Re: Monster Girl Island OOC chat
The main point of such situations is to put the character in a situation where no answer is the obvious, right choice. Not to scar anyone's mind, every scene so far was more centered around opening moral doorways for Grave to follow, each of which would quickly close shut behind him, letting the feeling of finality grow, to give such decisions more power. Just as easily as Grave chose to attack Cynthia, he could have attacked Envy instead. Though the difference in power is very apparent, it was still a choice. Even running away was still a valid option.
Each choice could be justified by the one who made it in a large variety of ways. So in that light, there is no right decision, as each 'right' decision, with a reason to describe why it was right, has a dark undershadow, holding another explanation to tell why each decision is wrong, and immoral.
Situations like this do not ask you, "Will you do right or wrong?" They ask you, "What, to you, is the meaning of right and wrong? Is killing Cynthia justice? Is it simply another form of running away? Despite vengeance, did she do something to truly deserve death? Was it right in the sole fact that she wanted it to happen?"
With every positive way of explaining it, you can think of a dark way to say why it was wrong. Cynthia had made Grave and more importantly, his sister suffer through a lot, it is justice to have her slain. But no, killing her is simply admitting defeat to the insane girl, no different than turning and fleeing from the scene. In fact, worse. And, she had asked for it. Was it wrong to put faith in her, and grant her wish for death? Is that not a bond of trust?
Each point, of course, you yourself can most likely say whether you do or do not agree to each of them. Some of the moral conclusions I myself and many others can reach will vary on a very large scale. You may even feel alone when you learn how different each person may view the situation. That is when the sense of morality loses it's firm, and resolute form. In truth, morality is as shapeless as clay. It is man who forms it, and decides what it means. It is you who decides if killing another is just or cruel. To that end, you see your morality come to light when encountered with these choices, and the punishments of each. If it is not to your liking, you can just as easily reshape it, as you did when you shaped it to begin with. And something important to you, can change on a moment's notice, and appear to you, as an immovable figure within your heart. A belief that shan't be disregarded when a moral choice is brought to question. The law of your heart.
This chapter was about a conflict of morality. It is Envy's view that the ones who caused her to be captured into hell would find justice in suffering in the same way she did. To her, this was fair, no matter the method used. But when it came to innocent bystanders being harmed for the sake of her own morality, the question came to Grave, "Is this really justice?"
When Cynthia arrived, the question of morality appeared. By striking at her, Grave decided what his morality meant. The law of his heart passed judgment.
