OnS - Analysis of Rigr's relationship with Urd
Sooo, given the release of chapter 147, a huge uproar came in relation to the words Rigr Stafford stated in certain panel.
Soo, I took the freedom to look for the JP version if what Rigr said.
Before proceeding, I must state that by no means this is a way to deny the bonds those two share, it simply goes on how japanese language and its translation can be tricky. If you like the idea of shipping them, that's fine. If you consider them to be in love, that's fine as well. This is simply an insight regarding the language barrier and how context plays a lot.
First of all, Rigr's words in the JP ver were "ずっと君が好きだった". While it's true that the 好き is used for confessions, the meaning behind is not limited to confessions. But it also relates to when you like someone along its opposite word 嫌い which means dislike.
Now, why do I say context plays a huge role on that particular scene?"
First of all, let's take a look at their relationship ever since they met.
Back when they met, they meet in a prison, as slaves, there was simply no way out. Urd as a child reflected pessimism, whereas Rigr represented the opposite which was hope.
Given their time in that jail, they conversed, they bonded, Urd was still the usual pessimist yet as Rigr said, he didn't want to die. However, within this, there's something Rigr began giving to Urd.
That of course was hope. Even admist despair, hope is something valuable.
Eventually both children were able to run freely, even admist of nowhere, the same attitudes came. They were on their own, one was filled with dream, one had his feet on the ground and yet, the radiance that boy gave made Urd follow him.
A beautiful bond for sure, but this of course is not the emotion of romance itself, it's survival along something primal from humans. Humans can't be alone forever, there's a need for communication.
However, that beautiful bond created between Urd and Rigr shattered once their bodies became immortal.
Once Rige met Shikama, his world changed, he met someone he wanted to follow, someone who he viewed as an emminence, which led to that bond shatter at a slow pace until the First abandoned them.
Urd always considered law as important, he represented the status of a leader, however Rigr was the opposite, he didn't care of such thing, he cared about pursuiting the one who "illuminated" him.
Which ended up with the separation of these two in a crash of ideals.
Rigr proved he was always stronger than Urd, Rigr due to the bond he had with Urd allowed him to win, however that was the opposite, their strength always had a gap.
Thus returning with the main topic at hand and having a full context; it's not wrong to say Rigr loved Urd, however given that english doesn't have different expressions regarding "love" be family or friends, the expression remains as "I love you" which is the same with "I like you" however, in spanish, this changes a lot.
The translation for Rigr's words in spanish would be the following one [P.S: by no means, I'm saying the english translation is wrong. The english translation is fine.]
Though, if I were to compare Mika's 大好き with Rigr's 好きだった; there's a huge emotional gap. Rigr is not even talking in present tense, he was telling Urd that he was fond of him, hence why he was never capable to put an end to him back when they were vampires and even when they met after many years. But because Rigr has a goal, because he has the desire to fulfill Shikama's dream, he is willingly to sacrifice the life of those around him, to the point of hurting the one who loved him and treasured him the most.
Urd built an emotional depence on Rigr but not in a bad sense, it was Rigr who gave him hope after all, it was Rigr who pushed him to live admist his life of despair, but once Rigr chose to walk elsewhere, that delicate bond they had, that safe anchor Urd had vanished and shattered.
In conclusion, the words Rigr stated don't fall in a romantic context, it falls more on their history of how two boys were able to find freedom, how their bond allowed then to avoid demise in such dire times.
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