Emperor Arissa Lavigny-Duval is a woman concerned with optics. She took the throne in an unprecedented vote, a throne which until that point had been solely the seat of men. The title did not change with her ascension, it stayed as Emperor rather than the more feminine Empress. She has always had an iron handed approach, like with her approach to crime in her powerplay systems. She continued this after becoming Emperor, such as when she had Nova Imperium and their supporters assassinated in the Senate floor at her very own feet. A strong image for the Emperor which will brook no accusation of weakness or question of her validity on the throne. If you question it strongly enough she will likely prove it to you. You'll probably not survive the experience.
Now for the last year, we've had Theta-7 and the NMLA going on, and organization hellbent on killing the Duvals and creating a Republic out of the Empire. Over time, these people have either found a new home to call their own or been wiped out, and Theta-7 himself was recently killed while evading arrest. I mean I guess bombing yourself is one way to evade arrest, but I digress.
During this time, something always bothered me. Why is Arissa so hard to come by? Now she doesn't have to show up, she is the Emperor, but she seemed strangely abscent to make any declarations. One possibility I considered is the classic "The greatest insult you can give to an enemy: To be ignored." Heck, it might have even benefited her if they managed to off Aisling and Hadrian, it would be a calculated move, but then came Asiling's new years ball…
In it, Hadrian's newborn son, Hector Mordanticus Duval, was introduced to the universe. With it came the question of the Imperial succession, and the fact that Arissa had no children of her own. She's also been sequestered for the last year, only appearing remotely to the Senate.
This got me thinking. Why would this woman with her iron hand be hiding? Why is she still hiding when Theta-7 is dead? The reasons for it didn't make sense to me for her character.
Then I got back to thinking about the core issue: Arissa is a woman on the throne, and in Imperial society this is non-traditional, and she has gone out of her way to give a strong appearance despite that. Of course, if she were to have a legitimate child, she would have to get pregnant. Biologically, eventually it's not going to be possible to hide it while in the public eye. At some point it would just be a perpetual reminder to the people that she's a woman, the motherly image could undermine her iron fisted narrative, and it would really do nothing good for her image unless…
… She makes no public appearances and makes all her statements remotely, and never announces that she's pregnant.
Perhaps it was just a reasonable time to do it, but regardless – I think we'll find out pretty soon that Arissa suddenly has a legitimate heir to the throne.
I bet it's a girl.
As for the inevitable husband question, either she secretly got married or she went to techno sorcery.
Alright, that's enough tin foil gossip for one day. I'll show myself out before the Imperial hardliners kick my ass.
tl;dr: Just read the title.
