Machiavelli's Heel–Face Turn makes a lot of sense when you consider that historically, Machiavelli was a supporter of democracy and was actually imprisoned for being a revolutionary.
Blonde hair and blue eyes is the oldest cliche in the book for protagonists of Western fantasy stories. But for Sophie and Josh it makes perfect sense. They're the twins of the Sun and Moon. Gold hair like the sun, and, well, "blue eyes" are often blue-gray, and even if they're not, the color blue is often associated with the moon and night.
