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Szeth & Moash: They're More Similar Than You Think [Discuss]


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Introduction: This started out as a twitter thread but the more I thought about it, the more ideas I had and the more it expanded. 

 

Family

Before they were handed over to the Honorblades and became devout members of Stone Shamanism, Szeth’s family were farmers- the highest respected position in Shinovar. Given the name Stone Shamans and Szeth’s psychological state, we can assume that the Stone Shamans are a religious institution in Shinovar. Szeth’s family went from respected members to the lowest members of society. Later on, Szeth was labeled as truthless and kicked out of Shinovar. Here we have a powerful (religious) institution wielding their power and using it against their citizens which drastically changed the fate of Szeth and his family.  As Szeth is labelled as truthless and exiled from Shinovar, he slowly learns that he wasn’t wrong and Stone Shamanism was false. He comes to view Shinovar’s “false leaders” as a great injustice. His solution is to cleanse Shinovar of its false leaders.

Moash was raised by his grandparents who were darkeyed silversmiths in Kholinar. They were high ranking darkeyes - 2nd Nahn and Moash noted that they were important darkeyes. They had a competitive business enough to the point it bothered Roshone. He used his connections and powers to the crown to have Moash’s grandparents sent to jail. Despite Moash’s grandparents being important enough to demand a trial, they were not as powerful as the lighteyes and the Kholin Dynasty. They still lost their lives.

The common thread here is that two institutional powers from two separate countries abuse their power, which causes two younger men from well regarded families to have traumatic experiences with institutional powers in their own countries. Despite being of important rank, it meant nothing compared to the institutional power. Their traumatic experiences both deal with their family being affected by those more powerful than them. They both have grievances toward these said powers and view murder as a method to solve their problems. Both of their closest family members died while they were away. Ishar killed Szeth’s father after Szeth was exiled from Shinovar. Moash’s grandparents were killed while he was working on a caravan.

Manipulation (Relationship with Taravangian / Rayse)

Taravangian used Szeth’s mental instability against him. He knew that Szeth was unanimously kicked out of his country and that had nothing else left to him except for his honor and Stone Shamanism, which Taravangian used against him. He made him into what he wanted -  a weapon that terrorized the world. Hell, Taravangian had notes on manipulating Szeth. Any time Szeth stepped out of line, Taravangian made sure he was not to be questioned. Taravangian traumatized him to the point where if he moved abruptly it caused Szeth to jump with a sword. In Rhythm of War, he constantly has trauma responses to anything dealing with Taravangian. When he heard Taravangian needed a round stone with quartz inclusions” Szeth went into panic mode. He thought Taravangian was going to use him again. The only reason Szeth’s mental health slightly progressed is because of Nale.

Rayse establishes his relationship with the fused, singers, and Moash on a lie. He appears to them as a singer when in reality there are no singer shards and he appears as a Shin person to Dalinar. If human-hating Moash ever found out Rayse was a human, it would diminish his perception on the shard. He makes Moash (and probably everyone who turns to Odium) dependent on him. Moash needs Odium to take away the guilt and the pain for this relationship to even occur. He positively reinforces Moash by telling him that he understands Moash. Rayse reinforces his authority towards Moash and tells him that he needs to fear him. Rayse uses Moash to get to what he really wants: Kaladin as his champion. Most people don’t really notice this aspect because Moash is planning to manipulate and abuse Kaladin at the same time he is being manipulated. Also, part of it is consensual, but still built on a lie.

Despite being manipulated and used, they both are responsible for committing heinous crimes in the names of other people. Moash is responsible for trying to get Kaladin to kill himself. He is responsible for killing Teft and killing Jezrien at the demands of the fused. Szeth is responsible for killing the world leaders and plunging the entire world into chaos.

Their psychology in this aspect is interesting because both of them are followers, not leaders. They have trouble forging their own lives. They are isolated from people, from human interactions, which makes it easier for them to be manipulated.

