Like I loved the anniversary video for nostalgic reasons and the return of Laurance, but it still felt like a cocomau video and Garroth in it was ehhh.

But in the new one Garroth felt EXACTLY like how I see him, minus the ability to somehow actually get into a relationship with Aphmau. He was the noble and shy guard from season 1 while also having his flaws like self esteem and jealousy issues. His dynamic with his dad was exactly how I pictured it. And the “betrayal” in the video was how I first interpreted in season 1, which was he got enchanted (which I thought was canon until I made my TikTok account in 2023 and was so confused 😵‍💫) And the way he got enchanted was also exactly how I pictured it. Like Garte used his self image issues against him so he’d be more vulnerable.

I know me denying Garroth did what he did in season 1 out of free will seems like it’s just me coping, but like it genuinely didn’t make sense. Like sure, he was upset and jealous over seeing Laurance and Aphmau kiss. I 100% believe he’d react by shutting himself away rather than talk about it with either of them.

He would totally be upset and vulnerable enough for Lillian to brainwash him. Because I do acknowledge that Garroth has pretty big flaws. But enough to betray Phoenix Drop, his first ever home after leaving O’khasis? And join forces with Zane who he knows has caused harm to him and all his friends? Who he has never showed any care towards him? To let his father know he’s still alive and eventually return to O’khasis once the war was over? To put the people of Phoenix Drop in danger, so much so that the kids had to be evacuated out? Like it went against everything Garroth was and stood for.

But in the new video, he did let his issues get to his head that his dad was able to take advantage of that and enchant him. And that’s how I see what happened in season 1 becuase that’s the only thing that makes sense to me, and would explain why everyone was so ready to forgive him. Like literally no one was mad at him and still spoke so highly of him.

And even so, he would still have a lot to feel guilty about. Him letting his emotions get the best of him and STILL keeping them locked up and refusing to talk about them made him susceptible to being enchanted. He put trust into Lillian because she was a stranger so it was easier to talk to her than actually having a deep conversation with Laurance and Aphmau, and that cost him greatly.

I was very pleasantly surprised with the video, it was a breathe of fresh air despite still having some newer Aphmau elements in it. Even Aphmau herself was so much better characterized. She didn’t have the high pitched voice like in the anniversary video. She sounded mature and was kind but still knew when to get serious. She was capable and authoritative. She felt like MCD Aphmau.

And I like how even though they went with “Garroth was enchanted” route, it still caused Garroth to doubt himself. He still had his self-destructive tendencies, like breaking up with Aphmau in the end of the video despite her constant reassurances that he was enough and nothing that happened was his fault. Like it just felt like such a Garroth thing to do, and such an Aphmau thing to do.