The Fourth Closet actually does so much for her. I genuinely forgot how much agency Jen took over raising Charlie after rereading Henry's note to her. He said he had written out detailed instructions for her if need be, but ultimately asks her to close all the closets, essentially turning Charlie off (I have so many thoughts on this letter that it needs a new post). But, Jen kept her and raised her. She wasn't prepared but she took that on knowing Charlie was all that's left of her brother, and was somehow a conscious being. It wasn't her Charlie, but it was his. Unfortunately, that meant having to detach them both from Henry to live. And I understand why she didn't tell Charlie she was a robot, because to acknowledge that would again tie back to Henry and she wants to detach and Charlie is clearly living just fine so why shake everything up again. But like,,,,,, Jenny tell this girl at some point!!!!
"The day Charlie moved in with her at the age of 7, Aunt Jen told her plainly that she was not a replacement for Charlie's parents. By now, Charlie was old enough to understand that Jen had meant it as a gesture of respect, a way to reassure Charlie that her father would not be forgotten, that she would always be his child. But at the time it had seemed like an admonishment. Don't expect parenting. Don't expect love. And so Charlie didn't". Telling that to a freshly orphaned child is crazy, but Jen has to be heavily dissociating through all of this just to not go INSANE, and she said she had to harden to the world around her to keep Charlie safe. But, I think she meant it in both ways. Because while she did care for Charlie, she wasn't parenting her. There was no comfort, no affection, no bond. I think that she was afraid if she opened herself up more as a parent, she'd become Henry. To build that bond would be to open herself up to his delusion. There has to be distance. That's why she taught Charlie how to be self sufficient so young. It's the best middle ground she can find to keep both of them safe. Jen tells Charlie she 'has to be stronger than- (her father)', but i think it's more of a projection. She has to be stronger than Henry, because she's all Charlie has left. And so Jen needs that distance, needs Charlie to be strong for herself, so that she doesn't break. But also, another big reason for instilling such independence has to be to counteract the major codependent bond that Henry created. I know it's a meme, but Jen literally wants Charlie to be strong, independent, and not need a man: her father.
Their fight is where everything boils over. Charlie says it was their first fight, which makes sense. They weren't close enough to clash, but there was too much boiling underneath. Charlie screams all of her pain at her and how she failed to prevent it and all Jen can yell back is how she only cared for her, "flinging reassuring words that somehow dripped with poison". This tension Jen created is too great and it's rubber banding back in her face. It makes sense that it hurts, that she's being so defensive, but she's the one who let it stretch this far. Rereading Charlie thinking "i need him more than I need you" (referring to going back to Hurricane for Sammy) made me bawl my eyes out because Charlie got so independent from her that she literally needs her dead-not-dead brother more than she needs Jen!!!!! This is such an impossible position Jen is never winning. All this time trying to keep Charlie away from Hurricane, only for her biggest lesson to be what drives Charlie back. She needs Charlie away from Freddys, Fredbear's, and especially Henry's house if she's ever gonna be able to live a normal life. But, she's not opening herself up to Charlie to help her live that life, so she's defaulting back to her traumas. But Jen is also too traumatized to open herself up!!!! She cannot win I'm gonna cry!!!!!! (Major side note but it's so interesting how important the house is to Charlie given she refuses to sleep or stay in it. It's like a time capsule for her.)
And just as she is about to open up, to break down all these walls in an attempt to set everything right, SHE GETS KILLT. Why did Clay not die but she did. What does that man do for the plot after he discovers the illusion discs. What the hell. No Emily (with plot relevance) will survive this series i guess. A final act with Jen would've been so much better for the story and the pacing because we get someone with a lot, but not all, of the answers helping the main group and 4th Charlie doesn't have to lore dump EVERYTHING to Charlie and then DIE. The lore dump was gonna happen anyway it was just artificially pushed back by Jen dying. On that note: 4th Charlie and Jen's relationship also makes me ill. Not only is seeing 4th Charlie a reminder of everything that happened to get to this point and how bad it got, but a consequence of not burning that damn house down!! Another reason Jen didn't want Charlie going back is so she could literally burn the past away but couldn't because Charlie can't let that damn house go!! Anyways, 4th Charlie says "I love you too, I really do" in response to Jen's "I've always loved you Charlie" as she's ripping her stomach open. The game's up, there's no reason to pretend anymore, but she doesn't say this sarcastically. I was initially confused, but I think she means it. Like 4th Charlie said, she has all of Charlie's memories but no emotional attachment to them. She's seen Jen raise Charlie and probably wanted to be Jen's Charlie. She was the next in line. All she wanted was a life and Jen could've given her a comfortable one. But it's too late now and she has a job to do. 4th Charlie didn't love actual Jen, but the idea of aunt Jen and what she could give her, but now they're both at a point where that's not possible anymore. That's why she says it, but doesnt really hold emotion behind it. It's true but detached. And that's how Jen goes out; telling a Charlie who needs it most that she loves her, probably for the first time ever, but it's just too late for everything. I think the narrative served her well and vice versa, except for her dying so abruptly like the SECOND we actually meet her in present tense she dies. She will always be special to me
