"Hey Shelyn. Shelyn. Shelynshelynshelyn."
Valjean carries Marius's unconscious body down into the very large sewers. Thénardier is also in the sewers, stealing valuables off of dead bodies. Valjean collapses, and Thénardier takes the opportunity to steal some valuables off of Marius as well. Eventually, Valjean recovers enough to continue dragging Marius's body through the sewers.
He gets out of the sewers, where he encounters Javert. He begs Javert to give him an hour to find Marius medical attention, and eventually Javert agrees. While he waits, Javert wanders to a bridge, where he contemplates the mercy Valjean showed him, spirals into despair as he questions his mindset, and ultimately throws himself off the bridge.
Miscellaneous women and children sing about the deaths of the people on the barricade, and declare that nothing ever changes. Marius, now recovered, returns to the café where the revolutionaries met and mourns their deaths.
Is he from heaven or from hell?
Probably he's from the Maelstrom or something, dumbass.
Javert might make Axis but unless this is an Eighth Act situation killing himself makes it a lot dicier!
Oooooooh ooooooooooOOOOOOOooooh Valjean said "I'm a stronger man by far" in that duet earlier but it has a DOUBLE MEANING because not only is he super buff he was also able to roll with and prosper beyond a big redemptive worldview shift and Javert singing the same motif can't!!!!!
It feels like there's — something — to it? If she takes what Laia said earlier, and lines it up next to Javert's death... something like, if someone really truly understands what they've done, to the point that they're taking vengeance on themself for it... then what? Well, they're dead like they deserve, at least... and it's not okay, what they did won't ever be okay, but it's a lot closer than the Evil nobles strutting around acting like anyone who questions whether they should stay in power ought to die for it...
If only it could have been him who'd died that night, him instead of a Hellspawn man who died for nothing but being in the wrong place at the wrong time—
Somewhat later, Marius has made a physical recovery, though he still doesn't know it was Valjean that saved his life. He and Cosette plan their future life together, while Valjean thinks about how he should let Cosette go and live her life.
On the day of their wedding, Valjean confesses his past to Marius, and tells her that he intends to leave for Cosette's sake. Marius tries to convince him to reconsider, but eventually Valjean persuades him that it's better if she doesn't know. Marius and Cosette get married. The Thénardiers crash their wedding reception, unconvincingly disguised as nobility. They demand Marius pay them in exchange for information, and when he does, they reveal that it was Valjean who saved his life by carrying him through the sewers to safety. Marius punches Thénardier, then leaves with Cosette, while the Thénardiers sing about how they are terrible people.
Valjean, on the brink of death, prays for Cosette and Marius. Fantine's spirit appears by his side and blesses him for raising Cosette. Marius and Cosette appear, and Marius explains how Valjean saves his life. Valjean decides to tell Cosette the truth after all, and writes it down for her to read once he's dead. Eponine appears, and she and Fantine begin to lead Valjean away to Heaven.
The dead revolutionaries join them, and reprise their earlier song about rising up, this time focused on setting aside their weapons and building a better future in the Summerlands, or possibly a farming-focused realm of some other afterlife.
Okay, that was pretty great, actually. Conradí finally feels like he understands why the nobles like blood opera so much.
So they're supposed to... love their families? Rise up against the government? Farm instead of rising up against the government? Kill themselves for worshipping Asmodeus? Forgive people who steal from them? This is really confusing. Hopefully one of the paladins will explain it soon.
The Thénardiers really seem like the most comprehensible people in this play, though it's awfully stupid to sing about their philosophy in front of so many people who style themselves as Good.
He had figured it for a (standard?) Lawful Neutral/Good vs. Neutral/Chaotic Good story relatively early on… and he had meant to try to use the play to understand the difference in these alignments. But he got distracted partway through by implications of various lines and things that were missing. No cleric or wizard casts any spells throughout the entire story as far as he can tell… was Paris literally abandoned by the Gods for some reason? Or maybe normal magic doesn’t work right in it (given no wizards… except other countries don’t have as many wizards as Cheliax so maybe no wizards is a normal default… he could make a lot of money selling healing in a city like Paris)?
Also the story seems to assume the audience knows really critical background information, like why the revolution is happening in the first place.
At the end it occurs to him to worry the play might trigger another wave of riots. Valia’s speech was more detailed in actual actions demanded and less skillfully delivered than this play, and it still played a role setting off the riots, so this play really could mean another round of riots. …He’ll switch out his endure elements for more infernal healings in his spell prep the next several days.
What, is it supposed to be that easy? Charge off after whatever stupid idea's got into your head, and the Good gods will take you for having Good intentions?
It's beautifully done. But... it's never that kind. It wasn't even in Kintargo with all her work and storied adventurers out of history and archmages keeping all the armies busy for a four-day war.
She couldn't bear to censor it, she thinks. But... letting it be played would be wrong. Without at least another song about the price 'Paris' paid. And... probably more than that.