Alternate title: Maschenny's Father Complex
Introduction
As is the case for some of the direct descendants of the 10 Families, Maschenny Zahard seems to have a fixation on her Father. Curiously though, the Father she's fixated on is not Khun Eduan but rather King Zahard.
Her fixation on Zahard is similar to (albeit a bit different from) Hoaquin's fixation on Arie Hon.
Maschenny's complex around Zahard was extensively explored as the Data of herself on the Hidden Floor and hinted/teased at for her High Ranker version.
Interlude: What Makes Maschenny's Fixation on Zahard Noteworthy?
Maschenny's case is curious, because she is perhaps the only Princess that has been fixated on her Father. Garam Zahard wants Zahard to die, but this seems to be merely a desire for vengeance, and not any sort of ideation as Maschenny so frequently exhibits. I don't think it would be inaccurate to say that Maschenny idolises Zahard.
It is because of her ideation and idolisation of Zahard that she seeks to challenge him.
Admittedly, we haven't seen all that many Princesses and of the Princesses we have seen, none but Maschenny has interacted with Zahard at any length (on panel at least). But perhaps that just reinforces my point. That only Maschenny has had any interactions with Zahard so far, may be because Zahard is just such a central figure in Maschenny's life.
Data Maschenny
Zahard was perhaps the core around which Data Maschenny's character revolved around. Near the entirety of her interactions on the Hidden Floor were with Zahard and it was through those interactions that her character was made real. Through her fight with Zahard, she became her own person.
At the start of their "battle". Maschenny introduces herself to Zahard, and it's the first β and only β time in the series that we see Maschenny bow her head to someone else:
She never lowered her head even to Eduan. In general, Zahard is the only person Maschenny has ever shown deference to. Considering her character, Zahard would probably remain the only person Maschenny was genuinely deferential to.
Maschenny praised Zahard as "the greatest Adventurer in the Tower":
When Zahard asked her why she was fighting him, she revealed that when she received power from the King on the outside, she was fascinated by his "endless power". As such, even if it was just once, she longed to fight him.
Alas, due to the circumstances on the outside, she was destined to never fight him, so she wanted to at least fight the data version of him:
It's clear from the above that Maschenny's desire to challenge Zahard is borne out of a fascination with his endless might. From her ideation of her Father was born the desire to challenge him.
After witnessing Zahard's immense power, Maschenny was scared, but more than that she was thrilled beyond measure:
In order to fight him, she decided to place her life on the line:
So committed was she to fighting her Father, that even when Zahard tried to spare her life, she rejected it.
Zahard made to leave the battlefield, but she asked him to stop, that their battle wasn't over yet, she was still not yet done enjoying herself.
Zahard realised that he was going to have to kill her to make her stop fighting him.:
He then revealed that he had tried to spare her life out of an admiration for her spirit:
However, Maschenny outright rejected his offer. She didn't just reject it, she was insulted at the gesture. She insisted that he fight her until she died:
Zahard acquiesced and bid her to come, as she wished, he'll kill her:
I'm not sure if Maschenny was just enjoying herself so much fighting Zahard that she didn't want the battle to end so soon. Or if she specifically wanted to die at Zahard's hands, or if it was some combination of the two.
Regardless of the exact nature, the ideation is once again present here. People have often joked that Maschenny tried to commit suicide by Zahard, and looking at the dialogue, I don't think the accusation is entirely without merit.
Their battle continued, and Maschenny continued until her vastly superhuman body could not keep up anymore and she collapsed:
Zahard commented on how extreme an event this was. As a Princess of Zahard, she was supposed to have a body that was "tens of thousands" of times stronger than ordinary people. Yet she fought until even that superhuman body could not keep up anymore. He questions if her desire to challenge him was that great.
As he departed, he hoped that she enjoyed herself, as she realised that dream she was unable to realise on the outside:
Maschenny for her part died with a smile on her face, at being able to realise her dream.
Adult Maschenny
It seems to me that Adult Maschenny still seeks to challenge her Father.
The only times Maschenny has spoken on her end goal was when Jinsung asked her.
The first time he asks, she tells him that she has the same goal as him and that she wanted the same thing. She just believes that she needs to shed more blood:
Again, Jinsung asks, and again she replies. They want the same thing, but she believes that more blood needs to be spilled:
Considering that Jinsung wants to use Baam to take revenge on someone:
I believe that what Maschenny and Jinsung both want is the downfall of Zahard.
It may be the case that all of Maschenny's scheming, all her machinations and manipulation is borne out of that same desire to challenge her Father.
She may have simply made the stage for her confrontation a bit bigger. Rather than a lone battlefield, this time, their "battle" would play out across the entire Tower.
Or perhaps, Maschenny is trying to tear down those circumstances that predestine to never her Father.
Something else that I consider quite telling is Maschenny's big epiphany on Baam. That moment where she realises that he's not the "harmless little chick" she previously believed him to be but a "monster":
In that moment, she sees in Baam, the shadow of her Father:
It may be the case that all of Maschenny's investment in Baam stems from her fixation on Zahard. What if Maschenny doesn't just seek to challenge her Father? What if she wants to challenge him and win? Should she earnestly desire to kill Zahard, that is not something that can be accomplished with only her strength. Zahard's King contract makes him outright invulnerable to harm from Regulars. Only an Irregular could hope to actually fight (let alone win) against him.
Perhaps what Maschenny hopes of Baam is that he will be the one to eventually defeat her Father.
