Tess the real dupe?

[valentinebaby]

She could've had more, you are very right. She could've had a normal life, she could've made friends, had a family with Jim and Kyle. She had a lot going for her. I think the big thing that keeps getting misunderstood in this whole debate is that no one has tried to make an excuse for Tess. When you do what she did, you deserve life in prision, at the very least be institutionalized. Just because I think she had been abused doesn't mean that I think she should get a get out of jail free card. I do, however, think she's being viewed as a one dimensional character, if we say she was one of the dupes we're basically saying she's evil and Ava wasn't and no matter how these two were raised, or what they went through, that was the way it would always be, there was no stopping it, and I don't think that's the case. I think she had reasons for doing what she did, I understand it, and whille I'm not saying I think it's right, I think Tess probably wouldn't of done the things she had if her situation was different.

[Cocogurl]

I honestly don't know if things would've been different, but I kind of doubt it. Because, honestly, I don't know what goes on in Tess' head, and I don't know how she really was on Antar or anything like that. But her actions have shown that she is manipulative and lacking in true morality. She couldn't even find it in her to apologize really for the things that she did. All she had for everyone was basically excuses. I just don't know about her. But I will say that I've always liked the idea of a real redemption for Tess because 4AAAB just didn't feel like one. It just felt like she spent most of that episode manipulating and making excuses for herself and than she died.

And I don't think she's a one dimensional character. Even if she was a dupe, I wouldn't say she was one dimensional. Some of the best villians have layers to them. And Tess does, but that doesn't make her any less evil, even if she didn't think that what she was doing was evil, which I don't understand how she could NOT have known what she was doing was bad. But I guess we just have different opinions on this one.

[Rowedog]

And I don't think she's a one dimensional character. Even if she was a dupe, I wouldn't say she was one dimensional. Some of the best villians have layers to them. And Tess does, but that doesn't make her any less evil, even if she didn't think that what she was doing was evil, which I don't understand how she could NOT have known what she was doing was bad. But I guess we just have different opinions on this one.

I think we've finally reached the real point of the debate we've been having and finally agreed The real point we were making is that she's not a one dimensional character.

[Sin]

I do, however, think she's being viewed as a one dimensional character...I think she had reasons for doing what she did, I understand it,

I don't know if I would call Tess one-dimensional so much as she didn't make sense. She was poorly crafted and poorly formed even in the best case scenarios. It always seems to me that this has carried over in fanfic as well. Either Tess has to be white washed or she is eternally demonized, there is no middle ground from what I have read. She is either innocent or guilty with no gray thrown in for measure. This is all from what I have read since coming into the community in 08'. I just think she was so poorly written as a character which is why so many people make her character into a stick figure of who she was often times making her into a completely different person most of the time. lol.

Going back to the show I just find her to be shallow. I think even in the best cases Tess didn't show that there was much depth to her since all she thought about was Destiny all the time. She didn't grow or branch out when she had opportunities to and this made her a stunted character especially in comparison to the other characters who just in general were much more fleshed out then she was. This was apparent through out her entire stint on the show she was this poorly formed character who just drifted through out the season and used to imply a very veiled and vague threat.

As to viewing her actions, I don't understand her and I don't think I even want to because from what I've glimpsed of her character she was worthy of contempt even putting aside what she did to Alex. I think she is a lot like Faith from Buffy The Vampire Slayer and I hated her off of principal as well. She's just extremely offensive in so many ways.