Need some examples of child characters in media

[IllumInaTIma]

So, I want to write a little column about child characters in games. I'm mostly going to talk about Clementine from The Walking Dead and Nanako from Persona 4 as prime examples of child characters done right. However, I don't have enough examples of child characters done wrong, and that's where you come in. Escapist, please give me some examples of annoying, bratty, helpless, useless and overall poorly-written child characters in games, movies or tv shows.

 

[Instant K4rma]

Jauffery(sp?) from Game of Thrones. Bratty, pointlessly cruel, and completely one dimensional, clearly there only for the sake of giving the audience an evil figurehead to act as the clear "villain" of the series. Brilliant show, not a very well written character, though. Not sure if the "tween" age is a little older than you're aiming for or not. My apologies if not; no one else really jumps to mind at the moment.

 

[Baron von Blitztank]

Look no further than every single NPC in Little Lamplight from Fallout 3!

 

[IllumInaTIma]

Jauffery(sp?) from Game of Thrones. Bratty, pointlessly cruel, and completely one dimensional, clearly there only for the sake of giving the audience an evil figurehead to act as the clear "villain" of the series. Brilliant show, not a very well written character, though. Not sure if the "tween" age is a little older than you're aiming for or not. My apologies if not; no one else really jumps to mind at the moment.

Well... maybe... I feel that Joffrey is supposed to be all that, I'm looking more for child characters that game or movie wanted us to care about, but because of their poor writing made us hate them.

 

[aba1]

How about Avatar the last airbender most of the cast are younger than 18.

 

[DefunctTheory]

Look no further then... The Wesley.

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CreatorsPet?from=Main.TheWesley

 

[IllumInaTIma]

How about Avatar the last airbender most of the cast are younger than 18.

They are more of teens. And I think they are fairly well written.

 

[Saladfork]

StarchildNOWAITDON'TKILLMEAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGHHH

Seriously though, I can't think of many well-written kids in gaming. Stories targetted at adults tend to have kids be incredibly obnoxious or some kind of bastion of innocence (which anyone who has been in the same room as a 12 year old for more than a minute can tell you is grossly inaccurate).

I suppose Jack from Red Dead Redemption was okay, but we don't even meet him until the last ~5% of the game.

 

[IllumInaTIma]

Look no further then... The Wesley.

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CreatorsPet?from=Main.TheWesley

Now that might be useful. Thanks.

 

[Tuesday Night Fever]

If you're going to hold up Clementine from The Walking Dead (games) as an example of a well-written child character, I'd like to suggest Carl from The Walking Dead (TV series) as an example of a horribly written child character. I actually have a theory that they intentionally wrote him to be that way, because the only reason I kept watching was because I wanted to see him torn apart by a walker. STAY IN THE F*$%ING HOUSE, CARL!

 

[IllumInaTIma]

If you're going to hold up Clementine from The Walking Dead (games) as an example of a well-written child character, I'd like to suggest Carl from The Walking Dead (TV series) as an example of a horribly written child character. I actually have a theory that they intentionally wrote him to be that way, because the only reason I kept watching was because I wanted to see him torn apart by a walker. STAY IN THE F*$%ING HOUSE, CARL!

I was hesitant about using Carl because he became so much better in season 3! But yeah, I think he would be really good example.