#because at least Secretive Plotter didn't immediately attempt to kill him and actually did seem like he wanted to reason with him instead

[pttucker]

SCREW YOU SECRETIVE PLOTTER! GIVE BACK OUR DOKJA! 😡

Some small, wishful part of me is hoping that it's a big ruse or a big misunderstanding or something. I'm really trying to recall if he ever outright said that Dokja had to die or if Joonghyuk just assumed that was the end goal of egging him on. Because he specifically took him saying that he needed him for something when he could have killed him right then and there.

Granted, that something may not be good, but it'd be a little strange for him to want Dokja dead if he had a scheme in mind that required him alive. Unless something that's happened since their big fight has changed his plans?

Oh man though, Secretive Plotter calling Joonghyuk out for going against his ideals, and Joonghyuk himself knowing that he's being a hypocrite and not following his own vow to kill all Constellations. He gets so upset when Secretive Plotter points out that if he succeeds in his goal of destroying the Star Stream, Dokja will die.

It's actually kind of ironic because Dokja himself has had the goal of destroying all of these terrible Constellations and likely would have joined Joonghyuk in destroying the Star Stream, even if it meant that he would die in the end (because it's Dokja), except he has also realized that maybe various Constellations aren't actually bad (and atm he finally wants to live). Like, he's super hard on himself and blames himself for being no different from all the Constellations he hates, but that's not how he sees others (now) and that's not how Joonghyuk sees him.

Even if Secretive Plotter actually made a really interesting point that I'd never thought of before...and don't necessarily agree with, but a point nonetheless. No wonder Joonghyuk was so angry at Dokja when he found out about TWSA if he construes him reading the novel as being no different from being one of those despised Constellations, just watching on for their own enjoyment. Or in Dokja's case, for his own self-preservation, which Secretive Plotter equates to Constellations consuming another's life to extend their own.

And they even mentioned the comments! Which is something I thought only Dokja would ever mention, especially in regards to him potentially making things worse and just meddling in the world in general...sort of like how a Constellation does by creating scenarios and bounties and sponsoring Incarnations and so on...

Of course, I don't think this really translates 1:1 because there's a huge difference between watching a real person suffer for your enjoyment and doing nothing and watching a character that you would never think is a real person suffer, not to mention the fact that you don't actually have any way of helping them. Dokja could try with his comments but ultimately what happens in TWSA wasn't his decision and, again, none of it was real from his perspective so why would he even try?

And when it suddenly was real he started doing everything in his power to make sure his companions, both "real" and "not", got to see their happy endings.

So yeah, I love that Joonghyuk may have been upset before but now that he's cooled down he absolutely sees that Dokja is not one of the Constellations that he swore to bring down with the Star Stream, and honestly I wonder if even Secretive Plotter sees him as that, or if it was just him trying to goad Joonghyuk into giving up on him again.

Sorry Secretive Plotter, Joonghyuk may not be able to verbalize his feelings for Dokja, even to himself, but he at least knows he's never abandoning him again.

All that said... I guess now we start the epic rescue mission?

Oh, and now Joonghyuk gets to explain to everyone exactly what (and who) happened to their precious Kim Dokja. That'll be fun.