tldr: roman doesn’t notice “patton” isn’t patton because he expects morality to usually agree with him because he is naturally “good” as a part of his role. roman got used to mostly agreeing with patton (and “patton”), which janus interpreted as roman siding most often with c!thomas’s desires. this is what he banked on in svs, missing the key fact that patton’s approval became necessary for roman’s agreement. this also explains roman’s betrayal better in svsr.
roman believes he’s right and good because of his role (“good” creativity) and because of reinforcement (remus is “bad”). so, when “patton” agrees with him on something that should be out of character, roman doesn’t question it. of course c!thomas’s morality agrees with me, i’m right. similarly, he agrees with patton (and “patton”) because patton is right and so is he. this cycle feeds into itself reinforcing, for roman, this idea and his friendship with patton.
janus, however, would take that to mean roman always agree with his wants and desires. what he doesn’t see, and why he fails in svs, is that roman, above all else, needs to be good (that’s his role). good for roman meant despite any disagreements having patton’s approval at the end of the day. that idea that roman is right because patton agrees with him, and that patton is right so roman must agree with him became one in the same.
janus’s manipulations as patton only built up roman’s alliance with patton, reinforcing this idea. if janus had just advocated for c!thomas’s desires, aka roman, from day one as himself, i believe roman would’ve be way more likely to side with janus. but now there’s years of history, history janus helped create, which tells roman to side with patton. janus miscalculated what he was actually doing as patton, gaining in the short term, but losing in the long term.
it’s also what ultimately leads to roman’s feelings of betrayal towards patton in svsr. for years patton (and “pqtton”) has been on roman’s side only for him to turn around and say he doesn’t know right from wrong. all this time roman’s confidence in his “goodness” came from patton’s approval, which now means nothing. let alone how he learned in wids, that his trust in “patton” was a lie.
so, while roman was most definitely pretty ignorant to not notice “patton’s” strange behavior, it makes sense when you think of his worldview and need to be right.
areudirty
snowghoul
theartofmadeline
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