You okay, Patrick?

Gojo trusted Geto that he wouldn't kill young sorcerers, and he was partially wrong for that. He wouldn't actually finish off Maki and Toge, yes, but hadn't Yuta used RCT on them, Maki would definitely die from blood loss eventually. If that actually happened Gojo would definitely feel a little disappointed in Geto. I also believe that injuring Maki this bad that if no one had taken care of her she would die, while leaving Toge in a much better state was intentional. Geto didn't value Maki's life so he inflicted more cruelty on her, but he did Toge's, so he didn't want to injure him this bad.

As for your other point, imo Gojo just operated the best he could based on the circumstances of Jujutsu society, on which to achieve the best possible outcome, he often had to put morality aside - so gambling on their lives wasn't his faultz neither him perpetuating the exploitation of sorcerers. He used Yuta's friends as motivations for Yuta to reach his potential that night, but he didn't take advantage of them. That's what differentiates what he did from what the system does; he had no personal gain from it. Instead, the only ones who gained from his plan were his students in the end.

In making that decision, I think focusing on Gojo's intentions misses the point. Just because he cared about his students doesn't mean he wasn't using the same methods that Jujutsu society uses.

The issue is that he was willing to put them in danger because he believed it would help Yuta grow stronger. Maki, Panda, and Inumaki became part of a plan that depended on Yuta reaching his full potential.

Their safety was not the priority in that moment, and if the worst truly occurred, you have 4 dead kids. The blood would be on Gojo’s hands, not the higher ups.

Saying that the students chose to fight doesn't really change anything either. Sorcerers are raised in a system where risking their lives is normal. You legally become an adult when you are 20 (in Japan), but the sorcerers die in their teens. The higher-ups also send young sorcerers into dangerous situations and call it their duty. Having a choice doesn't automatically make the situation or the system that created the situation in the first place fair.

And saying Gojo trusted Geto not to kill them doesn't solve the problem. Maki survived because Yuta unlocked RCT and healed her. If Yuta hadn't done that, she could have died from her injuries. That means Gojo's plan relied on Yuta succeeding. He was still taking a gamble with his students’ lives.

we all know Diana was abused by the Orchus family, kidnapped, raised by a corrupt church, thrown into impossible political circumstances, and spent her entire life being shaped by systems that failed her. but somehow all of that immediately stops mattering the second the story needs you to feel bad for Cael.

we all know Diana was abused by the Orchus family, kidnapped, raised by a corrupt church (which is mostly used to show how much of a hypocrite she is rather than how thoroughly they groomed and conditioned her), thrown into impossible political circumstances (which is the Orchus family targeting her and literally threatening international conflict because of her), and relentlessly dehumanized by Hestia. but none of that is actually allowed to matter beyond how it affects other characters, two of which are men.

even if Diana grew up in circumstances that made her whatever the story needs for her in the current moment, the story doesn't seem interested in exploring those circumstances.

the abuse isn't there to explore abuse. the church isn't there to explore religious conditioning. the political pressure or the social pressure isn't there to explore how impossible expectations can break a person.

not to mention that, just like Cael, Diana has emotional baggage equal if than more than Cael’s that should logically shape every aspect of how she sees the world. except when Cael's baggage affects him it's characterization, and when Diana's baggage affects her it's proof that she's wrong.

plus, the entire plot literally starts because she was being abused.

so yeah, like I said, they're both ‘ flawed’ characters, and that's exactly why the writing feels so dishonest.

because whenever Cael suffers, the narrative slows down and asks you to understand him.

whenever Diana suffers, the narrative speeds up and asks you to move on.

Cael murders an entire noble family and the story practically throws itself on the floor begging you to understand his feelings.

Diana gets abused, kidnapped, politically targeted, religiously conditioned, publicly humiliated, and dehumanized for dozens of chapters, and the story barely seems interested unless one of those things can be turned into sympathy for Cael or justification for Hestia.

To the point where you can literally see the author's hand reaching into the story.

Diana gets abused? don't focus on Diana. focus on how much Cael suffered because of it.

Diana gets kidnapped? don't focus on Diana. focus on what Cael did afterwards.

Diana is raised by a corrupt church? don't focus on how that shaped groomed her. focus on how hypocritical she is.

Diana gets targeted by one of the most powerful families in the setting? don't focus on what that pressure would do to a person. focus on how inconvenient her reactions are.

Hestia spends the entire story reducing Diana into an object of resentment rather than a human being? don't focus on the dehumanization. focus on how satisfying Hestia's revenge feels.

and that's why the misogyny angle is impossible to ignore.

because the story keeps giving Diana experiences that should make her one of the most psychologically interesting characters in the cast, then immediately redirects all of that emotional weight toward the people judging her.

her abuse becomes Cael's tragedy.her trauma becomes Hestia's justification. her humanity straight up doesn’t exist in a story literally built on humanity.