Anger, Vengeance, and Hatred

The word Vengeance is persistently used in relation to Moash. For instance, Kaladin tells Moash he just wants “petty vengeance” and  Moash himself when questioned by the fused said he wants vengeance. Ever since we met Moash, he’s carried this grudge against Elhokar and let the hatred toward Elhokar build up and fester. We never met who Moash was before this event so that’s why he seems like a miserable person from the beginning. In The Way of Kings, Moash said he wanted to impose the same system that existed back on the lighteyes, not end the system entirely. He expresses that he wants to be in charge and have the lighteyes work the fields and die by Parshendi arrows – not that slavery should be abolished. He wants to hurt those who hurt him. Moashs’s wrath led him to irrational conclusions such as thinking killing Elhokar would do anything for Moash. He didn’t end the monarchy or solve anything between lighteyes and darkeyes. Did he avenge his grandparents? Maybe, but do you think his grandparents would love to see how their beloved grandson has been spending his time as a menace to society? He sought out to fulfill his own personal revenge because he was obsessed with punishing Elhokar. When Kaladin thwarted Moash’s plan to assassinate Elhokar, he said he would try to get justice for him, Moash didn’t want to listen because what he heard was Elhokar escaping his punishment. Moash viewed Elhokar has the sole perpetuator in his grandparent’s murder when in reality the entire system was to blame for their death from the king to (especially) Roshone to the palace guards to the conditions in the prison cell. In the end, vengeance meant so much to Moash that he let it break his relationship with Kaladin.

Szeth’s greatest fear was someone taking advantage of him because he knew he would comply with their demands because of his honor. Taravangian manipulated and abused Szeth’s nature as truthless. Szeth has been hating Taravangian ever since he met him. He mentions he wanted to murdered him but his honor prevented him from doing so. It wasn’t until Szeth learned his father died did he let go of his tightly held honor and kill Taravangian.

When Szeth killed Taravangian, he also killed Rayse which left a power vacuum open for Taravangian to take up in the similar fashion Moash killing Elhokar left a power vacuum open for Jasnah to step in and become Queen of Alethkar. They both killed people they held deep resentment and hatred towards. It wasn’t until their family member died did they unleash their emotions and start killing in anger. It was his family’s death that caused Moash to hate Elhokar for years and he let that resentment fester, until he killed Elhokar. It wasn’t until Ishar confirmed that he killed Szeth’s father did Szeth unleash his hatred towards Taravangian.

Guilt, Pain, & Self-Hatred

They both have extreme and exact opposite coping mechanisms when managing their guilt and pain. Moash gives into the pain. He doesn’t want to feel any pain. He wants to forget about everyone he’s hurt. Szeth is the exact opposite. He feels the pain. He feels the screams of those he killed. He doesn’t allow himself a moment of peace because he feels guilty for the people he’s killed. He carries his burden to his own detriment.

Justice

Justice is a theme for both characters. They both have been wronged by their respective societies. They both see the wrongs of their society because they have been personally wronged by it along with their loved ones. Neither of them mention a desire to make their society better. Moash cares about justice, but it’s different from a Skybreaker’s pursuit of justice. Moash brings up injustices and brings awareness to the reader of the injustices in Alethkar. On the other hand, Skybreakers deal with injustices and keep the upper class in check. “Another form of justice” is the title of the chapter where Moash says he wanted to assassinate Elhokar to Kaladin and avenge his grandparents. Revenge is another form of justice. In addition, when he was with the fused, he noticed how the listener slaves were being treated far worse than everyone else and demanded answers from the fused as to why this was allowed to happen Szeth’s motivation for cleansing Shinovar is ambiguous however it’s been on his mind ever since he learned he was never truthless. It could lean towards vengeance. He was unanimously kicked out of Shinovar. Unlike Moash, Szeth has a highspren, Nale (despite being crazy), and Dalinar to help and guide him in understanding justice. Szeth’s journey seems to be that he needs to learn what justice is, which is the theme of the next book.

