point here is, a lot of people start barking without being well-informed or reading without critical thinking (or they js don’t care lol)
a lot of complex characters like them have been hated throughout the years because they only see the bad parts, and not the reason and context behind it. i’m not invalidating anyone’s opinion, but sharing a new perspective that could enlighten some. we could also apply this to politics btw… thanks for listening to my tedtalk
I don't hate the empress because I think she's a complex character and that's what I like about her, but what she did is a form of abuse. Even though he needed her for the resources she had, she basically manipulated him, and that's a type of abuse. I think the concept of consent is a bit distorted, and sometimes it should be considered beyond the person saying yes, because if the person who agrees has no other choice, is under pressure, and literally has people and lives depending on them... well, honestly, it's not consent, it's simply resignation :p
oooouuu… i like your take abt this! “consent” implies freedom of choice. “resignation” implies accepting something you can’t escape. given the king and empress situation, the latter fits more truthfully.
Exactly. All this "oh he said yes, so even if he had no other choice but to agree, he consented" just shows that people don't understand what consent is. Coerced consent is not consent. I would be curious if they saw this the same way if the genders were swapped. He did not want to have sex with her, but he was coerced to. Making her a rapist. That's really all there is to it. The queen is an interesting character, yes. She is well written, yes. Did she rape the king, yes. You can enjoy her as a character while still acknowledging that she is not a good person.
i know ya’ll don’t like the empress and call her the r word, but re-reading those chapters of the flashback, she really isn’t. the emperor did this WITH consent for the sake of the ML his brother. even if he didn’t want to, there was no other way. they both got something they want in exchange: being the emperor and saving his brother AND being the empress and having the emperor all to herself.
they are both selfish and complex characters WHICH I LOVE along with the others of this story! like how other people call princess bubblegum a dictator but she is just a complex character who loves her people.