Which of the Original Cast Still Around Has Grown the Most?

[TheCollector]

So, I'd of liked a poll on this, but considering as far as I know this forum doesn't have that we'll just have to do without.

Ok, so, as the title states, which of the original cast members that are still around do you think has grown the most over the course of the comic?

For me personally that falls on Katherine. I mean, when she first appeared she was this odd closed off introverted mess who could barely speak to another human being and had like no friends, other then a very strange friendship with a goldfish. Who I believe, as goldfish don't live to long has since died considering we haven't seen him once since she adopted Atsali and Pickles.

Oh, and there was the whole, being nude at all times when home alone, which isn't so much a part of this, but y'know.

And now, she's assertive, has many friends, healthy relationships with said friends as much on her part as theirs, she's a mother to a teenage paranormal and a kid paranormal, and doing a damn fine job at it. And honestly she's a perfectly well adjusted human being now. lol.

I have to ask though, have those eyes of hers ever been explained? They still weird me out a bit.

[Atomic]

The eyes are a reflection of the six souls she was formed from by way of the Nu Gui curse and the destruction of Lanthis. Functionally, Lily Pratt is her grandmother.

All the details escape me at this late hour and I leave it to others to fill in the gaps.

As for growth, I'd agree with you, and put Shelly in second place with her migration from an emotional bonehead to the Sage of the Forest!

[AmriloJim]

Collector, the board software does allow for polls, but the admins here do have have that option enabled. Besides, the poll is limited to 10 choices... quite inadequate for your question.

[AnotherFairportfan]

Bud.

[Dave]

I think I agree pretty strongly. With Katherine, it's not just growth (although there's plenty of that, too) - it's also redemption. She's fought her way back from terrible trauma... from hiding in seclusion, to daring an adventure and truly wanting to live, to taking back her own power... to a loving and caring and giving life.

She's not the most powerful of the cast, by a long shot, and one of the least "paranormal" by nature (not quite stock-human, but apparently quite close to it). That just makes the strength and depth of her growth all the more potent a story. Seeing that lonely, isolated woman become the one who was hugging her new-chosen family with such contentment and joy... well, it made me tear up when I first saw it. Still does, actually. Paul has told one hell of a tale there.

Of the highly-paranormal, I agree with Atomic - Shelly has probably gone through the most profound changes. 80,000 years, and knowledge of two new species in your ancestry will kinda do that to you, I suppose. She seems to have reached a place of personal peace with respect to who and what she is. She was afraid for a while there that the Time Forest experience hadn't actually taught her anything, but I think that fear has subsided. Letting go of her fear of intimacy, telling Justin the truth about herself... and allowing their relationship to move from lustful dalliance to honesty and love... that's been big, too.

Monica has been through a lot, of course - "up-leveling" at least twice (Glyph reader / golem controller, and Jaguar Girl). But, it's happened in a much shorter period of time than was true for Shelly, and it feels as if there's a lot about herself that Monica is still working on discovering. I suppose you could say that she knows more now about what she is, but maybe not yet who she is. I think there's still a lot of her path yet to be laid out, and a lot of potential story for Paul to show us if he so chooses.

[AnotherFairportfan]

Bud was the most damaged of the GGs; she's ALMOST a normal twenty-year-old now.

[illiad]

AFAIK Kath's eyes are based on a spiders...

[jwhouk]

Can I make an argument for Shelly? She was the one-trick bully back at the start of the strip, then grew into this sage being - and all it took was a (several thousand year) visit to the Time Forest.