Questioning the Quoted ... Javik, the Vengeful Ancient
Wait, what? This is a new headline. Yes, it is. My relatively recent replay of the Mass Effect trilogy, combined with the events of the present kind of planted the idea that I maybe I could put some quotes from well known popular character and think about their meaning in the real world context. And since there are more than plenty of such quotes, that could and often times will be misinterpreted, let’s join the fray. By the way, feel free to chime in with some quote that comes into the mind of yours. The only condition is that I need to know the context, which will often mean I probably need to play the game or watch the movie or series. But enough rambling, let’s start with one of my favourite characters from the Mass Effect trilogy … Javik, the Vengeful Ancient.
SPOILER ALERT FOR THE GAME MASS EFFECT 3
A little intro first into who Javik is. He’s the last surviving member of the Protheans, a precursor race to Terrans and other “younger races” of the trilogy. In the game, he’s awoken from stasis after 50000 years to not only witness the evolution of those who his race was “cultivating” but also the fact that the same threat that exterminated his civilisation has returned. You take him on your ship for questioning and when you engage in the dialog with him (he learns your language through touch, an ability which is natural to his race and how he learns about his surroundings), he says the following:
Stand in the ashes of trillions of dead and ask them if honor matters. The silence is your answer.
With this quote he argues your opinion that you should still maintain certain level of honour when fighting your enemy, otherwise you’re no better. Now comes the question, does the honour hold? Or is Javik right and “Victory at any cost” is the right approach when fighting an overwhelming force?
Let’s look at Javik’s background first. When he was born, the war for survival was already in full swing and his race was losing horribly. Moreover, those who have fallen or were captured were transformed into monstrosities, barely resembling their original species and used against their own. Another thing, as Javik’s title suggests, he’s been specifically bred and raised to be, as he states, “an embodiment of vengeance”. Thus, it makes sense that his worldview would be much narrower than a view of someone who could resolve many situations in comparably more peaceful times before the full scale war for survival broke out.
But as we progress through the game, Javik’s views soften. While still ruthless, he begins to observe that maybe his extremely direct approach isn’t always the correct one. That maybe there is a hidden cost that can’t be seen at the face value and rears its ugly head when you want it the least. He even sees the merit in the diversity and willing cooperation of all the races that are around instead of adherence to the singular doctrine of his empire, which ironically became one of its crippling weaknesses.
So, does his “Victory at any cost” viewpoint stand? In my opinion, it doesn’t. Why? Because it doesn’t see past its own goal. It sees the present task of “defeat the immediate and overwhelming threat” but doesn’t see anything past that. It almost boils down into “Victory for the sake of victory” or maybe a more familiar “Scorched earth” approach; burn everything down, no matter the losses.
But then what? How do you build something out of nothing? Moreover, how do you explain your actions to those who come after you or those you’re supposed to raise as your successors? Can you look into their eyes and tell them “Yes, we destroyed them in the most ruthless way you can imagine”? What kind of successor will rise when they’re taught that nothing matters when it comes to victory? Does it sound familiar? Are you finding someone in this mindset? Maybe you see some of the present day’s arrogant leaders, consumed by their self-perceived superiority. Or maybe you see people angry at all the injustices caused by our corrupt and inhumane systems and the “burn down everything” is their only desire. And while their motivations and paths may be divergent, there are unsettling parallels. Because both end up with only ashes to rule over and both will reach the most bitter of ends.
So, does honour in fight matter? Yes, it does. Not just for your own sake, but mostly for those who are to come after you. Because those ashes will become the foundation for the new world. And if you build that world on hatred, it’s already destined to fail. So, Javik, my answer to your quote is:
And by burying the ashes of your warriors under the ashes of your enemy, you bury that which made you who you were, replacing them by seeds of hate. And those who’d come after you, would’ve become far worse than the Reapers (name for the race that caused the demise of Protheans). So yes, honour does matter. Because it’s our children that will ask how we survived. And they don’t deserve to be moulded into monsters.
R.R.A.