Femto and his intentions....

I spoke to Aazealh about this and I would like to hear your opinions. When Guts encountered Femto after his corporeal incarnation he stated to Guts that he will not betray his dream. If Femto is an astral entity that was once the man Griffith that means he is carrying out a dream he developed as a human being. So, do you think any of his benevolent actions are genuine actions as Femto is evil but the dream he developed as a human might have involved being a somewhat benevolent King. He didn't specify what type of ruler he wanted to be. Do you think some of the kindness is part of his plan or manipuation?
 

Grail

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It's all manipulation. Femto is not a nice guy. Don't believe the hype! :femto:

I think it's notable, as you pointed out in your post, that we never see Griffith imagining himself as a king, sitting on a throne, bossing his imaginary subjects around, or any of that stuff. It was always the castle up on the hill, seemingly unattainable. I'm not sure if Miura specifically intended this, but keeping the notion of Griffith's dream locked on that image is very interesting. I don't think we're meant to think that Griffith ever wanted to be a benevolent or cruel ruler, but more like somebody who is acknowledged as having attained the pinnacle of what human civilization can achieve. I think he was driven by this innate knowledge of his own greatness to acquire that symbol, which led him to become the Griffith we eventually knew.

Now, I think that what Femto wants happens to be aligned with what Griffith wanted before the Eclipse, but now that he knows how the proverbial sausage is made, I think it's more like taking a victory lap rather than truly desiring it and working towards it as he did in his past life. He basically has had his kingdom in every sense but on paper since Falconia appeared. If I had to guess, maybe Femto "wants" to be king in the same way an adult looks back on wanting to achieve a childhood goal. It probably seems like small beans in compared to what his boss has in mind, but hey, if everything is set up for him to show up, win the war against the bad emperor, and plop the crown on his head, why not?:shrug:
 
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Walter

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Miura in the guidebook interview (2016): "Griffith is Griffith, and he seems appealing, but maybe from his side, Guts looks like the villain. And there are those who probably find the world Griffith creates to be to their convenience. From there it's a question of what's going to happen with this setting called Fantasia."

Seems pretty clear to me. I don't think any reader is supposed to be as blind as the "blind white sheep" that flock to Griffith. He's obliterated the sustainability for human life on the planet, and in the same stroke created a very small corner of the world where humanity can prosper—but only through him. That isn't benevolence.
 
Miura in the guidebook interview (2016): "Griffith is Griffith, and he seems appealing, but maybe from his side, Guts looks like the villain. And there are those who probably find the world Griffith creates to be to their convenience. From there it's a question of what's going to happen with this setting called Fantasia."

Seems pretty clear to me. I don't think any reader is supposed to be as blind as the "blind white sheep" that flock to Griffith. He's obliterated the sustainability for human life on the planet, and in the same stroke created a very small corner of the world where humanity can prosper—but only through him. That isn't benevolence.

I definitely see Griffith/Femto as a self serving entity with this Nietzsche type of philosophy or superiority complex, but I thought part of the dream for a kingdom was to let the people prosper. You are right, it isn't true benevolence but I guess I am trying to say he isn't entirely using them because does value them as members of his kingdom. He wants them to be happy because it serves his agenda, but he does genuinely want to see them succeed, that kind of thing.
 
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Aazealh

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this Nietzsche type of philosophy or superiority complex

This doesn't mean anything.

I thought part of the dream for a kingdom was to let the people prosper.

Did he ever say that? That his dream was to "let the people prosper"?

I guess I am trying to say he isn't entirely using them because does value them as members of his kingdom.

A farmer values his cattle, yet he still sends them off to the slaughterhouse.

He wants them to be happy because it serves his agenda, but he does genuinely want to see them succeed, that kind of thing.

Femto does not genuinely want people to "be happy and succeed", no.
 
Nietzsche claimed the exemplary human being must craft his/her own identity through self-realization and do so without relying on anything transcending that life—such as God or a soul.

I am saying Griffith has a philosophy similar to this, that is what that means. No, he did not say those words exactly but so far his actions have made those in Falconia happy to an extent as well as it being a safe place for them to prosper. Also, my exact words were that he wants them to be happy because it serves his agenda just like the rancher who feeds his cows.
 

Aazealh

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Staff member
Nietzsche claimed the exemplary human being must craft his/her own identity through self-realization and do so without relying on anything transcending that life—such as God or a soul.

That's not really how Griffith describes his ethos. It's all about having a dream, an objective that one is entirely devoted to. See his speech to Charlotte at the fountain in volume 6. Anyway, Griffith certainly transcended humanity when he became Femto.

To get back to the point though, in your original post you asked this:

do you think any of his benevolent actions are genuine actions

My answer is: no, I don't think so.
 
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