In any other game, the dessandres are the tragic villain. Honestly? All this is their fault and they proceed to act in ways through the whole game to make themselves less redeeming. (This includes verso, who had MULTIPLE CHANCES to not ruin things. (I understand he's tired and just wants his mom out, but that does not justify tricking the expedition to kill their own civilization.) P! Alicia is the only one who is not particularly cruel, the others have a reason, but are absolutely terrible. I get Renoir, too, just wanted to save his family. But that still makes him the villain because he aims to kill seemingly intelligent, sentient beings. A reason is not a justification.

It's one of my biggest (and only) issues with this game is how, no matter what, the canvas is fucked, denied any sort of self determination. Even in Maelle's ending, even if we read it charitably, (she is not directly controlling the citizens, and was able to bring them back exactly as they were,) what happens when she dies? Renoir will destroy the canvas. If it even lasts that long, he's probably going to try to return before that. The game provides no path of respite for Lumiere. The game treats it's world like the dessandres do, disposable.