#i actually have a loooot LOT more to say about guinevere+lance+arthur's whole thing

[ramjam]

what are your opinions on lance/guin and tristan/isolde?

The most interesting thing that Nakaba could do with them is sink them, imo! And that's also what I think is going to happen for a few reasons. Predictably lengthy response below.

One of the big themes in the sequel so far seems to be about defying fate. As a viewer, these two pairings are cemented in pop culture history. They're viewed as inevitable to us. This is kind of directly acknowledged through the power he gave to Guinevere. With how strong the idea of fate is reinforced both to the characters and to the audience, it gives off a stronger vibe that the end result will be how it's not inevitable. Otherwise, what's the point of all of this set-up if we're being told 100% how it's going to end?

Bartra had a similar ability to Guinevere and his was infallible. However, his visions were vague, and them being so heavily up to interpretation created misunderstandings and conflict. Guinevere believes hers to be 100% accurate.

Guinevere seems to lack of a self-identity outside of the future she can predict. She's trapped in this prison of isolation and knowing so much about herself that she simultaneously doesn't seem to know anything at all. Her magic is powerful, but would be really boring if it's infallible. She made sure to mention that there would be grave consequences if fate is defied. So... I mean, that's just what's going to happen, surely? That also implies it is possible. But she's doing what she can to make sure fate isn't broken by getting involved herself. So, it doesn't exactly seem very fool-proof if she has to meddle...

Isolde is nerfed by her own magic because she's convinced herself the source of it and her entire reason to exist is for Tristan. He's been kind to her, so she's heavily devoted to her own detriment. Isolde and Tristan's dynamic/friendship actually reminds me a lot of Diane and Meliodas from the very early parts of arc one in the original manga (a one-sided pairing that was destined to fail). Nakaba even draws direct attention to it with the whole, "he's the only guy who treats me like a normal person even though I'm so tall and stand out" thing.

The girl's issues with self-identity is something that I'm hesitantly saying is intentional and not an unintended writing flaw. I've seen people say they're flat due to these traits, but I see some hidden depth here, personally. I think Nakaba is cooking something.

This is probably an unpopular opinion but as someone who has been reading for almost 8 years, I actually think NnT is one of the romance-focused shounen manga where the women aren't watered down just to the man that they love. So the fact it "appears" that way just leads me to believe that it's the point, and the end result will be veering away from that.

It's very much like Nakaba to play with the expectations of Arthurian mythos by mixing things around in this way. Since these characters are so established culturally, he tends to do unexpected things with them to suit his intended themes and so the story doesn't get predictable. Taking two of the more culturally iconic pairs and subverting expectations by not having them be compatible romantically would be interesting. As of right now, that's how it's been coming across to me?

One of the ways Nakaba has already done this is by making Arthur's interest in Guinevere entirely non-romantic in motivation. That alone is a huge flip on what we're led to expect. So the typical "Lancelot and Arthur NTR/love triangle conflict" thing just isn't being built at all.

Lancelot isn't interested in Guinevere at all for a few reasons, and Tristan is so oblivious of Isolde's feelings and views her solely as a friend. We haven't had a hint of much else.