The citizens of Corel are awful people

[Crop]

Why are these people so horrible to Barret? If you watch the story of how Corel was destroyed in the game, you can see that pretty much everyone except Dyne supported building the reactor, so why do they treat Barret like dirt when he returns?

I mean, Barret is away when the town is destroyed anyway! The guy comes back to see his friends and wife dead, then suddenly all the townsfolk turn on him too? Why didn't he say "hang on a second, pretty sure we all supported the reactor, now let's support each other through this awful tragedy and work through the grieving process together".

Worst of all, the guy just takes it as though it IS his fault. I kind of pity them fools for choosing the one man who decided to stand up and make sure Shin-Ra paid for their actions as a scapegoat. They should all hang their lazy heads in shame!

[Gamblet]

Sometimes people need to blame someone to ease their pain. Barret taking those hits like that probably means he wants to ease their pain. *Ihavenoideawhatiamtalkingabout

[Elskidor]

It's about race. The town is racist. The person who created the corel story line hated Barret, and tried to kill him off in this town, but it didn't make the final cut and he was allowed to live.

[Jiro]

Barret is Batman. Not the hero they deserve, but the one they need.

[Forsaken Lover]

Eh, they all get over it and like him again later on. They give you the Ultima materia so I think we can forgive them.

[Carl the Llama]

It's clearly because they are Racist lol.

[Ayen]

I want to contribute it to just being bad writing, but there's probably some truth to the racist thing. I can't remember where I heard it, but I think Asians are offended by black people.

I don't remember the Corel part too clearly apart from his wife and friend dying and losing his arm, though.

[Carl the Llama]

In truth I think (theory here not fact) that they blamed Barrett and Dyne because they were the unofficial leaders of the community (despite there being a Village Elder) and that Barrett went around convincing everyone to join with the Shin Ra.

There is also the fact that Barrett was not there when the community got destroyed, sure he lost his wife, but he wasn't there to lead them. They in turn felt that they lost because Barrett and Dyne were not there, and resent that and soon enough that resentment turned to anger and then hate *tips hat to Master Yoda*.

Lastly, Barrett was a willing scapegoat. In the face of all that suffering, someone walks in and blames himself, people in their warped mind (any mind would be warped if their entire village and family had been wiped out) are going to latch onto to that no matter what, he really only has himself to blame for blaming himself.