u/Unusual_Ad9894

I have always had this thought about Marinette’s friendships.

What if Marinette had gotten a different best friend much earlier in the series?

For years, whenever I thought about this, the two characters that usually came to mind were Chloé and Kagami. Obviously, Chloé is a much more complicated choice because of her bullying and the way she treats people, so I never really thought she would be the best option unless the show had completely rewritten her character from the beginning.

But Kagami is different.

The more I look at Marinette and Kagami’s friendship, the more I think Kagami could have been a genuinely great best friend for Marinette if she had been introduced earlier and given more consistent development.

And after Season 6, especially everything surrounding “Secret Protocol” and “Nemesis,” I think this question becomes even more interesting.

Before anyone misunderstands what I am saying, I am NOT saying Alya is a bad person or that Marinette and Alya were never good friends. They absolutely were. Alya has helped Marinette countless times, protected her secrets, supported her as Ladybug, and became one of the most important people in her life.

What I am questioning is whether Alya was necessarily the best possible friendship for Marinette from a character development perspective.

Because Kagami brings something completely different to Marinette.

I actually think Kagami and Marinette have one of the most interesting friendships in the show

The funny thing is that Kagami and Marinette did not start out as friends at all.

Kagami was introduced as someone who was competing with Marinette for Adrien's attention. Marinette was jealous of her, and Kagami initially viewed Marinette as someone standing between herself and Adrien.

Then we got “Ikari Gozen.”

That episode is honestly one of the biggest reasons I started thinking about this.

Marinette and Kagami are randomly paired together during the Friendship Day treasure hunt. Marinette initially hates the idea because she is afraid that helping Kagami win will bring her closer to Adrien.

So Marinette starts sabotaging the competition.

But Kagami is actually trying to become Marinette's friend.

That is what makes the whole thing work.

Kagami does not approach Marinette because she wants something from her. She genuinely wants to understand her.

And when Marinette discovers how isolated Kagami actually is, her entire perspective changes.

Kagami barely has anyone in her life outside of her mother and the small number of connections she has made. She was literally trying to figure out how to make friends.

That makes Marinette realize that she completely misunderstood her.

By the end of the episode, their relationship has genuinely changed.

That is a very different foundation from the way their relationship started.

Imagine if THAT friendship had started much earlier

This is where I think the show could have done something really interesting.

Imagine Kagami being introduced around Season 1 or Season 2 instead of Season 3.

Not necessarily as Marinette's best friend immediately.

Let them slowly become friends.

At first, Marinette could still be awkward around her because Kagami is extremely direct and serious.

Kagami could find Marinette confusing because Marinette constantly overthinks things, changes plans at the last second and gets extremely nervous around Adrien.

But instead of making Kagami primarily a romantic rival, the show could gradually make her a person Marinette trusts.

Kagami would become the friend who tells Marinette the truth.

Not necessarily what Marinette wants to hear.

What she NEEDS to hear.

And that is something Marinette desperately needs sometimes.

Kagami would challenge Marinette in a completely different way

Alya and Marinette are similar in some important ways.

They are both social.

They are both energetic.

They both love investigating things.

They both get excited about mysteries.

They both understand each other's social world very well.

Kagami is almost the opposite.

She is straightforward.

She is disciplined.

She is observant.

She does not always understand Marinette's complicated thought process, but she also does not encourage Marinette to spiral.

If Marinette started making one of her giant plans involving Adrien, Kagami could simply look at her and say:

“You are overthinking this.”

And Marinette would probably realize that she is.

That could have been a really healthy friendship dynamic.

Marinette could teach Kagami how to relax, socialize and express herself.

Kagami could teach Marinette how to be more direct, confident and emotionally honest.

They would actually help each other grow.

And this is why I don't think Chloé would work as well

I used to consider Chloé too.

And honestly, I still think there is an interesting alternate universe where Chloé and Marinette become close friends.

But canonically, it would require much more rewriting.

Chloé spends a significant amount of time bullying Marinette and other students.

Even when Chloé shows that she can care about people, she still has a lot of emotional issues and has to work through her entitlement and behavior.

So if Chloé were going to become Marinette's best friend, the show would need to start developing that friendship much earlier.

Kagami doesn't require nearly as much rewriting.

The foundation is already there.

The show already established that Kagami genuinely wanted Marinette as a friend.

The biggest missed opportunity was how little time they got together

This is probably my biggest criticism.

Marinette and Kagami have some genuinely good friendship moments, but the show often moves Kagami back toward being primarily connected to Adrien's storyline.

That is frustrating because Kagami has so much potential outside of Adrien.

Her friendship with Marinette could have been its own storyline.

It did not need to constantly revolve around romance.

In fact, one of the strongest parts of their relationship is when they are simply being friends.

Kagami and Marinette getting food together.

Talking.

Helping each other.

Learning about each other's lives.

Kagami being introduced to Marinette's other friends.

Those moments make their relationship feel much more natural.

And then Season 6 makes the Alya question more complicated

This is where I think the current story becomes interesting.

“Secret Protocol” puts Marinette and Alya's friendship under serious pressure.

The episode itself centers on Marinette organizing a surprise for Sabine, but the situation ultimately contributes to a much bigger emotional conflict involving Marinette's secrets. The following episode, “Nemesis,” continues directly from that situation.

I actually think this is an important distinction.

Alya being upset with Marinette does not automatically make Alya a terrible friend.

From Alya's perspective, she has spent years being one of Marinette's closest friends while Marinette has had enormous secrets that she couldn't tell her.

From Marinette's perspective, keeping secrets has literally been part of protecting Paris and protecting the people she loves.

So both sides have understandable emotions.

That's what makes the conflict interesting.

But it also makes me think about something else.

What kind of friend does Marinette actually need when her life becomes this complicated?

And this is where I think Kagami could fit incredibly well

Kagami understands secrets and complicated family situations.

She understands what it feels like to have important parts of your life controlled by circumstances outside your control.

She also understands what it feels like to be isolated.

Most importantly, Kagami tends to be direct.

If Marinette was hiding something from her, I don't think Kagami would spend months trying to guess what Marinette was thinking.

She would probably ask her.

And if Marinette couldn't answer, Kagami would probably be hurt, but she would understand that there are things Marinette cannot explain.

That doesn't mean Kagami would automatically accept everything.

She could still call Marinette out.

But she might approach the situation differently.

I think Kagami would be the kind of best friend who keeps Marinette grounded

This is probably the biggest reason I like the idea.

Marinette can be extremely emotional.

She overthinks.

She sometimes makes complicated plans instead of simply communicating.

She can become so focused on solving a problem that she doesn't stop to think about how other people feel.

Alya sometimes gets pulled into that world with her.

Kagami could provide a different balance.

She could say:

“Marinette, stop. What do you actually want?”

And that could force Marinette to think instead of immediately reacting.

At the same time, Marinette would help Kagami with the opposite problem.

Kagami can be very rigid.

She was raised in an extremely controlled environment.

She has difficulty expressing herself and making normal friendships.

Marinette could help her become more comfortable being herself.

So their friendship would not be one sided.

They would genuinely improve each other.

And I don't think Kagami would have to replace Alya

This is another thing I want to make clear.

I don't think the best version of this story is “remove Alya and put Kagami in her place.”

