back on my analyzing Chloé thing
just based on my observations:
the seasons tend to be worked on simultaneously; rn, S6 is airing, S7 has started animation and voice work, and S8 is being written
we know S2 was airing when S3 and S4 were being written (there’s the Vesperia transformation storyboard that was created during S2 production)
imo it’s safe to say that S1-3 were most likely being worked on roughly around the same time.
i’m about to sound insanely condescending, so i’m apologizing in advance.
so speaking from the perspective of the creatives behind the show, and not from a narrative/story perspective, it’s safe to say that Chloé’s arc in S2-3 was always planned, especially considering the info above
what I personally think happened was that Chloé became more responsible in S2, which caused people to believe that she could get a redemption
however, I don’t believe the writers had that planned, especially considering that the seasons were most likely worked on around the same time
so as a result, a lot of the Chloé Fanbase took it personally when Chloé didn’t get the redemption they were hoping for; they had a vision for what they wanted to see, and that vision didn’t come to fruition. What ended up happening was that the Fanbase believed that it was done to purposely upset the fans (hence the “Astruc/the writers ruined her redemption” argument)
like don’t get me wrong, I could easily see where S2 hypothetically could’ve led to a redemption, but that was never the writers’ intention
there’s two points in S2 that stand out to me which tell me the redemption was never happening, and that it wasn’t a “last minute decision” (actively doing a rewatch of the show, so there could be more)
Chloé and Audrey bond over their cruelty and mistreatment of others; after Chloé asks why Audrey doesn’t love her, the two share a brief heart to heart, but both end up yelling at Marinette, and realize they have the same personality.
Chloé revealed her identity as Queen Bee
So both of these things were conscious choices made by the creatives behind the show. The argument of “the writers took away her redemption” doesn’t work here, because S2 is where the “start” of her redemption would’ve happened.
If S2 both wrote Chloé to be more responsible, but then also work it into her story to then bond over being terrible, all signs point to no redemption ever taking place.
again, don’t get me wrong, they could’ve made a different writing choice; you are free to hate the choice made, but blaming the writers for something they didn’t do isn’t fair to them.
With Chloé revealing her identity, there was always going to be some sort of payoff to that; she’s the only one of the S2 heroes introduced to reveal her identity. So again, a conscious choice made by the writers for S2.
Her losing her claims to the miraculous was also always going to happen. From a storytelling perspective, she became a target to Hawk Moth, and the miraculous would be at risk whenever she ever got to use it.
From a more technical perspective (like from the creatives), her arc would’ve been decided before S2 even started airing.
I still stand by the notion that Chloé was never getting a redemption, and that it was a hope from some of the fans, that never came to fruition.
