Scott Pilgrim Takes Off has a much better storyline for Knives Chau (Ellen Wong), one that rectifies many problems with the character from Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and Bryan Lee O’Malley’s Scott Pilgrim comics. Released on Netflix in 2023, the Scott Pilgrim anime told a different version of the story. Scott vanishes in episode 1, leaving Ramona and Scott’s friends to find him. With Scott Pilgrim not present throughout most of Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, Knives Chau is given a new character arc, one that portrays her much more positively.

The relationship between Knives Chau and Scott Pilgrim in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World was incredibly problematic. Knives being 17 and Scott being 23 made her obsession with him, and his indulgence in it for his own ego, uncomfortable in retrospect over the years since the 2010 movie was released. This is why the Scott Pilgrim anime was such a breath of fresh air when it came to Knives Chau, as it finally made Ellen Wong’s Scott Pilgrim character an individual in her own right (which also makes it a shame that Scott Pilgrim Takes Off was canceled before season 2).

Knives Chau Was Problematic In The Scott Pilgrim Movie

The Treatment Of Knives Hasn't Aged Well

It’s been over a decade since Scott Pilgrim vs. The World arrived in theaters in 2010. While Edgar Wright’s live-action adaptation of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s Scott Pilgrim comics has become a cult gem with a devoted fanbase, some aspects haven’t aged well. The way Scott Pilgrim vs. The World depicts Knives Chau is one of the most problematic elements of the movie, and there are several reasons why rectifying this was important for Scott Pilgrim Takes Off.

While the movie doesn’t portray Scott’s behavior towards Knives positively here, it also doesn’t fully address just how problematic it really is.

Firstly, the romance between Scott and Knives has a lot of problems. Scott Pilgrim is 23, whereas Knives Chau is 17. While various characters in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World make fun of Scott for dating a high schooler, none of them take him aside and point out that a man his age dating a teenager simply isn’t appropriate. Even though their relationship never became sexual, it’s still incredibly creepy in retrospect. Moreover, given Knives Chau’s age, Scott’s treatment of her isn’t just emotionally immature as the movie suggests, but actively manipulative.

Scott leaving Knives for Ramona clearly deeply impacted Ellen Wong’s Scott Pilgrim vs. The World character. The 17-year-old has to navigate complex feelings as she tries to reconcile with her adult boyfriend becoming emotionally distant, eventually leaving her to pursue a relationship with Ramona (a woman Scott’s age who he would be physically intimate with). At 17, Knives shouldn’t have had to be exposed to this. While the movie doesn’t portray Scott’s behavior towards Knives positively here, it also doesn’t fully address just how problematic it really is.

There’s also the fetishization of Knives Chau’s race. Knives is Chinese-Canadian, and several male characters in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World describe the idea of dating an Asian woman as a goal. This, for many obvious reasons, simply isn’t OK. It may be a product of cultural sensibilities at the turn of the 2010s, but it’s yet another aspect of Knives Chau that Scott Pilgrim Takes Off desperately needed to fix.

The Scort Pilgrim Comics Didn’t Handle Knives Chau Well Either

The 2010 Movie Isn't The Source Of The Uncomfortable Knives Chau Elements

While Edgar Wright’s Scott Pilgrim vs. The World didn’t portray Knives Chau well, the live-action adaptation isn’t fully to blame. comics also have issues when it comes to Knives Chau as a character. Just like in the movie, Knives is mostly depicted as a Sex Bob-omb groupie. The problematic elements of how Scott treats Knives are still present, too.

Knives was smitten with Scott, and he used her feelings for him as an emotional crutch with no regard for her own emotions (or, at times, respect for her as a human being).

For the most part, Knives Chau in the Scott Pilgrim comics is a one-dimensional character. She’s depicted as being completely obsessed with Scott. In other words, a stereotypical 17-year-old with a crush on a member of a band. This wasn’t fair on her character in retrospect, given how Scott treated her. It also makes his relationship with Knives Chau seem all the more manipulative. Knives was smitten with Scott, and he used her feelings for him as an emotional crutch with no regard for her own emotions (or, at times, respect for her as a human being).

