Richard may have accepted who he is but it’s hard for us to accept
Kodoani.com – The following has spoilers for Requiem of the Rose King Episode 15.
When they were young, Buckingham saw something in Richard that made him decide Richard to be his king: a ruthlessness or hunger concealed by dark hair, even darker eyes, and mere words. of allegiance to House York to whoever ascended the throne. Buckingham saw through those words and through Richard. He knew what Richard really wanted. This episode of Requiem of the Rose King was a huge turning point for Buckingham and Richard’s relationship.
However, Buckingham made it clear that the alliance is based on the fact that the two will always be honest with each other. There will be no secrets between them. Although this episode ultimately shows Richard being true to himself and Buckingham, Richard’s secret is so literal, exposed, and frustrating to watch.
Richard tells everyone his secret in a couple of ways. The first is purposeful and strategic, such as the way he told Buckingham he was the one who killed Elizabeth’s husband years ago. Richard says that he was only fulfilling the promise he made about not keeping secrets, but Richard knew that Buckingham could use this to get Elizabeth to trust him. The second way is done subconsciously. In the previous episode, Buckingham asks how long Richard is willing to go to defend the throne. Would Richard be willing to kill someone? In a moment of intense trauma, Richard confessed that he had, in fact, killed the person he loved most in the world.
Despite the fact that Buckingham makes it look like Richard is the only one who doesn’t support his part in the union, Buckingham is no saint either. There were rumors in town about Richard’s body, and Buckingham knew that Richard was holding something. He decides to kill two birds with one stone: get rid of Gray and find out the truth about Richard’s body. He lulled Gray into a sense of security and intoxication, and when Richard was outside, he ensnared him.
The man who nearly sexually assaulted Richard in Episode 2 is back. Just seeing him brought back all of Richard’s painful memories from years ago. Buckingham ties Richard down and the man tore Richard’s clothes, revealing his breasts. As the anime did before it, the violent action itself and Richard’s body are heavily covered.
It is truly disappointing and truly disgusting that Buckingham uses this shady method to remove Richard without his consent and on Buckingham’s terms. Richard’s reaction to what he had done to him was a gut-wrenching punch. He even said that this was a “natural outcome”, as if he should expect sexual violence. And unfortunately, in Richard’s case, he’s no stranger to being seen as if he wasn’t human.
Ignoring the fact that he had just forced Richard to come out, Buckingham tried to portray himself as a savior. He confirmed Richard’s gender identity as a man and asked if “the ‘female stage’ [của anh ta đã] ever known love.” He sympathizes with Richard telling Richard that he knows Richard has always been hiding his true self and proposes a modified alliance: if Richard agrees to have sex with him, Buckingham will make sure told Richard was going to be king, he was essentially proposing a mutually beneficial relationship.
The rape scene isn’t animated, but it has implications, and it sucks to watch even if it’s not explicitly shown. Worse still, Buckingham is taking advantage of Richard’s emotional state. Buckingham knew that Richard had suffered alone because of his body and longed for human contact. He also knows that Richard has always wanted to be king but is too afraid to achieve the crown. This is not love making love: this is Richard and Buckingham engaging in “mutual sin”.
Then there is a noticeable difference in Richard’s appearance. Before that, the guy’s hair was combed to cover his ‘monstrous’ eyes. After having sex with Buckingham, he no longer covers his eyes, and even his clothes have changed. Richard often wears armor that closes to his chest and clothes buttoned up to his throat. Now, Richard’s clothes look more feminine: there’s a slit across his chest and he wears a cape that looks like a pair of wings.
The rape scene wasn’t necessary, and it was infuriating to see how the scene was so tightly coupled that Richard finally accepted who he was. Richard is still not out of this self-loathing cycle. There is a strange connection between Richard embracing his ‘true self’ while simultaneously becoming the devil. Richard longed to feel the pain of sex because it would help to forget all that had happened to Richard and all that Richard had done. The more violent the sex, the better.
In the end, Richard still didn’t see himself as a human being; Richard just accepts that he is a demon and has found someone willing to go to hell with him. It doesn’t look like self-acceptance but more like self-denial: if Richard’s fate really is a monster, what good is it to fight against something as powerful as fate?
Via: Kodoani.com
