[Schneizel]

You may be surprised. People may not like these characters because they dislike and can recognize that type of person in real life. Simply put, realistic != likable.

I was never trying to "argue" that, I was pointing out that SEED is not quite as kind to more realistic characters.

The best place to point out how two characters are foils is where they contrast because their intended to bring out different sides of each other. If you don't think that makes them foils, then whatever... you asked me to explain and I did and stated places where they contrasted (However your reasoning for them not being foils makes other known literature foils non-foils).

Some of your comments make me think you weren't quite entirely sure of what I was saying.... For clarification:

I'm not sure what you're trying to get at here. This entire passage doesn't seem to have any coherent arguments.

I wasn't trying to argue anything there. I was pointing out how Fllay became "forgotten" in a sense with examples from the series while Lacus could only shine. Actually, I was not trying to argue a damn thing except point out scenes in the series where they contrasted. If you think I came off as an argument, then "SRY PLZ" but that wasn't the intention.

You're overlooking the fact that the primary trait displayed by both of them at the beginning is naivete. They're both kids, and they are presented as such. Also, only the unobservant would interpret Fllay's attitude simply as "mean" or "cruel", at least early on. Oh well, it was a good try.

I never overlooked it... "a tool of discrimination reflecting her fathers bias with the Earth Alliance." It is saying she is naive and influenced easily by other opinions because she doesn't know any better. Lacus tries to go Politically Correct on her explaining the difference between ZAFT and PLANT, hence why they contrast there. (And "unobservant" describes like a lot of SEED "fans"). She was obviously intended to look mean/cruel/whatever: All humans can have a fierce anger and hatred for one another. Fllay uses and utilizes this anger and allows it to lead her. Lacus does not. That is a huge contrast in their emotions.

kodachrome, you would have been more successful if you said "Fllay and Lacus are both girls." Seriously, you're just grasping at straws here.

And you are grasping at belittlement as your only way to counter me?

I could say that While Fllay tried to manipulate Kira, that's not the essence of her character. Or I could go on about how Lacus didn't really manipulate Kira. And I could show how tenuous this connection is, but none of this is necessary.

The purpose of a character foil is to emphasize a character trait through contrast. Thus, it is essential that the primary character still exhibits (or will exhibit in the near future) the trait being contrasted. However, after Kira "died", Fllay changed. In fact, she changed so much that she no longer bore the trait of "manipulative". So how can Lacus help to emphasize a trait that the primary character no longer has?

Edited-Expanded:

So if Fllay quit being manipulative and selfish, why did she try to get back with Sai by telling him she never loved Kira and try kill Dearka to gain Miriallia's approval as well as prove just how much she "hates" Coordinators despite just being in a relationship with one? It just shows how she is still so dependent she is - now that Kira is not around, who will pay attention to her? If anything, after Kira "dies" she loses her "effectiveness". What's shown in PLANT, is how Lacus provides a sense of renewal in Kira, and clears the clouds of his mind and directs him away from the thought of death (which Fllay wanted him to steer towards - KILL EVERYONE ZOMGG) and points out that there are many he must've saved. Lacus leads him towards the role of a savior, while Fllay led him towards the role of a killer. Lacus's influence of the savior-type image contrasts their ideal images and thoughts of Kira, and generally shows that Fllay has a very twisted vision of mankind after her father dies, believing only in the bad of people (this is also displayed when she tries to tell Miriallia that Miriallia is like her. Miriallia is shocked she could be comparable to someone like Fllay, and ends her vendetta), while Lacus, in quite heavy contrast, tries to show the good of the situation Kira has found himself in about the lives he has saved by fighting, as well as pushes him towards the end of the war, while Fllay (until the manipulation tables get turned on her) wants battles to continue.

Although she kind of lost that before he died too.

Perhaps "fighting spirit" is a better term...

Anyway, there is no point in listing anything else or going into a proper argument with you because you're already very, very set that I am an idiot who can't read, can't think, and who doesn't know what a foil is, and that they are not foils.