Fun Fact: There is a Seth in the bible, son of Adam and Eve, born after Cain killed Abel. Abel was considered “God’s chosen” and he was loved by God. Cain killed him out of jealousy. A common interpretation for him is that he’s a symbol of God’s law. No matter how many times you try to kill Abel, God will place a Seth.  Evidently, Seth represents divine justice.

Other Similarities

Slavery: Both went from slave to warrior.  Both were used as weapons to kill for their masters.

Gifts from the Leaders of their Groups: Moash was gifted a shardblade by Kaladin who was the leader of Bridge four. Similarly, Szeth was gifted Nightblood by Nale who is the leader of the Skybreakers. Both men left their groups.

Isolation from family: If Moash and Kaladin are the same age, that would mean that Moash lost his grandparents at age 14. He’s been without his family for 5 and half years.

Working for the Kholins: Moash worked under the Kholins as a bodyguard for Dalinar then killed a member of the Kholin family. Inversely, Szeth killed a member of the Kholin family and eventually worked as a bodyguard for Dalinar. Diagram: they are both connected to it.

Murders

I don’t want to say there’s no difference between these two characters. They both have killed "gods" and kings. Most of Szeth's murder are people he wasn't close with nor did he kill people the readers are close to. Moash is on the opposite end. He killed Teft and Elhokar.

After Image

They both have after images.

Moash

  • “Moash shied away from the light—but a version of him, transparent and filmy, broke off and stepped toward the light instead. Like an afterimage."

Szeth 

  • “And Szeth … if Szeth moved too quickly, he could catch sight of his own frail soul, attached incorrectly to his body, trailing his motions like a glowing afterimage.”

Eyes

In Rhythm of War, Taravangian describes Szeth’s eyes as “dead” and Navani’s describes Moash’s eyes as “lifeless.” Dead and lifeless are synonyms. There’s some heavy “the eyes are the gateway into the soul” metaphors that are going on here. “He prepared himself for the sight of Szeth. That haunted stare. Those dead eyes. Instead, at the window, Taravangian saw a young man with black hair peppered blond.” “Where were you, lighteyes, when your son condemned innocents to death?” He turned, affixing Navani with those lifeless eyes.

Identity Issues (Name Changes)

“Szeth-son-son … Szeth-son … Szeth, Truthless … Szeth. Just Szeth. Szeth of Shinovar, once called the Assassin in White, had been reborn.” - Oathbringer chapter 90

  • Naming convention in Shinovar is about which family you belong to and Szeth here is struggling to find where he belongs. Is Szeth part of his family? He hasn’t seen them or thought about them in years. Is he a skybreaker? He is a skybreaker but he’s not connected to the others in the order.
  • Vyre is the person attached to Odium. Moash is the person he was once. He had this whole struggle. Moash was chained to Kaladin.

Jezrien’s Blade

Stormlight begins with Jezrien, the leader of the heralds, leaving his honorblade in stone, and abandoning humanity and Taln. The next chapter happens 4500 years after, where Szeth wields the same blade to kill Gavilar and Szeth views it as a curse. Everyone who has held the blade is troubled. This same blade was later given to Moash by the Fused for killing Jezrien. Syl in Words of Radiance say “No. But Kaladin, you have to understand. With this sword, someone can do what you can, but without the...checks a spren requires.” Szeth and Moash came into vast amounts of Windrunner power without saying the Oaths required. This could be the glimpse into what went wrong on Ashyn.

Two Blind Men Theory

Szeth and Moash seems thematically fit the “Two Blind Men” story really well.

Recap

“Two blind men waited at the end of an era, contemplating beauty. They sat atop the world’s highest cliff, overlooking the land and seeing nothing.” “Huh?” She looked to him. “‘Can beauty be taken from a man?’ the first asked the second. “[...] ‘But what if your ears were removed, your hearing taken away? Your tongue taken out, your mouth forced shut, your sense of smell destroyed? What if your skin were burned so that you could no longer feel? What if all that remained to you was pain? You could not know beauty then. [...]  “Then beauty, to that person, would be the times when the pain lessens.

