mostwanted8
That's not a dissatisfaction, but an observation.
I'm fine, brother from Team Sasha.
We're just having a discussion and I love it.
I don't reply to
BobTheDuck and
John972 as much as I do to you, because we three essentially share the same opinion about the characters, we just look at them through different lenses and their responses perfectly complement my words.
So far, my position remains the same.
This isn't an answer to you, I just want to summarise my thoughts from all previous posts.
Ocean intentionally or unknowingly (the worst case scenario) keeps Bella's darkest deeds in the shadows. This leads to a very twisted view of this character where on one side we have some of Bella's fans who raise her to saint status and on the other side their opponents who can't say anything better than the heist and illegal racing (you guys are pathetic
).
Meanwhile, in reality, Bella is one of the three most terrible people among WiAB and SG's love interests. Leia is probably at the top, the rest two is your personal preferences and opinions on whose actions are more horrible. Bella's fans can make all the excuses they want to keep her away from them two. She has feelings and regrets, but so far they don't change the outcome. She realises her bad act in the scene with the woman in the restroom, but is completely blind to the Vanessa's situation. Change my mind if you want but corruption of a woman is literally the worst idea that ever crossed the minds of SG characters. Bella doesn't see shit.
Her instability is no excuse because she is aware of her actions. Leia also has traumas that have affected her behaviour. Vanessa probably suffers from a personality disorder, most likely narcissistic, less likely antisocial. All three of them are in need of serious psychological support.
All things considered, I think Bella is worse person than Vanessa. But we only know Vanessa from two chapters, so she might ask Bella to give up her seat in the future.
I'm not a Bella hater. Yes, I'm tired of the amount of her screen time and Ocean's excessive attention to her outside of the game, but I can live with that. I enjoy her scenes and I like her chemistry with Nika. If Ocean doesn't make a mistake with her development, she will join my personal top 3 where she really belongs, among Vanessa and Leia. I like badass girls.
But Vanessa is still my favorite. I just can't, I love her vibe and the tension when both her and Nika are in the same scene. They're like predators studying each other, that tension never drops even for a second. However, I now doubt that Nika actually can stand up to her if they become enemies, given how his dumb antics are perceived now. I think without Ocean's help and plot armour, she'll destroy him. The same goes for Bella who to put it mildly is not a very smart person. She will demolish them both. It surprises me how my perspective on the characters and the plot has changed over time.
There is a lot we don't know yet.
I don't believe Bella to be such a threat in general. She is a sociopath, but she is not a psychopath. The main difference between the two, if recall correctly is that psychopath are unable to feel empathy. Bella does show empathy and guilt when they hurt that woman innthe bathroom.
Vanessa, on the other hand, has had simply too little screen time to make a comparison. Yet, from what its seen, she is clearly a bigger threat that Bella could ever be. The fact that Bella is trying to get close to her and fail to see Vanessa's nature implies Vanessa would eat her alive if they were fighting on equal grounds. She also seems to show no regret in manipulating people. If anything, she seems proud. Including her BF. More on the psychopath than on the sociopath scale.
Now, and this IS plot, but in the end, so far, this is not a Vanessa vs Bella situation. Vanessa is a means to an end for Bella and MC and unlike Bella, MC did figured out Vanessa's nature. To be fair, mainly becuase Vanessa wanted him to know. But also Bella is way more likely to have real friends like MC and Ayua than Vanessa. Which is a strength. Vanessa can pretend to be friend with someone, but thise things eventually dont last.
Now, with how little info we have of Leia, I don't believe she plays into the kind of games Vanessa and Bella could do. Leia seems to be way more the mafia boss a la Capone, Vanessa the manipulative mind the way media has delivered James Moriarty, while Bella is more like rebelling character doing shit for her own amusement. I cannot think fast a clear comparison for her.
The three of them share they are not heroic characters, in the sense that is not moral compass that guides them. But they are significantly different in how they go by.
I agree with you in that the three are great. I don't care about Leia cause I love Katie in WIAB. But i admit she is badass through and through.
Bella is my favorite but Vanessa is amazing too. Leia, unfortunately for her, had to compete with Katie. Sorry.
Now, MC is not on the level of either of the 3 mentioned. His actions, however, are quite calculated. On his inner monologues he sees way to manipulate people. He is just not the best at doing it. First, his mental state makes him week, being hunted for constant panic attacks renders him week. Second, his approach tend to be too direct. Unless you are Goku, you just can't have everyone as enemy and expect to win. Most people he has as ally are either too good to do anything, Victoria, too blinded by love to let MC do something dangerous, Nami, too busy with her own problems, Mila, or too similar to him, Bella. This last part is not necessarily good in a team, as they see similar things and fail to see similar things. A broader view would make them stronger.
All of this lead us to yes, without plot, MC is doomed. But, in the end plot is there ofr a reason in all stories. Problem usually is not plot armor, but when it is just plot armor and nothing else.
More than anything, when in order to protect the main characters or to keep the plot going, you contrradict character's nature out of the blue. Say you established Vanessa is a genius manipulative bitch, and then you make her make the most stupid mistake over and over just to save MC from total doom.
The worst of the worst, though, is using deus ex machinas. That is just bad writing without excuse. I will be the first to bitch about it if it happens.
Anyway, for now we wait to see what happens.
