NORRINGTON TWINS' TV TROPES

Tropes applying to Norrington's Desire's Emma Norrington, Jr. and Kiara Norrington.


EMMA NORRINGTON, JR:

Anti Heroine: When Emma was first introduced as a character, she was designed to be a straight-up villain. However, her character underwent some changes, and now she genuinely wants to have a good heart. Unfortunately, Emma's father cornered her into becoming a demon, and as a result, she is forced to consume souls in order to survive. Though she grapples with guilt, the urge to feed is so overwhelming that it becomes a source of pleasure. Failing to comply means risking damnation or losing what remains of her sanity.

Abusive Parents: Just thinking about the consequences she and her sister faced when they failed to live up to their father's standards gives her a shudder. The fear of those punishments is deeply ingrained in her, and she can't help but feel a sense of dread whenever she recalls those memories.

Affectionate Nickname: Her boyfriends were able to call her "Emmie" and live another day. Her father used to refer to her as "sugar," which she detested.

Noble Demon: Although she is an antagonist, she is not as bad as her old man. Instead, she is this. She genuinely thanks Medea for putting their feud on hold in order to get rid of her abuser, even though it would have been more pragmatic to let her and Warren murder one other.

Sophisticated as Hell: Emma speaks in a manner that can be described as a combination of urbane and colloquial language. 

Alas, Poor Villain: Medea ends up genuinelly mourning her death. She later, as Seraphim, tries to give Emma a second chance in life via rebirth, but finds out she is not in the Underworld, it is never explained if Emma chose reincarnation or if the way the curse was broken involved Cessation of Existence.

The Dutiful Daughter: Vaguely implied. Growing up as the only daughter of Norrington who kind of got close to what Warren wanted, Emma was always pushed to achieve excellence in every aspect of her life, which put immense pressure on her. She tried her best to live up to her father's expectations. But even after all her hard work, Warren made it clear that he expected more from her than just being "less disappointing."

The Fashionista: Emma has the best fashion sense out of the living Norringtons.

Back-to-Back Badasses: With Medea in their Enemy Mine battle against Warren.

Asshole Victim: SubvertedAlthough Emma faces consequences for her actions in the mortal world, the way it's depicted doesn't bring a sense of release or relief. Medea instead emphasizes the tragic truth that Emma was a victim of abuse, a woman condemned to her fate, a reluctant monster trying to cope with her circumstances while using the limited means available to her just to survive. Emma never chose the life she ended up living, and her struggles are a result of her circumstances rather than her own choices.

Dumb Blonde: Invoked. Emma often puts on a facade of the classic "dumb blonde" stereotype around her prey. She does this to disarm those around her and make them feel at ease, which makes it easier for her to catch them off guard. Emma's inner monologues reveal that she detests this persona she's created for herself, but she knows it's better to be underestimated than to have her true abilities revealed too soon.

Aloof Ally: Despite all of her posturing and threats of betrayal, Emma actually stays true to her word during the fight against Warren and remains strictly on Medea's side, and actually risks her own life to save her.

Ambiguous Situation: In an effort to offer Emma a second chance at life after the Atlantic War, Medea set out to find her in Hell. However, not only she did not find Emma, but there was also no trace of her ever having been there. It's never confirmed if she opted to reincarnate prior to the Atlantic War or whether being purged of her demonhood rendered her erased from existence.

Cain and Abel: The Cain of Kiara's Abel. It wasn't always this way; Emma and Kiara were once close as children and tweens, but Emma underwent a significant change due to her father's influence and Kiara failed to take a stand against his abusive behavior. This led Emma to reach a breaking point, causing her to leave the Norrington Household.

Always Someone Better: Was this to Kiara, who, in her father's eyes would never measure up to her achievements.

Mad Scientist's Beautiful Daughter: Emma's father, Warren, is a well-known expert in the field of Egyptology. However, he is not exactly a model parent, and he and his daughters, including Emma's twin sister, have a very troubled relationship. In fact, his behavior can be characterized as neglectful at best, and abusive at worst. To make matters worse, Warren's actions ultimately lead to Emma being turned into a demon, leaving her with no hope for a peaceful afterlife.

Ambiguously Evil: She never really Jumps Off The Slippery Slope, and her motivation is entirely for power to protect what is important to her, so she'll Never Be Hurt Again, like when she was too weak to protect her mother, sister, and boyfriend.

Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Emma is a rude person outside her work and a serial killer, but she is still trying to keep her victims to violent criminals or complete scumbags. Despite her nature, she forms an unexpected bond with Medea and even expresses regret that they didn't have the chance to be sisters. Their relationship is complex and unusual, but it is clear that Emma has a certain fondness for Medea that sets her apart from her father.

I Just Want to be Normal: During the Los Angeles arc, Emma tends to get caught up in mundane activities with Medea instead of focusing on the main objective of locating Warren. It becomes apparent through her final reflections that she shares a sense of longing for a normal life, and much like Medea, feels as though it has been unjustly snatched away from her.

Psycho Psychologist: Downplayed. With a psychology degree from California State University and extensive knowledge in her field, she is a respected expert in her profession. Despite her criminal tendencies, she doesn't seem to want to harm her patients or mix her work with her extracurricular activities. Patients rave about her exceptional dedication and care, which shows her commitment to her professional responsibilities.

Unable to Cry: After becoming a demon, Emma finds that she is unable to cry, no matter how much she may want to. This leaves her feeling empty and alone, as she struggles to express her emotions in a way that feels genuine to her. When she kills Nick, her heart is shattered, but no tears come to her eyes. Later, when Medea embraces her and expresses her regret that they couldn't be sisters, Emma wants to cry desperately, but again, she is unable to shed a single tear. Instead, she embraces Medea tightly, hoping to convey her emotions through physical touch.

Sour Outside, Sad Inside: She deliberately acts like a Jerkass to stop Medea from getting close to her. Not only is her normal fear of relationships heightened due to a recent betrayal by her father, but as a result of that betrayal, she is doomed to live the rest of her life as a demon. It is only when she actually reunites with Medea, the artificial human created by her father who has also been marked with an uncertain doom, again that she begins to become less of an asshole, but because of her obsession with vengeance against her father and former mentor for what he did to her, her sister and Medea, she has to deal with a horrific Enemy Within that represents her absolute worst side.

Morality Chain: Nick, and her loyal dog Akira, are the two reasons that motivate Emma to side with Medea against her father, Warren. Deep down, Emma also knows that Medea is fighting for what is right, and she can't ignore her conscience any longer. Though she can't save her own soul, Emma decides to make the most of the little time she has left in the Mortal Realm by helping Medea in any way she can.

Pet the Dog: Quite literally. To have a companion for a while, she gets an American Akita. Her one and only request are to have him handed to a family that would love and care for him when she is sent into Hell. He was adopted by Medea.

Serial Killer: Reluctantly. After becoming a demon, Emma was forced to feed on souls to stay in the mortal world, so she had to strip people from their souls every night. She tries to limit her targets to criminals and/or complete scumbags at least. Although her inner monologues and the way she acts while killing someone shows she doesn't hate doing it.

Even Evil Has Loved Ones: For all her faults, she really does love Nick, her boyfriend. She also will never admit it, but she cares for Medea, enough to risk her life for her and nurse her back to health.  

Serial-Killer Killer: The vast majority of souls that Emma consumed belonged to convicted felons, although this was not always the case, as it proved to be quite challenging to locate such individuals every 5 minutes. Still, she tried her best to stick to this rule, finding some comfort and reason in doing so..

Precious Puppies: Emma adopted an American Akita and, considering he was really close to her, it seems she actually cared about him. As she knew that she was bound for Hell, she asked Medea to find him a loving home where he would be cared for, and to her relief, Medea chose to take him in.

Jerkass Realization: As Medea embraces her with weariness etched across her face, Emma finds herself overcome with emotion. The realization that Warren's abuse destroyed any chance of sisterhood between them leaves her feeling crestfallen. Reflecting on the pointless feud, Emma wishes they could have had a chance to be true sisters.

Power Makes Your Hair Grow: The more Ahsmanet comes out, the longer her hair grows out.

Comic Book Fantasy Casting: Her physical appearance and many of her traits are based, much like Anthony, on a 5-Time WWE Women's Champion.

The Corrupter: Her primary demonic ability lies in corrupting people. While she can't manipulate people directly, she possesses a talent for persuading them to abandon their usual sense of right and wrong and heed her suggestions.

