Defiance: Amanda's Dark Side

She's the Dark Horse you never saw coming

             Haven't written a Defiance blog in a while so I feel I'm due. Over the course of season 2, things got really heated. More so we got to know Amanda a little better and while I see she's a noble character like all great heroines she has a darkness that may lead her down a dangerous path.

Amanda is Head Bitch in Charge... ALWAYS

         In Season 2, Amanda was demoted from Mayor to Madam. I feel that she fit the role pretty well. Amanda is a person who feels more at home in a position of authority and leadership even when she doubts herself. She's also not a very judgmental person. Her sister, Kenya, was a Madam and that didn't seem to hurt Amanda's political career. Probably because being in such a remote area where survival is more important, people don't tend to throw stones. They're all just trying to make it. So becoming a Madam wasn't really a bad thing for Amanda. I think she sort of blossomed in the role...

Come on, it's chamomile... we could also
braid each other's hair

       As I've said, you won't find too many judgmental people in Defiance but in political office it's more cut throat than inside the fight tents. In office, Amanda had to be more conscious of her decisions especially because she had a tenuous position not being fully elected mayor. Amanda had to be extra careful so getting involved with a guy like Nolan wasn't really in the cards for her at the time (despite the fact that they both felt something for each other). Yet in season 2, Amanda didn't have to worry about that anymore so she pursued a relationship with Nolan. It was fun while it lasted but Nolan and Amanda are too much alike. They're both closed off people who protect their fragile hearts (albeit in different ways). So once there was an opportunity, Amanda shut Nolan out. Nolan being Nolan he didn't pursue the issue and let things end. What idiots, right? But I have a feeling they're not entirely finished yet. But onto Amanda's darkness...

At least she told Nolan the truth... only after telling Pottinger

       I completely understand Amanda's shutting out Nolan. It all starts with her abandonment issues where during a fire fight, her mother left her and Kenya to fend for themselves so Amanda had to step up (hence her comfort in being in leadership roles). This self reliance mixed with fears of being deserted by someone who was supposed to love and protect her helped her and Kenya survive. But then Amanda met Connor. Maybe she finally found someone who would stand by her, however that was basically destroyed when she was raped at work one night and got pregnant as a result. Confessing about a rape when in politics was not an option also Amanda reacted like most strong women do when abused: she felt like she had to take care of the problem herself. This was another traumatic event in Amanda's life that I think brought back that moment of abandonment and maybe she felt Connor would do the same so she never told him the truth. The only constant in Amanda's life was Kenya...

Guys always come crawling back to Amanda

        When it came to Kenya, Amanda was always ready to fight and protect her. When Kenya went missing Amanda took care of the Need/Want so sure she would come back. Though she did have a terrible feeling that Kenya was dead. Amanda was just in denial. The denial may have lead to her drug use (there may have been other factors as well). This denial was so strong Amanda was willing to accept a Frankenstein echo of her sister. When Stahma told Amanda that this Kenya was an imposter, Amanda became all scary threatening Stahma with violence if she ever told anyone else this. Then there was that scene where Amanda was begging fake Kenya to stay and play house. Of course this lead to physical injury. Then Amanda was really at a crossroads when she learned that Stahma killed Kenya (You know, Pottinger, maybe you should stick to diamonds, just sayin'). Amanda may have not pulled the trigger but that doesn't mean she won't seek some form of revenge.    

How many more graves are we gonna dig?

        I'm hoping in season 3 we see more of Amanda's dark side come out (and that she unleashes that darkness on Pottinger when she finds out he played her). She's a complex character and seeing her get her hands a little dirty seems like the next step for her. I also see that Amanda is a resilient character. She managed to kick her drug habit and despite the satisfaction she may have gotten from killing Stahma, getting rid of the senior Tarrs would have opened a power vacuum in the drug game leaving open to someone even worse. She cares too much about Defiance to put it through a drug war. If Amanda did declare war on Stahma I doubt Alak would stay out of it. Christi especially. She already hates the E-Rep for destroying her family and Amanda essentially works for them. Come to think of it I wouldn't mind seeing Christi take a more active role in the Tarr family business. You declare war on someone be prepared to face the entire clan, blood or otherwise. Let's see how Amanda handles new challenges in season 3.