#karhic

I think what draws me in about The Price of Forgiveness that HIC and GHB seem more responsible than most versions? They are still horrible, but HIC and GHB seems to have more of a vested interest in a united, functional Empire. That is, HIC cares about a united society. (GHB cares mostly about his religion and his faithful, and killing heretics. HIC cares about aiming GHB where his murderous tendencies will be useful for the empire.)  

Another thing I like about this GHB and this HIC is that they are apparently deeply fucked up by what they did to the Signless, and the way it shows up in the narrative and the storyline. GHB keeps flashing back to the Signless, and has deeply fucked up thoughts about false child-prophets. HIC makes a few statements indicating that they should have kept him. Both seem to regard the entire situation as a mistake on some level, in some way. (I'm not sure what quadrant it might have been for the Empress, but GHB seems to tend toward the pale.) And that's an interesting take. You don't tend to see HIC or GHB regretful for anything.

Karkat's position as a chief threshecutioner is pretty interesting. On the surface it seems like the plot device/idea that HIC is keeping him around as a form of revenge against the Signless. "Hey, I totally have the Second Signless as my pet attack dog/brainwashed stooge." Except he seems to have agency, and a very detailed idea of How Things Should Be and How Things Are and they do not necessarily go along with the HIC, though he does seem to feel she's an effective empress who is worthy serving. He also feels that she is the Bad Touch Empress when she starts making his life sexually awkward. (His attitude about seems to be more "please don't play with my heart here," and less "I am being pressured into having sex with the Fish Queen, Halp,") though. The Very Clear Idea shows up in the way he interacts with those under his command, and how those threshecutioners under his command in turn interact with others. (And how GHB is low-key disturbed by what he's seeing.)

HIC interactions with Karkat seem to be the same kind of quadrant smearing shenanigans she gets up to with GHB, With an added dollop of "I am literally fucking with you." (pale/pitch with GHB, red/not sure what with Karkat.) At the same time, it's very clear she has some kind of strong feelings for him, and that she cares about him on some level. (Particularly when he almost doesn't make it through his molt, so she decides to take matters into her own hands.)

I am really, really hopeful we find out what the deal is about HIC, GHB and what happened to the Signless. *IS* Karkat's position as a threshecutioner mostly because HIC wanted revenge? Or is it because HIC is trying to make up for what happened to Signless to his Descendant? Are GHB and HIC going to renew the subscription on their issues, or talk about it?