She's naked" argument doesn't make sense. I mean, I kinda get it since the majority of the female characters in the Sonic franchise are fully clothed, so it makes Sally stand out. But at the same time, I don't get it. You don't see any explicit details on her design on parts of her original design. Sally is an anthropomorphic squirrel-chipmunk hybrid that's covered by her fur.

And during the Post-Super Genesis era of the Archie comics, she got a redesign where she's fully clothed, with a sleeveless crop-top and shorts. Also, Sally isn't bossy. She's confident, decisive, and a natural-born leader. Just because Sally doesn't have any superpowers, doesn't mean that she's useless. Characters from other media such as Batman, Robin from the 2003 Teen Titans series, The Turtles from the TMNT franchise, Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow from the MCU movies, Bow and Catra from She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, Marco Diaz from Star Vs The Forces of Evil, Sokka from Avatar: The Last Airbender, and many more don't have superpowers either, but that doesn't make them useless or unreliable in fights.

Sally is very agile, acrobatic, and athletic, is skilled in hand-to-hand combat, martial arts, and armed combat, is highly intelligent, and is a skilled hacker. Also, do you even know what a Mary Sue is? A Mary Sue is a female character that is absolutely perfect. They have no flaws or weaknesses whatsoever, and are loved by nearly every character. Sally's isn't perfect; she can be stubborn, self-righteous, judgemental, and can let her emotions get the better of her and/or cloud her judgement.

Despite her flaws, Sally is also down-to-earth, mature, level-headed, logical, has a strong sense of duty and justice, playful, compassionate, tomboyish, brave, and protective. And you know what? I can think of another character who's selfish most of the time. Anyway, Sally is many things; selfish isn't one of them. She can be selfish at times, but so is every other character.

Sally is a very selfless person who cares about her people, her family, her loved ones, and her friends. She even sacrificed herself to destroy a world-roboticizer to save countless lives and the world, which resulted in her getting roboticized into Mecha Sally. And I don't know what you're even talking about when you claim that Sally is mean to Amy and/or that Sally stole Sonic from Amy. Sonic isn't romantically interested in Amy despite Amy being obsessively in love with him. He doesn't own Amy anything just because she's infatuated with him.

Sonic is not a prize to be won. Period. In the SatAM cartoon and the Pre-Super Genesis Wave era of the Archie comics, Sonic shows romantic interest in Sally, who also feels the same way about him in a more healthy and non-obsessive way. Sonic and Sally's relationship isn't perfect, but they respect each other, trust each other, and balance each other out very well.

In the infamous #134 issue of the Archie comics, Sally did slap Sonic in the face, but it's because she didn't want to lose him again. Short summary; Sonic had previously "sacrificed" himself and was presumed dead for about a year. By the time Sonic returned a year later, Sally was still dealing with the trauma of loss along with other things. And the slap was written and drawn by someone who hates Sally and wanted Sonic to be with Amy instead.

[problematic-tip-centre]

Financially abusive choices a character could make

Forbidding a partner or dependent from having their own bank account

Sabotaging someone's ability to work

Stealing money

Using rent, food, or medicine as leverage in arguments

Lavishing gifts early on, then using that generosity to guilt/trap someone later.

Monitoring and/or policing every purchase a dependent makes

Making someone feel guilty for spending on themselves

Deliberately keeping someone financially illiterate

Hiding job or promotion offers from someone

Controlling access to child support or using parental status to extort money

Secretly hoarding resources

Using financial insecurity to trap someone in a relationship

[aventurineswife]

...Shadow I do believe you need to write an enemies-to-lovers with sunday, to feed the sunday fans.

(i'm not one but i do encourage the creativity) -Smooch Anon 💋

The Spaces Between Us

Summary: In the Dreamscape, a realm where reality and illusion intertwine, you and Sunday, the Halovian Protector of Dreams, are forced to confront your differences and growing attraction while traveling aboard the Astral Express. Though you despise Sunday for his role in creating the Sweetdream Paradise, a utopian world that ensnared countless souls, a series of heated debates and vulnerable moments reveal cracks in both your facades. As you grow closer, the lines between hatred and love blur, culminating in a kiss that neither of you fully understands but both deeply feel.

Tags: Sunday x Reader, Slow burn, Enemies to lovers, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Romance, Tension, Forbidden love, Psychological conflict, Flawed characters.

Warnings: Heavy emotional conflict, Intense philosophical debates, Vulnerability and guilt, Brief kiss, leading to unresolved feelings, Potential for future developments.

