Okay, so, I was in bed looking for Tristamp fanart, and I came across a comment online that said Meryl's voice reaching Vash in chapter 12 was cheap, and it happened only because she is "the girl". My mind went immediately ballistic so hard i almost fell to the floor. Like, did we watch the same show at all? (screaming in a fit of rage)
Here i'm going (rolls up sleeves) beware spoilers. (and sorry for my broken english)
Meryl was the start of the show. She was our eyes, the narrator, the witness, and the rope that first tied the main group together (pun intended).
She started following Vash out of curiosity, then by admiration, her beliefs, and a big determination to help him and learn more about him, through danger, even not knowing how to fight or even lift a pistol.
Vash, despite loving humans, was, at the same time, distant to them and closed off. Almost every time, sooner or later, he ended up bringing some form of misery, hurt or loss to the humans around him, or they ended up betraying him. That's why he was called the "humanoid typhoon". We have Jenora Rock as an example. After the downfall with Knives, even Rosa, who seemed to know him for a long time, blamed him and tossed him out of her life. (I'm not roasting Rosa, i understand it's easy to put the blame on others when you suffer a great loss).
Meryl, witnessed all of this, and still followed him.
Meryl, who learned what Vash really is, and saw his markings, and even though she was surprised, she still smiled to him the next day.
Meryl, who was kidnapped to trap Vash into coming to July, and was told the truth about plants and humanity, but still didn't bail.
Meryl, who lost her mentor because of her decision to follow Vash, and didn't blame him, at all.
Meryl, who ran straight to try to save him, even though it was very dangerous and she could have ended up dead.
In the moment Vash was totally robbed of his bodily autonomy, his will, and basically, he was being violated, a tiny human, who followed him around through danger, challenged his views but never blamed him, smiled to him, wasn't afraid of him and supported him, was there, calling his name, calling for him to come back. A tiny human who believed in him, along with Luida, Brad and Rem.
This was specially noticeable when Vash was running, following Rem's voice. We can hear her say to him,"Thank you for protecting my dreams and my hopes", this, refering to her ideals about plants and humans coming together, wanting to create a bridge between them with their help, as she said to the twins when they were kids. And JUST RIGHT AFTER THIS, when he is looking down with sorrow and closes his eyes, Rem's voice calling his name mixes with Meryl's, and with that final push, he opens his eyes with a changed look, this time hearing only Meryl, and he gets out. THIS DETAIL GUYS. THE EYES. THE VOICES. LOOK AT THE GIFS.
THE CHANGE IN HIS EYES?????
Just imagine, after everything he went through, after being psychologically tortured by Knives, what was for him to hear Meryl CALLING HIS NAME and trying to save him. WAITING FOR HIM in a very dangerous place when she could have just, you know, escaped. His hopes in humanity, Rem's values and love lessons, compressed in this small tiny koala person. How can you even think, her voice reaching him, was FREAKING CHEAP OR DIDN'T DO ANYTHING? ASDJLAJKDASHDASKDLASDBASKD (dramatically sharpening a knife)
