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it is really interesting seeing people either condemn or justify caustic’s actions based on notions of morality and empathy when caustic is canonically a sociopath. sociopaths literally cannot feel guilt or shame.
‘I have no regrets - it’s not in my DNA.’ It isn’t. I was in a toxic friendship with a sociopath for ten years. he knew what was socially acceptable and what wasn’t, but his brain lacked the empathy to reinforce how to be a decent person.
so even though he did in fact care about me, very much, his actions were not based on *my* feelings, only his, because his brain was physically incapable of doing otherwise.
his justification for constantly manipulating me was that it was ‘for my own good,’ because technically, to him, it was. he wanted what was best for me. but, this was not a feeling based in empathy. it’s very difficult to explain and still hard to understand for me sometimes.
ANYWAY the point is I think that caustic’s actions in the latest apex quest may be rooted in the fact that he DOES care for wattson- just not in a way people who act based on empathy could understand.
there is no shame to tell caustic ‘you’re disregarding wattson’s humanity and autonomy.’ he sees qualities in her he cares about and appreciates, he does what he thinks is necessary to preserve them. cold and detached? you bet. done out of love? probably, technically, also yes.
and if that’s what writers like @tommiecas and @ashsmashreed are going for, color me pleasantly surprised, because I NEVER see sociopathy written in a way that’s authentic and not just “pop culture psycho.”
