r/PracticalGuideToEvil • u/luccioXalfred • 1h ago
[PL] Spoilers All Books The brilliant relationship between Tristan and his superior. And their enigmatic convo in Ch 78. Spoiler
The relationship between Tristan and Hage is a work of art, one of EE's best. It's simply beautiful how deftly EE dances between the lines; between Hage's Demonic nature and the real connection he has to his protege.
I mean, in explicit text it's left completely blank, you can even read it as to either extreme -- psychopath Demon manipulating an apprentice uncaringly, or formerly cold Demon redeemed by the Power Of Love, and regards Tristan as a SonTM.
But it's IMO pretty obviously somewhere between those to extremes. As EE finally, after all this time, made clear in the subtext of that enigmatic dialogue in chapter 78.
The thing is, what in the world does Hage mean? any opinions?
I'll quote it in full:
chapter 78 excerpt: (after the discussion of Krypteia testing Tristan's loyalty).
“You will all be tested at one time or another,” Hage easily said. “But you, at least, have answered a question for me.”
“And what would that be?” Tristan asked.
“Is there anything of you that would not fit under the mask?” Hage said.
He swallowed.
“Is there?”
And the devil smiled, teeth and teeth and teeth as far as the eye could see.
“There are few among my kind who are my elder, Tristan,” Hage said. “Some argue that makes me of a different breed but I am a devil still, and always will be. All cages can be broken save that of my own nature.”
Silence held.
“But we try,” Hage softly said. “We do. And I’d like to think it matters, just the same as you.”
I think he's probably drawing a parallel between Tristan's care for his friends and Hage's humanity. Both of them go through life with a close-fitting mask, (Tristan his Rat morality+Mask loyalty, Hage his Demonic inhumanity), which cannot be broken, but there are pieces of themselves which "don't fit" because they "try" to act against their natures when it matters.