One thing I'll always appreciate LBT for is that it showcases different types of families. You got single moms, single dads, kids being raised by grandparents, adopted family, the roles of extended family, etc. throughout the series. And Tria brings in the step-parent and later, half siblings.
1. What are your thoughts about how Cera and Tria's relationship has evolved throughout the series?
Introducing Tria and her development with Cera was probably the only thing I liked about the 11th film. It's understandable that they wouldn't get along at first, especially as Cera is used to having all of her dad's attention to herself and suddenly this new threehorn walks into her life and takes some of that attention away. Cera has to deal with her dad being all gooey and affectionate with this complete stranger which probably feels wrong to her. When Littlefoot asks if she's gonna be Cera's new mom (veeeery sensitive question Littlefoot, would have liked to see your reaction if Bron showed up with a new mate
) she's understandably upset, like Tria is going to replace the mother that she lost, and of course she won't like it.
And Tria knows that. From the get-go she's happy to accept Cera into her life as the daughter of the guy she loves. She doesn't lose her temper or get nasty with Cera when she rejects her, and she doesn't hold it against her later on. She does have a moment of firmness eventually which is probably what was needed to get Cera to respect her and finally hear her out. There are struggles, especially when Tricia comes about, but they accept each other as part of the family. It's a pretty realistic development and I'm glad it's one that has a happy ending.
2. What are your general impressions of Tria as a character?
Honestly, Tria is a pretty refreshing take on a stepmother in kids' media. Stepmoms don't get portrayed that well, from the attention-stealers to the childish to the downright evil, but there are a lot of cases where stepmoms are a great addition to a family. And Tria doesn't just saunter in and take all of Topps' attention, she actively makes an effort throughout with trying to get to know and connect with Cera. When Tricia is born, Tria doesn't just push Cera out because she's not her biological child, she makes sure they're both involved and keeps a close eye on both of them. All in all, she's pretty good.