Central theme of this story is that beauty is experiencing less pain, which is a shared theme between these two characters because they don’t know how to handle their pain. Moash is constantly saying “take my pain” Szeth is experiencing the screams and guilt everyday and he’s not letting experience any moments of pleasure Side note (that may or may not fit this story): Szeth is referred to as a work of art and Nale did call Szeth holding onto his personal code “the only genuine beauty in the world.”

Blindness

Jezrien asked three people “have you seen me?” Dalinar was the only person who confirmed that he could. Moash said “no” and now he’s blind. I think this scene foreshadowed Moash becoming blind and it also might foreshadow Szeth becoming blind as well.

  • “Have you seen me?” the man asked with slurred speech. (The Way of Kings Prologue)
  • “Have you seen me?” the man asked as Moash knelt. “No,” Moash said, then rammed the strange golden knife into the man’s stomach. The man took it with a quiet grunt, smiled a silly smile, then closed his eyes. (Oathbringer)

Conclusions

Separately, these two characters seem to have vague similarities but altogether it starts weaving a greater picture.  There has been a lot of prediction towards these two characters dying. Moash dying would only absolve Moash of what he did. Szeth dying would mean he’s free to never feel guilt for what he’s done. No, dying would be the cheap way out for them. Their stories seem lead towards a place where they need to live knowing what they did was wrong and deal with the pain.

 

Edited by doctorkaladin
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Thanks for posting bestie :D I really love this comparison; the more you look, the more you see.

 

I think one more thing that is interesting to think about is how neither of these characters have a support system. Moash kills, betrays, or otherwise abandons everyone who could have been a friend to him. Szeth, after being banished from his homeland, appears to have no friends at all, and possibly no living family. He is truly alone. 

 

I think Brandon is doing something thematic here along the typical themes of Stormlight - I am thinking of a quote from Rhythm of War:

Quote

"The squad is stronger than the individual," Kaladin said. "You simply need to get them pointed in the right direction. Get them to lift the bridge together..."

 

To get better, to improve, to overcome your issues. You need to want to change first, but you don't need to fight alone. 

 

Perhaps there is redemption available for both these poor men, if they want it. And get my guy Szeth a therapist. He needs it. 

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1 hour ago, doctorkaladin said:

Szeth’s family went from respected members to the lowest members of society.

Highly specualtive, all evidence we have seems to hold the weilders of Honorblades as important, if not well reguarded memebers of Society. Far from the lowest.

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53 minutes ago, Frustration said:

Highly specualtive, all evidence we have seems to hold the weilders of Honorblades as important, if not well reguarded memebers of Society. Far from the lowest.

I really never read it that way but sure I’ll take your word for it. This wasn’t solely about the Honorblades position but about Szeth’s family specifically and how Szeth views this whole situation. It was about despite being well regarded in their society, it still doesn’t matter because their lives are at the hands of those more powerful than them (Stone Shamans). It was my fault if I wasn’t that clear.

In Row interlude 7, “Szeth was reminded again of his own childhood spent playing with the sheep. A simple time, before his family had been given to the Honorblades. Before his gentle father had been taught to kill. To subtract.”

“Given to the honorblades” implies (to me) they didn’t go of their own volition and that someone else handed them over. 

From TWOK I-6, where it states “There is no greatness in killing,” Szeth said. “You speak like a kukori. Great men create food and clothing. He who adds is to be revered. I am he who takes away.”

Even if they were well regarded as Honorblade wielders, it’s not how Szeth views it. He sees (and these are probably tenets of Shin society) killing as something not to be revered. His family went from those who “add” to those who “take away.” This is how he sees. 

Putting this all together, if your society and religion revere “adding” and farming, you would internalize it. If something happens to your family and now you’re doing the opposite, something seem as bad in your culture, you would view it as a great tragedy. 

 

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4 hours ago, doctorkaladin said:

Even if they were well regarded as Honorblade wielders, it’s not how Szeth views it. He sees (and these are probably tenets of Shin society) killing as something not to be revered. His family went from those who “add” to those who “take away.” This is how he sees.

