Thread: Revelations from Patch 4.1

Originally Posted by Mieck

All good points. My feeling is that if this is genuine memory loss, and that she has reverted to an age before her family life fell apart, then she will be used as a vehicle to explore how fair/just/vengeful both Hien and the wider Doman community can be.

And then we have the alliance still punishing the scientist that also lost his memory but was still held accountable for his past actions. It is really a big moral question but at the same time what would happen if she somehow got part or the complete memory back and suddenly is a danger to all again? Hien still tried to kill her after knowing her story so I am not really sure if he will be like Lyse, especially since Yotsuyu did some even worse things than Fordola and on top of that enjoyed it. I am just not sure if he would take the risk of her getting it back or maybe even faking it but we will see.

Originally Posted by Alleo

And then we have the alliance still punishing the scientist that also lost his memory but was still held accountable for his past actions. It is really a big moral question but at the same time what would happen if she somehow got part or the complete memory back and suddenly is a danger to all again? Hien still tried to kill her after knowing her story so I am not really sure if he will be like Lyse, especially since Yotsuyu did some even worse things than Fordola and on top of that enjoyed it. I am just not sure if he would take the risk of her getting it back or maybe even faking it but we will see.

I do agree the questions are big and very hard to answer. However, in the case of scientist and the Black Rose quest line, I think the point in the story that it becomes available is important. It is just after the humiliation at Rhalgr's Reach, and the Alliance / Resistance are licking their wounds. It is, canonically, a decision taken in the heat of war.

Justice of the kind Lyse is hoping to bring to Ala Mhigo is a result of her journey through the story. Justice meted out by the Alliance in the aftermath of a great defeat is rather different to what they are talking about now - the trials which will feature Yuyuhase and Laurientis (amongst others), and probably the Garlean centurion from Ala Giri whose name currently escapes me.

Hien is also in a similar position in the story during the assault on Doma Castle, in that I think it is his emotion and history, coupled with the heat of battle, that is driving him. In afterglow of victory, his attitude may well be merciful.

Basically, I agree with you that these are very big moral questions, but my addition is that the context of the time the decisions were taken is also something to be considered.

Originally Posted by Vulcwen

It's to be expected that amnesia is not considered an escape from justice/punishment, although it might work as a mitigating factor.

And I hope that they will go that route with her too (if she has real amnesia). I mean for me there is a point where a character has done enough and should not be free to live their life like nothing happened. Revenge wont bring someone back from death so its fine if people cant take it out on her but I believe that she (and Fordola too) should at least land in prison for that. Because if we stop justice for those two and let them go then they simply could never arrest anyone ever again which would be against any kind of justice system.

Originally Posted by Alleo

And I hope that they will go that route with her too (if she has real amnesia). I mean for me there is a point where a character has done enough and should not be free to live their life like nothing happened. Revenge wont bring someone back from death so its fine if people cant take it out on her but I believe that she (and Fordola too) should at least land in prison for that. Because if we stop justice for those two and let them go then they simply could never arrest anyone ever again which would be against any kind of justice system.

Technically Fordola is already in prison, or at least a jail. She voluntarily goes back to her cell after the big battle. The question is whether this is enough, or if she needs to be punished further. And if so, what form that punishment should take, and for what purpose.

It's the usual question of what justice should be: rehabilitative, retributive, preventative, or something else, or some combination thereof, and in what ratio.

Also, Fordola's case is a test of Ala Mhigo's new justice system, rather than the Alliance's. Jurisdiction is given over to the leaders of Ala Mhigo, which currently means Lyse. This was a deliberate decision on the part of Alliance command, for whatever reason, so even if Lyse decides to pardon Fordola entirely, the Alliance can't do more than make diplomatic noises. And given their own dirty laundry, I doubt those noises will be too loud.

It's not like the Alliance's own civilian justice system is at all unified, after all.

I'm not really enthused about Yotsuyu's current situation, mostly because I'm really not sure Yotsuyu is the best character to apply this plotline to. It's a puzzling choice; it's not wholly out of the blue, but I can't help but wonder why her, and why now.

It feels like the writers wanted to tell this particular story, and randomly picked Yotsuyu's name out of a hat for the subject. It has about as much emotional impact as applying it to, say, Magnai.

(... Sadu suddenly getting amnesia might be an interesting look into the Dotharli beliefs, come to think of it.)