[Inspired by]

The Dreamscape was a realm of whispers, where the tangible and intangible blurred into one. It was here that you had first crossed paths with Sunday, the Halovian Protector of Dreams. His presence was a quiet command, his eyes glowing with an unsettling mix of empathy and authority. But to you, those eyes had always felt more like judgment than compassion.

You were no stranger to the Dreamscape’s twisted allure. It had swallowed up people you cared about, reducing them to smiling shells. Sunday’s Sweetdream Paradise had been the root of it all—a utopia, he’d called it, though you knew better. To you, it was an insidious prison. And he, its architect, was the one you blamed.

"Your hypocrisy knows no bounds, Sunday," you said sharply, folding your arms as you faced him across the astral-lit room.

The two of you were aboard the Astral Express now, bound to the same journey under Welt Yang’s watchful eye. It was a situation neither of you had chosen, and the friction was palpable.

Sunday tilted his head slightly, the golden glow of his halo casting faint patterns on the walls. “You mistake intention for malice,” he replied, his voice calm but cool. “The Paradise wasn’t meant to harm.”

You scoffed, stepping closer. “Tell that to the people who lost their lives chasing a lie.”

His wings quivered slightly, a rare crack in his composure. “I acted out of mercy. Do you think the chaos of this world is kinder?”

The proximity between you grew suffocating as you leaned forward, pointing a finger at his chest. “Kindness without consent is tyranny, Sunday.”

For a brief moment, his serene mask slipped. His eyes searched yours, a storm brewing within their depths. “And what would you have done?” he asked, his voice lower now, tinged with something unspoken. “Watched as people tore each other apart, believing it to be freedom?”

The air between you was electric, charged with unspoken emotions and barely concealed tension. His wings shifted, fingers brushing against your arm as he stepped back, breaking the moment before it could spiral into something more.

The arguments didn’t stop. If anything, the days aboard the Astral Express only intensified them. Every mission, every philosophical debate, seemed to draw you closer to the edge of something neither of you could define.

One night, after a heated exchange about the nature of sacrifice, you found yourself alone in the observation car. The stars outside blurred into streaks of light as the Express surged forward, but your thoughts were stuck in the past.

“You’re quieter than usual.”

His voice startled you, but you didn’t turn. Sunday stood a few feet away, his hands clasped behind his back, his halo glowing softly in the dim light.

“Don’t you ever get tired of pretending you’re above it all?” you asked, not bothering to mask the bitterness in your tone.

He stepped closer, his boots clicking softly against the floor. “Pretending?”

“Yes.” You finally turned to face him, the intensity of his gaze unsettling. “You act like you’re untouchable, but I see through you. You’re just as lost as the rest of us.”

His expression shifted, the faintest hint of vulnerability breaking through. “And if I am?” he asked quietly. “If I’m lost, does that make my intentions any less genuine?”

The sincerity in his voice caught you off guard. For the first time, you saw the cracks in his armor—the guilt, the doubt, the weight of his choices.

You stepped closer, your voice softer now. “It makes you human, Sunday. Something you seem determined to deny.”

His wings fluttered, a subtle but telling reaction. “Humanity is... complicated,” he admitted. “I’ve spent so long trying to protect others that I’ve forgotten how to protect myself.”

The honesty in his words left you momentarily speechless. The distance between you had vanished, and for the first time, the tension didn’t feel like a battle but a fragile truce.

It was during a mission to a shattered planet that everything changed. The two of you had been separated from the rest of the crew, forced to rely on each other as you navigated the ruins of a forgotten city.

The arguments were fewer now, replaced by quiet conversations and lingering glances. But the undercurrent of tension remained, shifting into something neither of you dared name.

When a sudden cave-in left you trapped in a narrow passage, the closeness became unbearable.

“Are you hurt?” Sunday asked, his voice tinged with genuine concern as he brushed the dust from your shoulder.

“I’m fine,” you replied, though your heart was racing for reasons that had nothing to do with the collapse.

He was too close, his eyes searching yours with an intensity that left you breathless. “You’re trembling,” he murmured, his hand lingering on your arm.

“It’s the adrenaline,” you lied, though the heat rising between you told a different story.

For a moment, neither of you moved. The air was thick with unspoken words, and his wings fluttered softly, hand brushing against your back.

“Why do you hate me?” he asked suddenly, his voice barely above a whisper.

“I don’t—”

“You do.” His hand moved to cup your cheek, his touch surprisingly gentle. “And yet, you’re still here.”