Introduction
As is the case for some of the direct descendants of the 10 Families, Maschenny Zahard seems to have a fixation on her Father. Curiously though, the Father she's fixated on is not Khun Eduan but rather King Zahard.
Her fixation on Zahard is similar to (albeit a bit different from) Hoaquin's fixation on Arie Hon.
Maschenny's complex around Zahard was extensively explored as the Data of herself on the Hidden Floor and hinted/teased at for her High Ranker version.
Interlude: What Makes Maschenny's Fixation on Zahard Noteworthy?
Maschenny's case is curious, because she is perhaps the only Princess that has been fixated on her Father. Garam Zahard wants Zahard to die, but this seems to be merely a desire for vengeance, and not any sort of ideation as Maschenny so frequently exhibits. I don't think it would be inaccurate to say that Maschenny idolises Zahard.
It is because of her ideation and idolisation of Zahard that she seeks to challenge him.
Admittedly, we haven't seen all that many Princesses and of the Princesses we have seen, none but Maschenny has interacted with Zahard at any length (on panel at least). But perhaps that just reinforces my point. That only Maschenny has had any interactions with Zahard so far, may be because Zahard is just such a central figure in Maschenny's life.
Data Maschenny
Zahard was perhaps the core around which Data Maschenny's character revolved around. Near the entirety of her interactions on the Hidden Floor were with Zahard and it was through those interactions that her character was made real. Through her fight with Zahard, she became her own person.
At the start of their "battle". Maschenny introduces herself to Zahard, and it's the first β and only β time in the series that we see Maschenny bow her head to someone else:
She never lowered her head even to Eduan. In general, Zahard is the only person Maschenny has ever shown deference to. Considering her character, Zahard would probably remain the only person Maschenny was genuinely deferential to.
Maschenny praised Zahard as "the greatest Adventurer in the Tower":
When Zahard asked her why she was fighting him, she revealed that when she received power from the King on the outside, she was fascinated by his "endless power". As such, even if it was just once, she longed to fight him.
Alas, due to the circumstances on the outside, she was destined to never fight him, so she wanted to at least fight the data version of him:
It's clear from the above that Maschenny's desire to challenge Zahard is borne out of a fascination with his endless might. From her ideation of her Father was born the desire to challenge him.
After witnessing Zahard's immense power, Maschenny was scared, but more than that she was thrilled beyond measure:
In order to fight him, she decided to place her life on the line:
So committed was she to fighting her Father, that even when Zahard tried to spare her life, she rejected it.
Zahard made to leave the battlefield, but she asked him to stop, that their battle wasn't over yet, she was still not yet done enjoying herself.
Zahard realised that he was going to have to kill her to make her stop fighting him.:
He then revealed that he had tried to spare her life out of an admiration for her spirit:
However, Maschenny outright rejected his offer. She didn't just reject it, she was insulted at the gesture. She insisted that he fight her until she died:
Zahard acquiesced and bid her to come, as she wished, he'll kill her:
I'm not sure if Maschenny was just enjoying herself so much fighting Zahard that she didn't want the battle to end so soon. Or if she specifically wanted to die at Zahard's hands, or if it was some combination of the two.
Regardless of the exact nature, the ideation is once again present here. People have often joked that Maschenny tried to commit suicide by Zahard, and looking at the dialogue, I don't think the accusation is entirely without merit.
Their battle continued, and Maschenny continued until her vastly superhuman body could not keep up anymore and she collapsed:
Zahard commented on how extreme an event this was. As a Princess of Zahard, she was supposed to have a body that was "tens of thousands" of times stronger than ordinary people. Yet she fought until even that superhuman body could not keep up anymore. He questions if her desire to challenge him was that great.
As he departed, he hoped that she enjoyed herself, as she realised that dream she was unable to realise on the outside:
Maschenny for her part died with a smile on her face, at being able to realise her dream.
Adult Maschenny
It seems to me that Adult Maschenny still seeks to challenge her Father.
The only times Maschenny has spoken on her end goal was when Jinsung asked her.
The first time he asks, she tells him that she has the same goal as him and that she wanted the same thing. She just believes that she needs to shed more blood:
Again, Jinsung asks, and again she replies. They want the same thing, but she believes that more blood needs to be spilled:
Considering that Jinsung wants to use Baam to take revenge on someone:
I believe that what Maschenny and Jinsung both want is the downfall of Zahard.
It may be the case that all of Maschenny's scheming, all her machinations and manipulation is borne out of that same desire to challenge her Father.
She may have simply made the stage for her confrontation a bit bigger. Rather than a lone battlefield, this time, their "battle" would play out across the entire Tower.
Or perhaps, Maschenny is trying to tear down those circumstances that predestine to never her Father.
Something else that I consider quite telling is Maschenny's big epiphany on Baam. That moment where she realises that he's not the "harmless little chick" she previously believed him to be but a "monster":
In that moment, she sees in Baam, the shadow of her Father:
It may be the case that all of Maschenny's investment in Baam stems from her fixation on Zahard. What if Maschenny doesn't just seek to challenge her Father? What if she wants to challenge him and win? Should she earnestly desire to kill Zahard, that is not something that can be accomplished with only her strength. Zahard's King contract makes him outright invulnerable to harm from Regulars. Only an Irregular could hope to actually fight (let alone win) against him.
Perhaps what Maschenny hopes of Baam is that he will be the one to eventually defeat her Father.
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