New Yolk Times: Thoughts on SHADOWHUNTERS

Hello! I am here with another New Yolk Times post for you and today I am going to discuss the series that I've been waiting for, Shadowhunters. As some of you know, The Mortal Instruments series has been rebooted as a TV series on ABC Fami--- I mean, Freeform. So the plot is basically the same as the one you read in the book or seen in the movie. 

To be honest, I was not looking forward to this. Yes, I got excited until I learned ABC Fa--- I mean, Freeform has decided to adopt the show. The promos to me were not too flattering but I was ok with the casting choices. And when I saw the pilot episode I gotta say... I was surprisingly okay with it.

Writer's Block: 3 Unofficial Rules on Romance

I would like to talk about the most important and most life-changing subject that affects the way we live today. And that is love. Well, romance, to be more exact. Stories have it. Media capitalizes on it. And as humans, we go gaga over it. I’ve met people who only live to search for love, people who dream that their love life would be a combination of all the most romantic chick flicks, literature, songs, and Tumblr posts. But no worries, I also met a lot of people who get nausea at the thought of love and romance (Mga halaman o may pinaghuhugutan, my fellow countrymen would like to call it). But yeah, I don’t know if you’re aware about it, but my country is obsessed with the idea of love, whether one detests or glorifies it. I mean, ever since I learned that the Filipinos can get easily persuaded with random love pairings like Aldub or even Lizquen, I became more than convinced that love is something we worship.

Romance has become almost like an essential in something we have to do in everyday life. Can’t wait in life? Give them a love quote. It’ll make them laugh. Politics is not making sense? Relate it to romance and post it on Facebook.

I’m not really hating on the idea of romance. It’s just that there are times when I don’t understand it. It’s supposed to be the most wonderful thing in the world, because it comes with no prejudice nor anything harsh. But thanks to the internet, it looks…no offense, stupid. We came up with these unofficial rules and expectations for romances, and no matter what we say, we exercise these ridiculous unofficial rules and expectations in daily life. Surprisingly, we based this on the fandoms we all love. So what are these unofficial rules? Let’s find out.

Aldub

Lizquen

1.) You both need to be attractive

Well you don’t need to be just attractive. You need to be considered attractive by…well, everyone. In the Philippines, we also have this thing called Love Teams, where we simply pair two major celebrities together and that alone is enough to make big bucks. People love them. People wish they have their glamorized life. And since the love teams comprises of two celebrities, expect them to be drop-dead gorgeous. If not one of them is attractive, then anticipate for a gradual makeover. Because of this, looks has become a major standard that is required in a significant other. Now this is a mindset that has been discussed ever since revolution started, but let’s not lie; almost everyone wants a girlfriend with great breasts and a fine gluteus maximus or a boyfriend with at least six-pack abs and a sharp jawline. I’m not saying that wishing for your future lover to be hot is a bad thing. Remember, pretty is a mindset. Whatever suits your fancy, I’d say go for it. However, it becomes bad—even insensible—if you think that being in love means being with someone who looks like a model that you can easily compare to the gods. It completely affects the way you would perceive the opposite sex (or even the same sex). It even makes us freakin’ judgmental, hence the terms like slut, f*ckboy, or desperada. Believe me, I’ve seen this happen and we all do it. So if you’re one of those people who judge other people for being with someone who doesn’t seem to fit your definition of pretty or hot, I’d say you keep those thoughts to yourself or better yet, don’t even question it.

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2.) Sex is needed (???)

Almost every romantic film or literature ever made, now has sex or—for a rated PG audience—an intense make-out session. This kind of practice is somewhat glorified and even encouraged in relationships. However, I don’t understand why is that the case. And no, this is not going to be one of those “oh-sex-is-for-married-couples” topics. I just don’t get why we need sex for the relationship to be deemed as something as romantic or sweet. Because psychology says that relationships that rely heavily on sex don’t work out (that’s right, Christian Grey. They don’t). So why can’t playing video games, be something romantic? Why can’t talking about deep and random stuff be something romantic? Yes, there are films challenging this idea, but in the end, sex still prevails for some reason. Why is that?

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3.) Obligations need to be followed, otherwise life won’t be perfect.

