Karen Travis is a conservative little prick so it tends to carry into her Republic Commandos series (not bashing, adore the books and characters) so when I see people dislike Kal Skirata I get it, he was written by someone clearly trying to make him an “alpha male family man with moral values in a doomsday prepper fantasy”
But the thing is, I think she kinda failed. Kal is a deeply emotional character who ignores questions about what’s right or wrong in order to attend to his boys. He’s just a bumbling, homicidal, and deeply traumatized adoptive father. I think watching him grapple with Etain and Darmans relationship in a way that wasn’t perfect only adds to his character.
He could’ve chosen to hate Etain and ostracize Darman because they messed with his values, but he chose to value his ad’ika more than his principles, so he loved them both through the birth of Kad and gave everything he had to keep them safe and protected.
He took in Atin but still gave him the space he wanted when he found out about Vau’s abuse, and he saved and set up Laseema in a safe job and home. He makes things right with Ruusan, and tried to do so with his other biological children. When they didn’t forgive him, he admitted he was wrong, backed away to let them heal, and never tried to justify himself or manipulate them into loving him.
He took Corr, who is disabled and wouldn’t have technically been useful to the mission, under his wing because he even despite his practicality and pragmatism he makes room for disabilities or trauma.
He is not perfect by a long shot, but he never claimed to be, and in my mind that makes him a very realistic character. When he has an issue with someone he says so, when he wants a middle ground he’ll find one, when he has ulterior motives he may not tell you what they are but he’ll at least let you know they’re there.
So yeah, totally get why people don’t like him, totally get why people have problems with him, but I for one love him as both a well made and realistic character that was perfect for the story, and for the type of person he is.
