Were Zoltan Kulle and Ayuzhan an item?

PC General Discussion
1

It seems to be very heavily implied both in the way Kulle writes about Ayuzhan in his journal and with how Ayuzhan talks about Kulle and reacts to Malphas taunting him about their relationship. There is even a moment early on where Ayuzhan scoffs at Kulle labeling their relationship as just a “friendship” as if there was much more to it beyond them just being colleagues and peers. And of course the very poignant journal entry where the two embrace after creating the Loom and Kulle goes on about how he was looking into Ayuzhan‘s eyes.

I bring this up because Kulle has previously always been portrayed in a very one dimensional way as the archetypal “evil genius” who thinks less of everyone else even those who are objectively his betters like Tal’rasha was. So showing that he can have feelings for someone is nice character development and humanizes him. Also really heartbreaking that even knowing that he’s probably dead Ayuzhan still intends to search the entire world for him.

I thought it was a nice touch and added an extra human layer to the story. Very Dumbledore/Grindelwald feel to the whole thing.

P.S. This should go without saying but do try to be civil in the replies…

4 Likes
2

I read it more as Ayuzhan laughing at the thought of being called friend was silly because he didn’t think the relationship rose to the level of friendship.

This is history we learn of took place after Kulle abandoned the Horadrim after D2, to go his own way and before he was dismembered. Seeing as his hideouts are always overrun by constructs here and when we go to his Library in D3, this is probably early in that space of time. We learned already that Kulle was selfish and thought too highly of himself. It’s likely that he saw Ayuzhan as a servant more than a friend, or at least treated him that way.

Then when the loom is corrupted, at least very early into it, Kulle leaves Ayuzhan behind. He doesn’t look or stick around. He doesn’t care that he’s missing at the time. If there was an emotional attachment I would think Kulle would at the very least try to find out what happened. Zoltun Kulle is damn powerful so it’s not like he was scared right? No, I don’t think so. I think he accomplished his goals and just walked away from it. I think the note saying “my dearest friend” was the last guilty feeling Zoltun Kulle ever had.

I mean, Ayuzhan was willing to work with him after Kulle voiced his dislike of the Angiris Council, Horadrim, and The High Heavens. He was probably the last human being Kulle ever spoke to until the Horadrim came after him. Zoltun Kulle was on the path of darkness but it’s not unreasonable to think the darkness didn’t overtake him all in one go. So there was a tiny bit of guilt. The last ounce of humanity to leave Zulton Kulle before he went full on dark side.

That’s how I took it anyway.

2 Likes
3

Only weirdos think of this stuff.

4 Likes
4

Just… shame on you. Let people explore what they will with fictional narrative. Good grief I cannot believe that I am 43 and still constantly encountering small minded bullies.

4 Likes
5

I’ve given this quite a bit of thought and have been ambivalent in my lamentations. The demon Malphas possessed Ayushan and not Zoltun. Demon’s are a concept with prevalence in all Abrahamic religions. Muslims have the djin, which we call genies, and Jews have the dibbuk. In all Abrahamic religions demons posess a person through weakness and temptation.

As far as I can tell, the Mythos in Diablo has no position on same sex attraction or same sex relationships unlike the Abrahamic religions that underpin said mythos. While there have been same sex characters, we dont know whether the church has a position one way or the other.

I bring this up because theologians believe(d) that a demon would trick a person into homosexuality as part of their mission to corrupt souls. If this same belief is held by the church in the game, then Ayushans attraction to Zoltun would have been the catharsis for his possession by Malphas.

At this point I should clarify that I am not professing an opinion on homosexuality. I’m only referencing a bit of theological history as it applies to demonic posession and a presumption of attraction between two male characters.

Zoltun is an egotist and also brilliant and he exhibits all the behaviors of someone with Psychopathy. As such he would have leveraged Ayushans attraction to manipulate him. Due to the characteristics of someone with Psychopathy it’s very likely Zoltun’s soul was already damned, and he’d be smart enough to know it.

