This foundational change to an established literary character, combined with prominent strong female action roles including Scarlett Van Helsing and key art emphasizing female empowerment, reflects deliberate casting choices. A supporting cast featuring Rukiya Bernard as Doc, a key scientist and ally, further incorporates diversity, with actor and creator comments highlighting inclusion and breaking barriers as intentional elements. Episode plots focus on legacy, personal darkness, and battles such as Vanessa confronting ancestors in Hong Kong, facing Elders, or exploring Axel’s past, without overt identity-politics lectures or systemic-oppression framing. The gender swap and casting emphasis drive the moderate score, while the absence of explicit social-justice subplots in the synopses prevents a higher rating despite the creator intent signals around diversity.