The Voiceless: She occasionally speaks in flashbacks, but she is still oddly silent for a 5-year-old. She nearly doesn't match the endearing and seductive Norrington that we know and love today.

Enemy Mine: She and Medea agree to team up since one-on-one, they are a little more than just a match for the Patriarch, and work pretty damn well together that Ahsmanet abandons Emma's body to possess Medea and becomes an even mightier opponent: Seraphim.

Breakout Character: She and her twin Kiara Norrington were created to become foes of Anthony's twin sons Matt & Nick. And initially had similar personalities. However, Emma developed a different personality, distancing herself from her annoying (and now, good-hearted) sister and leaving her abusive father. 

A Birthday, Not a Break: Medea landed her first attack on her 40th birthday.

White Hair, Black Heart: Ahsmanet has pale blue hair. Subverted once Emma's true colours are revealed.

Evil is Sterile: As a low-class demon, Emma's body became incapable of bearing children. Unfortunately, she was also pregnant at the time of her transformation and lost the child without even realizing it. Medea was aware of the pregnancy but decided not to reveal the truth to Emma, likely wanting to spare her the pain of the loss.

Unstoppable Rage: Despite her cool and calm demeanour, Emma tends to fall into this trope when she starts to lose control of the situation, shown just before her final battle against Warren, where she begins to shout and, with the latter, attack ruthlessly and unrelentingly after Warren kept repelling her. This comes into contrast with Medea, who instead expresses Tranquil Fury when things are serious, showing that Emma, for all her sense of superiority, lacks the level-headedness and maturity of the young Eye.

Amazonian Beauty: Downplayed. Emma's Bateman-Esque diet and exercising morning routine has given her a slightly more muscular build than normal, specifically with regard to her broad shoulders.

Overshadowed By Awesome: Ahsmanet is a very sturdy demon who can compete with Medea and come close to defeating her. Yet she is far outmatched by Warren Norrington's dimensional demon Sokar, who is far tougher, more powerful, and more dangerous than his daughter. She falls short when compared to Medea Norrington's Seraphim as well, who, despite being smaller and lacking any special skills, more than makes up for it with godlike regeneration powers that allow her to heal from a single cell as long as she is outside of the Mortal Realm.

Troubling Unchildlike Behavior: She is strongly hinted to have been involved in her mother's passing. However, she actually had nothing to do with that, Warren on the other hand...

Jumping Off the Slippery Slope: As Emma's first interaction with Warren progresses, her behavior becomes more and more reckless and impulsive. This puts both Medea and herself in danger, as Warren almost kills them both.

Squishy Wizard: Ahsmanet's close combat skills aren't as strong as Seraphim's or Sokar's without the backing of her body manipulation skills, and she falls to the former's strikes from the latter rather quickly. Partially a case of Overshadowed by Awesome, as Ahsmanet is able to overwhelm non-transformed Medea in close combat; it's just that few characters can trade blows with The Angel or The Void and come out on top.

Tragic Monster: The abused child of a black magician who introduced her into the world of black magic, dooming her fate and forcing her to kill her beloved boyfriend and more souls daily in order to escape an eternity of punishment in Hell.

Youngest Child Wins: The younger twin of Kiara, who's also the better witch, becomes a demon and is also the one who is still alive.

Unskilled, but Strong: What she was after becoming a demon, until she started to learn her new powers.

Evil Sorceress: Warren turned her into one when she was a child, and then became a full-on demon.

Mercy Kill: Also counting as a You are Already Dead. In order to transform into a demon and save her soul, Emma was forced to kill Nick, but she didn't want him to suffer because she had actually managed to fall in love with him. So she puts him in an Illusion in which he sees them as a happy couple raising a son, and in the final moment... she simply makes his heart stop beating. 

Even Evil Has Standards: Emma seems to be very disgusted by rapists, taking even more time to torture them before taking their souls, even for a literal demon like her, that's too fucking cruel.

Supreme Chef: Her suburban demon of a father taught her well. 

The Vamp: She opted to use her exceptionally well-formed body to influence and murder the individuals she targets as her preferred method of luring victims in.

