User blog:Epic~00/Character Appreciation - Week 30: Leonard

Welcome back to Character Appreciation, a blog series that will run for the whole year alongside Project 10. Each week we'll take a look at one Total Drama character, what we like and dislike about them, how they've grown, and what we hope to see from them in the future. I'm Epic~00 and this week, we're looking at The LARPer, Leonard!

Overview
Leonard first debuts in Total Drama: Pahkitew Island, a seasoned live-action roleplayer who enjoys casting spells. He initially has a quite youthful approach to the show but once played on Waneyihtam Maskwak he quickly takes charge of his mostly rather naive team; proposing they build a wizard's tower when constructed to create their own campsite for their respective teams as part of a challenge. And with people like Beardo, Ella, and Sugar on his team, ideas such as this are taken seriously. His tower idea fails miserably once a moose stampede easily destroys it but is fortunately saved due to Beardo's contribution. In the next episode, Leonard tries to take control once again, deciding to go last on behalf of his team in a pig-carrying relay, resting the entire team's victory on himself. After failing to get his pig over a wall using spells, he's pressured by Dave's incessant whinging and moaning and finally sticks up for himself, defended by Sugar in the process. This bickering unfortunately causes him to lose the challenge on behalf of his team once again and is swiftly voted off, with his spells no longer being able to save him in his attempt to reverse time.

After finding Pahkitew Island difficult, Leonard joins The Ridonculous Race alongside his LARPing partner, Tammy, otherwise known as the LARPers. After being slowed down by a queue for an elevator in the first episode, they end up on the last flight. Whilst waiting to depart they attempt to form alliances with the Adversity Twins and Gotths alike but are turned down. They get delayed upon reaching Morocco in the second episode by a taxi driver who wouldn't accept Leonard's dragon coins as payment. After eating the spices (though Leonard thought they had to eat camel barf), it's a three-way race between Leonard's team, the Vegans and Father&Son and narrowly lose the race against the latter team after attempting to form a spell to speed up and are the first team out of the race.

Opinions
Leonard is an underrated character and by far my favorite fodder in the history of the show. The hate he gets is out of proportion, over-extreme, and irks me however, as people act like Leonard should've been some kind of serious fodder. This is why I like Leonard so much. In his four episodes you don't have to think much to write or enjoy his brand of humour. He meshed perfectly well with both the Pahkitew & Ridonculous cast. The former because that cast is full of inane, irrational personalities as is, making him fit in just perfectly and not seem as out of place, and the latter because the humour in that season is quite zany & fast paced, making him fit as a unique prelude to said humour. One thing he excels at in both seasons however is a human shield. He's so wrapped up in his own terrible ego and horrible ideas about everything that it causes him to be a fantastic human shield for the more important characters. For example, he leaves early in Pahkitew Island so they can prolong the Amy/Samey plot and Rodney's... whatever the hell he had that I can't call a plot, and then in Ridonculous Race he's used to shield a more nuanced and unique team like the Tennis Rivals and a team where it wouldn't make sense for them to leave first, being the Geniuses. This is all topped off with the fact Leonard is a laugh a minute! I mean how can people hate on someone so much with lines like:

"How could a WiZaRd'S ToWeR NAT WiN???"

"It was THEN that my party encountered a VICIOUS, UMBER COLOSSUS. Luckily I had enough MANA to BANISH it with a ~DISPLACEMENT~ Spell!"

"Pfft. I levitated all night."

"Piggus levitatus this instantus!"

"Piggy piggy climb over the wall, win this challenge for us and all!"

"My spells aren't WORKING because........ someone HEEEEERE..... doesn't BELIEVE(!) in me!!!

"Magic boots and armpit smell! Bring forth a time reversal spell!"

"Dissapearicus! Convincicu-us! ...Can't see me anymore, can ya?!"

"SPSALUTATIONS!" -spits all over the Goths-

"Tammy and I first met in ninth grade, and we were immediately very close..." -Tammy: We were stuffed into the same locker :)- "And a friendship was formed! As we ate our lunches together as we waited for the janitor to locate the bolt cutters!

"WE HAVE TO EAT OUR OWN **BARF???**"

"Oh-ho! He'll so-oooh rue it >:D"

And sure, you could make the subjective argument you find Leonard 'annoying' or 'not funny' but I see too many act as though he's some kind of stain on Total Drama who ruined the entire franchise. Erm, no he's not. Anyway, a fantastically hilarious character and the best fodder in the show.

Comments
What about you? Despite the title, this blog is open to all opinions! Share your thoughts about Leonard in the comments below and use the // userboxes too. Don't forget to share your Best Moment, Best Season, and Best Episode of Leonard! Next week, Your Highness, Mo will be analyzing and giving her opinions on The Athletic Overachiever, Lightning!