Shiv or Aurora?

[Lucifer Morningstar]

Alright, I'm now being forced to choose between the twins to either forgive or condemn Nova. 

 

I'm leaning towards siding with Aurora for two reasons:

 

1. Her diaries if one obtains the Archive Key so is able to read the hidden entry reveal Nova to be manipulative and dishonest on top of her own prior admission that she's essentially a missionary.

When she teleported us from the Blackview Port we see that she has a rather naïve definition of 'reality' and she heavily insinuates that she intends to be a higher scale Kuiki, to build a world in which humanity is brainwashed or hypnotized into accepting and embracing her creed. 

 

2. We still know nothing of Nova's backstory and motivations at this point. 

 

The latter actually makes this decision quite unbalanced.
We're expected to consider saving Nova without being given a single reason to believe it's merited. Including that she hasn't shown an ounce of revelation/remorse until the moment her life was threatened. 
The same could be argued of the decision of who to give the stone to. In that instance we learn some of Shiv's backstory but again Nova is nothing but a lot of baseless claims. 

Perhaps the writer intended it to be a point; eloquence vs. Leap of faith which is quite brilliant. 

 

A part of me wants to give Nova the benefit of the doubt and see her naivety and need for a so called 'better world' as a biproduct of misguidance and/or trauma but I'm not sure I can get past her lack of revelation or remorse. 

 

It's difficult to know who can be trusted in this game. Up to this point the only two characters I haven't scrutinized are Ava and Connor but pre-clouds Scarlett was on that list as well. 
It's kind of awesome. 

 

Here is what I'd appreciate some input on: 
1. Is there a better or right decision?
2. What are the different outcomes?

[Yumil]

1), Yes, there is a "better" decision.

Spoiler

Saving nova

is rewarded by the game, and, to be blunt, the game will find a way to sidestep your decision if you don't.

 

To argue in Nova's favor, I'd say reading the full diary is supposed to get the point across that regardless of ulterior motives, Nova effectively pulled Shiv out of his depression, even if it was just a ploy to get to him, something Shiv (and Aurora too) is explicitly grateful for, and while Shiv may be shady, so far, he's the least evil of the three. There's also the fact that while nova is unquestionnably not a great person, Aurora has done quite a number of things to be the greater of the two evils, considering she's pretty much a yandere and a psycho killing people for minor slights by the time you meet her. 

 

I'd also the argue the choice isn't really what you present it as. It's not a matter of forgiving nova or condemning her, it's a matter of letting her die or not. The latter doesn't necessarily imply blind forgiveness, and the former is, at the very least, not very cool, and at worst, complicity for murder because of how it's framed, which is pretty immoral regardless of the circumstances.

 

2)

Spoiler

 

A) Siding with Aurora leads to the her killing Nova, apparently by stabbing her in the chest, from what I heard. I'm not clear on the details having not watched it myself, but the point is : she dies. 

B)Siding with Shiv but not having read the full diary leads to Aurora teleporting nova to the grid and then dropping her in the void to fall forever. 

C)Siding with Shiv and having read the full diary allows you to reason Aurora and make her admit that while nova entirely deserves to pay for her actions, it's not her place to deliver "justice" herself, and she walks away from the whole thing.

 

 

C) is the outcome that's rewarded by the game and is flat out optimal, as it softens a check later in the game to make sure you get the good ending. you can get it without it, it's just harder, but the implication is pretty clear. Outcomes A and B will also lower your affinity with Shiv to diverse extents, but that's more secondary.

[Lucifer Morningstar]

12 hours ago, Yumil said:

To argue in Nova's favor, I'd say reading the full diary is supposed to get the point across that regardless of ulterior motives, Nova effectively pulled Shiv out of his depression, even if it was just a ploy to get to him, something Shiv (and Aurora too) is explicitly grateful for

 That is a valid point. 

 

12 hours ago, Yumil said:

and while Shiv may be shady, so far, he's the least evil of the three.

I concur with this. 

Shiv has had his questionable exploits (i.e Keegan and he suggestively isn't an entirely legit champion) but he is thus far the clearest victim. His coldness and depression are a product of neglect, absentee parents and a sibling who ignored him despite sharing his roof. 
 

It would seem that Nova was the one who taught him compassion. She must have been the first person to care about him and gave him true ambition as I assume such is the source of the happiness she brought him. 

 

Even if her actions had the wrong motivation, she still had a positive effect on Shiv and you're right. That is worth something. 

 

12 hours ago, Yumil said:

Aurora has done quite a number of things to be the greater of the two evils, considering she's pretty much a yandere and a psycho killing people for minor slights by the time you meet her. 

I must have missed where it was revealed that she has killed people. 

 

My house can contain quite a few distractions and I try not to tune out my surroundings entirely as it's unhealthy and can be rude.  

 

UPDATE:
I chose to help Shiv save Nova and it showed me a side of Nova that greatly satisfied me with this choice. 

 

Remember when I worried about Nova's lack of remorse?
 

Spoiler

I was wrong, it's there. 
She'll genuinely apologize to Aurora and even reveal true feelings for Shiv if you save her. 

 

Aurora also shows how dark she truly can be because she still considers killing Nova

Spoiler

after you reminder her that Nova saved Shiv's life. 

 

Side notes:
I really liked the event in Aroura's dimension, it had hardcore Kingdom Hearts vibes and Mega Mightyena is so bitchin'! I almost regret replacing both my own Mightyena and starter Pyroar back in Celeste for a Houndoom. ALMOST. That Houndoom has been an amazing asset.