#mediaval art appreciation

[charliecandles]

Medieval art appreciation #2

[darrowsrising]

Alright DA finished, I have to get rid of my opinion on the virginia pov, even if she may be unpupular. To be honest, I was disappointed with Virginia's pov. When PB announced his new triology I was curious about Virginia, I was excited to see her as a badass sovereign. but we only got some kind of president, who is driven by the senate through the political arena. Darrow has won at least some battles. tell me one battle virginia has won? she lost the children, she lost the senate,she lost Lunar

'Part two: she lost her husband and the free legions, she lost sevro and she lost the republic. she could scarcely save her own life. she lost practically every fight. do not get me wrong, in the first triology I really liked her, but in IG and DA I was very disappointed in her. I really hope she wins a few fights in book six. that would be an enjoyable change.'

Yeah, sorry to disappoint you, but if a character has to always win or at least win some battles to get your appreciation, then...well, I can't relate to that.

I have this crazy taste for characters who walk tight lines and manage to get shite done. And when all goes to hell I want to see how they crawl out of hell with a vengeance and the same principles they held before the fall.

Now, I'll just speak in general, but also try to answer your ask. I'm not trying to change your mind or anything, but I presume you wanted an answer since you cqme to my ask box. So here it is:

I don't really get the fandom when it comes to Virginia. First, she didn't seem to lose much at all compared to the rest of the main cast, so she was boring. Then, she wasn't vulnerable enough for you to care for her, too flat. Then, she was after power and her own benefit. Now, she doesn't have enough power and she's disappointing.

We get a glimpse into her fears and her vulnerabilities, we see her being strong and not being strong, we see her trying her damnest to fit into Silenius' stiletto, because truth be told that's how a bloodydamn demokracy works, and it's still not enough to please.

If she lost the Free Legions, then Darrow lost them just as much. They both did their damnest to save them, shoot them for failing.

She didn't lose the Republic, she is the symbol of the Republic. She lost Luna. And half paralysed and with a hatchet buried in her side, with wounds from being trampled by a mob, with her brain muddled from the Pandemonium Chair and with weeks of torture with psychoSpikes, I can't see how she could have saved Sevro, Pebble and Clown, not to mention Luna itself.

The fact that she lives makes Mars the Solar Republic. And even on Mars, she was received as the demokratic Sovereign of the Solar Republic. I understand that mediaval fantasy romanticizes authoritarian monarchy, but it's not as amazing as Hollywood makes it be, not by far. The moment Virginia disobeys the New Compact, everything falls into chaos. She had to accept imperium from her ArchGovernor as per the NC's stipulations. And it's not a question of morality, it's a question of example - if the Sovereign doesn't obey the New Compact, why would the others? How does the Compact have any value at all if the Sovereign can pick and choose what to respect.

And truth be told, in the midst of chaos, the Republic needs a steady, firm, but fair hand. Who else to fill in the role, but Virginia? Because the moment a power vacuum presents itself, everyone with even a slight chance to grab the reigns will kill each other to get the role.

Kavax and Niobe don't believe in demokracy and they aren't able to walk the tight line Virginia does. Victra as well, she's a buissness woman, a fighter, not a politician.

Kieran of Lykos would have been eatten alive by the Golds or the Silvers who wanted more cake or to turn coats.

Virginia didn't lost her husband, he's inbound to Mars with what remains of the Howlers and Cassius. She had to give up going after him because Mars needed her more - an attack on Mercury would have cost them the main Fleets with no assurance of saving Darrow and the Free Legions. If the Republic had any hopes of survival, she had to go to Mars with the Reynard and the rest of the fleets.

And what didn't she win? Her handling of those capitalist pigs was pretty much a win in my book. Also the fact that she managed to get the children's location and get Sevro and the Howlers to see reason. She made peace with Dancer. She dealt with Sefi beautifully. She developped psychoSpikes, she trained politicos with Daxo, she gathered the people around Darrow. The way she dealt with Faust? Genius!

It just happens that she lost to an almost impossible megaplan that was working against her for years. And of course she lost to Adrius, she always admitted him being smarter than her.

Darrow in Golden Son had all his wins cancelled by Roque's and Hamony's betrayals. But just because Darrow had super, extra dramatic scenes, Virginia is the disappointment. Sipping tea with Theodora and Holiday while Faust was pissing himself about Sevro as well as dragging Sevro and the Howlers for being useless? Blowing up an insanly expensive piece of art? I can't see how is that disappointing.

Virginia is a fighter, but she's not Darrow or Victra or even Sevro. There is only so much she can do, especially when her main job is Sovereign and she is also a mother and a wife. She can handle her own, but you try to handle a mob with no armour or Lilath au Faran when you are half paralysed from a spike and half from the neuro-toxin.

I mean...even Victra who is the person who has all the rights and lefts to be upset or disappointed at Virginia...isn't. She was furious, but when she saw Virginia's scars, she realised how hard she fought for everyone, not just for herself. Virginia is minced by guilt from the moment she escapes and even on Mars. And she'll always feel that.

If that is disappointing to you...go off, I guess. But I'll be the one basking in Virginia's rage in the last book as she delievers the payback to her enemies for violating everything that's sacred to her, with no bitterness laced with it. 🤷🏻‍♀️Because winning doesn't matter if we don't have character development.

Besides, Darrow won some physical battles. Virginia political ones. But they both lost at the end. I don't see much of a difference. He lost Orion, Tyche, his Second Army etc.

Howl on! 🐺

[charliecandles]

Medieval art appreciation