Azure's Allegiance

[Fierce Deity]

I was playing through King's Quest 6 again (thanks to Lambonius and kindofdoon's assistance) and I came across something rather intriguing. When I came back to Azure's throne room having defeated the minotaur, Azure had said that he was under strict orders from Alhazred to dispose of any intruders. During this part of the conversation, Azure explained how Alhazred was his liege and he would be betraying the Crown by allowing Alexander to leave the island, but because Alexander fulfilled the prophecy and saved Azure's daughter, he was obligated to help him. However, after Alexander leaves the island, he'd no longer be helped by Azure and the Winged Ones to avoid a conflict with the ruler of the Green Isles.

This got me thinking about what happened in Episode 1. Alhazred hadn't even married Cassima yet, so technically he wasn't even King of the Isles. Alexander was married to Cassima during Episode 1 of The Silver Lining. Even then, Azure referred to Alexander as only being one who fulfilled their prophecy, and nothing more. Wouldn't Alexander be not only the one who fulfilled a prophecy, the one who reunited the isles by returning their treasures, but also be the King of the Isles? If this is correct, I wonder why Azure would hold such a bitterness towards Alexander and only refer to him as a measly human, and not his liege or ruler. I'm just curious, cause when Azure seemed like his allegiance lied with Alhazred during that cutscene, I instantly tilted my head slightly to the left in wonder as to why Azure wouldn't want to help Alexander in his time of need. Please, discuss.   

[Enchantermon]

'Cause he's a jerk. :/
Really, though, he doesn't seem to hold any humans in high regard, whether they have authority over him or not. Graham's position as a King should command at least a little respect, but he doesn't give it there, either. I imagine Alexander would receive the same treatment, with the exception that Azure, while not happy about it, would obey Alexander's commands. I also imagine that Azure probably wouldn't be too disappointed if he were given unrivaled control of his own domain, answering to no one but himself and not being a part of the Land of the Green Isles.

Of course, now someone who has actually read the KQ Companion will come along and blow my theory out of the water.

[KQ5Fan]

...Because you play as Graham in the first episode, and not Alexander?

[wilco64256]

Yeah I'd say that one big aspect is the fact that it's Graham coming to visit and he doesn't really care that Graham is king of some totally different place.

[TheReturnofDMD]

...Because you play as Graham in the first episode, and not Alexander?

Graham, who is the Father of Azure's King and who saved Cassima from Mordack's hands.

Azure also says that Graham's family problem is his own--But Graham's ''family problem'' directly involves Azure's own liege. He showed more loyalty to Alhazred than to Alexander, which does not make sense.

[KQ5Fan]

But he's also of no political or ethical importance to Azure, which according to KQ6, is all he cares about.

[wilco64256]

...Because you play as Graham in the first episode, and not Alexander?

Graham, who is the Father of Azure's King and who saved Cassima from Mordack's hands.

Azure also says that Graham's family problem is his own--But Graham's ''family problem'' directly involves Azure's own liege. He showed more loyalty to Alhazred than to Alexander, which does not make sense.

I doubt that Azure even cared that much that Cassima was missing in the first place.  Seems like the only reason he even cared about Alexander's work in King's Quest 6 is because Alexander saved his daughter from the minotaur and restored peace between the islands.  The islands aren't feuding now and nobody in Azure's family is in immediate danger so why would he concern himself with Graham's problems?

[Fierce Deity]

...Because you play as Graham in the first episode, and not Alexander?

I meant to say Alexander. Even though you play as Graham, Azure referred to Alexander as if he was a subordinate. He shrugged off the predicament that Alexander was in. He said that Alexander fulfilled a prophecy and then was rewarded for it, so he deserves no further treatment. If Alexander truly was Azure's king, you'd think he'd be a tad bit more caring. Even if he doesn't like humans, he should show allegiance to his king. He was willing to bend over backwards for Alhazred who wasn't even king yet. 

[Enchantermon]

He was willing to bend over backwards for Alhazred who wasn't even king yet.

