[S2E5 SPOILERS] On how they (mis)handled Romeo
First off, consider that Romeo is, and I'm not saying this to be funny, literally Hitler. He's directly killed multiple people, he's committed mass genocide, he's put people in concentration camps, he's effectively destroyed entire worlds. And for all this, he magically changes his stance and becomes aware of his evil as soon as his powers are stripped? I'd at least expect him to go down fighting.
So, I was hoping to kill him. This dude was legit evil. This isn't playing around like the White Pumpkin, he's a violent dictator. At a point, you just need to stop. So, no option to directly kill him, but we can leave him to a pretty much certain death. But if you bring him back…he's free! WTF? I was chosing that option under the "death is too good for him" mindset. Nobody cares that we have a committer of atrocities here, instead making jokes about "community service." If not torture, he should at least be put in jail. I realize this is a kid's game, but the handling of Romeo and how everyone react is just ridiculous.
Comments
While the lack of a jail option and the easy forgive attitude from companions may seem odd, it should be considered that he is going to wander what is basically hell to face his former victims with all the danger both of those things imply.
Instead of him just being chucked into a cell to do nothing but rot, he is going to face his crimes and try to better the lives of his victims. That is a much more constructive punishment for not just Romeo but also, again, his victims who actually stands to gain something from this.
To put it simply, Romeo being allowed to be useful and do something meaningful instead of Romeo being forced to do nothing that helps no one, least of all the people who suffered the most because of him.
The problem is he is facing no punishment. Volunteers from Beacontown are probably going to do the same thing now, the fact that there is a world under the current one will be widely publicized. He'll still be afforded every privilege of a regular citizen, even though he's terrible. I was also irked by how much they expanded the universe (admin built the world, but wait, there are 3!) How did they come to be? Who gave them their power? If it can be taken away, then they're not truly gods and must have acquired the power from somewhere. This world building leads nowhere.
1. Except, again, he is facing a punishment even if it is one that he volunteered for himself. The Underneath is a dark, barren and lava-filled wasteland stuffed with nightmare-fuel monsters. He's not going to go there in luxury or with the powers of an Admin: he's going to be fighting mobs, surviving the dangerous landscape and risking his life the whole time he's down there to help the people trapped there.
2. When was it established that volunteers are going to the Underneath and why does this mean that it's better for Romeo to be forced to do nothing to atone for his crimes? Who does that benefit?
3. How is he being afforded every privilege of a regular citizen? Especially since he's going to a place where those don't matter?
4. That was one of my only real criticisms about this season but I'm willing to forego it if there is a third season in which we receive answers. Until then, however, my criticism stands.