tentatively asking your opinion on roathe because i have faith you're one of 5 people who actually have media literacy when talking to him and not just have a predisposition for the fact that he's orokin (aka he's as bad as ballas)
Sure, I can try and write it out! Never thought I'd be asked for my opinion, but it was fun to lay it all out in my own head :)
Short answer: He's a victim of the Orokin society and scared and definitely not the same as Ballas.
I think, Roathe behaved that way, because he didn't know any other way (this was the world he knew) and he was too scared to try anything else (also he was missing any kind of support system since all orokin seem to be scheming against each other constantly. He couldn't even comprehend the concept of doing something out of kindness!). He did what was needed to survive and maybe live a decently comfortable life.
Being a victim doesn't mean he isn't responsible for the crimes he committed. He is and we know he killed and participated in Continuity and was a general in war sending countless people to their deaths. Yes, he is guilty of possibly a lot of atrocities.
What sets him apart from Ballas is that he regrets! and Entrati gave him a chance to repent and turn his life around *points at church symbolism*. He basically literally tossed him to a priest and a nun and told them to fix him.
From Marie and Lyon we know Roathe is curious about actual companionship, but he doesn't know how to go about it. He has zero experience making friends or building trust, that's why he is that skittish cat stealing pastries.
From himself we know that he had thought of the war as pointless and that many died pointless deaths. We also know that he wanted out, because he took the serum willingly. He wants to live differently.
What makes him lash out all the time is that he is scared! He is terrified of changing anything about himself (because it is terrifying!) His traumatic experience just ended and now he needs to adjust somehow and get used to a relatively safe environment. The skittish cat came from an abusive household!
I also believe that he thinks he doesn't deserve any of the kindness he's being shown, because he is aware of how bad his actions were. Another point that makes him better than Ballas. I highly doubt Ballas is at all aware of how cruel he is.
They call Roathe the devil, but even he (the symbol of everything evil) can repent and become someone better. That's what we're being told here.
Did I forget anything?
(Sidenote: the church is a symbol, please don't take it literally as a sign that one should become religious to repent for being a horrible person)
