This is probably a repetition of my recent posts, but I wanted to say this in a much more... deep and comprehensive way. It's going to be a bit long, so you can scroll away if you want. This is going to be about Aaravos.
I can understand that it can be easy to hate him. Do I personally? No. But I *can* understand. I can understand how it can be easy for someone to judge another solely by their actions, especially someone like Aaravos... but by doing that, we're not treating him like a person. A person that's—although exceptional in many different aspects—still imperfect. Someone that can make mistakes. Someone that can do wrong things and hurt and lie. We know that, as Terry said, Aaravos has twisted into someone very vengeful, but how exactly is this different from the other characters?
Rayla, trying to live up to her people's standards and expectations, but also struggling because of her own beliefs and feelings. Then to learn that her parents were killed by Viren, and she said it herself—that she'd been so obsessed with getting revenge that she lost sight of what's most important to her: Callum.
Runaan, (if I remember correctly) thinking that he was doing the right thing by killing the human who murdered the Dragon Prince, only for him to realize that he was just making things worse, both for himself and others. He tried to block off pain by "deadening" himself... but he no longer wants to run away from feeling: he's no longer dead.
Viren, similar to Runaan but in a different way—thinking that he had to do the right thing by sacrificing himself and others, only through immoral means, but he also realized that he was just making things worse for himself and others, pushing away his loved ones. He realized this because he learned from his mistakes, and put all that behind him, changing and sacrificing himself in the end. Sacrificing himself for everyone: for his family and the kingdom, and ultimately accepting the truth that he'd spent his life desperately trying to run away from: that he was a servant, humbling himself to the core.
Callum, spending the whole show trying to search his identity and figure out where he belonged in the world. What could he do? Could he be good at something like everyone else? Fighting with himself over using or not using dark magic, and eventually coming to the conclusion that he could write his own story, forge his own destiny and not let others (even his dark mage alter ego) decide it, and instead use dark magic to help everyone. To sacrifice himself like Viren did, for everyone.
Soren, who always felt like he wasn't enough because his dad was having his own issues, and trying to live up to his expectations, but then realizing that he could be better than that—that he could do what *he* believed was right instead. And then fight with his dad's voice still in his head, fighting to focus on himself and his own beliefs.
Ezran, who lost his dad, yet still believed in good—in doing the right thing and not letting hate be one's motivation, only for him to experience that rage himself once his kingdom was destroyed and he was stressed. He had to talk it out with others and push through it all. Remind himself of what he always believed.
Claudia, whose parents divorced and didn't want to make her own choices ever again, trying to deal with it all by simply following whatever her dad decided. But then it all broke apart, giving everything she had to keep him alive, only for him to choose a different path and then die, leaving her stranded. She's just now starting to attempt to make her own decisions as she follows Aaravos.
Janai, rising to the throne after her sister's death, but fighting between the customs and values of her kingdom vs her own beliefs. Fighting with what's left of her family and trying to better her kingdom, to change it in a way that's never been—in a way that benefits and shows care to all.
Terry, who loves Claudia so much to the degree that he went along with her, even when she used dark magic, but just starting to make hard choices himself and figure out how to deal with them emotionally. Then to take a stand for himself and leave Claudia—get away all the bad things she's doing—and do what he believes is right (like Soren).
Amaya, who was once under the misconception similar to other humans that elves were monsters, and that they were the enemy. But now she realizes that they are in fact people too, with good and a similar sense of justice in their hearts. That she could better herself and help Xadia as a whole—while helping Janai work through her own emotions and struggles.
Harrow, who made multiple mistakes—allowing his friend to change his thinking and use dark magic to aid the kingdoms and to get vengeance on Avizandum for killing his wife. These mistakes were what led to all sorts of problems. He realized this, but handled it like a true king: making up for it by accepting his death, and even giving Callum a letter to help him make good decisions.
All these characters made mistakes. All of them made bad choices, but then changed and grew, starting to become the best versions of themselves. Aaravos himself—very mature and very wise—knows more than anyone that life is all about making choices, both light and dark... but does anyone realize that he hasn't changed and grown himself? He's the only one that's still stuck in his wrong ways.
I assume that the reason why he's hated is because his actions are so much worse than everyone else's. That he's harming the characters (and ships) that we hold dear. But is that the only thing? Is there another reason? Yes. He doesn't care what happens to others. He's hurting anyone for the sake of his own plans. And that's why I say that I can understand why he's hated. But like I said before—if we don't put in the effort to understand him, flaws and all, then we ourselves won't grow as people. We won't mature in our thinking. We won't allow our hearts to open fully. So to help, I'll put it this way: look at Aaravos through the lens of his lifetime.
He was born around the time Xadia was formed. But he was always different from his people. They were cold. They didn't care. They just wanted to create something with their power and keep everything in their own twisted idea of balance—order. Aaravos was different. He wanted to feel. He wanted to experience. He wanted to learn. He wanted more. And so he did. He manifested physically and lived among mortals, spending time with them, growing, learning, expanding his knowledge as well as his emotional range, just like @humanconditionpoetry brought out in this post.
He was loved by everyone, and his daughter? She likely took after him—kind and compassionate toward all. When she died, Aaravos cried a sea. I want you to imagine that. Even though for him it may be because he experiences time differently as a Startouch Elf, imagine being in such deep despair, such deep suffering, that (if it wasn't necessary to eat/drink/etc.) you can't do anything but cry, just sit there and cry until to grow old and wrinkly?
So to think that Aaravos's love was that deep... what do you think he was like before? He could've quite possibly been the sweetest most caring person to be around other than Leola, thus why he was beloved by all.
But for his love to be that deep, we should expect for his anger and hatred to be as well. So deep that he couldn't let himself die without getting revenge. So deep that he didn't care about others' wellbeing anymore. So deep that he was willing to do anything—no matter how dangerous or vile—to get that revenge. It's basically like the depth of his emotions did a switcheroo, from incredibly kind and compassionate, to incredibly angry and indifferent. Does this make him a bad person? No. It simply makes him broken.
Broken because the one thing that became his joy was gone. Broken because he'd damned his heart to eternal night long before even making it a reality. Broken because the only comfort he had since her passing was a hand on the shoulder and a sentence that—although profound—couldn't truly help him feel better because unlike everyone else, he couldn't experience that love for only an instant and get himself killed by the council. At that point, he couldn't let himself go. Couldn't let Leola go. Couldn't let all of it go.
Broken because I know he didn't even get a hug since then. Didn't get any sort of meaningful comfort or discussion that could help him heal even a little bit. Broken because his baby's skeleton is still there at the bottom of his ocean. Broken because he was just simply using and being used century after century. He's strong emotionally, mentally, magically... but he was alone.
Alone in his prison without anyone or anything to talk to—no one but his deceased daughter to desperately miss and enemies to loathe. Once loved by the world only to be hated and erased from it for doing what he believed was right for his daughter.
Aaravos is the only one that's yet to heal or grow even a little bit for the better. He's the last one to be saved. So considering all of this, when you look at him now... do you see someone you want to heal too? Do you see someone you want to change, grow, and learn from his mistakes? Do you want him to find love again and be free from his torment? Do you want to see the same kind and compassionate person from long ago return, and perhaps even better than before? I know I definitely do. 💗
