I agree with Starshine that the way they did it felt like they were trying overtly to appeal to a 'waifu' crowd. I think, ironically, she would have been even more popular in the end had they left her that way anyway, but the communication about their changes did leave a poor taste in my mouth. But the fact that Lae'zel wasn't compromised like that seems weird - like they wanted to make sure the human woman was appealing enough for a focus test, and only let the other writers go wild. Overall, the REAL brainwashing wasn't from her cult - it was from the devs, and the ideals they felt compelled to cater to.
