Anti-Marella Rant/Analysis (but mainly rant) Post Ahead! I have VERY strong opinions on her so if you love her, I would recommend not reading this. Unless you want to anyway ofc! Either way enjoy! :)
Alright so I have many problems with this girl- like it’s actually insane. A problem I did have with her was her pick me behavior but @the-way-astray already explained in this post how in the very first few books almost everyone had a very misogynistic/sexist mindset so I’m not as bothered by that anymore. But her short story does contain a bit of what can be interpreted as pick me behavior so I will be going over that later.
My main gripe with Marella was her “problem” with Sophie in Everblaze/Neverseen. I briefly went over it in this post but basically for further analysis Marella blamed Sophie for not involving her in her dangerous and life threatening situations. She wanted to join the team and be a part of what Sophie was experiencing. Now I won’t say she didn’t have a reason to be jealous. She was obviously hurt that Fitz, Keefe, Dex and Biana were all involved in what Sophie was going through. She considered herself as much of a friend as they are to Sophie. So her jealousy is understandable. But every one of those people were either already involved or reached out to Sophie to be involved. Not one of them expected Sophie to involve them.
Fitz was the one who found Sophie from the very beginning. He knew the most about her compared to everyone else at that time. Keefe actively pressured Sophie into involving him, especially in Exlie. And we end up learning that his mother is part of the Neverseen, making him even more integrated and important to the story. Dex was kidnapped by the Neverseen with Sophie in the first book. He shares her trauma and he was the one who was forced to create the ability-restricting circlet for Sophie, as well as being the one to take it off for her. Biana’s involvement is similar to Keefe’s. She reached out to Sophie herself. Her guilt for not being a good friend in the beginning may have played a role in her wanting to be by Sophie’s side but regardless of her alternative motives she didn’t expect Sophie to involve her without even knowing if she wanted to be involved in the first place.
Marella’s response to Sophie not involving her was to basically gaslight Sophie into believing that she isn’t a good friend and to befriend both Sophie and Dex’s bully, Stina. Mind you, Marella HATED Stina and used to encourage Sophie to “take her down” in the first book. Yet she was willing to befriend this person just to spite Sophie.
Now some might think that she has changed since Everblaze/Neverseen but she proved that in Stellarlune she has actually NOT changed and if anything she just moved the goal post.
In Stellarlune pages 409 - 410 she basically taunts Sophie into guessing whether or not they’re still friends.
"You started picturing me switching sides and setting everything on fire didn't you?...Was it an epic struggle between the moonlark and her fiery former friend?" - Marella
"Well...in that scenario," - Marella
"And in this one?" - Sophie
"I'm sitting with you, aren't I?" - Marella.
"True" "So...does that mean we're good?" - Sophie
This whole exchange infuriates me. STOP beating around the bush and having Sophie guessing at your every word. Just spill it.
So when Sophie wants confirmation on whether or not Marella thinks of them as friends, Marella starts assuming that Sophie has alternative motives for "hanging out with her".
"Well, for one thing, I'm curious- are you only hanging out with me right now because you want to know how it went when I talked to Fintan about his cache?" - Marella
*Deep breathe* You first got angry with Sophie that she didn’t involve you in her life threatening, “go-lucky play dates”, as you seem to believe that’s what they are, and when Sophie decides to bring YOU in, involve YOU, give YOU a role here, you then have an issue with providing vital intel that only you can obtain? You were so willing to be a part of all this to the point that you mentally stressed the hell out of Sophie for it but when the time comes for you to play your part, just like you wanted, you want to have a problem with that as well?? MAKE. UP. YOUR. GOD. DAMN. MIND. *Breaths out*
Sophie then points out that Marella is the one technically hanging out with her and that she was the one who brought up Fintan.
"Technically you're hanging out with me," "I was already sitting here when you sat down. And you're the one who brought up Fintan- not me. I didn't even know you had a chance to talk to him yet." - Sophie
"Fair enough. But you're dying to ask about it now, aren't you?" - Marella
Is this a game for her? She's just trying to villainize Sophie at every turn, at this point. No matter what Sophie does or doesn't do, at the end of the day she has to be in the wrong? Really Marella?
Sophie caught on that Marella is trying to test her so she basically says that she’ll wait until Marella wants to tell her about Fintan and also that a friend wouldn’t hold back vital info.
"Not really- because a friend would never hold back something important. So you'll tell me when you're ready. Or you have nothing worth telling. Either way, there's no point asking you about it. Especially since you're clearly trying you test me right now, and I'm not going to fall for it." - Sophie
The fact that Sophie has to feel like her "friend" is testing her is unbelievably sad. Having to prove to your friend that you're not a bad person when you've literally given them NO reason to even believe that you are, while simultaneously trying not be killed by your enemies, sounds mentally draining.