Now this is one of the most important things discussed in the romance sphere. Obligations are like, sending cute text messages every now and then, or giving flowers, or celebrating a monthsary—not anniversary, monthsary because apparently, couples can’t wait for a year to waste their money. I know, obligations are ways to assure yourself that your lover still has feelings for you. But for me, they’re no longer romantic. They’ve become the roots of unnecessary arguments. People nowadays—no matter how much they will deny it—get easily angry when one doesn’t immediately reply back or even remember a monthsary. Becoming unromantic is now an issue amongst couples. In the end, we’re humans and if there’s one thing true about human nature, we eventually get tired of things. Romantic obligations and gestures is sadly one of them. I know a couple who used to do a lot of romantic stuff at the beginning of their relationship, but now they’re no longer doing that but they are still steady and in deeply in love. Of course, there is the issue of drifting apart but that’s a sure sign that what you had was only romance. Not love. One of the most painful things people in love learn that romance and love are not always the same. Romance only lasts for perhaps ten monthsaries, but love lasts a lifetime. If you know that your boyfriend or girlfriend loves you without the need for a flash mob to remind you every anniversary, then congratulations; you have earned true love. You just know, because honesty and all the other good things are present in the relationship. I’m not disregarding romantic gestures or your “lover” duties, though. You can still do those things, if you’re willing and able. After all, obligations are based on your choices. And your choices depend on you.

Remember, love comes naturally and with no prerequisites. If someone loves you for who you are at the right time and place, then that person is a keeper. Till the next post~

Writer's Block: Why I Sometimes Hate Reading

I’m a bookworm and I am proud to call myself as such.  If it weren’t for reading, I would have failed almost every spelling test I got in the first and second grade, and I would not have my own sense of imagination. Reading helped me build wonderful things in my own head, and it kinda built my personality. So in short, it has made me the person I am today. But there will be times when reading will give me a horrible feeling. There will be small instances when I will feel distaste whenever I set my eyes on a book. Why is that? Well, if reading comes with good stuff, it can come with bad things too.

I will probably say the most obvious reasons as early as now. The first reason is simple; books are effin’ expensive. I hate how a simple joy in life called a book would cost as much as a Hipster graphic tee in H&M. That’s how crazy the economy is, nowadays, and that’s probably why Youtubers and celebrities suddenly have the burning passion for writing. Also, books have the ability to make my life look like a dull page, and I mostly read fiction. I read fantasy novels that have all the magic, the sci-fi, the dramatic heroes, the over-cliched romances, and the suspense. Most protagonists in high fantasy novels will disagree with me on this one but, their live are awesome. I would trade my soul just to have one simple adventure that involves dungeons and fairies (wait that somehow didn’t come out right). Unfortunately, in the end I will be slapped by reality and be reminded that there will never ever be a portal that will take me to an amazing fictitious world. But just once, I want my life to be like YA novel. I want to walk down in the hallways, meet a satyr telling me I’m an extraordinary demigod and I’m needed to save the world. It may sound like a heavy burden, but I would take this heavy burden over final exams. But again, no. I’m my own writer of my very own story. So I guess it’s up to me to make my lifetime extraordinary.

I sometimes hate reading because I know I will never get a satisfying ending and this happened half the time I’ve been a bookworm, which has been almost two decades. If I don’t get the ending I want, it’s either I have to wait for the sequel in a year or two or I don’t get a round two or three at all. That alone irks me. It sounds selfish that I’m being choosy when it comes to endings, but books are forms of entertainment. Therefore, they must entertain me. How can I enjoy knowing my favorite character died? How can I be happy not knowing things are going to be okay in the next book? Those thoughts tend to drive me nuts. Don’t even try judging me, I know you’ve been down this path too. Every reader goes through this. And if you haven’t, then let me warn you now; there will come a time when you’re reading a book and you won’t like where the plot is going at all. It’s pretty similar to watching the Game of Thrones, trust me.

In connection to storylines, I hate going on a book hiatus. This usually happens whenever I read book series. I have to wait at least year, if I want to know what happens next. The wait can be the definition of torment itself. It has made me detest waiting. Especially when the story is getting really good, but then it ends in a cliffhanger. I don’t know with you but it can be the worst feeling the world! Finishing a book with a cliffhanger is the equivalent of watching a horror film. It’s going to take time for you to get back to your regular sleeping pattern (assuming you have one), because you will be staying up all night coming up with theories and guesses on what’s going to happen next. Sometimes, I just can’t stand waiting and talking about it. I just cheat on this book series with another, and that doesn’t help at all because this other book likes bringing out cliff hangers, too and I still lose.

I also hate it when a book suddenly gets into the concept of death. It has become an insane trend in between novels lately. Whether it’s about a dystopian world or a kid who’s got an incurable disease, somebody has to die. What’s worse is that whoever dies is  someone  that we care about because the writers know that if they kill of an insignificant character, nobody will give a damn and quickly move on (well that’s what usually happens, anyway). It’s their sly tactic to make us savor their books so we can talk about it more, because this will create more buzz, then more people will be curious about it, which will make them buy the books until they cry about it, and the whole cycle goes on repeat. It’s basically an indirect marketing strategy, because thanks to our “feels”, we are promoting the books for the writers. Luckily most of the books celebrated are really good ones.

