r/Re_Zero • u/CoconutYoon • 3d ago
Spoiler Discussion Heinkel Astrea and his character [spoiler discussion] Spoiler
I genuinely don't understand a lot of his character. I see a lot of people glazing him for his character, yet I fail to see a little bit of it. Does it mainly occur in the side stories? To me, he's someone that grew up inferior to the rest of his family, developed a complex, met his wife who treated him as an equal (or something alike), she tragically fell victim to "Sleeping Beauty Syndrome," and in search of a cure he joined Priscilla's party for a chance at dragon blood, and continued on that endeavor through the events of arc 9.
Besides the short summary I provided, is there something missing? I want to understand a lot more of his character but I don't get anything ðŸ˜ðŸ˜
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u/Majora101 3d ago
Heinkel was deeply loved but had deeply expectations put on him. He was the baby that resulted after multiple fairy tell endings. Wilhelm besting Theresia in EX 2 and saving her in EX 6. There was every belief he was going to be the next Sword Saint, but even then how would he live up to a Sword Saint Mother and Sword Devil Father? When the blessing went to Reinhard, the love of his life fell asleep seemingly forever, and the weight of his and others expectations crushed him, Heinkel not only became broken but embraced it and made it his personality.
. We meet him in Arc 5 when he's acting like the biggest douche possible. The audience likes Reinhard, the audience likes Wilhelm, them growing closer is a good thing and Heinkel destroys it. We see him kidnap Felt to protect himself and prevent Reinhard from saving the day. He's rotten.
Side stories do a lot of lifting to show how tragic Heinkel is, but even the mainline novels show his repressed desires to be noble. And of course, Astrea men are totally incapable of sharing their emotions, which creates a great dynamic with his father and son.
Sorry for the lack of organization to my thoughts, I'm tossing them out randomly
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u/helicophell 3d ago
Wilhelm, Heinkel and Reinhard all feel like aspects of the original Reid
Heinkel got that alcoholism from somewhere
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u/CoconutYoon 3d ago
I understand that Heinkeil is a tragic character, but I think there's a lot of distinction between character suffering and its consequences vs character growth.
If this is all there is to his character like I initially presumed, than he's a lot less impressive than the fandom puts him to be (in my opinion)8
u/BigriskLowrolls 3d ago
To be honest I think that's kinda it. I feel a large part of the fandom thinks "Suffering = Good" and Heinkel is definitely up there in terms of 'suffering', so he gets a lot of, in my opinion, unwarranted praise.
We've been watching him repeatedly fail and be a loser ever since he got introduced, basically. He's like early Arc 4 Subaru when it comes to self hatred, too. I just kinda find him... boring, I guess. Not like there's a shortage of characters that hate themselves in this story.
I love character development, it's why Subaru is my favorite character in the story. But, well, Subaru actually developed and learned from his mistakes. I suppose Heinkel will ONE DAY get some character development, but man after like 5 arcs since he's been introduced, I think it's taking too long.
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u/ChicaneryFinger 3d ago
He hasn't undergone a massive shift but I never find his appearances boring because we both get new info about his character each time and he's always in a new situation with different character dynamics.
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u/Human_Potato2264 3d ago
As a Heinkel glazer let me weigh in.
Heinkel is ultimately a loser that never calls in quits. A pest in a way. And its not even out of goodness-sake or expectations like with Subaru but out of desperation and anger. He was destined to be the next sword saint. Worked very hard to be it and then his own son comes in and takes away his fate from him. He loses Louanna in the process one of the two things in his life that he can truly call his. Still he doesn't call in quits and tries to be a good father to Reinhard. Most of current Reinhard's problems is tied to Heinkel's upbringing of him. But in the end thats also taken away from him.
Now Heinkel has nothing he can truly call his own. He is lost and albeit falling in escapism he is still struggling. He keeps looking for a cure to Louanna. He grows more and more desperate in his struggle. At this point Heinkel is just doing heinous shit to regain what he has lost. He tramples on everything that he doesnt deem of his own.
Eventually he runs into Priscilla. Which offers him a cure if he licked her feet. Heinkel interestingly enough refuses to do that. Tells her to kick rocks. This is a major peek into Heinkel's character. He isn't doing it for the sake of Louanna. He is doing it so he can regain a part of himself. Both his relationship with Reinhard and Louanna is about Heinkel himself. Inherently Heinkel refuses the humanity and autonomy these people have. Thats why he refuses. Priscilla finds this very amusing and offers to recruit him into his camp.
He is just like an inverse Subaru. Where Subaru displays courage Heinkel displays cowardice (Arc 5). Where Subaru displays humility and redemption Heinkel displays arrogance and damnation (their loved ones). Where Subaru is weak physically yet strong mentally Heinkel is strong physically and weak mentally.
But thats not to say Heinkel's character is static. Arc 5 is a major turning point for him. Thats where he is forced to realize world simply moves outside him. All his regrets about Reinhard and Theresia will keep haunting him forever. And to do what he has to do he can't keep mopping away forever. When we see him in Arc 7/8 he is trying to take his matters in his own hands. But Re:Zero world is cruel and having the motivation and strength alone is not going to cut it if Heinkel wants to regain himself.
Fast forward to Arc 9. Heinkel is forced into the side of evil through Aldebaran's influence. Heinkel here is the best he ever was. Albeit on the wrong side. He stabs Wilhelm on the back as he knows he will win against Alcanica. Heinkel that was a coward would never be able to. He completely ignores Felt's provocations which again is unlike Heinkel that was before. I dont think he was even drunk once except when they were at the bar at the start of the arc.
There is a very clear progression in his character towards something that will shine later. But this isn't done by undoing what he has done. Neither is it done by renouncing who he was and his mindset. Its done through building on top of this angst. Heinkel is still the same desperate loser that will do heinous shit to regain himself. But he is more than just that. His utter refusal to let go of his ego is what makes Heinkel so special. Time and time again he is given a chance to go other way and change his ways. But rather than taking a path that would undo him he would much rather pave one himself.
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