Anna Angel

Being an Anna Angel enjoyer in the Pathologic fandom can lead to a lot of strange reactions. I have been questioned on my choice of her being one of my favorite characters and I will say quite honestly I believe many people just simply did not play Clara's route, nor have they dug into her enough to fully understand why she is an interesting character who is more than just an evil child kidnapper. That, or they are Pathologic 2 only enjoyers. Yes, she is an awful person, and yes she is my favorite character. These can coexist because I enjoy bad people in fiction.

Let me get this out of the way, I was originally gravitated towards her because of her strange character design, and from there I branched out into learning her story. I believe people who dislike Anna Angel are either ignorant of her backstory or did not play the Changeling's route, I mean it's quite literally explained where she comes from. Reading the backstory of the Ace of Diamonds Caravan explains a lot about her. She was kidnapped as a child and taught to do tricks for money. She travelled with them, was groomed to become part of this disgusting criminal ring and this cycle of abuse and kidnapping was the very thing that made Anna into the person she was.

I believe that people who dislike Anna so vehemently whilst defending other characters do not realize she started as a victim of abuse and kidnapping. Her backstory is a vague, convoluted mess when it comes to the Willows. I have explored my personal interpretation here if you are interested. It is littered with headcanons and problematic toxic sapphic tropes, because I enjoy things like that.

As for her personality, I find myself incredibly fascinated by this description of her.

"She is an actual angel, but one from the Old Testament: prideful and entranced in the awareness of own omnipotence. However, Anna isn’t wealthy, which means she can’t shine like Maria or Victoria and compete in influence over townsfolk with them. The paradox of the “well-earned pride” leads Anna to her tragedy. When the epidemic begins Anna is accused of letting the disease in through the mirror. The accusation is insane, but that makes it even more feasible. Anna refusing to explain herself on principle made the situation worse. It’s likely she will die in the end persecuted by Olgimsky. Anna sees the Town and its beauty intertwined with her own beauty as a tragedy. Subconsciously, she thinks that the epidemic is an act of justice for everything that happened to her. "

She is a paranoid wreck, afraid that her crimes will come to light and that this safe haven she has carved for herself will crumble apart. I believe she was written to be a mirror to Clara. She personally believes herself to be persecuted by the plague because she is a selfish character, whereas Clara is believed to be the cause of the plague by others.

Whilst I focus mostly on Pathologic 1, and consider 2 to be its own continuity, there is one line I think about often when it comes to Anna Angel. When accused to being terrified of children, she says "Conscience is a hell of a thing. Like the gap between trapeze bars, it doesn't forgive." It has led to me to the conclusion that the hatred of children Anna so harbors is less hate and more fear. She cannot bear children because she herself has harmed them in ways I believe she still has not fully processed. In the same conversation, she asks to be held like a child. Whilst she plays it off like a joke, her hypochondria and paranoia is explained. She cannot bear to be around children because she is reminded of the very horrors she was subjected to and groomed to do to other children.

She is a horrible person, conscience haunts her like the plague itself. She is selfish, she's horrible and I adore her so for these very reasons. And despite it, I do believe there is hope for her to become a better person. And because there is hope for her, perhaps there is hope for me.