i have way too many things to say about eridan but my basic reasons why i like him is:

- he's actually the least casteist troll, all if it is posturing because of his massive inferiority complex and striving to be "like dualscar" because of the expectations placed upon him for being a violetblood

- he's really genuinely stupid. he is not smart, emotionally or logically, and it's funny

- he's actually nice he just says things in the worst way possible (defer to stupidity). giving jade an epic gun, inviting karkat to come chill with him on his planet (i could say way too many things about destined moirails erikar too but i digress), helping feferi kill lusii for sweeps despite the severe trauma and psychological damage its doing to him? king shit

- i think he was actually supposed to kill the angels he just did it the wrong way. good job eridan on trying to do your job

- also isn't actually genocidal. if he truly wanted landwellers dead all he'd have to do is not feed gl'bgolyb for a little bit and her whisper would kill a shit ton of lowbloods. but he never does, and when kanaya calls him out for "hey if you kill all lowbloods you kill us too" he goes "i wouldnt kill my friends who tf do you think i am" (this is not actually an incorrect statement despite later because he literally goes grimdark. which. yknow rose. yeah thats all ill say)

- i like guys with terrible fashion sense (he is a hispter shoe collector canonically) and cringe interests

- making magic real simply by believing its not real and that its science beams is fucking awesome

aside from all that, you do not have to like eridan and i think character defenders as a whole are way too focused on forcing other people to like the character they defend??? my reasons for liking a character and your reasons for disliking a character do not contradict with how well we understand a character. i understand gamzee and dirk very well but i still think theyre assholes