Because right now, we know nothing of these gods, besides that they brought us here and have some affect on us. I've been working with the idea that they are like the most powerful spirits of my world. Destroying the Moon Spirit would not only be difficult, but would have ramifications worldwide.
[Not an idle example, he still remembers Zhao's navy and the blood-red moon. Iroh was certain the far-reaching effects of no more tides would be far beyond 'no more waterbending'.]
What if the being making itself present was the Spirit of Love, and all love recedes from the world if you kill it?
I could be wrong, and bringing in my own world's logic here, rather than learning about this place as something new. But the only way I can be shown wrong is to find out more about these gods, rather than just blindly attacking them.
[And, the small part of Iroh that remembered being a general, could point out all the horrible ways an attack in blind rage could go wrong for you and your troops.]
Besides. They gave us these Hitomi. Who is to say they aren't listening in?
[He was starting to remind Iroh of Zuko, with all the attendant flaws.]
[ Lelouch does know something Iroh doesn't - or shouldn't. He knows what it's like to see that spark die. That choice.
To be a god, a higher being, and willingly do that - not because a war was on, not because lives were at stake or justice was being miscarried, but for no reason whatsoever -
No. There was no justification for that. ]
Love is a choice.
No patron of love could possibly condone that...that farce. A choice made for you is no choice at all. There was no consent. It was wrong.
[ He pauses, to collect himself. ]
Nevertheless. I never said anything about killing anyone. It is quite possible, after all, that these beings are incapable of being killed. I simply mean we must get their attention. Make a point. Show we have free will and demand they respect that.
And to do that, we cannot run and hide from them. These Hitomi cannot be permanently removed from our persons - they could be recording us at any time. It doesn't matter if they are listening in - no, that's not right, it does matter. They have to understand that they cannot do this to us. That we will not stand for it. If they keep us afraid to speak, we've lost before we've begun.
I do agree we need to talk to these beings, and try to understand them. Even if they don't understand humans, they have their own motivations, which will give us a clue how to speak to them. All of that hinges on some means of communication.
[Which made him wish Aang was here -- this was suppose to be the Avatar's job, and the kid had a way of being friendly. And in finding things even Iroh might overlook.]
But, it seems like some people are already resorting to violence. It hasn't even been a week yet.
[That has Iroh worried. So far, these gods at least show some indication of being invasive, but not hostile, and he can pretend it was a misunderstanding until shown otherwise. Humans... there was less uncertainty about humans. At least so far, no one he knew about had been physically hurt by another human being.]
You can't blame them. People have been driven to violence by much less. And if violence is the only thing these gods will listen to, than we have no alternative.
[ Better to die fighting than to live in chains. Shame like that could kill you just as easily as a bullet. ]
It doesn't mean the innocent won't get hurt in the crossfire. I have seen too much violence in my life to want it to be anything but a last resort.
[He was sick of war. Even if the last battle he had fought was to return Ba Sing Se to its people, and himself to his tea shop. More and more it seemed like there would never be a final battle -- it was why he refused to challenge Ozai. It would just be the opening salvo of a civil war, rather than ending the reign of expansionary war of the Fire Nation.
Iroh hoped that the Gods would actually show themselves and start talking. If they didn't even make an effort, or couldn't figure out they needed to, then violence was going to result.]
Because right now, we know nothing of these gods, besides that they brought us here and have some affect on us. I've been working with the idea that they are like the most powerful spirits of my world. Destroying the Moon Spirit would not only be difficult, but would have ramifications worldwide.
[Not an idle example, he still remembers Zhao's navy and the blood-red moon. Iroh was certain the far-reaching effects of no more tides would be far beyond 'no more waterbending'.]
What if the being making itself present was the Spirit of Love, and all love recedes from the world if you kill it?
I could be wrong, and bringing in my own world's logic here, rather than learning about this place as something new. But the only way I can be shown wrong is to find out more about these gods, rather than just blindly attacking them.
[And, the small part of Iroh that remembered being a general, could point out all the horrible ways an attack in blind rage could go wrong for you and your troops.]
Besides. They gave us these Hitomi. Who is to say they aren't listening in?
[He was starting to remind Iroh of Zuko, with all the attendant flaws.]
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To be a god, a higher being, and willingly do that - not because a war was on, not because lives were at stake or justice was being miscarried, but for no reason whatsoever -
No. There was no justification for that. ]
Love is a choice.
No patron of love could possibly condone that...that farce. A choice made for you is no choice at all. There was no consent. It was wrong.
[ He pauses, to collect himself. ]
Nevertheless. I never said anything about killing anyone. It is quite possible, after all, that these beings are incapable of being killed. I simply mean we must get their attention. Make a point. Show we have free will and demand they respect that.
And to do that, we cannot run and hide from them. These Hitomi cannot be permanently removed from our persons - they could be recording us at any time. It doesn't matter if they are listening in - no, that's not right, it does matter. They have to understand that they cannot do this to us. That we will not stand for it. If they keep us afraid to speak, we've lost before we've begun.
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[Which made him wish Aang was here -- this was suppose to be the Avatar's job, and the kid had a way of being friendly. And in finding things even Iroh might overlook.]
But, it seems like some people are already resorting to violence. It hasn't even been a week yet.
[That has Iroh worried. So far, these gods at least show some indication of being invasive, but not hostile, and he can pretend it was a misunderstanding until shown otherwise. Humans... there was less uncertainty about humans. At least so far, no one he knew about had been physically hurt by another human being.]
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[ Better to die fighting than to live in chains. Shame like that could kill you just as easily as a bullet. ]
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[He was sick of war. Even if the last battle he had fought was to return Ba Sing Se to its people, and himself to his tea shop. More and more it seemed like there would never be a final battle -- it was why he refused to challenge Ozai. It would just be the opening salvo of a civil war, rather than ending the reign of expansionary war of the Fire Nation.
Iroh hoped that the Gods would actually show themselves and start talking. If they didn't even make an effort, or couldn't figure out they needed to, then violence was going to result.]
Reply
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