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Natalie V. "Envy" Adams is Scott Pilgrim's ex-girlfriend who brutally dumped Scott in college prior to the events of the book. Initially a quiet, mousey girl, she decides to change herself and her image, becoming more callous and aggressive and eventually taking over Scott's band and dumping him. She later reappears, introduced in the series as the lead singer and keyboardist for the popular emerging band The Clash at Demonhead, no longer going by "Nat" or "Natalie". Scott describes her original personality as being "nice" and does not understand what she has since become (claiming in the movie, "You used to be so nice!"). Envy was in a relationship with Ramona's ex-boyfriend Todd Ingram and claims to know about Ramona's past.
Concept and creation
Envy Adams hairstyle was largely inspired by the character Asuka Langley from the Neon Genesis Evangelion 'franchise.[1]
History
Early life
Natalie "Envy" Adams was born in Montreal. During her childhood, she was friends with Todd Ingram, but they
never got a chance to start a real relationship because Todd's family moved away when they were eleven. Natalie was deeply saddened and went through high school without any luck of finding true love. Years later, Todd returned - now with vegan powers - and wanted to renew his relationship with Natalie. Since Natalie was reluctant at first to go out with him.
Soon afterward, Todd went to the Vegan Academy, while Natalie went to the University of Toronto where she met Scott Pilgrim. Natalie and Scott were first introduced by Julie Powers when they were all first-year students; Natalie was Julie's roommate. The pair ended up hanging out due to a mutual belief that Julie was totally full of it. Eventually she, Scott, and Stephen Stills formed the band Kid Chameleon. At the time, Natalie was something of a dork with a vast array of anime toys and books, but as she began to enjoy a life of rock, she sold a number of her belongings to buy expensive clothes. She also began to call herself "Envy," after her first and middle initials "N.V." Envy started taking the band in a new direction by bringing in other musicians and the group began to be well known and recognized by major labels, something Scott and Stephen Stills didn't want.
Scott still wanted to pursue a relationship with Envy, and even wrote a song for her, though Envy now blinded by the prospects of fame failed to see the beauty of it and how Scott felt on the same level as herself. This is also the time Envy started cheating on Scott. Their relationship ended shortly after when Envy (voted band president apparently) vetoed everyone and signed the group to a label. She told Scott to get a haircut, but then at the big party, told Scott to get out of her life. A scene in the final book, however, suggests that the breakup was due to a drunken Scott starting an argument. These memories were suppressed in Scott's head, and resurfaced later in the form of Negascott. Envy still remembers Scott when they meet again in Vol. 2 because she and Scott had sex for an hour.
A short time after her break up with Scott, Envy reunited with Todd, who had graduated from Vegan Academy. Along with Lynnette Guycott, they formed a new band The Clash at Demonhead which became immensely famous.
Infinite Sadness
Envy is introduced at the end of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and elaborated further on in Scott Pilgrim & the Infinite Sadness when Scott and his friends see her band performing at Lee's Palace. Scott as well as Ramona are shocked to find that Todd and she are dating. Envy then invites Scott's and his friends backstage for a little chat (which is mostly flaunting her fame in their faces) during which Envy mentions she knows of Ramona through the rumors she heard in New York. Todd also reveals his Vegan powers to the group, effortlessly trouncing Scott though Envy calls off the battle since it was late. The next day she sets up a race at Honest Ed's between the two, telling Todd not to use his powers. However the stress of store gets to Todd and he accidentally implodes the building. Envy once again calls off the fight till later.
A day later her band is scheduled to play at another local club. While taking a smoke in the alleyway, she meets up with Scott again and the two try to have a formal conversation, Scott even calling her by her real name. However it ends in failure and she heads back into the club where she meets Ramona at the bar. The two strike up a conversation which quickly devolves into a fight between the two. Envy shows she can hold her own in a fight with most of the crowd cheering her on, though Wallace backs Ramona giving her an advantage over Envy. However, Envy manages to gain the upper hand and nearly kills Ramona with her hammer, though Knives saves her. Scott later sees the battle just as Sex Bob-Omb is about to play on stage and ends the fight by poking Envy behind her knee, which he states is her weak spot. Angered, Envy seeks Todd throughout the crowd to no avail. Ramona tells Envy he is cheating on her with Lynette. At first, Envy does not believe her, telling everyone that Todd punched a hole in the moon for her. Ramona however reveals he did the same thing for her. At this moment, Todd comes out of a restroom with Lynette's panties over his head. Seeing this, Envy flies into rage and tries to kill Lynette with Ramona's hammer though only succeeds in smashing off Lynette's cybernetic arm before she teleports. She then confronts Todd, kicking him in the groin for his unfaithfulness. He knocks her away with his powers prompting Scott to finish the battle between Todd and him.
Once Todd is defeated, Envy is left confused and shaken at the turn of events. The next day Scott sees her off to the taxi to the airport. Scott remarks that she is wearing his sweater and allows her to keep it when she asks if she should give it back. An awkward pause later, she leaves in the taxi, with Scott lamenting on the lack of proper closure. Envy returns home, and without Todd to make an ass of her, appears to be back to her old self having discarded the glitter of the rock life.
