Tf!Scott has built a very āplay stupid games, win stupid prizesā kind of mentality when it comes to the current bandit/rebel/whatever third party that feels like stabbing them all that week situation.
Scott is well and truly tired of people trying to stab either him or his friends! Heās tired of trying to ask questions to these people and only getting vague as hell non-answers in response before they run off to stab someone else. Heās tired about hearing the stories of near death experiences when coming into contact with these people and not being able to do anything beyond offering fleeting comfort before the next mess happens.
He sent the ultimate warning to a bandit earlier today that next time he sees one itās on sight and that they should leave them all alone. Prior to that heās never been the one to strike first in an encounter with whatever shadowy figure or bandit decides to sprint at him with a sword. That doesnāt stop him from finishing the fights mind you, which I think is understandable considering most of the time there is no reasoning with your attacker and all the options you have are either fight to live or die.
No matter what third party group has their hands in play at the moment, the riders have the full right to fight back if theyāre the ones being targeted. The riders are expected to be the bigger people and just try and talk to them, to fruitless results (and sometimes even more problems!), meanwhile these groups just keep on swinging.
Is it really that unbelievable that someone would come to the conclusion that maybe theyāre just better off swinging first? Not for any particular reason beyond āIām tired of you hurting us now please leave us aloneā?
Scott probably seems really cold from an outsiders perspective, but the mentality these actions are formed around are anything but cold. Itās a mixture of a fierce devotion to protect others and an unwavering determination to not let the past repeat itself all over again. Itās less so the mindset of a bloodthirsty brute who would kill on command and more so the mindset of a man desperate to not let those with impure intentions simply have their way with himself and those he cares about.
This is not to say a āswing first, ask questions laterā mentality canāt be problematic. But I feel like his responses are understandable given the circumstances theyāre all in and I canāt exactly blame him for not wanting to give grace when he and the others have not received it in turn. Or even if they have, itās been repeatedly undermined.
