(Slight CR2 spoilers):
This is an appreciation post for Ashley Johnson because she is so smart about her character choices and backstory (I'm primarily talking about Yasha here).

People like to complain that because Ashley has left for long periods that she isn't as good

or smart as the others but this is simply untrue.

I was thinking about Yasha's backstory and Zuala and how she ran away from the tribe and how Yasha is dealing with this grief. And how complex, layered, and detailed what little we know of Yasha's backstory is.

And her character choices and how she reacts to situations is so thoughtful as well.

Yasha has grown so much and come into her own. She is no longer the broken and struggling Aasimar we saw at the beginning, she has truly become a thriving and rich individual.

From fearing love and the pain it has the potential to bring, to opening her heart up to the good and bad of love. And it's not just romantic love. She has also opened her heart up to her found family with the M9.

In this adventuring and high stakes life, Yasha knows that love is made to weather all sorts storms. She isn't running away from it.

Zuala was such an important part of her life, and still is - neither Beau or the rest of the M9 will ever forget that.

But Yasha knows that she doesn't have to shy away from potential.

This is such a multilayered character who has ups and downs and Ashley knows Yasha's path isn't linear. And it's so special that we as an audience get to watch Yasha's growth. And Ashley's as well.