Yeah, that would make the most sense in the end. Even Hunter seems to care about them genuinely. I think he honestly thinks it's good for them and outside of the drugs, he does actually talk them into it unlike the others who often force through the word 'no' even with the drugs, lol. I don't really have any problem with Hunter because he's consistent, and I'd have no problem with Sterling if was equally consistent or at least accountable when he was wrong.I get what you mean, I just think the phrase has more than one definition, i.e. an author developing a character (which I'm talking about), vs. a character developing over the course of a story.
I've made this argument in the past and it was poorly received by some, but here it is: the REAL story is that Sterling is becoming Hunter. Not literally, but he's embracing his legacy as the fabled "dio del sesso" ("god of sex"), which is what Hunter wanted all along. It's the "Xanatos Gambit"; no matter what happens, Hunter wins.
We're biased to see Sterling as the hero because he's the main character and we view the story from his perspective. I like to think that he genuinely cares about most of the women, but his apparently altruistic deeds are ultimately self-serving. Sterling is also deceptive and knowingly capitalizes on the fact that the women are being drugged, but there is a difference in that Sterling is not (yet?) able to easily manipulate their wills, the way Hunter does (in "bad ends"). It remains to be seen whether Sterling becomes exactly like Hunter, but I think he'll become who Hunter would have been, had Hunter not been physically disfigured.
"It's like poetry, it rhymes."
At least if he wasn't self-righteous which just feels so out of place and makes him less likable. Especially when anyone catches him being messed up and there's no resolution he's just like "what's the big deal?" and the girls are like "yeah..." It just makes the conflicts feel like very flimsy and inconsequential stalls between the sex scenes rather than plot.
It's like the thing about a taboo being the driver for a story is that the characters have to take it seriously. If the characters don't really care or there are no consequences then it is just a series of sex scenes. Most of the character interaction and drama is based on 'this person can't find out' or 'these two can't have sex' or cheating or lying, etc. But each time the threat is realized it's the most anti-climatic reaction that suspends disbelief. Like, I could never imagine women taking grape (not sure how sensitive this forum is) so lightly as it's constantly brought up and done and there is no even semblance of actual effect or consequence. It just becomes hard to see the characters as real people, even in a fantasy, if they have no relatable human responses. And ends up feeling like why bring it up if it has no meaning, it's not even a taboo if no one actually cares.
Anyway, as you can see, it's a block for me, lol. But, I'm bordering on ranting and I really do not want to do that. It was just my surprise seeing someone had seen it so differently and I was eager to hear a different perspective genuinely hoping I was missing a piece that would make it all click. But, in lieu of that, I don't want to just bad mouth it. So, I'll stop there. Really, thanks for the respectful engagement.
