Yeah that stuff doesn’t show the process. It’s just a switch that’s been flipped by the author.
It’s an explanation of how the good guys get over him joining them, not how Gajeel changed.
What about all the chances he had to let them die or to kill them off while alone, but he actually goes out of his way to save them? You seem to be ignoring the good that he actually did do after this exchange.
So I’ll turn it around, after that event, what did he do to show that he didn’t change and would flip at any moment again? Why do you think he didn’t change after showing he was willing to accept whatever punishment they had? Even to kill him then and there?
I don’t think this one was flip like you’re saying, this is chapters and chapters long of him struggling through and redeeming himself with his choices and actions.
And I don’t think it’s enough.
For Gajeel to get where he got, much, much more had to happen. The type of stuff I’m not sure Mashima knows how to write.
The only reason Vegeta sorta works for me, is that it’s handwaved off as having occurred off-screen. But even then it’s not a well done character redemption.
Both of these series aren’t the type of stories that get into that stuff, so they expedite all the self-improvement and interpersonal stuff involved… But when you do that, pairing a character like Gajeel with his literal assault victim, doesn’t work.
It’s a story about guilds fighting each other, calling it abuse is a stretch. They all did this stuff to each other, yeah a few take it further, but without that you don’t have a story/villian.
Also, you seem to accept that this and that can be glossed over, but stop at this arbitrary line? Seems weird, that’s all.
