I think the PPT fandom has a problem with misoginy in general.
Yes we are perfectly aware that Gracie Green and Jessica Newman weren't good people but there's no need to stop fans from liking their characters and how they were written. It doesn't mean we excuse nor condone their heinous acts against children.
Not even the morally grey ones leaning to good are exempt from this. Poppy isn't a saint but clearly wants to end all of the toy's suffering and save the still human children trapped within the facility and Stella was a good woman that had to blow her head to Leith in order to survive and later help the Prototype (not knowing that was a death sentence for hundreds of innocent workers cause Prototype lied about that).
Poppy was demonized after Chapter 4 specially for merely acting like a scared kid would in a situation where their abuser is coming back (girlie was almost on the verge of a panic attack) and don't take their apology as honest on top of wishing harm upon her. Stella is barely talked about after Chapter 5 unless it's for people to complain she wasn't Lily Lovebraids.
Mommy Long Legs doesn't get that much recognition as the other main antagonists of the chapters even if she's one of the few we know her name, Marie Payne, and her backstory, not too different from Theodore and him getting turned into CatNap.
Characters that are arguably worse like Prototype and Harley get far more grace. It's a little unfair.
100%. People take offense when you point any of this out, but The Trends are trending.
Gonna focus on Poppy for this since she's the best example. 😭
With Poppy I always come back to the complaints that her trauma doesn't excuse her behavior, or that it's a personal failing that she reacted X way when "look at Y character, they didn't do any of what she did!" And then you look at how characters like CatNap are routinely infantilized or excused under the basis of trauma or being misguided. Soooo... why is it applicable in one circumstance but not the other...? Is there some intrinsic quality Poppy lacks beside her femininity that makes her more deserving of reproach than the other orphans...?
Kissy Missy fans don't attack me for this, but I genuinely think that if she could talk a good chunk of her fans would transfer into the "this girl sucks!!" camp. Don't think for a second that I haven't noticed the parallels in fandom attitudes between her and Poppy, or how convenient it is that the sister favored the most is the one that Can't Say Anything Controversial :)
And I want to focus on that part especially because a common complaint about Poppy is that she's too opinionated despite "doing nothing." Poppy, whose father consciously designed the vessel of his Prized Child to be of a fragile material. And gave her a baby-sized body that forces dependence on others for ease of movement and protection.
Her sister who cannot speak but is physically capable and perceived to do more for the Player is liked more.
Another observation: notice how Ollie never received the same level of contempt for being a "bossy" character? Mind you: it was being established that Poppy looks to OLLIE for guidance instead of the dynamic being a pure "this is Poppy's phone lackey!" And yet, even before the Prototype reveal Ollie was never disliked with the same fervor despite occupying the same position that people disliked Poppy being in. In fact, he was arguably MORE of a "guy that directs others into danger from the comfort of Their Space™" character because at least Poppy was actually on the ground and in proximity to all the happenings! Ollie was in a nebulous somewhere.
With Gracie Green or Jessica Newman I just... Honest to God if anyone approaches me with malice towards them but then likes Harley Sawyer I stop taking them seriously. Straight playing in my face with that one.
Same thing for Stella receiving more scrutiny than Ritterman.
And you're right about Mommy Long Legs being such a strong chapter antagonist and notable character to the point that Chapter 2 is still considered a contender for the best chapter. And yet: where has her presence gone??
It all comes down to persisting spirit of misogyny. No one is deterring me from this.
