#i feel like it's too soon to draw other parallels/differences but i'm sure there'll be more

[t-u-i-t-c]

Yanma and Rita Rambles Below

Recently I’ve been thinking about how similar Rita and Yanma are in some aspects, but also how different they are. I think that there’s a lot to be said about how they present themselves, express emotion, the things they cherish, etc.

In the case of parallels, I find that Yanma and Rita are both very devoted to their roles as kings. It’s not really as simple as they are just kings, but it’s the fact that Yanma asserts his authority when questioned/when making decisions, and Rita bases their entire life around their position. I think that Yanma working his way up to royalty does make him proud but at the same time, he has a great amount of pressure on him. When he is faced with the possibility of losing his people, he chooses to save his people over the land initially. When Shiokara points out that this is against who Yanma is, Yanma asserts that he’s the king and his responsibility is to the people. It isn’t Yanma’s care for his people that made them so loyal to him though, it’s his determination and his devotion to staying at the top. Without said determination and devotion, he is another person that is unfamiliar to the people. Yanma has to realize that he’s part of the community so that he can rationally be led to the conclusion that he needs to protect his kingdom, even if a miracle has to occur.

 With Rita, it is similar, as they believe that they must remain neutral in all matters, and in doing that they must also go through hardships alone. Morfonia points out that asking for help won’t hurt in a dire situation and that Rita is cared for. Rita needs to hear this to be able to allow themself to rationalize teaming up with the others and fighting against the opposition as a unit. In a sense, both Yanma and Rita are aware of their positions and are determined to make the decision that would be right for a king/judge, but by doing so they are going against what they need and who they are as individuals.

I do feel that Yanma and Rita differ more than they relate, as I feel that their senses of individuality and community cause them to have very different ways of presenting themselves and interacting with those around them. As mentioned prior, Yanma cares deeply for his people, and his kingdom is based on teamwork/community. Yanma having a sense of community allows him to openly care for his people and prioritize them, while also having a support system to help keep him on track. While Yanma is obviously the king, it is clear that he has help and is not opposed to asking for help from his peers in his time of need. While Yanma still presents himself as cool and confident, he is also really afraid of losing what he has and I think that speaks more to his struggle to get to the top than about basic insecurity. Yanma knows his kingdom is devoted to him and that’s what makes him scared of losing them and makes him act irrationally in the face of dire circumstances. In short, Yanma has a community and a sense of individuality that sets him apart from others.

When it comes to Rita, there is a looming feeling of coldness and solitude that never seems to fade. In their position they are expected to be neutral and in a way that makes them unable to express themself to those around them, as having a semblance of individuality may make them waver in their place. Rita expresses how they somewhat wish they could go off the book, as they wanted to sentence a scalper to death, but that they need to remain neutral. Rita would not express these thoughts and feelings to others, as asking for help seems to be something they feel would make them look less impartial. Rita in a sense is so focused on their position, that they lock away their individuality and it makes them seem more sure of themself but it also makes others think that Rita is fine on their own. When Rita needs to decompress they lock themself away and when they need to release stress they scream, these practices are a bit jarring to people around them, (the screaming more than the room, as the Moffun room hasn’t been seen by the others on the team) but they’re the only outlet that Rita has where they don’t explain things or have to show people parts of themself that should remain hidden for the sake of impartiality. This is not helped by the fact that Rita’s position as a judge makes them a target for many people’s hatred, as Rita is unable to have a support system within their community while also feeling that they shouldn’t ask for help from the one person who is by their side, Morfonia. In short, Rita doesn’t have the opportunity to express themself and does not have a community to lean on, so they are often left alone, even though it seems as though they do need help and someone to talk to.

TLDR:

Yanma and Rita are very devoted to their positions, and this is both their strength and weakness- prioritizing certain aspects of their positions makes them go against who they are/what they need

Yanma has a community and is an individual- is scared of losing his support system, but is able to express himself openly most of the time

Rita doesn’t have a community and does not have a sense of individuality, due their need to remain neutral- feels that they cannot ask for help, nor can they express themself as they must remain impartial in all aspects