#elsa is just the comic relief forreal

[sufferu]

Real talk. In BTZ III whose getting the biggest gut punch when it comes to guilt over Subaru's condition?

That is actually REALLY hard to say.

Wilhelm: His not-yet-grandson has finally done what he’s been begging him to do for like, MONTHS, and he can’t stand it. Subaru is obedient, and quiet, and so unbearably miserable that Wilhelm kind of wants to cry on his behalf. Worst of all — Subaru seems genuinely kind of afraid of him, now, which is just. That’s supposed to be his GRANDSON, he didn’t want to scare his grandson! He just wanted his grandson to stop trying to get himself killed! But now — it’s his own fault and he knows it, and he just wants to go back and kick himself.

Julius: Julius honestly, genuinely thought that he and Subaru were cool. Subaru refused to act scared or anything in front of him when they met again post-duel, and it kind of worked a little too well because he had no idea that Subaru was still really upset about it. He certainly didn’t realize that Subaru was SCARED of him. He also had no idea that Subaru was taking his teasing as, like, him being SERIOUS. He legitimately thought they were just playing together all those times, but apparently Subaru thought that Julius ACTUALLY wanted to hurt him and — just, OW. Subaru doesn’t put up a fight against him anymore, he’s just — surrendered, giving Julius a victory he didn’t even realize Subaru had been fighting for. That’s the only way Julius can really put it. He hates it.

Ferris: Ferris is up close and personal with just how badly Subaru got fucked up, because he is one of like five healers in the kingdom that are allowed to treat him for his injuries. He’s a bleeding heart who can’t stand anything about this. He’s trying really hard to not make it Subaru’s problem.

Reinhard: Subaru is supposed to be his little brother, and he’s TERRIFIED of him now. Reinhard can see it every time he enters the room. He was just trying to keep him safe, but now Subaru apparently sees him as so bound by rules and laws that he would — value upholding THEM over being nice to HIM. He was just trying to keep him safe!

Emilia: She really did think she was doing the right thing, keeping him away from her. She hated every minute of it, but she — she thought he’d be happier without her, in the long term. She knew she hurt him when she first left, but she didn’t realize just how badly — and apparently it was BAD. She doesn’t know if the right thing to do is to be there for him now or keep away from him entirely, and she doesn’t even know how to ASK. She didn’t want THIS.

Otto: Shockingly calm, all things considered. He’s enraged, because — well — but it’s not Subaru’s fault. He already kinda knew that Subaru was wary of him — had even used it to his advantage a couple of times, keeping him safe from the shadows — but he hadn’t realized that Subaru was afraid of EVERYONE ELSE.

Garfiel: A total mess. What happened to Captain?! He was supposed to keep him safe!

Pleiades Battalion: Over 900 fully-armed soldiers and somehow they completely failed at their One Job. Also Subaru is actively terrified of all of them. Maybe there really is a hell.

Anastasia: All of these people are fucking idiots, apparently. Maybe she SHOULD have insisted on taking Subaru into her Camp instead. She had been attempting to be considerate, since Julius had literally beaten him within an inch of his life, but man this is a SPECTACULAR failure.

Crusch: How the hell did her camp screw up THIS BADLY?? It’d be a little funny if it weren’t so horrifying.

Ricardo: He wishes Subaru would try to sneak into one of the carriages again. He might even humor him this time. Take a spin around the capital before coming back to drop him off. This is just awful.

Elsa: Elsa still has no idea what this situation is or how she ended up in the middle of it. Someone save her.