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yapping below the cut

This little part has always stuck with me. I think it’s interesting that Mimir presented Hearth with two paths.

The way I see it, the first path was never about “fixing” his deafness but more about seeking acceptance/access/an escape from abuse. Considering all the mistreatment and ableism in his childhood, Hearth must have believed on some level that becoming a hearing person would give him acceptance and equal access in society. Not because he wanted hearing, but because he thought becoming a hearing person was the only way he would be allowed to live a ‘normal’ life.

The problem is that in accepting this offer he would be forced to erase his Deaf identity and his ambitions. Ultimately he chose the path of magic. Maybe he had hope for a future free from those societal expectations, with people who treat him as an equal and accept him for who he is. idk I just think it’s neat to see the character’s path toward self-acceptance.