What's interesting is, in context of that world, considering there is magic, there are inherently harmful/bad artifacts. So it's not a direct analog for guns, and they probably should be controlled.
That said, the act is still bad, because it's thought policing. They're searching specific people, based on their views for these artifacts. It's a draconian and tyrannical law, whether or not the artifacts in question need to be controlled or not. It's those in power writing laws to go after their opposition. Very on-brand.
The problem with most of the "allegory for racism/guns" stories is that they are always stuck with the problem of "wait no those things are legitimately a danger to everyone."
Guns are just inanimate objects. Magical artifacts and the like can literally influence the world around them through curses and other manners, actively damaging things or manipulating people to use them. And 99% of the time, there is no actual reason to own a "dark art" object over a regular magical one other than being evil. They either only do things evilly or are used for terrible consequence filled actions like Resurrection.
The whole thing falls apart unless you also think guns are legitimately magical things that turn people violent and have no non-human killing use.
One of the best fantasy gun control metaphors I've ever seen was in Pokemon Black and White.
Team Plasma goes around spreading a wholesome message of Pokemon freedom, insisting that everyone release their Pokemon so they'll no longer be abused or mistreated by foolish humans. Their figurehead, N, fully believes this message and actively practices what he preaches. However, the whole thing is a scam by the shadow leaders of the team. Once everyone else has released their pet super monsters, they plan to move in with their own and take over everything unopposed.
The final message of the game boils down to: "The truth is that there will always be power abusers, so it's best that good people also have power so that they can fight for ideals."
What's interesting is, in context of that world, considering there is magic, there are inherently harmful/bad artifacts. So it's not a direct analog for guns, and they probably should be controlled.
That said, the act is still bad, because it's thought policing. They're searching specific people, based on their views for these artifacts. It's a draconian and tyrannical law, whether or not the artifacts in question need to be controlled or not. It's those in power writing laws to go after their opposition. Very on-brand.
The problem with most of the "allegory for racism/guns" stories is that they are always stuck with the problem of "wait no those things are legitimately a danger to everyone."
Guns are just inanimate objects. Magical artifacts and the like can literally influence the world around them through curses and other manners, actively damaging things or manipulating people to use them. And 99% of the time, there is no actual reason to own a "dark art" object over a regular magical one other than being evil. They either only do things evilly or are used for terrible consequence filled actions like Resurrection.
The whole thing falls apart unless you also think guns are legitimately magical things that turn people violent and have no non-human killing use.
One of the best fantasy gun control metaphors I've ever seen was in Pokemon Black and White.
Team Plasma goes around spreading a wholesome message of Pokemon freedom, insisting that everyone release their Pokemon so they'll no longer be abused or mistreated by foolish humans. Their figurehead, N, fully believes this message and actively practices what he preaches. However, the whole thing is a scam by the shadow leaders of the team. Once everyone else has released their pet super monsters, they plan to move in with their own and take over everything unopposed.
The final message of the game boils down to: "The truth is that there will always be power abusers, so it's best that good people also have power so that they can fight for ideals."
I miss when Pokemon was good....