The vulnerability in his eyes was disarming. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, the distance between you disappeared. When his lips brushed yours, it was hesitant, as if testing the boundaries of a fragile truce.

The kiss was brief but electric, leaving you both breathless.

“We shouldn’t—” you began, pulling back, but his hand on your cheek stopped you.

“Perhaps not,” he said softly, his gaze steady. “But tell me you don’t feel it too.”

You couldn’t.

The journey ahead was uncertain, but the walls between you and Sunday had begun to crumble. The love that bloomed between you was as complicated as the man himself—marked by tension, conflict, and the hope of something more.

In the end, it was the imperfections that made it beautiful.

I tried if you couldn't tell 🧍‍♀️

My fav trope may be enemies to lovers but I'm definitely horrible at writing it☹️💔

[cctypical]

my favourite take on ata is that everyone (mainly the trio im talking about here) is extremely hurting and takes out their pain on ANYTHING/EVERYTHING that frustrates them.

amanda hates that wooly is never straight with her and is always hiding something. she combats this by questioning him and his motives and who he’s REALLY helping. and he betrays her. then she hates how he conforms to their abusers and refuses to help her in any meaningful way. she combats that by physically harming him and messing with his feelings. see how YOU like it. isn’t it bad. don’t you wanna help me now.

wooly hates that amanda refuses to stop going against their abusers and listen to his orders. he combats that by manipulating her and twisting her words/wants. but it only works for so long. then he hates how none of his advances work on her anymore. how she cuts him off. how his desperate attempts to mean something to her again are thrown out the window because of something HE did. he combats this by trying to convince her nothing has ever been wrong about her suffering and sucking up to HER just as much. see how unaffected i am. see how you’re overreacting. look at me im fine. now your turn. now you be fine.

cs might be the only one who doesn’t HATE anyone or anything they do. he’s literally a toddler bro. HIS issue is that he’s an obstacle for amanda and wooly when he’s just here to mess around and be silly. he hurts amandas creations. her tools. woolys FACE. this isn’t HELPING with what either of them want to do. his actions don’t benefit EITHER of them. so naturally they team up real quick and chuck him the fuck out. of course failing to realise he could be helpful to BOTH of them if they gave him a moment to. calm down. but they don’t GIVE him that chance quickly enough because he’s MESSING with them and they are rightfully angry.

amanda hates how riley (in some routes) won’t get her message or take her seriously. she combats this by getting mad, upset and as a consequence unleashing her demon to kill them. this can happen almost EVERY time riley has the choice to impress her and gain her trust. even when she fully puts her trust in them more than anyone else she can do this. she can change her mind whenever she wants. she can END THEM whenever she wants. because she’s allowed to put a stop to anything that could potentially harm her. she’s been through enough harm. she’s not taking any chances. the only reason she takes chances at ALL with wooly is because she can’t be permanently rid of him. getting rid of him FAILS to work so she compromises by hurting him until he’s too weak to hurt her. she compromises WITH HIM when she’s too tired to think of a creative way to make him insecure and focus on himself rather than her for the next episode run time.

amanda hurts wooly, riley, and cs technically (i don’t think he cares that much about being chucked in the bin so that doesn’t really count. nothing they do fazes him) if she feels hurt or threatened by them. and by threatened i don’t mean in a feeling intimidated way. i mean in a “this makes my little safety not so safe. fuck that shit” way. should she? no. does she? yes. and it’s fully within her right as an ABUSED CHILD that she does so. because who the fuck else is going to.

ata intrigued me as soon as it showed kids can be bad and cruel and mean as they want when in a situation that harms THEM. that they should be held accountable and taught how to NOT do that. that as long as THEY are being abused they may never learn from their harmful mechanisms until they get HELP. that they often do not GET help because people wait until they act more accordingly to care. that is what ata has been and will always be to me.

both the game and the fandom did that to them. either STRAIGHT villainisation or STRAIGHT sanitisation. it’s like the concept of hurt kids HURTING others is foreign. that everyone they hurt because of their problems has to be WORSE in order to balance it out. what the fuck.

this is not all i have to say but it’s all i can put into words as of now. YEET

[problematic-faves-appreciation]

"We need more flawed female characters!"

You guys couldn't even handle Poppy from Poppy Playtime.

[mon543]

Friendly reminder: Characters are allowed to screw up from time to time. Even the morally good main characters-heck, especially the morally good main characters. Characters can be selfish, irrational, immature, jealous, rude etc.

I know that there are people who throw a fit if the character commits the crime of not being perfect 24/7 but it's important for the writers to ignore those people and keep creating their screwed up blorbos.