Evil, or just... persistent?

[drashizu.livejournal.com]

I've been wondering since reading the most recent book whether the Mede Empire can be called evil without being a little hypocritical. Certainly we don't want them to expand through our three little countries and make Eugenides's and everyone else's life less pleasant (or shorter). So I'm not suggesting changing their status to anything other than "The Bad Guys," but really, it could be said that they're just persistent and ambitious empire-builders. In some ways, the tactics they use are comparable to, say, Attolia's before she married Gen, or Sounis's, or any of the many meanie barons filling the two lowland countries.



Off the top of my head, first 3 things the Medes have done that are bad...

1. Nahuseresh urged Attolia to cut off Gen's hand. He did it intending to incite a violent political conflict. But honestly, he didn't make her do it, and he didn't make Eddis declare the subsequent war, either. Is this any more reprehensible than, on a smaller scale, Eugenides baiting Costis to punch him in the face? If you bait a dog, it bites. But as Teleus points out, men are not dogs.


2. He murdered barons while Attolia's back was turned. Murder's murder. Out of curiosity, I wonder how much of what he did in Attolia was okayed beforehand by his superiors back in the Fatherland? (er... the Mede Empire...)


3. He provided the services of the assassins that attacked Eugenides in KoA. But then, the king of Sounis paid for them and used them.

I bet there are more... yep, just thought of a fourth.

Anyway, to what extent are the things that the ambassadors have done out of the ordinary for the politics of this world? We know Attolia's court is already a cesspit; political murders happen all the time. A husband and a suitor both kicked the bucket at her hands alone, simply to secure her throne for herself. Although I recognize that these were ruthless things for her to do, truth be told they're part of what I like about her character. She's the Ice Queen.

When Sophos killed Hanaktos, I cheered, and then cheered again when he shot Akretenesh (which is inciting a war if I ever saw it! though, admittedly, not in a pre-planned, manipulative-bastard kind of way). And if I can be perfectly honest... although I find him slimy, like Attolia did, I also found myself really kind of liking Nahuseresh's character in QoA from getting to see all his interactions with Kamet. He was a bastard, but he wasn't pure scum, either. And Gen himself is nothing if not a bastard sometimes. (Magnificently so, but still.)

Basically, my question is, are we thinking of the Medes as evil primarily because they happen to be working against the wishes of our main characters, or, if the roles were reversed, would the Medes still just be evil? For that matter, am I right in thinking everyone feels the Medes are evil to some extent, or does someone disagree? What Mede evilness am I missing?

Comments

[ricardienne.livejournal.com]

I do think that it is significant, also, that Eugenides is doing what he is doing -- being a strong annux -- under duress from his gods. (My lightbulb moment of a few days ago was to realize that Eddis gets ticked off at Sounis when she walks out on him because he's accused Gen of trying to amass power for himself. She knows how much Gen is being forced and is unwilling to do what he is doing.) On the other hand, the drunk-on-a-parapet episode in KoA revealed that Eugenides himself can imagine himself wanting that power...

However, I submit that we don't know what pressures the Medes are under to expand (what do their gods say to them?).

[spellcoats.livejournal.com]

My lightbulb moment of a few days ago was to realize that Eddis gets ticked off at Sounis when she walks out on him because he's accused Gen of trying to amass power for himself.

Oh, wow, turn on my lightbulb! That hadn't even occurred to me.

[aged-crone.livejournal.com]

Hadn't thought of that!

And this was after Eugenides had told him that he could have the annux part with Gen's blessing (on their way to the tavern or pub or whatever it was).

[drashizu.livejournal.com]

You just made me understand that scene so much better.