...This was unnecessary butchery, on reflection. It'd have been very little effort to stun them and maroon them somewhere.
You know...one day I'm going to figure out just why this is considered so much nicer. So...he knocks them out, and drops them somewhere. Where they get to eek out a living, reminded of what they lost, reminded of what Paul made them do. Completely helpless to get off whatever rock they were left on as they occasionally fantasize about a revenge that they know good and well they could never achieve. Burdened for the rest of their lives that essentially ONE MAN wiped out their entire empire...and filled with the impotent rage that there never is and never was ANYTHING THEY COULD DO ABOUT IT. All so they can basically just live to death because they weren't even WORTH finishing off.
Yes...how kind of you.
And suddenly Grayven is the more heroic of the two. You guys remember when the worst thing OL did was kill a body-snatching lich in as lawful a manner as he could?
Honestly at this point letting Komand'r watch just so she can get off on them having a complete existential breakdown at the horror of what OL forced them to do to their own civilization just seems needlessly perverse and fucked up. Not just what they were forced to do actually, what they were forced to do and were forced to like doing. There was no reason for her to be there other than to see something horrible happen and get off on it.
So I'm going to guess he's never going to tell anyone on Earth what he's been up to, because I doubt Alan would ever speak to him again if he found out about this. Unless he's suddenly super cool with attempted genocide, mind rape, and the execution of those who were angry about being mind-raped into committing genocide against their own species.
I had no problem with OL removing the Citadel as a threat through any means possible. This was needlessly brutal and fucked up seemingly just so Komand'r would be more loyal to him.
So all the people Grayven hacked up with his sword thingies don't count? Or that time he soul assimilated two nigh immortals despite feeling bad about doing it to Nabu, all because it was basically the quickest, easiest and more informative way to get it done?
Personally? Paul is being the BEST kind of hero right now. The one who doesn't put a tiny band aid over gaping cut. The kind who doesn't play chase-after-the-mass-murdering-psycho-who-just-killed-a-bunch-of-people-after-breaking-out-of-his-vacation-home-again game. The kind who GETS. SHIT. DONE.
Sure there is plenty of need for heroes like Superman, flying high as a shining inspiration to what humanity could be. Then here is OL, precision removing cancer with blood on his scalpel.
I know Candle was as close as they could get to his surname but he really ought to just go old school and take his job as it. Paul He-who-gets-shit-done.
As for Blackfire, I'm sure it was all very satisfying and therapeutic. Pleasing justice always does feel nice. Also, he gave them a choice...really not his problem they succumbed to idiocy/rage. They clearly saw what would happen, and decided to go for it anyways in the hopes that maybe one of them could get to him....and I guess flail impotently against his barrier.
Well not only am I fairly sure the Three Green Lanterns are going to know roundabouts what went down, Hal almost certainly won't keep quiet and Guy will probably want to know if Paul wants to talk about it. Beyond that....this is OL, the guy who stands around explaining his powers and limitations to potential/actual enemies. Like explaining that Goldy Pirate was somehow resistant to his constructs...and then handing her over to the very people who can weaponize that. Yeah, I can easily see Paul stated just what he did to Diana/Alan and then explaining just WHY he did it.
Yes, it was needlessly brutal for him to just stand there while automated defenses did their job. I mean I guess he could have made it worse...played some horrible music or something.
Leaving ethical considerations aside, he's handled the situation pretty poorly. He could have separated first, given them some time to stew on it before they made their choice. Some of them might have rushed to kill him on impulse or out of mob mentality, but would otherwise have been open to servitude, if they'd made their choice alone after some time to think it over.
He handled the situation by giving them a choice, and then not caring any more then he had to about whatever the hell they were going to do. Which was none.
Paul could at least have had the decency to kill them himself. Not like they could have threatened him even without the robots and forcefield.
Or could they? Did he sit back and let others do the deed because he knew he couldn't bring himself to kill them all after violating them in such a manner?
Why waste perfectly good ring charge?
Eight hundred well trained, physically fit soldiers. Each with the potential to grow and develop into a worthy individual. Each able to contribute to the stability and safety of the region. Lost.
Some portion of Starfire's respect for Paul. Lost.
Some portion of Blackfire's restraint. Lost.
Eight hundred well trained, not loyal to his cause in the slightest, single minded clones kept from growing for their entire lives. Each with the potential to be a pain in the ass and cause problems down the line. Each able to make the same choice the remaining 11 made and not mindlessly throw away their lives like the barely sentient meat sacks they were. Eight hundred completely unneeded and non-special soldiers (I.E. nothing unique about them like say Captain Comet) who are literally a dime a dozen and if more soldiers are needed, they can be found/hired all over the sector.
Debatable. Also irrelevant. She is free to leave his organization at any time she likes.
Debatable. Satisfying some of these long buried desires might even help her in the long run. Or at least show possible problems to Paul that he can then move to put her in touch with someone that can help.
Nothing stopped him doing this with stun weapons and marooning those who chose violence somewhere. Not like he can't put basic survival infrastructure together with a wave of his hand. Given a few years of being hunter gatherers, or just sitting about thinking while waiting for food shipments, they may have become more amenable to redemption.
Paul took the
convenient option. Not any of the good options.
Why. Should. He. Care?
Good is debatable. It really is.
The villain and serial murderer Cheshire was granted redemption despite being worse than any individual Citadelian soldier.
She was also lucky enough that 1. He felt guilty for nearly crushing her. 2. She is the sister of someone who was in his in group, who he upset and wanted to smooth relations over. 3. He's attracted to her. 4. He was pleased at the effort put in and stuck with it. 5. Possible OLC candidate.
Yep. In the grand universe of things it wasn't even remotely fair. But that's exactly how OL rolls. There exists want he wants, and what he doesn't want.
