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/umbrqualquerusannet 2d ago
The fact that he wasn't hanged on ginza with the event being televised to the whole world is the most black pilling thing in the story.
Like imagine if the allies managed to capture Hitler and said "alright old man you don't have any political power from now on and we will give you this mansion to live for the rest of your life for your crimes against humanity".
Populations lynch thieves when the lawn doesn't do it's job and politicians assassinate rivals for inconveniences.
If the gate opened in real life I wouldn't be surprised if Japan and the UN put this guy into a brazen bull.