The Assassin
So I was making a comment on another thread and something hit me strong enough I thought it needed its own post.
Sarah has written many characters that have been forced to do horrible things. They’ve been enslaved, forced to become assassins and enforcers. And I find it very interesting how each character deals with this role.
Hunt:
As Micah’s assassin, and possibly Sandriel’s before that, Hunt kills a lot of people. He did whatever the archangels demanded of him.
Micah wanted someone tortured so they died slowly? Hunt didn’t ask questions, he did as instructed.
Sandriel wanted mech suits reverse engineered and turned into bombs that killed a bunch of unsuspecting rebels? Hunt did it.
Never once are we given reason to think he ever tried to save his targets.
Never once are we lead to think he ends his targets quickly out of mercy.
Never once are we told that he defies an order to torture someone.
Celaena:
Celaena becomes the King’s Assassin and is sent on many missions to kill people.
No one doubts that the most deadly assassin in Adarlan carries out her missions. Even Chaol believes she’s killing on command.
And yet we learn that she’s been rescuing people and smuggling them out to safety. Yes, she kills others and makes them look like the intended targets. She’s still killing people, but she’s doing everything she can to secretly rescue the innocent.
She’s spent time in Endovier. She knows how bad the consequences can and will be if she’s discovered. And she does it anyway.
And not only her but Aedion too. He’s been sent to wipe out whole cities in the name of the King. And everyone believes he does. But we find out he’s saved as many as he can.
Rhysand:
While Under the Mountain Rhysand was used as Amarantha’s enforcer. He was commanded to use his daemati powers to torture people. And while he often did, he too rebelled in secret ways.
He took Claire’s pain away while they tortured her.
He killed the summer court spy instead of turning him into a living ghost.
He lied to Amarantha about the spy’s intentions, saving many lives.
The Point:
In every series in the Massverse we have someone who has been forced into the roll of assassin and/or enforcer.
These people have been tortured and forced to bend to another’s sick will. And yet, all but Hunt find ways to fight back. They find ways to save lives when they can and minimize pain when they can’t.
They still do horrible things because they’re forced to. But they find hidden ways to make a difference.
All except Hunt.
Hunt does what he’s told, how he’s told to do it, and he doesn’t push back.
Hunt doesn’t fit the pattern Sarah has established and used over and over again to show us what her heroes (and antiheroes) do when forced to commit atrocities.
There’s no way this difference in Hunt is not intentional.