And there you have it. A fangirl explaining why she sometimes hates reading. If you can relate to anything that I just said, feel free to comment about your misgivings on reading on my Disqus (yay! I has Disqus) account, which will feature this very topic. That is it and till the next post~

Fangirl Moment (?) Shadowhunters Teaser and Trailer

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Remember when I fangirled about the announcement of The Mortal Instruments becoming a TV series? Well guess what, it actually pushed through and after all the casting announcements and progress, we finally get a glimpse of a teaser and a legit trailer! Unless you're one of those people who went to New York Comic Con, then oh, well. You already.

Now I am well pleased with the very first teaser. For me, all the colors and all that mystic shiz going on accurately captured the vibes of the TMI series, at least for the first book. Also, for once, the casting is pretty good. Isabelle finally looks Isabelle, Clary's hair color is correct, and so on. My only concern now for the show is that if it will also be able to transition into a much darker and eerie tone, like that of the movie. The problem with the movie was that it was trying too hard to be scary and kinda dark. The Mortal Instruments has that very element but it is wrapped around with some light and vibrant stuff. Kinda like ecstasy, but not really. The teaser is able to give me that very feel, but I'm really hoping for some serious things to happen, because as of now it really aims to cater to a much younger audience. I am honestly hoping they would be able to make the show look enticing for adults too, because the series deals with also very mature topics as the story progresses.

And then we have the trailer. Honestly, this very trailer kinda reduced my excitement. First and foremost, we again talk about casting choices. Kat McNamara pulled off the Clary look, but the acting skills? I'm not so sure about that. Her acting technique seems a bit ten times more awkward compared to what Lily Collins offered. Her screams and yells were too sweet-sounding, and Clary Fray is anything but sweet. Unfortunately, the trailer only showed her frightened side, but as they put in more teasers, I'd like to see another angle of Kat McNamara as Clary, preferably her stubborn side. I also have a good feeling about Harry Shum Jr. and Dom Sherwood who are playing Magnus and Jace, respectively. Harry, for me, will somehow never pull off the complete Magnus look compared to Godfrey Gao, but his acting was really good. It is the first time I've seen him act in such a setting, and so far I like what I see. As for Dom Sherwood, we only get to see barely a glimpse of his character. He managed to say a line that was very Jace ("What? No thank you?"), and that's probably the only Jace line I've ever heard. The rest was him explaining what Shadowhunters are. Mostly, the trailer and teaser highly focuses on Clary, who is obviously the main protagonist. I didn't get to see much Jace, and it is something that I still look forward to because he's also a very major character. Apart from that, I think he did okay. So apart from the eerie element, I am very concerned with the acting. Yes, I am looking at you, Kat. I will be watching each and everyone of the cast, especially her.

I do hope that the next trailers will reveal the other characters as well. I am also kinda disappointed that these guys do not have accents anymore. Having accents almost seemed like a shadowhunter trademark to me. But, whatever. Shadowhunters will premiere on ABC Family this January of 2016, and this time, I will lower my expectations for this. I get that most of these actors and actresses are still not that established, so I will cut them slack. But it's very important that they do the storytelling right. I'm not saying that it should be book accurate, but hopefully it would still be very interesting and that they will be transition to different types of tones.

And that is it for my post! Till the next one~

Never Date a Fictional Character

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Never date a fictional character. 

Never date Edward Cullen. He may have the sparkles and a fancy car, but he's way too controlling and possessive. Don't get me started with Jacob Black and his werewolf pack. They have the symptoms of a domestic abuser.

Never date Zuko. Or basically, never play with fire. You will get hurt, one way or another.

Never date Draco Malfoy. Not because he's a cowardice, but his personality is just unflattering. How is a tortured bully ever an attractive trait?

Never date Augustus Waters. His flirting game may swoon in you in the pages of book, but you won't be able to recognize it in real life because the guys who tried his strategy are the ones you most probably rejected and regarded as "creepy" and "weird".

Never date any shadowhunter. Their occupation has made them elitists, so at the end of the day, they will still think they're better than you no matter what they say. And they can be potential rapists.

Never date Katniss Everdeen. Just don't. Not because she's too busy with the revolution, but she can sometimes be very insensitive.

Never date Korra. The job of an Avatar is way too demanding and if you're the type who wants to spend a lot of quality time, then save your breath.

