destroyerzooey

I think Scott isn't deliberately malicious, just terminally clueless. It doesn't seem to occur to him to consider how other people might think or feel about a situation.

Ramona could be better about communicating clearly, but hey, she's only in her early twenties, so I cut her some slack on that. ;-)

I think Scott isn't deliberately malicious, just terminally clueless. It doesn't seem to occur to him to consider how other people might think or feel about a situation.
Yeah, I agree. I still voted that he was a jerk, though. Unintentionally, though. I became less sympathetic to Scott and more sympathetic to Ramona as the series went on.

i said they both seem okay because i don't think either of them are really bad, but they both do some pretty immature, unreasonable things. that can be good for a story, of course, and it's certainly pretty realistic.

the only thing that really bugs me about ramona is that she's kind of a huge hypocrite.

the only thing that really bugs me about ramona is that she's kind of a huge hypocrite.

iawtc.

I stopped rooting for Ramona around book 4. In book 5 when she was smoking on the balcony during his fight I lost all affection for her. I'm still more or less behind Scott, because he is starting to take responsibility for the people he's hurt (his apology to Kim stands out).

- Jux

This is a question I was thinking about a lot while I was reading the 5th book. They're more flawed and human than jerks.

Scott's an idiot and should take Ramona on some dates once in a while. Maybe buy her a nice necklace with her favorite animal on it or something.

I mean come on he doesn't even know her age.

I think I identify too much with Scott to call him a jerk.

this

I think they're both just young.

You stole my response. Also, why no "Mal is a jerk" option? WHY? WHY NO?

I think Scott is actually a stuffed panda.

"seems that way."

(couldn't resist)

My main thing against Ramona is that she specifically says "seven evil ex-*boyfriends*" in volume 1 and then is kinda rolling her eyes at Scott when our favorite half-ninja shows up.

Plus, she didn't even give him a heads up after the pop star clones attacked Scott even though she clearly at least had a guess as to what was going on. Actually, giving Scott a heads up of any sort on just who he was dealing with wouldn't have been unreasonable.

I think they are both kind of jerks, which is why they deserve each other, but not both awful. They both do jerky things, but I agree with those above ^ in that Scott is mostly just kind of clueless, and Ramona just needs to learn to trust and communicate, and that these flaws don't make them bad people, just people.

I think Scott is a *massive* jerk, in a way that I've found a lot of early-20s guys to be massive jerks. Like, they don't mean to be, just immature and kind of entitled and still learning about the real world. He seems to be getting a bit more mature and responsible as the books go on, not hugely but a way that is believable and typical.

i kind of think of it like how people really are. where both people are kind of at fault.

i think YOU'RE the jerk bryan. a big jerk with a kitten userpic!

kittens are cuuuute :(

Scott is too dumb to be a jerk. Ramona IS a bit of a bitch but also compared to Julie she looks a lot less so.

I think kittens are adorable!

Scott is just clueless, I don't get why even 7% would think he's a jerk.

Ramona is... tough to deal with. She drives a lot of plot to put it one way. The people calling her a bitch are totally out of line though.

i voted for they are both awful, but then i am a kim fan. I will say they are all really fun to read about and would be less fun if they were not awful!

Scott's kind of a jerk, but not one of those jerks from whom being a jerk is their raison d'être. It's a free-spirited, inconsiderate jerkishness.

Ramona's kind of a bitch because she hides too much, and it's also bitchy behaviour to make a guy fight all your exes.


Of course I'm kind of a jerk sometimes, my girlfriend's kind of a jerk too, and pretty much everyone I know is also some sort of a jerk.

No answer stands out for me, as the terms "jerk" and "bitch" are pretty broad and I do not think they apply completely. That being said, anyone who does not recognize Ramona's faults is making a foolish misjudgment.

Ramona has, for whatever reasons, lied or been purposely vague about her past life, relationships, and even the number of evil exes. Hell, who knows if they are all "evil".

