CritThoughts

[critthoughts]

Rambling Thoughts about 99 (3)

THAT HUG!!!

I mean, Beau, my beautiful Beau. You’re lost in thoughts of justice but you’re not blind to your friend, far from it. Liam’s acting is fantastic. He just sits there, arms folded over himself defensively and Marisha looks at him. She isn’t missing this is Caleb right now and Beau responds. Empire siblings are adorable and full of so much angst!

Is Caleb sad or scared? Or both? He was angry in the morning with Essek because Essek said he could breathe again for a moment. The sword is no longer above his head, assuming he can trust them, of course.

Beau’s whisper too. 

But that hug. The rest don’t notice at first, which is why I always say to watch the show not listen. There is so much you miss out on especially with the empire siblings. They do it all the time, act in a mix of themselves and their characters. She watches him as Jester is justifying why her cupcakes should be ok and then something inaudible that makes her laugh.  Then rest her hand on his shoulder,  and a moment as she decided. That’s Beau.  She can see Caleb is upset and she cares about him.

Essek is a grey area right now because none of us know his true intentions or feelings. Caleb, on the other hand, has been working to be better. Beau likes Caleb.  

 “Come here,” so quiet we can’t hear and a big hug.

“What are we doing?”

“I’m hugging you.”

“What is the occasion?” Caleb is so very confused. Shouldn’t Beau dislike him for not wanting to rain vengeance on Essek? Only its not that simple, people aren’t that simple. Two people can love each other and have very different views on a matter.

“I think we ended war amongst our people. Maybe, for the time being. Do I need an occasion to hug you?” 

“No, no. I just...” [Jester interrupts to goad them into hugging again and lighten up the mood. Love her so much but that just!]

“Yeah, but this time I want him to reciprocate though”

Nice big hug from both with the rest teasing and encouraging it. Sweet. Heart-melting.

“I just hope it sticks.” 

“Me, too” shift back into Liam and Marisha. 

Ok, so it’s like 80% most likely talking about the peace. But what if he’s talking about their friendship? How long can they be friends if they are going to hurt someone he wants to help?

And my heart! They are so good for each other. Brother and sister relationship that neither had but needed. 

[critthoughts]

Rambling Thoughts about 99 (2)

Veth: “Or at least see that he gets some form of, I don’t know. There has to be some sort of... We can’t just let it go.”

Beau: Justice.

Veth: Yeah...

Caleb (Very angry): “I’ll add him to the list.”

Veth: He can be at the end.

Cad: We’ll be at the end.

Silence before Fjord declares to go under the deck and Caleb stays out late, alone.

I love Caduceus so much. I really do. Because he’s a character always seems to speak things which I agree with too. They are part of this own. A good force, that succeeded in stopping the war and want to keep the peace but that’s not possible. There are higher forces at work and if they are going to go all ninja force and start killing those responsible, there are going to be consequences.

In a macabre way, I’d find it hilarious if they kicked the war off again in Veth and Beau’s need for justice and vengeance. If you go searching for blood, you’ll get it on yourself too. Its what Veth doesn’t seem to understand. There is no end to this cycle. If they start killing, people unconnected to the war but connected to those people will react too. 

It might be the numb part of me that doesn’t care if everyone gets punished or not. We see it all the time in the real world. The monsters don’t always get punished. Sometimes they do and sometimes they don’t. This campaign is more real than fantasy. Some people are going to get away with bad things and for all the cast’s talk about the Mighty Nein not being Vox Machina, they are starting to swing that way.  

[critthoughts]

Rambling Thoughts about 99 (1)

It’s hard to describe my feelings with Essek. I have a lot more empathy than some. Some people are very black and white with ‘he’s a war criminal’, but there are shades of grey here. He did not go out seeking a war, nor to hurt people. He gave the Beacon’s thirty years ago, but the war only started recently. He contributed to the causes, but as he points out too, the two nations have been at odds far before his actions. 

Do I think he should be allowed to get away scot-free? No. But the way Beau and Veth are talking...

Caleb wants the best for his friend(?). Beau and Veth just want him punished. Who knows with Fjord? Travis has an excellent poker face. Cad Would rather they don’t try to be punishers and Ashley’s face when Sam said ‘Punish Essek’. If she was reacting as Yasha, Yasha might have the same issues with that as Caleb. Or it may have been Ashley. We’ll find out eventually. Jester wants to help him.

Both Caleb and Yasha did terrible things in their own ways in the past and the group as always been open about how it doesn’t matter what they were, only what they are NOW. So for Beau and Veth to talk about punishing Essek for his past mistakes just feels wrong for me. 

Veth has a dark side to her. Veth has an excellent reason to be angry, but the way she is talking? She would have him killed for mistakes. To give any indication to the Queen that Essek betrayed the Dynasty would sign his death warrant. She both invited him to the Mighty Nein and is planning to punish him. How heartless will she be to him, I wonder? Maybe not at all. Maybe. She’ll do something that Caleb won’t be able to forgive. Or possibly even Jester who has a heart too big.

She’ll make them take down the others on the list. She’ll befriend him. Let him feel safe, and like things might get better. He’s working to fix mistakes (in this theoretical scenario), and he has friends for the first time in his life. Then she’ll gut him to satisfy her need for revenge. And that will be too personal to stand for those who wanted him to heal and grow, for those who have trusted her to forgive them for their past mistakes. Essek is not sadistic, nor bloodthirsty. He’s a guy who got in over his head. 

Beau’s had her trust broken. I love her character a lot, but I find it hard to trust anyone who can’t forgive. That’s a personal thing that is very contradictory, I know, but I’ve seen people who can’t forgive do and say horrible things because they hide behind the victim card. She said ‘Justice’. That’s concerning in its own right. Justice can become a facade for much darker things if you follow it blindly. The hug too. Those feelings deserve their own rambling thought post.   

Veth had the right to be angry and want revenge for her husband, but Beau is different. I need to do more research into the Colbat Soul. I didn’t think they were responsible for punishing people like the way she is acting. The wild card is that whisper.

It was only an 18 but. What did Beau see? Did she see a man relieved his crimes were hidden? Or a man who doesn’t know how to deal with people he has wronged? To have every word he said truthfully throw back at him (for a good reason) despite his honesty that he cares about them? Will it matter to Beau? (And if Essek is playing them he deserves everything that happens to him. It’s if he cares that I’m warier about.)

Essek needs to be made to grow and learn from this, but if they do this wrong, they could destroy a man’s heart. The ability to trust, to love to care about people. They could get him killed. In which case, would they do the same to Yasha and Caleb?