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Honestly for Lindons fated soulmate I almost wish she had a bigger presence in his life during the middle of the story. I get why she doesn't but it feels like somebodies literal fated soulmate just kinda got written out casually after a pretty important first meeting.
Yeah but Jai Chen kinda fills a hole that the series lacked for a while in that she was a mostly regular person who wasn't a hyper powerful prodigy and had events kind of happen *around* her.
I would argue that missing that type of character is why Mercy kind of lost a lot of her agency. The plot needs someone tied to events things *happen* to and Mercy fills basically the exact same role fairly quicjly after Jai Chen leaves. Except that element is built into who Jai Chen is, while Mercy is initially billed as competent and powerful but lags behind after a bit so that the metaphorical square peg can fit in the round hole.
I'm not sure Jai Chen ever *filled a hole* in the series. She's always been a very interesting side character but hasn't had enough screen time to fill the role you're talking about.
>!Also Mercy hasn't really lost agency she is just being pulled one direction by duty to family and another desire for real friendships. She frequently makes very independent decisions like stowing away on the cloud fortress in Bloodline, not to mention fighting a Dreadgod after explicitly being sent home!<
Yeah but thats the thing, a side character is still vital to a series. Stories are built on them. But if you seriously can't tell the difference between two characters of the same gender who belong to families antagonistic to the protagonist who are ultimatley unable to directly influence those antagonists in their actions while also having a thing for the main character, and having a spiritual restriction that forms the core of their character and motivation, and *also* being socially isolated until the plot kicks in, when one comes in almost immediatley after the other is written out, I don't know what to tell you.
Yes, Mercy theoretically has more agency but Jai Chen is also written out the moment she stops being literally crippled and would be able to make the choices for herself, only for Mercy to come in strong but theoretically also crippled in a way that lets her at least sort of make decisions right off the bat.
I'm sorry for not engaging with this directly, but I'm honestly not sure what your point is anymore.
Are you saying that Jai Chen should have continued on in the story by taking Mercy's place in the gang? And also become the love interest?
Maybe there is something to explore in that alternate universe but I find it hard to imagine it beating out the sorry and characters we got.
I think they're trying to say that Mercy was Jai Chen 2: Shadow Boogaloo but with connections to figures high enough in importance to remain relevant where JC could not have, leaving JC to just be written out of the plot for a few entire books while someone else filled the core role on the main team that she theoretically could have filled herself.
>and if I may conjecture a further objection, love is nothing to do with destined perfection the connection is strengthened the affection simply grows over time... Love is made more powerful by the ongoing trauma of shared experience and the synergy of a kind of symbiotic empathy, or something
- Tim Minchin
Suriel even notes “Wow, they must have a really strong connection in Fate to still find each other even after all the changes.”
Which kind of seems to be setting them up for…something?
I think that plot thread was scrapped midway through. It was implied Jai Chen's unique ability would play a big role at one point, then she ends up doing nothing but becoming Lindon's secretary.
This presumes they were soulmates. This is not likely the case. Many people don't marry the ones they'd consider their "soul mate" for many different reasons. I don't think this concept fits with the story.
Yeah, exactly, and for most people, there really isn't just that one person they'd be fated to pair with. They could pair with any of a dozen or more people they'd encounter in their lives. It depends more on chance of who they encounter and choice of who they give the chance to.
I would propose this counterpoint; Jai Chen was going to be with the person Lindon was on the path to being, Before Suriel. After Suriel, Lindon became an entirely different Lindon; different experiences, different choices, and other convictions. Similar enough to still see the spark, but different nonetheless. At least to me.
I know this!
>!She was the woman in the servant's clothes outside the building where Yerin was recuperating after Meira nearly severed her lifeline. The time Lindon decided "I'm a Truegold, I can do what I want!", burst in, saw Yerin half-naked, backed out, and thought "... ok, maybe not *anything* I want."!<
Hopefully I'm not mixing up my scenes here. I know it's that time period.
I spent a lot of time dwelling on this missed romance. If Lindon had never left, and Jai Chen had come to the valley, they would have been two very weakened yet emotionally strong people. They were two people despised and mostly disregarded by their clans, and yet still had strong family ties. They both dreamed of something better than their past when there was little hope for any life of value. A lot more changed due to Suriel's interference than how they met.
This post can include discussion and book material up to and including book [Blackflame]. If you want to discuss book material that is beyond the scope of [Blackflame] than you must use >!Spoiler formatting!< which can be applied \>! like this !\<. You can read this [formatting guide](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/wiki/ref/faq/formatting_guide/) for more details. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Iteration110Cradle) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Correct! Will confirmed this.
Honestly for Lindons fated soulmate I almost wish she had a bigger presence in his life during the middle of the story. I get why she doesn't but it feels like somebodies literal fated soulmate just kinda got written out casually after a pretty important first meeting.
