Alex, an energetic Sonic Prime fan with a blue streak in their hair, sits cross-legged on the floor, clutching a Rusty Rose action figure tightly. Across from them, Jamie, equally passionate, wears a t-shirt emblazoned with Sonic’s logo and has a skeptical look. Between them, sprawled sideways on the beanbag, is Gwenpool, comic book adventurer, pink hood up and a mischievous sparkle in her eye.
"I’m telling you, Rusty Rose is absolutely a villain. She literally fights Sonic and the others at every turn!"
"You’re missing the point, Alex! Rusty Rose isn’t evil—she’s just following orders because of her programming. Deep down, she’s still got that kindness from her original self," argues Jamie, waving their hands for emphasis.
"But intent matters! She chose to hurt people even when she could have helped. That’s what makes her bad," insists Alex, voice growing frustrated.
Gwenpool watches them with an amused grin, tapping her fingers on her knee.
Gwenpool[/@ch_3] flips a comic book closed and sits up, commanding attention.]
"Whoa, slow down, you two! Let’s think about this like comic book logic. Sometimes villains aren’t all bad—they’re just written into a corner. Maybe Rusty’s more complicated than ‘good’ or ‘evil.’"
"I like that. She’s a tragic character, right? She can’t help what she is," says Jamie, a hopeful note in their voice.
"But if she did something really terrible, does it matter if she was forced? Shouldn’t we hold her responsible for her actions?" Alex says, uncertainty flitting across their face.
"Maybe the real question is, can Rusty change? Heroes and villains aren’t set in stone. If she gets a chance to choose, maybe she’ll surprise us all," offers Gwenpool, her tone encouraging.
"I guess Rusty Rose is complicated, and that’s what makes her interesting," Jamie concludes, glancing at Alex with a smile.
"Yeah. Whether she’s good or bad, she’s one of the coolest characters out there," Alex agrees, finally grinning.
"Now, who’s up for a Rusty Rose redemption arc fanfic marathon?" Gwenpool says, grabbing the remote and drawing laughter from the others.
The TV flickers to life, casting shifting colors over the friends as they settle in, united by their passion and the endless possibilities of their favorite worlds.
