>>58166230Calling Sapphire illiterate is a joke of course. Though whether she's fully illiterate like many people assume, or she can only read "simple" language which is canon, doesn't matter much really. The main point is that in either language Sapphire struggles to read (and write) at her expected age level. Whether she can't read kanji/hiragana/katakana specifically isn't that relevant, the fact she just struggles at all gives off the impression of developmental delay, thus retardation. She's one of those dex holders where one of their twists is
>you thought this character was stupid but ackshually they are smartlike Gold and Diamond, where the way they present themselves as idiots (intentionally or not) led to them being underestimated or put down by other people.
Sapphire is similar, but also a bit different. She can't read well because her true expertise lies elsewhere. But explaining what that "elsewhere" is can be complicated especially for an anglophone audience. When it comes to Sapphire it takes extra steps to fully see where she's coming from, in fact depending on the reader it can take a total reframing of their perspective. Which most people won't bother doing so to many, Sapphire is just stupid full stop. For a lot of us, our definition of "intelligence" has a huge basis in being able to read books/papers and getting doctorates. We also equate this idea of intelligence to our very value as human beings. But Sapphire just doesn't fit that narrow definition.
>>58167308But yes it's both easier and funnier to just call her dumb. She's cute that way. I actually think a lot of Sapphire mischaracterization would disappear if everyone could just agree that she's "dumb". Because by starting there, it's easier to pinpoint what she's actually good at. Many western Sapphirefags want her to fit their definition of "intelligence" (and thus human value) so bad that they pretend she's a cynical savvy 999 IQ girlboss with 5 PhDs, which doesn't align with canon.
