>>55992188It is indeed funny because nothing changes. He's still directly responsible for everything that happened, he kickstarts the events of the Kitakami arc and by extension the DLC as a whole. Really the only difference is that he's actually nuanced instead of "grr im evil" and it works a million times better. I always find it silly how some people got upset that he wasn't actually malicious (or go the other way around and pretend the lore vid is apologetic/propaganda, I know it's shitposting but still). Because not once does it attempt to shift the blame, it's all the consequences of his own actions. And honestly that's why I love him so much. He has agency, probably more than any other Pokemon to date by virtue of having it stem from his own personal goals rather than being the designated protector of the ecosystem or whatever the shit. His relatively simple motivation of "I want to be loved" ties fantastically to his characterisation and gives him the perfect drive to do what he does. You have this childish, naive Pokemon, who despite harboring no malice, is totally starved for affection, which makes him a little too greedy for his own good, and whose powers (which he may not even be fully aware of) revolve around performance-enhancing drugs that literally chain people to his will. You already have the perfect recipe for disaster. By moching his parents and awakening their greed, he further conditions himself to view love as material - love means giving people what they want. He sympathizes with fellow vulnerable Pokemon (being small and timid himself) and grants their wishes so that they will love him. He never has the opportunity to learn any better, or even right from wrong. Not with his parents on the mochi craze and thus worrying about getting some nice presents rather than disciplining a son, and less with his three best friends/convicted felons who owe everything they have to him and thus can't or won't question him.
field too long lol
