#It's tough to judge Viago solely on Canon since as far as I know Rook's recruitment and backstory is mostly left up to the player

[teyrnacousland]

I think the difference for me is that Caterina had way more of a choice. The Dellamorte house is her own children and their children. It was her choice to make them Crows at all, and it continues to be her choice with every generation, with every day. The danger these boys are in by being the First Talon's grandchildren only even exists because she wanted the title and the power that came with it. She sacrificed all of her children and six of her eight grandchildren for it, and continues to risk the remaining two.

Whereas while Viago's involvement in Rook becoming a Crow in the first place is not determined by canon, he definitely didn't have as much control in how Rook's life went as Caterina does over her own grandchildren. Even if Viago is personally just as cruel and tough on Rook, it's still different because Viago is doing the only thing he can to protect Rook. Unlike Caterina, he's not the one who controlled every factor that put them in this situation in the first place. All he can do is do his best to help them survive it.

Also, Viago doesn't have unfairly unrealistic expectations of Rook. He just wants them to win and to not die. He isn't cruel to them if they're not perfect, and even when he is angry at them for messing up a big Crow operation (that likely caused him personally a lot of problems, since it's his house's reputation Rook's actions affect) he still openly cares for them and sends them letters checking in and missed them while they were gone. Rook isn't under nearly the same pressure the Dellamortes are to be literally perfect. Viago's only real expectation for Rook is that they survive. Caterina wants Lucanis to be her perfect lost daughter and he cannot be that. It's unfair.

I have to say, while I don't begrudge anyone for it and anyone is absolutely free to have their own headcanons...

I am mighty confused by the vitriol people have for Caterina...And not for Viago? (Or Teia, but she's charming enough to get a pass, Caterina and Viago are both the stoic type, which is why I'm confused about the double standard)

Crow!Rook confirms their training was torture as well in banter, and it is understood that you're Viago's protege and were supervised by him, which gives very similar vibes to Illario and Lucanis being trained by Caterina.

And hell, if anything, he'd know and approve of any torture taking place to train you properly. In fact, I think given how much of an overachiever he is and how big the chip on his shoulder is, a potential Crow!Rook, as his "favorite", would be subjected to even worse kinds of training than regular fledglings.

But that's a headcanon, the fact continues to be, Viago is as much a Talon as Caterina is, and does what he thinks is best for his house, which involves torturing their very young recruits to make sure they are ready for the job they must do, which is not an easy one.

So why is Caterina a framed as a child abuser and Viago everyone's dream parental figure for their Rook? I am powerfully confused about this.

(If you hate Caterina because of her obvious favoritism towards Lucanis, please have a fantastic day and ignore this entire post, cuz you do indeed have a point, but this post is not about that.)