The core that drives Cetus into some of his best and worst decisions is love. Love, both selfish and selfless, roaring desire that mounts like tempest waves and threatens to topple the stability of nations - or tenderness as gentle as the sea breeze. Cetus loves so much and that's the core of who he is. Neither a just or ignoble tenet, instead a mostly truthful one about himself. Cetus' greatest moments come from his love for others. While it's very easy to see this in his relationship with Deepcolor, his mercy and compassion for her that evolves into his blooming romantic love for her, one shouldn't overlook how much Cetus truly loves the other Abyssal Hunters. They're his family. They mean everything to him. Which is why ever having to go against them, even for a chance at a better future for all of them, is so deeply agonizing to him. When Cetus fought as a soldier for Aegir, his strength came not from a place of hatred against the seaborn, but his love for his fellow hunters and a desire to protect them. To protect their home. At least, when he thought that was what they were doing. Now that he knows that seaborn can feel love, that he feels it every day from one himself, he cannot stand by Aegir's long history of violence against them. Moreover, Cetus loves his friends, like Aberration, and when he deigns to make himself helpful, it often comes from a sincere place of care.

But there is also a darker side to Cetus' love. In its absence, left without it and coping poorly, Cetus will seek substitutes. Instead of finding comfort and belonging in a community of his kin, Cetus will seek any form of connection. Sexual, often, but not necessarily. Something to fill the void that loved ones leave in him.

At his best, Cetus is a compassionate and open-minded hunter whose love for both sides of a war pushes him to end it. At worst, Cetus is a shell without the love he craves, and his hunger for it can harm others as he begins to replace it with hedonistic behaviors. There is also no small part of Cetus that loves himself, and while his love might be great enough to lead to a sacrifice of his own life, first it must succeed against his love for himself.

Since his low point in Iberia, Cetus has been learning from Deepcolor and the other Abyssal Hunters about managing that balance. In finding fulfilment in the love he both gives and receives from others, and how not to crumble in its absence. To be a better man, not just for the love of himself, but for the love he has for those around him.

After all, one day, Cetus knows that's all that will be left of him.

It's love.

Pre-amnesia, Senchi was beaten down countless times when growing up, ultimately screwing with her perception when it came to troops when she was a commander for Babel. Hiding her Jaded self behind a mask, always smiling and distracting herself with her own words, and relating work to things she enjoyed. Senchi saw herself in those who couldn't move forward and would want to rid those memories any means. That is until the day she was the target, where she went into stasis and gets a veracious awakening.

Seeing how the world around is, the ghost that is now Senchi, flashed moments in her mind. Getting nauseous over these "nightmares", Jasper very much needed to make an amendment with herself. Jasper from that point, very much is one to live altruistically. Utilizing the skills that felt natural to her to help people in need in any way she can.

i think apertures core motivator in life is her desire to have control- both pre- and post-amnesia. before she lost her memory, aperture was cursed by a ritual she had no choice in partaking in and subsequently set the tone for her entire life to try and "fix" her. therefore, she had no control over the way she was treated when she was growing up, and she found that her victories were quickly turned against her as an adult too. in the end, she could never win. the only sense of control in her life was taking azraels fate into her own hands and becoming a doctor for rhodes island, helping command it.

post amnesia, aperture still desires the same control, as shes haunted by the person she used to be that she has no memory of. she doesnt want to atone or become a better person; she just wants to become someone for herself. she wants to be aperture, not lilith. as far as shes concerned, lilith is a complete stranger to her. in a way, aperture doesnt know if she should continue to say that that name is hers. is it really? all of her documents call her lilith, all of the people from her past who have come back have called her lilith, lilith is on everything that is hers

but she doesnt know this lilith. this lilith is a stranger to her. shes just a stranger walking around in lilith's skin.

she cant help but think about all the things lilith did before she woke up; all the things that she couldve done to make the vicar the way he was, all the enemies she made and the choices that led her to where she was and the things she said that made people love her or hate her. and now shes left to face the consequences of everything that lilith did. it wasnt even her who did them. how could others claim to know her better than herself? how could she even pretend to know what lilith would do or say at all?

shes a stranger in lilith's body.

so i think the control over her own identity is something thats very important to aperture. she needs to become someone who is known for being aperture, the doctor, not this person who she doesnt know at all.

I think Crux has two major principles in his life: Atonement, and Expression. For a good chunk of time, he wants to atone for what he can and can’t remember doing, his actions that caused different people untold pain and misfortune. He wants to do better, not jsut for them, but for himself as well. Then, when he’s gotten older, he feels more deeply the importance of expressing things to those around him. Expressing love for his family, expressing joy for his friends and allies, just acknowledging those around him that have made him into who he is today.

For Valerian, no matter what, he wants to help the people he loves and cares about. Down the road, that takes him down a bit of a dark path, but it’s all for the sake of those he holds near and dear to his heart. He’ll do whatever it takes to keep them safe.