Well...Starnum wrote:You don't just give up on someone because they go crazy or are mentally disabled.
It's a rather serious issue, but: My aunt had a stroke almost 10 years ago. At first she was really, really bad, wasn't able to move her legs or left arm at all, and had trouble speaking full sentences. But rehab worked wonder and slowly, but steadily, she got better. First the speaking issue dissolved, then the movement of the arm and legs came back. And while she still needs a walking stick now, she talks just as normal as she did before the stroke, and has no problems with her arm motions.
Anyway that's probably not the least bit interesting to you (not knowing me), but it leads to my point, which is:
Yeah you don't, and shouldn't give up on someone because they go crazy or are mentally disabled. Especially if you love(d) them. If they are at least showing slow signs of evolving back to where they were before whatever happend, you can cheer for them, you can hope for them. But if there is absolutly no sign of betterment it gets extremly hard to bear with them.
It's been how long now since Guts and Caska are travelling together? More than a year I recon. And she's still exactly the same as on the first day, plus even more hatred for Guts. She can't even say a single word, all she says is basically "bubu baba". If at least she called out Guts', or hell, anyone of their groups names one time when in grave danger, it would show that she evolves, and her character develops (again).
The only instances when Caska was active herself that I can recall were with the Child on the beach, splashing water on her hair when Farnese called her a bitch, reaching out for Griffith, and of course slaying the 3 wannabe rapists, which was probably her most significant action post-eclipse.
That image, her standing there with a sword in hand, reminded me of her old self and I was hoping that she would show at least a little bit of development from that point on, but to no avail.
What point has the inclusion of Caska to the party, and to the story, as of now? OK she's the main quest, but so was the holy grail (from which is said the quest itself was the main quest, not getting the grail
). Apart from that she is just a shell that reminds Guts and the reader or her awesome former self. So the quest is journeying to elf hell, um elf helm, to at least restore parts of her sanity. But what if the elf king cannot or will not do that feat? Than she will be tagged along again. Or killed in combat, or even by Guts himself in a fit of rage. Although the latter would be very freaky and probably change Guts back to his loner gruesome self he had the 2 years after the eclipse, let's say the first happens and she dies in combat because the party can't save her or just some freakish accident happens.Yes it would be sad. And Guts would be shattered once again. But at least from that point on he, and the reader, could move on. And yes it hurts losing someone you love, but Caska as she is now isn't the beloved warrior we all once knew. She is just a shell, an image or her former self. So which one is better, having a deep wound that will slowly heal over time, or having a deep wound with a knife in it that twists and turns all the time and reminds you of the incident that caused the wound? If there isn't the option of at least hoping that some time in the future you are able to remove the knife and let the wound heal again, I'd go for the first option.
Basically what I'm trying to say is: A story without character development is a boring story. A character who doesn't develop in any way is a boring character. Now we've been teased with the possibility of getting old Caska back since the day at the beach with Skull Knight. If the hanafubuku king just sends them to another, more powerful being, to get that done, I'm ok with that. That's what quests are all about. But if he basically says "nope, can't be done. She'll stay like that until she dies." I'll say let her die and get over with it. Farnese isn't looking bad either.
OK forget that very last sentence
