Improbable But Not Impossible

Watching Daria episodes always makes me think about real life situations, and I just wanted to share my thoughts after reading an interview with the writers of the show Glenn Eichler and Anne D. Bernstein, which can be found here at this link http://www.the-wildone.com/dvdaria/interviews.html. They both said that Trent was never meant for Daria because they felt that realistically it would have never happened - for a realistic bookworm like Daria and a slacker rock and roller like Trent to be compatible. I can see how that it is, and I agree that most of the time that mostly wouldn't work out, but in the case with Daria I can't help but feel that, in a way, it could. So, that's what brought me here today to make me think about more real life situations in the terms of relationships and compatibility. Are Daria and Trent completely incompatible? It is uncommon for real life situations to bring a "nerdy" bookworm together with a "cool" rock and roller, but I don't think it's completely impossible. Throughout the show Daria and Trent have been getting closer as friends, and I can see them both being very good friends with each other, which was one of the nicest outcomes of the show, I think. Even though Daria ended her crush with Trent in the episode "Jane's Addition" due to their differences in work ethics, I think that people can change and grow. If the show continued, I can see the possibility of Trent and Daria becoming closer. I can see Trent caring more and more for Daria, developing feelings for her in a very slow and subtle way, and having an interest in her because Daria is a very different woman and a cool person, and nearly is everything he's not. Daria is a hard-working analytical person while Trent is just completely laid back and easy-going. Opposites can attract after all and often times make for a pretty good pairing, in which each person balances each other out and helps each other become a better person. I think Daria is the kind of person able to help change Trent for the better, mostly by setting his ass straight through her harsh honesty and realistic view on life. I think she would be able to say things to Trent that would be a hard-hitting realization to him about what he needs to do to become more successful and the things that he needs to do to better his career as a musician. As a writer, Daria would probably be able to improve Trent's lyrics even and she has helped motivate him once before as in the episode "Road Worrier":

Trent - Daria, do you ever feel like maybe you're wasting your life?
Daria - Only when I'm awake.
Trent - Like, no money, no job, you live with your parents, and you still can't play an open D tuning.
Daria - Well, I haven't had those exact thoughts...
Trent - Maybe I will end up a townie doing Doors covers. I mean, who's to say, right?
Daria - Umm, you know, Trent, it takes a lot of guts to go after a dream, especially when you know that failure can mean spending the rest of your life playing "L.A. Woman"... in public.
Trent - Hmm. I guess.
Daria - And even if it doesn't work out, at least for now you're doing exactly what you want to.
Trent - Yeah, that's true.
Daria - A lot of people never even get that far.
Trent - I guess I'm not doing too bad. You know, Daria, sometimes it's hard to believe you're in high school.
Daria - I find the situation unbelievable myself.

Daria even has the ability to inspire Trent. She has inspired him to possibly change the name of the band in the same episode - a suggestion that ends up being mentioned in several episodes afterwards throughout the show.

Jane - Daria thinks the name Mystik Spiral sounds like a Doors cover band that plays brew pubs. Don't ya, Daria?
Daria - That's not exactly what I...
Trent - Hmmm... maybe you're right. Would it help if we spelled mystik with two Y's?
....
Jesse - Helpful Corn! That's a cool name for the band.
Trent - Even better than Mystik Spiral, huh, Daria? (he winks at Daria)

Then later...

(From episode #209, "Ill")
(at the Zen)
Trent - Hello. We're Mystik Spiral. But we might change our name.

In the right situations and circumstances, Daria has the ability to motivate and inspire Trent in many ways from possible ways of improving his band's and music's appeal to words of wisdom that keep him reaching his goal.

As for Trent, I think he has the ability to help Daria grow as a person, too, as hard as that may be for some people to comprehend. Trent may be lazy, but he's not dumb. From his factual smarts (as can be heard in his argument with Max about the term subzero in "Groped By An Angel") to his philosophical and social smarts, Trent has the kind of personality and mindset that allows him to see and realize things that other people can't see at first without the aid of someone like him. He seems to hold a quiet wisdom of his own, especially in his ability to perceive the situations of him and the people around him, and then maintain a voice of reason about it all. Throughout the whole "Tom thing'" that happened betweed Daria and Jane, Trent was able to help them both realize their mistakes and to accept the reality of the situation so that they may able to move past it and make the choices that they need to from there.

(from episode #412 "Fire!")
Trent - Hey, Daria. Have you seen Janey? I think one of us was supposed to give the other one a ride somewhere.
Daria - She's probably over at Tom's, avoiding me.
Trent - Oh... or making sure Tom does.
Daria - (exasperated) Oh, no, not you, too. Look, Trent, there's nothing going on between me and Tom.
Trent - If you say so.
Daria - What?
Trent - Come on, Daria. I'm a musician. I'm very sensitive to shifts in mood.
Daria - (frowns) Then your senses must be going into overdrive about now.
Trent - Hey, I've seen you together. Guys can always tell when other guys are into someone. You know, ethereal transference.
Daria - Trent, even if what you just said made sense, I think I would know if Tom were "into" me... and he's not.
Trent - Okay. I should go. (starts to leave)
Daria - (sighs) I'm sorry, Trent. It's just that I don't exactly know what's going on.
Trent - Well, whatever it is, no one said you meant for it to happen.
Daria - Yeah. Okay. Thanks.
Trent - But there's no use playing dumb, right?

(from "Is It Fall Yet?")
Trent - Anyway, don't go crazy over this Tom stuff. Even Janey said you make a good couple.
Daria - You mean made. We're not going out anymore.
Trent - Really? Why?
(they arrive at the cabin; Trent knocks on the door)
Daria - A lot of stuff. Mainly I got weirded out by his family.
Trent - But you weren't dating them.

Daria is just as human as anyone else is, so one of the flaws that we see exposed from her is that she won't easily realize and admit to something that she's afraid of. So, that's one of the reasons why I feel their differences can help each other. It's not only Tom who can break through to Daria's shell and occasional stubborness, and Trent does so even in a way that doesn't patronize Daria, but makes her think. His social ability has helped Daria feel more relaxed around him and his laid-back attitude may even help Daria relax more about things as well.

So, as different as Daria and Trent may be, they were compatible enough to become good friends and help each other. It's not like they weren't able to talk to each other and they did make each other laugh every once in a while. From friendship, it's not a completely impossible route for a relationship to grow from there.