When I first watched mastermind I had trouble to make sense to the trial itself while watching the episode, and some people pointed out that was dissatisfying to the audience that he didn’t really confessed. Which is kinda true… I expected Andrealphus to accuse Stolas directly, and finding out about DHORKS and more stuff.
But after seeing the episode two times now I kind of understand what Stolas and Andrealphus did and why.
First…
The thing is, we started seeing the trial as if it was a true law system like the one we have in earth; and actually, if you see it, it doesn’t have any of the characteristics that a proper law system should have to at least make it slightly fair to both parts. For example, irl a rich person can pay a better lawyer, and that’s unfair… Buut a trial cannot happen if one of the parts doesn’t have a lawyer and cannot prepare some defense, even if it is at disadvantage from one of the parts and the jury at least tries to be impartial. And this is the key here.
Here satan word is the last word, and a parliament and the rest of the royals can argue about the decisions taken by him and can vote and he also has to respect the votes. But still, he kinda is like the superior judge which makes it very unfair because imps and the rest of hellborns are not even represented. So, with that….
Why Andre didn’t accused Stolas first?
Andrealphus didn’t accuse Stolas directly because that would have made the trial harder, and if he lost then the surprise and opportunity would be lost; because now Stolas would be prepared for the next move and guess that they are trying to screw him over.
He didn’t have knowledge of real proof against Stolas (even if it actually exists but it is inaccessible to him at the moment like the pictures DHORKS have), and more people like Vassago would have questioned him and more doubt would have been put into his story, because it would be royal vs royal. It would have been kinda obvious he was after something, or at least people like Vassago would have argued and defended what Stolas needed to say (because in this scenario, Stolas would have to be present there).
However, if he started accusing an imp, that is a low category citizen and that is viewed as an inferior demon that doesn’t even have the right to have a proper defense; is obvious that this is the easiest way to go, because he could basically say anything and it didn’t matter much what.
No one was interested at listening to the imps, and is logical that a royal would want to accuse a lower class demon without that being personal. Just because they should not question their place. So, obviously, it was going to end up getting killed.
What if Stolas didn’t see the execution at the tv or something unexpected happened (a lot of people question this one out)?
Really think about it… it actually…. doesn’t matter…. Andrealphus doesn’t care about them.
He just would have to find another way to screw Stolas in the future, and like he said at the beginning, he was willing to be patient. Also, he is very excited when he gets what he wants at the end, which kinda means, he knew everything could have failed and that he knew his plan depended a lot of luck.
Also, this would break Stolas apart… another thing they have always wanted…
Why Stolas didn’t told the truth?
This is a harder one; that has too many layers and more than one motive. However, the main one for me is that what he did was clearly going to clear up all doubt about Blitzø being involved so we could easily say he did it just because it was the most safe option… The truth doesn’t really absolve Blitzø of the fault. They kinda did this together, you know ?
Stolas gave Blitzø the book because he tried to steal it and then he asked for it. So, what reason was he going to give about giving Blitzø the book without Blitzø having some part in it? I can’t think of anything, and he didn’t had time to think this either. However; I feel that there is something more here, because he could have done it in other way, but also, there is a layer of Stolas being depressive… So, I though in these extra motives.
1. He sings a song to Octavia that she is going to be ok if he is gone (dying, because if he lives he would never abandon her and this is key and why he is so devastated after being forced to leave the house and her, for me this reads as he being willing to die to protect her). If he dies Andrealphus has already stated that all Stolas titles and belongings would go directly to Octavia. Probably will be retained until she is 18 or something. So, he kinda doesn’t mind about dying and is too depressed to see clearly the consequences of it at the moment. (Obvs he was forced to make a very UNFAIR choice, the kind of choice where no choice is the right one. But, my point here, is that he is someone willing to die for Via or Blitzø and he doesn’t try to think in a way that he can rescue him without putting himself down the line).
2. He wanted to have a grandiose moment standing up to all his family and the royals before being gone. So, this is why the song and the drama, and he also needed to be convincing that he is a mastermind. At least they would see him and someone higher and mighty and not how he has been always diminished and mocked in his circle. Even if he is a royal and all, he has always being discriminated in his own social class.
3. The truth was also not exactly something he could have said while maintaining composture and being intelligent enough to convince the audience and save Blitzø. He is still deeply hurt about everything that happened.
4. They had proof that I.M.P. went to earth, and even if they didn’t had it, no one questioned that accusation and they kinda admitted it. So, what Stolas said needed to be framed as him basically forcing them to go to earth or manipulating them to do that. How can you say this and still hold the truth?
Ending remarks…
Even in our law system that at least tries to be fair, a lot of trial defenses don’t actually involve 100% the truth.
Stolas saw the trial until it was filmed, and he didn’t heard the reasons Blitzø was being framed. So I think he just assumed it was only about the book, so he needed to say something that could excuse any offense. Saying that is a mastermind is like: I had a plan so contrived that I fool you all. All what you said he did was my plan, whatever that is.
The assasination plot was kinda something extra added that could have been omitted and wouldn’t have changed anything, and is like the only thing I still question a bit about the episode, because is not clearly adressed at the end.
It doesn’t make sense that Stolas tried to kill himself hiring an assassin, but, at the end they ignored that because basically Stolas confessed. No one would do that if they didn’t do it, in their minds no royal would care genuinely about saving an imp’s life.
Also, probably they thought this was part of the “mastermindery” and how he tricked everyone. The narrative brushed it off as that they just didn’t cared enough to dig that deeper, and that works enough seeing how the trial was being held and how a word of a Goetia has more worth just because of hierarchy.
Analysis that also touch into this are:
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