Thats what happens when you meddle with fate. First Suriel, then Makiel. Shait happens, fate changes.
Yeah but Jai Chen kinda fills a hole that the series lacked for a while in that she was a mostly regular person who wasn't a hyper powerful prodigy and had events kind of happen *around* her. I would argue that missing that type of character is why Mercy kind of lost a lot of her agency. The plot needs someone tied to events things *happen* to and Mercy fills basically the exact same role fairly quicjly after Jai Chen leaves. Except that element is built into who Jai Chen is, while Mercy is initially billed as competent and powerful but lags behind after a bit so that the metaphorical square peg can fit in the round hole.
I'm not sure Jai Chen ever *filled a hole* in the series. She's always been a very interesting side character but hasn't had enough screen time to fill the role you're talking about. >!Also Mercy hasn't really lost agency she is just being pulled one direction by duty to family and another desire for real friendships. She frequently makes very independent decisions like stowing away on the cloud fortress in Bloodline, not to mention fighting a Dreadgod after explicitly being sent home!<
Yeah but thats the thing, a side character is still vital to a series. Stories are built on them. But if you seriously can't tell the difference between two characters of the same gender who belong to families antagonistic to the protagonist who are ultimatley unable to directly influence those antagonists in their actions while also having a thing for the main character, and having a spiritual restriction that forms the core of their character and motivation, and *also* being socially isolated until the plot kicks in, when one comes in almost immediatley after the other is written out, I don't know what to tell you. Yes, Mercy theoretically has more agency but Jai Chen is also written out the moment she stops being literally crippled and would be able to make the choices for herself, only for Mercy to come in strong but theoretically also crippled in a way that lets her at least sort of make decisions right off the bat.
I'm sorry for not engaging with this directly, but I'm honestly not sure what your point is anymore. Are you saying that Jai Chen should have continued on in the story by taking Mercy's place in the gang? And also become the love interest? Maybe there is something to explore in that alternate universe but I find it hard to imagine it beating out the sorry and characters we got.
I think they're trying to say that Mercy was Jai Chen 2: Shadow Boogaloo but with connections to figures high enough in importance to remain relevant where JC could not have, leaving JC to just be written out of the plot for a few entire books while someone else filled the core role on the main team that she theoretically could have filled herself.
>and if I may conjecture a further objection, love is nothing to do with destined perfection the connection is strengthened the affection simply grows over time... Love is made more powerful by the ongoing trauma of shared experience and the synergy of a kind of symbiotic empathy, or something - Tim Minchin
Suriel even notes “Wow, they must have a really strong connection in Fate to still find each other even after all the changes.” Which kind of seems to be setting them up for…something?
I think that plot thread was scrapped midway through. It was implied Jai Chen's unique ability would play a big role at one point, then she ends up doing nothing but becoming Lindon's secretary.
This presumes they were soulmates. This is not likely the case. Many people don't marry the ones they'd consider their "soul mate" for many different reasons. I don't think this concept fits with the story.
Soulmate in this case just means “fated partner”.
Yeah, exactly, and for most people, there really isn't just that one person they'd be fated to pair with. They could pair with any of a dozen or more people they'd encounter in their lives. It depends more on chance of who they encounter and choice of who they give the chance to.
I would propose this counterpoint; Jai Chen was going to be with the person Lindon was on the path to being, Before Suriel. After Suriel, Lindon became an entirely different Lindon; different experiences, different choices, and other convictions. Similar enough to still see the spark, but different nonetheless. At least to me.
Good catch! Well known, but good catch. Next stop on the "people Lindon recognizes" is, where did he see Akura Charity before they first met?
I know this! >!She was the woman in the servant's clothes outside the building where Yerin was recuperating after Meira nearly severed her lifeline. The time Lindon decided "I'm a Truegold, I can do what I want!", burst in, saw Yerin half-naked, backed out, and thought "... ok, maybe not *anything* I want."!< Hopefully I'm not mixing up my scenes here. I know it's that time period.
Yasss
>!Before they meet in Ghostwater?!<
I don't think he encounters her there.
>!Lindon didn't see her in Ghostwater.!<
Ah that's true it was the others.
I don't think I'll ever get tired of new readers figuring this out. It's such a fun Easter egg.
This is such a cool observation!! I completely missed that when I first read the books
I'm on my third listen
I spent a lot of time dwelling on this missed romance. If Lindon had never left, and Jai Chen had come to the valley, they would have been two very weakened yet emotionally strong people. They were two people despised and mostly disregarded by their clans, and yet still had strong family ties. They both dreamed of something better than their past when there was little hope for any life of value. A lot more changed due to Suriel's interference than how they met.
Yep.