Now I will say that Sophie's tone in that quote was very stern but at the same time she's responding to all of Marella's previous comments so it's completely appropriate. But in Marella’s mind, she believes that Sophie now has an attitude. Sophie is literally making a valid point and if anything Marella is the one with the attitude. She's actively trying to start problems with Sophie from nothing.
"You really are much feistier now. I can't decide how I feel about it."
Newsflash Marella, we don't care how you feel about it. And frankly you don't deserve that sort of attention considering how you're acting.
Maruca comes in asking how Marella feels about what and Marella responds with: "Sophie's new attitude."
Stina, of course, comes in and says: "That's easy. I'm definitely not a fan."
Again NO ONE CARES about what either of you feel about people's personalities. A bully and a gaslighter don't deserve that kind of privilege. How about you look in the mirror first, change yourself and THEN you'll have a right to speak up about others.
(A little off topic, but Shannon completely fumbled with Stina in Stellarlune. She was actually enjoyable in Legacy- I mean like she was literally getting more character development than Marella was and then she got screwed over. Ugh Shannon.)
Anyway back to the rant, Sophie responds to Stina basically saying that if Stina isn't liking her "new attitude" and then she's obviously doing something right. (Honestly, slay)
On page 411, Marella and Stina begin to insult/make fun of Sophie. Mocking her recent company and how they've "influenced" her.
"It's like she's been hanging around Ro too much and picked up a case of the Snarky Comback." - Marella
Marella began to ask where Ro was and Sophie responded vaguely not wanting to explain out loud because she wanted to telepathically update everyone instead. Yet Marella still continued to make fun of her anyway.
"Clearly you've also picked up some avoiding skills from the Forkle."
Sophie and Marella have a small exchange about how they'll just keep their updates to themselves until the team arrives so they won't have to repeat themselves.
Marella and Stina proceed to whisper and giggle amongst themselves, saying who knows what about Sophie.
It was also implied that there was an obvious divide between everyone, on page 412. Sophie’s group and Marella’s group. Why is Marella actively causing riffs in the group when they should all be focusing on defeating their enemies instead??
Anyway, that's the end of her moments in Stellarlune (just the book). Now to the short story!
Now in her short story Marella showcases a little bit of her pick me behavior. She basically found it “annoying” how easily Linh was able to control her abilities even though Linh worked so hard for it.
"But the fact that Linh could stand in a sea of frozen water and do nothing except keep the falling snow from setting on her flushed pink cheeks was very...annoying" - Marella
Now this could be seen as jealousy, which is a fine flaw to have, especially in her case, considering her crazy, out-of-control pyrokinetic abilities, but at the same time it could be interpreted that she just genuinely doesn’t like people being better than her, especially girls. She has expressed many times her "annoyance" with girls specifically (Sophie and Linh being direct targets of this). She never really specifically mentions any of the boys being annoying. Whenever she's really talking about boys she's just basically fawning over them (a trait many pick mes posses) Now I'm not saying finding guys attractive will inherently make you a pick me, but fawning over boys while degrading girls does make you a pick me.
Now it is a little stretch, in all honesty. Her comment about Linh can be interpreted in many different ways. It's also just a single comment- and one that she didn't even say out loud so I'm not too bothered by it. The short story IS where I see the most Marelinh proof though, ironic as it is. I’m genuinely hoping that she and Linh become a thing. She did after all call Linh “peaceful” “pretty” and “perfect” all in one sentence. (Shannon, make it so that Linh is the one that changes Marella and I might actually end up liking her)
Now what I didn't like is her comments afterwards.
"Then again, everyone annoyed Marella a little"
"But it wasn't Marella's fault!"
"People tended to be annoying."
She sounds like she has a victim mentality here. She believes that it isn't her fault that she finds everyone annoying because everyone tends to be annoying...
Has she once considered that everyone around her isn't actually annoying and that she's just easily offended and sensitive? She's literally saying that one of her best friends, if not her best friend, is annoying because she has such good control over her ability. If THAT annoys her then yeah no wonder she finds everyone and everything annoying.
Now aside from everything I've said there are certain aspects that make me like Marella, believe it or not. The way she cares deeply for her mother. The way she wanted to manifest as an empath just to help her identify her mother's emotions. That is very sweet and considerate of her. I respect that, a lot. But the way she treats her mother won't erase the way she treats Sophie and others. She needs to seriously acknowledge her behavior and the way she makes people around her feel. She's been getting more page time in the most recent books so I hope Shannon gives her character some development in the newer ones.
So yep! This is the rant lol. Feel free to express your thoughts and/or opinions on this post. Whether you agree or not, I'd love to hear it! :)
@icantrememberwhoiwaslastdecember
