Mahou Shoujo Madoka☆Magica - Vol. 3 Ch. 9 - I Would Never Forgive Them

[MangaDex]

 

[CanerieRoe]

Kyubey makes a really juvenile argument about how the concept of being “tricked” isn’t consistent with reality and is purely resultant of an emotional response that seeks to self-justify previously regretted actions. It’s obviously fallacious —Kyubey was very forthcoming with information about the reward for becoming a Puella Magi while simultaneously being stingy about what being a Puella Magi actually meant and even going so far as initially offering up a framing that while technically correct, Witches cause curses which lead to some bad things happening and only Puella Magi are able to stop that, isn’t at all how their species would frame it to one another; they have all very obviously been duped— but it’s fine because they’re, by necessity, dealing with middle schoolers who couldn’t fight back in a battle of words anyways. Though, it makes me hunger, somewhat, for a version of this narrative where their argument wasn’t so easy for an adult to dismiss; a version of this story where the weight of these “Incubators” was overwhelming not just because of the way they’re visually depicted, but also due to the infallibility of their words. Not a criticism by any means, but it’s got me thinking.