I think that would actually waste the potential.

A much better version would be Marinette having BOTH friendships.

Alya could remain the friend who understands Marinette's social life and her superhero life.

Kagami could become the friend who understands Marinette emotionally and helps keep her grounded.

That would give Marinette different types of friendships instead of making one person responsible for everything.

Alya and Kagami could even become friends themselves.

Imagine those three together.

Alya is investigating something.

Marinette is panicking.

Kagami is standing there wondering why either of them is making the situation so complicated.

That could be hilarious.

Kagami also has something Marinette doesn't always have

Kagami is very honest.

Sometimes almost brutally honest.

But I actually think Marinette needs someone like that.

A best friend shouldn't always agree with you.

A best friend should sometimes tell you when you're wrong.

Kagami could have been the person who tells Marinette:

“You are hurting yourself by avoiding the conversation.”

Or:

“You are assuming what someone thinks instead of asking them.”

Or:

“You don't need to solve everything yourself.”

Those are lessons Marinette could benefit from learning.

The irony is that canon already proved this friendship works

This is why I don't think this idea is completely random fanfiction logic.

The writers already gave us the blueprint.

Kagami and Marinette became friends.

They understood each other better.

Marinette helped Kagami open herself up.

Kagami became someone Marinette could trust.

Their friendship continued developing beyond the initial rivalry.

So the question isn't really:

“Could Marinette and Kagami be friends?”

The show already answered that.

Yes.

The more interesting question is:

“What would have happened if the writers had invested in that friendship as much as they invested in Marinette and Alya?”

Because I genuinely think it could have become one of Marinette's strongest relationships.

My ideal version

If I were rewriting the early seasons, I wouldn't remove Alya.

I would introduce Kagami earlier.

Maybe around Season 2.

Let Marinette meet her before the Adrien rivalry becomes such a major part of their relationship.

Give Kagami her own life outside of Adrien.

Give Marinette and Kagami several episodes where they simply become friends.

Then by the time “Ikari Gozen” happens, the episode would be less about Marinette discovering that Kagami wants to be her friend and more about Marinette realizing that she has been taking their friendship for granted.

Then Alya, Kagami and Marinette could develop into a trio.

But each friendship would remain different.

Alya would be Marinette's longtime best friend and superhero confidante.

Kagami would be the honest, grounding friend.

Marinette would be the emotional bridge between them.

That would actually make Marinette's social circle feel more realistic.

So after everything we've seen, I still think Kagami could have been an amazing best friend for Marinette

Not because Alya is evil.

Not because Alya and Marinette were never good friends.

And definitely not because Kagami is somehow a “better person” than Alya.

It's because Kagami brings a completely different personality and perspective to Marinette.

And honestly, I think that difference is exactly what makes their friendship interesting.

Marinette doesn't need five friends who all respond to her the same way.

She needs friends who challenge different parts of her personality.

Alya can be the person who understands her.

Kagami can be the person who grounds her.

And Marinette can be the person who brings them both together.

After “Secret Protocol,” I find the idea even more interesting because the series is showing just how difficult Marinette's secrets can make her relationships.

Maybe the answer was never that Marinette needed to replace Alya.

Maybe she just needed more than one truly deep friendship.

And honestly, I think Kagami was one of the biggest missed opportunities for that.

I’ve been working on a Naruto AU that takes the whole “Naruto becomes an emperor after being betrayed” idea, but I wanted to actually give it a believable reason instead of just making Naruto royalty out of nowhere.

The basic idea is that Naruto is still Naruto. His childhood is mostly the same, he still grows up in Konoha, becomes a shinobi, forms Team 7, and eventually goes after Sasuke when Sasuke leaves the village.

The major difference is what happens after Naruto tries to retrieve Sasuke.

Naruto is betrayed by the people he thought were his friends and finally realizes that Konoha was never really the place he thought it was. Instead of simply coming back to the village and continuing to accept everything that happened to him, Naruto leaves.

And that's when the truth about his parents finally starts coming out.

Minato wasn't originally from the shinobi world.

In my AU, Minato Namikaze was actually born into an ancient royal family from another land.

His father was King Arashi Namikaze, the firstborn son and heir to an old royal dynasty. Arashi was known as a strict but respected ruler who believed that the royal family shouldn't involve itself in the wars between the shinobi nations.

Minato's mother was Queen Sayuri Namikaze, a woman from another powerful noble family who married into the Namikaze dynasty. She was intelligent, politically powerful, and much more interested in diplomacy than military expansion.

Minato was their first child, which meant he was the official heir to the throne.

But Minato never wanted that life.

He was fascinated by the outside world and eventually left his homeland. During one of his travels, he became involved in a conflict that brought him into contact with the shinobi world.

He basically disappeared from his family's world.

His parents spent years believing that their son was either dead or permanently lost.

Minato eventually became a shinobi, and the rest is history.

He met Kushina.

He became the Yellow Flash.

He fought during the Third Great Ninja War.

He became the Fourth Hokage.

He married Kushina.

And Naruto was born.

But there was something almost nobody in Konoha knew.

Naruto wasn't just the son of the Fourth Hokage.

He was the firstborn son of the former heir to a royal dynasty.

And Kushina wasn't exactly ordinary either.

In this AU, Kushina is the princess of the Uzumaki clan.

The Uzumaki aren't simply another clan. They're descendants of one of the oldest bloodlines in the world, with their own ancient royal lineage. Kushina comes from what is considered the purest surviving branch of that bloodline.

Her father could be King Jiro Uzumaki, the traditional ruler of Uzushiogakure and head of the Uzumaki royal family.

Her mother could be Queen Akemi Uzumaki, who came from another ancient noble family that specialized in sealing techniques and helped preserve the Uzumaki's traditions.

Kushina was therefore raised as both a princess and a future political figure.

However, the destruction of Uzushiogakure changed everything.

Kushina was sent to Konoha because of her status as the jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails, which eventually brought her together with Minato.

So when Minato and Kushina had Naruto, they accidentally created something that nobody really understood.

Naruto possessed blood from two ancient royal houses.

His father's side came from the Namikaze royal dynasty.

His mother's side came from the Uzumaki royal bloodline.

And because Minato had disappeared from his homeland before becoming a shinobi, the people searching for the missing heir never knew that he had actually survived, married, and had a son.

That means Naruto was essentially a missing prince who didn't even know he was a prince.

Konoha knew him as Naruto Uzumaki.

The Namikaze kingdom would know him as the lost heir.

And the remaining Uzumaki would recognize him as the continuation of their own royal bloodline.

That's where I want the Emperor Naruto storyline to become interesting.

After Naruto leaves Konoha following the Sasuke retrieval incident, he eventually encounters people connected to his father's homeland.

At first, they don't even believe he's Minato's son.

Then they discover the truth.

Naruto is alive.

Minato's heir is alive.

The missing prince has returned.

Except Naruto doesn't immediately want the throne.

He's spent his entire life being treated like a nobody, so suddenly being told that he's supposed to rule an entire kingdom would obviously mess with his head.

And I don't want Naruto to instantly become some emotionless emperor either.

I want him to struggle with it.

He has to learn politics.

He has to learn how to rule.

He has to deal with nobles who don't respect him.

