The Emilia POV gap
I’ve always wondered how a fanfic from Emilia’s POV would look in the gaps where we only have Subaru’s perspective. Starting in the throne room, then the duel, watching Julius brutalize Subaru, and sticking with her until he wakes up in bed in front of her. I think it would have been a reality check for her then and there. At least half an hour passed, probably more, and wouldn’t that duration plus Subaru honestly answering why he fought Julius have been enough for her to come to an understanding?
What I have a problem with is Tappei trying to paint Emilia’s actions as healthy or good, or Subaru coming back to apologize (while Emilia never did properly in the main timeline, not counting the LN 10 one) as him learning how to love properly. She knew how much Subaru wanted to be involved. There’s an unhealthy power dynamic between them. And considering everything established between them, her not having a single negative opinion about Julius just feels cold and unlike her. It’s selfish, and she never admits the extent of her selfishness toward Subaru the way he does toward her, which I think is why even some LN fans lean toward Rem, because at least there the relationship feels equal.
Privileges and apologies
Emilia’s insecurities and the racism she faces don’t prevent her from enjoying the privileges her status and Puck afford her. I truly believe she should have bowed her head once in apology. That simple act, as liege and friend who failed him, hurt him badly, and left him alone to deal with everything (and he pulled off some INSANE stunts, a huge contrast with the good-for-nothing child treatment she gave him), would have actually humanized her. But no, even in arc 4, while Subaru is dealing with hellish trials himself, she had to bring up his first broken promise, which was her hypocrisy again, because she was the one who abandoned him then, and she did far worse than merely leave his bedside. Even Subaru is pushed to telling her to stop bullying him. I would have been fine with all of it had Emilia not joked about it in arc 10.
The throne room from both sides
Why Emilia never said a thing about Julius’s rant, I do not know. Did she not realize how she was making Subaru feel? From Emilia’s end, it feels more obvious that she was hurting the other party. From Subaru’s end, her behavior is genuinely confusing: she just let Julius insult him over and over again and then publicly disowned him. Maybe Subaru had some lessons to learn, but in terms of morality or love, I don’t find arc 3 that appealing. In Emilia’s place, I’d feel extremely guilty. I blame Puck for it all. The sheer extent to which he caused so many people to suffer, chiefly Subaru and Emilia, is ridiculous, his one redeeming act being to protect her from Melakuera.