Yet it calls itself a fucking deconstruction.

it wants the fallen saint.it wants the morally gray FL.it wants the tragic 2nd male lead.it wants all the ingredients of a deconstruction.

but it doesn't actually want to engage with any of them.

Honestly, I couldn't have said it any better. FMDF is the perfect example of how misogynistic the manhwa industry really is.

The story, just like any other Otome Isekai story, focuses on male pain and suffering while ignoring the pain and suffering of any female character that isn't the fl. Diana's trauma is never addressed, instead we must care about Cael's trauma and his suffering while condemning Diana for not being the perfect saintess.

Diana isn't treated like a human being, she is instead treated as the reason for Cael's suffering and an object for Hestia's hatred. She isn't allowed to be complex because any negative personality trait she has or bad a decision she makes is seen as her being a failure instead of being seen as traits of a complicated character.

we all know Diana was abused by the Orchus family, kidnapped, raised by a corrupt church, thrown into impossible political circumstances, and spent her entire life being shaped by systems that failed her. but somehow all of that immediately stops mattering the second the story needs you to feel bad for Cael.

we all know Diana was abused by the Orchus family, kidnapped, raised by a corrupt church (which is mostly used to show how much of a hypocrite she is rather than how thoroughly they groomed and conditioned her), thrown into impossible political circumstances (which is the Orchus family targeting her and literally threatening international conflict because of her), and relentlessly dehumanized by Hestia. but none of that is actually allowed to matter beyond how it affects other characters, two of which are men.

even if Diana grew up in circumstances that made her whatever the story needs for her in the current moment, the story doesn't seem interested in exploring those circumstances.

the abuse isn't there to explore abuse. the church isn't there to explore religious conditioning. the political pressure or the social pressure isn't there to explore how impossible expectations can break a person.

not to mention that, just like Cael, Diana has emotional baggage equal if than more than Cael’s that should logically shape every aspect of how she sees the world. except when Cael's baggage affects him it's characterization, and when Diana's baggage affects her it's proof that she's wrong.

plus, the entire plot literally starts because she was being abused.

so yeah, like I said, they're both ‘ flawed’ characters, and that's exactly why the writing feels so dishonest.

because whenever Cael suffers, the narrative slows down and asks you to understand him.

whenever Diana suffers, the narrative speeds up and asks you to move on.

Cael murders an entire noble family and the story practically throws itself on the floor begging you to understand his feelings.

Diana gets abused, kidnapped, politically targeted, religiously conditioned, publicly humiliated, and dehumanized for dozens of chapters, and the story barely seems interested unless one of those things can be turned into sympathy for Cael or justification for Hestia.

To the point where you can literally see the author's hand reaching into the story.

Diana gets abused? don't focus on Diana. focus on how much Cael suffered because of it.

Diana gets kidnapped? don't focus on Diana. focus on what Cael did afterwards.

Diana is raised by a corrupt church? don't focus on how that shaped groomed her. focus on how hypocritical she is.

Diana gets targeted by one of the most powerful families in the setting? don't focus on what that pressure would do to a person. focus on how inconvenient her reactions are.

Hestia spends the entire story reducing Diana into an object of resentment rather than a human being? don't focus on the dehumanization. focus on how satisfying Hestia's revenge feels.

and that's why the misogyny angle is impossible to ignore.

because the story keeps giving Diana experiences that should make her one of the most psychologically interesting characters in the cast, then immediately redirects all of that emotional weight toward the people judging her.

her abuse becomes Cael's tragedy.her trauma becomes Hestia's justification. her humanity straight up doesn’t exist in a story literally built on humanity.

Yet it calls itself a fucking deconstruction.

it wants the fallen saint.it wants the morally gray FL.it wants the tragic 2nd male lead.it wants all the ingredients of a deconstruction.

but it doesn't actually want to engage with any of them.

Honestly, I couldn't have said it any better. FMDF is the perfect example of how misogynistic the manhwa industry really is.

The story, just like any other Otome Isekai story, focuses on male pain and suffering while ignoring the pain and suffering of any female character that isn't the fl. Diana's trauma is never addressed, instead we must care about Cael's trauma and his suffering while condemning Diana for not being the perfect saintess.

Diana isn't treated like a human being, she is instead treated as the reason for Cael's suffering and an object for Hestia's hatred. She isn't allowed to be complex because any negative personality trait she has or bad a decision she makes is seen as her being a failure instead of being seen as traits of a complicated character.