He has to deal with people who think he's nothing more than a village orphan.

He has to decide whether he even wants revenge against Konoha or whether he wants to build something completely separate from it.

Eventually, though, Naruto accepts his position.

And that's when the title of Emperor becomes important.

He's not just becoming a king because of his father's bloodline.

He's creating something larger.

He brings together the surviving Uzumaki, his father's royal territory, shinobi from different lands, and people who were abandoned by the existing system.

His empire becomes a completely new power.

And ironically, the same Naruto who was once treated like a burden becomes one of the most politically powerful people in the world.

I also like the idea that Sasuke's betrayal is what finally pushes Naruto toward this path.

Because Naruto spent his entire childhood wanting acknowledgment from Konoha.

He wanted friends.

He wanted Sasuke to acknowledge him.

He wanted the village to acknowledge him.

He wanted to become Hokage because he believed that would finally make everyone respect him.

But after everything that happens, Naruto realizes something.

He doesn't need Konoha to tell him who he is.

He was already born into a legacy far greater than he ever knew.

The boy who wanted to become Hokage eventually becomes something much bigger.

He becomes the Emperor of his own empire.

That's basically the foundation of my AU.

I'm still working out the exact history of Minato's royal family, the Namikaze kingdom, the Uzumaki royal family, and how Naruto's discovery of his heritage would actually happen.

I'd also want the royal system to have actual politics, rival families, succession laws, nobles, military factions, and people who genuinely oppose Naruto becoming emperor.

I don't want it to just be “Naruto is secretly royalty and everybody bows to him.”

I want him to actually have to earn the crown.

Ever since watching Secret Protocol I have been thinking about how I would write the final battle and I honestly would not have Marinette win. I know that sounds strange at first but I think letting Lila win would actually create a much stronger story.

In my version Lila successfully defeats Ladybug and makes the Ultimate Wish. Instead of wishing for unlimited power or something simple she wishes to have Marinette's life because she believes Marinette has everything she has ever wanted. The universe resets and history rewrites itself. Lila becomes the girl everyone has always known as Marinette. She inherits Marinette's family her friends her memories as Ladybug and every responsibility that comes with protecting Paris.

Meanwhile Marinette loses everything.

She still looks like herself and keeps her own identity but she is forced into Lila's place. Overnight she goes from being the greatest hero in Paris to someone nobody trusts. Every friendship she built disappears. Every victory she earned is erased. Even Adrien no longer remembers the person she used to be.

At first Lila believes she has finally won. She gets the perfect family. She gets Adrien. She gets the Miraculous. She gets the respect she always wanted.

Then reality starts catching up with her.

She quickly realizes that being Ladybug is nothing like she imagined. Every akuma attack becomes her responsibility. Every mistake puts innocent lives at risk. Every decision carries impossible consequences. She begins losing sleep. She starts feeling the pressure that Marinette carried every single day without ever asking for recognition. For the first time in her life Lila understands that Marinette never had an easy life. She only made it look easy because she always chose to protect everyone else before herself.

Marinette's journey becomes the emotional heart of the story. Instead of giving up she slowly starts rebuilding her life from nothing. She has to earn people's trust all over again without anyone believing who she really is. She cannot rely on the Ladybug Miraculous anymore. She has to rely on her intelligence her determination and her heart. She proves that being a hero was never about magic. It was always about the person behind the mask.

I would also completely change Adrien's character. After the reset he becomes much colder and far more emotionally guarded. His personality would be inspired by the original Miraculous PV version of Felix. He no longer trusts people so easily because deep down he feels that something about the world is wrong even if he cannot explain it. His relationship with Marinette would slowly grow through trust instead of destiny which I think would be much more powerful.

The best part of this ending is that Lila's greatest victory slowly becomes her greatest punishment. She spent so long believing Marinette's life was perfect only to discover that every smile hid an incredible amount of pain responsibility and sacrifice. She would finally understand that wearing the Ladybug earrings is not a reward. It is a burden that requires courage every single day.

I think this kind of ending would make the final season unforgettable because the heroes do not always need to win immediately. Sometimes losing creates the strongest character development. Watching Marinette rise from absolute rock bottom while Lila slowly breaks under the weight of the life she stole would be one of the most emotional stories the series could ever tell.

That is the finale I would write because it challenges both the hero and the villain in ways that neither of them ever expected.

If we're talking about Ellie versus Clementine, the answer depends on what category we're judging.

When it comes to combat, Ellie has some advantages that people conveniently ignore. She's immune to the Cordyceps infection, so she doesn't have to fear being infected the same way everyone else does. On top of that, she received formal military training from the WLF and spent years learning from experienced fighters like Joel. Those advantages matter. They helped shape her into the fighter she became.

Clementine didn't have any of that.

She started as an ordinary little girl with no combat experience, no military background, no immunity, and no special abilities. Everything she learned came from surviving one impossible situation after another. Lee taught her the basics, but after that she had to keep adapting on her own. Every skill she has was earned through experience, mistakes, and survival.

Now let's talk about the zombies themselves.

People also forget that the walkers in The Walking Dead are a constant threat because every single person turns after death, whether they were bitten or not. That's a completely different kind of apocalypse. You never know who might turn next, and one mistake can destroy an entire community.

The infected in The Last of Us are terrifying too, but they're infected humans controlled by Cordyceps. They're not the same type of undead as The Walking Dead. Both universes are dangerous, just in different ways.

As for survival, I honestly lean toward Clementine.

She survived from childhood all the way into her teenage years without being immune, without a military organization backing her, and while constantly protecting AJ. She had to make impossible decisions, lose people she loved, and keep moving forward. That's survival at its finest.

For character development, I also give the edge to Clementine.

We literally watch her grow from a scared little girl into a capable leader. Every season builds on her growth. We see her learn, fail, mature, teach AJ, and eventually become the person Lee hoped she would be.

Ellie has fantastic character development too, but a lot of her story focuses on revenge, grief, and trauma. It's powerful, but Clementine's journey feels more complete because we experience almost her entire life growing up.

For storytelling, Clementine wins for me.

Lee's sacrifice.

Clementine growing into a survivor.

Clementine raising AJ.

AJ becoming the person Clementine raised him to be.

That entire cycle is one of the greatest character arcs in gaming.

If we're ranking categories honestly, this is where I stand.

Combat goes to Ellie.

Raw fighting skill goes to Ellie.

Stealth is very close, but I'd slightly give it to Ellie.

Survival goes to Clementine.

Leadership goes to Clementine.

Adaptability goes to Clementine.

Mental strength goes to Clementine.

Character development goes to Clementine.

Storyline goes to Clementine.

Emotional impact goes to Clementine.

Legacy goes to Clementine.

Both are incredible protagonists, but I think people overlook how much of Ellie's strength comes from advantages she was given, like immunity and advanced combat training. Clementine had none of those advantages. She survived through intelligence, determination, and experience alone.

That's why, overall, Clementine is still my favorite protagonist.

​

I'm still annoyed that the show confirmed Lila and Kagami are sisters. It honestly feels like such a random twist compared to what they could've done.

I genuinely think making Lila and Marinette half-sisters—or even full sisters who were separated when they were young—would've created one of the biggest plot twists in the entire series.

Think about it.

