As in Le Fanu’s narrative [Carmilla], the perceived binary of the older, often predatory masculine lesbian and their innocent younger lovers is challenged by reciprocal nature of the desire. In fact, far from entirely innocent and still-naïve, Mette’s ‘bad reputation’ is outlined in the opening description of her (p. 7). Moreover, contrary to the perception of those around her, it is the younger Mette who pursues Olga.

Throughout the first volume of «Der Skorpion», a close, symbiotic and even parasitic bond forms between the two women, as Mette begins to model her own worldview and individual identity on Olga’s teachings and opinions on life, love and literature. In this depiction of lesbian love and desire, reminiscent of Le Fanu and Coleridge’s [Christabel] representations, the boundaries between the self and other become blurred, as Mette takes on qualities and characteristics associated with her lover, eventually assuming aspects of her identity and role within the relationship whilst the dynamic between them starts to shift…

(O’Connor, "Sapphic Spectres: Lesbian Gothic in Interwar German Narratives")