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Timyd In reply to Sayuri1314 [2011-05-03 15:36:03 +0000 UTC]

Um num num nuumm... while drawing this I was actually a bit like "omg what if I will have to explain this to a Swede? What will I say then?" ...but didn't actually expect that would really happen. Ah hah haa...

Ok what to say. Er.
Are you disappointed if I admit that I'm not actually sure what is going on in my head about this?

First of all, this isn't directly how I see the 1809 situation. It's more like... simply some kind of a strange reflection of, uh... of the mess in my head considering those times and the positions of these three sorry, two countries and one... piece of land. And partially this is just an excuse to draw Russia surrounded by a freaky halo and generally shining like the sun. I sometimes feel a sudden urge to draw him like that.

"The liberator" idea... contains a trace of the Russian propaganda pictures I've seen in my school history books. Can't find a suitable one to show you now, and they of course tend to refer to later (Soviet) times so historical accuracy NOT guaranteed here but still they surely were haunting my mind when I was drawing. You know, how East is bright and inviting while West is dark and threatening. I just let my mind wander and then at some point noticed the pic looked like... this.
So apparently my subconscious likes to produce some crappy Russian propaganda. How wonderful.

But... anyhow, no matter how this situation is seen, I don't like Russia being portrayed as the personification of evil. At all. In any way. I think it's exactly as disturbing as making Finland or Sweden look perfect and innocent.
And as Russia is often given the role of the heartless sadistic bastard, it just makes me want to look for the kinder, warmer parts of him. His outstretched hand might not be sincere here (and I definitely don't think he cares about Finland as anything more than as lands to connect to his empire), but it doesn't directly have to mean that he's a devil. If you ask me.
(Yes. He is one of my favourite characters. I like him. As if it wasn't already clear at this point...)

And, as we have stated, those times weren't that much fun with Sweden around either. Everyone was attacking him, Russia one of them, and... just... well, you know. So in a way your reference to a child with parents always fighting works to me. The times were restless, everything was screwed. SUDDEN CHANGE TO SUFIN MODE: this must have been one of the worst setbacks for Finland's love for Sweden if you ask me.

And besides, Russia really was quite nice to Finland at first. In a way the word "liberator" here really is a sincere choice from me. You know, we got autonomy and everything. No more going to war against half of Europe. The Finnish society started to develop in a completely new way compared to the past. Sounds great, doesn't it! Wohoo!
...naturally that was before the Russification stuff. But really, I've read that in Finland the years with Russia before that were seen almost like a union of two countries rather than being under Russian rule. Which obviously was complete nonsense, but. Well. You're allowed to dream, no?

Hahahahaha.

So. Uh. Oh great, there is a wall of text that doesn't really explain pretty much anything.
Summary: I have no idea what I was thinking when drawing this.

However. Thank you for looking at this with thought and giving me an excuse to write some never-ending mess once again

... and oh dear, please don't worry about that! Clearing up things in life goes always first, I wish it's going to be all right whatever it is you have to handle there. Really, please don't take any pressure from me, please. I don't want that. Your answers are worth waiting the whole summer if necessary. Don't worry about it.

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Sayuri1314 In reply to Timyd [2011-05-19 07:31:36 +0000 UTC]

Hahahaha, here I come with my swedishness and force to to make long explanations

Ahh, I see now. Thank you for the explanation! :> The Russian/Swedish/Finnish love triangle is indeed intresting, even if it can be hard to figure out what russia really wants sometimes. I can't really think of an explanation to that statement, sorry

I completely agree that making Russia the ultimate nemesis makes my guts twitch in a most unpleasant way. No country in hetalia, or outside hetalia, is made of pure evil. True that Russia is quite fucked up, but he's not alone in that.
(And it's not like russia is the only guilty in the whole 1809 thing. If I remeber it right, wasn't it france that persuaded russia to attack sweden? Look there france, he's not often present in 1809 fanart.)

Anyway, thank you for your answer! :')

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Timyd In reply to Sayuri1314 [2011-05-19 19:03:24 +0000 UTC]

Yeah, can't you see how I'm SUFFERING being FORCED to write all this D:

Whoa, only love in this triangle is between Fin and Sve in my opinion (and fortunately so!) My Russia loves America~
You know perfectly well it was MY pleasure to answer XD

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