[SPOILERS] Hermes is a hypocrite.

[Manny_Maneater]

While doing Ktisis Hyperboreia, I realized something: Hermes is a massive hypocrite. He decried Amaurotian society for their wanton sacrifice of other lifeforms, but he did release a number of creatures against us (going for the second boss, walls literally vanish, causing the beasts to run free an attack us).

Obviously we were going to kill them. He was aware of the WoL's fight abilities, and also Emet-Selch and Venat were there, two of the most powerful people of their time. Those animals didn't have a chance and he couldn't have been ignorant to that.

He thought that hearing his answer was more important, that it justified the sacrifice. But isn't that exactly what the Amaurotians were doing? Sacrificing life for "the greater good"?. Regardless of one's opinion on that, Hermes clearly went back on his ideals. He was against the sacrifice of living creatures until if suited his needs.

[Cleretic]

Yes, yes he is. Frankly, all the Ancients we meet are pretty flawed.

...except for Sappho. She seems okay.

[Manny_Maneater]

Sappho was just hanging out with her friend. Her 100% platonic pal. Best mate.

[Padudu]

imo I thought that Hermes's hate for sacrificing lifeforms and his nihilistic views of the world were in constant conflict until the nihilism took over. Hermes is a hypocrite, but he also went bonkers on despair and just wanted to end everyone's existence. At that point he'd have no issue on releasing creatures even if it ended with them dying

[Manny_Maneater]

True, but he threw a number of animals directly into a trio of killing machines (+a bishonen) BEFORE he knew about the whole Fermi Paradox thing. Meteon had given him like, 25% of her report and he instantly diteched his convictions.

[Naoki34]

While doing Ktisis Hyperboreia, I realized something: Hermes is a massive hypocrite. He decried Amaurotian society for their wanton sacrifice of other lifeforms, but he did release a number of creatures against us (going for the second boss, walls literally vanish, causing the beasts to run free an attack us).

Obviously we were going to kill them. He was aware of the WoL's fight abilities, and also Emet-Selch and Venat were there, two of the most powerful people of their time. Those animals didn't have a chance and he couldn't have been ignorant to that.

He thought that hearing his answer was more important, that it justified the sacrifice. But isn't that exactly what the Amaurotians were doing? Sacrificing life for "the greater good"?. Regardless of one's opinion on that, Hermes clearly went back on his ideals. He was against the sacrifice of living creatures until if suited his needs.

He is just a sociopath with a good saying: "Hell is paved with good intentions".

[Gemina]

By KH, Hermes has descended to the point of no return. However, he far from beckoned us to follow him. The creatures are a means of defense. There was likely a small part of him that did not want these creations dispatched, but ultimately he was willing to cast aside all he knew to prevent Meteion from facing the same fate from the congregation.

[Absimiliard]

There's also more than a little hypocrisy in saying you want to make the test fair while simultaneously denying the people being tested both the knowledge of the test and any fighting chance of passing said test.

[EaraGrace]

True, but he threw a number of animals directly into a trio of killing machines (+a bishonen) BEFORE he knew about the whole Fermi Paradox thing. Meteon had given him like, 25% of her report and he instantly diteched his convictions.

Writing was on the wall there, by the time he grabbed Meteion all there agreed that she didn’t find any life that wasn’t dead. My own personal interpretation was that his actions were not logical decisions but a man going through an emotional and psychological breakdown, which only ended after we beat him.

[Manny_Maneater]

By KH, Hermes has descended to the point of no return. However, he far from beckoned us to follow him. The creatures are a means of defense. There was likely a small part of him that did not want these creations dispatched, but ultimately he was willing to cast aside all he knew to prevent Meteion from facing the same fate from the congregation.

"The creatures are a means of defense" is quite an utilitarian view of another being's life, isn't it? Why aren't those creatures lives worthy of living? Because Hermes deemed them less valuable than his answers? Regardless of wether you agree with that or not, Hermes had before manifested an extreme aversion to any loss of life. He almos had a breakdown over the death of a dangerous, uncontrolable beast. Yet, he backpaddled the moment it suited his needs. He did the exact same thing that he so despised on his peers.

And yes, at the point of KH he was beyond the point of no return, because he was beyond the point of no return when we met him. He had already sent dozens of artificial intelligences with unique, untested abilities into space without telling anyone. He wasn't all to sane to begin with. But what I find interesting is that his abandonment of his own ideals shows that, in the end, his pseudo-altruism wasn't much more than a facade. He was a lonely, conflicted man who really wanted something to live for, it didn't really matter what.

I think I have to point out I don't dislike Hermes as a character. He is very interesting as an antagonist. But I think its quite fascinating how much you can se the Fandaniel/Amon that already lived inside of him.