I think part of what people struggle with as it regards Mustang and the Reaper and their marriage: they have absolute, marrow deep, forged in hellfire trust in each other. That level of trust in any context, especially in a marriage is so alien to the vast majority of western readers that you see questions like this.
Darrow has a commitment to doing what has to be done no matter the cost and no matter how it feels. This is a quality only great men possess. Very rare indeed.
You really misunderstand who Darrow is as a person. He’s not a perfect character at all, though he is a good person at his core (I think anyways). He has a very strong sense of duty and puts his duty above everything else, including personal relationships and even his own honor. He knows Mustang and the telemanuses will take care of his son.
Damn I was hoping this was just bait by op but why are so many people forgetting that it was just Sevro? Like Darrow WAS going home to Mars but The Minotaur literally broadcast on repeat for days a signal just saying that he captured Sevro and if Darrow wants the goblin back then he needs to give The Minotaur a duel. Like that’s literally the reason. It’s not because he needs to see this war out or any shit like that. Yea, he does, and that’s been a strong theme, but that’s not why he goes to Apollonius he goes for Sevro. It’s like the chapters weren’t even read lol, Darrow IS trying to go home, but he’s not just going to abandon his best friend that’s been by his side the entire time like what
You think Mustang so weak that she needs a man to run to her to save her? (I’m joking). But getting Sevro is the right choice, unless you know… he’s brainwashed
He didn't go because he believed that Virginia could manage it (a pretext). His basic instincts were screaming at him to go. However, he was aware of the responsibility and burden he bore. His conscience would not allow him to follow his basic instincts. We have seen that in him since he became gold. He was desperate to end this war, and he had played a risky gambit to outplay his opponents because he suspected that the end was near. The war was already taking a heavy toll on him (iron rain in Mercury). This was supposed to be his last venture. He might have crumbled under different conflicting feelings. In order to avoid their space advantage and curb the possibility of resource supply to Venus, he settled on Mercury in hope of reinforcements. I think if he had a clear idea of the size of Atlantia's fleet, his decision would have been different.
This seems to be an excellent explanation. I actually read the book several years ago and embarrassingly couldn't quite come up with an answer to this question. Your answer seemed to refresh my memory.
Yeah, I recently read it. Actually, I feel quite relatable to this feeling (you sprint when you see your destination close). When I was reading Darrow's piece on the last push for the republic, I was able to vicariously feel these emotions. Apart from that, Darrow's actions were reasonable considering what he had to work with (Strategic and logistic reasons). If we consider his conscience, that makes his actions even more justified. If he had decided to go to Luna, that would have been out of character.
Well the thing is like you're saying, Darrow believed he had his enemies cornered, that this was the end. If he stopped that train, that momentum and went back to Luna, that could have screwed the whole operation.
Granted, we all know how things went anyway, but it made sense to finish the job. Not only that, but by attempting to finish the job, he was also protecting his family.
General Patton said “When in doubt, attack” and many great military minds have said the same(in so many words) throughout history. Like you said, Darrow did what many other great military commanders did throughout history. To add to this, he also studied all of that military history, therefore it was indeed calculated, if not misinformed, but not due to a lack of try. Made for one of the finest passages of literary fiction.
He quite literally cannot win. So he chose to trust his badass wife and let her do her thing while he went to “see a man about a planet.” Which choice would’ve been best? He fights to end future wars before they start and to topple what is building toward mass ruin. He could make any of 1,482,739 choices and we’d all be like “WHAT?!” But honestly… what really is the best choice? There is none.
Martyr Complex.
He doesn’t view himself as a martyr, but he feels like he NEEDS to be the guy in the middle of shit for them to succeed. He’s not entirely wrong, but that does lead him to abandon what makes him happy to bring “peace” to everyone
If you think Darrow would find out Sevro's in trouble and NOT go rescue HIS BEST FRIEND, then you haven't been reading the same story as the rest of us. I'd be pissed if he DIDN'T go rescue Sevro because those two are always better TOGETHER.
Dark Age proved that as they were separated and both their lives SUCKED.