Comeback and Reconciliation
Envy isn't heard from again till Vol 6. After 'The Clash at Demonhead' dissolved, Envy apparently returned to New York and the original Chaos Theatre where she and Gideon Graves began a relationship. Backed by Gideon, Envy returned to music and released a solo album. She arrives back in Toronto to prepare for the opening of the Canadian Chaos Theater. While at a party for a local friend, she meets up with Scott, who is currently reeling from the effects of Ramona's departure. He tries to insult her there but only ends up embarrassing himself and apologizes not long after. The two meet the next morning for coffee and once again try a normal conversation but Scott can barely respond to her questions. We also learn Envy turned 25 during this point. Another meet up between the two also reveals that it was Scott that started the fight at New Year's Eve which led to their break up, though Scott has trouble remembering it. Before he can figure this out, Gideon appears and Scott runs off, intimidated by his presence.
Envy and Scott reconcile.
The opening night of the Chaos Theatre arrives and Envy finds herself frazzled and overworked. She begs Gideon to give her a break but he refuses. It is here we find that their relationship is strained at best, and Gideon takes sexual pleasure "in dressing [her] up like a doll" and "that's about all" according to a conversation they have, suggesting that their relationship is not one of a physical manner as many believe. Once the opening gets into full swing, she performs her song dressed in an elaborate outfit and lowered from the ceiling onto the stage. Her lyrics clued Scott in that Gideon's nearby and the final battle commences between the two. She mostly tries to get the show going during the fight but stops when Scott is killed. After Scott is brought back to life, Gideon reveals his six frozen ex-girlfriends and his plans to add Ramona. Envy tries to ask Gideon if he is alright but he coldly rebuffs her. This makes Scott realize his own horrible treatment toward his girlfriends. Scott then gains the Power of Understanding. Gideon also reveals he hid a sword on Envy's dress just in case. It does him little good as he is eventually defeated by Scott and Ramona.
After the events of the final battle, Envy snaps back to her old "Natalie" self and goes to confront Scott, hugging him which he finds as closure to their relationship (like he envisioned at the end of Volume 3). She then tells Scott and Ramona Flowers that her relationship with Gideon was somewhat of a sham. He saw her talent and she saw his money and influence. Envy then continues on with her show as all of Gideon's former girlfriends are released. What happens to her afterward is unknown but its presumed she went on with her life and her career.
In vs. the World
Envy Adams is played by Brie Larson, an actress, musician, and songwriter. She has starred in films and TV Shows such as Hoot and United States of Tara.
The subsequent plot from the comics of Todd cheating on her with Lynette, her later hooking up with Gideon Graves, and the final conclusive ending with Scott Pilgrim is never gone into, making her truly responsible for breaking Scott's heart.
At the end of the battle against Todd Ingram, Scott believes that his victory was a way of evening the breakup from long ago. Being called Natalie, she claimed that no one had ever called her by her real name since, to which Scott responds that "Maybe they should," before he left the scene. Julie Powers tried to cheer her up, but Envy told her to "shut the ████ up".
In the original draft of the film script, Scott Pilgrim's Little Life, the character of Roxie Richter was replaced by Envy. Unlike her appearance in the books, Envy has blonde hair. Brie Larson tried a red wig during hair and make-up tests, however the team didn't like it and in the end opted for blonde wig instead.[2]
In the Game
Envy in the game.
Envy & Lynette's unused Boss Art
Envy appears in World 3 as a sub-boss along with Lynette. The player(s) fights the two in a tag team battle where they switch in and out with one another (despite the fact that they are fighting amongst themselves). Envy can be rather tricky to fight against, she's fast and relies sorely on kicks that can knock you into the air or across the screen. She also has a devastating jump kick where she jumps from one end of the screen only to come flying back at you with it. She's not terribly difficult however and some quick movements will keep you from taking too much damage. You can also attack while she waits for her turn.
Defeating either of them will end the battle. Once they're beaten they brawl for a little bit before Lynette teleports away leaving her cybernetic arm while Envy just collapses in despair with a rain cloud over her before dissolving into the floor leaving behind $2.60. You then fight Todd afterward. She seems to be one of the only characters in this game who is still alive in the ending, despite her "death".
In Scott's ending, Envy is shown hugging Scott, along with Kim and Knives. Scott is dating them all at once after Ramona left, although it is unclear whether or not he is truly happy.
Game Sprites
Trivia
Inspiration from Emily used for Envy
- Envy Adam's appearance is based around Emily Haines, lead singer and keyboardist of the Canadian band Metric. Metric would later write the song Black Sheep (performed by The Clash at Demonhead in the film) for the film's soundtrack.
- Even though Envy never bursts into coins like the evil exes, she does burst into $2.60 in the game.
- Stacey Pilgrim refers to Envy as "She-Who-Will-Not-Be-Named" in the movie.
- According to the backstory in Volume 3, she and Todd were reunited sometime after Todd had finished high school but before he went to Vegan Academy, at which point the two made a vow to remain faithful to each other until they met again. However, considering that they were the same age, this would place Envy at a time before she herself went to college and met Scott. This would mean that Envy actually cheated on Todd with Scott.
- According to the movie's commentary, she was supposed to have the one uncensored use of the word "fuck" allowed in PG-13 movies but it had to be bleeped due to Scott calling Todd a "cocky cock".
- In the movie, the song she was singing was about Scott Pilgrim, infering to all of his break ups.