Scott Pilgrim Takes Off Gives Knives Chau A Proper Story Arc

The Scott Pilgrim Anime Fixes Many Problems With Her Character

The Scott Pilgrim anime series Scott Pilgrim Takes Off arrived on Netflix in 2023, and presented an alternate take on Bryan Lee O’Malley’s story and characters. Unlike Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off features an entirely new narrative. Scott vanishes at the start of the first episode, and the story instead focuses on Ramona as she tries to find him. This means many Scott Pilgrim characters are shown in a different light - including Knives Chau.

This is where Scott Pilgrim Takes Off is the best thing to happen to Knives Chau as a character, as it fixes many of the problematic issues with her portrayal in both Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and O’Malley’s Scott Pilgrim comics. With Scott seemingly dead, Knives is forced to grieve and process her pain completely differently. Initially, this leads her once again into a confrontation with Ramona, but she soon finds herself befriending her former rival.

Knives has much more autonomy as a character in the Scott Pilgrim anime since she’s no longer portrayed as being fixated on Scott.

As the show progresses, Knives Chau finds herself flourishing without Scott Pilgrim. Knives has much more autonomy as a character in the Scott Pilgrim anime since she’s no longer portrayed as being fixated on Scott. She becomes accepted by Kim and Steven in her own right, not just as ‘Scott’s high school girlfriend’. It’s then that the best reveal about Knives Chau in Scott Pilgrim Takes Off emerges - she’s a musical genius.

Knives Chau becomes a full member of Sex Bob-omb in Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, mastering the bass and piano in mere minutes. With Knives as part of the line-up, Sex Bob-omb reaches new heights, far beyond how much success the band sees in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and the comics. Knives even helps manage Sex Bob-omb, and makes a deal with Matthew Patel to get a musical version of Scott’s battle against the Evil Exes (written by Young Neil) given the green light for a stage show.

Knives Chau in Scott Pilgrim Takes Off is a much more two-dimensional and fleshed-out character than she is in the Scott Pilgrim comics Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. The 2023 anime fixed many issues with her portrayal. No longer is she a 17-year-old Asian high schooler in an incredibly problematic relationship. Instead, Knives Chau is now treated as a young musician with her own goals, achievements, and potential - none of which are tied to Scott Pilgrim.

What Ellen Wong Has Said About Knives Chau

The Scott Pilgrim Star Is Thrilled With The Character Changes

Ellen Wong played Knives Chau in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, and returned to voice the character again as part of the Scott Pilgrim Takes Off cast. Wong is well aware of the problematic aspects of Knives Chau’s character in the 2010 movie, and it’s this awareness that had her interested in reprising the role for the 2023 anime.

Speaking to Screen Rant in 2023, Ellen Wong spoke in depth about the changes to Knives Chau in Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, and why it was so important for her that her Scott Pilgrim vs. The World character was finally given her own voice:

It started off that way because I wasn't confident about it, but then, as we started to play the songs and I got into it, I started to sing and do all these things that were outside of my comfort zone, but also [were] about Knives finding herself and finding her voice. It was interesting to go on that journey with her as well, and then it was just really fun. It just flowed.

That was the part that I was the most nervous about; I was like, “I know Knives can do it, but how can I do it?” and “Can I do it?” I just kind of let it go, and I was like, “Knives doesn't care. She's just letting it flow, and she's just letting herself ‘be’ now,” and so I did [too]. It was really special, and the music is incredible in the anime, and it was really cool to be part of that.

It was just cool for Knives to be part of the band because I think that's what her true love was from the beginning. She was in love with Scott playing music; she didn't need Scott. It wasn't about Scott, it was about what he was making, and how he was expressing himself, and I think she’s on that journey too.

Sadly, Netflix has canceled Scott Pilgrim Takes Off before season 2. However, there have been rumors of new stories set in the Scott Pilgrim universe. If there are more shows planned, a spin-off based on Knives Chau would certainly be a viable option. As Ellen Wong pointed out in her comments, Knives has found her voice. She’s gone from being a 1-dimensional presence to one of the most interesting characters in Scott Pilgrim. Exploring her story further would be an interesting avenue to take, and could help further rectify her problematic portrayal in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.