The Burning Maze
question
Is Piper McLean Bratty?
Admittedly, I didn't like Piper at first, but it was mainly the whole "I don't want anyone to notice I'm pretty" thing, but she grew on me and while she definitely does not make the list of my favorite characters, she doesn't annoy me either.
Piper strikes me as the girl who would rather have a normal life and a father who spends time with her than all the money and flashiness of celebrity life. And it's implied that she had that life as a kid and then in her teen years when having your parents around is the most important, all of that changed. There are plenty of celebrities who make plenty of time for their kids, but Mr McClain fails to do so. I don't blame her for wanting her dad to care a little more. She steals to get that attention, not because she actually wants anything that she takes.
In terms of Reyna and Jason, they're too alike. That relationship does nothing to help or change either of them and while they have history they don't have chemistry and it's because they are so alike as you pointed out.
In regards to the break up, they weren't communicating well and we have no idea how long that was going on. Their relationship was founded on an idea put in Piper's head by Hera. A break up may not be all that strange and it's not just on her. Jason was pulling away too because of the prophecy. You can't just put it on one or the other because the whole situation is unique and complicated. It's not like she just got tired of him.
And about Jason's death, of course she would be mad. Breaking up doesn't mean you don't love someone. Grief is experienced in different ways. When my great grandmother died, I looked for anyone to blame, but she just got sick. It doesn't mean I wasn't mad or that I didn't blame someone, it just means I had no reason to blame anyone. Piper has someone she can put that blame on even if it's not justified. You're right. It's not Apollo's fault, but it's easier in that moment of reaction to blame someone else rather than yourself. You can't expect her to experience that kind of loss and think about it rationally. She's hurting and been under a lot of stress. She's a human being and she's going to react like one.
Jason is the first person she's lost that she really cared about. Remember that, yes, she helped save the world, but she's essentially a rookie. She's only been involved in all this for a few months. She has no idea what she's doing but is expected to because she's one of the seven.
You're right, she is by far not the best character that Rick has ever cerated, but she isn't as shallow as people seem to think. She can be relatable and she can put a lot of things in perspective. She's not a great character, but she's not a bad one either. She's not trying to be spoiled, she just has a different take on life. She's not perfect. She's flawed because she's human.
Piper strikes me as the girl who would rather have a normal life and a father who spends time with her than all the money and flashiness of celebrity life. And it's implied that she had that life as a kid and then in her teen years when having your parents around is the most important, all of that changed. There are plenty of celebrities who make plenty of time for their kids, but Mr McClain fails to do so. I don't blame her for wanting her dad to care a little more. She steals to get that attention, not because she actually wants anything that she takes.
In terms of Reyna and Jason, they're too alike. That relationship does nothing to help or change either of them and while they have history they don't have chemistry and it's because they are so alike as you pointed out.
In regards to the break up, they weren't communicating well and we have no idea how long that was going on. Their relationship was founded on an idea put in Piper's head by Hera. A break up may not be all that strange and it's not just on her. Jason was pulling away too because of the prophecy. You can't just put it on one or the other because the whole situation is unique and complicated. It's not like she just got tired of him.
And about Jason's death, of course she would be mad. Breaking up doesn't mean you don't love someone. Grief is experienced in different ways. When my great grandmother died, I looked for anyone to blame, but she just got sick. It doesn't mean I wasn't mad or that I didn't blame someone, it just means I had no reason to blame anyone. Piper has someone she can put that blame on even if it's not justified. You're right. It's not Apollo's fault, but it's easier in that moment of reaction to blame someone else rather than yourself. You can't expect her to experience that kind of loss and think about it rationally. She's hurting and been under a lot of stress. She's a human being and she's going to react like one.
Jason is the first person she's lost that she really cared about. Remember that, yes, she helped save the world, but she's essentially a rookie. She's only been involved in all this for a few months. She has no idea what she's doing but is expected to because she's one of the seven.
You're right, she is by far not the best character that Rick has ever cerated, but she isn't as shallow as people seem to think. She can be relatable and she can put a lot of things in perspective. She's not a great character, but she's not a bad one either. She's not trying to be spoiled, she just has a different take on life. She's not perfect. She's flawed because she's human.
