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braham-is-bi · 4 years

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Okay so normally I would have left it at the bitchy post and move on but honestly I’ve had problems with Caithe’s writing for a long time and it’s high time I made a rant post so I can stop thinking about it.

Under the cut is a giant rant about how Anet shafted Caithe’s character and didn’t do her nearly close to the justice she deserved, while in the process messing with the Commander’s story in ways that still bother me and that I’ve rewritten in my own personal canon.

Tagging this as long post in case the readmore breaks. Tagging it as Caithe for personal filing. Don’t like it, don’t read it.

(spoilers for the entire game up through episode 5 of season 4 as well as mentions of abuse and criticisms of Caithe.)

TL;DR - Caithe’s writing is mediocre at best, but she had a lot of potential that was squandered. In my opinion.

The first major problem I have with Caithe’s story is simply the fact that the first and only wlw relationship we’re shown in game for a long time (I think 2 years? no canon major wlw relationships until the end of Season 1) is abusive. While I know Caithe as a character is great way for a lot of wlw to project and relate, it’s still not a great start.

That said, it’s because of this past abusive relationship that we get the base of Caithe’s character and the potential for growth. Caithe closes herself off from everyone and clearly has depression that’s affecting her worldview. Relationships only end in pain, friendships will get you hurt. Combine this with the secret (the Sylvari origin) she’s carrying that alienates her from her own kind and you’ve got the makings of a really dark backstory that gives plenty of potential for a story of “no matter what you’ve been through, you can learn to be happy again.”

In my opinion her involvement in the personal story is....eh. It matches the rest of the writing there. A bit flat, but overall fine with a note of hope at the end that’s pleasant. The Commander is there to bring hope to the hopeless and to beat dragon minions with their favorite stick.

Skipping to season 2, I personally think this is the only truly good season of writing for Caithe. Albeit her involvement is a bit sparse (that’s the problem with trying to juggle so many characters.) but the moments she does get are good. Caithe’s betrayal of the Commander by stealing the egg was honestly one of my favorite moments of her writing. I was genuinely upset with her.

But this leads us to more insight into how terrible Caithe’s relationship with Faolain was and just how devoted Caithe can be to those she loves as well as how abusers can use their power to make their victims do things they would normally never do. I mean Caithe helped Faolain slaughter an entire village of peaceful centaurs (never mind the incredibly racist Native American stereotypes behind the centaurs and the fact that the tribe was killed by British coded people...that’s a different analysis for a different time). It reveals just how truly heavy Caithe’s burden is while also giving us a sense of terror and realization of how fucked things are.

And then she abandons us to fight the Shadow of the Dragon all by ourselves (a particularly hurtful callback to a Sylvari commander).

In Heart of Thorns her writing is...up and down. Finally finding her and having the egg choose us over her is...a moment I’m conflicted on. Yet another moment of the Commander overshadowing her. But it also gives her more justification to close herself off further.

I would have liked more emotional talk from Caithe to vinetooth Faolain, but I understand why they didn’t do that. Caithe is, at the end of the day, extremely goal oriented. Worrying about her feelings while Mordremoth still lives is simply not something she can do.

Season 3 marks the starts of my real problems with Caithe and her writing. The base game through HoT sets us up with the understanding that Caithe has a one track mind. Whatever her current goal is, that’s the only thing she sees. Blinders on, all there is forward. It’s a good character trait that can be both a good quality and a serious flaw.

But the thing anet seems to forget is that once the blinders come off, Caithe can see the mess around her.

Her eldest brother is dead, as well as her friend and her ex lover. And at least part of it was her own doing. Not only did Caithe steal the egg and constantly distract the Commander from their goal of saving Dragon’s Watch and Trahearne, but Caithe knew that the Sylvari were Mordremoth’s minions and told nobody. Imagine if Caithe had revealed this to Trahearne. Imagine if the Pact had been more cautious entering the fray, uncertain what may happen when the Sylvari get close to the dragon that should be controlling them. Things could have been wildly different.

Instead there is no reflection. There’s no moment where you find Caithe just outside of Eir’s place, grieving and trying to process all her emotions. There’s no chance for the Commander to truly be upset with Caithe.

I certainly don’t count the forgiveness Caithe tried to force out of us in the middle of battle as proper anger or emotional processing for either of them. Why can’t I be mad that Caithe didn’t tell anybody the truth? Why can’t Caithe have a moment where she finally talks about her present emotions and has personal growth? Why must her character be so stagnant?

She literally ends her scene with a moment of self pity, proving she’s learned nothing this entire time.

I have no problems with her part in the egg chamber. Aurene is her new Wyld Hunt and she wants to prove to the Commander that she wants to help. Even if the Commander knows better than to trust her anymore.

And now we have to hop allllll the way to season 4 episode 4 to talk about Caithe again. Cause apparently Anet isn’t sexist for not including their women characters, but fans are sexist for not liking them.

Caithe appears at the end of A Star to Guide Us, revealing with a comment that she’s been around for a lot longer than she’s given on but didn’t feel compelled to help us or defend/comfort Aurene. In fact, she has yet another moment of self pity. Telling us that she felt like Aurene didn’t need her anymore cause she flew to Elona to try and save us from death instead of sitting in the egg chamber with Caithe. Cause that’s what I want from the adoptive mother of my child (who’s Wyld Hunt is literally to protect said child), abandonment at the first sign of independence. Not bothering to help save said child from death but then looking for pity and sympathy from the parent who literally died for Aurene.

All or Nothing has one moment that bothers me in particular regarding Caithe. Her branding. While I don’t see anything wrong with the act itself, it was honestly quite touching, I think it was handled poorly and completely erases the Commander’s connection to Aurene. The Commander has had a link to Aurene since she was an egg. That’s YEARS for the bond to grow between them. In A Bug In The System Aurene literally lets us see through her eyes. In Season 3 she’s shown to be following us around while we save the day. There’s an entire mastery line dedicated to our bond with her.

But instead Caithe gets everything. The psychic bond, the new look, all of the story attention. She’s even shown to be one of the only one who cares about Aurene’s feelings (Taimi being the other) even above the Commander.

And the whole reason they do this is so they can finally move Caithe’s character along. Because she’s never once in the writing allowed to grow or learn from her experience. The only way Caithe is allowed to have a happy ending is if someone else fixes her problems and fills the pain up with purpose once again.

That isn’t good writing.

Caithe never once in her entire story arc grows on her own. She’s never allowed to get better or to see more to life unless it’s handed to her on a crystal platter.

Does this mean that I hate her? No. Does it mean that I dislike her writing? Oh yeah. Caithe is repeatedly forced back into her personality from the base game and not allowed to develop in any way unless someone else makes her. That’s infuriating. Where is my story about someone leaving an abusive relationship, trying to make up for the mistakes they made when they were younger, and learning to find happiness in the people around her on the way?

I see why people love her. I see why wlw care about her so much. But to say that her writing is perfect is a lie and shows that you’re projecting your own fanon onto her to fill in the gaps.

You can still love a character while admitting the flaws both in them and their writing.

#gw2 #guild wars 2 #caithe #long post

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