#it was never about being stronger vash doesn't care abt that...he cares abt people.... and that helps him overcome knives n save everyone..

[collieii]

i really like how trimax constantly emphasizes that vash's kindness is a choice, a deliberate and powerful one. it contrasts him so well to knives, who's so disdainful towards humanity as a whole. but vash actually interacts with people and is involved in society. and, by extension, he's been hurt by it so many times. but despite this he chooses love everytime and defends humanity.

meanwhile, knives has never participated, always seems to watch people from a distance. still, he makes claims about the cruelty of humanity, and he uses the idea of human cruelty to justify his actions, despite the fact that he's likely never directly been victim to it the same way vash and the other plants have. not to understate the whole tesla situation, but he assumes that he has the authority to decide the fate of humanity, even though out of every plant he's probably not the one who's in the position to make that sort of decision. (and frankly, it's not a decision any single individual should be making)

so this moment is so poignant, though vash might not be directly talking about himself we know it applies to him, we know how much violence he's suffered. it's written on his skin (his shirtlessness in that scene is very pointed). and we know that knives hasn't really experienced that. and knives is ultimately very self absorbed, he assumes he knows what's best for the plants and what they want, so he uses them to achieve his goals without consulting them. unlike vash, who as we see in the finale, has made efforts to communicate with the plants (communication and connection is such a big thing with vash!) he's familiar with them, and they him, and that's one of the reasons they seem more willing to follow vash's path than knives.

the difference between vash and knives is that vash sees everyone as an individual with inherent value. knives is unwilling to do this and he turns groups into monoliths, refuses to see individuals or nuance.

one of the big ideas of trigun is that conflict occurs because people don't see those around them as individuals. so what really saves the day isn't guns or firepower, but understanding between people. vash helps facilitate this understanding between humans and plants because they're all familiar with him, he's put a lot of effort into getting to know everyone! and with everyone he meets he embodies the idea of love and peace, helps them believe that cooperation is possible.

#vash the stampede #millions knives #trigun maximum #happy birthday boys even though it isn't even your birthday in my time zone #i will unleash this post from my drafts in your honor #when vash says this is where the true battle is like get him girl this IS the true battle #it was never about being stronger vash doesn't care abt that...he cares abt people.... and that helps him overcome knives n save everyone.. #or smth. idk it's been a while since i've read the finale bc it gives me heartburn (feelings) #trigun #.lieii #trimax spoilers #sorry if im just saying really obvious things i'm scared to get too into it bc im like. #not sure i fully understand the mechanics of what happens in the finale #it's like vash jumps in -> plants and knives split -> plants lands on earth -> telepathy with humans ->omg you guys know vash too? ->profit #is that right #idk man shit is confusing #trigun meta #.lieii txt