10 Underrated Pixar Characters Who Were Feminist Heroines
3. Sadness - Inside Out
Sadness exemplifies the under-utilized individuals in countless workplaces. Peppier supervisor Joy relegates the gloomy gal to the corner so their collective charge Riley experiences a constant happy-go-lucky existence. Nevertheless, Sadness' pragmatism leads her to try and expose Riley's darker moods.
Even a girl as sweet as Riley has layers, something Joy neglects to see but something Sadness chooses to endorse. Downtrodden Sadness spends much of the plot arguing for Riley's right to feel and express the more difficult emotions that come with her moving away. The bespectacled and blue representative of melancholy realizes it's the perfect release for Riley.
While Sadness' support for Joy and imaginary friend Bing Bong were endearing, the encouragement she offers Riley strikes a far greater chord. There's nothing grim about a female uplifting another female when they're at their most vulnerable state. The tears can be ugly but uncovering the pain's an initial step towards healing. When Sadness beams after Riley's tearful confession to her parents, she's recognizing the importance of her job and viewing a newly made girl.
Sadness never deters from her firm belief that all of Riley's feelings deserve to be heard. It allows Riley to become a more complete and complicated individual. Emotions change over time but the tenacity of Sadness lingers past Inside Out's final credits.