gamzee:threshecutioner:did everyone just forget this or??Oh no oh no, no, no. It’s going

gamzee: threshecutioner: did everyone just forget this or?? Oh no oh no, no, no. It’s going to happen. I’ve been worn out by a full day of painfully forced socialization, and I’m tired, and I’m going to get emotional. This is me getting emotional. I’m so sorry everyone who has to witness this. Here we go. We’re going on a journey. Poor Karkat. Poor terrible, horrible, sweet, awful Karkat. I mean let’s break this down. For one, Alternia demonstrably wasn’t great. We saw the struggles of Signless and Redglare and Summoner and the countless lowblood efforts to rectify this horrible system of death and racism and abuse; in some ways it seems abstracted to the point of not mattering, because who can actually care about a bunch of hypothetical off-screen galactic-scale genocide, anyway? It’s asking too much investment. “Badass” works because its scope almost defies practical imagination. But when we see how some characters have inherited the values of Alternia and hurt each other in terrible ways— and this applies to almost every troll in the cast— It’s regrettable. These are children that inherited a hugely oppressive and destructive set of social values that ultimately proved detrimental in their lives and relationships. There’s a reason half of them died a few days into their isolation on the meteor, and beyond that, more reasons why they’re generally unhappy and unstable and unfulfilled. And that’s the point! That’s the point, I think, not only of what’s going on here with Karkat, who openly celebrates the values of his culture— but in all of homestuck. It’s a story of kids that have to deal with the problems lent to them by their guardians, their parents, their social predecessors; even the cancer of the humans’ session is passed on through the genetics of the frog made by trolls. They deserved better, but tough shit. Somebody came before them, and that asshole wrote the book, and now they have to work with the shitheap they’re given. The narrative makes an argument against Alternia that is strong enough even with Karkat lauding it here; we have to consider the context of his character’s voice, and the giant overshadowing theme of inheritance. I really don’t think this is meant to be taken at face value. I mean, think about it. This very rant characterizes his ancestor as a Worthless Idiot. Ouch. Ultimately, it’s more self-derision about his mutation under layers of indoctrinated patriotism. And that’s too bad. He’s the worst version of himself when he’s trying to live up to that utilitarian, merciless idea of the “good troll.” His blood color doesn’t make him worthless, and even that becomes symbolic for his other very strong qualities that Alternia would meet with similar disdain. That respect for Condesce and the empire comes at the expense of his self-worth and ultimately his happiness; that’s the price Alternia asks from him. Ideally, Karkat is going to be able to move forward from Alternia’s values, and become a better person and leader for it. Ideally, all the trolls could do something similar. -- source link

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