Okay I have a lot of thoughts wrt Asra so buckle in. or dont. its going under a read more so w/e. Also Spoilers, probably
Asra.
Boy howdy, where to even begin. So as I keep constantly expressing, I don’t really like Asra very much. I mean by now, with my involvement in the fanbase, that is becoming gradually less true... but he is still my least favourite of the three. There’s no malice behind it, I think he’s very pretty, but his personality doesn’t interest me, and I’m not a fan of the student-teacher thing. That’s all. On the flip side, Asra’s deep connection to the apprentice’s past is very appealing to me, at least from a story standpoint! There’s a lot of emotional complexity to dig into - he was the closest to the “old” apprentice for the longest time (as far as we know), and is the only damn reason you’re alive anyway. Plus, the heart thing is just pretty cute imo. BUT, or course, this is a double edged sword, and possibly Asra’s greatest downfall - there’s the unavoidable angle that the apprentice is indebted to him in a big way. As a piece of writing, I find this terrifically interesting. As a player -- as Inonne -- I find this too uncomfortably close to the tale of Pygmalion and Galatea. At it’s most simple, it’s the story of a lonely man who creates someone to be with. Seems sweet at first, but things get very unsettling very quickly after a little bit of thought. There’s concepts of ownership and personhood; if someone is created by someone else with the intent of them being a love interest, is the power dynamic always doomed to be completely fucked? (Also, Pygmalion really was just an outright piece of shit.) Thankfully, Asra pulls things back. He’s not manipulative, nor does he ever get jealous. Of course, he has a few choice words to say in Julian’s route, but it’s super clear that his priority is always the wellbeing and happiness of the apprentice. The situation, to me, is still inherently uneasy, but in a way that you can’t /really/ blame Asra for. So, where does Inonne stand with all this? Basically, Inonne is more or less uninterested in returning Asra's affection. She doesnt understand his absences, and she puts her work first. However she respects him; and although she can find him annoying sometimes, all she really wants is for the two of them to platonically support each other. They work hard together to push past the various strains and difficulties between them, in order to foster a close and healthy friendship. It’s never easy, but they’re both willing to put in the time.
(bonus note: the ace of cups reversed, in this context, means something along the lines of “get ahold of your emotions. no new relationships for you”)