Never date Dick Grayson. His job can put you in great danger, even if you say it's worth the risk (because there's a high probability you do not know what you are saying). And if you're looking for loyalty in your date, then he's most definitely not for you.

Never date Nagisa Furukawa, because she still has a lot to learn for herself.

Never date Wonder Woman. Her pride may be a bit too much for you.

Never date Hercules, because he's not really a wonder boy in real life.

Never date any Disney Prince, since their basis of love and attraction is quite superficial and happily ever after will forever remain a mystery.

Never date Elsa. No matter how many times you sing her song, she has a hard time of letting go.

Never date Ariel, because stubborn is not necessarily hot.

Never date a fictional character. They're not perfect. They're not any different from real life people. Control over your will is not a sweet gesture. A badass attitude may not be something you're looking for. When they say that they're too dangerous to be with, maybe what they say is true. Then who should you date? Who's the right one? My advice is to look up and never depend on fiction for how your love story will be written. Write your own and it will be guaranteed to be the best.

Till the next post~

The Problem With YA Fiction Today

Recently I watched a Youtube video created by CassJayTuck and I found myself agreeing with everything she said. She was talking about what she thinks is the problem with YA Fiction today, saying that the ideas in current YA novels are not as fresh or original. In other words, writers are simply recycling so much ideas to the point they forgot the whole point of writing.

I'd like not only to reiterate everything she said, but to add up to it, because I think this is definitely an opinion that needs to be heard among more hardcore bookworms out there. If you want to have a head start, you can take a quick look on Cass' video here:

Before I begin, I'd like to make one thing clear; I have nothing against the Dystopian or Romance Genre. I'm saying this because it is one of the most common genres we normally see in YA Fiction. That's the reason why I don't hate them, they are just genres. If a writer wants a Dystopia, then he/she has every right to write one. So if I have no problems with these, then what is the problem?

Cass mentioned in her video that most novels in YA lack this thing called, "world-building". One of the many joys in reading is that you get suck into a whole different world, that your reading experience becomes more or less surreal. YA Novels today, unfortunately, do not give that much world-building. It only focuses on a certain element that the writers think will excite their readers, as well as editors and publishing companies. And this is what happens when you pretty much recycle from a classic YA Novel. You end up focusing on things that you think will make your novel become a hit, but let's establish the fact that all novels are not similar and shouldn't be. You might as well stick to fanfiction writing if you intend to recreate something that's already there. The main challenge of a writer will always be the creative juice. A reader will be able to notice right away if you're trying to rip something off. I'm not saying that writers shouldn't draw their inspiration from other books. If they intend to base their ideas on previous published stories, might as well put a little bit more flare and not put other used ideas in one book. There's a difference, yes. That's why being a writer is not as easy as you think. You shouldn't be using other techniques or styles. Use your own. Basically, most writers are missing the fun part in writing. You get to create your own world. The time and effort must be focused on that, as well as in character development and in plot ideas. Not in just who ends up with who. So Cass is right, give your stories a little bit more love. This is my challenge for aspiring writers. Create stories wherein I can enjoy a whole new world. Follow the example of children's books. Please. Or maybe, you can take notes from Anime, because most anime shows do that very well.

Back on the genre issue... genre should never be an issue. It becomes an issue when a book fails to deliver a promise. For example, you want to create Dystopian novel (sorry if I constantly use this as an example, but it's the most common one at the moment), but you want to put a bit of romance. I've read tons of novels similar to this problem, and instead of focusing on the main problem, it concentrates on the love triangles. In other words, the secondary genre suddenly becomes much more important than the dominant genre. Then the story strays from what it originally was. Twilight is a perfect example of a novel that is able to deliver its promise. Stephenie Meyer made it clear from start to finish, that this whole saga will be a love story in between a huge vampire-politic problem. And it was a love story that was in the middle of a huge vampire-politic problem. I've read many books that imply that this is gonna be a story about a conflict two parties, but when I read it, the story is purely or mostly about romance and how the character is so awkward about puberty.

I also want to challenge writers about writing protagonists, because they can also be a YA issue. Main heroes and heroines now lack a bit of originality, nowadays. We always get the following:

1.) The person who doesn't want anything to do with the situation but gets into the situation anyway.
2.) The sassy or blunt person with a terrible or sad past, becomes very indifferent to almost everything but still gets loved by everyone
3.) The confused person who runs into a middle of a crossfire, and surprisingly becomes a major part of the crossfire.

