#hnk isn't a revenge story

[ranan-culus]

I've seen this thrown around a lot, but why do so many people assume that Phos hates everyone and won't pray out of spite, when the first thing they wanted to do after getting Sensei's eye is rebuilt everyone? All that they've ever wanted was to get the Moon people to stop hurting them. To be happy.

Though I do not think they'll pray, I do think they'll end up guiding the moon people to Nirvana, as Shiro and the board game also endes up leaving their plane of existence.

[pitchlag]

Man I would love seeing more non-western readings of Houseki no Kuni

[mir-mape]

/hnk ch 98 spoilers (my thoughts on it, for anyone interested)

I know people seem to be very discontent with this chapter but, for some reason, I feel quite alright with it. It was predictable, Phos didn't get justice for themselves, and I understand where everyone complaining about this is coming from because I also think that.

And yet, ch 98 feels cathartic in a way. It feels like the natural conclusion to the story, though it's true that we still have some chapters left to go so we'll see. But for now, I think this is the only way left Phos could be able to find peace.

They tried attacking the people who hurt them already, and it didn't work. They didn't have any type of closure after that.

If they had decided to refuse to pray and get revenge, as quite a few fans wanted (I also wanted that at some point tbh), the story really couldn't finish. We wouldn't be achieving any closure. Because Phos would still be alone and drowning in their pain, and the rest would be eternally trapped there. The cycle would just be repeating itself. To be fair, during the hiatus, that's how I thought the manga would go: Phos taking the place of Kongo and the story repeating itself.

This way, even if it's extremely bittersweet, even if it's extremely unfair because Phos really didn't deserve all of that, is the only way the story could actually be over.

They're inmortal beings with eternally lasting mistakes. I don't even know if Phos really forgave them; that isn't exactly what I feel happened, even though that's what probably did happen. Personally, I think they're also tired of fighting and just want to get it over with— They've always been alone, so they may as well be alone and in peace.