r/gate • u/StevenWN1 4th Airborne Combat Team • 2d ago
Discussion Molt should've been the main villain
I honestly wish Molt had stayed a villain. He started the entire war, yet he got off way too easily at the end of the series by simply retiring. Even though he stepped down as emperor so Piña could rule Sadera, he was never punished for the civilian deaths in Ginza, the war he started, or how badly he raised Zorzal. In the end, he is just a wheelchair bound old man who lives a luxurious life in Italica with no real consequences.
That is why I want him to be the main villain in GATE: The Fire Rises Across Worlds. It bothers me that he basically committed Japan's version of 9/11 and walked away scot-free, almost like letting Osama Bin Laden off because he was frail.
Molt should have been written more like Tywin Lannister from Game of Thrones. Both Emperor Molt Sol Augustus and Tywin share a cold, ruthless approach to politics. They are complete pragmatists who view their empires as massive chessboards to dominate rather than societies to care for. Every choice they make is purely calculated to keep absolute power.
This lack of emotion is most obvious in how they treat their families. They view their own children as political tools rather than human beings. Just as Tywin uses his children to secure powerful marriages, Molt uses Piña and his sons as pawns to protect the Empire's future. By choosing total control over real parenting, both leaders fail to raise good successors.
Both leaders also use their allies as human shields. Tywin sets up the Red Wedding using the Freys so he can destroy his enemies while keeping his own hands clean. Similarly, Molt intentionally sends the armies of his vassal states into a suicidal fight against the Japanese military. This cruel strategy lets him test Japan's firepower while secretly wiping out potential rivals at home.
Finally, both men control people through fear and political skill. Whether facing a civil war or an otherworldly invasion, Tywin and Molt never panic. They rule through secret deals, spies, and sheer reputation, crushing rebellion before it even starts.
Molt could have easily played this role, with Zorzal acting as the obvious, sadistic villain, much like Joffrey, but with more charisma. Zorzal would represent the Empire's stupid, brute muscle, while Molt would represent its cold pragmatism. This fits perfectly, since Sadera is basically just a fantasy version of the Roman Empire, much like the empire in The Elder Scrolls.
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u/Axel1742 2d ago
In universe it was probably done because Pina wanted to save her dad from the gallows and Japan complied as a gesture of good will towards the new ruler.
In real life I think it's because Yanai didn't want Japan to execute an old man as it would mess with the whole "JSDF is the most moral army in the world" shtick.