Szeth has killed dozens of people since he was made truthless, we can't use this statement to say anything about Shinovar.

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2 hours ago, Frustration said:

Szeth has killed dozens of people since he was made truthless, we can't use this statement to say anything about Shinovar.

I think it's pretty clear that OP is saying Szeth went from a family of famers, the most highly respected position in Shinovar, to being trained in combat with the Honorblades. The fact that being a farmer is respected and being a solider is looked down upon is indisputable. 

 

Szeth did not become the deadliest fighter on the planet while plowing a field, dude. That is the point. Don't be pedantic. 

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32 minutes ago, honorblades said:

I think it's pretty clear that OP is saying Szeth went from a family of famers, the most highly respected position in Shinovar, to being trained in combat with the Honorblades. The fact that being a farmer is respected and being a solider is looked down upon is indisputable. 

 

Szeth did not become the deadliest fighter on the planet while plowing a field, dude. That is the point. Don't be pedantic. 

Being a warrior cast and holding one of the Honorblades have not been proven to be the same thing, and given the extencivity of their training, and the formality that Szeth shows, espically early on, all point to the bearers being well respected, positions. Even if not directly powerful.

Also he was a shepherd not a farmer.

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That'd be a strange but not unpleasant surprise, if Kal manages to hammer in some therapy on Moash. Though now that Kal's arc has a theme of letting go, accepting not being able to help everyone, this probably isn't the route this story will go *hint, hint, fanfic authors*.

I think I remember another theory, comparing Dalinar and Moash: that we saw one of them while they were in the process of getting back up and the other in the process of falling down.

Yeah, I'm all for Moash redemption, assuming his anger at the system is actually handled properly and not just treated like an... episode he needs to get over with therapy. I feel like RoW did Moash dirty.

Edited by Honorless
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Firstly, hi friend! It's been a while! Thanks for posting this from twitter!

 

As far as this goes:

1 hour ago, Honorless said:

That's be a strange but not unpleasant surprise, if Kal manages to hammer in some therapy on Moash. Though now that Kal's arc has a theme of letting go, accepting not being able to help everyone, this probably isn't the route this story will go *hint, hint, fanfic authors*.

I think I remember another theory, comparing Dalinar and Moash: that we saw one of them while they were in the process of getting back up and the other in the process of falling down.

Yeah, I'm all for Moash redemption, assuming his anger at the system is actually handled properly and not just treated like an... episode he needs to get over with therapy. I feel like RoW did Moash dirty.

I know Elhokar and Moash have been compared due to the fact that they are both bad people, and yet we are supposed to sympathize with Elhokar because he's getting better (despite the Roshone situation), and be against Moash because he's actively getting worse. The prime example would be Moash killing Elhokar, which is actually an understandable action that is only considered wrong because Elhokar is trying to be better. Adolin killing Sadeas is just treated as distasteful, though. Moash had no idea Elhokar was getting better, so in his mind, the king was just as bad as he used to be.

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5 hours ago, Zapata said:

Adolin killing Sadeas is just treated as distasteful, though. Moash had no idea Elhokar was getting better, so in his mind, the king was just as bad as he used to be.

This is a great point, and it sort of plays into the ideal of Intent in the Cosmere, thematically speaking. Adolin killing Sadeas may have been objectively bad (and also murder), but he did it for "the right reasons". Sadeas was a bad, selfish man who would only weaken the alliance that Adolin is fighting for. Therefore, his actions can be considered good. 

 

Moash killing Elhokar is seen as objectively evil by the reader because we also see Elhokar actually trying to improve. Moash doesn't have this benefit, but he is acting out of pure vengeance anyway. So, bad. 

 

But, to a certain extent, we all view these things through a certain lens. It's interesting to try and view these events in a different way, which is why I really appreciate this topic. 

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On 11/12/2021 at 6:40 PM, honorblades said:

This is a great point, and it sort of plays into the ideal of Intent in the Cosmere, thematically speaking. Adolin killing Sadeas may have been objectively bad (and also murder), but he did it for "the right reasons". Sadeas was a bad, selfish man who would only weaken the alliance that Adolin is fighting for. Therefore, his actions can be considered good. 

 

Moash killing Elhokar is seen as objectively evil by the reader because we also see Elhokar actually trying to improve. Moash doesn't have this benefit, but he is acting out of pure vengeance anyway. So, bad. 

 

But, to a certain extent, we all view these things through a certain lens. It's interesting to try and view these events in a different way, which is why I really appreciate this topic. 

He literally saw him about to swear an OATH what do you mean he doesn't have that benefit.  You don't have to make things up every time a character dose something bad just to give it some form justification.  

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2 hours ago, bmcclure7 said:

He literally saw him about to swear an OATH what do you mean he doesn't have that benefit.  You don't have to make things up every time a character dose something bad just to give it some form justification.  

If memory serves, Moash just ran up and stabbed him, he didn't sit around and listen.

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5 hours ago, bmcclure7 said:

He literally saw him about to swear an OATH what do you mean he doesn't have that benefit.  You don't have to make things up every time a character dose something bad just to give it some form justification.  

What I mean is that Moash did not see Elhokar's character development in the way that the reader does. Moash does not see Elhokar admit that he was a bad king and that he was trying to change. Besides, swearing an Oath doesn't automatically make you a good person either. Look at the modern Skybreakers or Malata as an example. 

I'm not making things up, and I am not trying to justify Moash's actions. Just offering a different perspective. 

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7 hours ago, honorblades said:

What I mean is that Moash did not see Elhokar's character development in the way that the reader does. Moash does not see Elhokar admit that he was a bad king and that he was trying to change. Besides, swearing an Oath doesn't automatically make you a good person either. Look at the modern Skybreakers or Malata as an example. 

I'm not making things up, and I am not trying to justify Moash's actions. Just offering a different perspective. 

It dose suggests that who has developed enough moral for a Spren to try and bond him. 

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13 minutes ago, bmcclure7 said:

 No an entire order has side with the singers.  They gave their reasons for it  The reasons are stupid but not immoral. 

Nale is very clear he sided with Odium.

City lord answers to Highprince, Highprince to king, and the King to Honor, but Odium killed him and by right of conquest that puts him on top.

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2 minutes ago, bmcclure7 said:

You see stupid not immoral. 

Allying yourself with a force who's excplicate goal is world domination and galactic conquest. Add in a side of genocide, and a past of killing entire planets.

The reasoning is stupid, the choice is immoral.

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On 11/15/2021 at 10:24 AM, bmcclure7 said:

 No an entire order has side with the singers.  They gave their reasons for it  The reasons are stupid but not immoral. 

Nale deliberately chose to side with odium, knowing full well odium can do (attempted genocide, abnormal wars that threw people back to the stone ages). Even with all that information, he chooses to side with odium. That is amoral and evil. He also somehow has a fifth ideal bond with a highspren. So clearly spren bond doesn't actually indicate any moral knowledge. If nale has indoctrinated the other skybreakers, then maybe they should not be judged. But nale has gone full evil

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22 hours ago, Frustration said:

Allying yourself with a force who's excplicate goal is world domination and galactic conquest. Add in a side of genocide, and a past of killing entire planets.

The reasoning is stupid, the choice is immoral.

You mean the force dedicated to restoring the land rights to an enslaved class?

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8 hours ago, KaladinWorldsinger said:

Nale deliberately chose to side with odium, knowing full well odium can do (attempted genocide, abnormal wars that threw people back to the stone ages). Even with all that information, he chooses to side with odium. That is amoral and evil. He also somehow has a fifth ideal bond with a highspren. So clearly spren bond doesn't actually indicate any moral knowledge. If nale has indoctrinated the other skybreakers, then maybe they should not be judged. But nale has gone full evil

 Yes give  The singers are rightful land back so evil.  How dare he seek to restore land to unabused and slave minority. And since you can't see I'm rolling my eyes. 

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