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6 am Kanayanalysis (A Thread)
Since I'm sick of her playing second fiddle.
Since I'm sick of her playing second fiddle.
1. Profile
Kanaya Maryam might be one of the most poorly represented characters in the Homestuck fan community at large. Kanaya lives in the shadow of many characters, since she works constantly to bolster them- First Vriska, then Rose, as well as Karkat, and even John.
Kanaya Maryam might be one of the most poorly represented characters in the Homestuck fan community at large. Kanaya lives in the shadow of many characters, since she works constantly to bolster them- First Vriska, then Rose, as well as Karkat, and even John.
But Kanaya Maryam is more than Rose Lalonde's wife. She's more than the funny chainsaw lady.
2. Parallels
Before I get into Kanaya on her own, it's important to acknowledge how she DOES play off the rest of the cast. Beginning simply- With Rose Lalonde.
Before I get into Kanaya on her own, it's important to acknowledge how she DOES play off the rest of the cast. Beginning simply- With Rose Lalonde.
Kanaya is Rose's wife, the culmination of many readers' first ever gay couple in popular media. Their relationship, furthermore, is healthy and supportive, while not cloying and generic. It's no small wonder that Rosemary stans cut such a swath on all platforms.
Kanaya also plays off of Vriska, particularly early on.
While this was an abandoned thread of a one-sided crush that Vriska was never actually aware of, Kanaya's early romantic experience is shaped by Vriska. I'd be remiss not to mention the VrisKans out there.
Vriska also can be credited for characterizing Kanaya with one of her most enduring traits- Her "meddlesomeness." More on this later.
Kanaya and Jade also share myriad traits.
Kanaya and Jade, in many ways are parallels. They're both Prospit dreamers who wake early, they're both space players, and they both play a passive role in the narrative. They are the two players with the most information going into Sburb.
They didn't speak to one another much, but I wish they had, for they'd have a lot in common. It's unfortunate this trend has continued in Homestuck 2 even with the relationship drama.
Jade and Kanaya also garden and occupy their session's frog ruins in parallel- Jade is in a lush island while Kanaya is in a desolate desert. Two different flavors of femme fashion gardeners- True Cottagecore Lesbians.
3. Achievements
There are many achievements that Kanaya made possible on her own, ones that often go unsung for the more flashy (pun unintended) moments.
There are many achievements that Kanaya made possible on her own, ones that often go unsung for the more flashy (pun unintended) moments.
For starters, murderstuck was brought to a halt by Kanaya singlehandedly. People might credit Terezi with this, but Terezi was misled by a clown and killed Vriska, an act she later was instrumental in undoing.
No, the responsibility for ending the cavalcade of cadavers was Kanaya Maryam. Incapacitating Gamzee so Karkat could further ameliorate matters, then sawing Eridan in half.
Eridan's timely bisection is also noteworthy due to the immense power disparity between the duo. Eridan is a seadweller, who, according to lore, are millennia-spanning ubermensch with incredible musculature.
Kanaya repeated this trick in another orientation for Gamzee.
Gamzee, while not a seadweller, is also an incredible kill, due to the fact that Gamzee, up until that point, had plot armor that made him immune to a deluge of bullets.
This is, no exaggeration, the second-biggest combat flex in the entire comic, spare for Vriska's fight with Bec Noir, which was only possible because Vriska had powered up fully using her abilities. Here, Kanaya isn't even a god tier, armed with a garden variety chainsaw.
Kanaya is in the running for one of the strongest characters in Homestuck, and this is astounding because no one talks about this.
4. Legacy
The only thing as mighty as Kanaya's prowess with pugilism is her maternal legacy.
The only thing as mighty as Kanaya's prowess with pugilism is her maternal legacy.
Not only was Kanaya responsible for the creation of the humans' session with Karkat, she also pulled double-duty as the matron of all trollkind. Her efforts in preserving the matriorb and eventual need of it with help from Roxy allowed the troll species to propogate on Earth C.
That means every single troll from Earth C is a direct result of Kanaya's actions. Not singlehandedly, mind- But a direct result of her leadership to that end.
None of this would have been possible without the quiet determination inherent to Kanaya's character. Which brings me to-
5. Character
Kanaya is too often characterized as a straightman or blank canvas. Too often in web comics does she sit in the background. Too often is she passive and flustered.
Kanaya is too often characterized as a straightman or blank canvas. Too often in web comics does she sit in the background. Too often is she passive and flustered.
Kanaya is an active presence in the lives of her loved ones. She cares deeply, possibly more deeply than anyone we see. However, she does not tolerate bullshit, exemplified with how she ends things with Vriska, dismissing her quickly as toxic in her life.
She is kind. She is compassionate. She is a tad awkward at interpersonal matters, as she is not used to expressing herself in subtle ways. Rose helps teach her this, but Kanaya is a blunt instrument in service to the things she cares for.
Kanaya is not some high femme damsel, she is a woman unafraid to get her hands dirty, performing chainsaw surgery on her mother mere moments after her death.
Kanaya is a blood-drinking, name-taking cudgel who would sooner amputate her friend's legs than see him suffer a moment more with his disability. Kanaya knows what needs doing and will do it with determination that is staggering.
Kanaya will fuck shit up and look astounding doing it. If she had premiered in the 2010s people would trip over themselves calling her a Mary Sue.
At the end of the day, Kanaya Maryam embodies the same duality as her weapon- The chainsaw. Like the chainsaw/lipstick, she is a gorgeous yet devastating tool in service of those who wish to use her.
Her business end, in the right hands, can forge beautiful things or tear things to shreds. She can be lipstick. She can be chainsaw. She can be your angle. She can be your devil.
TL;DR:
Kanaya is a certified badass and should never be reduced to "Rose's wife" or placed in a passive capacity in fan-stories.
Kanaya is a certified badass and should never be reduced to "Rose's wife" or placed in a passive capacity in fan-stories.