As you can see, the similarities between the three are endless. I'd like future writers to come up with a whole new and realistic main character. I guess this is why I like the Insignia Series so much. Tom Raines had sass all over his body, but he didn't conform to any typical YA cliche I mentioned above. So the perspective was new, fresh, and absolutely interesting.

I would like to discuss another cliche. I know romance is something that any young adult can relate to, but I am sick of love being the driving force or main motivation for any YA character. There's more to life than relationships and all that shiz. I am starting to get tired of YA for creating characters who would just participate in a war or do something totally crazy for the sake of their significant other. I give kudos for The Hunger Games, for giving Katniss a whole new realistic motivation, which is her family. It made perfect sense for her character and for the world she was in. So perhaps another challenge? If writers cannot write a straight YA Fiction without inserting a few love stories here and there, make it subtle then? Give your characters different kinds of motivations? Give your readers a whole new thing to be inspired about?

That's all I have to say about YA for now. If you have other misgivings about the current situation on YA (which won't end right away), let me know on the comments. Also, you can share this so it will reach to more people, particularly to authors (aspiring ones, included). And I will see you till the next post~

Avoiding the Fandom War

When it comes to our beloved fandoms, we are ruthless. 

The love we have for fictional characters can be easily compared to the love a mother has for her children. Anyone who dares to get in the way of that love...is asking for a death wish.

If a person with not much knowledge about fandoms triest to insult us...they can be easily forgiven. Why? Well, they don't know any better. Come on, we're not that heartless.

BUT...if a fellow person with a certain range of fandoms dares to insult any of my fandoms...even if it is just about single strand of Killian's hair ...there will be blood.

Anyone who has a love for anything that's not real, getsinto fandom wars. It happens all the time. There was the war of the directioners and directionators; A war between DC and Marvel (Team DC for layf); A war between bookworms about Pro-John Green and Anti-John Green; A war between Team Jacob, Team Edward, Team Peeta, and Team Gale deciding who rules the YA fiction world; even Stephen King and George R.R. Martin are creating their own wars. And sadly, their war is something that not even the great Gandalf himself can pass through.

We all want to prove that our fandoms are the best. That our taste in books, movies, music, and TV series are superb than anyone else's. Waging war against other fandoms though is ironically, like a double-edged sword. It creates both harm and good. Up till now, I am not sure if it is generating more harm than good, or vice versa. These wars, exercises our minds. I thought I would forever be the girl who can't speak her mind. But when it comes to fandom wars, I go full-on Amazonian mode for the books and series that I love. And as much as possible, I try to do it in a healthy way. I end up explaining why this show is good, why the characters are not what they seem. I am not only using voice via social media, I am developing a critical mind. Yes, believe me, there are plenty of other ways of being intelligent other than trying to get straight A's on college algebra. That's what makes Fandom Wars good. Our right to express anything we want, is being used at its best advantage.

However, you know what they say. Too much of something can also be a bad thing. Now, the bad thing about Fandom Wars is that they can get so out of hand, to the point we become demons. We terrorize others by swearing, insults, and even cyberbullying others. All because we want to rub it in everyone's faces that Game of Thrones is the best TV show, that One Direction is the best boy band, that no novel series can ever compare to what John Green writes, and that this character is the worst.

I am not saying we should all stop being mean to each other, because that can't be done right away. We are all very convinced that social media can help us take advantage of the opinions and inner voices we thought we never had in the first place. And for now, we do not want to let go of that very idea. Social media has somehow made us feel powerful. We can easily criticize one thing and get away with it. We can bash this celebrity and there's nothing anyone can do about it because it is your opinion. Same goes in fandom wars. I can easily say that Tyrion Lannister is the worst character ever, and you can easily tell me that Arrow is the worst DC-adapted show in history. We can go on and on about what we want to believe in. But in the end, nothing much is going to change. No fandom will win. Will that very idea give us a reason to stop fighting?

Till the next post~

Let's Review! The Characters of Young Justice Part 1

The Team... almost

DC has been with me since childhood. The very first cartoon I actually watched was Batman. I became acquainted with Bruce, Robin, Batgirl, Catwoman, Penguin, Joker, Poison Ivy, and many others. Actually my grandfather was more of a comic fan than I was, and he shared his knowledge of DC and Marvel to me. Anyway, as you can see... Marvel has taken over the media for quite some time and DC always end up in the shadows (because they're in the league of shadows...haha. Get it? Never mind). Although I have tried watching cartoons, shows, and movies (most definitely movies) of Marvel, I still find the stories of DC more interesting. So you could say I have developed a bias for DC, but that's not the whole point of this post. I only want to talk about my current DC obsession and that is Young Justice.

