#so he connects with the doodler and he connects with hermie and he tries so hard to connect with scary

[rindomness]

ummmmmm. something something normal being the only one to actually empathize with the doodler before they were dood and teenshaped and being the only one to empathize with hermie when hermie was alive. that's it that's the thought.

#i have no conclusions other than how fast im spinning normal in my head #dndads #dndads spoilers #i think . it's like. something about normal being so heavily ostracized for so long #he doesn't really consider himself part of the group and he doesn't really think anyone takes HIM seriously #so he connects with the doodler and he connects with hermie and he tries so hard to connect with scary #and all of it comes to nothing because now everyone wants to be friends with the doodler now that they're approachable #and hermie is dead and scary is doing better for herself and no one seems to be long-term mad at her #so where does that leave him who still is this weird extra piece #he's an extra piece in his family(he was an accident) hes an extra piece to the school(no one really wanted teeny) #and he hasnt really gotten the attention or the care he needs from anyone else so. what happens to the extra pieces no one wants #they either die or are otherwise discarded #anyway im really ordinary about him

[kaseyskat]

my Thoughts on like, normals character and where he's going btw are highly based on his own flaws and like. idk ive kinda seen both sides (normal is a baby and must be protected versus normal needed this ego blow because he was getting too into his head) and I think it's maybe more nuanced than that? cause the thing is. normal is RIGHT to think that his side of things are the morally correct side. he's the one whose seen what the doodler wants and fears and where it came from, he had more perspective on the quest than any of the other teens and I'm not arguing otherwise because it'd be silly. it's HOW he's going about it that puts him firmly into the, "teen character is going to fuck up because they're a teenager" category: as much as he does genuinely try, he's not good at connecting to other people and he does put himself on this pedestal of "i know better and therefore im the best" that isn't exactly the MOST healthy mindset, as a self-proclaimed leader.

that being said, I absolutely understand where he's coming from in this episode in a very. he is hurting and lashing out kind of way? we know why scary is acting the way she is (her own past with her dad + willy trauma=she's still looking for the trauma that justifies her inner darkness) and we know why link is acting the way he is (he's hurt and scared and he never asked for this and he just wants to ensure that he's not the one actively hurting people, he never forgave himself for the casualties of ep2 and the last thing he wants is to add more) and one of normals flaws is his pride, the way he's so sure of what he's doing, he's the best for this and of COURSE it's the right way, he knows that!!!

but he can't empathize with scary right now. very specifically he cannot empathise with her because he can't trust her. and if he can't trust link he can't empathize with him either. normal does view himself as the reason the team is together, and I think that's why he was suddenly on board with kicking scary out when before he was so deadset on helping her: if he personally can't trust anyone, does he really have a team he can lead?

that being said, the shots taken on him recently have been sooo low in comparison. scary has done nothing but bully normal since they reunited. link has been sassy and snippy with normal even since ep26 and it's only gotten worse. normal and taylor don't really have much of a relationship outside the teen friendship circle in general. hermie is angry at normal- and I kinda agree with will that it should NOT solely be up to the players to remember anthony's fucking npc, as funny as it is. as much as I want normal to listen and understand and empathize with scary and link both, it IS a little frustrating when in comparison normals been fucking tanked at every opportunity by the other players- and link's line to normal after he found out about hero actually made me so upset on normal's behalf like dude.

I'm still on the boat that normal should get and deserves a mild villain arc. I desperately want him to team up with hermie and go to the goofs realm alone. I think it might be good for him- both to have a solo adventure with hermie and to have a solo adventure in general, so he can find out why he loves having friends so much. and I think him going through a villain arc would be so narratively compelling, because again, he's not WRONG about the path they should be taking: it isn't underestimating links personal trauma to admit that normal is actually right and he's just so bad at following through. it's just kinda a little tiring sometimes when normal actually does his best to keep the group together and it doesn't work (looking at episode 27 in particular) or when he tries to bury that oak family generational anger the way sparrow and henry do. let him be angry!!!

#kasey rambles #dndads #dndads spoilers #normal oak #THIS ISNT ME HATING ON THE OTHER TEENS BTW #like the whole point of this season imo? is to show that despite having the same goal #they all have such vastly different ideas on how to get there #its such a stark difference from s1 and i love it so bad #that they all have motivations and reasons and they've all been done a little dirty #but sjfjkgkflgb id be lying if i said that normal isnt a point of contention in the fandom from what ive seen #he kinda reminds me of marcy wu in that regards #itd be wrong to say that normals anger and sass in this ep wasnt justified just like #itd be wrong to say that links actions in breaking the pic and spying on scary werent justified #its a part of who they are! theyre fundamentally so different and thats okay!!! #link is angry with how normal's plans have only seemed to hurt more people and he is VALID for that anger like it makes sense! #but that doesnt mean normal isnt justified in being hurt that link broke the pic #also link snipping at normal about him being unwanted right after the reveal... i would've reacted so much worse than normal tbh #but idk idk im just rambling. a little drunk. drunk nyx having big feelings