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I agree with everything Liyla said about Reyna deserving Jason more. Besides Reyna is everything Piper SHITLEAN can never be--powerful, gorgeous, wise, compassionate, and selfless. Reyna is a true leader and she would be Jason's equal.
Piper SHITLEAN should step aside and let Reyna have Jason.
Reyna kicks ass big time. Piper SHITLEAN sits and whines and charms. It's all she does.
Piper SHITLEAN should step aside and let Reyna have Jason.
Reyna kicks ass big time. Piper SHITLEAN sits and whines and charms. It's all she does.
Greetings fellow humans, I’m here on behalf of the Piper Mclean Defense Squad to do well...just that, defend Piper. Let’s start with her dad shall we? What you need to realize is...
THAT HER DAD EMOTIONALLY ABANDONED HER, AND THAT HE TRIED TO MAKE UP FOR IT WITH MATERIAL STUFF AS IF THAT CAN REPLACE A PARENT'S CARE AND ATTENTION. She's not whiney for wanting attention from her dad, who ADMITTED he pulled away from her! Where do those people who call her whiney get off handwaving this case of emotional abandonment? And let's not even get into how he's enabling her behavior, by not properly disciplining her or COMMUNICATING with Piper! You can see the effect this has on her in the events of The Lost Hero, especially the end when she hesitates in giving her dad the memory erasing potion. This hesitation doesn't make her a bad person, it makes her more human because we can SEE how her dad's actions have affected her so deeply. She could possibly have abandonment issues which could possibly explain why she's so clingy with Jason but I'm no expert in the subject so I can't really tell-
In direct response to your fist part of this statement that was “Piper is such a spoiled girl, she gets whatever she wants, but she still has to steal stuff. She has everything she could ever need, and she still wants something more: her father's attention, which she knows perfectly well is something she can't have as much as she likes.”
No. Just... just no. Her dad was blatantly distancing himself from her in her flashbacks after he made it into film. It’s made even worse that she had a taste of what he was as a proper dad (i.e. actually spending time with her) and she doesn’t understand why he’s pulling away. AND WORK IS NOT AN EXCUSE, HIS FIRST JOB IS A PARENT AND HE CAN FREAKING MAKE TIME FOR HIS KID DANG IT
This isn’t even getting into the fact that Tristan McLean doesn’t even TRY to address Piper’s behavior. Does he talk to her about it? No, or at least not properly. When she “borrows” a car he literally tries to fix the problem by throwing fancy stuff at it. “Oh she stole a car because she really wants one!” No! He’s not getting the hint, at all. Even if he doesn’t talk to her, he could at least send her to a therapist! Goodness know he has the money for it, and if he doesn’t want to invest the time into helping his daughter he can at least pay someone else to do it. Also did I forget to mention he was sending Piper away to those schools and doesn’t understand that she doesn’t like it there?
People constantly say that her life isn’t as hard as Leo’s or Percy’s or Annabeth’s etc. but it’s completely unfair to compare suffering. For example just because one person has been verbally/emotionally abused and another has been actually physically abused doesn’t make the former’s feelings and pain any less valid than the latter’s.
Everyone’s definition of a rough childhood is different. Not everyone has the same experiences under their belt. However, while I acknowledge that Tristan McLean has reasons for his behavior, I CANNOT ignore how his actions have affected Piper. Her delinquent behavior is just as much his fault because he doesn’t even TRY to address it by talking to her/having someone else talk to her. Pulling away was a poor decision, his first job is not an actor, it’s being a proper FATHER. He’s long since amended his mistakes but my gosh, Piper is not all at fault here!
Next you said that Reyna deserves Jason!? Seriously?! Deserves!? No one DESERVES anyone or anything, except perhaps choice and freewill. Maybe Jason deserves to choose who he wants to date, who he has feelings for and doesn’t. Think about that if you will! He doesn’t like Reyna that way, he has established that. Even if he’d never met Piper he still wouldn’t have chosen Reyna because he simply does not feel for her in that way. Reyna wasn’t even that faithful to Jason. She admitted to having a crush on him but she certainly didn’t love him because if she did she wouldn’t have made a move on Percy so easily and quickly.
