YMMV / Chronicles Of The Bitch Queen

• Alternative Character Interpretation:
  • How much of Agos' eventual betrayal of Talyien is driven by his desire to protect her and how much of it is because he's envious and feels Entitled to Have You toward Talyien and wants to see her other potential lovers out of the way so that he can finally achieve his years-long dream of being with her? Is the fact he's willing to abandon his family to be with her a show of his loving dedication or of his toxic commitment? Note also that none of these are mutually exclusive.
  • Would Rayvel ever have killed Thanh like he says he will? Could he have? On the one hand, Rayvel is prickly and explains his reasoning for wanting Thanh potentially dead quite succinctly. On the other, he's a complicated and ultimately somewhat kindly character and it can be somewhat hard to see him even seriously considering the murder of a child once placed in that situation. Does Rayvel even know if he could do it?
  • A major element, both In-Universe and out, is the discussion of Yeshin's legacy. Is Yeshin a pathetic, sad old man who has nothing to offer the world beyond blood and violence or a brilliant chessmaster with a great vision for the kingdom? Is he a Well-Intentioned Extremist who wants only to save his kingdom or a Not-So-Well-Intentioned Extremist willing to work with uncontrollably evil forces to try and ensure his will is done and his legacy spread even after his death?
• Complete Monster: Prince Yuebek, the Emperor's fifth son, is a powerful mage and sickening Serial Killer and rapist who has used his position to murder numerous innocent people, even killing his own wife to free himself to marry the object of his lust, Talyien. Waging war on the lands, Yuebek has no compunction against numerous brutal war crimes, capturing Tali's husband Rayyel and trying to have him eaten by his own hounds. Later forcing Tali to marry him, Yuebek rapes and kills her friend in front of her to send a message, even later using his last moments to mock Tali's true love Khine about how much he delighted in Tali's supposed death.
• Love to Hate: Yuebek is an unbelievably evil rapist, misogynist, and Psychopathic Manchild who has nothing but hatred and entitlement. He's also a flamboyant character with some frightening magical abilities who just won't stop coming back no matter what Talyien throws at him.
• Magnificent Bitch: Queen Talyien is the infamous "Bitch Queen" of the Oren-yaro. A brilliant strategist and blademaster alike, Talyien proves her ingenuity time and again whether it be evading assassination, tricking or killing her foes, or making allies across an entire continent with her quick thinking and diplomatic skills. Upon coming face to face with the vicious Prince Yuebek and her father's plans to have her marry him, Talyien proceeds in repeatedly trying to eliminate the monstrous prince before enacting a plan to use Yuebek's own magical powers to save the empire from chaos by manipulating him, marrying him in a sham ceremony and playing on his pride to ensure he would aid her in her struggle, all the while letting him think he has complete control over her. Using her cunning one last time, Talyien deduces the means to defeat Yuebek before finally rejecting her father's hold over her, and fakes her death to gain some peace for herself and her loved ones.

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