Goddammit - this seems exactly like the kind of choice I did not want to make... think I want to save Gregori, if only to hear his rant on how stupid Jason is to not rescue the Incarnate.
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Just so it's clear: whichever one you pick, the other isn't getting back up after this. They're out of the game for keeps.
I kind of got that feeling from this choice.
I also don't want Matilda to be fridged for Jason's manpain.
Ah, fair enough. The talk of "divine intervention" made me think that I had failed to communicate that clearly.
Ugh, goddamnit this was not at all my intention. Now I just feel like an idiot.
Well, I picked Gregori because I wanted to see what happens if the Black King wins. I mean, he's been losing all this time, so why not let the poor sucker win once?
I am generally against bad dudes winning, to be honest. It makes for a darker story that doesn't usually jive with me. =/ I don't want Gregori to die though....
Really? Eh, I personally think its more interesting if the bad guy wins. I guess it's only a matter of taste. And I don't want Gregori to die either, but what about Matilda? Surely you'd pick her over Gregori.
Gregori isn't necessarily 'bad' though, or at least not what we've seen. He's not nearly as virtuous as Matilda, certainly, but he has a certain charisma and he has interesting motivations that are not so crystal clear as "save everyone." Matilda is refreshing in her dogged determination. Sure it's easy to say "do the right thing" but maintaining the conviction, even when death is before you, and not selfishly wavering is not by any means common. I don't see it as a super clear cut choice. There is no "right" answer at all, or even a "good" answer. We don't know if Gregori is actually, beneath his grumpy exterior, actually a person that could become heroic. And we also don't know what mysteries may be revealed through Matilda as the chosen of the gods. Why was she chosen? For what purpose? Why were there so many before her?
I guess I pick Matilda, though I really dislike picking a choice. =|
I got what you meant, but I never like having a villain "win." Setbacks are normal with conflicts and can enrich a story, but killing Matilda would be a huge setback. Gregori does not necessarily seem equipped to be able to take on The Black King, nor does Jason (unless he becomes the Incarnate in the absence of Matilda). I don't really care about The Black King because antagonist very rarely appeal to me in any way. Sure, I want to know what makes them tick, but I never go so far as to empathize with them. I actually avoid stories that glorify, justify, or defend someone who is conventionally nefarious (killing innocent people, destroying wanton amounts of property for personal satisfaction, etc.) because I simply can't get past what they did... and regardless of their mental state they are a bad person. While I don't doubt The Black King has reasons for what he's done it still stands he slaughters people for his goals, people whose only apparent crime is existing under gods he despises. Are the gods guilty? Very possibly, which makes things intriguing, but not for one minute do I forget The Black King is still doing heinous things. And I can't get past that. I don't want him to win. I want his cocky ass to be surprised when everything isn't as predictable as he thought and people aren't as expendable as he presumed.
As for Gregori... I would love for him to rise beyond what he is. Despite all his flaws I do believe there is something redeemable in him and redemption arcs are my favorite thing ever; however, he has made his mark on the world. He trained Jason. Jason could use more training I'm sure but he got the protege he always wanted. What has Matilda accomplished? If she dies now she has not pushed back The Black King like her predecessors. She's died like all the rest at his feet but this time she failed. That would be her mark on the world: failure. Does she deserve that? Perhaps she embraces being the Incarnate but it appears that's been her whole life. What if she succeeded and didn't die? Who would she be then? Would she just be Matilda? Who is that person? Would she be that girl in the car, skeptical of its machinations, with no title and the freedom to pick her destiny beyond the war?
I'll think about this. I honestly don't know what I really want.
I just think that there is more to this Black King guy.
Conversations like these are why I write these damned things. :smile1:
So I've done some thinking, and I've decided to delay things until next week in order to get more votes and possibly a tie breaker.
I do this because this is a choice that will have a massive impact on just about every aspect of the quest's setting, regardless of what gets picked, and I feel it's something that cannot be left up to a simple roll of the dice.
If next friday comes around and there still isn't any clear decision, I'll cast my own vote for whichever option I feel has the greatest potential for an interesting story.
Which, uh, I still haven't settled on just yet.