This is Your Life: Original Cindy

Cynthia McEachin (Original Cindy)

What is she?: Human

Biography: Original Cindy is a woman trying to survive in a dystopian world working as a bike messenger for Jampony. She has little money, no family but some firm friends - particularly Max. After Logan, she’s the first person in Max’s circle to learn she’s a transgenic - and of course she has Max’s back

What We love about her: While in many ways Cindy is a stereotype, she’s also someone who embraces her life and her identity on her own terms in her own way. She’s a Black Lesbian and while she does have strong elements of the Sassy Black friend about her, she also has a fully fleshed background that explains who and why she is: the personality she has built, the person she wants to be, the person she chose to be and why. She is powerfully resistant to repression, will not be intimidated and, in the beginning, had her own agendas and her own life. Even surrounded by super-powered beings, Cindy still has value and purpose and she’s not only a powerfully good friend to Max, but it’s also clear Max cares for her as well which is missing so much in speculative fiction. Cindy is even used to address some issues in the understated way Dark Angel managed - class, code switching, even Black hair.

What we hate about her: Well there is an element of sassy Black Gay Friend about her, even with a strong personality under it. More sadly is that the one love interest she was allowed was killed off in the same episode - despite often talking about almost dates, they’re never developed and she remained single. But the worst thing to happen to Original Cindy was season 2. From fully actualised character to token sidekick in 2 seconds flat. She’s missing many episodes, has bit parts otherwise and is generally there to say “there there Max, there there” when she’s angsting about her relationship with Logan. She becomes a non-character and they resort to having Normal make disparaging remarks about her being part of “sapho’s sisterhood” to remind us she’s a Lesbian.

Television Series: Dark Angel

This Is Your Life: Rebekah

Rebekah

What is she?:  Rebekah Mikaelson is a thousand year old original vampire who is obsessed with becoming human so she can have babies.

Biography: Rebekah Mikaelson is one of the Original Vampires, 1,000 years old, one of the first of their kind. She came to America with her siblings and her parents - including her witch mother. When her mother cast a spell to grant her children eternal life, she turned them into vampires that can only be killed with the White Oak. All other vampires draw their ancestry from one of the siblings. Since her creation Rebekah has wandered the world and spent a lot of it looking for love and some way to become human, angsting about it - and being locked in coffins by her brother, which is something of a habit of his. She really needs a hobby - and joining high schools and pretending to be a teenager isn’t a hobby, it’s creepy.

What We love about her: Well, not a lot to be honest. But she hates Elena, that’s one thing, we’re always behind someone who isn’t on Elena’s fanclub.

What we hate about her: Rebekah loves angst so much that when she is not busy planning to go to the prom and becoming the world’s first vampire cheerleaders (and we have to say, this 1,000 year old vampire obsessed with becoming a teenager is more than a little creepy), she has to stir the pot. Of all the vampires on The Vampire Diaries, Rebekah is by far the most childlike and by that I don’t mean the whole “it’s a small world after all” deal, but a ridiculous 2 year old; constantly 3 seconds away from a full blown temper tantrum. Her obsession with being human is not even remotely explained on the show - at best some nebulous wish to have children (like there are no other ways?) and to fall in love (which vampires seem to do quite often - at least when Elena is around). The minute a male pays the slightest attention to her, she begins fawning immediately.  Despite all of her power and strength, Rebekah has zero self confidence and extremely low self esteem.

Television Series: The Vampire Diaries

Monroe This Is Your Life

What is he?: Blutbad

Biography: Monroe is a Blutbad, the Big Bad Wolf. But he doesn’t do that any more, after years of his Big Bad Ways, Monroe has now embraced vegetarianism, meditation and a peaceful lifestyle. Despite that, it didn’t stop newly realised Grimm Nick from accusing him of kidnapping a little girl. After many difficulties, Monroe not only helped Nick catch the real villain but became his source of insight into all things Wesen. Often used as a Grimmopedia, Monroe and Nick became friends which grew closer and stronger as the series progressed - something Monroe insisted upon. There were wonderful milestones of trust - including the pinnacle of Nick inviting Monroe into the Grimm trailer, encouraging him to meet Juliette and even Nick living with him in the most recent episodes. Monroe met Rosalie the Fuschbau when they were investigating the death of her brother and they have slowly built and romantic relationship which Monroe has shown himself willing to risk his life for; his main activity now is helping run her Spice Shop.

What We love about him: Monroe really has grown as a character, though he still very much Nick’s sidekick, more and more he has been placed in situations where he uses his knowledge to act. He is still a shy and retiring guy at heart but  really like that he is putting himself out there.  In recent episodes it’s been charming to watch Monroe attempt to woo Rosale. He is completely lacking confidence in the romance department and manages to second guess himself all the time but that makes him completely endearing in my book.  This also puts Rosalie into a leadership position in terms of their relationship and watching as he begins to trust that she really and truly likes him is just all kinds of awww.

What we hate about him: Probably less of a character problem, but the character is inconsistent in his abilities. In season 1, Monroe is capable of ripping people’s arms off (quite literally) - at this point in season 2 he, and other Blutbad, don’t seem to be appreciably more dangerous than a normal human. While we’re happy that he has a relationship with Rosalie, often it feels like Monroe has no life outside of Nick - especially compared to season 1.

Series: Grimm

This Is Your Life: Oberon

Oberon

What is he?: An Irish Wolfhound (with extra longevity) 
 

Biography: Best friend to Atticus, the 2,000 year old druid; the awesome Oberon has been his constant companion since Hounded loyally by his side, teller of tall tales and epic legends; he has been hunted by the police as a killer, used by a goddess of the hunt, tricked by coyote and much admired by the Tuatha de Danaan. He’s fought furbolgs and fairies and the cats of the widow MacDonagh. Without him, Atticus’ life would be much poorer, much less

What We love about him: First off, how can we not be amused by his constant scheming for sausages and poodles - not necessarily in that order either. He’s smart as a whip and has the perfect line for even the weirdest situation. Like any good hound he loves to hunt and even sometimes uses his fantastic olfactory sense to keep Atticus out of trouble.  He can also provide the perfect bomb to irritate nosy neighbours and for that alone, I want to borrow him.

Oberson is absolutely necessary to this story. Without him, the stories would simply comprise of Atticus pissing off various God, from various pantheons and running for his life. Oberon is the comic relief that humanises Atticus and elevates the story. Without him we’d have none of the banter that breaks up these books - they simply couldn’t work without him.

What we hate about him: Hate? Oberon is flawless, all right thinking people agree.

Book Series: Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne