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So even after learning of his wife's abusive upbringing, this jackass thought it was a smart idea to threaten her with locking her up in their chambers just because she wanted to support him by testifying against her own father. What I disliked about this moment is that Maxi, despite rightfully scolding Riftan for behaving no different than her father, unfortunately apologizes for the comparison. It's very clear to me that the author was more interested in portraying Riftan as some misunderstood figure instead of having him reflect on his abusive actions. You can not make me feel sympathy for a character who refuses to change, especially one as inconsiderate as Riftan.
People will disagree, but can we talk about how manipulative it was for Riftan to use his mother's suicide to pressure Maxi into staying? He refused to open up about his past when she asked before (season 4), yet waited until the night before she made her decision to reveal it, knowing how guilty and afraid she'd feel. Given his past statements about not surviving another 3 years without her, it felt less like vulnerability and more like indirectly threatening suicide if she left. That's a very selfish burden to put on Maxi.
As novel readers know, Maxi spends Book 2 terrified of Riftan ending up like his mother after she leaves. She was already emotionally distraught by their argument, and the decision to leave was taking a serious toll on her mental health. Then Riftan chose this moment to reveal his mother’s suicide and abandonment issues, placing an enormous emotional burden on her, yet despite this, readers blame Maxi for “abandoning” him while completely ignoring how his manipulation made her fearful that she was potentially driving him toward the same fate.
If you think his actions weren't intentional, you're missing the point. Whether he intended to manipulate or not, intent doesn't erase the distress and guilt Riftan's unresolved trauma puts Maxi through. Maxi actively confronts her trauma and tries to grow, while Riftan repeatedly weaponizes his to justify controlling her and sabotaging that growth because he's afraid of losing her. Yet he never takes responsibility for the emotional abuse he inflicts. Trauma explains harm. It doesn't excuse it.
I totally agree with you. When Maxi is growing at all, being better and better with all the effort, riftan never change. He was obsessed with Maxi from day one but never trust or understanding her will. And it Just getting worse on every arc. I am cooked
Yep, and I’m telling you, he doesn’t have that much character development even in the upcoming seasons. He still behaves pretty much the same as he did in Season 1. The manhwa also makes him seem much less aggressive compared to the novel. Dude is literally a walking bomb ready to explode in the novel The arguments during Maxi’ was found in the war were so horrible that they removed that whole part from the manhwa because Riftan was way too rude in the novel.