You know in history during in a specific time period and even today where people will either heavily romanticize or demonize a prominent figure in history to fit into their narrative? usually in the way of demonizing they were given cruel nicknames like Mary i of England was named ‘Bloody Mary’ and Elizabeth Bathory was called the ‘Blood Countess’ or even in fiction when Jaime Lannister is dubbed the ‘Kingslayer’ despite saving millions of lives by killing the mad king. This is done often to the point that the person’s real name and role in history is forgotten or ignored and is only remembered by the insulting names forced on them.
I can totally see this with the Horsemen’s human, either after the false apocalypse when rebuilding Earth and even a good hundred years afterwards when they’re gone and their identity and role in history scrutinized or cherry picked by demonizing or romanizing them.
How would the Horsemen react to their friend’s (whether their still alive and just living their life or long gone) story being romanized or given a cruel and demeaning nickname?
Ooooooo, a great concept and possibility to consider, especially if those were the humans that were ressurected from Death. Having no direct experience of what it is like surviving the apocalypse, nor an understanding of heaven or hell, guaranteed hearing about a fellow human that has lived through and helped the horsemen is object to scrutiny. Directly after the end war if said human is still alive and helping pick up the pieces, at first some humans will be grateful and some a mixture of doubt. Some may feel that said human prioritizes otherworldly beings over humanity, to which these doubts could be dashed if the human went about it the right way and addressed everything that happened. Honesty plays an important role in building a trust, but more so action is what shows the intention, because like it or not, one of the only humans to live through the war and help the horsemen comes with attention and judgement.
What also can influence the reputation left behind is building a rapport with the humans that are more open to the horsemen and to hearing about the truth, those that have hope in a future, and understand things in the universe are not black/white. With that there will be those that have lost everything, and are not so welcoming to the beings that took part in the destruction of Earth. Those that will find fault in every part of the explanation, reasons to doubt and be defensive. The next step if that human wishes to move on is to accept that everyone won't want the truth, that to keep going forward despite that is part of being the human that aided. If the horsemen also follow the same tactic it could be favorable in the long run, and will 100% help in those efforts.
As for if the human were to pass, if the previous steps were followed they would more likely be romanticized then demonized. The horsemen would have a mixture of reactions, Strife finding it hilarious and Fury laughing at the incredulous stories humans made up about their friend. "The savior of Humanity" they would be called, and honestly while it is not entirely true, the horsemen would leave it be as they can live knowing how they were truly like. The result would be similar for the opposing result....but with conflicting ways it was dealt with.
In the beginning the story was more accurate, but with the human passing, over time those that did not like the horsemen twisted the story, and with every generation a new version would be rumored about, fading from truth, to myth to legend. The horsemen would be above the dealings of man at this point since their friend was the main reason they stuck around Earth....but they wouldn't exactly be pleased with the slander towards their memory. Strife would be a little bitter, and a little devastated at how his friend was remembered. He knows of course that humans are fickle and simple minded for some, so he doesn't exactly hate all of them for it...but he is bothered by it and more likely to voice it. If a human were to ask about it, he would wistfully mention how he knew them. Not as the stories now stated, but as the human he had come to call friend. Cue funny and happy stories of the time he spent with his friend.
Similar with Fury, but she is way more bitter. She is quick to demean just how ignorant some humans were, and if any human were stupid enough to say it in her vicinity they will receive a harsh tongue lashing laced with threats. No being in her eyes has any right to demonize the only human she had come to respect, one that she would never admit, but missed their weird human humor and spunk. She is upset that the humans she helped spawned these new ones that refused to tell truthfully, and she is frustrated.
War and Death are a different story. They are the more likely of the two to understand what that is like. War's whole journey being framed and demonized for the end war knew what it was like to be scrutinized, so he would understand the ignorance of the newer humans, but he is angry that they would do so upon the memory of his friend. To slander their story and lie so blantantly when they are not around to defend their name, he finds it dishonorable. Definitely do not recommend being that stupid human that insults them in his presence....he will take action.
Death has been through this, and knows it all too well. The stories told about him are worse, kinslayer, executioner, and traitor is associated with him many times, he is used to it. He accepts that as his burden to carry....but for the human that was nothing like the monster he felt himself to be, it was wrong. He is mournful hearing the human being referred to as the "Betrayer of Humanity.". Angry is an understatement, but it is masked with a sadness. For a moment he wonders if it was truly worth bringing humans back. Mind you he did it for War and balance, but for them to take for granted his sacrifice and stomp on the truth left him feeling distasteful. But he knows the human friend would not have wanted that, so he doesn't take any action or effort to convince them otherwise. If they wish to live in ignorance so be it, but at least he and his brothers know the truth.
Thank you for the ask!!
