Tag: poi

cteranodon:

Okay but Root is one of the best and most creative examples of character growth induced by “breaking” the character

She starts out as a villain, of course, and a fucking terrifying villain at that. so like, let’s assume that having her switch to the good guys’ side was in the cards from the beginning. The most common way a villain does that is by seeing the error of their ways/allegiances/whatever and making some attempt to rectify that. but Root? What starts Root’s path away from villainy?

It started when she became the Analog Interface, the walking embodiment of God Mode, which was her goal the entire time up to that point.

In other words, she fucking won as a villain.

Like, with the benefit of hindsight, her arc is wild. She’s the biggest threat for the entirety of season 2, culminating with her achieving her goal, and that eventually transitions into her becoming one of the show’s main good guys?

And that’s all because being the Analog Interface is so MUCH responsibility. Responsibility she was prepared for, responsibility she killed for, but it’s so much, and it’s hers. It’s security for her, it’s bliss for her, but it also comes within inches of killing her at every turn.

She’s forced her own hand into being one of the most valuable pieces on the board. She wanted it entirely for selfish reasons, and now she’s regularly suffering physical and emotional trauma as a hobby, for one of the most selfless beings on the planet.

And it’s only by repeatedly hitting rock bottom that she begins to even superficially comprehend TM’s worldview – and begins to earn the trust of viewers that watched her be utterly nasty not that long ago.

In other words, she didn’t become good by growing a conscience. She strong-armed her way into TM’s camp and her conscience came later, after being institutionalized, after being imprisoned by Finch, after being tortured by Control, after every other terrible thing that happened to her. And the other protagonists didn’t accept her because they were HEROES WHO HAVE TO LOVE AND FORGIVE. They took her on as a matter of convenience firstly (since she’s ultimately fighting for the same person they are) and secondly because they watched her devotion for TM just the same as we viewers did.

It’s a very organic process, and I love the show for it.