Fatal Flaw: Hypocrisy. Emma believes her actions are understandable, but she struggles to confront the fact that she takes pleasure in embodying Ahsmanet and the evil deeds she commits in her demon persona. Following the death of one of Emma's patients at the hands of Ahsmanet, Emma is consumed with genuine remorse and makes every effort to resist the urge to transform once again. However, she finds herself unable to resist, and as her final days draw near, she exhibits symptoms of a personality disorder, seeing Ahsmanet as a separate entity longing for freedom, rather than a manifestation of her own desires.

Red Eyes, Take Warning: Her demon form gave her some sick-looking blazing Red Eyes with pinkish pupils, they help her to see people's sins for her to exploit.

Slasher Smile: Her grin is completely terrifying when she turns into her demon form.

Badass Bisexual: She's a serial killer who managed to fight a dragon demigod. She's also pretty much bisexual like the rest of the cast except for Medea.

Heel Realization: Following Hank Davis's murder, Emma comes to the realization that she indeed wanted to partake in her demonic deeds as Ahsmanet, rather than break free from them. She argues that if she truly sought redemption, she would cease consuming human souls and come to terms with the consequences of being condemned to Hell. However, she prioritized her life over her moral integrity.

Self-Made Orphan: It is heavily implied by her father that she killed her mother, at the ripe old age of thirteen (But considering Warren is a very unreliable narrator...)She subsequently turns into a demon and, with Medea's assistance, banishes her father to the Underworld so that he may only return to the living world when summoned by a skilled enough sorceror.

Hates their Parent: She really hated her father, who gave her every single bit of herself she hates.

Demonic Possession: Her soul was the one that became a demon, turning her former body into a vessel that is literally another (soulless) Emma Norrington. After becoming Ahsmanet (the name given to her demon self), she proceeded to possess her former human body.

Limited Wardrobe: Downplayed. Although she clearly dresses according to the occasion, Emma is very fond of her coat and scarf.

Femme Fatale: Despite feeling a deep aversion towards resorting to such tactics, Emma is adept at manipulating others through a combination of feminine charm and feigned naiveté. 

Proud Beauty: She's very proud of her looks, when in her apartment, she's usually seen taking care of her face with creams and doing exercise routines a la Patrick Bateman.

Convenient Miscarriage: Although she didn't know at the time, she was pregnant with Nick's son (revealed in an illusion that Emma cast on him while he was dying). However, after becoming a demon she suffered a miscarriage, since low-class demons are barren.

Aloof Big Sister: Inverted, as Kiara is the older twin. Emma used to pretend as though she couldn't tolerate her, but Kiara, her sister, seemed to adore her. And when the chips are down, the last surviving twin and Kiara's surviving will in Medea stand together.

Daddy's Little Villain: Warren raised her and Kiara to be this. Though it didn't quite stick.

Has a Type: Seems to have the same type as her dad: Tall, Dark and Handsome Egyptians with rare powers.

Tsundere: Towards Nick, sometimes. She isn't averse to showing him open affection though.

Evil Can Not Comprehend Good: She struggles to grasp the idea of someone showing genuine kindness and niceness towards her without expecting anything in return. Emma tends to assume that people always have an ulterior motive behind their actions, making her skeptical of even the simplest gestures of goodwill.

Single Woman Seeks Good Man: She would never admit it, but Emma's taste in men tends to go toward the Nice Guy Understanding Boyfriend who put up with a lot from her.

Lying to Protect Your Feelings: She never wanted to tell Nick about her night stalks, but he found out anyway and kept it a secret, a secret that was killing him alive. 

Silk Hiding Steel: She speaks calmly, has a great sense of humour and her smaller height and delicate features make her seem weaker than her dad Warren. Medea discovers the hard way that just because something doesn't seem dangerous, it doesn't mean it isn't.

The Only One Allowed to Defeat You: She is this towards Medea even though she isn't really aimed at winning the battle; instead, she just wants to have the curse on her demonhood broken and/or to avenge the death of Nick and Ma'at. Emma wins regardless of the outcome.

Becoming the Mask: She was somewhat flabbergasted when she realized she was in love with Nick because she had first spoken to him and earned his trust in order to get protection within the du Cronos Dynasty. For a while, their lives were actually fairly peaceful and joyful... but Nick had to learn about Emma's unwilling murdering spree...

