Disjointed As They Are Lol - Tumblr Posts

It's speculation but I always got the impression motherhood was difficult to navigate for Marika. With what we learn from SOTE, it only confirms that in my mind. She could have had her children out of a desperate need for familial connection after losing her people. Then to have two of her first children remind her of those that killed her people, I'm sure that didn't set her off on a good note in terms of navigating motherhood. Also, considering her distaste for Radagon (though we don't know when that began) I think it makes sense she probably wouldn't have much attachment to Malenia and Miquella. Given how little either of them seem to care for TGO, I think that shows in their actions. Even though Miquella did follow in Radagon's stead for a little while at least, he didn't seem to have many qualms about turning his back on it. He cared about protecting his sister more than upholding his mother's (and father's) reign. Does make me wonder when exactly in the timeline Marika shifted to questioning TGO.

I feel like Marika probably wanted to be a good mother, but didn't know how, and had her own hangups, obligations and traumas that stopped her. The statue in Messmer's room implies she had some motherly instinct, but we don't know if that was just artistic choice rather than reality... I get the impression Marika might have had it made to sort of subdue Messmer, and have this looming reminder of essentially 'I'm your mother and you owe me.' I don't think she didn't care at all about her children, with what we learn from SOTE it seems to me that the Shattering was born from grief. But that doesn't mean she was a good mother. She is also evidently pretty ruthless regardless. I also wonder, how do you be an effective mother and a powerful god at the same time?

Actually, like thinking of Marika and Motherhood™, it's kind of fascinating that there's so little tying her to Miquella and Malenia? I'm fairly certain the statue depicting someone comforting them isn't Marika, and I took a quick look at Gideon's dialogue about Miquella, and he's actually only guessing that it's a cause for Marika's sorrow.

It's one of those weird little bits were I think the absence of something is actually saying a lot about what's present.