The difference between reveal and development

queenswatchcatt:

This is just something that has been coming up a lot in talk about Lizzy in the latest arc and I wanted to address it.

Lizzy has not changed at all from the start of the story. Her goals were and have always been to sacrifice whatever is needed to make Ciel happy and to be strong so that she can fight to defend them. I suppose it is up to the reader to decide whether that is supposed to be romantic or tragic. Considering the fact that Ciel is a cold and emotionally unavailable murderer with a sadistic streak and a short lifespan I would err towards the latter, but that is just me.

She did not change, her character has not actually grown, we only learned more about her.

She is still reluctant to break her cute persona and focuses much of her energy on dresses, tea parties that that sort of thing. She still trains for the day she may have to fight or die in her role as wife to the queen’s watchdog. Ciel knows that she can fight now but it has not really affected their relationship at all. He still shares little to nothing with her and while clearly concerned for her wellbeing seems to find her and all social company more of a burden than anything. She still reacts to his withdrawal with the same sweet childish over exuberance to hide how much she is hurting.

It’s still the Lizzy we have had from day one.

In this last arc something has certainly happened to her and her proclamation that she can not save Ciel is certainly a welcome change. But I would not rush to call this development, she is clearly being manipulated and openly admits she doesn’t know why she is doing what she is doing. She may well come out of this changed but at the moment she seems like the same girl, just deeply confused. This may be the event that sparks a real change in her character but at the moment we do not know what is happening with her, what her motivations are or why/how they changed.

I do hope that this marks a change for her because she has a great character that deserves growth so I’m hopping we do see some true development for her now.