People always wondered why Saya is my favorite character. Saya is the one character who is neither supremely intelligent, beautiful, loyal nor the supreme embodiment of sacrifice. She has nothing to commend her, in short.
However, if I had been born with the responsibility of protecting thousands of lives, would I have shied away from committing cruel acts against a handful of individuals if it meant a chance to save my people? Individuals who, to Saya, are sympathizers with the governing class that desires to destroy her people.
To Saya, her people were worth more than harem concubines, maidservants, Mirage aristocrats, Emperors and Empress Dowagers. To Saya, her people were worth more than what she holds dearer than life, her dignity.
The Empress Dowager holds Peace Treaties and Pacts of Non-Aggression cheap as shows her treatment of the Fire and Snow People. And the Mirage aristocrats have, to spare their own lives and for personal profit, dismantled the Mirage Army, removing the last rampart of protection the Mirage People had. Saya is right. The Mirage People are on the verge of annihilation. And one does not buy peace through weakness. Peace and liberty are wrenched out of an enemy’s grasp and are paid for with one’s life.
The only way Saya had to protect her people from afar was to coerce a reclusive Emperor into a political alliance. This way, the Empress Dowager’s military power could have been undermined. She did everything she could. And failed.
With great power come great responsibilities. Saya had all the responsibilities and no power.
Two of the main themes of The Queen are genocide and ethnic cleansing. “The Dame of the Sun” is a chapter about a woman who has failed to protect her people. And who, since she cannot lead them on the path to peace, wishes at least to lead them on the path to death.