But just like most DC shows and films, this one flopped in terms of budget and/or earnings. The plot was very engaging and the characters are just beyond amazing. Don't make me start with the art style.. fine. The details are absolutely gorgeous. But I would like to focus on the characters of Young Justice, particularly The Team. They're a whole mixture of dark sides, hormones, quirkiness, and pure awesomeness. As much as I want to talk about the show as a whole, I'm afraid I will end up being very biased because I actually love everything about it. The only thing I really hate is the fact that it got cancelled! So to sound completely fair all throughout the post, I am going to give a character analysis (sort of) of the characters of Young Justice. But since there are so many characters, I will not discuss about all of them in one post. For now, I will discuss the initial members of The Team.

Note: The following post contains spoilers. Read at your own risk.

The Team (source)

Okay let me break it down for you; Young Justice is basically about the proteges (a.k.a. "sidekicks") of the original members of the Justice League. They are known as The Team, and let's say they are the like Junior Justice League, handling other missions that Wonder Woman (or any member from JL, for that matter) do not have time for. Eventually, they become officially enemies with members called The Light, which is basically just a group of DC's greatest villains. The show simply comprises of many missions, giving a fair focus on each character. But if you want a concrete version of the plot then you can either go here or just watch the show yourself. Hehe. 

Superboy/Conner Kent 

Superboy asking for a pet (source)

First Impression: Oh, wow. He is handsome. Gorgeous. MMM. However, he is as hot as his temper. Now where have I heard of a character like that before?
Evaluation: If you guys want to know his full personality, then you can sort of resemble him to Stitch. Like the cute blue alien, he is what you call a top secret experiment that possesses great strength. In Conner's case, he is basically a clone of Superman, only he can't really fly (awww). And just like Stitch, he has a terrible temper and he can be dangerous without even meaning to. But you do not see this side of him in every episode. Unlike Stitch, he already has a soft and vulnerable side. The moment he opened his eyes, he had this feeling in his gut that he was a complete rip-off of Superman. Not only that, he felt kind of lost along the way. A part of him wants to be as good as Clark Kent, but another part of him does not want Superman (perhaps because Clark completely shrugged him off in the beginning). But here, we can see that Conner is the kind of young person that needs guidance and total acceptance. When Conner nearly got tempted by Lex Luthor proves that what he actually desires is a role model. He just wanted someone to look up to, that's all. Someone who can teach him the ropes of his abilities. Someone to teach him everything, basically. I mean, come on. Why do you think he insists on watching a blank television? Why do you think he enjoyed M'gann's company? Let's not forget that Conner is a clone and episode one was the night he was born. He's the youngest of the group, so it's normal for him to have cute and innocent moments (i.e. adopting pets during mission). He's the baby and every baby needs a guardian or a parent. And as much as he did not want to admit in the beginning, he wanted Clark to guide and accept him. It's actually a good thing M'gann came into his life, otherwise we would see him have a tantrum in almost every episode.

The Development: So yes, he did get his role model. Superman started to train him and almost treated him like a son. And ironically, even though Conner is the youngest, he can mature pretty quick compared to most of the members of The Team. He had two years to change...the others basically had at least seventeen to twenty years. We can see this maturity when he explained the reason why he broke up with M'gann before Young Justice: Invasion. The reason may fill your heart with so much feels, but it's a valid reason. Also you will notice that his hot-temper has completely disappeared. In other words, he can control his strength without having to get angry or something. But his issue in season two was loneliness. Everyone (but M'gann) in The Team, were too busy to notice. Since... he didn't throw any tantrums like he used to. 

Miss Martian/M'gann M'orzz/Megan Morse

Her current martian form (source)

First Impression: HELLO MEGAN! Haha, another quirky female character that gets the guy. 

Evaluation: Well everything I know about M'gann are almost true..only most of the attributes I got right were actually just the tip of the iceberg. Her ultimate struggle was accepting herself. In the series, she's been hiding the fact that she was a white martian...and in their world, it's an equivalent to being a hobo...or something worse than that. Since she has the ability to also shapeshift, then she has more reason to hide her true identity. Her temporary appearance (both martian and resembles her favorite actress in an old eighties show she used to watch called, "Hello, Megan!". I can't help but feel that this happens in real life. There are some people out there who cover up their insecurities by making themselves look like the people they desire to look like (I hope that makes sense). To further bury the White Martian identity deeper, she had Conner. Now who wouldn't feel beautiful and awesome when a handsome boy suddenly goes crazy about you...or your current "not-really-yourself" appearance. 

