I was too focused on Kuvira I didn’t even realize Baatar actually caught Zhu Li before she fell.
Kuvira didn’t throw her into him, she just threw her. Baatar actually took the time to bend down and catch her or at least help her break her fall. Seeing Baatar in this episode has really got me thinking, does he even believe in this project or is he just doing it because Kuvira told him to do it? Like is he really that far deep into being a dictator or is he just putting up a front for Kuvira? I mean yeah, he probably didn’t protest against chaining Zhu Li up to die but if you were in Baatar’s shoes, would you?
You have to remember, Kuvira isn’t just his fiancé, she’s the reason he has an “identity” now. It’s obvious that he holds harsh feelings towards his father because he was his “shadow” but exactly who is he to Kuvira? Her shadow. No one ever talks about Baatar. All they see is the Great Uniter and her army. But to him, she’s his savior in some way. He’s too blinded to realize that he’s exactly who he doesn’t want to be.
I do feel Baatar genuinely loves Kuvira though. But his whole “I didn’t expect you until tomorrow” thing was a little off too me as well. It’s like not only does he love her, but he fears her too. He will do anything to stay on her good side and stay her fiancé. Everything is about her and what she wants.
But in this moment, a spark of humanity over came him. From what I saw, I thought Baatar would’ve let Zhu Li fall because she’d betrayed them but he didn’t. Instead, he caught her. It may be a small gesture (and many are probably thinking I’m reading too much into it) but that gesture means a lot coming from someone who’s gonna marry a “psychotic dictator” and who’s supposedly “bad”.
I think Baatar still has some good inside of him but he’s just so busy trying to please Kuvira and prove people wrong that he’s lost his way. His anger and rage towards his family are genuine but that doesn’t necessarily mean that he was up for capturing them. I mean who says, “bow to her! She is your rightful leader!” to their own father? It’s like he was trying to justify to himself that what Kuvira was doing to his family was right.
All in all, I don’t think Baatar is as bad as we think, I think he’s just so pussy whipped for Kuvira that he doesn’t even know what he’s doing.
