Who is the worst character on AIO?

[Sage]

*mutters* Disgraceful...positively disgraceful.

Awwww...that warms my heart...thanks Pound Foolish, you're one my favorites too!

[Samantha14]

I honestly don't understand how anyone could truly hate a character. It's just wrong.

Characters who have poor features or need work on their dimension, design, etc. I can understand. But, we don't hate them for it. We dream that they get the attention from the writers, or actors/actresses that they need, but we don't just give up on them.

That would be what we call fair weather fandom. When they meet up to our personal expectations, or our own selfish wants, THEN we appreciate their character. But, if there's a single quirk that doesn't fit in our desires, then said character is suddenly the worst character on the planet.

But, that's not what we're supposed to do, and we all know it. Just like people, we can't change everyone to be our own perfect little angels. We have to love them for who they are. the good, the bad, and the squeaky voiced.

I've heard a lot being said for characters such as Emily Jones and Sarah Pratchett. For Emily, they whine and complain about her "squeaky voice" or her "Know it all attitude" (Which, while I find her highly intelligent, I don't see anything that has to do with "know it all-ness".) For Sarah, they complain that she's a brat and is rude and hateful to anyone she meets. (Which is not true. We see this in her friendship with both Mandy and Liz.)

Question: What would it be like if they changed? I don't understand why you would want such incredible characters such as these, and more, to change to fit your tastes. Did you ever think characters that are meant to stink, or characters that act a certain way, are that way for a reason?

Think about it. Filler characters such as a monotone teacher are meant to sound dull and off, because that's what just fits within the story line. Bully characters are meant to be jerks BECAUSE they are just that: BULLIES. Sarah is the sarcastic little snot, because that's what she's SUPPOSED to be. We can't hate characters for what they are. We have to look deeper. We hate their attitudes, their roles, their overall character... And that's why we love them.

Again, I ask, what would it be like if they changed? Where would we be if Sarah suddenly turned into a Sensitive, Soft Spoken, Shadow, instead of her Tough, Witty, Spotlight? Certainly not laughing at unforgettable lines such as:

Sarah Pratchett: You're a sad little boy.
Jared DeWhite: And you're just as ignorant as the rest of the youth of America.

Or

Mandy Straussberg: That's not a crazy person, that's Jared!
Sarah Pratchett: Do you realize what you just said?

Or

Sarah Pratchett: What if I see someone, say, Jared, breaking a rule. Can I punch him in the stomach?
Connie Kendall: NO!

And what would happen if our very own Emily Jones went from our Lean, Green, Mystery Solving Machine to a Pink... Okay, I have no rhyme for this one. But you get the point. If she went from solving to shopping, how would we follow along, laughing and cracking cases such as "The Malted Milkball Falcon"? How could we fall in love with the cute crush story in the "Green Ring Conspiracy", or feel the pain of a mistaken identity in "Emily the Genius", if Emily weren't herself? At least, the self we all know and should love.

How could we love the zany antics of a confused Jay Smouse, feeling his hurt in "Mistaken for Good", or feeling a since of pride during "Groundhog Jay" when he decides to make things right, if he were a goody two shoes?

What about if Matthew Parker wasn't a tinkerer? If Valerie wasn't a stuck up valley girl? If Nelson wasn't a paranoid nerd?

Fact being: We couldn't. We can complain about each ill-quirk each character has. But another fact: Said characters wouldn't be said characters without their quirks, or good things, or bad things... You name it! Their quirks and such are what make them them! Unique and lovable. Each and all.

Sure, some characters need work. I'll be the first to admit it. Would something more than a awkward giggly jerk between Barrett and Priscilla be a bad thing? Of course not. If each character had more to them than just to have the same "Crush story" (Which even then isn't much of a story right now..) over and over, then imagine the possibilities!

If we could explore the "worlds" of each character, giving each an in-depth story and true meaning for existence, like Connie and Eugene, Mr. Whittaker, Jason, Katrina... It would all just work perfectly. But, we don't exactly have that right now. I know that. But, until then, we have to learn how to be content with what we have, and just hope we get "a little more" in the near future.

