#all i want is for caspar to be free of the soldier mindset his father drilled into him

[vonbergerpants]

What's your opinion on Caspar father if you don't mind because DEAR GOD I HATE THAT GUY

Hoo boy if anyone came in here expecting me to be a Leopold Apologist, they will be SORELY disappointed. This is a Leopold Hate Zone.

So! It's time for another essay!

Caspar's been gaslit to believe that his father is a great man, brave and powerful, fearless and to be feared, a fair and just man to his soldiers and deserving of utmost respect for his accomplishments, but shows classic signs of ignoring everything about him that makes him a terrible father, regardless of his status as a military man.

To place his son's value based on how well he fights is exactly what kept Caspar believing that fighting is literally all he's good for if all he's ever known is "I have to keep getting stronger just to prove myself" and that mindset starts with his father treating him as a soldier from infancy. Because he's known nothing but training and fighting, he believes he can't do anything else, even though we all know full well he's fully capable of trying.

He doesn't even know what to do with himself if he can't be relied on for his fighting ability, and then he deflects with more of his developed habit of training non-stop to the point of exhaustion!

Speaking of his training, how is it okay to force your kid to do insane training exercises that are considered ridiculous, to the point where he's even doing night training?

It's no wonder people think training's all he cares about, because he's been enduring it like THIS since he was a child and it's all he's been taught to do non-stop! Breaking away from that does nothing but good for him because he deserves a break, and we know he won't accept one.

Yes, in Hopes, Azure Gleam shows a hint of Leopold showing his care for Caspar by telling him he sent him to the Academy to give him his own future (please correct me if I'm wrong on this ; this is what I've heard, I haven't played AG because Caspar's fate there makes me far too sad), but don't think I forgot about 3H canon where all he did was ask Caspar about how his training is going, and not... you know, how he's doing???

Leopold doesn't know how to treat his son like a father should. He only knows how to treat him like a soldier. And I know that I'm placing my opinion on him based on modern standards, and let's face it, by that standard, most dads in this game aren't great. This includes Waldemar, I have my own separate opinion of him (spoiler: it's not a positive one). But I'm still allowed to hate what Leopold's mindset towards his son did to Caspar's development as a character (see my longpost about what breaking from the Empire does for him - his positive growth outside of Crimson Flower includes having to break away from his father).

Caspar doesn't even fully realize the implications of his father's actions unless he spends time at the Officer's Academy, where he learns for the first time of what Leopold's done to Petra's father. Where he weighs his own self-worth because he learns about it and sees it for what it is; a tragedy, which he believes he himself should weigh the burden of guilt for. This is where Caspar starts to see the cracks in his image of his father (and anything before it could be straight-up denial, but that's all headcanon), but those cracks conveniently go away once he follows the CF route.

And let's not forget the fact that he owns a grounding charm, an item specifically made to calm his anxiety towards thunderstorms. Where did that fear come from? Leopold. He literally gave Caspar a fear response to thunderstorms.

Leopold is a good general. He is NOT a good father.

In conclusion:

Leopold: I raised a perfectly good soldier.

Me: You raised a kid with self-worth issues is what you did. Look at him, he's got anxiety.