***Spoilers for Miraculous Ladybug season 5***

So that was quite a season. My expectations had already been raised for this show after the emotional rollercoaster that was season 4 but this was not what I expected at all. I feel like the writers saw all the potential for this show and decided to explore every single storyline they possibly could. And hey, I’m not complaining at all.

For years, fans have been complaining that there isn’t enough character development in Miraculous Ladybug. Turns out, all of the character development was actually being saved for season 4 and 5. And that’s hilarious.

But it also kind of makes sense. Season 1 was our introduction to the world. Season 2 added new characters and lore. Season 3 shifted the status quo and raised the stakes. Season 4 showed us just how hard the heroes could lose. And season 5 brought the overarching arc of this show to an end. And while this seemed to take eight years in our time, it only took nine months in universe. So all in all, I think fans need to work on having some patience. Because it really isn’t as slow of a story as people seem to think. In fact:

It Was Too Much, Too Fast

While I love every storyline that was explored, I have one complaint: the pacing. Everything happened too quickly. It also felt like we were skipping episodes as we were watching. You’d have a very interesting storyline introduced but then all of the development would happen off-screen, only for it to pay off in the finale (for example, did anyone expect Luka and his family to train with Grand Master Su-Han).

I think this season would be helped greatly if it had actually had double the episodes. I wish we’d gotten to see more of what Lila was doing in the background. Like who is she? Why is she doing any of this?

The Sentimonster Theory Confirmed

Okay, this has to be my favourite storyline. When I first heard this theory, I thought it was bonkers. There was no way the writers would make one of the main characters a sentimonster. But not only are Adrien and Felix both sentimonsters but so is Kagami. And I don’t think anyone saw that coming. Although on hindsight, it makes perfect sense.

I am still waiting for Adrien to figure it out. That boy is going to have the mental battle of his life. And regardless of how he appreciated his father’s “sacrifice”, he’s going to carry some serious resentment. I’m just glad Marinette gave him the rings. He deserves to be in control of his own life for once.

Adrien’s Nightmare Should’ve Been Explored In More Depth

Cat Blanc is still the episode that had the biggest impact on me. Which makes sense. You can’t make one of your main characters a villain who destroys the world and then expect fans to just get over it. Even if everything was reversed, the memory of that event still existed (even if in just Marinette’s mind). And that traumatic event affected Marinette for TWO seasons!

People were giving the poor girl so much flak for pushing Cat Noir away. Meanwhile, she was still traumatised by the idea of him turning evil and destroying the world. Believe it or not, Cat Noir is actually her best friend. That’s why she put up with so much of his nonsense.

And all I wanted was for her to have a conversation with Cat Noir. And obviously, that still hasn’t happened. But Cat Noir now has memories of Cat Blanc. Even if he doesn’t realise they’re real, I really wish they spent longer on exploring that. I think he should’ve had a conversation with Ladybug about his nightmare. And I have a feeling that this particular arc isn’t over just yet. I think this will become a great source of conflict in season 6.

We Finally Understand Why Marinette Is The Way She Is

I love Marinette. She is chaos embodied. But her main flaw as Marinette has to be her obsessive personality. Why does she need to know Adrien’s schedule for the next decade? And I was genuinely happy seeing her growth in this season. I liked that she was able to see how harmful her behaviour was and actually take a step back. I liked seeing her relax around Adrien.

I watched these episodes out of order and so it was a huge shock to see that she had a reason for her behaviour this entire time. It shocked me to see that Chloe’s behaviour at the beginning of the show was actually tame compared to how cruel and sadistic she had been before. And I couldn’t help but hate Kim even though he had really grown on me over the show.

I’m not saying that stalking is justified as long as you have a trauma. I’m just saying that instead of shaming Marinette for her behaviour, the poor girl should’ve been put in therapy. And I’m shocked to my core that she was actually able to forgive Chloe and Kim long enough to give them miraculouses. Neither of them deserved her forgiveness.

And while it would’ve been nice to have a Chloe redemption arc. That’s just never going to happen. Chloe isn’t just a bully because of how she was raised but also because she takes joy in hurting others. She has had numerous chances to change, to make amends and she chooses not to. Chloe will never be a hero unless she recognises her own flaws and attempts to make amends without any incentives or threats.

The Wish Happened!

I’m not going to lie, I genuinely didn’t expect Gabriel to succeed. And I also didn’t expect him to follow through with his claim that he was only doing this for his wife. The fact that he sacrificed his own life for his wife’s makes me appreciate him a lot more. Although I still hate him for being an abusive trash bag.

But also? What anime is this? I did not expect the kwamis to have a different form. And I especially did not expect Plagg and Tikki to be halves of one kwami. But it makes perfect sense now. They’re quite literally each other’s other half. And I’m glad they stay adorable for most of the show. Their true forms are a little creepy.

I also have a theory that more bad things are going to happen as a result of Gabriel’s wish. Sure, he gave up his life but he was already dying. Plus, there were a lot of positive changes that happened as a result of his sacrifice. I think that another shoe is about to drop. The world is going to get messed up in an entirely new way because of the wish.

Final Thoughts

I’m excited for season 6. I hope they give us more flashbacks and we get a better insight into Emelie’s character. I don’t believe she’s as flawless as everyone has claimed. Remember, she was also responsible for Adrien’s isolation. It’s not like his father pulled him out of school the moment his mum died. Adrien had always been isolated. I think the depths she went to to get and keep a child shows a more messed up personality.

She is the catalyst for every conflict in this show. She chose to risk her own life to have a baby and she left her husband and family alone. I just know that woman has darkness in her. Especially considering her upbringing. And I can’t wait to find out what it is.