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Message: <blockquote data-quote="delericho" data-source="post: 3588606" data-attributes="member: 22424">Yes, she did. But not from the OotS, from Rich*, or from the fans. She got a raw deal from her life, which put her in very difficult circumstances. However, the circumstances were not impossible, and she made a lot of bad choices along the way.* I'd best clarify this one, since the author has complete control, and so is ultimately responsible for all the events. However, he's written three things: Miko's backstory, Miko's actions, and the events of the 'campaign'. When I say Rich wasn't responsible for the raw deal, I'm referring to his writing the events of the campaign, rather than Miko's actions or her backstory.The reason people like Hinjo is because... he's a likeable guy. Although he clearly has a strong moral code, he doesn't impose it on others, he doesn't constantly lecture, and he doesn't assume he has all the answers.It's also important to note that Hinjo is not without his faults. I strongly dislike his notion of 'justice' as it relates to the deal with Belkar (he set sentence specifically to get around a deal he himself was offering, and he then used the Mark fo Justice to ensure Belkar's cooperation, stating that he wasn't bound to remove it... except that the Mark was essentially the bail condition Shojo had imposed, so he actually should have been bound to remove it (assuming something close to a real-world judicial system, which Azure City seems to have)). He's also going to be a fairly poor, and probably short-lived ruler. Shojo would have done a much better job handling the nobles, handling Zykon, and in general.But in terms of being likeable? Yep, can't fault him there.I have no problem with her not being funny. I have no problem with her being a bitch. And, in fact, I have no problem with her being arrogant... provided she has the goods to back it up. Unfortunately for Miko, she was utterly wrong, and arrogance combined with wrongness is unforgivable.Shojo probably was a great leader. He wasn't a particularly Good man, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. But, simply saying "she had an abused childhood" doesn't make up for her actions. It might explain them, but that's not the same thing.Emphasis mine. Under those circumstances, I would expect the Paladin to do her duty... which is clearly spelled out as capturing the party. Especially since Azure City has a judicial system that requires the accused stand trial, in order to present a defense if nothing else.Now, having just checked the archive, I've found that when she first meets the OotS, Miko does not identify herself as an agent of authority, she does not reveal herself as a paladin. No, she states that they have been charged with crimes for which the only possible sentence is death, orders them to surrender, and then threatens them. Of course they fight back... and the fault lies with Miko.because they don't know what she's talking about, and she can't explain it either.Apart from accusing them of capital crimes, ordering them to surrender, and threatening them?Constantly lecture them, you mean.Actually, she is. Haley points out as muchI'll give you that one. Of course, no-one likes to hear "I told you so."Miko was annoying, bitchy and rude, but those were all acceptable.Where she went wrong was in sticking with her original assessment in the light of new and contradictory information. She let her hatred of the OotS blind her to the truth of the situation, and acted accordingly. Then, as new facts presented themselves, she wound herself deeper and deeper into her delusion, rather the reevaluation her preconceptions in light of reality.But even then, she remained a Paladin until she struck down Shojo. At that point, she abandonned Law for her own notion of justice. She knew that the correct course of action was to arrest him and hold him for trial, but she did not. Then, when her gods chose to remove her status, she refused to accept the error of her ways, but rather declared that it must be one more step along her destiny.She was a prideful blinkered religious fanatic, of a sort that is all too common, and is extremely dangerous. "Pride goeth before a fall," they say, and it's very true here.</blockquote>

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