Lila and Marinette are weirdly similar in a lot of ways. They're both incredibly intelligent, both know how to manipulate situations to their advantage, both are excellent at acting, and both are capable of maintaining double lives. The biggest difference is how they choose to use those talents. Marinette uses them to help people, while Lila uses them to manipulate people.

Imagine if all those similarities weren't a coincidence.

What if Lila was Sabine's daughter from a previous relationship? Or Tom had another child he never knew about? Or both girls were separated because of something connected to the Miraculous? Suddenly their rivalry becomes much more personal than "the girl who lies a lot."

Imagine Marinette discovering that the person who has been making her life miserable is actually her own sister.

Imagine Lila finding out the one person she hates the most is family.

That would've created so much emotional conflict. They couldn't just beat the villain and move on—they'd have to deal with betrayal, jealousy, identity, forgiveness, and whether family is defined by blood or by the people who raise you.

It also would've explained why they're so evenly matched. Lila constantly manages to fool almost everyone, while Marinette is one of the few people who sees through her. Their rivalry would've felt like two sides of the same coin rather than just "hero vs. liar."

I know not everyone would like the idea, but to me it feels like it would've been a much stronger twist than revealing Lila and Kagami are sisters. The Marinette-Lila rivalry already had years of development behind it. Turning that rivalry into a family conflict would've raised the stakes in a way that felt emotional and personal.

Does anyone else think this would've been a better direction, or am I completely alone on this?

I've had this theory for a long time, and I honestly can't stop thinking about it.

Bloom has always been my favorite character in Winx Club, and I feel like the series never fully explored just how powerful she could actually become.

Throughout the show, we're constantly told that the Dragon Flame is the source of all magic. The Great Dragon used it to create the entire Magical Dimension before passing its power on. That's an absolutely massive piece of lore.

But here's where my theory begins.

I don't think Bloom has ever fully awakened the Dragon Flame.

Yes, she becomes incredibly powerful throughout the series. She unlocks different transformations, defeats villains, and learns to control her magic better. But almost everything we see is Bloom learning how to fight with the Dragon Flame—not truly understanding everything it can do.

I always wished the writers had dedicated an entire season to Bloom training alone. Not just learning stronger attacks, but discovering the true nature of the Dragon Flame itself. Imagine her traveling to ancient places connected to the Great Dragon, uncovering forgotten history, and learning abilities that no one else even knew existed.

Here's the part that really makes me wonder...

If the Great Dragon used the Dragon Flame to create the Magical Dimension itself...

...then shouldn't the Dragon Flame be capable of creating more than just fire?

What if its true power isn't destruction at all?

What if its greatest power is creation?

Think about it.

If the Dragon Flame created planets, worlds, magical creatures, and all magic, then Bloom may have inherited only a fraction of what it's actually capable of. Maybe she's only using the "combat" side of the Dragon Flame because that's all she's ever needed during the series.

But what if, after fully mastering it, she could eventually:

- Create entirely new magical life.

- Restore destroyed worlds.

- Heal places where magic has completely disappeared.

- Create forests, oceans, or even entire ecosystems.

- Bring magic back to dying kingdoms.

- Forge magical artifacts from pure Dragon Flame energy.

- Possibly even create completely new realms within the Magical Dimension.

I'm not saying she'd become omnipotent or able to do anything she wants. I imagine these abilities would require an unbelievable amount of energy, concentration, and emotional balance. They would probably only be possible after years of training and complete mastery of the Dragon Flame.

To me, that's what makes the theory interesting.

The Dragon Flame has always been described as the origin of creation, yet Bloom mostly uses it as an incredibly powerful weapon. That always felt like only one piece of what the Dragon Flame truly is.

I honestly think the writers missed an opportunity. Instead of introducing more and more transformations, I would've loved an entire season focused solely on Bloom exploring the Dragon Flame's origins, its hidden abilities, and discovering that creation—not destruction—is its greatest power.

What do you all think?

Do you think Bloom ever reached the Dragon Flame's full potential, or do you think she only mastered a small fraction of what the Great Dragon originally possessed? And do you think the Dragon Flame could eventually evolve beyond fire into the power to create life itself, or is that taking the lore too far?

A genuine question about Harry Potter fanfiction and the mpreg trope

I want to start by saying I understand that fanfiction is fiction and people are allowed to write whatever kind of stories they enjoy. I’m not saying people can’t have their own ships or creative ideas.

But something I’ve always been curious about is why certain fandom spaces, especially with Harry Potter ships like Harry x Draco or Harry x Tom Riddle/Voldemort, often use the same dynamic where Harry is always the “bottom” and then the story adds pregnancy.

What is the appeal behind this specific trope?

I know a lot of it comes from omegaverse and fantasy worlds where writers create different rules, but I’m curious why this became such a common thing. Why is changing a male character’s biology into being able to get pregnant such a popular way to explore these relationships?

Because if the goal is just to write a couple having a family or experiencing pregnancy, why not create an alternate universe where one character is female instead? What is it about keeping both characters male while adding pregnancy that makes the story more interesting to some people?

Again, I’m not saying people can’t enjoy fictional concepts. Fiction has always changed rules, created fantasy worlds, and explored things that don’t happen in reality. I’m just questioning why this specific trope became so common and what people enjoy about it.

I’d actually like to hear from people who enjoy these types of stories because I’m curious about the reasoning behind it.

​

The link: https://www.reddit.com/r/MiraculousFanfiction/s/VGOD2hRXpU

Theory: Another reason Marinette didn’t reveal Gabriel was Monarch — she was protecting Adrien from becoming hated too

I know a lot of people have talked about why Marinette didn’t tell Adrien the truth about Gabriel being Monarch, and my other theory was that Gabriel’s wish might have had some kind of consequence that affected Marinette.

But I also think there is another realistic reason:

What if Marinette was afraid that telling the entire world the truth wouldn’t just destroy Gabriel’s reputation… but would also destroy Adrien’s life?

Think about it.

The moment everyone finds out that Gabriel Agreste was Hawk Moth/Monarch, people are not only going to look at Gabriel differently. They’re going to look at the Agreste family differently.

And unfortunately, Adrien’s biggest problem is that people might not separate him from his father.

Even though Adrien had nothing to do with Gabriel’s actions, there would probably be people asking:

“Did Adrien know?”

“How much was he hiding?”

“How could he not notice what his own father was doing?”

“Was he involved?”

And that’s the part Marinette would hate the most.

She knows Adrien.

She knows he spent his entire life trying to be loved by his father. She knows he was controlled, isolated, and kept away from the truth.

So imagine Marinette revealing everything and then watching the entire world turn against Adrien because of something he never chose.

That would destroy him.

I think Marinette’s mindset was probably:

“Gabriel is gone. The person who needs protecting now is Adrien.”

And yes, some people might argue that the truth should always come out, and I understand that. Gabriel hurt a lot of people and people deserve answers.

But Marinette is not thinking like a politician or a judge in that moment.

She’s thinking like someone who loves Adrien and knows exactly how fragile he is emotionally.

She’s thinking about the person who would suffer the most from the truth.

And that’s why I think her decision is complicated.

It’s not because she thinks Gabriel was a hero.

It’s not because she agrees with what he did.

It’s because she believes exposing the truth could create another victim: Adrien.

