&Corruption; ky against a motif

all of the sin in the air

One of the most interesting aspects of Guilty Gear is the motif of human corruption. While we are usually in conflict with the supernatural beings, in reality, it is the humans that cause their own problems. There are some themes highlighted, others, not so much. I will bring up some pinpoints on some "corrupt" ideas. By corrupt, I do not mean that I personally find them corrupt, but morally, they are considered such in most Western socieites.

Discrimination - Justice did not revolt against the humans just because. She personally felt enslaved by the race of humans and, in order to protect herself and her kind, she decided to commit genocide against all of mankind. The Gears were being abused because of their differences and powers. It may also be a similar reason why Sol escaped a human research lab. Even years after, humans rioted against the peaceful ones simply because of what they are. Any signs of mutation automatically brought fear of the days of war, and brought hurt to others. In Guilty Gear X, Dizzy is slammed with a high bounty and nearly everyone comes running, expecting her to be a fearsome monster. In a short story in the X Drama CD vol. 2, when Dizzy's identity as a Gear is revealed, the neighborhood planned to burn her alive as a result, despite her peaceful nature and willingness to protect a young girl beforehand. Though she lives, she is exiled from the village, and her dear friend Josephine insults her as a "monster" (though she later takes it back).

Political Corruption - The history of society is that the lower class eventually declares a coup against the upper class. As if their wealth was a factor on itself, the upper class tends to abuse their influence against the lower class. Chipp believes that people like Ky suck up to the rich, and in return for money and influence, they protect their rights and only hurt the poor. In the X Drama CD vol. 1, a man takes advantage of orphaned children by promising food in exchange of pickpockets. Another example would be Ky's defense captain abuses his status to gain Old World weaponry, in hope to use such weapons as a threat to all "corrupted" forces.

Religious Corruption - A common argument about the original Crusades is - why is bloodshed justified, especially in the name of God? Isn't the right thing to peacefully bring ties together? In the X Drama CD vol. 2, a supposedly kind priest attempts to burn Dizzy alive, just for the fact that she is considered a devil because of her chimera appearance. He even convinces the entire village to follow his actions, in the name of God.

Drug Addiction - Though more referring to illegal drugs, intoxication can also be lead by other factors like alcohol, over the counter drugs, and tobacco smoke. Sol is often depicted by fans as an alcoholic and a smoker, but there is no real evidence of him committing those actions (although one would say Frederick was a smoker by an official art of him). The only official evidence is in the X Drama CD vol. 2, where we see him taking a good drink of British gin. Yet an alcoholic is usually someone who drinks three or more glasses a day. Chipp, however, is directly stated to be a drug abuser. It seemed to do serious affect to his body, in such that he felt saved by his master when he stopped him.

Prostitution - Prostitution is still an issue even years later. But prostitution is more than just using your body for sale. In the X Drama CD vol. 2, a woman resorts to prostitution in order to take care of her children. She uses every moment to try to make a quick buck, so her interest in sexual intercourse is not truly determined by that factor alone. She tags along Sol and Axl when they destroyed her dress, and she threatens to report them if they don't pay. Sol eventually pays her more than enough, and she satisfyingly takes the sack and leaves them alone.

Destruction of Nature - Technological advances are an essential element of civilizations. We find things getting smaller and more useful to our everyday lives. Yet, we are so dependent on technology that we neglect many aspects. Such advances like the atomic bomb during World War II brought fear to many for the future "nuclear war". The closest we ever were of that was the Cuban Missile Crisis against the superpowers. Technology also diminishes nature - deforestation, toxic dumps, and the reduction of natural resources. Weapons, such as the Gears themselves, were used for power-hungry minds. In the Drama CD vol. 1, Ky mentions how the destruction of the Earth is the result of our foolish usage of technology. In the next volume, his boss attempts to use Old World weapons to gain power and control.