Once again the "Rashta was underage" has made appearance. Seriously same recycled false information. I'm begging y'all stop getting your information from reddit and read the novel or visit the Korean official wiki for Rashta. She's 20-22. An adult human being. Sovieshu calling her cute doesn't mean she's underage. Sovieshu calls birdpoop heinly as "the kid" who's a grown man. Soviesu also didn't call Rashta kid. Y'all can't be this dense. He has many faults but being a groomer isn't one of them.

Another one is "He didn't rescue Rashta out of goodness but only because she was pretty "

Dude literally helped her because she was in need and admitted that he'd have rescued anyone in that position. Which actually made Rashta sad cause she thought he loved her from the first meeting when in reality Sovieshu was doing what a good emperor should do: help his subjects.

"He lied to her about his plans and used her as incubator"

Once again please read the book or webtoon instead of skimming comments from reddit. He didn't even plan to make her a concubine until she asked him to and then she became pregnant which surprised him too (as he previously thought both him and Navier could be infertile). He wasn't some scheming dude twirling his mustache about using Rashta. He was clear with her from the beginning that she'd be an empress for 1 year. Rashta was fully aware of it and even thought, in future, she could change his mind by getting pregnant once again, as Sovieshu wouldn't divorce his pregnant wife. Sovieshu hid his plans from Navier, not from Rashta.

"He separated his baby from her like an evil dude"

Are we forgetting that Rashta was suffering from past trauma and for that reason she threw baby Gloryem on the floor!!!??? That's literally child endangerment. Sovieshu removing Gloryem was being anything but good father acting concerned for their kid. Rashta was in broken mental state, unfit to take care of Gloryem. Even by modern standard, CPS would have removed that child from her. Rashta was in tragic situation caused by her past trauma. It's a sad situation but what Sovieshu did was totally understandable by removing their baby from her.

Criticize that man for valid reasons. There's plenty! But giving false allegations will only harm Rashta.

And pedophilia is a serious issue like slavery that shouldn't be used in sentences like it's a light subject. It's a disservice to real victims. Let's not be like those birdshit defenders who defends everything he does including him selling children to slavery.

My solace about the side story is that she'll be alive and happy with her daughter and away from Ergi and Lotteshu. She'll be living in a bigger palace, rich as hell, enjoying her life. Sovieshu should have definitely chose this action from the beginning.

Yeah I don't like Navier Rashta or Navier birdshit ship either.

For me Rashta's true happy ending would be her living in a meadow as she dreamt of, with her children and probably a new ML who's nuanced just like her and loves her despite her faults. Not as Sovieshu's concubine nor as Navier's maid.

Once again the "Rashta was underage" has made appearance. Seriously same recycled false information. I'm begging y'all stop getting your information from reddit and read the novel or visit the Korean official wiki for Rashta. She's 20-22. An adult human being. Sovieshu calling her cute doesn't mean she's underage. Sovieshu calls birdpoop heinly as "the kid" who's a grown man. Soviesu also didn't call Rashta kid. Y'all can't be this dense. He has many faults but being a groomer isn't one of them.

Another one is "He didn't rescue Rashta out of goodness but only because she was pretty "

Dude literally helped her because she was in need and admitted that he'd have rescued anyone in that position. Which actually made Rashta sad cause she thought he loved her from the first meeting when in reality Sovieshu was doing what a good emperor should do: help his subjects.

"He lied to her about his plans and used her as incubator"

Once again please read the book or webtoon instead of skimming comments from reddit. He didn't even plan to make her a concubine until she asked him to and then she became pregnant which surprised him too (as he previously thought both him and Navier could be infertile). He wasn't some scheming dude twirling his mustache about using Rashta. He was clear with her from the beginning that she'd be an empress for 1 year. Rashta was fully aware of it and even thought, in future, she could change his mind by getting pregnant once again, as Sovieshu wouldn't divorce his pregnant wife. Sovieshu hid his plans from Navier, not from Rashta.

