Legend of the Seeker: Darken Rahl and Hitler

I commented on the relationship between Darken Rahl and Hitler on our podcast, The Confessed, and seek77 had an interesting comment:

hey there!! i love ur podcast, in fact im listening to it right now (3rd episode) and i have to say, i agree with u guys in almost everything. I wanted to write to u guys to correct u in just one minor big detail, not that related to LoTS but to Hitler.... i am part of the Richard & Kahlan forum and i was the one that agreed with you guys about how Darken Rahl is similar to Hitler... well in podcast u mentioned how Hitler's mom had a lot of husbands and one was jewish, etc. I have always been interested in the Holocaust and i had to study Hitler's life and well u made a mistake. Hitler loved his mom and hated his dad. His dad abused him but he wasnt jewish, he was raised by a jewish family and he used that excused to hate them. it was his father the one that had more than one wife, the mother had (not sure) just one husband... Now going back to LoTS/ Wizard's First Rule. Darken Rahl always talked about his father and how much he loved him in the book, that hasnt been mentioned in the show at all.... which i think its ok because that would make the show more complicated.

anyways, sorry this comment is so long!!! besides that i thing u guys are doing an AMAZING job here! i think u guys analyze things in a new and refreshing way, please keep doing it!

P.S eden was great!! i lover her input in the show, glad to have a girl in the show!

Originally posted as a comment by seek77 on dashPunk using Disqus.

Thank you so much for the clarity on Hitler's youth.  I like long comments, especially when they are so insightful.  I was basing my comments on what I had been taught in school, and it is good to have the a better understanding of one of the most interesting villains in the history of our world.

Let me clarify what I was trying to say about the parallel between Hitler and Darken Rahl.

Personal Problems Writ Large

Hitler's childhood caused him to hate the Jewish people, that hate caused him to start the Holocaust.

Darken Rahl hates the lack of peace in soul.

• He would do anything to find peace in himself.

• His inner turmoil is feed by the lack of peace in the world.

• If there is peace in the world, that could (in his mind) bring peace to himself.

• He will do anything to bring about peace in the world.

In both of these men, what we see is personal internal struggles being fought in the outside world.

Boxes of Orden and the Confessor's Power

This is why Rahl is obsessed with the Boxes of Orden and gaining the powers of a Confessor.  These powers to control others is emblematic of the power he wants to have over his own inner turmoil.

If he can gain these powers, he thinks he can bring peace to the world and to himself.

Rahl and his father

While the relationship between Rahl and his father has yet to be mentioned on the show, I have hopes that it still might be.

Thank You...

...for not giving any spoilers from the books.  I try to do that, and I am glad that you did too.

And thank you for the kind words and about the show.  Eden is a valuable part of the podcasts, and I just know she is going to blush beet red when she sees your comment.

We will keep doing our part, and as always, thank you for you all for all of your insightful comments.