WITCHRIV - Ch. 22

[MangaDex]

 

[ragnarok04]

I swear we spent half the manga developing a character no one gives a shit about

 

[detarameMangadex]

It's kind of funny for me to see so many people celebrating the end of the flashback on MangaPlus, when its point seems to have completely went over their heads. This chapter is making everything the arc has been building up towards finally click for me.

Gheer is more than redeemable. He is one of the most interesting characters in the manga right now, embodying its themes of family and distrust directly and having immense potential for a satisfying redemption. This is why Raloud reaching out is so important.

This flashback was long, but good because it all served a purpose. This is the same Hakuri who wrote One Room of Happiness; he's great at writing complex, almost contradictory interpersonal relationships.

Gheer was a nuanced character from the flashback's start, with inner conflicts and problems. All of my previous analyses of the mess that Gheer is were practically confirmed in this chapter too. I would copy-paste some of what I wrote for Chapter 19 and 21, but that would make my comment way too long.

 

[Banana_Splits]

yeah nah, i'm not buying into this sob story this guy is just a piece of shit. just because he had a sad and difficult past doesn't justify any of the things he's done

 

[DMan_chine]

Gheer is more than redeemable.

Unfortunately, that's not true. This was an attempt to make him redeemable, but he isn't. He COULD have been redeemed after he fell of cart, but instead he chose wrong AGAIN! To me, this story only he keeps choosing wrong every time. Whenever there's a moment where could have chosen good, he only ended choosing the wrong option, the bad option, the evil option. Is he not here to KILL Raloud? Did he not choose to believe Raloud was wrong for thinking he was dead? Did not choose never to give Raloud the money he is owed and spend it on awful things? Did he not treat Raloud as lesser constantly? Did he not choose to use Raloud as a tool for money? Did he not choose to abandon him? Did he not realize the awful things he was doing and STILL choose to keep doing them? Did he not realize Raloud actually cared about him and then chose to look at him like he was abandoned by him?

It didn't go over my head. If that was the point the author wanted to make, then all it did was cement the idea that Gheer is a terrible person who deserved everything bad that happened to him, and Raloud is a fool for still thinking Gheer is redeemable. Gheer has YET to do anything that would make him seem the slight bit redeemable, in fact has constantly done the OPPOSITE. Gheer might be a good character and nuanced, but that still does not make him redeemable. He never did anything for the good of anyone or because he thought he was doing good, in fact, he chose to do bad things while knowing it was bad, just for his benefit. Having a sad story doesn't make you automatically eligible to be forgiven.

 

[Guyincognitus]

Gheer is more than redeemable.

I do not care. It's not a particularly complex or interesting backstory in a flashback gracelessly stuffed into the story about a character I still do not care about.

 

[Valle_reading_manga]

Hmmm idk, I was expecting more. It's not like Gheer was the only one with traumatic experiences, yet he turned out the worst by far. Raloud did absolutely nothing to him other than being a mage, and this is all it took to ruin their relationship to this point
And even if we were to go with his "Raloud betrayed me, to live a normal life", let's not forget who got them into this situation - Gheer. And for what reason - (supposedly) making money to live a better life, which they'd split. In reality, Gheer spent it all alone on hookers and gambling...

 

[Knighto]

Unfortunately, that's not true. This was an attempt to make him redeemable, but he isn't. He COULD have been redeemed after he fell of cart, but instead he chose wrong AGAIN! To me, this story only he keeps choosing wrong every time. Whenever there's a moment where could have chosen good, he only ended choosing the wrong option, the bad option, the evil option. Is he not here to KILL Raloud? Did he not choose to believe Raloud was wrong for thinking he was dead? Did not choose never to give Raloud the money he is owed and spend it on awful things? Did he not treat Raloud as lesser constantly? Did he not choose to use Raloud as a tool for money? Did he not choose to abandon him? Did he not realize the awful things he was doing and STILL choose to keep doing them? Did he not realize Raloud actually cared about him and then chose to look at him like he was abandoned by him?

