Ashton's rock hard certainty that their group is going to reunite with their friends no matter what kind of reminds me of his mindset when Laudna had just died and they were trying to get her back. With the difference that this time round I think a lot of it stems from wanting to provide comfort and hope to a desperate, close to breaking Laudna (because frankly I feel like Ashton is coping with the lost-their-friends-situation almost a bit too well? I feel like this caring, protective marshmallow hiding inside a though ass looking shell is trying to be strong and certain so as to protect Laudna, who's scared out of her mind with worry).
When Laudna had died however, I think he didn't voice this mindset to comfort somebody else. Because, with the exception of Imogen, the other members of Bell's Hells didn't seem as shaken by Laudna's death as Imogen and him or as Laudna now by Imogen's potential death. And I don't think that comforting Imogen is where this mindset came from either. To me it doesn't seem like the two of them were terribly close at the moment of Laudna's death, but more like they grew closer because of her death, due to their shared stubborn unwillingness to let Laudna remain dead. No, I think Ashton was trying to keep themself from breaking and instead find a practical way of how to deal with this situation and change it for the better.
And it's kind of sweet that they're now offering this mechanism of theirs of how to cope with losing a loved one to the loved one they themself lost, but got back. Clearly stubbornness and unwavering belief in eventually getting your lost loved one back works, Laudna is "living" proof of it.
I hope this makes sense, it's kind of late and I really should be going to bed.... 😅🙈
