Nah, there's several things wrong with this- first of all we BEEN saying Norman is not an uwu soft boi but I see people interpreting him as some completely evil little shit because they couldn't understand his character from the start when that's far from the truth?? A thread. https://twitter.com/ppprsnt/status/1138324475370450944

Norman proposed him, Emma and Ray should run away from the start because duh- but decided to change his mind and believe in Emma's plan after she showed visible distress. He TOLD her this, she KNEW he was thinking of just the three of them running from the start.

It's Emma's hopefullness that made him believe in saving the kids- and he personally wanted to save the kids in addition to helping Emma. Otherwise, he'd be kust as cynical as Ray was and Ray notes this.

Norman was definitely going to leave Ray behind because he's single minded af when it comes to probabilities but decided to ask Emma's opinion instead and changed his mind- choosing to believe in Ray instead and changing his way of thinking and figuring out that Ray-

Was doing things for their sake. He obviously cares about Ray very much and these feelings and his regrets at not figuring out the secret earlier are explored more in the side novel.That's what makes Norman interesting- he's willing to blank out his personal feelings to do-

What's "correct" even and /specifically/ if it means throwing his life away or "corrupting" himself and that's how it is currently- as Emma and Ray outright stated, he's EXACTLY the same and I'll come to that later

People can't seem to understand Norman and Emma's relationship and his love for Emma-Norman loves Emma; for all the reasons Ray and their family have come to realise he says this several times because he /knows/ Emma and knows what she's capable of- they were inseparable afterall

She's many things at once- she can be reckless and unreasonable but despite everything those are the many things that come together to make Emma and he loves her- flaws and all and he believes and trusts her to take care of everything
But he can't afford that right now

That's why Shirai stated in the interview that Norman doesn't just love her but admires her greatly- she's truly amazing and selfless and he aspires to be this way too. Although he's kind and reliable, to him, Emma's selflessness and hopefullness is truly special

And that brings me to the next stage, Emma knows Norman- probably more than any single other individual except Ray, she knows when he's hiding something or when he's lying to himself- she knows when something isn't right with him

Norman is good at acting, smiling and trying to keep everyone together when he's going through extreme mental stress and fear- he can fool everyone but not his best friends-he doesn't hide his "true" self from Emma because his apathy and tendency to shut morals and his feelings

Aren't his true selves in any way but a part of him- one that he's VERY willing to bring out if the situation calls for it and lord oh lord did lambda /call/ for it. Breaking out of solitary confinement, freeing those kids, taking up the mantle of minerva, planning upon planning

Upon planning- sleepless nights, experimenting- they were all things he had to do to get this far. Fucked up? Depends, he wouldn't have had to if he was able to escape with the fam but ig life is cruel and he's had to forcefully grab hope by the balls if he wanted to get anywhere

It's why I love that panel with the squad and demon parts so much. It's a culmination of everything they've been through without showing their escape yet. He's come this far and seen just how cruel the demons and Ratri are. Demon civilians? Musica? Kindness? For Demons?

He hasn't gone through ANY of that!! he doesn't give a fuck- he has the entirety of cattle children to think of and his squad- all of these people and him have known nothing but being prey and the worst of the worst of this cruel world hell yeah they want to destroy them!!

Even Ray who knows of the other side to demons still agreed with Norman (suprise suprise they think simmilarly)and Gillian and most of the other kids do too- none of them are evil, they're completely justified in their thinking based of their experience even if they arent "right"

Emma now understands this FULLY and that's why she made up her mind deciding then and there to make a choice she won't regret(killing innocents) and to "selfishly" find a way so he doesn't quote, "kill his own heart" because she can't go through that again

If Emma has fallen inlove with him, it sure as hell isn't with some wrong perception of him (unlike most readers LMAO)She can read him like a book and knows he's had to bring out his harsh side and "play god" to get far and their words strike him but he isn't going to indulge

It's why Posuka draws him "older" when he's acting as William Minerva and draws him his actual age when he's simply being Norman. He's putting every ounce of effort, apathy and logical prowess he posseses into this role as god. But this role isn't him at all

He's come this far, he's made a deal and can't go back even if he wanted to. There are too many lives at stake. There's no more room for regrets- he has to and will go through with everything even if it means he has to "kill his heart"- he'll gladly do the dirty work.

A boy who has always been able to do whatever he set his mind to and come this far, is about to learn about failure and to not take all of the burden and that his life is important to the people who love him and that he can't always be right even when he is

Just like he was there for Emma, instilling in her the strong will to never give up and being her strongest sense of emotional support; she's willing to do the same and he will eventually because as badass as he is- he isn't a god, he's a human being

And I can't wait to see his development when his tunnel vision way of thinking turns on him eventually. He's not wrong and even when you don't agree with him, you /understand/ him and his motivation and acknowledged that he's being extremely rational

His experience and opinions will broaden soon and we have a lot to trulu learn about him. He's had to go extreme but if that's what he has to do to give everyone a hopeful future, surely his life is little to pay- That's the beauty, of a morally ambiguous character