2022-08-03 8:28:52 ¶ ●

the lack of reward for killing Eridan’s angels speaks of course to their being “THERE TO SERVE SOME OTHER GAME PURPOSE, NOT FOR YOU TO HUNT DOWN”; but I figure it’s also probably because they’re, you know, not real? seems to be made clear later on that an angel is just something that manifests from the power of Hope; a pure figment of belief. when Karkat says “THEY’RE LIKE GAME CONSTRUCTS OR SOMETHING” it’s probably safe to assume what he’s getting at is that they’re thought constructs: emphasis is on the word “construct”, because a “game” creature could apply to anything else encountered on a Hero’s planet.

and while the whole Land of Wrath and Angels should speak to Eridan’s psyche in some way, I think this particular part is telling; in the absence of opportunities for genocide, Eridan’s mind simply generates one ex nihilo. it makes any notion that Eridan “didn’t want” to do genocide seem patently absurd.

from a slightly different angle, though, and keeping in mind the magic powers also bestowed upon Eridan through his command over pure belief; given that we tend to think of the Prince as a Hero who “negates” his aspect through destruction, I wonder if our Prince of Hope tends to manifest things he doesn’t “believe” in; or at least, things he outwardly rebukes the belief in