Just finished it and honestly, this has to be one of the best gay story arcs I’ve seen. It fits perfectly with both character’s development and their core themes, as well as the core of the game. While the bromance to romance story is somewhat dated and played out, the setting and circumstances make it so much better.
At their core, despite their differences, Henry and Hans share a common struggle, the search for their own identity. Henry lives in a Limbo between his upbringing and his birthright. His past as a blacksmith and present as a noble bastard. But also lacks experience, is stubborn, and has yet to learn how to be an actual adult in his own context, something he slowly achieved through his own experience over the two games. In the case of Capon there is a quite similar dynamic. On Hans is also in the Limbo between a noble adult and a kid. Being under the reigns of Hanush and the expectation of him becoming a full lord, while also being stubborn, cocky, and immature.
In a way, it seems as if he’s escaping this reality with women, games, and alcohol. But at the same time it is quite obvious he’s lonely. He’s seen in the first game drinking with his subjects, something he’s then reprimanded for by Hanush, going after random girls whom he does not even truly know, even fixating and courting a random burgher’s daughter, creating an idealized and quite frankly pathetic courtship fantasy. There’s only one person he’s ever been truly connected with, and perhaps happy the only person who’s ever truly made him feel happy, and that is Henry. The only person he ever truly had any meaningful relationship, the only person who ever truly cared about him in a genuine manner and not out of duty, and perhaps the only he ever cared about in a genuine manner.
Both are orphans (sort of), both lack any real meaningful relationships with most people their age, in the case of Henry, most died, and his new role prevents him from truly sharing time with those that remain. In the case of Capon, he quite frankly never had any social interactions of the sort. And yet both encounter solace with being with each other.
Their dynamic over the game, from an initial falling out, to a reconciliation, to an even stronger bond not only feels natural as the conclussion, it neatly wraps their stories as two young lads trying to find themselves. And finding comfort and care in each other after being left alone.
So anyways, I just wanted to share my thoughts and if you wanna send me the expected hate and insults over this, my DM’s are open.
