TW yap and pressure spoilers
Something a buddy of mine brought up while I was sobbing over p.ai.nter
Technically, if you think about it, you *are* rescuing him.
Stay with me.
Painter is one of my favorite characters EVER. Like hes very important to me okay and you will not believe the crash out i had when the update dropped. There is a painter made of cardboard in my room now. I was literally exploding. Kaboom kaboom kaboom EXPLOSION
Anyway
Now, let's reference the scene. Player smashes his screen in, effectively destroying him (assumedly permanently, since Sebastian can be heard afterwards in distress, and he kills the player at the end.)
Thing is, maybe this is mercy. Sebastian and painter have been trying to get out of the black site for what, 13 years? Thats a long time. Even if its a lesser number than what im thinking, thats still a godawful long time.
Painter has actively expressed regret over his actions through multiple voicelines. Even if some of the lines seem to take joy in gunning down expendables or trapping them in a room with eyefestation, he still expresses regret. He'll apologize to you after you enter a door with good people.
Sebastian himself puts it really well- they're just doing what they need to survive. Its them or the expendables.
So in destroying him, you truly could say that was the kindest option. If it's taken this long, it might never happen. Why continue watching blood spill, deaths caused because of what you've done?
And something alongside that- it's heartwrenching how sebastian and painter have dialogue on what they'll do after escaping. There's hope there, but is it misfounded?
Think about this from his perspective- you're a computer programmed for art, an expression created from life. You gain sentience and form an attachment to your creator. One day, jealous people decide that because of their own lackings, you're for the taking. They track down your creator and torture him, later killing him. You're taken to a facility and forced to give up the passion that was coded into you and mine roblux.
You try to fry your circuits multiple times, resulting in unstable behavior and drop of the hat moodswings. You fail to destroy yourself, and existence continues on.
Eventually, someone saves you. Someone who's also experienced the injustices of the company.
You team up. Eventually, alliance turns to friendship, and even with the passing days you trust your benefactor to save you both. That one day, you'll get out of this awful place and be free.
You have to kill to do it. Because once the crystal is retrieved, who's to say they cant blow the black site sky high, covering up all their misdeeds? Or a hundred other horrible options. So you do. You kill, you shoot, you misdirect and trap.
And it's horrible. Because those are people, no matter if they're searching desperately for a pardon for a crime they could have or could not have committed. Many are guilty. Many are innocent.
They all bleed the same, regardless of who they were.
And you? Slowly sinking to madness. You can't remember your creators face. You cant say his name. When you don't talk with Sebastian, you sit in a room, alone, maybe drawing, maybe just staring into space. You watch as people run to their deaths, even sometimes without your prompting.
People pass through sometimes. You try to let them know it isn't personal- you just want to survive. There's a reason to survive now, since theres a chance to get out. There's also someone to live for.
You'll get out, surely. Ignore any doubt you might have as the days drag on.
And now back to the weird analysis claim thing- I'm not good at phrasing my thoughts.
I likely sound like a broken record, but im just gonna lay out my base idea.
Killing painter is mercy because he and Sebastian might never get out. Why prolong suffering if it's pointless?
This probably sounds extremely depressing and nihilistic, and it is. But there's literally almost no hope to be found in the situation.
Now, this isnt to say oh, painter and sebastian will never escape and wah angst sad wah, but it's a sort of deep dive into why destroying him could be considered 'rescue.' You're releasing him from the torment of worrying about the next day, from watching red drip over the walls and floors, from having to wonder if each day is the day you'll get out.
But in destroying painter, you essentially destroy sebastians hope. He likely knows he and painter may never get out of the blacksite, but he still wants to try, needs to try. Because someone is relying on him now, and they believe in getting out. I like to think they're both sort of each other's reason for carrying on after everything.
Will NEVER be mad at Sebastian for killing the player at the end. It's so deserved. It's insane. (Also Simps. Wtf. You just killed that mans computer buddy and you're kicking your feet as he rips out your assumed heart and basically calls you a piece of shit and a horrible person.)
Bit of a rant there uh
Anyway! Yeah I feel like theres just so much to think about given the update and there were so many thoughts in my head but theyre gone now. I really hope the update spawns a lot of fluff fanfics for painter and seb because im still in shambles. I really hope theres an actual option to rescue them both in the future and not some relaly fucked up mercy kill.
Holy yappathon. Anyway sorry if this is incorrect first time yapping about my thoughts about a fictional character (I should stick to art)