"Remember when we first met?" He raised an eyebrow at her. How long had it been since they first met? How different everything was...
"There were a lot of people, good people, supposedly, who made the same arguments about me that you and your friends made about Azula. That I was evil, that I was some monster that should be locked away forever, that by virtue of continuing to draw breath, I was a severe danger to this crew. Superboy, and those from his world were particularly adamant about that.
"You rejected that notion, and argued for me. Not because of a law, there was no constitution back then. You did it because you knew it was right thing to do, even if our first meeting wasn't the most auspicious. Because, when you looked at me, you didn't see a heartless monster who had been ruining lives for years, you just saw a man and decided that you'd get to know me before you'd judge me.
"I applauded your wisdom at the time, and now the Council is arguing for Azula the way you did for me. I'd think you'd applaud them as well. After all, if the Council had decided to lock away Azula, I'd bet you even money that there'd be a line of people saying that I should be in the cell next to her. And that Lord Zedd should be in the next cell, and then someone else, and someone else... which is how those things tend to start."
He gave her a half second to think about that before he continued.
"Or perhaps I was just an exception. Granted, I didn't set someone on fire," he only (indirectly) cost Paco his arm, "but imagine for a moment that you just woke up naked and alone, told that you lost everything that ever mattered to you, and all that's left of your world is people who you hate; and people who hate you. It doesn't excuse her actions, but I can understand them.
"But, then again, I don't see a monster when I look at Azula. Nor does anyone else, really, other than the small handful of you."
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"There were a lot of people, good people, supposedly, who made the same arguments about me that you and your friends made about Azula. That I was evil, that I was some monster that should be locked away forever, that by virtue of continuing to draw breath, I was a severe danger to this crew. Superboy, and those from his world were particularly adamant about that.
"You rejected that notion, and argued for me. Not because of a law, there was no constitution back then. You did it because you knew it was right thing to do, even if our first meeting wasn't the most auspicious. Because, when you looked at me, you didn't see a heartless monster who had been ruining lives for years, you just saw a man and decided that you'd get to know me before you'd judge me.
"I applauded your wisdom at the time, and now the Council is arguing for Azula the way you did for me. I'd think you'd applaud them as well. After all, if the Council had decided to lock away Azula, I'd bet you even money that there'd be a line of people saying that I should be in the cell next to her. And that Lord Zedd should be in the next cell, and then someone else, and someone else... which is how those things tend to start."
He gave her a half second to think about that before he continued.
"Or perhaps I was just an exception. Granted, I didn't set someone on fire," he only (indirectly) cost Paco his arm, "but imagine for a moment that you just woke up naked and alone, told that you lost everything that ever mattered to you, and all that's left of your world is people who you hate; and people who hate you. It doesn't excuse her actions, but I can understand them.
"But, then again, I don't see a monster when I look at Azula. Nor does anyone else, really, other than the small handful of you."