Sex Education: D&D Moral Alignments Of The Characters
After taking over Netflix last year with its first season, Sex Education is back with a second season. Despite the unknown actors, the show immediately drew a lot of attention for its unique subject, as the title suggests. The show tells compelling stories about the lives of teenagers, including friendship drama, familial problems and true-to-life stories about sexuality and exploring oneself. And in doing so, the show provides basic sex education.
From the feminist rebel, Maeve, to the sex therapist mother, Jean, all the characters on the show are fascinating for their story arc, as well as their distinct personalities, looks, and attitudes. So, let's look at the main characters of the show and their D&D moral alignments.
10 Otis: Chaotic Neutral
Although Otis is a really good person at heart, he genuinely wants to help people and is generally non-judgmental, but he also makes several mistakes. Sometimes, he lets his emotions dictate his actions, something which led him to give wrong advice for Jackson to get Maeve or reveal his true feelings about Maeve and Ola when he got too drunk.
He's undeniably a little chaotic, the reasons for which we discover in season 2. Although Otis seems to love his father, he learns that he is not as good of a person as he thought him to be. His father not visiting enough, cheating on his mother and doing things for money has unconsciously influenced Otis to sometimes act a little selfish.
9 Maeve: Chaotic Good
With her badass attitude, her grungy look and her feminist ideas, Maeve was bound to be a fan-favorite from the beginning of the series. Despite being labeled as the scariest girl in school, Maeve has a huge heart. She helps Ruby, the popular mean girl, with her cyber-bullying problem, and does it for free, even though Ruby has called her names and judged her numerous times. She does it because she is simply against body-shaming and objectification of teenage girls like herself.
Even despite the harm that Otis may have accidentally done her, and despite her neighbour Isaac being unfair and a little mean to her, she forgives both of them because she can see the good in people.
8 Eric: Neutral Good
Despite everything he went through, Eric turned out a good person. He's been bullied, abandoned by his friend, judged by his family and pushed to change his appearance to fit in - something which caused him to lash out violently - but in the end, he found his inner strength and learned to just be himself.
Even with Adam - who treated him horribly for years - Eric is forgiving, understanding and patient. He is one of the only characters on the show who never leaves or forgets about his friends, regardless of the other people he may meet, or the struggles he may have.
7 Ola: Neutral Good
Although she was introduced a few episodes in, Ola quickly entered Otis's life and became a main character of the show. She comes across as laid-back and very friendly and seems to get along with everyone - except for Maeve. In season 2, Ola is wary of Maeve because of her history with Otis, who Ola is dating. But her small rivalry with Maeve is the only time Ola doesn't appear kind and friendly. Otherwise, she is almost characterized by her goodness and optimism.
When Ola and Otis find out that their respective parents are dating behind their backs, for example, Otis is uncomfortable at the idea and rejects their relationship. Ola, however, is understanding and supportive of it.
6 Jean: Lawful Neutral
Jean, played by the beautiful Gillian Anderson, is a complicated character. Unlike most divorced mom characters, she doesn't do relationships, just casual sex. She's a sex therapist, and cannot help but read into her son's behavior and try to always teach him about sex and make sure he's well informed and prepared. She sticks to her principles and is against Otis doing anything illegal or morally wrong - she can be so protective that she oversteps some boundaries sometimes, but it's all in good faith.
Because she believes so strongly that relationships are not for her, she is very reluctant to start one with Jakob, and deludes herself into thinking that they shouldn't date, and she doesn't have feelings for him.
5 Aimee: Lawful Good
As one of the sweetest and most unproblematic characters on the show, Aimee could not be anything other than lawful and good. She is helpful and considerate, even with the popular crowd who doesn't treat her well. And although it takes her some time, she finds her full confidence and learns that she deserves better. Better than a self-centered and rude boyfriend, and better than friends who only care about their reputation and appearances, and treat her as less than nothing.
Instead, she revels in her healthy friendship with Maeve and her healthy relationship with Steve. She always aims to please both of them and cheer them up if they're feeling down.
4 Adam: Chaotic Evil
Adam is the school bully. For almost all of the first season, he is nothing more than a big guy who walks around like he owns the schools, shoves people into lockers and picks on Eric repeatedly. He is all over the place - literally and figuratively. Barely putting any effort in school, he plagiarizes and misbehaves so much that he gets kicked out and sent to military school.
As the show evolves, however, we discover his family problems, and that his father's belittling behavior is the reason for Adam's cruel behavior at school. Although he does improve immensely as a person, we cannot forget all the harm he's done. Maybe his alignment will shift in the shows third season.
3 Jackson: Lawful Good
Jackson defies the trope of the mean popular guy in school. Although he is popular - he's the school's swimming star and crushed on by many girls and boys - he is a really nice guy. He doesn't treat girls like objects nor does he view himself as above everyone else for his accomplishments. He has a huge heart, he can't help but fall in love with Maeve even though she doesn't treat him in the best of ways, and he doesn't judge people like most high schoolers do.
In fact, he is so caught up in trying to please everyone - the school, his parents and even his friends - that he forgets to take care of himself. He is almost too good.
2 Lily: True Neutral
When we are introduced to Lily, it's through her strangely unique comics about her alien sex fantasies. She was a virgin then, and spent the rest of the first season trying to find someone to 'deflower her.' Although she ends up by realizing that rushing things is not a good option. Although she is awkward, quirky and different, she is quite confident in herself. She never tries to change to fit in more, and she is not shy about her alien kink.
Overall, she's a rather neutral character; she doesn't make drastic, regretful mistakes like Otis or Adam, but she is also not a voice of reason or an inspiring character like Eric or even Maeve. She's there, drawing her comics, or working on her play.
1 Principal Groff: Lawful Evil
Principal Groff is perhaps the most frustrating character on the show. Whereas other flawed individuals such as Adam or the popular crowd learn from their mistake and do have values, Mr. Groff seemed unable to improve as a father or as a principal. He takes advantage of his status as the principal to ban anything sex-related and judge students for being sexually active.
When Jean decides to help the student by recommending better sex education, Principal Groff steals her private notes and exposes them to the whole school to get Jean to leave. Worst of all, he is emotionally abusive to his only child, Adam - so much so that he has driven him to self-hatred and bullying as well.