Hunter has a very sensitive relationship with names, both his own and those of the people around him. While his title is something he wears and flaunts with pride, his name is personal. Because the Golden Guard is who he is for his uncle, and for the Boiling Isles. And, a little bit, for himself. Because being the Golden Guard afford him some protection. It gives him a purpose, respect. For a long time, being the Golden Guard kept him safe. Or so he thought, at any rate.
However, Hunter is who he is for HIM, and not many people get to see this side of him. This is why Hunter is, as far as I can recall, the ONLY character to introduce himself by name three times in the show, and each time his energy/mood is wildly different.
When he first introduces himself to Luz, it's with an air of vulnerability. He even pulls off his mask to show her his full face in doing so, laying himself bare to this girl he's basically just met, because she was nice to him and he doesn't WANT to be her enemy. Luz got under his skin, and as much as she might frustrate him, he also admires her. Luz is kind. Kind enough that Hunter felt safe opening up to her about his past, and his lack of power. But even then, his name was the very last thing he gave her in this episode, because Hunter has a deep attachment to his name many other characters in the show lack, so it's not something he offers freely or easily, even though Luz was asking for it earlier in the episode.
Then we have ASIAS, where Hunter's two introductions can be juxtaposed against one another. When you really stop and think about it, there is NO reason for Hunter to give a fake name when he meets Willow and Gus. If he was worried about Luz or Amity finding him there, then he could have gone LITERALLY ANYWHERE ELSE to look for recruits instead, since he's very aware that Luz and Amity attend Hexside. At the very least, he probably would have thought up a fake name beforehand, if he though he'd really need one. So, him giving them a fake name on the fly like this was probably done to put up a wall between him and Willow and Gus, to keep them from getting too close so he could fulfill his mission as quickly and professionally as possible.
But when he reveals his actual name to the team later, Hunter is absolutely euphoric. He just had the most fun he's ever had in his life, and met people who he feels a real connection with. Relationships he's already looking forward to building further as they go forward. This is also the first and only time he introduces himself FIRST as Hunter, and THEN as the Golden Guard. Because the Entrails and their ideals about seeing past flaws to let strengths shine through makes him feel like there's finally a place for Hunter to belong, as himself.
And then the final time Hunter introduces himself, it's to reject the title he had once hid behind, which he had been so proud of up until now. Because he knows what that title is actually about now, and it makes his stomach turn. So, even if it means he's left exposed as a scared, uncertain teen, he is going to hold onto that, and do what he can to move forward with what he has.
Because the fandom has it backwards. It's not 'Hunter' that's the source of his identity crisis. He knows who Hunter is. A magicless teen who likes to study and learn and can never shut up, who's constantly being called annoying and had to claw and beg for any scrap of acknowledgment he could find. And yeah, maybe he had a problem with this at first, but now? After making friends who care about him and like him, regardless? Being Hunter is actually way better than he thought it was. But the Golden Guard? HE is someone people look upon with fear and awe. He's cool, competent, and respected. A Prodigy. Everything that Hunter is not.
And it's the Golden Guard that ended up being a lie that was used to hurt him. Not Hunter. Never Hunter.
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