#tho I do like utybbs take where he takes the same initial approach as papyrus. still hoping he can convince them to surrender

[stuffyflowers]

I think Starlo makes a good sheriff in the way Martlet makes a good Royal Guard

They're not exactly good at their jobs, but they have strong emotional characters that drive them to do the right thing rather than convenient or injust protocol. Being in positions of authority, this is possibly one of the best traits you could possibly have imo.

This too is a Papyrus thing except unlike Papyrus I can believe they could actually be competent with some time

Yeah, when I say star and martlet aren’t good at their jobs I am referring to the one they are expected and try to perform. The Royal guard is full of rules and regulations which martlet can barely keep up with, as well as being at its core against what she believes is right in regards to the fallen humans and how monsterkinds freedom should be secured. The illusion of being an almighty sheriff breaks for starlo during his fight with clover, realising that apprehending them for simply being human as his role as a lawman of the underground would entail isn’t justice at all, and he’s not prepared to take a life. It’s not fair.

That doesn’t mean they have no leadership skills or strong moral character that they can put into other more useful/productive roles. I think they both show they can be great leaders when put in actual threatening situations in the climax of most routes. Starlo immediately forms a rescue plan for clover when he finds out about cerobas intentions (which would have worked if not for their own insistence to seek her out). Martlet is defined in every ending by her ability to try to achieve the most just outcome, whether it involves protecting/vouching for clover, trying to rehabilitate them, or having to take them down as a last resort.

Being in a position of power under asgores political regime doesnt go well for either of them bc they don’t get to use these qualities in a way that matters, they don’t get to follow their own idea of what ‘justice’ really entails. By post pacifist they both come to this realisation: star tones down the sheriff stuff in favour of focusing on the actual positives which his town brings to the underground. martlet quits her job and while we don’t see what she is doing with her life now, I think she tries to follow in the footsteps of her mentor (the one she knew, anyway) by making the world a better place through small acts of kindness. It’s the kindness of people like martlet that eventually allows for the barrier to break in the pacifist ending of undertale, after all :)