Everything has a reason, even if we can't see it. Does that mean we have to just adore EVERY character in the entire series? Of course not. But we don't have to label them the worst characters in AIO either. Do some need work? Yes. Are there some characters we like over others? Of course! (Emily rules! *Cough* )

However, I do not see one character that does not fit perfectly, in their own creative and unique way, in this wonderful world we know as Odyssey. It's beautiful. Always.

Okay, I'm done rambling now. *Gets off soap box*

[godisawesomeness99]

well said sam, I agree. I don't hate any characters as well

[Metal15]

Me neither.

[Bethany Shepard]

Agree to disagree...

I GREATLY despise Grady and ESPECIALLY Mandy! I'm sure there's more.

[Aftershocker]

I GREATLY despise Grady and ESPECIALLY Mandy! I'm sure there's more.

D= You person of hate!

[Oliver]

I'm curious. Why do you think that?

who are you asking, T.S.?

[Tea Ess]

KATRINA???? EMILY???? *shakes head* this is what happens when I go away...sad...truly...

Sage, I thought so highly of you...*shakes head*

Yes, Oliver, I was asking you why you hate Matthew so much.

[ArnoldtheRubberDucky]

I agree with you, Sammy, that we shouldn't hate characters just because they have quirks we don't like. Quirks are one of the things that make a character interesting. I disagree however, that we should never label any character as "the worst in AIO". Why shouldn't we do this? As fans, we should care about the show and its' characters, and that sometimes means railing against them. Believe it or not, that actually shows we care more about the show than if we were looking upon characters we hated with bored indifference. Love can sometimes be represented by dislike. We don't actually hate the show, we're just concerned about the tough time it's going through.

What's wrong with being a fair-weather fan of Odyssey? If I were listening to it during, say, the split-episode era, I wouldn't just say, "Well, I hate the new direction the show is going, but I'll still pretend I love it because Odyssey made good episodes a long time ago." I'm not going to remain a fan of newer material if the episodes are terrible. Odyssey is not really my "friend", and I'm not going to stick by bad episodes. I'll still keep up hope, though. Perhaps my argument is a bit negative, but for now, I'll stand by it.

[Oliver]

KATRINA???? EMILY???? *shakes head* this is what happens when I go away...sad...truly...

Sage, I thought so highly of you...*shakes head*

Yes, Oliver, I was asking you why you hate Matthew so much.

oh well he's boring and really isn't much of a character, they really didn't need him. that's why I don't like him.

[NateVONgreat]

(in ugly voice) VALERIE SWANSON~~~~ ugghhh!! it gives me shivers down my back thinking of it........
poor nelson

[Tea Ess]

*applauds*

You share my point of view!

Indeed. Poor, poor, Nelson.

[The Old Judge]

You'd think someone that spoiled and obnoxious would be an only child. It's weird to think that Mr. and Mrs. Swanson would spoil one child to that extreme of an extent, and then have Nelson, who seems to be a shy, humble character. Somebody didn't read Dr. Dobson's child-rearing books...

[Tea Ess]

Haha. That's my main reason for disliking Valarie. She simply doesn't make any sense, at all.

[Pound Foolish]

Valerie, whatever else she may be, is strong spirited. Whatever made her go bad, it would be hard for her parents to stop her.
Nate, do you mean that you don't like her (who does, really... it's not really expected of us.) Or that you think she's a poor villain?

[Novatom]

Esther and Ben from "Curious, Isn't It?" were the worst characters ever!

[NateVONgreat]

ummmm, Both.
As a bad character meaning, the worst portrayed character, Jimmy,
JK I don't have any specifics, but most would be from the older generation of AIO, or really newer ones. It's just that the focus on the family people are just so good at finding talent!

[Mickey]

Mine is probably Emily I don't HATE her but she was to silly around Buck and she always thinks she right. Valerie's not to cool either.

[HomeschoolCowgirl]

Oh. Phillip Glossman. He's so sneaky and slimey... *shudder*

[Wodfamchocsod]

Whatever. Emily stinks!

Emily does not stink.