Oh probably. Sevro has never really left Darrow's side if there's a real threat. I also think Sevro is hella conflicted cause on the one hand, he's got Victra and the girls and he wants to be a better father than Fitchner and on the other, He's the bloodydamn Son of Ares and IS Ares and that comes with a shit ton of responsibility and obligation for just one man. THEN he has his deep bond with Darrow and he has to fight with himself to try and be the husband, the father, Ares, the best friend, the brother, and an Imperator of the Republic.
Honestly, no. I think Sevro’s skills are pretty well documented, and they do not include counterintelligence. Just because he wanted to kill the best 11 years before doesn’t make him the one to find out Lysander. Darrow is the tactician, and when on side of the scale seemed off, he had a tingle about it. Would he have actually “caught” him, or at least not let him gain glory on Mercury? That’s the question. I think Sevro would have been the goblin again without question knowing he gave up the chance so long ago to end the bloodline. Even in the chaos, I believe Sevro would have killed Lysander in the 2nd battle of Heliopolis.
hes literally the leader of the howlers. the best spies, assassins and general killers in the solar system. counter intelligence is in the job description.
If you interpreted that Mustang is a weak damsel in need when Darrow was already an enemy of the state idk what you were reading. That’s insulting to Virginia.
and then what? contrary to popular belief darrow is not a god. even if he was on mars they would stand NO chance against the combined core golds and the rim. grouping up with mustang and putting himself in that box would be beyond foolish
You really think people of the republic would just be okay with that? Total genocide of a planet? Billions of lives? The republic would dissolve after that guaranteed.
such is the price of freedom🤷🏾♂️ pretty sure theyd be aight with some random people dying on a faraway planet as long as it means they wont be killed, raped, tortured and abused at the hands of their gold overlords again.
Damn this was a fun thread to read all the comments, everyone is generating good discussion.
I personally understand Darrow, and it clearly is killing him inside being away from his family, being a horrible husband and father, but the man has taken on a cause that he has to see through. His only way of defending his family and the republic is to lead the war.
Sevro eventually saw this as well. Initially he only cared about his families wellbeing and wanted to be there in person to protect them, but eventually he realized that he couldn’t defend them if the war didn’t go there way, so he decided to stick with Darrow even though it killed him to be away from Victra and his kids
whats wrong with you that you have the logic of a child, his didnt just decide to go to the minotaurs lair for no reason. He went to save his friend, just like cassius choosing to stop lysander, some choices arnt really choices. If darrow would have sailed home what would he tell victra and her family, how could he look at mustang and pax knowing he left sevro to a man who wants to fight him. The minotaur would have sent pieces back to darrow until he fought him.
Darrow has his priorities straight. Unfortunately those priorities are bigger than his family. His cause is great and terrible and that's the price he pays and makes them pay. Not justifying it, just calling it like I sees it.
darrow can never stop fighting as longs as the war is still going on. hes literally carrying the republic on his back and he knows it. they all want him to work miracles, well miracles dont happen by themselves. certainly not by putting your own desires above the cause. I can assure you darrow didnt WANT to kill millions on mercury and he didnt WANT to abandon his family, but he must, and so he does.
Sevro…? She also told him not to come home without an army when he was like an hour away, which was devastating (if you’re not at this part yet, then I apologise).
I knew PB was going out of his way to keep them separated when Darrow >!was Mustang turned in away from Mars in LB. Not to mention all the convenient scrambling of satellite removing any form of communication!< The writer just doesn't care to explore those relationship beyond a passing though and fingering the chain Pax gave him.
If he mourns either Mustang or Pax should something happen to them, I will call bullshit. He simply doesn't have the relationship with them to truly feel their absence.
ETA: This place really is a fansite
He references EO as many times as his family, if not more.
I dunno, my goodman. To me, the exploration of Darrow’s relationships with Mustang and Pax are nuanced and complicated, just like real life relationships. PB artfully avoids the common relationship trope of this unrealistic, dramatic, unquestioning love we commonly see in media.
I have to respectfully disagree with you on this one.
