#mellownutphilosopher

[abybweisse]

Hello, I would like an analysis by Lord Arthur Randall of kuroshitsuji,

And your working relationship with Abberline and the one-eyed please 🙏🙏

I do not muse Lord Randall. Does anyone in this fandom muse him? 🤔

Oh, but then we discussed what you meant, and you really just wanted an assessment about him. And the working relationship between Abberline and our earl? His working relationship with them?

But I will try to assess his POV, in regards to various things and people, like Abberline and our earl, too!

Lord Randall...

We sure don't see much of him, and we likely won't see much of him again later. In fact, it's been hinted throughout the series that Abberline will eventually replace him, with the assumption that Lord Randall would retire from his post at the Yard. In fact, it's more like our earl asks if that is true, then he's turning it into a suggestion.

Randall says he only brought Abberline along for this occasion because he saw the watchdog at the scene of the crime (hanging the nabobs upside down), but I think there's more to it than that, since he could have told Abberline to not get any further involved with the watchdog. Abberline must have been tapped for moving up within the ranks, even if it's only because he's now been exposed to this secret agency. Randall didn't have to bring him along, regardless of what Abberline heard and saw, but he decides to.

So, the next time we see anyone from the Yard, Abberline might be in charge. We did see Randall hold Mr. Pitt at gun point and demand to know where our earl and Sebastian went, but we don't actually know how that confrontation ends. And we know that Abberline is also working this case... possibly taking a page out of the watchdog's book in how he approaches it... because not long ago he was telling the earl he would do his best to keep the earl from having to get his own hands dirty again. If Randall isn't somehow removed from this case, it's likely to be his last, anyway.

All this said, I think Randall is loyal to the crown... but doesn't really appreciate the way Queen Victoria conducts private business, especially the way she drags the Yard into it. Let's see, it is ch23 where we get foreshadowing that Agni's probably going to die (at least I see it that way), but it's also where we find out that the Yard pays the watchdog some small amount for services rendered in the investigation and capture of criminals. Even if the investigation never leads to an arrest. Agni tries to turn himself in for hanging the nabobs upside down, but our earl and Sebastian stop him. Since Madam Red dies and Grelle is a reaper, there's no arrest in the Jack the Ripper case, either. In both situations, the Yard has to be satisfied that the crimes have stopped. Perhaps Randall believes our earl just has all the perpetrators killed.

He seems to despise the watchdog's existence.

Not only does every generation of watchdog use underhanded tactics, but our earl likes to rub it in that he's getting the Yard's work done for them... and receiving a small sum for it each time. Randall does, however, seem to recognize the necessary evil of having a post like that.

We also learn from ch23 that he has little appreciation for the arts and that he's not fond of morbid, "gloomy" topics, like suicide and martyrdom. Whereas Abberline clearly spends his free time in the art museums; he doesn't say so explicitly, but if his reaction to our earl's art collection is any indication, he's a true lover of the arts. And knowledgeable.

I'd still love for Abberline to eventually use his knowledge of the arts to crack open a case. Maybe solve a case about fraudulently signed reproductions or complete forgeries being sold off. Imagine if something like that finally got Druitt put away for a while?? 😆

Anyway, Randall seems unsure about Abberline, but he knows he's got to get Abberline used to the truth about the Yard's relationship with the queen's watchdog. Because despite whatever he says, he does seem to be preparing for the day he will no longer be with the Yard.