Quote Originally Posted by Brinne View Post
He's there to support the WoL, who is in pretty rough shape emotionally at the time, first and foremost, so no - given the circumstances, he's not going to take the chance to harp on about how the WoL's prime benefactor slaughtered everyone he loved and erased them from history for extremely dubious reasons. Nothing would come of that at that point.
My first thought was not the time or place. I guess since the WoL is supposed to like if not love Venat at that point it wouldn't have gone over well. I understand it, but I don't like it. I felt the anguish when Hades said during his trial that the WoL was using the power that destroyed their world. The journey afterward of learning how much he loved Azem only for Venat to tear her protege asunder and be lost to him forever (while keeping him in tact to mourn the loss indefinitely). Hythlodaeus is still whole. Azem's the only one of the trio who is theoretically permanently gone short of eventually rejoining with their other shards, which the writers don't seem interested in doing after placing so much importance on being sundered and interacting with dynamis making for a superior race of people.

The thread of kindness and concern guiding him also comes very through clearly when he falters upon seeing the WoL sad about his departure and takes that long moment to cheer them up again before departing. He doesn't want the WoL to feel bad, and he can acknowledge that he agrees with Venat at least that WoL is an amazing person - WoL also won over Emet by the end of Shadowbringers, after all.
That scene is heartbreaking. Hell, any scene with Emet is.

But as part of the overall picture relentlessly pushing that framing of Venat on us? Yes, it was tiresome, and I wasn't much into the "oh, you scamp" tone when Emet noted how very deeply Venat had screwed him over in particular. I was glad, at least, he fairly brusquely flipped Hydaelyn off and rejected her "apology" to him altogether.
Thanks for the perspective. I still feel that his character was manipulated like every other NPC to be positive towards Venat. There was absolutely no need to commend her for anything as far as I'm concerned let alone make a declaration of respect on her behalf. That's what seemed egregiously out of character to me. He doesn't have to bash her in the presence of the WoL, but he sure as Hell doesn't have to do the opposite either. It especially didn't make sense given it was sandwiched between his comments about the burden he had to bear and not suffering to live by her magic. Not to mention him saying his ideals were inviolate.