Posted July 26, 2011
cjrgreen: That analysis makes assumptions about Vernon Roche's character that I am not sure we're entitled to make: namely, that he is open and truthful and dispassionately rational; that he is in all he does his late king's straightforward and loyal soldier.
Roche is more complex than that. While he's a Temerian patriot and fiercely loyal to his men, he's also a spy with a mean streak, a dark past, and a motive for revenge. I wouldn't put it beyond the realm of possibility that he has not played true with Geralt, either: the conspiracy against Henselt, not the hunt for the kingslayer or Iorveth, may have been his purpose all along.
The first time we meet Roche, he tortures a priest to death. Is it a wonder that he later mutilates a notably vicious enemy mage?
Plus he is a miserable wretch who isn't that perfect in resolving issues as seems to be. He always makes plans from scratch, which proves to have always huge kickbacks, -see Loredos house, and the Mighty Conspiracy, which cost him his whole innocent unit-. So nothing happens as he wants. So the finesse things, like assasination, politics, and foreseeing never worked for him without our Great friend, Geralt. He is the kind of men who is made for doing dirty laundry. Nothing more, nothing less. He has the sufficient loyalty and honour to fit for kings, but he isn't really that Paladin type in his heart. It's not that punctual in his works like Iorveth, the hunter, who "conquers by courage, rather than force". Roche is more complex than that. While he's a Temerian patriot and fiercely loyal to his men, he's also a spy with a mean streak, a dark past, and a motive for revenge. I wouldn't put it beyond the realm of possibility that he has not played true with Geralt, either: the conspiracy against Henselt, not the hunt for the kingslayer or Iorveth, may have been his purpose all along.
The first time we meet Roche, he tortures a priest to death. Is it a wonder that he later mutilates a notably vicious enemy mage?
But these weaknesses are explained completely by his childhood and past: A lifelong frustration because being a whoreson. Therefore he is rutheless with oppositions, "looses its aim when gets upset"-Foltest.
And I think because of this he lacks a bit necesary confidence, which is proven in many conversations with Geralt, when he assures himself about his perfection.