Do you have any fave Isard headcanons? :3
Head canons for Isard- answering this way late but I want to address a few.
First head canon- Isard suffered borderline personality disorder. I’m using the old criteria to explain this, since I’m less familiar with the dsm 5.
(1) frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment. Note: Do not include suicidal or self-mutilating behavior covered in Criterion 5.
This one is hard to say for sure, given the limited canon material for her, but it IS canon she put much of her focus into pleasing the Emperor, and frequently executed others to cover her mistakes. Given Palpatine’s low tolerance of failure, executing staff to cover up her mistakes seems quite a drastic measure to avoid being seen negatively in his eyes and thus abandoned. Let’s not forget her threats to Mara and instinctive dislike simply because she was close to him.
(2) a pattern of unstable and intense interpersonal relationships characterized by alternating between extremes of idealization and devaluation
I’m going to quote her on this one- she refers to Palpatine as “the brightest star in the galaxy”, but for all her adoring, she questioned his judgement and argued with him. There aren’t clear cut canon examples of her devaluing Palpatine, but consider her father. She is shown in one comic as admiring him greatly, yet she certainly didn’t admire him at all in the end when he put his job on the line to try convince those within the Empire not to fire her knowing she loved her job… And is reported to have fired the execution shot at her father after convincing the Emperor he was a rebel traitor.
(3) identity disturbance: markedly and persistently unstable self-image or sense of self
Ysanne was obsessive about improving herself. Long after she was moved to office she kept herself in field agent shape. Identity disturbance can often manifest as low self esteem. She was driven to compete, yet was intolerant of failure. Her extreme competitive nature hints at low self esteem, as someone who is genuinely confident in themselves doesn’t need to constantly best others- they know they are the best and that’s enough. They don’t feel a need to constantly prove themselves- she did. I would say she qualifies for this criteria.
(4) impulsivity in at least two areas that are potentially self-damaging (e.g., spending, sex, Substance Abuse, reckless driving, binge eating). Note: Do not include suicidal or self-mutilating behavior covered in Criterion 5. There’s officially only one canon example of reckless behaviour- picking fights with Palpatine. She notes she was aware of this powers (confirmed in Isard’s Revenge) when she tells Corran about how Palpatine hid the Lusankya beneath the city. Someone force blind arguing with a Sith that powerful and provoking him would certainly seem to qualify as reckless to me.
(5) recurrent suicidal behavior, gestures, or threats, or self-mutilating behavior This there is no canon evidence for.
(6) affective instability due to a marked reactivity of mood (e.g., intense episodic dysphoria, irritability, or anxiety usually lasting a few hours and only rarely more than a few days) Given she is described as running hot and cold. She could (based on her recollection anyways) be loving and happy with Palpatine…. But she was also known for at times having a raging temper, and other times being cold as ice. Her staff found her wildly unpredictable if she would be in a good mood or homicidal rage when called to her office. I would say she very much qualifies here.
(7) chronic feelings of emptiness Hard to say here, again due to limited material.
(8) inappropriate, intense anger or difficulty controlling anger (e.g., frequent displays of temper, constant anger, recurrent physical fights) This is Ysanne for sure. Her severe temper leading to the deaths of staff and prisoners alike, and causing her to lash out at Palpatine even- this is one criteria there is zero doubt she meets.
(9) transient, stress-related paranoid ideation or severe dissociative symptomsCertainly she was obsessive over Mara being a threat to the Empire, even when assured she was not. I would consider that paranoid ideation, though I can’t really say for sure it is stress related.
Given she at least seems to meet 7/9 criteria, already she would qualify for a diagnosis, but she has additional features which also suggest borderline. As “Iceheart” she is described as emotionless and able to inflict extreme cruelty on others. Though not a criterion borderlines cycle through phases. One of those is a numb phase. During this phase borderlines are unable to feel emotions at all and are extremely detached. Though they will have emotions about it when they cycle back, during the numb phase they are capable of seemingly emotionless cruelty. It would certainly explain how someone who seems as volatile and emotional as her could shoot her own father in cold blood.
Head canon 2) SPOILER for my Lusankya fic’s next chapter :p her father murdered her mother when she was young. She may have been witness to this or not. I haven’t decided that. However I base this idea on the fact she was known to accompany her father to work starting around age 7. Why was she not at home or in school? Where was her mother in all this? Certainly Armand seems like he has a temper on him. I can easily see him being the type to lose his temper easy and kill her mother in a rage. Since Armand was canonly close to Palpatine during his rise to power and aware he was a Sith, it’s not hard to imagine Palpatine making sure no charges were ever laid, and covering evidence of Armand’s involvement in the death of his wife, since Armand was useful to him.
Head canon 3) Palpatine manipulated events once he realized how much Ysanne idolized him to put her into conflict with her father, eventually leading to his death and her replacing her father as director. Her idolizing meant she would be less likely to pose any threat of a coup or ever challenge him in a serious way. I don’t think he would have considered either Isard a serious risk to his safety, but if you can reduce the number of potentials for sabotage, it makes sense to do it.
Head canon 4) she at least occasionally used drugs or alcohol, if not habitually, to numb herself out. Though never canonly stated anywhere it would fit with her personality.
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