They are examples intended to distinguish between functional importance and character development. A character can be both functionally important and totally bland. Thus, giving examples of how functionally important a character is does nothing to establish how interesting they are. That's just not how you argue that a character is good. I'm not sure why making that point would be "unnerving" to you.The fact you're using extremely bland characters as examples is kinda unnerving. Tolkien's characters are not interesting because he focused largely on world-building and not much else. The characters are here to be useful, but other than that they clearly lack deeper character traits that would make them "interesting".
Shame on you for trying to poison the well like this. There is nothing wrong with people not liking the same things you do. Not everybody finds Annie particularly interesting and appealing. There is nothing wrong with that, nor with them.This is different for Eternum, where each LI has her own character traits who make each of them interesting and appealing (except of course for people who are unable to appreciate it but, and I won't say it enough, that's on them despite them thinking otherwise).
Eh, some are more interesting than others. Some are kinda one-note.The world building is less extensive than Tolkien, but there's a better balance between story, world-building, and characters. Not only are they all useful, but they're also all interesting because they're different from the others and are believable as human beings.
I don't have a problem with the idea that Annie has some interesting traits. I feel they have been underdeveloped so far. One of the main traits that initially set Annie apart from the other characters was her enthusiasm for/knowledge of Eternum. That got leveled out as the story progressed . Now everybody's playing.
Another thing that comes up in the detective sequence is that she is perceptive, intuitive, and empathetic. Those traits see her through that situation even when her magic powers are useless. If she's being "teed up" as another poster suggested, I hope it has something to do with that and not "she just needs to believe in herself" or "she just needs the right situation to shine/ to evolve a new power."
Maybe you shouldn't get so upset that other people aren't fascinated by the same characters you are. If you can't have that discussion without upsetting yourself, try doing something else. Getting mad at people for saying they don't see what you see in a fictional character isn't healthy.I was trying to not enter the fray but damn is this hard. I should answer more when there's a good mood like BEFORE someone restarts the list thing, or say "[insert the name of a great character here] is the least interesting/useful" again...
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