#tune in next time for more ‘not dune 2 good. i’m unwell’ content

[junewild]

nil is so interesting to me as a character.

on the one hand, obv i believe it’s unacceptable to declare any group of humans as inherently disposable & especially to set yourself up as judge, jury, and executioner for them. he’s open about the fact that he’s not a good person, & he admits that he chooses bandits because he sees them as subhuman & therefore can avoid any consequences he might experience from hunting them.

on the other, he also says he confessed to his war crimes & accepted the punishment without balking, which isn’t what you’d expect from a sociopath who targets bandits because society won’t care. so. is he better or worse than eg serial killers who target prostitutes because they’re seen as disposal by society? is he actually making the world a better place? & does it matter?

& no matter which side of the “it’s for the ultimate good” vs “it’s a bad attitude” of the argument you come down on, the way he calls out aloy for her self-appointed duty as protector of the weak is fascinating. “i’ll keep your secret—that, deep inside, it feels good to kill someone” (paraphrased).

it almost feels like a little nod to the player. “oh? are you feeling satisfied in your ability to land headshots and nail silent takedowns? have we successfully gamified killing? what is an acceptable casualty, & why are you the one who gets to decide that?”