The classic show Full House will go down in history as being one of the most lesson-focused sitcoms of all time. Every episode had a moral that it sought to teach its viewers and its appearance was usually announced by the presence of soft string music which was meant to provoke an emotional reaction in the audience.
And even though the main characters of the show are all objectively good people, they tend to go about their morality in different ways. The best way to examine the differences in each character’s world view and core motivations is to sort them using the moral alignment chart created for the tabletop game Dungeons & Dragons.
Michelle- Neutral Good
Neutral good characters simply try their best to do their best. They do not believe that their way is best, nor do they necessarily follow the law to the letter. They simply do everything that they can to make what they believe is the best choice and they try as hard as they can to be a good person.
It was slightly difficult to assign a moral alignment to Michelle, as she is still a small child when her characters’ plot line ended, meaning that her personality had not truly developed nor had she had the chance to explore the world or herself. But in her limited experiences, she does try her best to be kind and do the right thing. She is not overly rebellious nor rule conscious.
Stephanie- Chaotic Good
As a child, Stephanie was a truly fascinating character. And that did not change in adulthood. Stephanie has always been torn between doing what she wants to do and following the rules set out for her by her father. But it is important to note that she does gravitate towards rebellion, following her own path, and flying in the face of convention when given the chance to choose for herself. However, she does not act out of self-interest and is focused on doing what is right in the end.
Because of this, we have decided that the best moral alignment for Stephanie is chaotic good. She is rebellious and needs to do things in her own way, but at her core, she is a good person and will do anything to help out her loved ones. Even if she has to defy others in order to do so.
Aunt Becky- True Neutral
Becky needed to be a relatively level headed and structured character to off-set the chaotic nature of Uncle Jesse. Without her acting as his anchor, he may have never settled down into the person that he was meant to be. Like Becky, true neutral characters choose to do whatever they think is right in the moment. That may include following the rules and it may include breaking the law, but they will decide what feels right on a case-by-case basis.
It is important to note that true neutral characters do have a concern with doing what is right and will lean towards doing so, it is simply that what is right is decided by them in the moment. But it is important to note that they do avoid extremes entirely.
Uncle Joey- Chaotic Neutral
Chaotic Neutral characters are the free-spirits of the world that seek to pursue their own goals and passions above all else, even if that ends up inconveniencing others. That does not mean that they are bad people, it simply means that the most important thing in their world is to ensure that their own needs, goals, and dreams are met before all else. They do not intentionally try to overthrow established systems but they do fly in the face of tradition if it goes against their own plans.
Uncle Joey is a rather chaotic free-spirit who is who he is no matter what anyone has to say about it. And while sometimes it gets him in hot water, it is one of our favourite things about this character.
DJ- Lawful Neutral
One does need to explore her character both in the original show and in the spin-off in order to get a full look at DJ Tanner/Fuller due to the fact that she was only a young teenager when the show ended and her personality was not fully developed. But by the time that she grew into the person that she would be for the rest of her life, DJ Tanner grew into a rather judgemental and strict woman.
Adult DJ is obsessed with law, order, and the way that things should be. And she sees herself as the person whose duty it is to enforce such things. She believes that there is a right and wrong way to do things and that it is her job to ensure that everyone follows the correct path. She praises organization, order, and adherence to the rules above all else.
Uncle Jesse- Chaotic Good
Chaotic good characters are the rebels with a cause of the world. They need to do things in their own way and reject the expectations placed upon them, but their main goal is to do the right thing; even if the means they use to get there do not make sense to anyone else. Chaotic good characters will always be there for those who need them but they might break the law in order to help out a friend if needed.
Uncle Jesse is a good man and is always there for those who need him, however, he does not seem too concerned with societal expectations nor the laws that govern our world. He is not a bad guy, he is just his own person and has to do things in his own way. But unlike neutral characters, his core motivation is still focused upon doing what is right.
Kimmy- Chaotic Neutral
Kimmy Gibbler is a truly chaotic character who is motivated entirely by her own interests and goals. She can be both the flaky friend that can frustrate those around her to no end or the person who saves the day in the end. And that is entirely decided upon which action benefits her and her goals the most.
She is truly unpredictable and has no inherent respect for those in positions of authority. She is a free spirit and seeks to challenge convention, tradition, and those around her. Kimmy Gibbler is the definition of a chaotic neutral character.
Danny- Lawful Good
Lawful good characters are compelled to do everything that they can to follow accepted moral law. They oppose evil, help out anyone who needs them, and believes that those who have done wrong should be disciplined or punished for their actions, in some way. They believe it is their duty to ensure that everyone acts in a way that is morally upstanding and follows societal laws.
Danny Tanner is known for being the “father of a generation” and is someone that the girls in the show could always go to when they needed him. He had a strict set of rules for the house and enforced them but did so with compassion. He did everything he could to raise those girls to be good people.
