Top 5 Tuesday: Characters I Hate (from things I love)

I love a lot of things – almost like my heart pumps love instead of blood. And the things I love, well, I love them a lot, which results in me getting a tad bit…obsessive...over some things. But even though I’m walking around with this huge love-heart bursting with happiness over my favorite things, you just can’t like everyone you meet. Which brings me to today’s Top 5 Tuesday – characters I hate from things I love.

Before I get started, here’s a (hopefully) brief explanation of the criteria I used in making my selections. None of these characters are “bad guys”. In fact, they’re all protagonists, even if they’re not the lead character in their work. Also, I couldn’t just limit myself to books with this one, because my dislike of certain characters doesn’t respect boundaries between fictional media. Oh, and I ought to mention that for all of these characters, my dislike is fairly irrational (or, according to my loving husband, completely irrational and I’m certifiably insane).

So, intrepid explorers, read on to discover who I hate!

1.     Peeta Mellark (from The Hunger Games)

Yes, you read that right, folks. The character I dislike the most out of all the (otherwise totally normal and likeable) fictional characters is Peeta. Seriously, though, I just can’t wrap my head around a 16-year old kid that is so in love with a girl (that he’s too afraid to talk to!) that he’s willing to risk his life for her. I just can’t do it. I don’t care that he appears to be sincere, I just don’t believe it. I do feel bad for him – the Capitol did make his brain their very own neural playground, after all, but that doesn’t mean I have to like him. From the very beginning, I wasn’t a Peeta fan at all, which no one apparently understands. I don’t think he’s right for Katniss (actually, I don’t think anyone’s right for Katniss, but that’s a story for another day), and I don’t understand people holding up to this ideal of what you should look for in a boyfriend. Sorry, but I don’t want someone willing to lay down their life for me. I want someone willing to listen to me (which Peeta doesn’t do) and be my friend (which Peeta definitely is not).

2.     Ron Weasley (from Harry Potter)

Peeta just barely edged Ron out on this one, because I really, really dislike Ron Weasley. I think he’s annoying, useless, and an incredibly horrible friend. Look, I understand why Ron is the way he is – you definitely get enough of the Weasley family dynamic to understand that Molly and Arthur had more kids than they were able to pay attention to – but I’m still annoyed by him. What does Ron really bring to the “golden trio”? Not a whole lot, if we’re being honest. He isn’t the best at spells (that’s Hermione), the smartest (Hermione again), or bravest (Harry, this time). He’s not really good at anything, which isn’t a problem by itself. On Buffy, for example, Xander is pretty useless, but he’s at least a supportive ally. Ron completely abandons Harry – twice! – for stupid, selfish, jealous reasons. I mean, he leaves Harry and Hermione in Deathly Hallows because he basically misunderstands the mission (yes, I KNOW there was a Horcrux involved, but really, it just amplified Ron’s already crappy feelings). Ok, stopping there, because my Ron-fueled anger could rage for days.

3.     Vala Mal Doran (from Stargate)

Here’s the thing - I really wanted to like Vala. I think she’s hilarious in Prometheus Unbound and I LOVE Claudia Black (I’m one of perhaps 18 people that adored Farscape), but when Vala became a series regular, I just hated her. Honestly, I would almost have a physical reaction every time she was on screen. It’s not that I don’t feel bad for the things she’s gone through, but there’s just something about her that really bugs the hell out of me. To be sure, she does grow a lot over the course of her stay on SG1, and she becomes a much better person because of her time at the SGC. However, you don’t have to like someone to recognize an excellent character arc, and I think Vala’s got to be one of those cases for me.

4.     Rory (Williams) Pond (from Doctor Who)

You know, Rory is genuinely likeable. He’s funny, loyal, and really cares about looking out for Amy’s safety. However, kind of like with Vala, there’s just something about him that I don’t particularly care for. He’s like a puppy, a sad, sad, puppy who wants to go for a walk (i.e. travel with Amy and the Doctor), but when he gets outside, he realizes that the world is really scary. The end of series 6 has started to change my opinion (a bit) about him, but I don’t know that Rory really fits in as a companion. And, for that matter, I don’t know that he’s a good fit for Amy. They do balance each other out quite a bit, but something about that dynamic just doesn’t work for me.

5.     Eddie Dean (from The Dark Tower)

This is the only character on this list that I truly have no explanation for disliking. Sure, he starts off as kind of a bastard, but by the end of the series, Eddie Dean has really matured into a hero. Roland even trusts him more than the rest of the ka-tet, saying more than once that if he (Roland) should fall, Eddie would be the one to lead Susannah, Jake, and Oy on towards the Tower. He loves his wife, wants to protect the other members of his ka-tet, and really comes to believe in Roland’s quest. All around, he’s a pretty great guy. However, I just can’t get into him as a character. He just really bothers me.

Ok, there you have it. Characters that are otherwise likeable that I just can’t stand. Disagree with me? That’s totally fine (but please be prepared to provide examples of why I should care about Peeta or Ron).

Mischief Managed,

Slim Pearl Silver-Feather

Currently Reading: Blood Promise, Richelle Mead (I’m kind of slow these days, aren’t I?)

Books Read in 2012: 21