I wonder about Pegs's reputation

[OldtypeM87]

So I've restarted my 2nd run through of the entire series to catch all those little things I missed the first time (like the catchy He didn't see it coming earlier in the first season that Victor requoted at the end of the 3rd, always love seeing that connection and continuity between periods of time in good entertainment).

So I'm 8 episodes into 1st season again and I keep getting these consistent wonders about Peg's character seems to be treated like crap so much throughout the series. I know the 1st season seems to be most harshest because of some of her actions (refusing to shoot a guy, not having much skills, and the whole dropping of the plant), but I feel like she still is not very respected or treated well up to end of season 3. For example, the events leading up to the escape of the tower at end of season 2 with the reactions and opinion of everyone about her driving one of the helicopters. I know the other event is minor but Lizzie and Peg's conversation at the end of ep. 36 didn't seem all loving on Lizzie's side (could be baby hormones?)

But I wonder just how is someone who just seems to be treated like absolute crap and written as a pretty worthless character at times (not shooting guns on free will, not having worthwhile skills beside flowering and piloting, and being kinda pessimistic about things, but not to the extent of someone like Kelly) is still alive at this point.

I'm kinda waiting to see what happens with him this last season. Maybe she will do something epic or cool during the final season (like shooting Latch) or maybe she will always be kinda the butt of the group with her usefulness and reputation with the group.

Just trying to get other's thought on her character and keep me occupied with something else to talk about on here.

[Robzombie]

Well, first impressions are often strongest and most lasting until something dramatic changes that. Pegs herself claimed to be useless. Since then she has proven herself and I think like any and everyone there would be a period of adjustment to these new circumstances (end of the world frikin zombie apocolypse!!) and finding yourself all over again. She has proven herself to some degree but due to her softness and first impressions will take some time for others to have full confidence in her.

[scbubba]

Well, first impressions are often strongest and most lasting until something dramatic changes that. Pegs herself claimed to be useless. Since then she has proven herself and I think like any and everyone there would be a period of adjustment to these new circumstances (end of the world frikin zombie apocolypse!!) and finding yourself all over again. She has proven herself to some degree but due to her softness and first impressions will take some time for others to have full confidence in her.

Agreed.

Working from memory here, but her "most useful" stuff prior to piloting the helo to safety was making a big sign (which may have drawn unwanted attention), sucking at cooking, planting a garden that ended up being of no use, and getting hoodwinked by the Colony girl so she couldn't spill the beans on the coup at the Colony. Lots of stuff for people to lose/not have respect for her about.

Then she comes to the rescue as a help pilot. Gets people out of harms way and..... abruptly disappears from the show for the rest of Season 3 until the finale.

So, those first impressions had a long time to take root and little interaction (as seen by the audience) in the story after she went to Boulder just doesn't give folks the chance or reason to change perspective of her.

Maybe we'll see a new Pegs in Season 4. Maybe she got some confidence after the whole helicopter escape thing and people will start reacting to the more current circumstances....

Or maybe not. We'll see....

[YetAnotherBloodyCheek]

Pegs was very important as a member of the tower group in my opinion. Well, not directly important - and I do not want to sound too harsh - but indirectly, she encouraged people by her behaviour not to judged as pejoratively as Pegs. It is really hard to explain, the world collapsed, zombies everywhere, however as long as you still have a better standing than others (i.e. Pegs), I think you at least think twice before you start to complain. Because you do not want to be the second Pegs. Hence, Pegs unintentionally played a vital role in season 1 - and to a certain degree - season 2.

[OldtypeM87]

Pegs was very important as a member of the tower group in my opinion. Well, not directly important - and I do not want to sound too harsh - but indirectly, she encouraged people by her behaviour not to judged as pejoratively as Pegs. It is really hard to explain, the world collapsed, zombies everywhere, however as long as you still have a better standing than others (i.e. Pegs), I think you at least think twice before you start to complain. Because you do not want to be the second Pegs. Hence, Pegs unintentionally played a vital role in season 1 - and to a certain degree - season 2.

In a way, she was there to make everyone else look good and feel confident about themselves

Agreed.

Working from memory here, but her "most useful" stuff prior to piloting the helo to safety was making a big sign (which may have drawn unwanted attention), sucking at cooking, planting a garden that ended up being of no use, and getting hoodwinked by the Colony girl so she couldn't spill the beans on the coup at the Colony. Lots of stuff for people to lose/not have respect for her about.

Then she comes to the rescue as a help pilot. Gets people out of harms way and..... abruptly disappears from the show for the rest of Season 3 until the finale.

So, those first impressions had a long time to take root and little interaction (as seen by the audience) in the story after she went to Boulder just doesn't give folks the chance or reason to change perspective of her.

Maybe we'll see a new Pegs in Season 4. Maybe she got some confidence after the whole helicopter escape thing and people will start reacting to the more current circumstances....