Action Girl: She takes against a fully powered Warren head-on after being worked up due to a fight with her sister, Medea. She is one of the most ferocious and pragmatic fighters in the Norrington's Desire, completely unafraid to get her hands dirty if it gives her an advantage.

Shell-Shocked Veteran: Although she appears to be a serial killer and assures herself she is a monster out of self-loathing, it soon becomes clear that Emma really despises the violence and pointless murders Warren forced her to partake in and suffers greatly from PTSD, depression, and alcoholism as a result of it.

Brilliant, but Lazy: She, unfortunately, inherited this from her old man. She possesses an exceptionally dangerous demonic form, but instead of trying to improve Ahsmanet's skills or her own combat training, she prefers to carry on with her regular everyday routine. Even though she is well aware that the single person who can find her has arrived in LA with the intention of finding her, she continues to do this.

I Am a Monster: Emma proclaims herself a "Butcher," admitting out loud that she is brutal and devastating, and she takes joy in her reputation as a dreaded killer. This is an act, at least in part, because, despite being a Blood Knight who loves a good battle, Emma finds no satisfaction in killing people or in her current demonic status.

Being Evil Sucks: After being painted as a psychopath and a merciless serial killer by the LAPD, Emma spends most of her actual screen time behaving, speaking, and looking as though she's plain sick of being alive. Her demeanour suggests a lack of interest or motivation, as if she has been drained of all energy by the emotional trauma and manipulation that she experienced at the hands of Warren, which ultimately led to her demonic transformation. Despite her reputation, Emma is not fueled by a desire to kill, and instead seems to be burdened by the weight of her past experiences.

Apocalypse Maiden: Because a second demon was necessary for Warren's plan to break apart and generate Sokar's dimension, he forcedly turned her into Ahsmanet. However, when she finds out about it, her fear towards her father transforms into purely vengeful wrath.

I Call Her "Vera'': The sword Ma'at uses in combat is named Aku, it was a gift from Emma.


KIARA NORRINGTON

Adventure Archaeologist: Kiara had a bright future ahead of her, as she dreamed of becoming an archaeologist. However, her aspirations were tragically cut short. Her father, Warren, unable to forgive her supposed betrayal, snuffed out her life. The world lost more than just a dreamer that day; it lost the promise of what she could have become.

All-Loving Hero: Despite being a part of the controversial Norrington Clan, Kiara had a heart full of kindness and compassion towards all living beings. Her gentle nature was a stark contrast to the malicious and self-centred behaviour of her father, Warren, who treated her and her sister more like prisoners than daughters. Despite the abuse and torment, Kiara clung to the belief that there was still some flicker of goodness within him. But there comes a point when even the kindest souls must find the strength to break free. And so, after enduring far too much pain, she mustered the courage to stand up for herself, no matter the cost. It was a tragic ending for someone who had so much to give, leaving behind a world that desperately needed her light.

The Dog Bites Back: Kiara lived in constant fear and terror of her abusive father, Warren, for many years. She was too timid and scared to stand up to him, even though he went out of his way to make her and her sister's lives miserable. However, everything changed when Warren completed his most significant work: creating an artificial baby. Kiara was horrified when she realized that, despite being an artificial life form, the baby was still just an innocent child. It was then that Kiara's fear turned into a fierce determination to protect the baby at all costs, even if it meant confronting her father. She snatched the baby from the mansion and fled into the night, risking everything to ensure the child's safety.

Go Out With a Smile: As her life ebbs away from the wounds inflicted by her father, Kiara's final moments are filled with bittersweet satisfaction. Despite the pain and fear, she manages to smile at the thought of her sister and Medea being safe from Warren's grasp. She is proud of herself for finally standing up to her abusive father, even if it meant sacrificing her own life. In her last breath, she hopes that her death will be the catalyst for breaking the vicious cycle of the Norrington curse, setting her loved ones free to find the happiness that always seemed just out of reach for her.

Healing Hands: Kiara's magical powers were focused on healing and restoring life to what was damaged or decaying. However, despite her incredible gift, she couldn't use her abilities to heal the emotional and psychological scars left by her father's abuse. Even worse, when she was fatally wounded by Warren, she couldn't use her powers to save herself, a cruel irony that reflected the tragic nature of her life.

