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[cutieyum]

PinkShira wrote...

David Gaider has spoken on these forums that he knows his character best and that he sees nothing wrong with what his character says and does at the Landsmeet. Now I totally respect David and his writing, but I do believe he is wrong here. I think David has forgotten one important thing... the passage of time and how long Alistair has been in your presence. Alistair is with Duncan and the Grey Wardens for 6 months prior to your arrival. They become his family and Duncan his father. Then they are killed and he is devastated. Now the only one Alistair has is the PC/you. You now guide every moment and decision in the game. I asked how much time had passed from Ostagar til the Landsmeet and was met with answers from at minimum 1 year to what most agree to be around 2 years. If you are a female and are romancing him, you are not only his leader, but a mother and a lover. Yes Freudian...deal with it. So to me with sooo much time having passed, you would be the total center of Alistair's universe... especially if you are female and his lover.. something he thought he would never have. So I can not see Alistair going against anything you would say at this point. Having him side with Duncan a man he only knew for 6 months or you a woman he now loves and known for 2 years, he would pick you every time. Just like husbands pick their wives over their parents... and those people have been with their parents longer than Alistair was with Duncan. David would say here I just don't know the character well enough then. And I would argue here, then that is his fault for not flushing him out more. Once you write a character it is no longer yours... it becomes the readers. And I am not alone in my thoughts here.

Sorry for the big long block paragraph.

Wow, thanks for the post. You articulated my thoughts about Alistair's character development perfectly. Once bonded with a strong female, men like Alistair change a lot on how they view themselves in society, pecking order and ambition. I have seen it and experienced it. The alpha male that was crushed in early childhood, comes out roaring. Once secure in a stable paring, they tend to abandon their failed parents and low expectations; become a bit selfish and think long term about their emotional health and power. They may do this precisely because they are in a relationship that affords them security, 'unconditional' love and gives them a 'family/partner' to guard and control. The possible threesome between Isabella, Alistair and the PC was in tune with this emotional trajectory, the testing and expanding of their ego, confidence and personal power. Alistair at and after Landsmeet was disappointing, yet, I look forward to his development in the future.

Modifié par cutieyum, 11 décembre 2009 - 04:45 .

[Wompoo]

Short answer, Alistair is an emotional wimp, whinging poof paladin (to much like some new age limp wrist-ed male). That said for some reason I like and hate (more hate then like) his character. Just reminds way to much of Carth, gods.

[Yorleen]

Cutieyum - Actually at some point, Wynne will tell you that Alistair seems to have changed positively thanks to his genuine love relation with the PC, that he feels more confident when he's with her and so on. It totally matches what you wrote.

[Thyrza]

I think Alistair's defining characteristic is Devotion to Duty, with Diffidence in his abilities running a close second.  He wants so much to do the right thing but struggles with fear of failure.  That's why the un-"hardened" Alistair would rather pass the crown on to Anora, who has a proven track recond, while he stays with the Grey Wardens, something he's done before and knows he can do well.

Contrast this with the choice made by the "hardened" Alistair who is more willing to stand up for what he wants and is less plagued by self-doubt.  He chooses to seize the throne, not to reject it and return to the Wardens.  This seems to suggest that, deep down, Alistair wants to be king, not for the power or glory, but because he feels it is his duty and there is some satisfaction in doing one's duty.

This might even explain his determination to see Loghain dead: Alistair sees it as his duty to avenge Duncan even if this runs counter to his essentially more merciful instincts.