The Development: We see major changes in Invasion. Her skills dramatically improved, and so did her attitude. She was no longer perky, but much more reserved. But did her fear of being an outcast left? Not really. And it is highly evident in her break-up with Conner. They had an argument,  and because she is scared that he will change his mind about her, she wanted him to forget about it...so she used her powers to make him forget. What made them call it quits had something to do with the fear of her not being accepted. This is where we learn that flaws and negativity are really hard to conquer. And with all this pain twisting her insides, she covers it up the same way she did in the first season, find a guy who thinks she's amazing and this is where Lagoon Boy comes in. Luckily, she realizes this when the second season was drawing to a close. Hello Megan! 

Robin/Nightwing/Dick Grayson

Robin or Nightwing? (source)

First Impression: Oh! We all know him. Everyone does! He is going to be the leader of The Team for sure!

Evaluation: Wow. He sucks at being a leader. It is quite understandable because he's been training with Batman for a very long time. The Bat family were not really used to the usual way of teamwork. For one thing, they just look at each other and they immediately know what to do. Robin was somehow expecting the same thing when The Team emerged, but he learned his lesson the hard way. When he accepted the fact that he couldn't lead, he had another issue. He was so sure that he was going to be the next Batman. That is, until he got a taste of an actual dangerous mission without the Bat. This made him realize that he was confident before because he had Bruce with him. He eventually learns what its really like to handle struggles with his own feet. When he said that he didn't want to be the Batman anymore, that's his way of saying, "I don't have to be the next Batman. I can't handle pressure the same way he does. I got to handle crap my own way. I have to be my own person. Being the Batman is too much." 

The Development: Dick's leadership skills were the major highlight in Young Justice: Invasion. And yes, he still sucks at being a leader. If his teammates were part of the Bat family, then it would not be much of a problem. But again, he was highly expecting everyone to be aware of what they are doing. To be more specific, he was expecting them to be fully aware about the risks in each mission they take. If the plan involves a high chance of many teammates dying or getting captured, then Dick still pushes through with it and makes it a point that they should put it in their heads that its a risky operation. He was also pulling the same card Aqualad used when he learned about a mole in their team during the first season. Dick never told anyone the real motive behind the plans they pull, only because he wanted the effect to be more realistic and believable to the eyes of the enemy. It is somehow a brilliant idea, but at the same time it is just way too risky, especially when The Team consists of  really young members. But a good thing about Dick's character is that he can admit his mistakes, and this has been evident since the first season when he turned the leader position to Aqualad and when he decided to temporarily leave The Team in the end. Apart from that, Dick still maintains his skills (which remain very exceptional), but becomes more serious (like dead serious) with his work ethic. But you can see that he's not trying very hard to be exactly like Batman. For one thing, he took a huge effort to make a completely different identity for himself. Hence the birth of Nightwing. So it's very easy to tell that he's Nightwing and not just some sidekick of Bruce Wayne. Dick actually treats each of the members of The Team fairly and acts as the official big brother to all of them (as seen when he approaches Tim). You barely see him in action, since he's the one doing most of the commanding. He even commands Batman...now that's a real wake-up call to me because that definitely means that Nightwing's a grown man and he's no longer his little Robin. 

Aqualad/Kalder'ahm

And I danced all night, with the best boyfriend ever! (source)

First  Impression: Of course there has to be a cool and calm character in this team. Must be a pacifist. 

Evaluation: Okay, so he's not completely calm. If there is one way to describe Aqualad, he's what you call, "the ideal boyfriend". He listens, calms you down, and gives you really good advice. If you can't picture him as a boyfriend, then you can almost resemble to a mother. He takes time understanding everyone and he never does irrational things on a whim. Aquaman trained him to be tranquil, humble, and to have high morals. This is what he embodies when he joins The Team. It's not hard to figure out why everyone prefer him as the leader in the first place. He sounds perfect for now, but he can't have everything. For one thing, he got rejected by the girl of his dreams...and he finds out the most painful way possible. Seeing her with another guy. But from this episode, you can tell how important love is to Aqualad. He was willing to give up his responsibilities for a girl. That's how intense his love is (now you can see why he can be a great boyfriend, I guess). Also, he is not entirely confident with the task given to him as leader. When he makes even the tiniest mistake, he ends up doubting himself to the point his self-esteem goes down. So yeah, he's that sensitive.
The Development: At least it is good to know that he can move on. Although we barely see Kalder in the second season, but there was supposed to be emphasis on his relationship with his father, who is Black Mamba (yes, he's a villain). Unfortunately, we didn't get to see much of that because he was unconscious for a while and season two focused on other characters. But if you must know, he remains the same.

