See, the thing is, the situation is neither a or b. It's in between. The gods give people free will (presumably), but at the same time they actively meddle with the world's affairs by providing prophecies, having Hiryuu influence the course of history, etc. So even though technically humans can do whatever they want, they are still under influence of the gods' words.
Presumably. But let s try to express it like this: As long as human beings have options to choose, the responsibility for their decisions is still theirs to face.
If I mean free will, I refer to the fact, that we are the last instance. We decide if, when or how to give into an influence or not.
As long as there is a person, who acted differently given the same circumstances, there seems to be an option.
Again I'll try with the example. Let's say that I give you a mathematical equation to solve, but I also provide you with a possible but difficult to find on your own way of solving it. It may be right or wrong; I'm telling you it's the right one. Now, sure, you can do whatever you want, but I wonder if you won't at least check my solution out before trying your own? And of course, if I didn't give you the solution, you'd try another way, most likely a different one. Now, this is just me telling you, and we're presumably on the same level. But what if it was a super genius mathematical professor suggesting you which way of solution to choose? Wouldn't you listen? And if his solution was wrong, would you still be 100% to blame for the failure?
Sure, you could've taken another way and solve the equation correctly, but it was a guy who's supposedly the best mathematical mind on the planet telling you how to do it! Isn't he, like, at least 10% to blame for your mistake? Especially if you're certain that without his words, you'd have solved the problem in a different way.
That is a nice example. Unfortunately I am a person who would try it out myself, since my experiences taught me, that I get the best solutions this way. Even if I should fail, then I can still look at the solution. But your example is a good one. Even if he has a minor responsibility, I would have been the one to cheat, because in the last instance. It was me, making a bad decision.
Experiences and knowledge we acquire are a stable tools to analyse the different influences, we meet along the way. And that would be one of the reasons, why I think Soo Won would not be objective and rational.
Let me further delve into the topic at the next section.
See, Su-won himself chose after witnessing what Junam's choice brought about. Junam didn't know it; he's a human, he's supposed to be much less wise than the gods, even if they aren't all-knowing. Su-won's rationale would go like this:
King Junam made the decision to choose King Il instead of Yu hon. Coming back at the tools of our minds: Knowledge and experience.
King Junam was king at least for 7 years, since we know that the war with Xing happened 17 years ago. Likely he had even more time as the king of Kouka.
King Junam was likely to be the oldest son, or at least the heir of his father, which would mean, he must have gained a fairly good amount of useful knowledge how a king should be.
We can also assume that he was most likely not an utter fool, since his reign was considered rather beneficial for the people of Kouka.
So King Il had knowledge and experience. His task was to name a successor.
King Junam knew both options, because they were his sons. He should have been able to estimate their characters. If he was not able to perform that trick, it is his fault, since he hadn t made an effort into knowing them sufficiently for that task.
Most likely he already made up his mind, since he could see this task coming miles away. Also in case a bad king should be chosen, it is not unlikely with the system reigning in Kouka with the 5 Generals, that an insurrection should occur, if King Junam should fail.
Then there is this prophecy, we both assume to exist.
Now King Junam is in the position: If his knowledge and experience told him....Choose Yu hon, but the gods tell him...Choose King Il.
I am going for Yu hon as the logical solution, since everybody else considered it a natural cause, that the intelligent Sky General Yu hon should lead...but I might be wrong.
There are two influences, King Junam has to consider. He chose to listen to the gods, instead of his own gut (institution),mind,experience,knowledge.
Just in the case, where nearly all influences point in one direction, King Junam would have been not to blame...Who knows?
Also he knew the priests, and decided to get rid of them...which means, that he couldn t be too religious. I wonder, what changed that...
Gods decided that Hiryuu should be reborn into Yona -> My grandfather trusted the gods and heeded their will, and decided to make Il king because of Yona -> The country fell into ruin and gods didn't prevent that -> I'm not going to trust the gods anymore, I'm going to make my own path (plus I hate gods, because they caused my grandfather to choose wrongly).
Another point to consider. Wouldn t Soo Won try to hold it against Yona? Because of Yona everything went wrong...For a long time, he just considered her a sister, a person he cared about in the past.
Just after Soo Won is experiencing the might of the dragon warriors, does it change...
I mean, that's a little beside the point, but there's been discussion that perhaps Hiryuu didn't want to be a ruler in his next life. If so, why was he reborn into a princess? Why not any other girl, or a common boy? Even assuming that he wanted a comfy childhood and education, then why not a lesser noble, e. g. the Fire General's family, or someone like Lily?
Well I assume, if the dragon gods just share a similar mindset to the dragon gods, they don t hold human beings in high regards...While Yona is a reincarnation of a god.
Also Yona was spoiled until the murder of King Il, so she was well off. But in case Soo won should claim the throne, King Hiryuu should become active,not because they liked human beings, but King Hiryuu obviously did it.
(well that's what he said back then)..
). So nobody was doing anything, just waiting for the gods, until eventually Su-won decided to do the opposite of Junam and took actions himself - as we know.