Small Role, Big Impact: To put it bluntly, Kiara is what allowed Norrington's Desire's main plot to even happen. Her genetic template was necessary if not vital to create Medea, her heroic sacrifice in rescuing the infant Medea from Warren's abuse allowed the girl to be raised with a normal family, learning about morality, and basically forging the path for her to become the Eye of Laurel. Her memory is one of the reasons Emma wants to put down Warren. Basically, she gave her life for the Norrington ''Cycle'' to meet its otherwise unlikely end.

Big Sister Instinct: Despite the constant abuse from her father, Kiara always tried to shield her younger sister Emma from his wrath, often taking the brunt of the abuse herself. As children, they were inseparable and always had each other's backs. Kiara's selflessness and courage extended beyond her own twin, as she risked everything to save Medea from becoming another pawn in Warren's twisted game.

Always Someone Better: Despite her best efforts, Kiara could never win her father's approval or support. Her healing magic, which she had worked so hard to master, was constantly belittled by Warren, who only saw some value in Emma's body manipulation abilities. Kiara never resented her sister for this, but it was still painful to always feel overlooked and unappreciated. However, this underestimation ultimately worked to her advantage, as Warren never expected that it would be Kiara who would ultimately be the first one to stand up to him and betray him.

Attention Whore: Warren had falsely accused Kiara of being an attention seeker who craved everything to revolve around her, but in reality, Kiara was the complete opposite. Medea suspected this to be true from the beginning and Warren's false claims only added insult to injury.

Calling the Old Man Out: After returning from saving baby Medea, Kiara confronts her enraged father and finally reaches her breaking point after enduring constant abuse and belittlement. She calls him out for being a terrible parent to her and her sister, pointing out how toxic he was and how his actions drove Emma to leave the country. She also makes a point on how doing something he would never approve of is what brought her true happiness. She died after that but she felt, it was worth it.

Unwilling Instigator of Doom: Kiara tragically lost her life while finally standing up to Warren and giving him a piece of her mind. However, during her impassioned plea, she unknowingly sparked an idea in him that ultimately resulted in Medea being placed with a human family. Warren conjectured that by raising Medea in a nurturing and loving environment, she would develop a sense of morality, rendering her weaker and more susceptible to manipulation in the future. It's a heartbreaking irony that Kiara's brave actions led to the very thing she was trying to prevent.

Lonely Rich Kid: Despite growing up in a comfortable lifestyle, Kiara's childhood was far from ideal. Bereft of her mother, she and her sister faced the cold indifference of a father who provided neither love nor support. To make matters worse, her younger sister Emma was constantly being groomed to be her competition, adding to the already strained relationship between the two sisters.

The Unfavourite: It's all but stated that Kiara was the alleged black sheep of the second generation of Norringtons. Warren initially showed at least a certain amount of interest in Emma's progress and body manipulation abilities, showing a twisted way of pride when he read that Emma obtained her LMHC, while also being obsessed with Medea's progress, development, and power. Though this is eventually subverted, in the end, Warren has been a complete nightmare for the three Norrington girls.

White Sheep: In contrast to what's stated above, Kiara is arguably the nicest member of the Norringtons that appeared throughout Norrington's Desire. Warren is undeniably despicable, no explanation needed—he's just that terrible.  Emma, while not predisposed to killing, found herself compelled to do so to sustain her demon form, finding a grim satisfaction in targeting criminals. Meanwhile, Medea, despite her moral compass, displays a brutal, borderline psychopathic demeanor, boasting a body count surpassing even Emma's, despite being the youngest. Kiara is basically a saint in comparison, evidenced by the fact that her magic had no inherent offensive utilities, unlike the other three.

No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: In a family where loyalty is everything and disobedience is punished with gruesome consequences, Kiara, the only Norrington who managed to maintain her sanity, dared to defy her father, Warren. She committed the ultimate act of rebellion by helping the innocent baby Medea, who was off-boundaries. And for that, she paid the ultimate price. Her father showed no mercy and put an end to her life, proving once again that in this world, the more you try to do good, the more trouble you invite.

Strong Family Resemblance: Medea is often compared to Kiara in terms of physical appearance, this is even further emphasized when we see Medea as a young girl and she used to have blond hair and green eyes, not unlike Kiara herself! It was eventually revealed that their lookalike situation was not random, as Kiara's DNA was used as the genetic template to create most of Medea's genetic material.