Yes Piper broke up with him but her fatal flaw is her doubt and low self esteem so of course she began to worry that her relationship with Jason wasn’t what she wanted it to be. Her mother is Aphrodite for crying out loud! Wouldn’t YOU be worried that your boyfriend’s feelings for you are the result of your mother’s influence? Even just a tiny bit? By Trials Of Apollo, Piper’s whole world is falling apart before her very eyes. Her dad has lost nearly everything, she thought her best friend Leo was dead and then when she and Jason got separated in The Labyrinth and were reunited, she could tell he was holding something back and all her doubts suddenly felt like they were coming true. She needed a break from it all, she needed to figure out where her life is going and what she really wants. So she broke up with him because of doubt and insecurities but she still absolutely loves him 100%, she simply needs a break for a while. I guarantee you if Jason hadn't died they would have gotten back together eventually. And when he died, yes she screamed and blamed Apollo. BUT THAT IS CALLED GRIEF! Do you not know what it’s like to mourn the loss of a loved one? Because if not someday it’ll happen and you will never be quite the same again. Grief is your emotions in turmoil, your whole world turned upside down, you cannot remain untouched once you experience it, the ultimate despair. Everybody reacts differently and no way is wrong or right. Some people go completely numb inside as if they’re made of stone. Some play a dangerous game of hindsight with themselves, Some people get angry and want someone or something to blame. This is perfectly normal and is not something to be hated for. Piper knows in her heart that it’s not Apollo or anyone else. But she’s grieving and therefore not thinking clearly and not in control of her emotions. It is wrong to condemn someone for their actions during their time of grief. So please if nothing else convinced you at least don’t hate Piper because of how she mourned the loss of Jason, how she acted while practically drowning in grief, remorse, sorrow and despair and the pain those feelings bring with them.
I’m so low key done with this fandom and their unnecessary hate of Jason and Piper both as characters and as a couple.
Special thanks to this kiwi is not a peewee who has provided several of the arguments used here to defend Piper Mclean.
THAT HER DAD EMOTIONALLY ABANDONED HER, AND THAT HE TRIED TO MAKE UP FOR IT WITH MATERIAL STUFF AS IF THAT CAN REPLACE A PARENT'S CARE AND ATTENTION. She's not whiney for wanting attention from her dad, who ADMITTED he pulled away from her! Where do those people who call her whiney get off handwaving this case of emotional abandonment? And let's not even get into how he's enabling her behavior, by not properly disciplining her or COMMUNICATING with Piper! You can see the effect this has on her in the events of The Lost Hero, especially the end when she hesitates in giving her dad the memory erasing potion. This hesitation doesn't make her a bad person, it makes her more human because we can SEE how her dad's actions have affected her so deeply. She could possibly have abandonment issues which could possibly explain why she's so clingy with Jason but I'm no expert in the subject so I can't really tell-
In direct response to your fist part of this statement that was “Piper is such a spoiled girl, she gets whatever she wants, but she still has to steal stuff. She has everything she could ever need, and she still wants something more: her father's attention, which she knows perfectly well is something she can't have as much as she likes.”
No. Just... just no. Her dad was blatantly distancing himself from her in her flashbacks after he made it into film. It’s made even worse that she had a taste of what he was as a proper dad (i.e. actually spending time with her) and she doesn’t understand why he’s pulling away. AND WORK IS NOT AN EXCUSE, HIS FIRST JOB IS A PARENT AND HE CAN FREAKING MAKE TIME FOR HIS KID DANG IT
This isn’t even getting into the fact that Tristan McLean doesn’t even TRY to address Piper’s behavior. Does he talk to her about it? No, or at least not properly. When she “borrows” a car he literally tries to fix the problem by throwing fancy stuff at it. “Oh she stole a car because she really wants one!” No! He’s not getting the hint, at all. Even if he doesn’t talk to her, he could at least send her to a therapist! Goodness know he has the money for it, and if he doesn’t want to invest the time into helping his daughter he can at least pay someone else to do it. Also did I forget to mention he was sending Piper away to those schools and doesn’t understand that she doesn’t like it there?