And adding my previous theory about Gabriel’s wish possibly affecting Marinette, it makes the situation even more interesting.

Maybe Marinette wasn’t just carrying Gabriel’s final request.

Maybe she was carrying the fear that telling the truth would ruin the one person she was trying hardest to protect.

That’s why this whole situation feels so complicated. It’s not simply “Marinette defended a villain.”

It’s a girl trying to choose between justice and protecting someone she cares about.

I keep seeing people saying Lolirock would destroy Winx Club in a fight and honestly after watching both shows I think the answer is way more complicated than people make it seem.

​

A lot of people compare them like one team is automatically stronger but both shows handle magic completely differently.

​

Starting with Bloom vs Iris because that is usually the main debate.

​

Bloom has the Dragon Flame which is one of the most powerful sources of magic in the Winx universe. It is connected to the Great Dragon and gives her abilities like powerful fire attacks, energy blasts, shields, healing, breaking spells and sensing magical energy. But I also think people overestimate her sometimes. Bloom is extremely powerful but she is still a fairy using that power not the actual source itself.

​

Iris from Lolirock is also not someone to underestimate. She is the princess of Ephedia and has crystal magic, strong offensive abilities, good combat skills and powerful transformations like Shanila. She is more of a warrior type fighter and she is used to fighting directly.

​

The difference to me is that Bloom has the bigger source of power while Iris has a more straightforward fighting style.

​

If they fought at their strongest I would personally give Bloom the win but it would not be a complete stomp.

​

Then looking at both teams.

​

The Winx have:

​

Bloom with the Dragon Flame

​

Stella with sun and moon magic

​

Flora with plant magic and healing

​

Musa with sound powers

​

Tecna with technology and energy magic

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Aisha with water and fluid powers

​

They also have multiple transformations like Enchantix, Believix, Harmonix and Sirenix which give them different abilities.

​

Lolirock has:

​

Iris with crystal magic and royal powers

​

Talia with strong magic and strategy

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Auriana with her ribbon weapon and defensive abilities

​

The thing is Lolirock is actually very strong because they fight more like a magical battle team. They are quick, coordinated and their powers are shown more directly in combat.

​

But the Winx have fought much bigger threats over the years and have more experience against villains that threaten entire magical worlds.

​

My opinion:

​

Bloom vs Iris

​

Bloom wins around 7/10

​

Winx vs Lolirock

​

Winx wins around 8/10

​

However if we are talking about early Winx before they reached their strongest transformations then Lolirock has a much better chance.

​

I think the reason this debate exists is because both teams are powerful in different ways. Lolirock has amazing teamwork and combat ability while Winx has the bigger magical scaling and experience.

​

What do you guys think? Does Lolirock actually beat Winx or do people underestimate how powerful the Winx really are?

I have been seeing a lot of discussions about Bloom from Winx Club lately, and something that honestly surprises me is how some people who claim to dislike her seem to spend so much time talking about her.

​

I want to specifically talk about the TikTok account Mother Flora. First, I want to say there is nothing wrong with the person behind the account, and I do not know anything about their personal life or who they are outside of the account. This is not about attacking a real person.

​

What I find interesting is how much attention this account seems to give Bloom. The amount of posts, discussions, and energy focused on one character almost feels like Bloom is living rent free in their head. At some point it starts to feel less like simple criticism and more like being extremely invested in a character they claim to dislike.

​

It is completely fine to dislike a fictional character. Everyone has different opinions, and Bloom has always been a character that gets a lot of debate in the Winx fandom. Some people love her, some people think other fairies deserve more attention, and that is normal.

​

But there is a difference between having criticism and constantly dedicating a huge amount of time to a character. Sometimes the biggest haters of a character are also the people who keep that character the most relevant because they never stop talking about them.

​

I am curious what other Winx fans think about this. Do you think Bloom gets more hate than other characters because she is the main character, or do you think some people have taken their dislike of her way too far?

Hey everyone, I’m looking for some advice because I’ve been wanting to learn how to draw for a long time but I honestly don’t know where to start.

​

My biggest problem is that I’m really only good at tracing. I can look at a picture and copy the lines pretty well, but when it comes to creating something myself from imagination or even just drawing without a reference I struggle a lot.

​

I know tracing isn’t the same as actually learning how to draw, and I really want to improve instead of just copying other people’s work. I want to actually understand things like anatomy, poses, faces, expressions, backgrounds, and how artists make their own characters.

​

I even bought a drawing tablet because I wanted to start practicing digitally, but I had a lot of problems setting it up and getting it to work properly. It was acting weird and I couldn’t really figure out how to fix it, so I ended up having to ship it back.

​

Now I’m trying to figure out what my first steps should be.

​

For people who learned how to draw from basically zero, what should I focus on first?

​

Should I start with anatomy? Shapes? Perspective? Gesture drawing? Studying other artists? Or something else?

​

Also if anyone has advice for someone who is basically starting from the beginning I would really appreciate it. I know becoming good takes time but I genuinely want to learn and improve.

​

Thanks to anyone who responds.

A lot of you seemed to enjoy the discussion on my last Bloom post so I figured I'd make another one https://www.reddit.com/r/winxclub/s/a8kP8oHTQg

​

This is something I've been thinking about for a while and I honestly want to know if I'm the only one who feels this way.

​

Why does the fandom love shipping Bloom and Valtor so much?

​

Before anyone gets mad this is not me attacking the ship or the people who enjoy it.

​

I'm genuinely curious.

​

Because every time I see people explain why they love Bloom and Valtor together it usually comes down to one thing.

​

Chemistry.

​

And I understand that.

​

Valtor is charismatic.

​

He's intelligent.

​

He's manipulative.

​

He's powerful.

​

He understands Bloom in ways that most villains do not.

​

He has a direct connection to the Dragon Flame.

​

I understand why people find their dynamic interesting.

​

But I've always felt like that same connection is exactly why I never saw them as a romantic pairing.

​

If anything I always thought they would have worked better as family.

​

The more I think about it the more it feels like a missed opportunity.

​

Valtor was created by the Ancestral Witches using a fragment of the Dragon Flame.

​

Bloom carries the Dragon Flame.

​

Both of them are tied to the same source of power.

​

Both of them spend a huge part of their stories trying to understand who they are.

​

Both of them are connected to Domino.

​

If I was rewriting the story I honestly think I would have made Valtor Bloom's older brother.

​

Not her twin.

​

Not a love interest.

​

Her brother.

​

Imagine finding out that before Domino fell the Ancestral Witches stole part of the Dragon Flame and used it to create their own child.

​

A dark reflection of Bloom.

​

A sibling who was born from the same power but raised completely differently.

​

Suddenly every interaction between them becomes even more personal.

​

Instead of a villain trying to corrupt the heroine it becomes a brother and sister who represent two completely different paths.

​

One became the Guardian of the Dragon Flame.

​

The other became its greatest corruption.

​

To me that sounds way more interesting than a romance.

​

And if I'm being completely honest I think the age difference plays a role too.

​

Valtor is not some teenage boy.

​

He's ancient.

​

He existed long before Bloom was born.

​

He's closer in age to people like the Company of Light than he is to Bloom.

​

I know fantasy stories play fast and loose with age sometimes but it's always been one of the reasons I could never fully get into the ship.

