#I could go on about the implications of Renault being an SA survivor

[iiyarada]

Okay @hateweasel fine. I will say my thoughts.

Putting this under a cut because it's a LONG post.

Renault has been in Bonnard's house since 7, he says so himself, everybody knows this. He is a victim of Bonnard's grooming just as Gilbert is, he was raised by Bonnard (which is, side note, terrifying to think about!)

It's also commonly known that Renault is the son of a farmer in Southern Italy. In the 1870s, when Renault wouldve been taken by Bonnard, Italy was going through a HUGE Agrarian Crisis, many farmers ended up landless or their plots grew smaller and smaller, causing low income across farming communities throughout Italy. In 1900 many emigrants were actually driven off their own land. Renault's family was dirt poor, RENAULT was dirt poor, and he was taken in by a rich man who gave him a luxurious life even for that of a servant. To a 7 year old, that's everything. Bonnard is not only a father figure (again, terrifying to think about) but is ALSO the man who "saved" Renault from poverty.

On top of that, Renault is canonically described as Bonnard's "favorite disciple" (it says this in an art book), he's complimented and showered with praises by him, he's given attention and is told he's someones favorite, and he has been since 7 years old.

Now for all of that to be taken away because some guy shows up in YOUR house? Suddenly this stranger is the favorite and you're left behind? That's going to hurt! None of this is Gilbert's fault, nor is it Renault's, all of the blame falls on Bonnard. But Renault can't blame Bonnard because, to Renault, he can't be a bad guy, he was that one that saved him! He's not a bad guy, GILBERT is the bad guy here! (He's not, obviously, but Renault has been groomed into the mindset that Bonnard can't do wrong, even though he very much can and very much does).

Okay now, when it comes to this scene! The Renault stabbing scene. I think it's fairly clear that Renault doesn't ACTUALLY want to hurt Gilbert, Gilbert himself says afterward that Renault was scared and that his grip was weak and shakey. The initial thought of stabbing Gilbert with the knife is a thought that Renault DOESN'T want, he wants to get rid of Gilbert, sure, but he doesn't want to hurt him.

He's scared of his own thoughts of hurting Gilbert.

In the actual fight scene between them, Renault puts Gilbert in a chokehold (once again, described by Gilbert as weak and shakey) amd there's some sculpting tool on the ground. Renault's plan is that Gilbert will grab the tool to stab RENAULT in self defense.

In Renault's mind, if HE gets hurt by GILBERT, then Gilbert will have to leave and Renault will get attention from Bonnard again, because he was the one who got hurt. This is a drastic way of thinking but it also makes sense if you're a victim of grooming and believe you're at risk of losing the only person you can trust (Bonnard is not trustworthy at all, please keep in mind that Renault has been manipulated since 7.)

That doesn't work. Obviously. And Gilbert stabs himself in the arm instead, leading Bonnard to believe that Renault really did stab him, which results in Renault being given a bloody nose by Bonnard.

Side Tangent: That scene makes me so so sad not just because it shows how Bonnard is physically abusive to his servants, including the one he deems his "favorite" but also because Renault is still willing to forgive Bonnard afterwards. He still goes out of his way to make sure BONNARD is okay instead of himself even after he was hit by him. It's incredibly sad but also, unfortunately, realistic to how people in similar situations to Renault will act. It's just really sad.

Btw, Bonnard only stops hitting Renault when Gilbert steps in and says thet he was the one who stabbed himself because APPARENTLY one bloody nose wasn't enough.

Renault doesn't hate Gilbert, they actually seem to get along pretty damn well after the stabbing scene. They start planting flowers together and Renault tries to protect Gilbert from Auguste when he shows up, even calling Gilbert a member of the household ("I will not let you take a member of this household by force!"). From the few panels we get to see of Renault and Gilbert's dynamic, WITHOUT Bonnard getting in the way, they act a bit like brothers. (I've made a post on how Renault acts like am older brother before and how he probably picked that hp from his OWN older brothers). We just don't get enough of Renault and Gilbert together for them to actually build upon that relationship, because of course, Bonnard and Auguste get in the way again.

THEY are the villains here, they are the ones that want to hurt people, the ones who made Renault and Gilbert so reliant to the point that they become irrational and scared if their abusers - who happen to be the people that raised them- show signs of leaving.

If the roles were reversed, and Renault was the one to run away and live with Gilbert, and Auguste began doting on Renault and ignoring Gilbert, I 100% believe Gilbert would've reacted in a similar way Renault did. That's why they're parallels to one another.

TL;DR Renault doesn't want to hurt anyone, he just wants to be loved, and the person who "loves" him, just so happens to be an abusive creep who's manipulated Renault in having to rely on him for everything. His actions come from a place of fear, not hatred. Fear of losing his parental figure, fear of losing the place he lives in, fear of losing someone that "loves" him, the fear of losing everything.

This entire rant is kind of messy and I apologize for that, I just wanted to write but I didn't plan in advance I was just winging it, point is:

Renault Agricola I will always defend you 🫡