[Character Commentary] Pandora Hearts 2: Raven / Gilbert

2. RAVEN / GILBERT BASKERVILLE

Name: Gilbert Baskerville / Raven

General response towards the character : You could have been better

Gilbert Gilbert Gilbert.

I don't even know where to start with Gilbert because he's been through a lot. And when I say a lot, I don't mean it the same way as Oz. I gues what I meant to say is that he's been accustomed with different kinds of people and has been affiliated with almost every major group/family/organization/alliance or whatever you call it. The Gilbert shown in this cover is known as Raven. This Raven is the person who shows up with Sharon Rainsworth and Xerxes Break when Oz escaped from the Abyss. This person is revealed to have been Gilbert, the servant Oz had known at fifteen. But this Gilbert is grown up because Oz has apparently been in the Abyss for 10 years. Time moves differently in the abyss, so this isn't really that weird.

As I've mentioned in Oz's entry, Gilbert is most often considered as a trio with Oz and Alice. I don't really feel much for Gilbert. Okay, I'll rephrase it. I don't really like Gilbert, that much, or at least I don't have any strong connection towards him. I guess the main reason for this is that he's really attached to Oz. He labels his attachment to Oz as a Master/Servant relationship, and he holds this with such high regard. He strongly desires to be a servant of the Vessalius Household, specifically to Oz, but this hasn't always been true, as it was revealed later on. Gilbert would do anything for Oz, especially after what had happened at Oz's coming-of-age ceremony. Gilbert had taken part of the tragedy of the event because he was under the influence of Zwei and her chain, Doldum, and because of this he had hurt Oz. Since then, his desire to protect Oz had only gone stronger. This attachment to Oz, ironically, is the reason as to why he betrayed the Vessalius Household to join the Nightrays, after being convinced by Xerxes Break to join the organization, Pandora. That was why he was named Raven, because the Nightray Chain, Raven, was bound to him, as he seems the only person to be able to accept Raven. From this, I could say that Gilbert is loyal to Oz, and not the entire Vessalius House.

Gilbert's relationship to Alice is different, however. Both Alice and Gilbert are attached to Oz, yet the two of them doesn't get along. On earlier parts, Gilbert and Alice always fought, but as the story progressed, they've grown fonder with each other. I don't really know what GIlbert generally thinks of Alice. I guess, after seeing Oz be contracted with Alice, he might feel threatened that his place in Oz's life has been replaced. But if he ever felt that way, he didn't speak nor show any of it. Nevertheless, friendship has grown towards Gilbert and Alice, through Oz. WHat I like about this though is that he really developed closeness towards Alice. This is all probably because they have actually already known each other a very long time ago, anyway.

What's interesting in Gilbert's life is his brother, Vincent. Vincent is what's considered as a Child of Misfortune in the world of PH. I'll explain further about this when Vincen'ts entry comes up. What I want to point out here is that Vincent's attachment towards Gilbert will beat Gilbert's to Oz anytime. His love for his brother is so huge that is greatly affects the plot, no kidding. Gilbert loves Vincent, of course, but as Vincent is willing ot do extreme things just to protect him, it usually comes off as Gilbert telling Vincent off most of the time. Clearly, Gilbert doesn't approve of the doings of his brother. At one point, when they were children, Gilbert had admitted he was tired of protecting Vincent, but quickly regretted it. Vinvent having red eyes, a mark of a Child of Misfortune, had brought misfortune to both of them. That is, until they've met Jack (this happened 100 years the current timeline PH follows). So until then, Gilbert had always protected Vincent, as he was older. When both brothers were brought under Baskerville's care, I've noticed Gilbert isn't always with Vincent. Most of the time, Vincent goes off on hiw own, which is partly why he'd done a lot of things Gilbert doesn't even know. Perhaps Gilbert was thinking he'd take a break from watching over Vincent, since both of them were already taken in by the most powerful household in the PH universe. The only time I can recall where Gilbert had protected Vincent during their stay at the Baskervilles was when he pulled Alice's hair after Alice taunted Vincent about his red eyes. Gilbert was supposed to be the Glen Baskerville anyway, he was occupied and overwhelmed to be Oswald's servant. Perhaps the largest part of my lack of likeness towards Gilbert is because although he says he loves his brother, I couldn't quite feel it. Well, yes, his memories disappeared after the Tragedy of Sablier, but since being under the Vessalius House, most of his attention was focused on Oz. Perhaps he didn't even know by then that he had a brother, so that could be explained. But even when Gilbert and Vincent had been reunited in the Nightray Household, I couldn't feel Gilbert's affection towards Vincent. Perhaps it's because they've been separated for too long, and Vincent had become really dark and mysterious, but at that point, Gilbert was still too focused on rescuing Oz, and spending more of his time with Sharon and Break. I could understand, quite a bit, why Vincent could feel so distressed about all this.

