Homesuck: Vriska Rising

[Archbio]

Eridan does only start murdering his friends after what should be a traumatic series of events (if the comic could be taken with any measure of psychological realism,) including the End of the World as They Know it.

I'm not sure I was right in reading the killing spree as a natural product of Eridan's backstory free psyche.

[Fifthfiend]

On consideration he more or less fits the typical personality of a spree killer (massive sense of thwarted entitlement, paranoid fixations, grandiose delusions, culminating in violently lashing out at everyone and everything,) and I have to say it seems pretty much entirely reasonable to hate spree killers more than one happens to hate domestic abusers. I still disagree with the degree to which IQ's initial post on the subject seemed to indicate this was the case but I think I overreached in my response saying there was no way to find a difference in degree between them.

[Archbio]

On consideration he more or less fits the typical personality of a spree killer[...]

Other than the fact that Eridan is a self-made social outcast, I really can't help but come back to a comparison with Harold Lauder, who also bloodily turned on his people in a dire, post-apocalyptic situation mostly out of unrequited affection while pathetically failing in an attempt to join with the demonic villain (unless anyone thinks Jack wouldn't just slaughter Eridan if he even manages to get that far with his plan.)

Only Eridan is a thousand times more ridiculous in every way.

[Overcast]

We are seeing the distinct difference between a sociopath and psychopath, both antisocial disorders that can lead to people getting killed. Eridan is a psycho, he impulsively acts to any given situation and then tries to rationalize it to a degree that allows him to not change. Killing the angels, the blood caste system, his wish to destroy all lower bloods. He doesn't keep much foresight and is usually incapable of completing a plan till it is finished, and his lack of empathy makes any relationship he tries for a failure.

Subscribed therapy, total removal from designated power. Remove wand, get a haircut, wear proper clothes, no guns and be forced into an omake where everyone is in high school.

Vriska is a sociopath, who also created her own morality but unlike Eridan doesn't have to force it to exist. She has the ability to formulate long term plans and use them, and her fiery personality serves primarily as a front for a cold and absent empathy. She often will only find herself impulsive if something is directly getting in the way of one of her long term plans, then she will mercilessly stab them with their own weapon, blind them for life, ect.

Eridan and her were able to work together when he was running off his impulses long enough to be in her plans. With Kanya's help this became something of a relationship, but Eridan was likely a bit too clumsy in his execution and Vriska doesn't actually care about anyone so eventually that came to a close.

Subscribed therapy, no more mind powers, keep the eye, forced menial labor in order to understand the insignificance of self in the universe.

Unfortunately this isn't really possible, Eridan has been living in a place of murderous power for a long time that has only fed his impulsive and psychopathic nature. Vriska was under a parent figure that almost forced her to become the asocial prick she is, and afterward the power the game has given her over time power enough to stay that way without threat. Both of them require help that is more than Karkat telling them exactly what is wrong with them, they needed someone to force them to understand why. And that is impossible, no matter how many therapists you brought.

[Geminex]

And I finally come on board with the avatar stuff

Welcome, friend.
Welcome.

Also, let's not look at this from the perspective of 'Eridan wants to join jack and therefor MURDERS EVERYONE'.

Cause most of his actions so far in the comic seem to have been inspired not by hatred or anger, but by his desire for relationships.

And let's look at that list:

People he wants kismesis with:

- Sollux (presumably)
- Rose (definitely)
- Vriska (pretty definitely)

People who care about the people he's killed:
- Sollux (Feferi, obviously)
- Rose (Kanaya)
- Possibly Vriska, for Kanaya

I think his actions right now are motivated less by a desire to join jack, and more a simple need to FINALLY have someone hate him back.
That'd also explain why he left Sollux and Karkat alive.

Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if the whole 'Ima join Jack, kthxbye' thing was simply a ruse to get Sollux to fight him again.

I mean, his behavior is no less horrible. But it's suddenly less turncoat, and more emotional frustration. Still an asshole, though.

Also, am I the only one wondering how his "science" is so fucking powerful?

[POS Industries]

Originally Posted by Archbio

(unless anyone thinks Jack wouldn't just slaughter Eridan if he even manages to get that far with his plan.)

Jack is currently being held frozen in time by Aradia (who would currently have no reason to suspect his attack) and has a strict honor code when it comes to people doing something he appreciates and holding up his own end of the bargain.

I'm not saying this is what's going to happen, but if there was ever a time for Eridan's plan to work, it would be at this very instant.

Originally Posted by Geminex

That'd also explain why he left Sollux and Karkat alive.

I can't speak for leaving Karkat alive, but in that situation I'd have assumed Sollux to be dead if I were there in the heat of the moment.

Also, am I the only one wondering how his "science" is so fucking powerful?

Rose was blowing holes through giclopses the moment she picked up her wands, and was flying around and tearing her planet apart not long thereafter. Apparently there's not much of a learning curve involved here.

[Locke cole]

Do I smell extremely useful reaction image?



I think I do!

[Geminex]

A reaction image to what?

Also, I have my reaction image to everything, ever, in my avatar. Which I will now stop talking about, cause it's getting old.
It's still there, though.
Thrusting.

I can't speak for leaving Karkat alive, but in that situation I'd have assumed Sollux to be dead if I were there in the heat of the moment.

Eridan hated the dude, and it wasn't like he was in a rush. It would've taken him maybe 2 seconds to put a nice hole in Sollux' chest. Nah, I think he left him alive intentionally.

[Specterbane]

Disclaimer: I'm gonna be rambling here, but that should be obvious.

The more I see of the trolls, the more I think their session was never meant to be finished with just the killing of the black king. Kanaya or Rose have said things about how this game seems to be designed to help develop the player to be able to help guide the universe they create as well as develop the player to form a unique definition of self which is beneficial to them and the people around them. But the trolls didn't seem to grow up hardly at all, look at Eridan and the fact that he apparently just went rampaging through his world with no direction fumbling around with that game like an idiot. Even now you can see that they're plagued with in fighting that the adults of their civilization apparently found a way around despite their race's predisposition towards violence and competition. And that doesn't even get into a case by case basis for the trolls, but who says that their finished growing up.

It's been hinted at that Skia has its own will and guides players to develop a new universe. If that's the case it could be Skia hatched a plan when the trolls started using psychic powers to beat the standard game design easily without developing actual team bonds, and made a "null" session with the kids to develop both teams and bring about the mutual growth of both sides. But that's just my guess.

TLR; Eridan is a petulant child and most of the trolls still have lots of growing up to do.

[Aldurin]

Karkat just got a major reality check. He knew the team was falling apart but now he's probably gonna do something about it since Eridan just murdered two trolls in front of him AND destroyed hope for preserving the troll race.

Kanaya should have kept contingencies. Like I would have copied the fuck out of the code for that matriorb and have several backups stuffed in random chests.