​

Then there's Sky.

​

And this is where I know some people are going to disagree with me.

​

Do I think Sky should have told Bloom about the arranged marriage situation?

​

Yes.

​

Absolutely.

​

I think he should have.

​

But I also think the fandom acts like Sky committed the greatest crime in the history of Magix.

​

People talk about him like he spent years intentionally manipulating Bloom.

​

The reality is that he was a teenager dealing with royal responsibilities he never asked for.

​

That doesn't excuse him keeping the secret.

​

But it does add context.

​

Sometimes when I read discussions it feels like people bend over backwards to justify Valtor while treating Sky like he's the worst person in the entire franchise.

​

And I've never really understood that.

​

One is a centuries old villain responsible for massive destruction.

​

The other is a teenager who handled a relationship problem badly.

​

I think it's perfectly fair to criticize Sky.

​

I've criticized Sky before.

​

But I also think some parts of the fandom have turned him into a bigger villain than he ever was.

​

At the end of the day I think Valtor is one of the most interesting characters in Winx.

​

I just think his connection to Bloom would have been even stronger if they had been written as siblings rather than a potential romantic pairing.

​

What do you all think?

​

Would Valtor have worked better as Bloom's brother?

​

Or do you prefer the dynamic they already have?

Since a lot of you seemed to enjoy the discussion on my last Bloom post I figured I'd make another one. https://www.reddit.com/r/winxclub/s/LS37plZntM

​

​

​

The more time I spend in the Winx fandom the more I feel like people are arguing about two completely different things and treating them like they are the same thing.

​

One argument is that Bloom gets too much focus.

​

The other argument is that Bloom is a bad character.

​

And honestly I do not think those are the same thing at all.

​

If somebody says Bloom gets too much screen time I can understand that argument.

​

She is the main character.

​

She gets the Dragon Flame.

​

She gets the biggest storylines.

​

She gets the most attention from the writers.

​

I understand why some people get frustrated when their favorite Winx does not get the same amount of development.

​

That is a completely fair criticism.

​

What I do not understand is how that somehow turns into Bloom being a terrible character.

​

Because when I look at Bloom as a character I see somebody who is actually full of flaws.

​

She is impulsive.

​

She is stubborn.

​

She can be reckless.

​

She can be emotional.

​

She can be impatient.

​

Sometimes she lets her feelings control her decisions.

​

Sometimes she messes up badly.

​

That does not sound like a perfect character to me.

​

It sounds like a teenager.

​

And that is where I get confused.

​

A lot of the criticism I see is not actually about Bloom's personality.

​

It is about how much focus the writers gave her.

​

Those are two different things.

​

Bloom did not choose to be the Keeper of the Dragon Flame.

​

Bloom did not choose to be the main protagonist.

​

Bloom did not decide which character got the most screen time.

​

The writers did.

​

So here is my question.

​

If Flora got all of Bloom's storylines would people eventually get tired of Flora too

​

If Musa got all of Bloom's storylines would people eventually get tired of Musa too

​

If Stella got all of Bloom's storylines would people eventually get tired of Stella too

​

Because I genuinely think part of the problem is not Bloom herself.

​

I think part of the problem is that people have been seeing Bloom at the center of almost everything for years.

​

After a while that naturally creates frustration.

​

But frustration with how a character is used is not the same thing as the character being badly written.

​

I am not saying everybody has to love Bloom.

​

I am not saying she is perfect.

​

I am not saying she should never be criticized.

​

I just think there is a difference between saying

​

"I am tired of Bloom always being the focus"

​

and

​

"Bloom is a bad character"

​

Because those are two completely different conversations.

​

What do you think

As someone whose favorite Winx character has always been Bloom, there's something I've never really understood.

​

Why do so many people call her a "pick me"?

​

I'm genuinely asking because every time I see someone use that term for Bloom, I feel like we're watching two completely different shows.

​

First, let's define what a pick me actually is.

​

A pick me is usually someone who puts down other girls in order to gain male attention, validation, or approval.

​

The key part is putting other girls down.

​

That's what makes a pick me a pick me.

​

Now let's look at Bloom.

​

Does Bloom spend the series insulting the other Winx girls to make herself look better?

​

No.

​

Does she constantly talk about how she's "different" from other girls and therefore deserves more attention from boys?

​

No.

​

Does she sabotage her friends to get Sky's attention?

​

No.

​

Does she build her self-worth around male validation?

​

No.

​

So where exactly is the pick me behavior?

​

Because from what I remember, Bloom's biggest flaws are things like being impulsive, stubborn, emotional, reckless, and sometimes making decisions without thinking everything through.

​

Those are flaws.

​

But they're not pick me traits.

​

I think what actually happened is that people started disliking Bloom for completely different reasons and then attached a label that doesn't really fit.

​

Let's be honest.

​

A huge reason Bloom gets criticized is because she's the main character.

​

She's the face of the franchise.

​

She gets the Dragon Flame.

​

She gets major storylines.

​

She gets more focus than most of the other girls.

​

And whenever a main character gets a lot of attention, some fans start feeling like their favorite character is being pushed aside.

​

That's a completely understandable criticism.

​

But that's not the same thing as being a pick me.

​

Another thing that gets overlooked is that Bloom spends a huge portion of the series helping her friends.

​

She supports Stella.

​

She supports Flora.

​

She supports Musa.

​

She supports Tecna.

​

She supports Aisha.

​

The Winx argue sometimes, sure, but that's normal.

​

Show me a friend group that never argues.

​

What I don't remember seeing is Bloom constantly tearing down other girls so she can get attention from Sky.

​

And that's because she doesn't.

​

You can absolutely criticize Bloom.

​

Nobody is saying she's perfect.

​

She's made mistakes.

​

She's had moments where she frustrated me.

​

She's had moments where she acted emotionally.

​

She's had moments where she was stubborn.

​

But words have meanings.

​

Not every female protagonist people dislike is automatically a pick me.

​

Sometimes she's just a protagonist with flaws.

​

And honestly, I think some of the Bloom hate comes from people being tired of seeing her get so much focus rather than anything she actually did as a character.

​

If your issue is that the writers focused on Bloom too much, that's a valid criticism of the writing.

​

But that's not Bloom's fault.

​

That's the writers' decision.

​

So maybe the conversation shouldn't be "Bloom is a pick me."

​

Maybe the conversation should be "Did the writers rely on Bloom too much at the expense of the other Winx?"

​

Because those are two very different discussions.

​

What do you all think?

I've been in the Miraculous fandom for a long time, and there's something I've noticed that I've never really seen people talk about.

​

Why are there so many reincarnation and self-insert stories involving Lila and Chloe, but barely any involving Marinette, Adrien, or Alya?

​

Seriously.

​

Maybe it's just me, but every time I go looking for reincarnation fics, I keep running into the same pattern.

​

Someone gets reincarnated as Lila.

​

Someone gets reincarnated as Chloe.

​

Sometimes they get reincarnated as an OC.

​

Sometimes they become a completely new character.

​

But it's surprisingly rare to find somebody getting reincarnated as Marinette herself.

​

It's even rarer with Alya.

​

And that's interesting to me because Marinette is literally the main character.

​

You'd think there would be hundreds of stories where someone wakes up as Marinette and has to deal with all the pressure, responsibilities, secrets, and chaos that come with being her.