Or maybe not. We'll see....

Though in ch. 36, she made a comment that she was relieved that she didn't have to fly them out of Irvin, but then volunteers to help take the controls while they are leaving. I feel like she is a bit wishy-washy at times but hey, who isn't. I personally want to see her do something epic and cool this final season as I mentioned earlier. Michael's girl better get her some.

[HardKor]

Though in ch. 36, she made a comment that she was relieved that she didn't have to fly them out of Irvin, but then volunteers to help take the controls while they are leaving. I feel like she is a bit wishy-washy at times but hey, who isn't. I personally want to see her do something epic and cool this final season as I mentioned earlier. Michael's girl better get her some.

I don't know if I'd call her wishy-washy there. She was relieved that she didn't have everyone depending on her to be the sole pilot like when they were going to Irwin but was willing to step up and do whatever was needed to help out.

Pegs has a lot of problems with confidence, but she's always trying to help however she can. She just seems to be cursed with bad luck. The whole flower pot incident is the biggest example of this. Anyone could have bumped that pot off the ledge. Michael even says as much right after it happened and then says it's probably no big deal. Then the zombie who saw them calls for backup and all hell breaks loose and Pegs ends up on everyone's "shit list." Even Michael, who didn't think knocking the flower pot over was a big deal at first, turns on her for awhile. She just gets "pegged" (I can't resist a good pun) when the label of "the weak one" and ends up getting treated worse when she makes a mistake than anyone else.

As far as what her "role" is, I thinks in a lot of ways she's the emotional center of the group. And she's definitely Michael's center. Notice how whenever Michael goes into one of his funks where he tries to slink off on his own close everyone else out it's usually Pegs that has to tell him to suck it up and deal with the fact that everyone is looking to him for leadership (Early on Riley plays this role too, but it's been more Pegs as the show's gone on).

[LiamKerrington]

I think Pegs is demanding on herself - like: she wants to prove not only everyone but herself that she is worth something.
But since "logic" is not necessarily her strength, everything she does roots in either total naivity or at least emotions.

HardKor: I agree with you.

edit: One thing that drives Pegs a lot is to seek justification or justice for whatever she does wrong. This is especially true for what she did to Latch. Later she asks Angel for a favor to at least give Scratch the chance to bury her brother. And something tells me that Pegs is not really over her conflict with Scratch, because she was not able to ask Scratch for redemption personally ...

[OldtypeM87]

I think Pegs is demanding on herself - like: she wants to prove not only everyone but herself that she is worth something.
But since "logic" is not necessarily her strength, everything she does roots in either total naivity or at least emotions.

HardKor: I agree with you.

edit: One thing that drives Pegs a lot is to seek justification or justice for whatever she does wrong. This is especially true for what she did to Latch. Later she asks Angel for a favor to at least give Scratch the chance to bury her brother. And something tells me that Pegs is not really over her conflict with Scratch, because she was not able to ask Scratch for redemption personally ...

I'm interested to see what happens with that. I just hope she doesn't get killed by scratch like angel did. Of course, I'm waiting for the war between Burt and Scratch. Never destroy a man's love of guns.

[ZombieBlake]

Maybe Pegs is a remnant of every day life. Often our fellow man can be found annoying and useless at times and shot the dirty look whenever their actions, however good intentioned they are, accidentally cause more havoc than expected.
Everyone wants to be the hero of the story, but realistically sometimes there are people who are just surviving and completing the layering of what society once encompassed.

Actually story-wise, I think Pegs rises up when the occasion calls, but her clumsy actions and words imprint deeply in the listeners' mind.
I know I remember the times I screwed up more over small achievements.

[Vlarken]

I am of the opinion that Pegs' on-the-fly (no pun) learning to pilot a helicopter (when she had previously only trained on small bush plains) and then saving everyone from certain death by piloting said helicopter makes up for pretty much every mistake she had made beforehand. Everyone would be dead if it wasn't for her... Think about that. There was no way they were going to be able to escape the Tower after Kalani's sacrificial suicide without her piloting the second helicopter. So, in all essence, you have her to thank for the continued existence of the show (not literally, of course, but from an 'inside-the-fictionworld' standpoint).

She may be flighty, fickle and stubborn, but she is a warrior when she has to be. Doesn't anybody remember in the Colony part of season 2, she was of the only people who had the courage to accompany Michael, and she was the one who found out about Gatekeeper's plan, thus saving everyone's skin once again (or, 'before', I guess I should say, because that's before the helicopter part). So really, in my view, her triumphs are far greater than her failures, which are not the worst failures a person can make in the zombie apocalypse. It's okay, Pegs, I appreciate you.

...Also, reading back a bit after posting, I realize that these things have been mentioned... Sorry about that, but hey, I have to put my Pegs appreciation somewhere I suppose.