Why MXTX's Luo Binghe doesn't deserve all the hate (a character analysis)

After joining the Scum villain’s self-saving system fandom, I noticed a phenomenon that isn’t apparent in the fandoms of MXTX’s other works. Shen Qingqiu (Shen Yuan) is most commonly shipped with Luo Binghe, yes, obviously because they’re the main couple, the very reason why we all read SVSSS. However, unlike Xie Lian who’s largely shipped with Hua Cheng, a considerable amount of the fandom also ships Shen Yuan with the other Peak Lords. Liu Qingge, Yu Qingyuan, Mu Qingfang, you name it, we got a few fics for it. I wondered why that is, and while others came up with many theories that Shen Yuan is easily shippable (he is), or that SVSSS has polyamorous vibes that stemmed from Bingge’s 300+ harem, I think it’s mostly because of one reason. SVSSS’s main deuteragonist, Shen Yuan’s canon love interest: Luo Binghe. 

After a quick trip to SVSSS discussion pages, I found a poll asking for everyone’s opinion on Luo Binghe. 32 out of 191 stated that they disliked him, for reasons being that he’s “ too possessive”, “Bingqiu feels forced”, “he’s not a good lover” and “his constant whimpering is annoying.” (What do you mean? That’s an absolute win for sure ahahaha). While I’m not in total disagreement with those statements (except for the second one, but that’s for later), I do think that these people may have misjudged Luo Binghe’s character. Many also shared that they preferred Liushen simply because Liu Qingge is not a sticky crybaby like Binghe, and that Shen Yuan deserves better than that. I would argue that Shen Yuan also needed to emotionally mature and grow up, which is exactly the character development he got. But alas, I’m here today to make one thing, and one thing clear: Luo Binghe deserves Shen Yuan (and vice versa), and he’s a misunderstood character. While I’m not in total disagreement with those statements (except for the second one, but that’s for later), I do think that these people may have misjudged Luo Binghe’s character. 

There are many reasons why Luo Binghe gets more hate than the other MXTX characters, but the most apparent one in my opinion is:  he's the only character whom we see the worst mistakes of his life through a perspective that doesn't understand why he made them.  No other MXTX character gets that intimacy and closeness. You either hear about their darkest moments secondhand, or you're seeing those moments through their eyes. You see Xie Lian desperately trying to save his kingdom, you feel the pain from the sword stabs, and the resentment for the people of Yong’an afterward. You can excuse their actions because you know their reasonings. Or, you don’t actually SEE it in person, you just read that Hua Cheng burned down the temples of the 33 heavenly officials. But like, it’s just 33, it’s not THAT much. Or, you get introduced to a character after they already matured, after they already push past all that trauma, after they’re emotionally stable. Luo Binghe is not like that. Shen Yuan, as well as the readers, first see Luo Binghe as a sweet (eepy eepy skrunkly) kid, who’s going to murder him later in the plot. We see Luo Binghe as a desperate, confused young man alternately lashing out at the man who betrayed him and yearning for everything to be how it was. we see him hated by society and we agree with Shen Qingqiu that he's a murderer, beyond remedy. And then we see that all of that was wrong. We realize that Luo Binghe is a lonely outcast trying his best, and that he never wanted to hurt anyone. We forgive him and fall in love with him the same way Shen Yuan does: slowly, and after a mountain of misunderstandings. SVSSS doesn't have an evil mastermind who you can point to and go "The villain is THIS ONE, and Bingqiu was broken up because of THEM.” Instead, we see Binghe and Shen Yuan being kept apart because of their own misconceptions, misunderstandings, and internal turmoil. To me, they’re incredibly special just for that reason. They nearly destroyed each other, but still found a way to pick up the pieces and find comfort in each other. 

Another point about Luo Binghe as a character overall is that he definitely has mental health issues. Luo Binghe is a character who is generally considered more messy, and unappealing because of his issues. Normally these types of characters pull themselves together, recover, love themselves, whatever by the end of the book (which can be totally unrealistic in many ways), but I love that Binghe gets his happy ending while still being an unstable fucking mess. I love how he’s capable of seeming to be more cold and mature while being Demon Realm Saintly Ruler, but he still just falls apart and unmasks, to very teenage behavior when around Shen Yuan. Deep inside, Luo Binghe is a small insecure kid with abandonment issues, struggling to come to terms with feeling loved and wanted. He deserves to cry and has issues with being manipulative and clingy and violent. It is incredibly refreshing to finally see a character that takes a longer time to learn to live with their trauma, and the other character supporting them and loving them unconditionally throughout it all. We, as readers, need to realize that not every character will heal perfectly and that there are many trauma responses. We shouldn’t invalidate a character just because their trauma made them “messy” and “unlikeable”.

Luo Binghe never deserved what he went through in the series and the hate he gets from FAKE ASS SVSSS readers (/j). I will defend him till the end of my life, if Binghe has 1000 fans, I’m one of them, if he has 10 fans, I’m one of them, if he has 1 fan then I’m dead ‘cause Shen Yuan will always be number 1. I have to clarify, I’m not a Luo Binghe apologist, because he has done nothing wrong. 🔥