​

Instead, a lot of authors seem to prefer putting themselves into characters they think they can "fix."

​

Which brings me to another thing I've noticed.

​

A lot of reincarnation stories don't really explore the consequences of suddenly waking up in somebody else's body.

​

The character usually adjusts in about five minutes.

​

Nobody notices anything strange.

​

There aren't many identity crises.

​

There aren't many moral dilemmas.

​

And somehow they immediately know exactly how to solve every problem in the story.

​

I've always found that a little strange.

​

If I woke up inside the Miraculous universe tomorrow, I'd probably be confused, terrified, and making mistakes every five minutes.

​

I wouldn't instantly become the smartest person in Paris.

​

Another thing that always makes me laugh is how often these stories end with Adrien falling in love with the reincarnated character.

​

No matter who they are.

​

No matter where they came from.

​

No matter how different they act from the original character.

​

Somehow Adrien ends up liking them anyway.

​

And I've always wondered why.

​

Is it because Adrien is the male lead?

​

Is it because people want to experience the story through a romance route?

​

Is it wish fulfillment?

​

Or is there another reason I'm missing?

​

I'm genuinely curious because I've seen this happen more times than I can count.

​

The funny thing is that some of the most interesting stories I've read weren't the ones where the reincarnated character immediately fixed everything.

​

They were the ones where they made mistakes.

​

They got overwhelmed.

​

They struggled to fit into the world.

​

They actually felt like a real person trying to survive inside a fictional universe.

​

Anyway, maybe I'm completely off base here.

​

I'm curious what everyone else thinks.

​

Why do you think reincarnation stories in the Miraculous fandom tend to focus so heavily on characters like Chloe and Lila?

​

Why do you think Marinette and Alya get used so much less often?

​

And why do so many of these stories eventually end up pairing the reincarnated character with Adrien?

​

Drop your thoughts below.

​

I probably won't be able to reply to every comment, but I'll definitely be reading them. If you've got a different perspective, I'd love to hear it.

This is something I've noticed after reading a lot of Miraculous fanfiction over the years.

​

I'm not talking about every reincarnation fic, self-insert fic, or reader fic. There are definitely some good ones out there.

​

But has anyone else noticed a pattern?

​

A lot of these stories start with a person from our world getting dropped into the Miraculous universe. Sometimes they're reincarnated. Sometimes they're a reader insert. Sometimes they're an OC with knowledge of the show.

​

And almost immediately, Marinette becomes Public Enemy Number One.

​

The story usually goes something like this:

​

The reincarnated character knows the future.

​

They know Marinette likes Adrien.

​

They know about the stalking jokes.

​

They know about all the fandom criticisms.

​

And instead of looking at the situation as a whole, they immediately decide Marinette is a terrible person.

​

Then the story turns into betrayal, banishment, humiliation, and call-out speeches.

​

What I've always found interesting is that if someone actually came from our world and had all this knowledge, wouldn't they notice that Marinette is clearly a teenager struggling with a lot of issues?

​

You don't have to agree with her actions to recognize that.

​

A real person would probably ask questions.

​

Why is she acting like this?

​

Why is nobody helping her?

​

Why does nobody seem concerned about how much pressure she's under?

​

Why is a teenager carrying responsibilities that would overwhelm most adults?

​

Instead, a lot of these stories skip straight to punishment.

​

No conversations.

​

No growth.

​

No therapy.

​

No self-reflection.

​

Just immediate condemnation.

​

And then something else usually happens.

​

The reincarnated character or OC suddenly becomes Adrien's new love interest.

​

Or Adrien falls in love with them almost immediately.

​

Or the story bends itself into proving that this new character is everything Marinette isn't.

​

I've always found that part fascinating because it says a lot about fandom culture.

​

It feels less like people are trying to understand the characters and more like they're trying to rewrite the story so they can take Marinette's place.

​

Again, there's nothing wrong with self-insert stories. They're supposed to be fun.

​

I just find it interesting how often the same pattern shows up.

​

Instead of helping Marinette become a better version of herself, the story removes her from the equation and replaces her.

​

Has anyone else noticed this trend, or am I completely off base here?

Before anyone says I'm defending Marinette, that's not really the point of this post.

​

This is more about Adrien.

​

I've noticed a lot of discussions lately about what will happen when Adrien eventually learns the full truth about Gabriel. A lot of people say he's going to hate Marinette forever, never trust her again, break up with her permanently, and completely cut her out of his life.

​

And honestly?

​

I don't see it.

​

Do I think Adrien would be angry?

​

Absolutely.

​

Do I think he'd feel betrayed?

​

Without question.

​

Do I think he'd cry, lash out, and need space?

​

Probably.

​

But do I think Adrien Agreste of all people is going to spend the rest of his life hating Marinette?

​

No.

​

Not even close.

​

This is the same guy who spent years trying to see the good in people.

​

The same guy who forgave people over and over again.

​

The same guy who desperately wanted a loving family despite everything he went through.

​

The same guy who constantly gave people second chances.

​

One of Adrien's biggest strengths and biggest flaws is that he has an enormous amount of empathy.

​

That's why I don't understand some of the fan theories where people act like he'll become this permanently bitter person who never speaks to Marinette again.

​

That doesn't feel like Adrien to me.

​

What feels more realistic is that he'd be devastated at first.

​

He'd question everything.

​

He'd be angry.

​

He'd probably feel like everyone lied to him.

​

But eventually?

​

He's going to want answers.

​

And once he learns why Marinette kept the secret, I don't think he's going to view it as some evil scheme to control him.

​

He's probably going to realize she was an overwhelmed teenager carrying a burden that no teenager should have been carrying in the first place.

​

Was she right to keep the secret?

​

That's a completely different discussion.

​

But understanding why someone made a mistake isn't the same thing as agreeing with it.

​

And that's where I think Adrien's personality comes into play.

​

People sometimes forget that forgiveness has always been one of Adrien's defining traits.

​

Now let's be honest about something else.

​

Even if Adrien and Marinette broke up for a while, does anyone seriously think the writers are going to keep them apart forever?

​

This is Miraculous.

​

Adrien and Marinette are the central romance of the entire series.

​

They're the relationship the story has been building toward since the beginning.

​

If they separate for a few episodes, a season, or even longer, I'd still fully expect the writers to bring them back together eventually.

​

That's just how these kinds of stories usually work.

​

Whether people like that or not is another conversation entirely.

​

Personally, I think the more interesting question isn't whether Adrien would forgive Marinette.

​

I think the real question is how long it would take him to forgive her and what that emotional journey would actually look like.

​

Because knowing Adrien, I don't think forgiveness is the hard part.

​

Trust is.

​

And rebuilding trust is a lot more complicated than simply saying "I forgive you."

​

What do you guys think?

​

Would Adrien eventually forgive Marinette, or do you think the damage would be too great this time?

Before anybody comes after me, no, this is not an Adrien hate post.

​

I actually like Adrien and Marinette together. They're one of the most iconic ships in the series and I understand why so many people love them. This is just something I've been thinking about for a while.

​

The more I look back at the history of Miraculous, the more I wonder what would have happened if the original concept had been developed further.