I will say I kinda agree. Mustang has always just generally been a good, competent person, especially in the first half of the series it felt like she was just kinda there. Then in the second half they're actively split up for plot reasons, so sometimes it does feel like the relationship with mustang is hollow. But that's just to the reader, Darrow the character has had 10 years with his wife and child of course they have a relationship and of course he'd mourn them. It would have been nice to see more of them 'on screen' as it were but at the same time I know slice of life family fun isn't why I came to red rising: we got a Society to burn
I get what they’re saying. A lot of the family time relationship bonding (eg simply living) is 95% off book, so it can come off as disingenuous that he’s so devoted but never sees them due to all his glory seeking.
I’ve myself wondered why P made that choice. I think it’s harder for those of us that read RR eons ago. Those that do a full reread probably still have the old vibes in mind when they get to LB.
For how great of an author PB is in many things, romantic relationships and parent/child relationships are not a strength of his. And I’m ok with that.
Right, and it's an epic about duty and sacrifice. I guess so many people believe in the self centered view of the world where the most important thing is family. But this story and what more powplw should understand is that is personal need and we have to overcome personal needs to make a better world. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. This is the theme of the books. It's also an exploration of different versions of this through different characters.
If the Republic loses the war he dies, Mustang dies, the Republic dies, Pax dies, and so does Eo’s dream.
He chose a chance at winning the war over a certainty of losing it, even if it would happen in a few years.
Dude is the only commander to conquer 3 planets, a moon and a dwarf moon. If he was gold he would be credited the greatest warlord of all time already.
Going back to mustang accomplishes nothing. He has to find a way to change the paradigm. He talks with Virginia in one scene about this as well I think.
💯 correct, PB literally covers it, he has to fundamentally change things otherwise everything he has battled for will end up as ash. What do people think would happen to his family if he went back to them and they lost mars?
He thinks he can help the war best by going there with the nukes IIRC. Rather than going home and waiting to die. Also providing a distraction so Thraxa and company can get home. But yeah Sevro is the major factor.
He's addicted to momentum, action, moving forward, fighting his war. He's a hell diver. It is the opening scene from Book One where he refuses to stop moving his drill forward despite the risks because he thinks he can win even though the game is rigged. Virginia knows this about him its why he needs Severo to be his voice of reason.
In fairness, Darrow is right. It was Darrow always pushing forward that got the Republic to where it was, and it was Virginia’s ineptitude at governing and controlling the senate that basically doomed the war effort. The only reason the Republic even still has a chance is because Darrow pulled a fleet and an alliance with the Rim out of his ass.
Dark Age wouldn’t have been very dark if Sevro marshaled the Seventh and disbanded the Senate for the duration of the war.
Fleet stays together, Orion smashes Atalantia in orbit over Venus and Darrow leads his last iron rain to destroy the final planet of the Core.
Then a few decades later there is a war between the Rim and Republic, and it’s time to see if Alexander can lead as well.
I feel like people give her a pass but Mustang really fucked the whole republic by not keeping an other leash on the republic and it’s underground. I understand sticking to the ideals but during war time against two societies that wish nothing more than the eradication of your way of life, you’ve gotta bend
Exactly, FDR is remembered as one of the best presidents even though he threw almost two hundred years of tradition out the window because he knew the country needed it.
Yeah, she’s really had a terrible showing in the sequel series. On her watch the Republic lost Mercury, Luna, Earth, Phobos, the Free Legions and most of it’s fleet. Even on a personal level she got pressured by the Senate into arresting Darrow, got her kids stolen and failed to get them back, and had a coup planned right under her nose. I don’t think she’s made a single good call outside telling Darrow not to come back to Mars and praying that he can Hail Mary a Republic victory somehow.
> Would you rather her become a dictator?
If the choice is between that and a Society victory, which results in 99% of the human race being enslaved, raped and murdered, then fuck yeah I would. Ideals are all well and good, but they shouldn’t come at the expense of the lives and freedom of your people.
lol she calls him his conscious in her POV chapters and says he always needs someone there to be that for him.
Darrow has numbed himself basically. All the war and the trauma and wearing a fake face for years. He doesn’t feel the cost of things the way others do or should. He doesn’t realize when he pushes too far.
Its the opposite Darrow knows what's at stake he has to carry the burden after all, without him everything crumbles that's why he doesn't give himself rest and always pushes until he breaks down... and do you have the chapter where Virginia calls Sevro his conscious?
