Discussion What are your thoughts on the Gen'ei Ryodan's pacifism in the current arc?

[ColtBuntline]

Isn't it strange how Phinks denied Luini's words in chapter 392? The way how Phinks spoke gave the impression that he's a peaceful nice guy who would never even consider the idea of causing a massacre, but that's clearly what he and the other members of the Gen'ei Ryodan did in Yorknew City.

Even after the way how Phinks looked at Gon and Killua remembering how Gon and Killua deliberately remained as hostages as a means to prevent Kurapika from killing Chrollo, which could indicate that Phinks had a change of heart and began to refrain from killing people unnecessarily, actually right after that Phinks and Feitan killed people again, without any hesitation, to steal the video game, and then even made a competition with Feitan to see who could kill more players in their way.

Luini's observation about how it would be more like the Troupe to break the door and kill everyone who stood in their way, as well as the description of the Troupe in the Wikipedia mentioned by Luini, was clearly accurate considering their previous actions. So how can it make sense for Togashi now to portray the Ryodan members as if they were reasonable people who are willing to avoid unnecessary killing?

And I'm not denying the fact that some members were capable of showing mercy in other situation (at least Nobunaga's attitude doesn't really seem inconsistent), and it's true that they are not really being portrayed as saints now, considering how Feitan is still willing to mutilate people to torture them, and also considering how Nobunaga, Phinks, and Feitan used supposedly innocent people as guinea pigs to test the entrance of that room, but it's still strange how they deliberately gave themselves more work cooperating with Cha-R Family instead of just breaking that door and killing anyone of the Cha-R Family who stood in their way, in order to fulfil their main objective of killing Hisoka, as fast as possible. And especially Phinks seems too good in comparison to how he was in the past.

So how do you interpret the Ryodan members' attitude in this arc? Is there a good reason (that I may be missing) for the difference in their attitude in this arc, is Togashi just being inconsistent, or is he meaning to retcon those characters' personalities now that he showed their tragic past with a flashback which gave the impression that they are supposedly just "playing the role" of villains in order to hunt the real villains?

To clarify: I'm not against the attitude of those three characters in this arc; I'm actually liking to see them being so reasonable, but I'm just finding it strange and confusing.

 

[Demonspeed]

Pacifism really isn't the right word. Phinks simply said that wrecking havoc isn't the first option they pick all the time and I don't see how it contradicts their actions. Even IRL wikipedia isn't 100% correct. Everyone can edit it.

They didn't want to go to war with the Ei, then Luini pissed them off and now they want to exterminate the clan.

 

[ColtBuntline]

Pacifism really isn't the right word.

Which is the right word then?

Phinks simply said that wrecking havoc isn't the first option they pick all the time

That's not what he said. He clearly said that massacre/mass murder (皆殺し) is an idea that an idiot comes up with (アホの発想), as if that were the kind of idea that he would never come up with himself, even though in the past he had already proven more than once to be fain to kill a lot of people as the simplest course of action for him to take to get what he wants.

I don't see how it contradicts their actions.

Their attitude, and especially Phinks' reply to Luini, seem inconsistent with what they did in the past, considering how many people they killed with pleasure as a not even necessary means to steal what they wanted to steal.

Even IRL wikipedia isn't 100% correct. Everyone can edit it.

Of course the real wikipedia isn't 100% correct.

That description of the Gen'ei Ryodan as described by Luini was correct though, considering all the things they did in Yorknew City, like indiscriminately murdering everyone (except themselves) in an auction hall and then sucking the corpses of their victims into a vacuum cleaner.

The description may not be accurate anymore if most of the members became more ethical now, but it certainly was an accurate description at least during the Yorknew City arc.

 

[Tavore]

Tbf they only massacred the Mafia in Yorknew for Uvo. Like if Owl didn't take the items only the Mafia inside that building would've been killed.

 

[Aeneas]

The Troupe’s killings have always been targeted:

- the Mafia
- police
- assassins
- the Kurta
- Chimera Ants

While the Heil-Ly have targeted other Mafia members, they’ve also killed random civilians just to level up.

I don’t know why some people think the Troupe kill indiscriminately. Reminds me of the people who thought they would crash one of the banquets and kill all the rich there.

 

[Demonspeed]

Spiders did kill some people just to get what they want sometimes(Fei and Phinks killing GI players) but it's not like they go wild every time they are mad or want something. It also depends on the person.

 

[uberfayt]

To me the main difference between Heily and Spiders is that the former seem to hold a grudge against society and want it destroyed while the latter are neutral anarchists who need said society for their spontaneous desires.

--- Double Post Merged, Mar 14, 2023, Original Post Date: Mar 14, 2023 ---

I think the spiders are still in character, and that it's Luini who did not understand them and thought the spiders also aimed for the destruction of the world/society.

 

[Tavore]

To me the main difference between Heily and Spiders is that the former seem to hold a grudge against society and want it destroyed while the latter are neutral anarchists who need said society for their spontaneous desires.

Curious how this situation between them will end. Clearly Togashi has big plans for Morena and I can't see the Heil-Ly taking out more than one Spider unless Hisoka teams up with her.

 

[Demonspeed]

Which is the right word then?



That's not what he said. He clearly said that massacre/mass murder (皆殺し) is an idea that an idiot comes up with (アホの発想), as if that were the kind of idea that he would never come up with himself, even though in the past he had already proven more than once to be fain to kill a lot of people as the simplest course of action for him to take to get what he wants.



Their attitude, and especially Phinks' reply to Luini, seem inconsistent with what they did in the past, considering how many people they killed with pleasure as a not even necessary means to steal what they wanted to steal.



Of course the real wikipedia isn't 100% correct.

That description of the Gen'ei Ryodan as described by Luini was correct though, considering all the things they did in Yorknew City, like indiscriminately murdering everyone (except themselves) in an auction hall and then sucking the corpses of their victims into a vacuum cleaner.

The description may not be accurate anymore if most of the members became more ethical now, but it certainly was an accurate description at least during the Yorknew City arc.

I would say that the Ei are mindless killers and that's what they thought the Spiders were. They aren't, they are ruthless killers.

Luini and his companions could kill someone who did nothing at all for fun. The Spiders wouldn't do it for no reason. If that person has something they want like the GI players they will probably end up dead but that's it.