#miquella

I'll render this one day so they'll look like actual statues... my beloveds...

I truly believe he has glass child syndrome. How could he not? Keeping in mind we know next to nothing about the dynamics of the House of the Erdtree (some small details can be extrapolated, but nothing concrete imho and I will die on some hills regarding this), can you honestly say Miquella was given enough care in his upbringing?

The fact that he was working with Radagon, his father, to find a cure for Malenia's rot says enough to me. Depending on your read of a timeline here, he was much too young to be delving into Fundamentalism. Beyond that, you well and truly can see it in everything he tries to do.

Name one selfish thing Miquella does that is in no way related to helping others. He became a savant in Fundamentalism — for his sister. He created an entirely new metal, powerful enough to protect against the influence of Outer Gods — For Malenia. He made the Golden Epitaph — for Godwyn. He raised the Haligtree with his own blood — to ward off Outer Gods for his sister. He founded Elphael and Ordina — to have a place for his followers, who were by and large the Maligned members of society. He put people to work in Castle Sol to reverse engineer the myth of the Eclipse — for... Okay like I know everyone says it's Godwyn but it's weird to me that they never say his name. Weird aside, sorry; for someone.

He calms the hearts of his Followers — never for his own gain, but for the safety of themselves and others. He promised a Hornsent redemption for his people. When he's backed into a corner by Mohg and discovers the Realm of Shadow, he chases apotheosis — not intending to become this selfish beast of a god, not to strike back at a world that has made him into this bowed head serene figure held apart from the world. To put himself in the best position to embrace the sin of the world, and raise a new Order, a new eden.

Misguided fool. I don't think he was ever happy, if I'm honest. How lonely were you, little Miq? Did you even realize how isolated you were? Little self-sufficient Miquella. A god made of glass, seen through and ignored. So what if you were cursed, just like your twin? So what if you were a child that never got to be one, so busy were you in caring for others? You needed to fix it all, didn't you?

It's what a good child would have done, no? A responsible child. An overworked child who peaked early.

Also like. This isn't to say he hates Malenia. Or any of his family, to be completely honest and transparent. Is there resentment? Sure. That's healthy, I think. There is no such thing as a completely healthy parenting style, after all; least not in my experience and the bits I know of my friend's families. It's clear that he does sincerely care for his family as well.

I just think they could have done a better job loving him.