CHARACTER
Rock Paper Scissorsby Alice Feeney

Robin

Character Analysis: Robin

Quick Facts: Robin is the primary antagonist of Rock Paper Scissors. She is Adam Wright's first wife and the secret daughter of author Henry Winter. Driven by betrayal, she orchestrates a deadly weekend at Blackwater Chapel to exact revenge on Adam and her former best friend, Amelia Wright.

Who She Is

At first glance, Robin appears to be a victim of circumstance, a woman wronged by her husband's infidelity. However, as the layers of her character are peeled back, she emerges as a cunning and vengeful mastermind. Driven by deep-seated pain and a thirst for justice, Robin meticulously plots her revenge, transforming from a betrayed wife into the architect of a terrifying game. Her actions force the reader to question the nature of betrayal, the limits of forgiveness, and the dark potential that lies within us all.

Personality & Traits

Robin's personality is a complex tapestry woven with threads of intelligence, pain, and a chilling capacity for deception. While her actions are undeniably cruel, they stem from a place of profound emotional wounding, making her a morally ambiguous character who blurs the lines between victim and villain.

  • Vengeful and Meticulous: Robin's defining trait is her capacity for long-term, calculated revenge. She masterminds the entire weekend at the chapel, from the fake raffle prize to the psychological torment, demonstrating a chilling level of planning and patience.
  • Intelligent and Resourceful: After her father's death, Robin proves her intelligence by seamlessly finishing his novel and getting it published under his name. She uses her knowledge of the chapel and her father's resources to create a perfectly controlled environment for her scheme.
  • Secretive and Deceptive: Robin is a master of Secrets and Deception. She hides her parentage from Adam for their entire ten-year marriage and later conceals her father's death from the world to take over his literary legacy.
  • Deeply Wounded: Her actions are fueled by profound emotional pain. She suffers from her father's lifelong neglect, the heartbreak of infertility, and the ultimate betrayal of her husband and best friend. This deep-seated trauma is the catalyst for her transformation.
  • Morally Ambiguous: While her actions are undeniably villainous, they stem from a twisted sense of justice. She sees herself as an avenger, punishing those who wronged her. Her internal monologue reveals her justification for her cruelty:

    Bad people deserve the bad things that happen to them.

Character Journey

Robin's journey is one of dramatic transformation, from a seemingly ordinary woman to a formidable antagonist. Initially presented as a loving and supportive wife, she is shattered by Adam's affair with Amelia. Instead of succumbing to despair, Robin channels her pain into a meticulously planned act of revenge. She seizes control of her narrative, mirroring her takeover of her father's literary identity, and orchestrates a deadly game at Blackwater Chapel. This journey from victim to avenger is a chilling exploration of how betrayal can corrupt and empower, blurring the lines between Truth, Fiction, and Storytelling.

Key Relationships

  • Adam Wright: As her ex-husband and the object of her twisted affection, Adam is central to Robin's plan. She supported his career and believed in him when no one else did, only to be betrayed. Her plan is designed not just to punish him, but to force him to choose her, revealing a desperate need for his love to be returned in full.

  • Amelia Wright: Amelia, her former friend and the woman who had an affair with Adam, is the primary target of Robin's rage. Robin initially befriends Amelia out of a mix of kindness and loneliness, making Amelia's betrayal all the more devastating and fueling Robin's desire for violent retribution.

  • Henry Winter: Her estranged and emotionally abusive father, Henry Winter's neglect and cruelty shaped her entire life, leaving her with a deep sense of being unwanted. By taking over his name and work after his death, she enacts a complex form of revenge, simultaneously erasing him and becoming him, finally stepping out of his shadow by consuming it entirely.

Defining Moments

Robin's transformation is marked by several key moments that reveal her cunning and the depth of her pain. These moments highlight her shift from a betrayed wife to a calculating avenger.

  • Discovering the Affair: Finding Adam in bed with Amelia on their anniversary is the novel's pivotal off-screen moment. It is the catalyst that fractures Robin's world and sets her on the path to revenge.
  • Finishing Her Father's Novel: After Henry dies, Robin completes his manuscript and successfully passes it off as his own. This act empowers her, giving her the financial resources and confidence to execute her plan.
  • The Letter: The anniversary letter she slides under the chapel door is the climax of her psychological game. In it, she reveals every secret—Amelia's role in his mother's death, her own identity, and his final choice between "Rock, Paper, or Scissors."
  • The Final Confrontation: In the novel's final moments, Robin appears behind Amelia and kills her with a pair of vintage stork-shaped scissors, ending her elaborate game and reclaiming Adam for herself.

Essential Quotes

Robin's words offer a glimpse into her twisted sense of justice and the depth of her pain, revealing the motivations behind her actions.

The only good thing about losing everything, is the freedom that comes from having nothing left to lose.

This quote encapsulates Robin's transformation. Having lost everything she held dear, she finds a twisted sense of liberation in having nothing left to lose, allowing her to pursue her revenge without restraint.

Rock Paper Scissors is all about choices. I’ve made mine; the time will come when you’ll need to make yours.

This quote highlights Robin's manipulative nature and her belief in fate. She sees life as a game of choices, and she is determined to force Adam and Amelia to make theirs, with deadly consequences.

I always think it is best to look forward, never back. But if we hadn’t got divorced, then next year would have been our thirteenth anniversary. The traditional gift is meant to be lace, and I already know what I’m going to give you. Although I’ll be the one wearing a new wedding dress, it will be for you. Everything I do always has been.

This quote reveals the depth of Robin's obsession with Adam and her twisted romanticism. Even in her act of revenge, she clings to the idea of their love, believing that everything she does is ultimately for him.