I get what you are saying. And I haven't read this book (maybe ever) so I don't have the full picture. I guess I don't think Mordecai was a bad guy and maybe used hyberbole to the detriment of my actual thoughts. A couple things... First I'm trying to make sense of these Old Testament books which are shaking me up a little bit. Second we've been reading about a lot of heroes and a lot of varying responses to authority. The Jewish people obviously had a lot of different Kings who ruled them and have forced them to do a lot of things they weren't comfortable with. I love post apocalyptic and dystopian fiction and this is also a common theme in that type of writing. It's all about the hero who upholds a moral value, fights the man, frees the people from oppression. So Far... in this story, the only person to do this has been Vashti and the two guards who were plotting King. Mordecai is taking a much more passive course of action and so far, that's what I've found unique about the story. I'm sure most people of the time went with whatever the King said to keep their heads. In the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Obednigo I'm sure there were thousands of Jews in the crowd. But the story isn't written about them, its written about S, M, and O. In this case, the story is written about Mordecai, a guy who is supporting (both in not fighting the taking of Esther to become his sex slave, and saving him directly from a plot against him) an ungodly ruler. That being said. I don't want to miss the point of Esther, which clearly Mordecai's response to authority is not. So I will heed your advice and limit my musings about the character of Mordecai to a minor element as I continue reading.