#eva eight

In Hero For Wondla, we see how overprotective Eight is towards Eva, how there are clear signs of jealousy when she sees Eva be much closer to Rovender, the lingering resentment she has towards Muthr, and not really being able to realize how different they both are. But we also see just what Eight had gone through to explain why Eight eventually snapped at the end of the book

She was forced to leave her only home by the robot she saw as a mother. Had to travel in a hostile unfamiliar world before she was picked up. Tried to return to her home and reunite with her baby sister, but Muthr refused (which you can understand Muthr's reasoning not to since we've seen how dangerous Orbona can be) Returned to New Attica alone. The only friend she had made had left and was presumably killed. Was forced to be sterilized despite wanting to start a family. Waited 13 years for the chance to see her sister again. And when she does, she finds out her home was destroyed, her mother figure killed, and she slowly realizes that the life she had wanted for her and her sister will never come true. Hence why we see her slowly descending into frustration and anger

And that's why I find Book Eight's character one of the most interesting and tragic characters in the trilogy. Eight had everyone tell her what to do throughout her life, even to the point of her own bodily autonomy being decided for her without giving her the choice. You completely understand why Eight snapped at the idea that she could finally make a choice for herself by taking the Heart before Cadmus. At no point does the book ever paint her as being worse than Cadmus or Loroc, like how the show does. It allows Eva to process her feelings towards Eight after everything they've gone through. She became an antagonist yes, but not a villain

It's this reason why the choice to have Eight be the main villain of the last Season makes my skin crawl. They took one of the most tragic, sympathetic characters in the whole trilogy, and painted her as being worse than Cadmus and even Loroc. Having her suddenly want to commit a full-blown genocide the moment she takes control of New Attica feels like such a slap in the face for her character. Yes, Eight had expressed her distrust towards aliens and I think what they were going for was Eva's "death" being what pushes her over the edge

But Eight going from "we need to stop Cadmus" to "we need to commit a full-blown ethnic cleansing because the world is ours" has almost no build-up. She literally talks about how they need to "deprogram" Eva because she thinks the aliens infected her. There's even a line where one of the other humans says "Another one for deprogramming?" Implying that Eight has been basically brainwashing people who don't agree with her actions....you know....THE SAME THING THAT CADMUS TRIED TO DO TO EVA, EIGHT, AND HAILEY IN THE BOOKS. THEY LITERALLY HAVE EIGHT ACT THE SAME AS LOROC. THEY LITERALLY TURNED EIGHT INTO A BOARDERLINE DICTATOR

This becomes even more slimy when Episode 5 tries to paint Cadmus as sympathetic and only wanting to help his people. Yes, in the book, Cadmus also meant well with his intentions and it was also revealed that he did try to look for a peaceful route before Loroc convinced him otherwise. But the book also knew not to downplay what he had done and had let happen. He was sympathetic yes, and to an extent, you feel sorry for him. But it doesn't change what he did. In the show meanwhile, all of Cadmus's more villainous acts are either completely ignored or (if we're going by the deprogramming line I mentioned) given to Eight. They even have it where Eight forced Cadmus to build her a literal nuke and framing it as him not wanting to do it....I don't think I need to explain the gross implications of changing it so a victim of an oppressive environment is made to be more evil than the literal oppressor. It just feels intentionally malicious

Then finally there's how Eight's story ends. As I said in a previous post it doesn't matter how sympathetic they tried to make Eight, it doesn't change the fact that Eight was not only willing to commit a genocide minutes ago, but was straight up willing to shoot Eva, her own sister, if Rovender haven't intervened

Also, I'm not the first to bring this up, but having the only way for Eight be redeemed in the eyes of the show is having her basically commit suicide by jumping down with the Heart is so...irresponsibly disgusting. Maybe it's because it was pretty obvious in the book that Eight had suffered a lot mentally and even in the show it was clear at the very least that Eight suffers from PTSD. Maybe it's because I've known and talked to people who have struggled with mental health and suicidal thoughts. Maybe it's because I just don't mess around when it comes to how mental health is often portrayed in media and how it's far too common for stories to paint someone sacrificing themselves as a "good thing". Maybe it's due to my own experiences. Maybe it's all the above but I don't think a kids' show has disgusted me this much with the unintentional implications of glorifying suicide. I can't make this clear enough that I don't think that's what the show was intending, but they REALLY should've realised the potentially dangerous message they were sending