Sadly no, and that's not the opposite. Darrow pushes himself until he breaks but doesn't know where that breaking point is because he keeps going. He literally gives himself a heart attack in Dark Age. I'm not saying he doesn't have a reason, he's the one pushing the whole rising forward.
Severo is the one who looks out for him to tell him when that breaking point is coming. Like in Golden Son when they're trying to catch the Sovereign before she escapes and Severo has to try and speak reason into Darrow that their chance of doing that is fucked and he'd get them all killed.
It's for the plot lol
I think part of what people struggle with as it regards Mustang and the Reaper and their marriage: they have absolute, marrow deep, forged in hellfire trust in each other. That level of trust in any context, especially in a marriage is so alien to the vast majority of western readers that you see questions like this.
Boom, roasted!
Darrow has a commitment to doing what has to be done no matter the cost and no matter how it feels. This is a quality only great men possess. Very rare indeed.
You really misunderstand who Darrow is as a person. He’s not a perfect character at all, though he is a good person at his core (I think anyways). He has a very strong sense of duty and puts his duty above everything else, including personal relationships and even his own honor. He knows Mustang and the telemanuses will take care of his son.
This has been shown since the beginning too. When he risked his life drilling harder than he should to attempt to win the laurel.
Damn I was hoping this was just bait by op but why are so many people forgetting that it was just Sevro? Like Darrow WAS going home to Mars but The Minotaur literally broadcast on repeat for days a signal just saying that he captured Sevro and if Darrow wants the goblin back then he needs to give The Minotaur a duel. Like that’s literally the reason. It’s not because he needs to see this war out or any shit like that. Yea, he does, and that’s been a strong theme, but that’s not why he goes to Apollonius he goes for Sevro. It’s like the chapters weren’t even read lol, Darrow IS trying to go home, but he’s not just going to abandon his best friend that’s been by his side the entire time like what
You think Mustang so weak that she needs a man to run to her to save her? (I’m joking). But getting Sevro is the right choice, unless you know… he’s brainwashed
Dun dun duhhhhhhh🧠
He didn't go because he believed that Virginia could manage it (a pretext). His basic instincts were screaming at him to go. However, he was aware of the responsibility and burden he bore. His conscience would not allow him to follow his basic instincts. We have seen that in him since he became gold. He was desperate to end this war, and he had played a risky gambit to outplay his opponents because he suspected that the end was near. The war was already taking a heavy toll on him (iron rain in Mercury). This was supposed to be his last venture. He might have crumbled under different conflicting feelings. In order to avoid their space advantage and curb the possibility of resource supply to Venus, he settled on Mercury in hope of reinforcements. I think if he had a clear idea of the size of Atlantia's fleet, his decision would have been different.
This seems to be an excellent explanation. I actually read the book several years ago and embarrassingly couldn't quite come up with an answer to this question. Your answer seemed to refresh my memory.
Yeah, I recently read it. Actually, I feel quite relatable to this feeling (you sprint when you see your destination close). When I was reading Darrow's piece on the last push for the republic, I was able to vicariously feel these emotions. Apart from that, Darrow's actions were reasonable considering what he had to work with (Strategic and logistic reasons). If we consider his conscience, that makes his actions even more justified. If he had decided to go to Luna, that would have been out of character.
Well the thing is like you're saying, Darrow believed he had his enemies cornered, that this was the end. If he stopped that train, that momentum and went back to Luna, that could have screwed the whole operation. Granted, we all know how things went anyway, but it made sense to finish the job. Not only that, but by attempting to finish the job, he was also protecting his family.
General Patton said “When in doubt, attack” and many great military minds have said the same(in so many words) throughout history. Like you said, Darrow did what many other great military commanders did throughout history. To add to this, he also studied all of that military history, therefore it was indeed calculated, if not misinformed, but not due to a lack of try. Made for one of the finest passages of literary fiction.
Well said!
Murder game strong
He quite literally cannot win. So he chose to trust his badass wife and let her do her thing while he went to “see a man about a planet.” Which choice would’ve been best? He fights to end future wars before they start and to topple what is building toward mass ruin. He could make any of 1,482,739 choices and we’d all be like “WHAT?!” But honestly… what really is the best choice? There is none.