Psychopaths are incapable of meaningful emotional attachment to others. As such Zoltun’s likelihood of engaging in a loving romantic relationship impossible for any purpose other than manipulation. It’d also make him far harder to possess as Malphas would have to out smart him and do so long enough to wear him down.

Early in the story theres a note you can optionally find where Zoltun writes a missive about Ayushan running out at night and forgetting to arm the traps. This is where Ayushan was possessed as his own recollection is that he was still working with Zoltun.

The story also provides that there was a significant period of time between the completion of the Loom and the possession of Ayushan. So the celebration was not what triggered the attraction of Malphas, the energy from the Loom was.

I think Ayushan had a love/hate relationship with Zoltun. I think if anything he may have had an attraction to Zoltun he either was unaware of or lacked faculties to understand. I also believe Zoltun realized it and used it to his benefit, ultimately leading to emotional turmoil for Ayushan. That turmoil was played upon by Malphas and used to weaken him for possession.

1 Like
6

Looks like Zultun Kulle showed Ayuzhan the length of his warding buff.

9 Likes
7

Two characters know each other so they must have a sexual relationship.

He scoffs at it being a friendship because they were work colleagues. Do they go in the steam room after work in towels in your fantasy?

3 Likes
8

Some of you people need to go out a little more and read less into fictional characters ( that someone made up out of thin air) dating relationships. But if it make you sleep better at night, the answer if YES… Or not.

9

As opposed to non-weirdos who only think of the barbarian Charge HotA meta. Zug zug, bro!!! :love_you_gesture::rofl:

10

Have you heard Kulle speak y’all?

Just saying, just saying.

:rofl:

2 Likes
11

I read & listened to the notes. I got zero vibes. Maybe two dudes getting together is in someone’s thoughts? Get it out of your system maybe lol.

2 Likes
12

It’s Zoltan Kulle, even imagining him having anything resembling friendship is comical.

1 Like
13

What next? Donan and Lorath were an item and Donan adopted a son to cover it up. This forum never disappoints.

2 Likes
16

Maybe Deckard got his groove on with the Witch vendor

17

Never got that vibe at all lol.

18

Bahahaha :rofl:

20 roflcopters

19

You mean Akara? Yeah I always thought there was something going on there with the way she sent us to rescue him. Old folks do be wilding’ in Sactuary! :joy:

20

i’m not sure if they were an item, but it’s implied that there was more going on – at least on ayuzhan’s part. ayuzhan has a ‘well-penned confession’ interactable that’s very missable in the gatehall:

“I’ve found it increasingly difficult to concentrate here. Zoltun demands every ounce of my attention, with his long-winded lectures and trite anecdotes. And yet, by all that is good, I cannot bring myself to ignore him …nor do I want to.”

which, with some basic reading comprehension that you’d learn from an 8th grade english class, obviously alludes to ayuzhan being infatuated with zoltun kulle.

so the topic question was a good one, and OP had the right gut instinct. i get that this community is filled with old farts that are incredibly sensitive with these things (despite pretending otherwise lmfao), but the comments here are straight up embarassing.

2 Likes
22

Yeah it can’t be that some people like you guys see more into it than there realy is. It must be everyone else wrong. But you know what is good with these stories? You can give it meaning in any way you like. It depends on the reader.

1 Like
23

That’s a two way street. It can just as well be that you all are oblivious to these tells (especially if you’re straight), which btw were not at all subtle. The way the voice actors spoke about each other’s characters was clearly intended to convey a level of affection and even intimacy that goes far beyond what one would say about a mere colleague or friend. There is no way that was coincidental and was likely part of the directions that accompanied the script.

And then sadly there is the other alternative too, where people clearly recognizing it but are actively choosing to ignore or deny it because it threatens their fragile masculinity. It may not even be a conscious act because that’s how most men have been conditioned to respond in these situations since childhood.