Author Topic: Moral Quandary  (Read 2813 times)

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Offline niam2023

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Moral Quandary
« on: December 28, 2014, 03:33:50 am »
I'd like to ask a question about a storyline I have planned for an RP that is on TVTropes. One of the heroic characters and one of the most nasty villains have had dealings in the past. The exact set of circumstances are below, though given there's a heavy fantasy element in the villains, I don't know how to handle this or how it looks.

(click to show/hide)

So, in as far as Andrew's morality, is he pretty much in the clear? Does he have any point in this much blaming of himself? Is this a "real" depiction (for whatever that is worth)?

Am I transphobic myself for thinking up this situation?

Are you going to tell me to "DIE SHITLORD"? (joking)

Just...general ideas about this. I figured this was the best forum for such a quandary.
« Last Edit: December 28, 2014, 03:37:54 am by niam2023 »
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Offline Ghoti

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Re: Moral Quandary
« Reply #1 on: December 28, 2014, 10:25:09 am »
DIE, CIS SHITL- no I'm joking. It sounds like a pretty clear-cut example of "desperate times lead to desperate measures" to me, but I've also been awake for about twenty hours so my reading comprehension isn't at its peak. What I don't know is 1) how desperate Andrew was, and 2) what other options he had. Regarding his dysphoria, how desperate was it making him? Was it severe enough that it contributed to other areas of misery in his life (an addiction, depression, suicide attempts, reckless behavior, unsafe binding practices, attempting a DIY transition)? Is the society in which he lives hugely transphobic? Do other options for physical transition exist in this universe (and can he gain access to them)? Is/was anyone else capable of performing the procedure besides the villain?
In short, I'd need more information before making a clear-cut assessment of his morality. He knowingly sacrificed others' lives for his own, which pushes him into "gray", but the exact shade depends on context.
« Last Edit: December 28, 2014, 10:27:57 am by Ultimate Renegade »
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Offline Sleepy

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Re: Moral Quandary
« Reply #2 on: December 28, 2014, 01:11:07 pm »
Given that Andrew has a history with Miuth, he should've known that doing a favor for him could potentially result in the loss of lives. He is right to feel guilty and probably should have known better than to trust him. Also, could Miuth reverse the magic and transform Andrew back into Andrea? That seems like a possible situation and would essentially leave Andrew indebted until he dies. Still, the situation is tragic overall since Andrew was suffering so much from his dysphoria.
« Last Edit: December 28, 2014, 01:13:15 pm by Sleepy »
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Offline niam2023

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Re: Moral Quandary
« Reply #3 on: December 28, 2014, 09:18:04 pm »
^^ Andrew's dysphoria was so severe it resulted in him almost losing his life several times due to other desperate measures - he attempted suicide at least twice, when binding no longer worked as well, he started slashing his chest up "I had to make those things stop - I hated them so much". The setting, the Free City of Astray, is not hugely transphobic, but there are...other problems. Not all the considerations are entirely honest. Andrew had the option of a longer transition on pills and surgery, but he couldn't afford it / couldn't stand to wait that long. Given the kind of magic it was, only Miuth was capable of doing what he did.

(click to show/hide)

For the sake of accuracy, though, Andrew had no idea Miuth was the genocidal type at the time - the villains at the time are not so well known, and all he knew of Miuth was that he was definitely a scientist. He only knew Miuth was kinda shady, but all his prior errands for the man involved bad things happening to bad people who might've in retrospect been causing inconvenience to the villains.

^ Yeah, the dysphoria is one of the most painful chapters of Andrew's life, but by no means the only painful chapter. His mother is a drunk and goes between supporting him and calling him a freak or worse. There's the dead dad thing, the fact he has to basically fight daily to put money on the table. And as stated above, the villains are capable of a lot worse than simply turning him back.
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Offline rookie

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Re: Moral Quandary
« Reply #4 on: December 28, 2014, 11:56:55 pm »
Ok. First of all, let's dispense as to are you transphobic. We're talking about a character, not you.

You didn't say a whole lot about Andrew. One thing that stuck out was you said he was an errand boy. And an errand boy in that neighborhood has a certain amount of hustler in him. I grew up in that neighborhood.   mean, with the dealings he had dealings with Miuth in the past, it leads me to believe the errand wasn't to fetch dry cleaning.

With that in mind, and he didn't know what was in the bags. Coulda been a body or shredded records. Or whatever.  Would he do it? Probably. But I believe as soon as he found out, the victims would have their biggest champion. I believe he would but would spend the rest of his life making up for it.

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Offline niam2023

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Re: Moral Quandary
« Reply #5 on: December 29, 2014, 03:12:06 am »
Alright, I suppose I'm used to talking to a certain type of group.

Correct - the delivery was to send the bags in a container to a couple workers at the place, and tell them "M sent me" to let them know he was "okay". Strangely, he was unable to simply open the bags. It was like they were bound in a way.

If he knew what was actually in the bags, he says he wouldn't have delivered them, but he himself doesn't believe that answer - he thinks he would still have done it, and would've hated himself his entire life all the same.
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