It didn't go over my head. If that was the point the author wanted to make, then all it did was cement the idea that Gheer is a terrible person who deserved everything bad that happened to him, and Raloud is a fool for still thinking Gheer is redeemable. Gheer has YET to do anything that would make him seem the slight bit redeemable, in fact has constantly done the OPPOSITE. Gheer might be a good character and nuanced, but that still does not make him redeemable. He never did anything for the good of anyone or because he thought he was doing good, in fact, he chose to do bad things while knowing it was bad, just for his benefit. Having a sad story doesn't make you automatically eligible to be forgiven.

he was delusional, he was broken before, the last thing the mom did was trying to get him afar from the problem of the debt collectors, she knew something was sus that's why she told him to leave town before it was too late, then he gets LITERALLY saved by Ralloud and he chose to use the only alive person that would treat him with warm.

and he has the gall to treat him like a betrayer, after he friggin' was ready to get him killed before karma knocked the door on him, I like the author, this is not a critic on his writting or trying to say it's okay to make this dumbass redeemable, I actually like the POV in how this character even knowing he was at fault for treating Ralloud as crap, he never blames himself for anything, the perpetual vicim card people are a thing and this is a good portrayal of that.

I just bet this guy dies by the end of the arc, having an end were he sacrifices for his "little brother" or karma strikes again and gets offed by a bigger threat is for the author to decide.

 

[Midoriha]

It's kind of funny for me to see so many people celebrating the end of the flashback on MangaPlus, when its point seems to have completely went over their heads. This chapter is making everything the arc has been building up towards finally click for me.

Gheer is more than redeemable. He is one of the most interesting characters in the manga right now, embodying its themes of family and distrust directly and having immense potential for a satisfying redemption. This is why Raloud reaching out is so important.

This flashback was long, but good because it all served a purpose. This is the same Hakuri who wrote One Room of Happiness; he's great at writing complex, almost contradictory interpersonal relationships.

Gheer was a nuanced character from the flashback's start, with inner conflicts and problems. All of my previous analyses of the mess that Gheer is were practically confirmed in this chapter too. I would copy-paste some of what I wrote for Chapter 19 and 21, but that would make my comment way too long.

Ironic, since you're double missing the point.
People understand the "point" of this flashback. People just don't give a SHIT about this asshole and are baffled that over half the manga has been spent on this than on the actual main characters and want the manga about WITCHES be about the WITCHES.

 

[Resound]

so we done in this trash arc? can we get back to the main thing now

 

[missingmoney]

Can we just finish this arc?
I came here to read about the Witches, but instead we've spent so much time on a new side character.
He's taken up so much screen time, that I've gotten tired of him already.

 

[Saybah]

I think the flashback did well in exploring his character. A boy who was broken by trauma and still has unprocessed emotions would actually has high chance at making toxic decision. Psychologically it makes sense to me.

And Shounen series has redeemed many more awful characters (Orochimaru, Mayuri, to name a few) his honestly looks tame in comparison.

 

[fight2live]

nah, this ain't it. raloud is too good, gheer doesn't deserve him.

 

[DMan_chine]

I like the author, this is not a critic on his writting or trying to say it's okay to make this dumbass redeemable

The flashbacks seem more to try to put Raloud up, as someone who is willing to save anyone.

This will sound preachy, allow me this moment (especially since I am not a believer)--but I like how Jesus was willing to forgive people and save those who truly sought out to be saved by confessing their sins and asking to be given a chance to redeem themselves. Not to compare Raloud with Jesus, but the parable of the stories from Jesus is that we must be willing to forgive and help others redeem themselves. I am quite a bit of a pessimist, but I admire those that are willing to help others become better and we knows this is possible even their "sins" are heavy. That's Gheer, here, and Raloud is embodying this message. I still think Raloud is a fool--given Gheer has yet to show any remorse, but instead double down on his problems, Raloud is ignoring all of that.

I guess another story that puts on some contexts on how Raloud sees Gheer could be story of Antigone, and the Divine law vs Man law. Antigone's brother, Polynices, is a traitor to his King and kingdom after raising an army against it. Antigone went against the orders of the King (to let Polynices body rot and eaten by crows in the open field) and gave her brother a proper burial, because ties of family are Divine, while orders of a Kind and only a man's words. Antigone is severely punished. but her actions are presented as honorable and admireable in the play. Raloud sees Gheer as a true brother, maybe not by blood, but by spirit, and he thinks that this bond is Divine and he must ALWAYS help his family, even when the world around them (a world of Man) looks at Gheer like a traitor and a criminal that deserves the worst.

All in all, Gheer is not redeemable, not because he has done bad. But because he has yet to do anything for the good of others (since the death of his mother), and because he has yet to admit his wrong-doings and asked to be given a chance to be better and be sincere about it. But I like the other messages that talk about Raloud's personality and ideals, more than whether Gheer should be saved or be allowed to redeem himself.