Kid Flash/Wally West 

This basically sums him up

First Impression: Okay, we have the class clown....who think he's handsome, too. 

Evaluation: Well yes, he is the class clown, but not the typical class clown. First of all, he's very smart. He loves physics, for crying out loud. Why do you think he insisted in becoming a protege to The Flash. Another thing interesting about Wally is that he's very sentimental. He collects a souvenir for every mission. That's how much being part of something as huge as The Team means to him. But that's what he does during the first season. He just enjoys the thrill of working The Team and that's all. Since he's working with other people, the responsibility is not that big. But when he is given a certain task, that's when he completely understood the meaning of being responsible (episode when he had to bring a heart to a hospital, using his intense speed). But he got a complete understanding of his work when he started dating Artemis. 

The Development: In the first season, souvenirs were his love interests. But in season two, it is Artemis. From this, you are able to tell how his views of being a superhero changed. Wally no longer saw his work as a piece of thrill anymore. Although it was not fully explained in the series, Wally definitely left with Artemis simply because he wanted to have a normal life with her. It may seem like his case is similar to that of Kaldur'ahm's but not entirely. First of all, Artemis was also Kid Flash's teammate. He got to see her everyday, so it was not a problem. And when Wally argued with Nightwing about the plans, take note of what he says about Aqualad. He was scared that Aqualad might be a triple agent because his supposed motive for "joining the dark side" was because of the passing of Tula and we all know how much she means to Kaldur. Wally was terrified that Aqualad's love for Tula might make him officially change sides. Before season two's plot took course, Tula was not the only one who passed away. Jason Todd, the Robin before Tim Drake, also died (his grave is seen in season two). In short, The Team has suffered many losses. I'm sure that these deaths had a different impact on Wally. He was afraid the same thing would happen to him or Artemis, and that's when his views have changed. If Kaldur just wanted to be with Tula, Wally did not want to lose Artemis, and it is not hard to miss how adamant he is about not returning to something that would risk their lives. 

Artemis/Tigress/Artemis Lea Crock

Artemis showing her soft side (source)

First Impression: Who uses her first name as an alias. She does. 

Evaluation: Artemis is supposed to be the mysterious person of the group, but let's be honest...she fails at it. She came out of the blue and she makes secretive side too obvious for others to see, especially to Nightwing. But I guess that's not the whole emphasis on her personality. Out of all the characters, she had the darkest past. Just like Miss Martian, she was afraid that no one will accept he for who she is. Deep down, she wants to be a good person, but it wasn't easy for her because her family is full of criminals. And she does not want anyone else to know about that, which explains her secretive side. This also led her to being panicky and defensive, because the last thing she ever wanted to happen was to be found out. This defensiveness affected her feelings for Wally. She kept denying almost throughout the entire series that she did not like him (but this slowly subsides towards the end of the first season). In other words, being panicky and defensive has become a habit and this was seen in a couple of episodes (i.e. when she encountered Robin in Gotham; when she had to work with Robin to take down Red Tornado while the rest of their team were down). Aside from that, she is very similar to Wally. She loves fighting and she fights just for the thrill of it. Her only responsibility was keeping her secrets safe and that was it. In an episode where she goes on a girls' night out with Zatanna, you can see that fighting can calm her down. For her, fighting is almost like breathing. It's something that she couldn't let go easily. 

The Development: Everyone accepted her despite her family background, woohoo! She finally admitted to having feelings for Wally, yes! But she gave up fighting, boohoo. Although it is unclear how she agreed to Wally's proposition of quitting, but one thing's for sure...she missed fighting. So when The Team called for their assistance, she was the only who seemed willing to help out. It's possible that Wally agreed because mostly Artemis convinced him. But as the series progressed, Artemis slowly regretted this decision and she understood why Wally wanted to leave The Team. She just sacrificed a peaceful relationship, just for a thrilling mission. In Filipino, sayang. She somehow punishes herself by changing her identity to Tigress. This was her way of moving on. So, you go girl. 

That is it for my character analysis for each member of The Team. I will probably do another set of The Team next time (there are just so many of them!). And I will be definitely be doing this for another series/fandom again! But really guys, I definitely recommend this show to all of you. If you love DC, comics, or superheroes, and very complicated but thorough story lines, then this show is definitely for you. All the characters are amazing and you will have a hard time hating a single one (except for the villains, maybe). This can be an equivalent of a YA fiction, since almost everyone in this series are young and they go through teenage-related stuff as well. So please! Give this show a chance, I'm sure you will not be disappointed!