A weird rambling explanation about what i mean when I say that marinette is 'unfixable'. And about why i think the Timetagger-era Alyabug theory might be real.
Going into the end of S6, the biggest problem facing Marinette's character Is the fact that there is no believable ability to fix her now. I very much mean it when i say that Marinette 'cannot be fixed' at this point. There is no narrrative path forwards that meets the (extremely basic) triple-standard of: 1- Having Marinette acknowledge wrongdoing and giving Adrien the agency she's robbed him of systematically for 4 seasons straight. (See: The Letter being a convenient half-truth that makes Marinette a non-culpable discoverer of the lie, rather then its orchestrator.) 2-Taking meaningfull accountabilty for the results of those wrongdoings. (Not just admitting to the initial lie, but also acknowledging the crimes committed in maintenance thereof. Including the Werepapas Soulripper, Revelator, Noe and Brazil incidents) 3-beliavably breaking the narrative cycle. To communicate that things will actually be different going forward. On its face, that standard for 'being a good rolemodel protagonist' is so low as to be be a tripping hazard. But unfortunately, its that third tenet that has become physically impossible. Not without doing a major reset of the character and/or circumstances. Within the current status quo, either Marinette is 'forced' by Alya to come out in the open. (Which is not 'taking accountibility' any more then Marinette being forced to not-stop adrien getting therapy is 'supporting' him, and thus also violates tenet 1). Where she retaining all the ill-hoarded power gained through 4 seasons of power-dynamics and duplicity that has let her commit these abuses in the first place. Ending with her with nothing but a claim that 'I promise i'll do better in the future'... as if she hasnt made that promise during every single previous arc. Or she claims to do the responsible thing by giving up that hoarded power... but by willingly losing her memories actually ends up merely running away from all accountibility and concequence of her actions. Thereby leaving everyone else to clean up her mess in the aftermath. Those are the two cannonically established options going forward: A hollow, pre-broken promise from someone who lies like Charlamagne, or a quick get-out-of-concequence free memorywhipe. There is no third option. Not one that has been established at least. And option one is not a satisfying resolution, not after six seasons of her constantly pretending to 'get it right next time'. Especially because at this point in Adriens characterarc, he's already been taught (By chloe) the extremely vital lesson that second chances must eventually run out. A lesson that S5 was set-up to apply to Gabriel, whose roles in the narrative Marinette has now usurped. And after six seasons of constant duplicity and cover-ups, ending with her gaslighting an entire fucking planet. If this isnt the point where they run out for her? Then the one, singular lesson Adrien has been allowed to on his own behalf, in those six seasons of constant narrative theft would have no meaning. ---
So, given that Marinette cannot at this moment in time be fixed. (I personally dont think she can ever be forgiven for this season). How do i think that she could at least return to 'a version of a hero'? You'd need to first strip her of her ill-gotten power, return her to a semi-innocent state, and then have her show genuine revulsion for how far she has fallen. And that is just... not something S6 has done. She's not revolted, she's guilty and sad about the 'pressure', but its always about self-pity, never about self-reflection. And thats why Alyabug makes sense to me as a concept. Take the amnesia runaway version of the S6 climax, and path heading into the next season would be clear. "Tales of Ladybug (Alya) and Chat Noir". But still with Marinette as a protagonist. "I've got a secret" in the opening would now refer to a secret kept from herself, the previous year she doesnt remember. And it would explain why Timetagger went out of its way to explicitly confirm that Chat was still Chat, while Gabe wasnt a butterfly, and then made a suspicious non-comment on Marinette. Heck it would explain why Marinette had to write down the coordinates, rather then simply remember them. (which i always felt a bit weird). Unfortunately, that does mean that they'd actually give her the 'uncovering the secrets kept from me by my friends'-arc that S6 denied Adrien. But that is... honestly not something that would suprise me at this point. (See also: Every single mirror plotline in this series)