While we cannot thus far be sure if everything said is true, here is what I gather to be true about her past:

-Worked for Gideon in some form of lewd business, nature of which is unknown
-"expert at cheating"
-Played twins against each other
-Left Gideon, presumably to hide from whatever life she was living (so we can assume it was a bad one, if not one of vice based on her fleeing and secrecy on the matter)

While six could be redeeming for her (which I think it will be because most people like the happy, expected ending of the boy getting the girl he has fought for), she better have some damn good reasons. Right now, I see Scott as used and manipulated, Gideon and company perhaps somewhat evil, but were wronged by Ramona.

Scott has his flaws, but he, unlike Ramona, has been committed to bettering himself. We see this in him not sleeping with Lisa (I secretly wanted him to), getting a job, continually fighting the boyfriends and overlooking Ramona's flaws. He is kind of dumb, but not a jerk.

Right now, I am most sympathetic towards Kim. She has continued to help Scott despite her unrequited love, her past with him and his lack of care for her and even graciously accepts his apology. She just wants Scott to be happy, and if that means with Ramona, so be it (see text message). She would understandably harbor some resentment towards Ramona for being with Scott when she clearly wants to, but she does not try to turn him against her by any means.

While I have already said what I guess will happen in six, what I would like to see is Kim and Scott together. Gideon will come and explain the nature of Ramona's past, dunno how Scott will react, but I want him to be with Kim.

Please respond to this with any comments!!!!!!!one

I think everyone who feels that Ramona is being a huge bitch in the last few books, needs to remember what Scott was like in the first three books.

Scott was a total liar and douchebag to Knives. He was hung up on Envy, and Ramona totally gave him time to deal with it. Now Ramona is going through her own issues. I hope things turn out okay for them.

I'd be okay if Scott tries to get with Kim, but if she takes him in after his complete obliviousness to her existence I lose all faith in her.

ramona's a bitch.
scott is immature and selfish, but it's not intentional.
he just seems to have a marginalized view of right and wrong thanks to being raised on too many videogames and anime shows.

ramona seems to have that girlish lack of any accountable many of my friends have. it's annoying with them and it's annoying with ramona as well. scott doesn't seem to realize he's hurting people, while ramona doesn't seem to care.

scott doesn't seem to realize he's hurting people, while ramona doesn't seem to care.

I honestly don't think there's a difference. People who don't "know" they are jerks don't *care to know*.

I'm only at book 3 as of now, but I love Scott and Ramona. I don't know if their great for each other, but I want them to succeed. They're both flawed, but their human and that's what makes drama and stories.

I also just love the characters and their designs in general.

Ramona's hotness seems to be directly proportional to how bitchy she is.

She and Kim should hook up and fly around the universe being bitchy.

They both remind me of the stupidity and drama I drenched my life in when I was just slightly younger. So as much as I want to knock them for their misdemeanors, I can't, a lot of us make the same stupid mistakes.

I think that they're both incredibly self-involved, and thus jerky. I also think that everyone in their twenties are jerks.

They're just human. They're extremely flawed and that's what makes these characters so likable. Except Julie; she's just a bitch. But, that's why we love her...

julie seems to spend a large amount of her time with her boyfriend's pals, who clearly hate her. you'd be bitchy, too.

I voted that Ramona was the jerk, though I will be quick to say that's because I am a similar age and gender to Scott and probably understand and sympathize with him more.
I would generally classify jerkiness as being defined by intent. If you hurt someone and just don't realize it, it's still not right, but I wouldn't call you a jerk. If you hurt someone through outright negligence or intent, you're a jerk.
The argument could be made that Scott could have worked a little harder to try and understand other people's feelings, and it wouldn't be wrong.
Still, in the end, Scott's combination of clueless naive and his slow, but sure steps toward maturity and reconciliation save him from jerk status. Meanwhile, Ramona has done a good number of hurtful things in the last couple of books and continues to behave much the same as she ever did - showing no signs of stopping.