He wasn't bending over backwards, he was simply following orders. There's a difference between following a direct order from his King and choosing to do something helpful for his King when not ordered to. Azure was not ordered by anyone who had authority over him to help Alexander, so in his mind, he didn't need to, and apparently he preferred not to.

[Fierce Deity]

He was willing to bend over backwards for Alhazred who wasn't even king yet.

He wasn't bending over backwards, he was simply following orders. There's a difference between following a direct order from his King and choosing to do something helpful for his King when not ordered to. Azure was not ordered by anyone who had authority over him to help Alexander, so in his mind, he didn't need to, and apparently he preferred not to.

That makes more sense. 

Still, in the cutscene in KQ6, he obviously declined Alhazred's orders to help Alexander (because he saved his daughter). So I would think he would be a bit more generous towards Alexander this time around with him being King.

I also don't want to sound like I'm complaining about the TSL cutscene. I found it rather funny. Azure's voice actor did a great job at making him sound like a pompous jerk. 

[Delling]

...Because you play as Graham in the first episode, and not Alexander?

Graham, who is the Father of Azure's King and who saved Cassima from Mordack's hands.

Azure also says that Graham's family problem is his own--But Graham's ''family problem'' directly involves Azure's own liege. He showed more loyalty to Alhazred than to Alexander, which does not make sense.

He was willing to bend over backwards for Alhazred who wasn't even king yet.

He wasn't bending over backwards, he was simply following orders. There's a difference between following a direct order from his King and choosing to do something helpful for his King when not ordered to. Azure was not ordered by anyone who had authority over him to help Alexander, so in his mind, he didn't need to, and apparently he preferred not to.

Alhazred had demonstrated a willingness and ability to kill the well-defended in their sleep. Alexander and his extended family have not.

Later, Alexander did demonstrate the ability to fulfill prophecy and take down the monster that had plagued the Winged Ones for ages... in the scales of Azure's value system, the latter thankfully proved of weightier importance.

But he's also of no political or ethical importance to Azure, which according to KQ6, is all he cares about.

If we are to assume that the Winged Ones' ethics are Greco-Roman as is the rest of their culture, then hospitality to visitors IS OF HUGE ETHICAL IMPORTANCE... that's pretty much THE overarching theme of the Odyssey.

[Enchantermon]

Still, in the cutscene in KQ6, he obviously declined Alhazred's orders to help Alexander (because he saved his daughter). So I would think he would be a bit more generous towards Alexander this time around with him being King.

He considered it a "you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours" situation. After Alexander saves his daughter, he tells him in no uncertain terms that he will obey Alhazred's orders to kill Alexander if he returns to the city after seeing the Oracle. So it seems to me that the only reason he disobeyed Alhazred is because he owed Alexander a debt. Afterwards, he owed him nothing (in his eyes).

Alhazred had demonstrated a willingness and ability to kill the well-defended in their sleep. Alexander and his extended family have not.

While this is true, it is also an unknown at the time of the KQVI cutscene. Azure is still under the assumption that Alhazred is clean, and that Cassima's parents died of grief.

But he's also of no political or ethical importance to Azure, which according to KQ6, is all he cares about.

If we are to assume that the Winged Ones' ethics are Greco-Roman as is the rest of their culture, then hospitality to visitors IS OF HUGE ETHICAL IMPORTANCE... that's pretty much THE overarching theme of the Odyssey.

I think, then, that it's safe to assume that the Winged Ones' ethics are not Greco-Roman, at least when the visitors are "lowly" humans.

[Fierce Deity]

Still, in the cutscene in KQ6, he obviously declined Alhazred's orders to help Alexander (because he saved his daughter). So I would think he would be a bit more generous towards Alexander this time around with him being King.

He considered it a "you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours" situation. After Alexander saves his daughter, he tells him in no uncertain terms that he will obey Alhazred's orders to kill Alexander if he returns to the city after seeing the Oracle. So it seems to me that the only reason he disobeyed Alhazred is because he owed Alexander a debt. Afterwards, he owed him nothing (in his eyes).

