Will Tilly ever develop as a character?

[TimeIsAPredator]

Definitely growth in her character probably more than anyone else other than Saru.

Season 1 she was practically JarJar the way she was jumping round and was too nervous and green to be anywhere near a starship.
That mellowed in season 2 and even more now to the point where I quite like her now.

My one gripe is that the writers still have the odd moment where they write her as the insecure fat girl trope from a highschool movie and I think the character is better without it

 

[Hythlodeus]

I think a romantic relationship is a poor benchmark for character growth.

^THIS!

So much this!

 

[Muji]

I know this will go down poorly, but I would like her character to grow right out of an airlock. I feel exactly the opposite of the OP in the first paragraph. I thought she was borderline unwatchable in the first season and I don’t think she’s much better now. I suspect her ‘growth’ into this XO role will serve two plot points: 1) It will undermine Saru’s leadership decision-making abilities, as it’s one of the worst personnel decisions in the history of Trek. I have a feeling the Admiral will go mad when the inevitable happens 2) It allows her to show something else about herself and grow in the eyes of her peers.

At least I hope it’s more than just ‘yeah, you did a good job. You’re actually the XO now’. I won’t give up on the show, but it will dent it for me.

 

[crookeddy]

She can't grow as a character because she is not a character. She is a caricature. And so is Stamets and Phillipa, and oh boy, seriously engineer Reno. All of them have the personalities of preteens and should never have been allowed to be in major positions on a pseudo-military starship.

 

[seigezunt]

I think the character is developing just nicely.

 

[Yistaan]

I said this on the latest episode for Discovery thread, but it's actually more appropriate here--

Tilly's character arc was mishandled once they realized Mary Wiseman was cast (Mary's a decade or more older than Tilly). As soon as she was, they should have rewritten Tilly from being a cadet to being a lieutenant or something. That way she won't get the appearance she does now of jumping over more experienced officers and seeming to just get ahead because she's Saru's favorite.

Tilly should have been introduced as female Barclay or a less extreme version of junior lieutenant Picard in Tapestry (the alternate timeline where his career stalled after avoiding getting stabbed in the heart). Basically a good officer who's been in Starfleet for some years but her career stalled due to emotional and self-esteem issues. Saru would then recognize the potential in her, give her opportunities to build her self esteem and confidence, and we'd get a good arc that doesn't seem forced like it does now.

 

[Arpy]

It’s been my theory since her intro that she’s Section 31. They bunked a murderous traitor in prison for life...with a cadet. Plus she’s been wickedly shrewd in I think at least three instances that I can remember, most recently advising Saru to rat Michael out to Vance when he’d come to her to talk him out if it. With the 31 series now in the works, I don’t know if they’ll need to go there with her storyline, but that’s been my theory about the character. That she’d be a Lorca-like reveal at some point. Time will tell, whether in the series or by some writer spilling the beans however the series goes, if I’m right.

 

[Yistaan]

It’s been my theory since her intro that she’s Section 31. They bunked a murderous traitor in prison for life...with a cadet. Plus she’s been wickedly shrewd in I think at least three instances that I can remember, most recently advising Saru to rat Michael out to Vance when he’d come to her to talk him out if it. With the 31 series now in the works, I don’t know if they’ll need to go there with her storyline, but that’s been my theory about the character. That she’d be a Lorca-like reveal at some point. Time will tell, whether in the series or by some writer spilling the beans however the series goes, if I’m right.

I mean... they could go that route but such a revelation would destroy every relationship Tilly has with the Discovery crew, including with Saru. See for example how furious Archer was in Enterprise upon learning Reed was with Section 31, and the relationship was only repaired when Reed eventually denounced them and turned off his communicator when Section 31 tried to contact him.

 

[NCC-73515]

I mean... they could go that route but such a revelation would destroy every relationship Tilly has with the Discovery crew, including with Saru. See for example how furious Archer was in Enterprise upon learning Reed was with Section 31, and the relationship was only repaired when Reed eventually denounced them and turned off his communicator when Section 31 tried to contact him.

ENT 31 was a bad, covert, sneaky organization, and Reed sabotaged Enterprise.
Disco 31 is a part of Starfleet everyone knows about, few people have problems with, and Tilly hasn't sabotaged anything yet as far as we know.

 

[Arpy]

I mean... they could go that route but such a revelation would destroy every relationship Tilly has with the Discovery crew, including with Saru. See for example how furious Archer was in Enterprise upon learning Reed was with Section 31, and the relationship was only repaired when Reed eventually denounced them and turned off his communicator when Section 31 tried to contact him.

Relationships shmelationships, she’s 31. It’s what they do. She could have a whole new set of them post-betrayal. Plus, she’d be the most competent member of the organization we’ve seen so far...maybe. I’d have to take another look at Sloan’s last one to be sure — it was a stinker.

 

[Charles Phipps]

Tilly is awesome as she is.

She also has developed by becoming more assertive.

She doesn't have to go from Wesley to Riker, though. Just be a more confidant Wesley.

 

[Agony_Boothb]

Just be a more confidant Wesley.

I'll be concerned if we see Tilly using the 'Riker Maneuver' to sit on chairs.

 

[cooleddie74]

"I don't know who this William T. Riker was but that man knew how to dominate chairs."

#If_It_Fits_Tilly_Sits

 

[Blue Squadron]

"I'm-XO-so-suddenly-they-can-now-write-me-as-all-assertive..."

Sorry, doesn't work for me at all. I like Tilly and Wiseman but this is all just so contrived.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

From the S3E9 thread, but something I was thinking about here a few minutes ago/

I was thinking of this exact one in the "Will Tilly Ever Develop As A Character?" thread, as far as how seriously some of the crew might take her as XO. I think the Discovery crew will be more professional about it.

 

[Mudd]

She's a "funny hat" character whose job is to be quirky and make people laugh. CBS loves young female characters like this.

 

[Mage]

I think Tilly has grown. And I think a romantic relationship is a poor benchmark for character growth.

^THIS!

So much this!

Your relationship isn't who you are a character. Would I like to see Tilly find someone to be happy with? Sure, I wish this for everyone. Except one person in real life :P.
But calling that character development means you think that someone can only be a whole unique person if they aren't single. And that's a very bad perspective to have in life.

 

[fireproof78]

But calling that character development means you think that someone can only be a whole unique person if they aren't single. And that's a very bad perspective to have in life.

That is more my point. It reminds me of people from college who were constantly looking for a relationship in order to feel better about themselves. Now, to be fair, there is definitely an expectation that being in a romantic means leveling up in life. But, I think that, as you note, ignores people being a whole person as a single person.

 

[Mage]

That is more my point. It reminds me of people from college who were constantly looking for a relationship in order to feel better about themselves. Now, to be fair, there is definitely an expectation that being in a romantic means leveling up in life. But, I think that, as you note, ignores people being a whole person as a single person.

I learned more about being myself as a complete person in the last two years being single than I ever did in 11 years of being in a relationship. Mind you, this was a very toxic, unhealthy person I was with. But yes, define yourself solo as well as with some one. If you're with someone. If not, also not a problem, right?

 

[eschaton]

Your relationship isn't who you are a character. Would I like to see Tilly find someone to be happy with? Sure, I wish this for everyone. Except one person in real life :P.
But calling that character development means you think that someone can only be a whole unique person if they aren't single. And that's a very bad perspective to have in life.

While I agree with this in real life, I don't really think it works well for fiction in visual media.

In written works, we can have a first person narrative from inside a character's head. This allows us to know then intimately. But integrating first person narrative into a TV show is hard - particularly for anyone but the main character. The way we get to know them is by interactions with other characters.