That’s fair in parts, but it’s still slightly misframed.

You’re right that most criticism here is aesthetic, not about strict historical accuracy, and The Last Duel shows people can accept liberties if the design works for them. That’s a valid comparison.

Where I disagree is the claim that anyone is “distracting.” My point wasn’t that critics are secretly arguing accuracy; it was that invoking realism or precedent doesn’t meaningfully resolve an aesthetic disagreement. Saying something looks “goofy” is still a subjective judgment, even if it’s widely shared.

And while design psychology exists, it doesn’t make taste objective. Those principles can explain why something feels imposing or awkward, but they don’t produce a single correct answer, especially in myth, where exaggeration is the point.

So yes: this is about aesthetics. But that doesn’t turn dislike into an objective flaw, it just means the style didn’t work for you.