An absolutely crushing realization i had at the end of episode 3
So while playing episodes 2 and 3 I was a proper war-hawk. Kill the wounded, loot the dead type. While I leveled tough love and honesty at AJ about the importance of not killing Marlon and to atone for it, it was war after that. Everything changes from there.
While I avoided unnecessary casualties attacking the boat I still smacked around Violet and Minnie without hesitation when they fought back. I was glad when Louis shot a crossbow bolt through that one lady's skull even though it clearly upset him. I let AJ bite her ear off and was proud when he reacted in a tough and seemingly unbreakable manner ("Bang" gave me goosebumps). And when the final decision came I knew Lilly's behavior on the boat showed she was irredeemable so I told AJ to do it. And immediately regret it. As the credits rolled I realized that I'd sacrificed any kind of long term peace or positive character changes for AJ ever since the attack in episode 2 for the sake of short term gains in the war. Even if my dialog with him was well intentioned my actions still pushed him in the wrong direction. And then I realized I'd done this with everyone.
In the process of trying to keep them from being turned into soldiers I'd turned them all into soldiers, just for the opposing side. Because I was always on the warpath this felt the change was my fault personally. And that goddamn terrifies me.
Comments
AJ will be fine. Clem killed two people when she was 9. One of them was someone that she loved and she turned out fine. AJ feels regret for killing Marlon is you told him to atone. Killing Lilly made him feel powerful; not deranged or unhinged. My point is that Clem killed people when she was very young, even sees a guy get his head bashed in and she turned out fine.
This is actually pretty profound on almost a human nature, scientific neurological level. This is actually a good expiriment to show how we can be put off path on our own personal feelings by our own anger and attempts at changing a situation or doing good that we can become the very thing we loathe. And power can definitely be hard to control and it happens fast when placed in situations like this.
My contradiction against the mentality of feeling bad about making your group soldiers. You probably did. But you didn't force them. You guided them. And you made them soldiers for good not bad. Lilly wasn't an evil bitch because she had an army, she was an evil bitch for the way she went about assembling it. Torture, forced labor, kidnapping. Clem's gang is a family almost. A very well oiled and calculated machine. Going in and was the same exact way as you. I told AJ he was bad for killing Marlon and to atone, I told him not to kill the walker couple. I was going to listen to James about him killing Lilly and to not let him. But then I realized. AJ isn't killing good people. He isn't being immoral or a bad person. He's being a fucking super hero. It takes courage to look into the face of death and pull that trigger to save everyone. AJ was never the bad guy. He was a angel of life to protect the group. He killed nothing but scumbags, and loved those who were in good favor. And I get theirs 2 sides, but clearly our Ericsons group has the moral high ground. Lilly was a rotten bitch, that had to die. I'd do it again. and i'd jizz the second time. Because she's a useless pig.
Plus, he felt conflicted after Abel. If he can express sympathy for someone he hates, he'll be fine
I'd do it again. and i'd jizz the second time. Because she's a useless pig.
Fucking what?
tfw Joe_Momma post something that isnt a meme
Right?
My Clementine has actually been through worse than AJ.
The game not acknowledging that and making AJ's circumstance somehow new and provoking that is a bit immersion breaking.
Right?
My Clem had no sympathy for Carver getting his face caved in and his eyeball gouged out.
AJ's fine.
I was lookin for a song to play here, but I wasn't comfortable posting the one I thought of. So I'll use this one instead
Tell me. What's the other one?
Sunday Morning Medley
This?
I fuckin Jammed out to that
Clementine had 8 years of normalcy in a functioning society. Her upbringing was at least somewhat stable and influenced by people that had a full normal upbringing.
AJ is the next level of that. 0 years of normal upbringing and influenced by people with only partly normal upbringings.
That and there's a bit of an age difference. Clementine was nearly 9 at season 1. AJ is only like 6 or 7 at most.
Hey, I used to do that a lot back in ~2016 before... the dark ages.
No, not that one.
Neat to know it's completely different though, I guess.