one of my best friends rts your account on twitter often and from what i have seen i have come to the conclusion Bun is somewhat of a Tartaglia analysis expert.
therefore i was wondering if you knew or had a guess about Tartaglia's loyalty to The Tsaritsa.
Do you think part of the reason Tartaglia is so loyal is because he believes it's what's best for his family, that the Tsarista does know best? or does he love the Tsaritsa & is loyal for a separate reason regardless of family? If Tartaglia had to make a choice to stay loyal to the Tsarista at the cost of his family getting hurt, do you think Tartaglia would make that choice? Is Tartaglia's family getting hurt worth making the Tsaritsa's vision come to fruition?
i understand if this is too heavy a question or if there simply not enough information to make a guess, just curious as to what Bun thinks as a fellow lover of Childe.
Thank you for taking the time to read this, hope you have a wonderful day
Thank you for asking! It's true that we don't have much solid information on this, but I'll do my best to answer your question based on the current info and my own personal interpretation.
Judging by what we've learned thus far, Childe's loyalty to the Tsaritsa is partially due to being granted a purpose.
There are three separate instances in which purpose/motivation is mentioned in regard to or by Childe, making it a recurring and significant theme for his character.
Childe's Collected Miscellany. In this video, Dainsleif says, "Since becoming a Fatui Harbinger, fighting for the Tsaritsa is his new motivation as a warrior." This statement raises the question of what his motivation had been prior to the Tsaritsa, or whether he even had a motivation at all. My personal theory is that he did not have one.
Labyrinth Warriors (Limited Event). "All those who stalk the battlefield yearn for meaning and value." This quote comes from Childe himself.
Childe's Act I Story Quest. The quote from this requires the full context, so I'll expand on this below.
In Childe's story quest, Teucer gets the opportunity to see Childe fight for the first time. After the fight, he says to Childe, "I wanna learn to fight too. I wanna be cool like you!" to which Childe responds, "...Fighting isn't about looking cool. You can only continue to get stronger if you know the reason why you're fighting. I can teach you. But think carefully, first. Why do you want to fight?"
Teucer briefly ponders Childe question. Soon, he replies, "I want to protect sister Tonia."
This dialogue between the two of them is crucial in understanding Childe's own individual purpose for fighting. Later in the quest, outside of the abandoned ruin guard factory, Childe references Teucer's response when speaking to Paimon, after she asks if he is concerned for his little brother's safety. His words are as follows:
"Of course I am...but no matter what the danger is, I will parry it. Isn't that what any older brother would do?" followed by, "Even Teucer understands that, now that he knows what he's fighting for...It's the very same reason that's been nestled in my own heart for so many years."
This means that, much like how Teucer concluded that he wished to protect Tonia, Childe wishes to protect their entire family.
According to the description of the Funerary Mask obtained from Signora, the Fatui's primary goal is to go against the Heavenly Principles, against Celestia. It reads, "...Only those who possess an obsession close to or exceeding the level of delusion might be willing to join this group that so rebels against the Heavenly Principles..."
This is to say that the Fatui possess a wealth of information and knowledge beyond the average citizen in Teyvat. They have knowledge about Khaenri'ah and Khaenri'ahn technology, the Abyss, Irminsul, the truth of the world—and Childe, a Fatui Harbinger with firsthand knowledge of the Abyss, who traveled deeper than any other living human being, is not exempt from this. He is aware of the stakes, and of the war they'll have to wage to defeat the Heavenly Principles. He knows what will happen if they lose.
With that being said, to sum it up, we can assume that his loyalty is in part due to 1) gratitude for being given a purpose and 2) to ensure a safer world and future for his younger siblings and the rest of his family.
As for whether Childe loves the Tsaritsa or not, that remains to be seen. Since the Tsaritsa is implied to be the god of love, this could serve as one of the numerous plot points for the future main archon quest of Snezhnaya in 2025. What does true love mean to a god, especially to the god of love herself?
The question also reminds me of a past discussion between myself and a good friend of mine, as to whether worship and love can be equated. Is love a result of worship, or vice versa? Is it possible to worship without love? Can it even be deemed worship without it? And how would these complexities influence Childe's path? How would this internal dilemma affect his relationship with his family? Who would he choose if it came down to that?
Personally I believe that, because Childe's devotion to his family is such an integral part of his character, it is unlikely for his loyalty to his god to surpass that, in the event that his family would come to harm. In fact, it is my personal belief that this is the one line that can never be crossed. It would be his tipping point. Not only are they an inextricable part of his life, but I have reason to suspect that their role goes even farther beyond what we've been shown or told. I believe that his responsibility to his family, as well as the love of his younger siblings, is the very thing that has allowed him to maintain his humanity.
(But this is already way too long. I cannot get into that. Lmao)
In Labyrinth Warriors, ran in version 2.2, we learn about Childe's sense of dehumanization—self-dehumanization, as it is self-imposed and reinforced by himself (though it was undoubtedly cultivated by the Fatui). The event's story contained strong parallels between Shiki Taishou—a shikigami in search of his master—and Childe. Both perceived themselves as weapons, and Shiki Taishou says an interesting line: "If I am able, I wish to retain the kindness in my heart until the very end. But a weapon cannot betray its master's will. If he was able to create me, then he is able to control me."
This evolves into a harrowing conflict when applied to the context of Childe's own individual story, especially with the addition of Xinyan's perspective on Shiki Taishou's dilemma.
"All you gotta do is find the thing that was most important and righteous to you."
In other words, my personal prediction for the course of Childe's journey as a character is this: Caught between multiple worlds, there will come a time when Childe is forced to make his own decision. Will he carry out the Tsaritsa's orders, or will he save his family from harm? Should a situation arise in which his family is in danger, I believe he will ultimately choose to protect them, even if it means going against the deity he loyally serves.
In a nation ruled by a god of love, a character choosing love above all else would be extremely impactful, a perfect fit for the narrative and a profound moment for Childe's own story and development. After all, I think that is the entire point of his character—someone who, against all odds, retains his kindness, even if he himself is not entirely aware of it.
I hope I was able to answer all of your questions! I apologize for how lengthy this response is, but I'm just always very excited to discuss him. If you ever have more questions, you're always welcome to ask! I promise not ALL of my responses will be this long lol
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