I'm having trouble agreeing with Meve's motivation to keep fighting as the game goes on

[kandnm115709]

Especially after Villem explains his reasons of surrendering to Nilfgaard in Mahakam. I get Nilfgaard is basically the German Nazi of the Witcher universe but the fact that she dismisses Villem's reasoning with no second thought, just makes it seems like she has no problem taking her kingdom and all of her people to die an inevitable and pointless death in a war she cannot possibly win.

[WuvWoo]

If Nifgaard wins then Lyria/Rivia will lose their traditions and customs and need to kneel to what could very well be an oppressive foreign power which, on many occasions, displays a lack of honor and a clear display of having a stick shoved so far up their rear that they'll kill someone just for crossing the road while they're passing by because northerners aren't valuable to them. It's more like Meve is realizing what is at stake and values Lyria/Rivia's soul and is willing to have her people fight for it. People, by the way, whom aren't entirelly safe under nilfgaardian rule anyway. We know from Witcher 3 that Nilfgaardians are just people too but to her they're evil invaders that must be repelled at all costs.

[kandnm115709]

Lazy Madman の投稿を引用：

If Nifgaard wins then Lyria/Rivia will lose their traditions and customs and need to kneel to what could very well be an oppressive foreign power which, on many occasions, displays a lack of honor and a clear display of having a stick shoved so far up their rear that they'll kill someone just for crossing the road while they're passing by because northerners aren't valuable to them. It's more like Meve is realizing what is at stake and values Lyria/Rivia's soul and is willing to have her people fight for it. People, by the way, whom aren't entirelly safe under nilfgaardian rule anyway. We know from Witcher 3 that Nilfgaardians are just people too but to her they're evil invaders that must be repelled at all costs.

I did use the German Nazi comparison so, here's my take.

If I'm an ordinary civilian in Meve's kingdom, there's a strong chance I'd be forcibly conscripted to fight against Nilfgaard. Since Nilfgaard is nearly 30 times larger than Lyria/Rivia, with a better trained and equipped army, there's no doubt Meve's kingdom will inevitably get steamrolled. In other words, she's basically sending me to the battlefield knowing I'm going to die anyway. That sucks for grunts like me.

However, Villem (despite being naive), puts the safety of his own people before his pride as a royalty and bends the knee to Nilfgaard, avoiding needless bloodshed his people might suffer. If I were an ordinary civilian in Meve's kingdom, I'd be supporting Villem instead because I don't want to die a horrible death, in a war we cannot win, due to my Queen's ego.

Trust me man, there's nothing worse than having the leader of your country insisting in pursuing a war we cannot win, especially when they know heavy casualty is predicted. F*ck that sh*t man, I ain't dyin' for someone who doesn't care for my livelihood!

[Zeban]

I think Meve can relate with Villems reasoning, but she also know what happens with puppet states of the empire. They're not free any more. As becomes evident in your journey, living as a common man under the oppressive rule of nilfgaard is hardly preferable than to die in defense of freedom.

Nilfgaard regards northerners as barbarians, and treat them as such.

Besides, Meve is stabbed in the back by those close to her, never allowed to partake in the politics, her throne stripped from beneath her. (they knew she would not play along)
But ask yourself truly, Is it really preferable to live like a slave, being stepped on by foreign boots and be drafted into wars for a foreign power? (nilfgaard is always at war, somewhere)

It's interesting that you think her decisions is about ego. To me it was obvious from the get go that she cares deeply for her subjects? Is it ego to not want your citizens to be enslaved under the empire? To allow willing souls fight for their freedom?
Is it preferable to die as a slave?

I'll just end with a quote from Braveheart :D

Veteran: Fight? Against that? No! We will run. And we will live.
William Wallace: Aye, fight and you may die. Run, and you'll live... at least a while. And dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willin' to trade ALL the days, from this day to that, for one chance, just one chance, to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they'll never take... OUR FREEDOM!

classic.

[Destal]

I don't think the Nilfgaard is Nazi Germany, I mean the Nilfgaard are pretty bad people with wrong opinions.

[NovHak]

While it wasn't the case with the nazis, lol.

I suppose your point is rather that there were good people with good opinions in Germany at that time, but that wasn't overly clear.

Or maybe you're a nazi after all ! Lol again...

[Zeban]

Big difference between Nilfgaard and Nazi gemany is the scope.
I'd say nilfgaard has just as crappy perspective as the Nazis did only its worse in the witcher universe since Nilfgaard is the biggest empire there is....
kind of like if america were nazi I suppose.
Glad its fantasy...........(thinking bout Trump) DOooooh :D

[Thryson]

Nilfgaard is like Nazi Germany? Yeah because Nazi Germany was known for passing laws of inclusion to minorities and using settlers to spill over into the most desirable areas of new conquered lands...

Nilfgaard is supposed to be much more like Rome and I am not sure I can even see any parallels with Nazis

[kandnm115709]

Thryson の投稿を引用：

Nilfgaard is like Nazi Germany? Yeah because Nazi Germany was known for passing laws of inclusion to minorities and using settlers to spill over into the most desirable areas of new conquered lands...

Nilfgaard is supposed to be much more like Rome and I am not sure I can even see any parallels with Nazis

Actually, I was parroting what book readers said about Nilfgaard. Never read the books, sorry.

[Smart Sheep]

kandnm115709 の投稿を引用：

Since Nilfgaard is nearly 30 times larger than Lyria/Rivia, with a better trained and equipped army, there's no doubt Meve's kingdom will inevitably get steamrolled.

I'm not sure how far you're in the game, but after Meve wins a decisive victory, showing the Nilfgaard can be defeated, the united north basically steamrolled Nilfgaard invasion instead of the other way around. It kind of shows that the power difference between invading Nilfgaard and the north isn't far off.

So, in other words, you could also argue that it's Villem's naivety and cowardice that resulted in Lyria and Rivia's suffering. If they were united at the start, Nilfgaard probably didn't stand a chance. This is not limited to Villem but you will also be learned that the second largest family of Lyria and Rivia didn't even try to fight.

Considering Meve is the one with ample military experience and Villem can barely even hold a sword, maybe the motivation behind Meve's action is not pride, but rational belief that she can win the war.

[kandnm115709]

Smart Sheep の投稿を引用：

kandnm115709 の投稿を引用：

Since Nilfgaard is nearly 30 times larger than Lyria/Rivia, with a better trained and equipped army, there's no doubt Meve's kingdom will inevitably get steamrolled.

I'm not sure how far you're in the game, but after Meve wins a decisive victory, showing the Nilfgaard can be defeated, the united north basically steamrolled Nilfgaard invasion instead of the other way around. It kind of shows that the power difference between invading Nilfgaard and the north isn't far off.

So, in other words, you could also argue that it's Villem's naivety and cowardice that resulted in Lyria and Rivia's suffering. If they were united at the start, Nilfgaard probably didn't stand a chance. This is not limited to Villem but you will also be learned that the second largest family of Lyria and Rivia didn't even try to fight.

Considering Meve is the one with ample military experience and Villem can barely even hold a sword, maybe the motivation behind Meve's action is not pride, but rational belief that she can win the war.

I made my opinion by putting myself in the shoes on Meve's ordinary subjects. Do I want to be forcibly conscripted into Meve's army to fend off a giant of an empire, with better trained soldiers and equipment? What if the north never got united?

It's hard being a peasant in medieval times, man. Sometimes your liege has no problems throwing you out to the meat grinder for their own pride. All I'm trying to say is, there's a rational reason why Villem made his decision but Meve dismissed it without second thought, as if the short term well being of her people are of no importance.