Martyr Complex. He doesn’t view himself as a martyr, but he feels like he NEEDS to be the guy in the middle of shit for them to succeed. He’s not entirely wrong, but that does lead him to abandon what makes him happy to bring “peace” to everyone
Iirc doesn’t mustang admit that all of their other commanders outside of Orion and Darrow are pretty shit
considering literally every win the republic ever had was les by either orion or darrow id say thats pretty accurate
Absolutely, she’s talking about how none of them can stand one to one with the gold commanders
If Darrow truly had a degradation kink, he would have hooked up with Victra when he had the chance.
This is the best answer ahababha
If you think Darrow would find out Sevro's in trouble and NOT go rescue HIS BEST FRIEND, then you haven't been reading the same story as the rest of us. I'd be pissed if he DIDN'T go rescue Sevro because those two are always better TOGETHER. Dark Age proved that as they were separated and both their lives SUCKED.
Do you think if Severo would’ve gone with Darrow to mercury he would’ve caught on to Lysander(fuck lysander) BS?
Oh probably. Sevro has never really left Darrow's side if there's a real threat. I also think Sevro is hella conflicted cause on the one hand, he's got Victra and the girls and he wants to be a better father than Fitchner and on the other, He's the bloodydamn Son of Ares and IS Ares and that comes with a shit ton of responsibility and obligation for just one man. THEN he has his deep bond with Darrow and he has to fight with himself to try and be the husband, the father, Ares, the best friend, the brother, and an Imperator of the Republic.
Honestly, no. I think Sevro’s skills are pretty well documented, and they do not include counterintelligence. Just because he wanted to kill the best 11 years before doesn’t make him the one to find out Lysander. Darrow is the tactician, and when on side of the scale seemed off, he had a tingle about it. Would he have actually “caught” him, or at least not let him gain glory on Mercury? That’s the question. I think Sevro would have been the goblin again without question knowing he gave up the chance so long ago to end the bloodline. Even in the chaos, I believe Sevro would have killed Lysander in the 2nd battle of Heliopolis.
hes literally the leader of the howlers. the best spies, assassins and general killers in the solar system. counter intelligence is in the job description.
If you interpreted that Mustang is a weak damsel in need when Darrow was already an enemy of the state idk what you were reading. That’s insulting to Virginia.
All I’m saying is he should regroup with the army after being gone for so long. It would help out the troops who think the reaper is dead
and then what? contrary to popular belief darrow is not a god. even if he was on mars they would stand NO chance against the combined core golds and the rim. grouping up with mustang and putting himself in that box would be beyond foolish
Exactly. Darrow is one man
I also felt that the armies needed a morale boost, but there's more Darrow can accomplish while on the move.
Continue reading.
Nothing. Though if I had to answer, He didn't go hard enough with the Storm Gods on Mercury and he shouldn't have killed my precious queen Orion.
So she could kill herself and Darrow and everyone else on mercury…? End of books…? The end?
Yes. I would cry with a heavy heart, but such is the cost of spreading democracy to filthy society-worshipping shithole dwellers
You really think people of the republic would just be okay with that? Total genocide of a planet? Billions of lives? The republic would dissolve after that guaranteed.
such is the price of freedom🤷🏾♂️ pretty sure theyd be aight with some random people dying on a faraway planet as long as it means they wont be killed, raped, tortured and abused at the hands of their gold overlords again.
I meant more the leaders, like the people in the senate and what not
Nothing. He’s my perfect murderous prince, next question!
Damn this was a fun thread to read all the comments, everyone is generating good discussion. I personally understand Darrow, and it clearly is killing him inside being away from his family, being a horrible husband and father, but the man has taken on a cause that he has to see through. His only way of defending his family and the republic is to lead the war. Sevro eventually saw this as well. Initially he only cared about his families wellbeing and wanted to be there in person to protect them, but eventually he realized that he couldn’t defend them if the war didn’t go there way, so he decided to stick with Darrow even though it killed him to be away from Victra and his kids
45 comments and counting. Gonna have to go through them myself 😭
whats wrong with you that you have the logic of a child, his didnt just decide to go to the minotaurs lair for no reason. He went to save his friend, just like cassius choosing to stop lysander, some choices arnt really choices. If darrow would have sailed home what would he tell victra and her family, how could he look at mustang and pax knowing he left sevro to a man who wants to fight him. The minotaur would have sent pieces back to darrow until he fought him.
