Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-26826023-20160201071856/@comment-27907368-20160405154450

Sloth is a multifaceted abstract concept that can be interpreted a few ways. However. The case you've presented isn't a Cardinal Sin as the Cardinal Sin of "Sloth" (acedia) is indivisible from spiritual connotations relating to God and prayer. Sloth is an active rejection of God, as are all Cardinal Sins. It is humorous to then think that ASGORE harbors Sloth given that monsters don't have the Christian God.

I will discuss my opinion as if you didn't mention Cardinal.

A look at the etymology of Sloth reveals that its Greek roots are a (absence) and kedos (care). Therefore, an accurate descriptor for this sin is indifference. This etymological accuracy aids in judging Fluffybuns.

ASGORE is not indifferent. He doesn't lack interest, concern or sympathy - this is proven when we offer MERCY and he wants to be a part of our family. Or heck, even when he says that we should finish whatever we have to do before the battle with him.

I think the interpretation of Sloth you may be misrepresenting is that "evil exists when good people fail to act". Underperforming is not Sloth - it's a character flaw. Doing nothing at all is Sloth.

And wait, do you mean he is underperforming as a Monster, or...? Morally speaking? Toriel didn't give ASGORE the idea of using one human SOUL to leave the Underground until the pacifist ending. We know this because she leaves ASGORE as soon as he declares war on humanity and promises monsters that he will become godlike, break the Barrier and liberate all monsters. This rhetoric brings hope to his subjects but is not indicative of his character.

We are told that Toriel is "the brains behind the throne" - it's possible he never thought of using just one human SOUL to retrieve six others. However, I believe that he could be truthful when he says that he doesn't want power or to hurt anyone. He wanted monsters to have hope for the first time during his multi-millennia reign - and he's begging us to kill him at the end of the fight so that we alone can escape "this cursed place".

He made a tough choice. The fact that he chose at all indicates that he does not harbor Sloth.