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Raise your glass
Dec. 6th, 2012 04:43 pmNow that we've discussed the exceptional Lila Fowler, we'll swing around to the other end of the spectrum and give some love to Enid Rollins.
I'll admit that I'm completely biased in Enid's favor. Reddish hair, green eyes, quiet with a snarky sense of humor? Seriously, where do I sign up? Also, she was a central figure in the first SVH book to capture my attention (Crash Landing!) and I tend to bond quickly. But let's make the case for Enid for all those who just don't understand, shall we?
When the series starts, we're told that Jessica is the Wakefield twin to have initially taken an interest in Enid and brought her home. Enid is the one who turned Jessica down as a friend, not the other way around. And when the series begins? I'd have totally picked Liz as a friend over Jessica, too. So for Enid to have had the power to do this proves there's more to her than meets the eye.
We find out that Enid has a History, which is always interesting. We'll ignore the kind of sketchy parts (all of this pretty much going down when she was thirteen given where Enid's birthday falls) and focus instead on the part where Enid of all people gets the backstory.
Before the series decided to make Enid SVH's buttmonkey, she gets the occasional fantastic snarky commentary. She sees through the BS of the popular kids, she calls Liz on things where Liz is up on a soap box or blinded by her own agenda, and it's hinted and flat out stated that while she's friends with some of the most popular kids, Enid herself isn't given the same popularity. Even Winston gets to keep some of the shine of the spotlight when he's not clowning around in the immediate vicinity of Todd, Bruce, or the Wakefields. Enid doesn't, which made it easier for me to relate to, especially when things got bad at school.
For all that Enid is okay with her best friend landing her dream guy (Elizabeth and Jeffrey) she is most decidedly not okay with George and Robin, which I kind of adore. Plus, you can add your own angst to the Enid/Jeffrey/Liz angle if you want. And if you don't? Well, Enid's just way more evolved than I ever was.
Enid's reaction to Amy moving back to the Valley isn't to throw down over Elizabeth's friendship. She steps back and realizes HS!Amy is obviously not the same girl SVT!Amy was and isn't really someone Enid wants to hang around, especially with Amy making threats. But she doesn't try and twist Elizabeth's arm or force her to see the light (both tactics likely to fail) and waits for Liz to see the truth. But she isn't a saint about it; the longer it takes Liz to realize Amy is a flake and the more Amy antagonizes Enid, the more annoyed Enid gets. I love this book for Enid.
Enid believes in the power of cookies. Which means the power of cookie dough.
Enid sees through Margo before anyone else does. She doesn't call out "Evil twin!" but everyone else is all "Liz is just acting weird." Enid at least jumps to the logical conclusion that Jessica is up to something.
When SVU starts and Enid morphs into Alexandra, I can understand where the writers were going with this. The reasoning used was that Enid was tired of living in Liz's shadow and wanted her own spotlight, so she seeks it out with a makeover and a new name. I was kind of on board for that, but she makes such a mess of things that it's painful to read, and by the time she sorts things out, she's just one of the sorority sisters. So points given and taken away for SVU in this case. I think it was a good idea that was executed poorly.
We don't really discuss what they did to Enid by the end of the series and we sure as hell don't talk about Senior Year Enid.
In my head, Enid's less a sidekick and more content in where she is. She sees into the inner workings of the In Crowd at SVH but retains the distance to realize just how crazy it is at times. She could glam it up and probably have been accepted more fully but she doesn't. Which, given the number of makeovers handed out in this series, is saying something.
So for being a good friend capable of overlooking your best friend inadvertently snagging the guy you were interested in, learning to walk again, dealing with a drug related past as well as Daddy Issues, and the only friggin' person in the Valley to see through Margo in some way shape or form with just a word or two, I salute you, Enid Rollins. Let's make some cookies and watch some classic movies and you can tell me what it's like at the top.
I'll admit that I'm completely biased in Enid's favor. Reddish hair, green eyes, quiet with a snarky sense of humor? Seriously, where do I sign up? Also, she was a central figure in the first SVH book to capture my attention (Crash Landing!) and I tend to bond quickly. But let's make the case for Enid for all those who just don't understand, shall we?
When the series starts, we're told that Jessica is the Wakefield twin to have initially taken an interest in Enid and brought her home. Enid is the one who turned Jessica down as a friend, not the other way around. And when the series begins? I'd have totally picked Liz as a friend over Jessica, too. So for Enid to have had the power to do this proves there's more to her than meets the eye.
We find out that Enid has a History, which is always interesting. We'll ignore the kind of sketchy parts (all of this pretty much going down when she was thirteen given where Enid's birthday falls) and focus instead on the part where Enid of all people gets the backstory.
Before the series decided to make Enid SVH's buttmonkey, she gets the occasional fantastic snarky commentary. She sees through the BS of the popular kids, she calls Liz on things where Liz is up on a soap box or blinded by her own agenda, and it's hinted and flat out stated that while she's friends with some of the most popular kids, Enid herself isn't given the same popularity. Even Winston gets to keep some of the shine of the spotlight when he's not clowning around in the immediate vicinity of Todd, Bruce, or the Wakefields. Enid doesn't, which made it easier for me to relate to, especially when things got bad at school.
For all that Enid is okay with her best friend landing her dream guy (Elizabeth and Jeffrey) she is most decidedly not okay with George and Robin, which I kind of adore. Plus, you can add your own angst to the Enid/Jeffrey/Liz angle if you want. And if you don't? Well, Enid's just way more evolved than I ever was.
Enid's reaction to Amy moving back to the Valley isn't to throw down over Elizabeth's friendship. She steps back and realizes HS!Amy is obviously not the same girl SVT!Amy was and isn't really someone Enid wants to hang around, especially with Amy making threats. But she doesn't try and twist Elizabeth's arm or force her to see the light (both tactics likely to fail) and waits for Liz to see the truth. But she isn't a saint about it; the longer it takes Liz to realize Amy is a flake and the more Amy antagonizes Enid, the more annoyed Enid gets. I love this book for Enid.
Enid believes in the power of cookies. Which means the power of cookie dough.
Enid sees through Margo before anyone else does. She doesn't call out "Evil twin!" but everyone else is all "Liz is just acting weird." Enid at least jumps to the logical conclusion that Jessica is up to something.
When SVU starts and Enid morphs into Alexandra, I can understand where the writers were going with this. The reasoning used was that Enid was tired of living in Liz's shadow and wanted her own spotlight, so she seeks it out with a makeover and a new name. I was kind of on board for that, but she makes such a mess of things that it's painful to read, and by the time she sorts things out, she's just one of the sorority sisters. So points given and taken away for SVU in this case. I think it was a good idea that was executed poorly.
We don't really discuss what they did to Enid by the end of the series and we sure as hell don't talk about Senior Year Enid.
In my head, Enid's less a sidekick and more content in where she is. She sees into the inner workings of the In Crowd at SVH but retains the distance to realize just how crazy it is at times. She could glam it up and probably have been accepted more fully but she doesn't. Which, given the number of makeovers handed out in this series, is saying something.
So for being a good friend capable of overlooking your best friend inadvertently snagging the guy you were interested in, learning to walk again, dealing with a drug related past as well as Daddy Issues, and the only friggin' person in the Valley to see through Margo in some way shape or form with just a word or two, I salute you, Enid Rollins. Let's make some cookies and watch some classic movies and you can tell me what it's like at the top.