Legend of the Seeker Season 1 Finale: Reckoning
1.22: Reckoning
This is probably my favorite episode. It and Season 2's Princess vie for the top spot. What I want to talk about briefly, though, is the portrayal of Kahlan and Darken Rahl's relationship.
( some jumbled thoughts on that, with spoilers for the season 1 finale )
This bit makes me uncomfortable. Is there such a thing as normal love? Is abnormal love worth less than normal love?
As he lay there beside Kahlan's coffin, bleeding out, his last thought was probably something along the lines of, "I should have listened to Kahlan."
I kind of doubt that. He hasn't been shown to do much blame throwing over the course of events. If anything, I'd expect his thoughts to be about irony or how he should have done something to curb Nicholas's powers.
Other than that, I tend to agree with you. I'm not sure I'd describe Darken's feelings towards Kahlan as trust or love but he was certainly fond of her or who he thought she was. I see his reaction to her as trying to prove that he's the hero he thinks he is. I think he sees Kahlan at least partly as the-Seeker's-woman even after Richard is gone. I think he thinks that if he can seduce her, it will prove he's right. And having her on his side is useful for his plans of Peace and Unity.
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Oh, good question! =))
...or who he thought she was.
Yes, that's the problem with so many relationships. So often we don't see people for who they really are.
And Darken does say he wants her understanding. So I think you're right - he wants to prove to her (and himself) that he's right. More than anything else I guess...
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If anything, I'd expect his thoughts to be about irony or how he should have done something to curb Nicholas's powers.
Well, yeah, that's exactly what I meant! That he would think he should have listened to Kahlan about Nikolas being dangerous because he was a male confessor.
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Ah, ok. I thought you meant he'd think she was right about killing Nicholas.
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Actually, yeah, that is what I meant. About killing Nicholas from birth and then having another child, a girl.
Rahl isn't above killing children that would unseat him, even if they are his own - in Season 2 he tells Cara that he killed their son at birth because he "couldn't risk the little bastard" fighting his power. Which is weird, now that I think about it - he's not willing to let a regular boy live because it's too risky, and yet he lets a male confessor live?
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I think have more kids would have been a good idea both for Darken's plan and for Kahlan's. More kids = wider distribution of Confessor powers and more chance for one of them to be alive when Richard gets there. After all, accidents happen. For Darken, more legitimate children might serve to further legitimize his status as Kahlan's husband in the eyes of their people. He can always use the spares for alliances with other countries.
As I said in my other comment, I don't think infanticide is necessarily the answer.
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You think? Interesting; I never considered that possibility (unless it's just discontinuity due to lazy writing, of course >.>).
Honestly, my mind has been blown; I'm never looking at Reckoning or Kahlan the same way ever again. I see many flaws in her and her plan now, not just the idealized version she led us to see. That's what good discussions are for. :)
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For the record, I like Kahlan as a character. I think she's interesting and generally does more good than evil.
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I support this theory too.
And why would he kill his son when he clearly wants to have a family so much?
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