​

For those who don't know, Felix was originally a much bigger part of the early concepts. He was colder, harsher, more distant, and honestly a lot more difficult to deal with than the Adrien we ended up getting. Adrien feels like a softer and more approachable version of that original idea.

​

And maybe that's exactly why I think Felix and Marinette had so much potential.

​

One thing I've always liked about Marinette is that she's someone who genuinely wants to see the good in people. She can be stubborn, emotional, and sometimes way too forgiving, but she tries to understand people. Putting that personality against someone like Felix creates a completely different dynamic than what we get with Adrien.

​

With Adrien, the relationship is sweet.

​

With Felix, the relationship would have had tension.

​

Marinette would actually have to challenge him.

​

Felix would have to learn how to trust someone.

​

Both of them would have to grow as people.

​

That's the kind of dynamic I personally find interesting.

​

I also think a lot of people forget that chemistry isn't always about two people being nice to each other. Sometimes the most interesting relationships are between two people who constantly challenge each other's worldviews.

​

Another thing I've thought about is Chloe.

​

I know this is controversial, but I honestly think Chloe could have worked as Marinette's friend under the right circumstances.

​

Not instantly.

​

Not after one apology.

​

Not after years of bullying magically disappearing overnight.

​

But if the writers had committed to a genuine redemption arc, I could absolutely see Chloe becoming part of a trio alongside Marinette and Alya.

​

The idea itself isn't bad.

​

The execution would have to be believable.

​

As for Felix and Kagami, I know a lot of people love them, and I can definitely see why.

​

On paper they make sense.

​

They're both intelligent.

​

They're both reserved.

​

They're both direct.

​

They're both people who struggle with emotional vulnerability.

​

But at the same time, I don't know if I personally feel the chemistry.

​

Sometimes a relationship can make sense logically while still not creating that spark that makes you completely invested in it.

​

Maybe that's just me.

​

I think what makes Felix so interesting is that he's one of the few characters who can completely change the energy of a scene just by showing up. Whether you love him or hate him, he keeps things unpredictable.

​

That's part of why I think pairing him with Marinette could have created some really interesting character growth for both of them.

​

Again, this isn't me saying Adrien and Marinette are bad together. I still enjoy the ship and understand why it's the endgame relationship.

​

I just can't help wondering what the series would have looked like if the writers had explored Felix and Marinette more seriously instead.

​

Am I the only one who feels this way?

​

What do you think?

​

Let me know in the comments. I'd love to hear different opinions, whether you agree or disagree. Give me your best arguments because I'm genuinely curious how other people see it.

I've been reading Miraculous fanfiction for years and there's something I've noticed that genuinely confuses me.

​

A lot of salt fics are built around the idea that everyone treated Marinette horribly. Her class betrays her, Adrien betrays her, Paris turns against her, and suddenly she realizes who her "real" friends are. Fair enough. It's fanfiction. People can write whatever they want.

​

What I don't understand is why these stories almost always follow the exact same formula.

​

The first thing that happens is Chloe gets redeemed. Not gradually. Not after years of growth. Not after actually earning forgiveness. She says sorry once, explains that she was jealous because Marinette had loving parents, and suddenly Marinette welcomes her with open arms.

​

Am I the only one who finds this strange?

​

For years Chloe bullied Marinette. She humiliated people, insulted people, and made life miserable for a lot of characters. Yet in so many stories Marinette forgives her faster than she forgives people who have done far less.

​

Then we get to the second part.

​

Damian Wayne.

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Again, I have nothing against the ship. Some of the stories are genuinely well written. But why is it everywhere?

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There are thousands of fictional male characters across countless franchises. If the goal is to give Marinette a new love interest after a betrayal story, why does it almost always have to be Damian?

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Why not Peter Parker?

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Why not Naruto?

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Why not Percy Jackson?

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Why not Harry Potter?

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Why not Ichigo Kurosaki?

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Why not Inuyasha?

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Why not Aang?

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Why not Zuko?

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Why not Edward Elric?

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Why not Nightwing?

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Why not Jason Todd?

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Why not Tim Drake?

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Why not Wally West?

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Why not Ben Tennyson?

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Why not Danny Phantom?

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Why not Robin from Teen Titans?

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Why not Rex Salazar?

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Why not Jake Long?

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Why not Beast Boy?

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Why not Static Shock?

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Why not Lloyd Garmadon?

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Why not a completely original crossover pairing that nobody has tried before?

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What confuses me is that fandoms always talk about creativity, but when I read salt fics, I keep seeing the same redemption arcs and the same ships repeated over and over.

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Maybe I'm missing something.

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So I'm genuinely curious.

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Why do so many salt fics instantly make Chloe Marinette's best friend and Damian Wayne her new love interest?

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What is it about those two specific choices that keeps bringing writers back to them when there are so many other possibilities?

I've been thinking about this for a while, and I'm genuinely curious what other people think.

One thing I've noticed in the Miraculous fandom is that a lot of criticism directed at Marinette seems like criticism that should actually be directed at the writers. Before anyone misunderstands me, I'm not saying people have to like Marinette. If you find her annoying, selfish, obsessive, frustrating, or poorly written, that's completely fair. Every character is going to have people who like them and people who don't.

What I find interesting is how often people talk about Marinette as if she's independently making these decisions herself rather than being written that way. Whenever Marinette does something questionable, many fans immediately jump to "Marinette is a terrible person" or "Marinette is the worst character in the show." But Marinette isn't real. Every decision she makes was created by the writers. Every storyline she's involved in was approved by the writers. Every flaw, mistake, success, and failure comes from the people writing the show.

What's even more interesting is how this logic doesn't seem to apply equally to other characters. Take Lila, for example. Some people hate her, but there are also plenty of fans who recognize that the real issue isn't necessarily Lila herself. It's the fact that the story often bends over backwards to make her lies work. Characters who are normally intelligent suddenly become incredibly gullible whenever the plot requires it. In that case, people are usually willing to criticize the writing.

Then there's Chloe. Chloe spent years bullying Marinette, insulting people around her, and generally making life miserable for others. Yet a huge portion of the fandom loves Chloe and constantly talks about the redemption arc she could have had. Whether you agree with that or not, I find it fascinating that many fans are willing to separate Chloe from the writing decisions that affected her character, but they don't always extend that same courtesy to Marinette.

I think this becomes especially obvious when looking at fanfiction. A lot of Miraculous salt stories portray Chloe as one of Marinette's closest friends after a very short period of time. Sometimes all it takes is a single apology and suddenly years of bullying are forgotten. Personally, I've always found that unrealistic. If someone spent years making my life miserable, I wouldn't immediately trust them just because they said sorry once. Forgiveness and friendship aren't the same thing, and rebuilding trust would realistically take a long time.

This is one of the reasons I've never fully connected with most salt stories. They often exaggerate everyone's behavior, have characters betray Marinette for reasons that don't make much sense, and then resolve everything through quick apologies. The emotional consequences rarely feel as complex as they should be.

So I guess my question is this: when people criticize Marinette, are they actually criticizing Marinette as a character, or are they criticizing the writers and simply directing that frustration toward the character? And if we can separate characters like Chloe or Lila from certain writing decisions, should we be doing the same thing with Marinette?

I'd love to hear different perspectives because this is something I've noticed for years in the fandom.