"He separated his baby from her like an evil dude"

Are we forgetting that Rashta was suffering from past trauma and for that reason she threw baby Gloryem on the floor!!!??? That's literally child endangerment. Sovieshu removing Gloryem was being anything but good father acting concerned for their kid. Rashta was in broken mental state, unfit to take care of Gloryem. Even by modern standard, CPS would have removed that child from her. Rashta was in tragic situation caused by her past trauma. It's a sad situation but what Sovieshu did was totally understandable by removing their baby from her.

Criticize that man for valid reasons. There's plenty! But giving false allegations will only harm Rashta.

And pedophilia is a serious issue like slavery that shouldn't be used in sentences like it's a light subject. It's a disservice to real victims. Let's not be like those birdshit defenders who defends everything he does including him selling children to slavery.

Kids learn little by little, yet Rashta was thrust into a position where she had to learn everything at once and perfection was expected.

Moreover, this was Sovieshu's plan. To make the country demand Navier back after seeing how inept Rashta was. Sure, people can say, "Oh, well, he still would have provided for her."

Old gods & the heart of the Savernake forest

And both are victims of patriarchy and men.

Sold as a slave by her father as a child.

Used by Alan and later got abandoned after getting pregnant by him.

Her relationship with Sovieshu matches with Ophelia and Hamlet in many ways. He was her first true love. Ophelia gave Hamlet her virginity, While Rashta pretended to be a virgin with Sovieshu, she gave Sovieshu her heart for the first time in her life. And when she found out, he doesn't really love her, that's when everything started the crumble down. That was the last thread that was holding her down to sane world. She was already inching towards madness after her first pregnancy, than being separated from her second baby (we saw her singing like a mad woman with a doll). She already lost her mind but the illusion of Sovieshu's love for her, was holding her down but when he denied of ever loving her, her world crumbled down. Both her and Ophelia suffered from erotomania, and their sexuality plays a big role in their lives.

Ophelia wasn't tormented by her father or brother like Rashta. Rashta was tormented by her former slaver owner lotteshu before and after her becoming the empress. The man that traumatized her from her first pregnancy. But Rashta followed his orders out of fear, Ophelia followed them out of obedience and trusting their judgment. Ergi kinda plays similar role to Polonius and Lesertas. Both parties using women to profit from their targeted man (Sovieshu, Hamlet).

Ergi also misguiding her, laying traps for her and ultimately playing a big role in her down fall. Ergi also somewhat carries the role of Hamlet (disdain for women and their frailty)

All of her biggest offenders and helpers were men. There was no significant woman's touch in her life. Due to patriarchy, women were portrayed as her biggest enemies supported by Lebetti's actions, noble women looking down on her and men's treatment towards because of her beauty and women feeling threatened by it.

She was isolated from women surrounding her.

And when the only woman that tried to help her (Aryan), Rashta was already driven mad, paranoid by the men in her life and she committed a horrible thing.

Her death is equally tragic like Ophelia. Ophelia's death is debated between accident and suicide. But both of their deaths were influenced by the tragedy surrounding her.

Ophelia is loved, because she's a perfect victim. She doesn't stand in the way of the protagonist like Rashta. Even though Ophelia spied on Hamlet, following her father's order, she's still loved (rightfully so).

But Rashta is hated both by the narration and readers because she's not a perfect victim and she stands in the way of protagonist.

She's not a submissive character like Ophelia, rather she bites back, lashes out, acts like the monster they created.

I'm not saying Rashta and Ophelia are same but they're both victims of patriarchy. And both faced tragic ending because of it.

(This needs broader discussion and explanation but that's for another day).

I wonder how the story would feel if it started from Rashta's childhood and ended with her death. A grey protagonist with unstable mind, a narration that doesn't excuse her behavior but doesn't vilify her either. I think if some author that has a good grasp on human nature and isn't narrow minded, can do justice to Rashta's character or a write a character inspired by her.

Altynai Asylmuratova

"Tell me, Miss Utena... Are you familiar with cantarella? It's something that was used by the Borgia family in Italy long ago. A poison. So, do you like those cookies? I made them myself."

"What a coincidence... I put poison in your tea."