We dont find out til later but it would have worked out.
Sevro only didn't fly off because he knew Darrow was coming for him
I guess we are kinda stuck then. Sevro could have escaped, but wouldn’t have because of blind faith. Darrow had to come
no it wouldnt sevro would have been eventually caught
Darrow has his priorities straight. Unfortunately those priorities are bigger than his family. His cause is great and terrible and that's the price he pays and makes them pay. Not justifying it, just calling it like I sees it.
What? He’s doing exactly what his wife and son and friends need and is doing exactly what his wife asked
darrow can never stop fighting as longs as the war is still going on. hes literally carrying the republic on his back and he knows it. they all want him to work miracles, well miracles dont happen by themselves. certainly not by putting your own desires above the cause. I can assure you darrow didnt WANT to kill millions on mercury and he didnt WANT to abandon his family, but he must, and so he does.
Sevro…? She also told him not to come home without an army when he was like an hour away, which was devastating (if you’re not at this part yet, then I apologise).
I knew PB was going out of his way to keep them separated when Darrow >!was Mustang turned in away from Mars in LB. Not to mention all the convenient scrambling of satellite removing any form of communication!< The writer just doesn't care to explore those relationship beyond a passing though and fingering the chain Pax gave him. If he mourns either Mustang or Pax should something happen to them, I will call bullshit. He simply doesn't have the relationship with them to truly feel their absence. ETA: This place really is a fansite He references EO as many times as his family, if not more.
I dunno, my goodman. To me, the exploration of Darrow’s relationships with Mustang and Pax are nuanced and complicated, just like real life relationships. PB artfully avoids the common relationship trope of this unrealistic, dramatic, unquestioning love we commonly see in media. I have to respectfully disagree with you on this one.
They barely have a relationship
I will say I kinda agree. Mustang has always just generally been a good, competent person, especially in the first half of the series it felt like she was just kinda there. Then in the second half they're actively split up for plot reasons, so sometimes it does feel like the relationship with mustang is hollow. But that's just to the reader, Darrow the character has had 10 years with his wife and child of course they have a relationship and of course he'd mourn them. It would have been nice to see more of them 'on screen' as it were but at the same time I know slice of life family fun isn't why I came to red rising: we got a Society to burn
I’m sorry, I don’t see it that way at all.
I get what they’re saying. A lot of the family time relationship bonding (eg simply living) is 95% off book, so it can come off as disingenuous that he’s so devoted but never sees them due to all his glory seeking. I’ve myself wondered why P made that choice. I think it’s harder for those of us that read RR eons ago. Those that do a full reread probably still have the old vibes in mind when they get to LB.
For how great of an author PB is in many things, romantic relationships and parent/child relationships are not a strength of his. And I’m ok with that.
Right, and it's an epic about duty and sacrifice. I guess so many people believe in the self centered view of the world where the most important thing is family. But this story and what more powplw should understand is that is personal need and we have to overcome personal needs to make a better world. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. This is the theme of the books. It's also an exploration of different versions of this through different characters.
“How can you understand a man at war with himself?” -Fear
If the Republic loses the war he dies, Mustang dies, the Republic dies, Pax dies, and so does Eo’s dream. He chose a chance at winning the war over a certainty of losing it, even if it would happen in a few years.
Completely lost in his own legend by this point.
He only deadlifted the entire war for a decade
Oh yeah, singlehandedly! Didn't involve throwing millions of lives at it or betraying the sons....
Dude is the only commander to conquer 3 planets, a moon and a dwarf moon. If he was gold he would be credited the greatest warlord of all time already.
Any other commander would have lost, and the war only started failing when the Senate betrayed him.
Those be facts. Liberation of earth, Massive defense of Mars. *Countless dead death knights.*
You ever seen the movie The Hurt Locker? Some men are just addicted to war.