I know the circumstances of their deal, but the deal was made when Alexander was still a "stranger in a strange land". I'm just saying he has grown accustomed to the traditions of all five isles, I would assume. He did become King after all. It is also assumed that he returned the treasures of all of the isles back to their rightful places. If Azure would be so loyal to Alhazred (who was not even the official ruler at the time) to obey his commands after Alexander had left the Oracle, why wouldn't he want to show some form of concern to Alexander's predicament.

I liked your first answer about how Azure wasn't directly ordered to help Alexander, but I'm just arguing that after everything Alexander did for the Winged Ones (in retrospect) and being the King of the Isles on top of that would deserve him a little respect from Azure (even if Alex is a lowly human). Obviously, Ariel was able to see it in Episode 1's cutscene, but Azure seemed like he was disregarding the fact that Alexander was his King. He was only focused on the "you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours" philosophy from when Alexander was a stranger. It's like it didn't even occur to him that Alexander was his superior. It would have been more appropriate if he actually said, "Nobody ordered me to help him."

[wilco64256]

I'm not sure anybody actually even could "order" Azure to do anything, probably just depends on his mood at the time you meet up with him and whether he feels like he needs help with anything.  As he points out, humans can't even reach his city, so what could really happen to him if he let the king die?

[TheReturnofDMD]

It seems everyone doesn't care and is out for themselves, really. Hassan, Azure, etc.

[Fierce Deity]

It seems everyone doesn't care and is out for themselves, really. Hassan, Azure, etc.

I got that feeling too. I thought Alexander was supposed to be the King that everybody loved. Maybe all of the inhabitants of the Green Isles are cowards and only do what they're told when they're leader is a sociopathic murderer.

[wilco64256]

Well, for Hassan specifically, he does still need to stay in business.  He's a helpful guy, but if he just starts carting Graham around he's losing the money he'd get from ferrying paying passengers.  If the President's dad came to a restaurant you owned would you let him eat for free?

[Fierce Deity]

Well, for Hassan specifically, he does still need to stay in business.  He's a helpful guy, but if he just starts carting Graham around he's losing the money he'd get from ferrying paying passengers.  If the President's dad came to a restaurant you owned would you let him eat for free?

If it was a President I voted for, probably. I'd be losing money, but it's more of a sign of loyalty and respect. Regardless, it would be hard for Hassan, because he only has one ship for one customer. So not only would he lose money, but he'd lose an opportunity for real business. Even with a free meal for the President, the restaurant could still cater to multiple patrons.

[KatieHal]

If it was a President I voted for, probably.

Ah, but we are dealing in kings, and as we all know....

King Arthur: I am your king.
Woman: Well I didn't vote for you.
King Arthur: You don't vote for kings.
Woman: Well how'd you become king then?
[Angelic music plays... ]
King Arthur: The Lady of the Lake, her arm clad in the purest shimmering samite held aloft Excalibur from the bosom of the water, signifying by divine providence that I, Arthur, was to carry Excalibur. THAT is why I am your king.
Dennis: [interrupting] Listen, strange women lyin' in ponds distributin' swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony.

[Allronix]

Azure is...well, a jerk. He's loyal to no one but himself,  He seemed to "like" (or tolerate) Caliphim and Allaria's reign, and he wasn't keen on the vizier, but no one was.

It does makes me wonder why the Sacred Mountain isle even keeps ties with the rest of the isles. If the Winged Ones truly believe themselves "above and apart" from all land-walkers, then why bother with being part of the kingdom? Why not withdraw and leave the land-walkers to their own devices? Are they perhaps dependent on the other isles for things like food or trade?

There's also the matter that the Isles still aren't all that stable. Alhazred, like many a BCS operative, had a long time to do a ton of damage. Alex may have uncovered the missing treasures, but that doesn't mean that more bad blood hasn't been planted or passed around the isles. If all Alhazred had to do was some common theft, there were already problems. Chances are the honeymoon's over, and it's back to squabbling.

Caliphim and Allaria had their hands full with feuds, I'm betting. There's also the idea that Alex is just getting on his feet as king. He's quite young (21), was most definitely not raised as a monarch, and was handed quite the mess.