u/Exponent_eeeee

Julie Yamamoto feels like one of the characters with the most missed potential in the show, given how she was the primary love interest of the main character for 2 series, and yet still less fleshed out than other characters with a fraction of her screen time, never really feeling like more than just Ben’s tennis playing girlfriend (ex girlfriend in Omniverse). Some people want her to became a part of the main character group after AF S2 and while I think it could work, I do have an idea for fixing her while still mainly being a main civilian (besides occasional Ship help).

The idea I have for her is to make her real character someone who’s a little more of a Insecure Science Fiction dork and keep the characterization she got in the main show of being confident, cool and collected person being more of a fake persona she puts on for other people to like her. Like keep her confidence and over competitiveness that she has but make it more of a mask to cover up any of her insecurities (kind of like how the show ATTEMPTS to show Ben’s immaturity as more of a trauma response to all the shit he has to go through). Show off her new backstory (that gets expanded on in AF S3/UA S1), as someone who was highly excited about different kinds of extraterrestrial life and tried to share about her interests with anybody, though every time she tried to explain it to someone, she just got mocked, and eventually bullied for it. Eventually when she’s around 11-13 her parents get new jobs and moved to Bellwood, where instead of sharing her interests just to get bullied again, she reinvents herself and gets to actually gets to be semi popular, though always feeling wrong about it (only really feeling herself on the tennis courts since she still enjoys it herself). Maybe show off a boyfriend before Ben who she tried to be more herself around, though quickly got dumped afterwards.

Then introduce her in the show the same way, but emphasize her insecurities a little in the first date of feeling like Ben ditched her since she was boring him, and show off Julie’s science fiction love a little by asking a bunch of question after she realizes Ben’s secret, and only getting interrupted by Ship (who I’m keeping their relationship the same way because it’s adorable and doesn’t need to be changed). Also show off Julie’s dorkiness a bit more in “Save the Last Dance” by having her given a bunch of theories of why Big Chill’s acting weird, and have maybe help out a bit in figuring out the High Breed’s plan.

Than just give her more screen time with Ben to slowly get rid of her “fake personality” and give some real personality, also maybe helping as more of a girl in the chair helping them find alien hideouts or strange things happening. (Also give her an online friendship with Jimmy where they can just go on about their theories). Also whole we’re changing the show, STOP BEN CHEATING ON JULIE, MAKE HIM ACTUALLY LOYAL (also remove Duped from existence, it does not exist anymore, in fact what even is Duped). And you HAVE TO HAVE this kind of fight in the episode, just make a girl one way flirt with Ben, and have Julie’s insecurities take over with the episode revolving around that. And maybe make it semi clear in the episodes that she sticks with Ben is because Ben is the only guy where she feels truly feels “normal” and comfortable being her true self around, despite how rough their relationship can be sometimes.

And if Benlie is still temporary, for god’s sake make Julie the one that gets confidence and breaks up with Ben AND NOT BEN BREAKING UP WITH HER, MUCH LESS ON ACCIDENT.