The only time I seriously thought Gilbert was cool was when he fought for Xerxes Break during the Headhunter Arc. I really felt it when he said he was Break's left eye, with a cool pose. That moment was really breaking, especially for Break. I actually really like Gilbert's relationship with Break. When they first met, Break already made it clear that they can use each other for their own personal gains. Break didn't look for a relationship mushier than that. But Gilbert eventually grew clos ewith Break, anyway. The reason I like this is because it was the first time, I think, that Break generally looked at another person as an equal. Not as a master like Oz or Oswald, or as an uncle to Oscar, or as brothers to Vincent and Elliot and the others in the Nightray House, or anything else. Break was the first person he really looked up to as a friend. I find it really cute when Sharon revealed GIlbert learned cooking because he thought Break was really thin. Even when Break had told Gilbert before they would only see each other as tools, I don't think Gilbert had ever once thought of Break that way.

Perhaps Gilbert has his own sense of belonging, and this he greatly found with Oz. This is probably why he is most attached to Oz when plenty of other characters had given him home. As a member of the Nightray Household, he was only particularly close with Vincent, of course, and Elliot. It could be understood though becuase the Nightray Household was having a crisis despite being one of the Great Dukedoms, and the older Nightrays could not accept them warmly at all becuase Raven was bounded to him, when, at that moment, Raven was supposed to be the Nightray chain, and Gilbert wasn't even a Nightray in the first place. As it was revealed later, he was actually first and foremost, a Baskerville. He had been the subject of a Baskerville Ceremony before, which is why he was the only person who can form a contract with Raven, since Raven had already been binded in his left hand through Oswald before, 100 years ago. Back then, he was actually really fond of his former master, Oswald. He was even physically hurt after running towards Oswald during the Tragedy of Sablier. But after this event, along with his memories, that attachment vanished (and perhaps towards Vincent as well). Even after learning the truth of his past, though, he chose Oz over Leo (who was carrying Oswald in his body). This conviction was the reason as to why he cut his own left hand using the power of Raven, severing his bond to both Raven AND Oswald, and thereafter reforming his contract with Raven by drinking its blood. He was very loyal to Oz that he cut his left hand. Wow, I found this cool as well.

At the end, I still don't feel much towards Gilbert. As the story progresses, we learn more and more that Gilbert plays a veeeery huge part in the entire storyline. And fankly, this disappoints me because all these huge events were FOR him and not BY him. Ultimately, the reason why I don't like Gilbert, or his representation, very much is because it's as if he's always been compelled to do things because he had to. He had to protect Vincent because he's the older brother, he had to protect Oz because he owes him a lot, he had to accept Break's invitation because that's the only way he can save Oz - it's as if he doesn't have much of personal Will. This is the reason why I find his acts deliberately being done by him as cool ones. He didn't have to protect Break and treat him as a friend. He didn't have to cut his left hand. But he did. If these hadn't happened, I could easily find myslef not caring about Gilbert at all.

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