Homestuck Live Reread: Dave and his Seers (Part 2)
Got off the Cascade high so now I can actually process my feelings/thoughts.
When Dave is presented with a choice to confront his fears, by two Seers in two scenarios, he eventually finds the courage to push past it.
Consider when Terezi "provides" an opportunity to go God-Tier, if Dave is able to go through with murdering himself. This is one of the earliest (if not the first) Dead Dave conversations, highlighting that Dave can't go through with the more grisly parts of "hero-dom."
This is the baseline that even though going God-Tier is the best possible outcome for Dave, he won't do it if it means dying. Or, more importantly, Dave won't do it unless he is destined/required to die as to preserve the timeline. Recall that he willing went to see Jade, knowing that he was destined to be killed by her/Jack.
Now, contrast that with the suicide mission. Dave and Rose's conversation is tip-toeing around the literal bomb in the room: Would you go on this suicide mission, if given the chance? No longer is it dying for his benefit, or because it is predestined. This is an echo of Terezi presenting Dave a "choice".
The answer? Dave, again, does not want to die. Their conversation is circular. Dave believes he should be on the mission because he made the map, because he is destined, because the cosmic signs are beckoning his death.
But Rose, while terrified of her own death, sees an opportunity for martyrdom. She pushes on this button, grinding on this fear in the same, persistent matter Terezi does.
What makes Cascade so powerful is how Dave pushes past his fear. At first, he accepts the reality Rose creates (it isn't possible to find her, there's no reason it needs to be him, he won't catch her). Even though he could wake up, break his promise and chase after her, he doesn't.
When Dave wakes-up and can actually see the danger Rose is in, he joins her. This is the true culmination of his struggles, he isn't going on the suicide mission because he is destined or because he wants to die or because he accepts his death. He goes because he wants to protect his friend.
