Character Development: Onni

[theamynator]

Any speculation or predictions regarding Onni's character?

[OrigamiOwl]

Hmmm I think of anything great to say right now, but someone will get the ball rolling eventually, I think this is a good thread! U__U
There's a lot to discuss about Onni... I just can't wrangle any of it into sentences today -__-

I for one, just really hope Onni doesn't get killed off or something. Please no, Minna, I'd cry forever. But I can also see that possibility just sittin' there, waiting to jump out and break all our hearts.

[Solovei]

I for one, just really hope Onni doesn't get killed off or something. Please no, Minna, I'd cry forever. But I can also see that possibility just sittin' there, waiting to jump out and break all our hearts.

OH GOD YOU HAD TO GO AND SAY IT DIDN'T YOU

T____________T

In all seriousness though, I like Onni a lot for personal reasons and I really hope we can explore his past a little more soon!

[Róisín]

He does seem to have the 'ward and protect' instinct strongly developed, doesn't he? If the Hotakainen backstory is as dark as it seems likely to be, I can quite see why. I look forward to seeing where Minna takes the story, and if helping the expedition enables Onni to overcome his fears.

[JoB]

I for one, just really hope Onni doesn't get killed off or something. Please no, Minna, I'd cry forever.

It won't happen right now, at least. Minna announced that Onni would find a way to contact the expedition and make himself into a plot-important secondary character.

[Brandenfascher]

He does seem to have the 'ward and protect' instinct strongly developed, doesn't he? If the Hotakainen backstory is as dark as it seems likely to be, I can quite see why.

Agreed. As Onni continues to get face-time, I've started to realize he's practically the "concerned and a bit overprotective parent" for Tuuri and Lalli. Depending on how long ago their parents were lost, he could have been forced to play that role out of necessity.

[Mayabird]

Well, we have some more backstory on him - seems his mage grandmother (and grandmother of Lalli and Tuuri) made one mistake that was apparently what drove them from their home. 

Since Onni seems to expect perfection in decision-making from mages, I'm wondering if part of his whole "not going outside" thing isn't just fear but that perfectionism crippling him.  Since he feels he can't make a mistake he refuses to stick his neck out in any situation where he could possibly make mistakes, and so he's paralyzed in many ways as many perfectionists can be.  Hence why he's spent 11 years doing safe defensive invocations while hiding in a fort. 

[Solovei]

Well, we have some more backstory on him - seems his mage grandmother (and grandmother of Lalli and Tuuri) made one mistake that was apparently what drove them from their home. 

Since Onni seems to expect perfection in decision-making from mages, I'm wondering if part of his whole "not going outside" thing isn't just fear but that perfectionism crippling him.  Since he feels he can't make a mistake he refuses to stick his neck out in any situation where he could possibly make mistakes, and so he's paralyzed in many ways as many perfectionists can be.  Hence why he's spent 11 years doing safe defensive invocations while hiding in a fort.

Oooh yes this makes sense. He probably also expects a lot from himself since he's had to raise these two kids, and he knows that he has to do well in that regard... like, him messing up could have really bad consequences for him, because they're his responsibility now.

Basically I just want to hug Onni and tell him it'll all be okay ;~;

[asadderandawiserman]

Personally, I can understand Onni's character a lot better if I think of his fear being the cause of his perfectionism, rather than the other way round. As in, I feel like Onni is so critical of Lalli's mistake because he knows first hand what terrible things can happen from little mistakes, and is terrified of those things.

Also, I wonder if when Onni says, 'We aren't allowed to make mistakes,' assuming by 'we' he means the Hotakainen family, that even then there is something specifically out to get Onni, Lalli and maybe Tuuri too. I wonder if this is the reason that Onni is particularly afraid of the outside world.

[Russet]

Also, I wonder if when Onni says, 'We aren't allowed to make mistakes,' assuming by 'we' he means the Hotakainen family, that even then there is something specifically out to get Onni, Lalli and maybe Tuuri too. I wonder if this is the reason that Onni is particularly afraid of the outside world.

I sort of thought that he was referring to the surviving humans in the world, or maybe those of the mage profession?
They have to safeguard their homes, because one tiny mistake can lead to a total wipeout of the population? 

[Mayabird]

I'm not saying it's perfectionism -> fear, but that they feed off each other.  The fear leads to perfectionism, which leads to more fear, which leads to more perfectionism, and because he can't deal with one without dealing with the other he can't get anywhere and is stuck inside a small walled compound for the rest of his life.  Sure, defensive spells are important, but I imagine an able-bodied mage (even one who needs to wear a gas mask outside) would be even more useful if he could go outside even a little and actually help with...whatever they do outside. 

Onni though could be symbolizing the human race in general, how it's gotten very insular and scared. 

Also for what Onni means by "we" I guess it's hard to say.  This is probably a conversation similar to one he's had with Lalli before many times.  It could be the family, could be mages, could be military, could be the human race.  Personally, I thought it had to do with mages but it could be all of them at varying levels.

[Solovei]

I'm not saying it's perfectionism -> fear, but that they feed off each other.  The fear leads to perfectionism, which leads to more fear, which leads to more perfectionism, and because he can't deal with one without dealing with the other he can't get anywhere and is stuck inside a small walled compound for the rest of his life.

People prone to perfectionism actually can suffer from anxiety issues, and fear of failure is definitely a symptom of perfectionism. I think Onni's mindset goes like this:

"If I go out into the silent world, there is a chance I could fail" -> "If I fail, people could die just like before (see:grandma)" -> "I won't go out into the silent world because then there is no chance to fail and endanger people"

(that sounded more profound in my head, sorry)
But basically, if he got the idea that him making a mistake, ANY mistake however small, will lead to people dying, it's much easier to justify never trying or taking risks, and hiding himself away where it's safe and he knows he won't mess up.

[Seilann]

I was just thinking about the grandma thing today and... Okay, so what if she happened to be a mage, too? The first one in the family. And what if her mistake was getting infected? How would a mage, much more in tune with spirits than a regular person, react to the rash disease? She (or the thing she becomes) could even be the "it" that's stalking them.

It states on Onni's bio that he's not immune, so maybe what he's afraid of is becoming the same as his grandmother: a monster hell-bent on pursuing his loved ones for some unknown but assuredly fatal purpose. Not to mention all the other casualties that could rack up during said pursuit. And then there's the fact that such an existence, as we've seen, would clearly be an agonizing one.

I think that'd be reason enough to be terrified.

This is based on a lot of assumptions, though, and I may have missed some info nuggets from Minna. Thoughts?

[Róisín]

I had been wondering about that. Whether it's just grandma, or other family members as well, I think there may be a connection to 'it'. But I do get the impression that grandma was something important before she made her 'one mistake'. Guess we'll have to wait for Minna's reveal!

[Krisse Kovacs]

When Tuuri said "what would grandma say" I thought the grandma is still alive somewhere. (90 years old grandma heh)