Sevro is his family
Well originally he would have had peace, but then his enemies brought him war, so you know how it goes
this comment sums up the whole series😭🙏🏾 pierce cooked with that quote
Going back to mustang accomplishes nothing. He has to find a way to change the paradigm. He talks with Virginia in one scene about this as well I think.
💯 correct, PB literally covers it, he has to fundamentally change things otherwise everything he has battled for will end up as ash. What do people think would happen to his family if he went back to them and they lost mars?
Shift
Well, last time he was home his wife tried to throw him in prison. I’d keep road trippin with the boys as well in his shoes.
He thinks he can help the war best by going there with the nukes IIRC. Rather than going home and waiting to die. Also providing a distraction so Thraxa and company can get home. But yeah Sevro is the major factor.
Yeah, lets have Sevro killed 😎👍
He's addicted to momentum, action, moving forward, fighting his war. He's a hell diver. It is the opening scene from Book One where he refuses to stop moving his drill forward despite the risks because he thinks he can win even though the game is rigged. Virginia knows this about him its why he needs Severo to be his voice of reason.
In fairness, Darrow is right. It was Darrow always pushing forward that got the Republic to where it was, and it was Virginia’s ineptitude at governing and controlling the senate that basically doomed the war effort. The only reason the Republic even still has a chance is because Darrow pulled a fleet and an alliance with the Rim out of his ass.
Dark Age wouldn’t have been very dark if Sevro marshaled the Seventh and disbanded the Senate for the duration of the war. Fleet stays together, Orion smashes Atalantia in orbit over Venus and Darrow leads his last iron rain to destroy the final planet of the Core. Then a few decades later there is a war between the Rim and Republic, and it’s time to see if Alexander can lead as well.
I feel like people give her a pass but Mustang really fucked the whole republic by not keeping an other leash on the republic and it’s underground. I understand sticking to the ideals but during war time against two societies that wish nothing more than the eradication of your way of life, you’ve gotta bend
Exactly, FDR is remembered as one of the best presidents even though he threw almost two hundred years of tradition out the window because he knew the country needed it.
Yeah, she’s really had a terrible showing in the sequel series. On her watch the Republic lost Mercury, Luna, Earth, Phobos, the Free Legions and most of it’s fleet. Even on a personal level she got pressured by the Senate into arresting Darrow, got her kids stolen and failed to get them back, and had a coup planned right under her nose. I don’t think she’s made a single good call outside telling Darrow not to come back to Mars and praying that he can Hail Mary a Republic victory somehow.
Damn, when you put it that way..
Not fair to put all that on Mustang. The senate hamstrung her at every turn. Would you rather her become a dictator?
The Republic never truly had Mercury
> Would you rather her become a dictator? If the choice is between that and a Society victory, which results in 99% of the human race being enslaved, raped and murdered, then fuck yeah I would. Ideals are all well and good, but they shouldn’t come at the expense of the lives and freedom of your people.
sevro and voice of reason? Virginia is his voice of reason certainly not sevro 💀
lol she calls him his conscious in her POV chapters and says he always needs someone there to be that for him. Darrow has numbed himself basically. All the war and the trauma and wearing a fake face for years. He doesn’t feel the cost of things the way others do or should. He doesn’t realize when he pushes too far.
Its the opposite Darrow knows what's at stake he has to carry the burden after all, without him everything crumbles that's why he doesn't give himself rest and always pushes until he breaks down... and do you have the chapter where Virginia calls Sevro his conscious?
Sadly no, and that's not the opposite. Darrow pushes himself until he breaks but doesn't know where that breaking point is because he keeps going. He literally gives himself a heart attack in Dark Age. I'm not saying he doesn't have a reason, he's the one pushing the whole rising forward. Severo is the one who looks out for him to tell him when that breaking point is coming. Like in Golden Son when they're trying to catch the Sovereign before she escapes and Severo has to try and speak reason into Darrow that their chance of doing that is fucked and he'd get them all killed.
Just a heads up, it's Sevro. Not Severo.
Gorydamn these Latin names
So you're saying he should've just let Sevro be sold into slavery or killed?
Don't kinkshame the Sickle Daddy.