People constantly say that her life isn’t as hard as Leo’s or Percy’s or Annabeth’s etc. but it’s completely unfair to compare suffering. For example just because one person has been verbally/emotionally abused and another has been actually physically abused doesn’t make the former’s feelings and pain any less valid than the latter’s.
Everyone’s definition of a rough childhood is different. Not everyone has the same experiences under their belt. However, while I acknowledge that Tristan McLean has reasons for his behavior, I CANNOT ignore how his actions have affected Piper. Her delinquent behavior is just as much his fault because he doesn’t even TRY to address it by talking to her/having someone else talk to her. Pulling away was a poor decision, his first job is not an actor, it’s being a proper FATHER. He’s long since amended his mistakes but my gosh, Piper is not all at fault here!
Next you said that Reyna deserves Jason!? Seriously?! Deserves!? No one DESERVES anyone or anything, except perhaps choice and freewill. Maybe Jason deserves to choose who he wants to date, who he has feelings for and doesn’t. Think about that if you will! He doesn’t like Reyna that way, he has established that. Even if he’d never met Piper he still wouldn’t have chosen Reyna because he simply does not feel for her in that way. Reyna wasn’t even that faithful to Jason. She admitted to having a crush on him but she certainly didn’t love him because if she did she wouldn’t have made a move on Percy so easily and quickly.
Yes Piper broke up with him but her fatal flaw is her doubt and low self esteem so of course she began to worry that her relationship with Jason wasn’t what she wanted it to be. Her mother is Aphrodite for crying out loud! Wouldn’t YOU be worried that your boyfriend’s feelings for you are the result of your mother’s influence? Even just a tiny bit? By Trials Of Apollo, Piper’s whole world is falling apart before her very eyes. Her dad has lost nearly everything, she thought her best friend Leo was dead and then when she and Jason got separated in The Labyrinth and were reunited, she could tell he was holding something back and all her doubts suddenly felt like they were coming true. She needed a break from it all, she needed to figure out where her life is going and what she really wants. So she broke up with him because of doubt and insecurities but she still absolutely loves him 100%, she simply needs a break for a while. I guarantee you if Jason hadn't died they would have gotten back together eventually. And when he died, yes she screamed and blamed Apollo. BUT THAT IS CALLED GRIEF! Do you not know what it’s like to mourn the loss of a loved one? Because if not someday it’ll happen and you will never be quite the same again. Grief is your emotions in turmoil, your whole world turned upside down, you cannot remain untouched once you experience it, the ultimate despair. Everybody reacts differently and no way is wrong or right. Some people go completely numb inside as if they’re made of stone. Some play a dangerous game of hindsight with themselves, Some people get angry and want someone or something to blame. This is perfectly normal and is not something to be hated for. Piper knows in her heart that it’s not Apollo or anyone else. But she’s grieving and therefore not thinking clearly and not in control of her emotions. It is wrong to condemn someone for their actions during their time of grief. So please if nothing else convinced you at least don’t hate Piper because of how she mourned the loss of Jason, how she acted while practically drowning in grief, remorse, sorrow and despair and the pain those feelings bring with them.
I’m so low key done with this fandom and their unnecessary hate of Jason and Piper both as characters and as a couple.
Special thanks to this kiwi is not a peewee who has provided several of the arguments used here to defend Piper Mclean.
Gasp
No Piper is NOT bratty. How could you ever ask that question!?!?!?! Seeing everything she has got though. She just wants to be a normal girl with a normal life, but she still stay strong. Piper does so much more that just charm speaking. She's a fighter. I can't believe anyone who says Piper is less that.
Also I don't think Jason and Reyna would be good together. Reyna did the right thing by joining the hunters, and I think Piper should do the same .(Not that that would ever happen, but still I can hope right?)
No Piper is NOT bratty. How could you ever ask that question!?!?!?! Seeing everything she has got though. She just wants to be a normal girl with a normal life, but she still stay strong. Piper does so much more that just charm speaking. She's a fighter. I can't believe anyone who says Piper is less that.
Also I don't think Jason and Reyna would be good together. Reyna did the right thing by joining the hunters, and I think Piper should do the same .(Not that that would ever happen, but still I can hope right?)
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