Now in the world of Gundam Fans, there are many "factions"- groups of fans holding to a particular set of opinions about the characters. While the most prominent is the yaoi- non-yaoi debate, the second bitterest battle is the Pro-Relena vs. Anti-Relena debate. I believe that everyone is entitled to their opinions, and this is no exception. After all, one must keep in mind that this is a fictional series created purely for our enjoyment. However, I am also tired of the ridiculous arguments against Relena. If you must have an opinion, at least be able to back it up with reasonable arguments. What do I mean? Let me show you.
~Reason #1 for hating Relena~
She stalks Heero through the whole series.
Really? I must have been watching a different series. What I saw was her follow him through out the first little section but after that, she stops and moves on to more important things. Secondly, she was fifteen! If you had been able to follow your crush like that, would you? I remember that age, and I know what it's like at that age to have a crush. Then, we must remember that she had just lost her father, and with him, her sheltered view of the world. Everything she once thought to know was shattered. She didn't know who she was, and Heero was the next prominent man in her life. As mentally unstable as some would argue he was, he was a constant and something strong. It is very reasonable to suppose that she would grasp onto that security.
~Reason #2~
She spouts pacifism all the time and it gets annoying.
Okay, while the whole idea of wishing for world peace may seem cliché, isn't a goal worth striving for? After all, who doesn't wish, in their hearts, for the fighting to stop? Even the GW boys wanted it, so badly that they sacrificed everything they had for it. Relena just used a different method- one that didn't involve blowing things up. And she was effective enough that the Romefellar foundation saw her as a threat and tried to eliminate her.
Reason #3~
She shot Une and was hypocritical in her beliefs.
First, attempting to shoot Une happened before she had formed her pacifist views. Remember, everything she had ever believed in was gone. She wasn't even the person she thought she was. Lashing out is a typical response, and she really didn't know what else to do at that point. She was still upset about her father, and all things considered she could have done worse. (Just look at Quatre*) And did you ever wonder why Relena went by Darlian at that time, instead of Peacecraft? She could have taken her birth father's name, and all the authority that went with it, but instead she chose the name of a man who died fighting for his beliefs. This is symbolic, showing that she no longer adhered to absolute pacifism, but realized that sometimes fighting is necessary. Any "violent actions" afterwards, such as slapping Mariemeia, showed that she was not a wimp (reason 4), and that she had struck a balance in her beliefs. Besides, if she hadn't, Une or someone else would have, and that would have been a lot worse.
~Reason #4~
She is such a wimp!
During the beginning of the series, she may come off as weepy or frightened, but she had good reason. However, she was calm and collected again very soon after. Early on, she shows her nerves of steel when Heero almost crushes her with Wing. What did she do? Stand there. She didn't even flinch. She showed no fear to Une. Relena was boldly defiant of every danger that came her way. She was threatened again and again, and every time, instead of running and crying, she faced it down. When the Romefellar foundation tried to use her as their figure head, she turned the tables on them. Knowing that she could be killed for what she was saying, she used the podium they provided to spread her ideals. And what a response she received. Even when Heero tried to kill her, she calmly waited, fully prepared to accept death. So she is either incredibly foolish or incredibly brave. But then, so are all the pilots.
~Reason #5~
"Heeeeeerrrooooo! Come back and kill me!"
Alright, she does this once, maybe twice, so all you fanfic writers who have her do it every ten seconds, give it a rest! She had a major crush on the boy, she had lost her identity, and it seemed the best way to get him to come back. She wanted to see him at least one more time, even if it meant her death. Romantic, not annoying. See Reason #1.
~Reason #6~
She's spoiled.
This is a fairly common misconception. Even in the manga, "Episode Zero," many of her classmates think she is. Look, rich does not equal spoiled. And to those of you who disagree, Quatre was filthy rich. If you read "Episode Zero," you would know that he actually does act spoiled, where as Relena is far from it. When she hears her friends talking about the "rabble" that the school let's in, it bothers her greatly, and we can see that she sees everyone as equal. She sacrificed her freedom to the Romefellar foundation to save some common citizens of the Sanc kingdom. She skipped her own birthday to make sure a peace treaty was signed. Hardly the actions of a spoiled brat.
~Reason #7~
She dresses funny, she has too much pink, she's ugly, her hairstyle stinks, etc.
I put these all together because my answer to them is the same. These really don't deserve consideration. Condemning someone based on personal tastes and appearances is not only ridiculous, it's wrong. That's all I've got to say on this one.
~Reason #8~
She and Heero don't belong together.
Is this jealousy over an imaginary, made-up character? A scary thought. If this is your reason to hate Relena and jealousy isn't the case, why does it bother you so much? Okay, maybe they don't, and maybe they do. That is not a good reason for disliking someone. In fanfiction, you have free reign in who pairs up with whom. It's your choice. I've read some very good ones involving Duo and Relena, and Heero and Hilde, and even some good OC's (original characters and self insertions.) But to dislike Relena for the implications shown in the series between herself and Heero is ludicrous.
So those are my answers. I welcome all debates and alternative opinions. Please, no flames. They are childish, and I would much prefer an adult debate. We can all be reasonable about it. Let the battles stop. We all love the series, surely that is common ground.
~Standard Disclaimer~
The author does not claim to own Gundam Wing nor any of its characters. Gundam Wing is the property of Sunrise, Sotsu Agency and TV Asahi.
