#ahling

Me thinking of how we all imagined that the moonfam would adopt Callum (and probably Ezran along the way), or how Amaya and Janai would adopt Soren and probably Claudia, of how Zubeia would grow to love Ezran very much and all, of how Allen is now “adopted dad N°3...

but...

but what about Aanya? 

I know we talked about how Runaan would adopt her, but I have a bolder idea that I grew to love very dearly: Ahling. 

Yep, Kazef’s dad, the very one she killed. 

It can seems stupid but think about it, please. Think about how it would be interesting to see this. Him, who lost his son and there’s nothing he can do about him it. No kind soul will bring him back to him because the dark mage stole and hide him in a dusty cave, no chance to run after him either because he would have make the mistake to push him away.  

He’s gone. And truth is, Ahling is the only parent in the show who lost a child so far (I mean, truly lost one). And I wonder how they will bring that in the story.

I think he would hate Aanya, very probably. He would try to convince himself that it’s wrong, that he has to forgive her, to reason. That she did what she had too, that his son was turned into a monster, that what Kazef did was wrong, that there was no other choice... that it’s Viren’s fault...

But deep down, he would resent Aanya. But along the way he would learn to know her, and begin to see.

That she’s alone, that she has been all her life. Orphan, with an heavy crown on her head. Nobody to rely on. No siblings, no parents, no family, no friends. No chance to act, or just be a child. 

People tried to manipulate her, to kill her, and she’s only 10years old. A 10 years old girl who already killed people too.  

First off, my apologies for not including Ahling in my parent list. But secondly...

A slightly misguided dad whose childraising choices may have inadvertently created a gap between who he wanted his child to be and who they actually turned out to become? Who suffers a long-term near death experience during which his child heads out into a war and makes a couple of choices he definitely wouldn't agree with? Who wakes again much later--too late to interfere in his child's decision-making--and learns that there are some things that cannot be fought, like destiny?

Any of that sound familiar? 

I usually compare Runaan’s parenting traits with Viren’s, but gosh, look at this: Runaan and Ahling are parental mirrors too.

One thing I love about a well planned story with a clear message is when multiple characters or relationships have similar traits but each one finds its own separate ending because they were created to show and explore a range of natural outcomes. Like the Three Dads at the beginning of the show. Like all five kids. All the Moms and Aunts. Etc.

So it's always fun when I find a new connection that adds an angle no other pair of characters has explored yet. And here, I'm seeing this connection: Ahling is Runaan if Rayla died while he was in the coin.

But, angsty as that is--and boy is it angsty--that’s good news for Runaan and Rayla’s relationship, because that ending has been used now. Ahling will never get to mend his relationship with Kasef. But Runaan still might get to do that with Rayla. Every unbalanced option that happens to someone else (so sorry, Ahling) leaves a little bigger chance of them getting a balanced one.