#when its clear they were only ever seeking a family/warmth... aaugggh. aughhh

[catmask]

for me at least, theres always been a really stark divide in the 'child character is the main antagonist' sort of stories.

on one hand. theres stories that rely on the shock factor of a child being evil, because we're supposed to believe that kids arent capable of that sort of thing. i guess its supposed to be frightening but the novelty always wears off really quickly for me.

i think 'a child is the villain' always lands most successfully for me when a kid is given power beyond their years (either by adults around them or otherwise supernatural/societal forces) and then everyone is floored when they arent exactly responsible with that power. and sometimes theyre even selfish! not because that kid is evil, but because theyre a kid.. acting like a kid would in their situation.

it means that any sort of story that follows requires a protagonist to reason with someone who may not even understand the harm theyre doing, or worse - not have the life lived to understand why they should care in the first place. and also, i think watching what happens when u have an destructive force seeking comforts that any child deserves doing whatever they can to have those things is (to me) much more interesting than 'child who is fucked up and evil for no reason but being born that way actually'

#a lot of people have pointed it out but molly from pokemon has stuck with me for years since i first watched that movie #and subsequently i think inspired mars #but im noticing this with thistle as well. falin is my favorite characyrr but thistle almost stole that spot by the end. maybe theure tied #just like.... a kid being adultified by a culture of ppl they were pushed into and handed responsibility beyond their years #when its clear they were only ever seeking a family/warmth... aaugggh. aughhh #thistle i love you. my baby