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No. That's not correct. This is called inconsistent writing (we'll come back to this). Maya, KRJ and Derek's roommate are introverts. There is such thing as being an 'introvert at heart', becuase your disposition towards social interaction, (intro vs extro) doesn't just affect your ABILITY to interact, it affects your desire to. Simply put, an introvert would need time alone or among only very close individuals to recharge their mental batteries, and whereas an extrovert would find being alone frustrating, boring or lonely. This doesn't mean that all introverts don't party, or that extroverts don't want some time to themselves now and then, but someone with Sage's goals and accomplishments would never qualify. She's outgoing and social, eager to meet new people, takes a leadership role in almost all situations, enjoys loud chaotic situations, do I need to continue?
While I agree that Sage has layers (and that's awesome), the way they have been developed is falling to shit. First she was this cool, party girl, a little wild, a little superficial, fun as hell though. Basically a perfect foil to Maya in the early game (which was by design).
T hen throughout the end of season 1 and through most of season 2 she gets... I don't want to say character growth, becuase she hasn't learned any lessons, more like we've seen more beneath the surface.*. The point is we see more of her other side, her empathy, her strength of will, her sweetness and vulnerability.
The problem with all this is a long form media and we are at best half way through. So is this her arc? Does she have an arc? Cause her character being 'done' or regressing at the midpoint feels weird, it's counter to our (western) notion of how stories work. The ending is where the character finishes growing, not the middle.
I posit, however, that this is NOT her arc or her geoth, but as I said, just her character in full. The problem is that the way it's written FELT like it was meant to be growth, AND these two sides of her personality don't gel as well as they should. Her character feels like a yo yo, bouncing back and forth from one extreme to the other.
It's not growth or layering, it's just disjointed writing. Hopefully DOC shores things up in the future episodes, with scenes that combine both aspects of her character, such as some of her scenes at the hits party which manage to showcase both sides of her beautifully.
*An example of someone with ongoing character development on the exact same track as Sage, but slower would be Riona. She's unhappy, but she's learning a lesson, and as of ep9 is determined to make changes to her lifestyle (positive character growth) in order to get more of what she wants (a loving relationship with someone worthy of her).
It is once again the lack of coherence speaking louder. The Sage in Ep.9 is true to her character IF the MC has never romanced her, as she is still a party girl. However, perhaps due to laziness or difficulty in the game's code, the DPC "created" a Sage in Ep.9 and tried to make this version of Sage compatible with all possible routes. As a result we had a flirtatious and slutty version of Sage at the Halloween party.
I believe that a personality oscillation in the girls between scenes will be more explicit in the next episodes. Like I said, girls need to behave in a way that fits every possible scenario. It will be easier to notice this with Bella, I'm sure there will be several moments where Bella behaves like "grumpy Bella" even though the MC is having a romance with her because this scene needs to be present in other routes.
Okay, let's see what's missing here and why Sage's writing isn't inconsistent writing. About the introvert Sage. She is indeed a very versatile person. Sage is very closed in matters of her personal life and family - we see that even for Tremolo she opens up gradually, giving him information bit by bit. We also notice that she pays attention to her studies well, which we didn't notice until Episode 6, and the answer was given in the dialogues in the library, when MC remarks that he "didn't know this side of her", to which Sage replied about the importance of finding a balance. Also at the end of Episode 7, Sage herself admits to being an introvert, but keeps her shield up when Maya says she's so fun and open.
> Sage has layers, and in Season 2 we see more of her empathy, willpower, tenderness, vulnerability.
And the full discovery this part of Sage's personality comes in Ep.6 and culminates in Ep.7 - True Colors. But why didn't you notice that we see this part of Sage's personality in Season 1? How could this be missed ?
-In Ep.2, when MC got into a fight with jocks, Sage shows care and concern for him, which immediately goes against the image of a spoiled cheerleader who uses MC for personal interests, then we see another Sage during sparring - a nice girl with her to have a good time together and it doesn't have to lead to something sexual.
- There's this cute moment in Ep 3 that tells us straight out that Sage isn't just a wild thing. There's no dialogue here, it's a bunch of overview renders, but the body language says it all, Sage has a romantic side.
- In Ep.4, Sage helps when MC needs a place to live again.
- Also in Ep.5, Sage shows her sensitivity when MC jokes about his dead mother. For me, it was a very important moment, emphasizing her personality, that very sensitive and caring. Another good moment was when she showed her dislike for the preps and her rich dad. "Everyone here is so fake"
That is, we see that Sage's true identity is visible in Season 1. This is done in the form of small hints that an inattentive player can miss. It's not inconsistent writing, it's DPCs style of hiding the characters true colors until certain climaxes, leaving hints along the way, breadcrumbs.
As for Episode 9, here we see the typical party side of Sage chilling out and having fun, but we also see the caring Sage during her meeting with Burke and her desperation when Steven refused to help. Somehow people miss it too. Sage flirts with MC on any route because she likes him, but she keeps to herself if MC doesn't choose her. I don't see anything abnormal here.
Sage story arc. It's in development and trust me it will be the most dramatic and doomed arc under the circumstances. What awaits us in the future? -
First, the situation with Quinn's restaurant. Her vice president uses the girls of her sorority as prostitutes. When it floats out, a storm will rise. Moreover, her father is directly tied into the ring of prostitution - perhaps he is the organizer. Imagine what a blow for Sage.
- Second. Jade and Steven's marital problems. Her family is in danger of breaking up due to Steven's infidelities and Jade's jealousy. Yes, and this is not the worst thing, the family may fall apart because Stephen is waiting for a prison for what I indicated above. Scholarship through sex with a college administrator, it's just a Harvey Wahnstein moment.
-Third, the most interesting. If you've had fun with Jade, I don't envy your Sage route. Especially if you leaked a video. Because: