#cr c4e8

CRITICAL ROLE CAMPAIGN 4

"It is a strange thing how fate moves upon the world. Or if it is only chance, then it is a chance I welcome." (c4e8)

At this point, it's clear that his status and his faith has built him a shelter from accountability, that he's becoming comfortable in being a sore loser. That cowardly self-sabotage that culminates in Wick not being able to put up an act for five seconds and not be painfully obvious to their adversaries? His lasting lack of interest in politicking or in pretending even if his survival clearly requires it? Wick getting himself into life-threatening situations like this only cements his reliance on the mutual codependency with Tyranny. Whenever you think someone will finally snap and go for his ass, Tyranny comes in mitigating his fuckup, saying "He did well BUT", and then immediately sells a piece of advice. In that respect, she's coming off as a toxic helper at the least. But then, the more cunning, practical advice she gives is objectively advantageous in their situation. So it feels like a slightly dirtier persuasion in some way, one that can reach his ears. Tyranny does not seem nearly as sinister as her sisters, even though she won't let us forget about her abyssal nature. Her sisters treating Wick as the tool of House Wicander made her uncomfortable.

Something about her attitude gives "Why are you like this tho" and simultaneously sounds like an admission of feelings? So there's this ambiguous knowledge that his perceived innocence cannot last?

And it's so delicious to watch the inevitable collapse of this sore loser be delayed. When will Tyranny no longer be able to shield Wick from the impact of his incompetence, to interject herself into his fuckups as she has done since Day 1? Because this man needs to be broken out of his Church Boy status to be the best version of himself. Not too soon though. After all, he's so precious and pure and the only innocent thing about his family, and has such pretty eyes. Him admitting he needs to change doesn't sound very convincing? It's like sure, he will say whatever people need to hear from him in the moment, but old habits die hard, and his inhibitions around SIN and impure nature are simply stronger. He's such a good example of how moral "puritanism" with its meticulous gatekeeping from evil erodes the actual moral character.

It's not a coincidence that the adventure rolls on and the Soldiers have barely touched upon the topic of THE shocking revelation about House Halovar keeping and harvesting a literal tortured angel in their basement. If it doesn't seem to phase Wick just enough, it might be because he doesn't really know if it's a bad thing or not, until someone else tells him. The best shield for hypocrisy is a type of character formation that makes moral agents so impressionable they can and will half-assedly subscribe under both contradictory judgments at the same time.

Am I reading into things now? IDK. Some of Wick's mannerisms give me vibes from people I've met IRL, specifically in the context of cult indoctrination and how post-JPII Catholicism has gained this undeniably aggressive, puritanical flavor under a smiling, charismatic, youth-friendly facade?