#ngl I feel like Mev being a control freak is a result of him having had no control/power at all while being the Unnamed's student

[facelessxchurch]

So we saw that both Darquesse and Argeddion went low-key psychotic after sealing their true names and started kind of psychically mutating, becoming in-human aliens and behaving in abnormal ways. Darquesse in particular started wearing shadows like a suit and digging up people's lungs to examine their energy and so on. How do you think Mevolent would change if he sealed his True Name? What would that look like?

The way the True Names/power seem to work is that it exaggerates the personality of the mage. Argeddion's pacifism and wanting to create a fair world got exaggerated. With Darquesse Valkyrie's curiosity about what she could do with her magic and her selfish thrill-seeking got exaggerated. Both to the point where they would no longer listen to reason. After all, neither seemed to be taking normal people seriously anymore. I think the fact that Mevolent was/is worshipping the FO was the only thing keeping his own god complex in check, so for him, his god complex and desire for complete control would get exaggerated.

At first, he would grow his powers enough so he can single-handedly open a portal to allow his Gods to return to his Dimension. ...only to fight and kick them out again once they start attacking him and his followers as they did to the Diablerie. Enraged by his loyalty getting punished instead of rewarded he declares himself a god and denounces the FO. He kills everyone who remained loyal to the FO. After all, the FO were ungrateful bastards and it was HIM who won the war for them, HIM who enslaved the mortals, HIM who build this wonderful new world for mages with its magnificent cities and rich culture. HE is the one that deserves to be worshipped.

He'd become obsessed with divinity and creating the perfect world with the perfect people. Everything is according to his design, no flaws. After all, paradise on earth is a fitting reward for his most faithful.

Mevolent thinks himself a benevolent god, but those not already completely brainwashed are terrified of getting 'fixed' by him and his Inquisition or what they'll do if they decide you are beyond help.

I'd imagine eventually he'd get bored/run out of things to fix and turn his gaze towards other worlds to spread his blessings and find a version of his wife that is still alive. Nefarian couldn't be fixed and he had died hating Mevolent. He had been too stubborn and too much of an independent thinker, no version of him would accept his gifts. But surely Serafina would understand how wonderful his new powers are and embrace his blessings.

[facelessxchurch]

Our Mevolent is a very traumatized boy

Are you at all surprised? With it being canon that the Unnamed pretty much raised Mev, he probably got the Cinderella-treatment while watching the Unnamed’s biological children getting spoiled rotten. Tho Abyssinia stated that she remembered being afraid of her father, so he probably also raised his hand against his own daughters, but Mev most likely was the main target for the abuse.

Considering the Unnamed killed his own sons bc of that stupid prophecy but let Mev live, Mev must have either been already too old for the prophecy to apply to him or the Unnamed thought he had broken Mev too much for him to be threat. But imagine how Mev must have felt when he realized that not even his own children are safe from the Unnamed.

Ngl not only do I feel like Mev being a control freak is a result of him having had no control/power at all while being the Unnamed's student, but his resting bitch face/barely showing any emotions is also the Unnamed’s fault bc to survive Mev needed incredible self-control and to hide all of his emotions. The Unnamed is certainly the typ to punish everything he perceives as weakness or defiance. So to strip himself of all human emotions was the safest thing for Mev to do. It’s also the reason he’s so devoted to the FO, his faith was the life line he was clinging onto since childhood.

His time as the Unnamed’s student left some serious trauma eventho Mev denies that to hell and back.

Also, that would make Mev pretty much Abyssinia’s adopted brother which is the closest Landy can get to GoT styled incest in a kids book.