Side characters
I just saw a TikTok from someone asking why the acotar fandom has such a problem with side characters changing roles and being important to the plot. In CC and ToG no one complains about it. Of course all of the comments are saying it’s because people self insert as feyre (although I’d argue one side of the fandom has made it clear they are the ones self inserting) and can’t handle her being unimportant, and people dislike Gwyn so they don’t want her to play a big role.
Now here’s what bothers me: In ToG no one would say Aelin is less important because side characters get an important plotline. Aelin is still the center of everything. Yrene saves them but I’ve never seen anyone call her the protagonist (even though she is in ToD). No one would say Bryce isn’t the protagonist of CC.
It’s only the Acotar fandom (a specific side) that wants to sideline feyre and Rhys (and basically the IC) in their own story. It’s not that people self insert as feyre and can’t handle her being unimportant. It’s that specific people want to say feyre is automatically unimportant just because other characters are getting a storyline. The sane side of the fandom is aware that sjm gives side characters important storylines. I know the Valkyries will be important, just like Nuala and cerridwen and Vaasa and jurian will be important. That doesn’t mean that suddenly feyre and Rhys aren’t important. Because just like aelin is the protagonist of ToG, Feyre is the protagonist of Acotar, and Bryce is the protagonist of CC.