I’m definitely interested in how they first became involved with each other, especially since Süleyman seemed to trust Radu enough by the end to have him taking on such important duties in respect to the rebellion. In fact I suspect that I’m working my way down to finally writing Süleyman first sensing his own attraction to Radu when Radu is as young as thirteen because from the background given by the manga at least Radu at that age is quite a sweet, bookish little boy with none of the malignancy of later years. I suppose I’d like to think that Süleyman fell for Radu for the same reason he fell out of love, somewhat, with Seth: both have such potential and though neither of them really seems to be able to achieve their dreams at least, in Süleyman’s eyes, Radu does give it a good shot. Radu has youth and with it that desire to risk all to achieve his aims, where as Süleyman has for far too long allowed himself to be comfortable with the way things are simply because he’s had time to get used to it. Süleyman needs Radu to fuel his desire for change: Radu needs Süleyman to orchestrate the change he craves. In that way they’re something of a distorted mirror of Isaak and Dietrich because while Dietrich is otherwise arbitrary evil which Isaak gives direction, Isaak’s direction isn’t nurturing or particularly bothered about Dietrich’s wellbeing: Dietrich is a tool for the Orden and Isaak certainly doesn’t care if said tool breaks after he’s done with it.
I also like to think that no matter how twisted he became Radu still kept that regard for Süleyman that to an adolescent might easily be taken for love. He certainly manages to come back from the grave to save Ion and even in Carthago already doesn’t at all seem to want to do what he’s being forced to: he says the words expected of him but sounds like he’s weeping and apologises when he knows that Ion will never hear him. I’m very much of the opinion that he’s been misrepresented in fandom as this violent badass who wantonly destroys things because he enjoys it when what he actually seems to be is a fairly sappy teenager who made a mistake, probably based on his romantic notions of revolution, that destroyed his entire life.
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branchandroot
(no subject)
Date: 2009-05-04 08:55 am (UTC)I also like to think that no matter how twisted he became Radu still kept that regard for Süleyman that to an adolescent might easily be taken for love. He certainly manages to come back from the grave to save Ion and even in Carthago already doesn’t at all seem to want to do what he’s being forced to: he says the words expected of him but sounds like he’s weeping and apologises when he knows that Ion will never hear him. I’m very much of the opinion that he’s been misrepresented in fandom as this violent badass who wantonly destroys things because he enjoys it when what he actually seems to be is a fairly sappy teenager who made a mistake, probably based on his romantic notions of revolution, that destroyed his entire life.