Like throughout The Goblin Emperor, Maia's struggle in getting the court to accept him has been framed as him being the opposite of his father.

Varenechibel was sexist, Maia actively supports his sisters' right to choose her husband (or lack thereof) and study the stars.

Varenechibel was a racist (even towards his own wife), Maia is mixed race and seeks a closer relationship with Barizhan.

Varenechibel was incredibly traditional, Maia is scandalously progressive.

But over the course of the book, there are some hints that things weren't so black and white.

Don't get me wrong, Varenechibel was still a bastard, but it's significant that the Wisdom Bridge (which promises greater job opportunities and freedom for the peasantry, while diminishing the power held by nobility in the area) was his “cloud-fancy” before it was Maia's.

It's significant that he seems to have been the first emperor ever to marry (let alone have a child with) a non-elvish woman.

It's significant that he was apparently starting to look into ways to improve the lot of poor factory workers, even if his reforms were minor.

Like the big reveal of the book is that the supposedly conservative icon Varenechibel wasn't murdered by the Cetho Worker's League or agents of his progressive nephew.

The people who actually carried out his murder were a group of radical communists, yes, but the people who funded the plot and arranged for everything to happen?

They were a right wing faction of courtiers, who were pissed off that Varenechibel wasn't conservative enough.

Like the message of the Goblin Emperor is that there's literally no point in trying to bend your politics to try and please the people who want to go back to the Good Old Days, because you literally can't please them.

like shirahama has stated on her twt that utowin has to remind him to eat, sleep, and bathe, and i think when hes not actively on duty, or with vinanna, he is just thinking of how he would respond to situations that threaten the balance of this world he cares so much about and has dedicated his life to to protect.

no change is good because all change will lead to the destruction of what he loves, and we have yet to know what exactly has led him to viewing the world in such a black and white way.

His Serenity Edrehasivar VII

Peeling Maia's "everyone hates me" goggles off the situation I think Beshalar is probably terrified.

Beshalar got assigned this job on literally no notice, so he was starting late, he's had this job of protecting the emperor for literally hours, with a partner he's only just met.

Its only been a couple of days since the rest of the line of succession were suddenly died. No one knows exactly what happened yet, or if people are still actively seeking to kill the rest of the royal family. If Maia dies there will be at best a regency and at worst a huge succession crisis and Beshelar will be expected to commit ritual suicide.