As you know, our boy Besteel still lives. Not only that, but after the death of Vornak, the An’rak chieftain, following the fall of Tergaron, he’s appointed as the tribe’s new chieftain as per Vornak’s wishes (though there’s no time for the tattooing). Throughout the season, he takes Redimus’ place in some of the scenes, considering that Redimus is practically a pacifist (unless pushed too hard). 

Besteel finally confesses to Fayluna that he was responsible for Muthr’s death… and Eva overhears him. He tells his daughter that he did many things during the two years she and Redimus were captive, some of which he’s not proud of, but everything he did was to free his family. 

I’m introducing the rest of the Dorcean chieftains and chiefesses, who’ll have a secondary but important role in the story, particulary around the middle. More on that in a bit. 

Since I got not time constraints, i’ll do some filler chapters that properly focus on character relationships and their reactions to the events that unfold. EG, the traumas after the battle scenes, bonding, someone dying, etc. 

Other than Vanpa (and Redimus, occasionally), everyone is pretty cold toward Hailey. True, he wanted to save Vanpa, but it doesn’t erase the fact that he betrayed them. When trust is broken, a simple ‘I’m sorry’ isn’t enough; and even if it does, things will never be the same again.

In Caruncle’s boat, Besteel is the one trapped in the cage, and Eva decides to go save him; not only for Fayluna’s sake, but because she now cares for him. The cage falls into the water, and Eva dives in trying to save him; thankfully, Redimus dives in and tears the padlock with sheer strenght, and Otto helps them resurface.  Once they board the bijou, they have a pending conversation in which they finally bury the hatchet, with Eva finally forgiving him for Muthr’s death. 

Vamphyr gets a bigger role this season. He’s is the one who brings down the roof inside New Attica… and it kills him. Granted, Besteel and Redimus barely even have time to process it before more pillar guards appear, but later they do return to look for him and find him dying. I’m sad, but also happy that he at least gets to make peace with his sons.

While the group is at Solas and Lacus, even before the creatures of Orbona arrive, the Dorcean tribes attack the attempt at an army Eight has gathered outside New Attica… and it’s a massacre for the humans. I mean, let’s be real: all those people have lived comfortably for years, with no idea about the aliens. A few days (I agree that weeks is too much) isn’t enough for them to even get basic military training, let alone be emotionally and psychologically prepared for an all-out war. In fact, during that battle nearly all people outright tried to flee when the Dorceans showed up.

From the above, the Dorceans took some prisoners, which include Vanpa (I don’t think he should appear that early when we literally got no explanation whatsoever), Nova and Gen (they get a bigger role), Xander (from him the group learns that Eight has overthrown Cadmus and plans to use the Heart as a weapon), and some of the Toilers (I decided to leave them in the fic, can’t believe they were written out!).

Fayluna plays her biggest part yet! 

Despite their attack on the humans, the Dorcean tribes refuse to join Loroc for the second wave, as their loyalty is to the Ojo Family. 

Redimus being our sweet, empathetic boy who always goes out of his way to help when needed and abhorrs unecessary violence, but he does have his moments of courage, especially when it comes to Fayluna.

After the restoration of the Heart, we’ll get some filler chapters detailing how the characters’ cope with their losses and everything that’s happened, as well as tying up loose ends before the conclusion.

She leaves Muthr at the bottom of that stairway, the one she didn’t know existed until that morning, when Muthr had ushered her toward the control room and that hidden door. 

“Goodbye, Eva, dear,” the robot had said, silicon face serene and artificially warm tone pitched in farewell. “I wish you luck.”

Eva hadn’t responded. She’d just left. No need to say goodbye to a robot, after all. Muthr is only programming and metal and artificial organs. 

She’s going to find her real family now, and when the next Eva, her sister, is born, she’ll come back and rescue her from that dank prison and she’ll raise her right.