Lucretia is such an interesting character and is probably the #1 reason I'm going to go insane anytime I rewatch TAZ Balance.
There's a line in the podcast that isn't directed at or even said by her (its said by Taako) but I feel like encapsulates her perfectly:
“Sometimes there aren't good decisions. Sometimes there's just decisions.” oh BOY does Lucretia make decisions.
Wiping out her found family's memories (particularly Taako's memories of Lup and Davenport forgetting everything but his own name), abandoning Cam in Wonderland, founding a Bureau that forcibly isolated you and ensures you will be forgotten, she has made CHOICES.
That said, they're choices I can see her perspective of.
Everyone was so broken by the events of the Stolen Century and the Relic wars; Lup disappeared, Taako declared he cared about no one but the IPRE and this is after they regain their memories but Davenport was ready to leave the world to its fate the second the Hunger arrived to have their little crew back. Lucretia wanted to stop the Hunger for good and her friends were just in no state to keep going at the mission so she took matters into her own hands.
Was how she did it horrible? YES. OBJECTIVELY YES. But like I can see her perspective on why she took the mission into her own hands. Justin put it best in The Adventure Zone Zone, she is opposite to Taako. She cared about everything to the point of hurting her found family while Taako cared about no one but his found family. They aren't automatically bad people for having these outlooks and honestly when you face a threat like the Hunger for 100 years, moral greyness is to be expected.
She is not a villain but I wouldn't quite call her a hero. She is the Director, someone who made a lot of tough calls for better and for worse.
She undeniably cared about the world and her friends, I mean just look at her interactions with the Tres Horny Boys tbh. She really does care. And that care is why she made decisions that ultimately saved and hurt a lot of people.
The thing that really sold me her character was that in the end she isn't entirely forgiven. Sure a lot of the IPRE forgive her but Taako blatantly does not. The story itself recognizes that she may be a well-intentioned person but good intentions do not entitle her to forgiveness. I think I would've found her way less interesting if they all just hugged it out in the end and forgave her. The fact she isn't entirely forgiven and she goes on to make the Bureau a charitable organization where she repents for her deeds is all incredible writing.
Honestly having watched the whole podcast, she may be my favorite character? She is in a tug and war with Taako for it. I have so much thoughts on her specifically but I do really love Taako.
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