Vriska Appreci8tion Thread

[VASKA]

I think reading that much into a character's design is kind of obsessive. I did notice it, but it parsed in my brain as "Vrissy wears eyeliner". Besides, descendants aren't genetically identical to their ancestor. Their ancestor just donates the majority of their genetic material, there's still a metric fuckton of other trolls cramming their DNA into Vrissy's genome.

[TH4NK YOU B3N]

I just said that I don't think they're genetically the same. I don't know what you think you're refuting.

[Tenebris_Emeraldwing]

Vriska is one of the best characters to come from any project













Vriska did nothing wrong

[harmoniousCalamity]

As much flack as I give her, I do enjoy how compelling she is, and the relationships she has with most of the other characters. I think it's mostly an interesting thing to watch :0

[TantamountTurnabout]

Honestly Vriska does reflect most of one of my favorite tropes in a series, in that she does everything society says is good but still isn't happy.
Like, Alternia values strength, brutality, violence above all else. The weak are killed or culled without a second thought, and the trolls grow up being taught this is just how it works, this is the way it should be. And Vriska flourishes in this environment: She's strong! She's clever! She's ruthless! She's doing everything her culture tells her she should be, and she's still not happy. She just keeps leaning into what she knows, getting strong, being ruthless, being selfish, and it just leaves her emptier. The world she lives in has given her no answer, no solution to what she really needs.
She's lonely.
She needs companionship. She craves friends that she can feel equal to, but her internalized logic of "survival of the fittest" tells her that anyone she can beat is worthless. It's why the closest thing to a friend she has is Terezi, since she's her tactical equal, and even then there's a distance because Terezi isn't fully bought in. Terezi sees value in the other trolls, she bothers to help them. She roleplays with Nepeta "the weird kid," she gives Tavros support and advice to work on his self confidence. Her friendship and rivalry with Vriska mean a lot to her, but she also sees how she treats other kids. As much as Terezi sees Vriska as a friend, she also sees her as a threat, that only she can mitigate (Terezi's the one to take away her clairvoyant cue ball, and the one to kill her before she dooms their timeline). It's also part of why Vriska's so obsessed with making Tavros stronger.
Reading Mindfang's journal, the Summoner was one of her ancestor's more significant relationships. She writes of him with respect of his incredible strength and capabilities. Vriska is so lonely that she tries to force Tavros into becoming this, into becoming strong enough for her to see as a person. But since he isn't strong yet, she treats him horribly, ignoring his protests and actual needs. The way she treats Tavros prevents him from ever getting stronger; even in cruelty she sabotages her own goals.

She didn't suffer because she was failing in their restrictive society. She suffered the most because she Succeeded.

[TantamountTurnabout]

That said, it's really disappointing that she never really faces or realizes this.
Part of why I like this trope so much is that it enables a character to realize that the invisible boundaries of their upbringing, culture, laws, etc, are artificial and can be wrong. It lets them see beyond what they were taught, and recognize the greater truths of the world. And how difficult it can be to question everything you were raised on, but how worth it it can be to reach the other side. It gives humanity to characters or people raised to be "Evil," and it gives hope that they can still choose another way. A better way not just for others, but for themselves.

Vriska's not the only one who ends in tragedy because she never makes that realization, never questions herself or her actions until it's far too late.
Les Misserables' Javert believes in the law, his fundamental basis for morality is The Law. He has a life "of privations, isolation, self-denial, and chastity—never any amusement." He sees things in black and white, and the law creates the sheer dividing line. When he is confronted with actions that are morally right but legally wrong, his worldview is shattered and he can't stand living in a world of grey (especially considering what he's done in the name of The Law). Technically he did everything right, everything he was supposed to, but that only brought him pain.

[TantamountTurnabout]

oh my god vriska becomes her mom lusus.

If someone isn't strong enough to be useful to her / entertain her / impress her, she has no regard for their well being and demonstrates little hesitation in killing them. She was raised by a creature much larger and deadlier than her, that would kill and eat her if she failed to feed it other weaker children. Her lusus had little to no affection for her outside of her utility, and if Vriska was ever not strong clever or ruthless enough to feed it, it would erase her without a second thought. Strength as a measure of worth, is someone doesn't measure up they basically don't matter, their deaths as meaningless as their lives. It's how she was treated, and how she grew to see the world.

damn but we do be reproducing the trauma that we inherit tho!!!!!!!!

[genderBiohazard]

i like,,,, girl,,

[aquaticFoxfire]

if you were to take Vriska, just like...the idea of Vriska, then yes, i find her super cool.

[zealousZombie]

Vriska Is ONE Of My Loves
Not My Love But One Of Them