james sunderland headcanons

i just want more ideas for this man please im starving (no limits go off queens)

[jamie-sunderland]

James Sunderland Head-Cannon # 12

James has crippling depression. This one is obvious, but I think it really does control him more then people let by. Before Mary, I believe he has suffered from depression in the least or has experienced other trauma (that’s a hc for a different post) .

His bouts can get worse, to the point of isolation and the lack of desire to speak to anybody.

His depressive habits are intense, and he latches onto coping methods like candy. Never healthy, as you’d expect. Because this man would rather rot than give himself a single ounce of compassion or comfort.

Mary greatly disapproves of his methods.

[jamie-sunderland]

what kind of books would James read? I think he would be more of a casual reader but... I think he'd still enjoy it a lot when it's interesting

I honestly see James as someone who would read thriller, or romance. Maybe horror sometimes, but not as much as the others. If he returns from Silent Hill (depending on whatever ending) I'd imagine he would avoid horror or romance. For a bit, at least.

Overall I think he'd read either really common books, are really 'weird' obscure ones.

[jamie-sunderland]

What color are James' eyes? I can't tell them apart hahah

Looking at PS2 Jame and DBD Jame, it seems they have green eyes. I initially thought blue, but I'm kind of leaning towards green more.

On his ps2 textures it looks much greener compared to in game.

And remake Jame seems to have neither blue or green eyes. He looks to have brown eyes, or hazel at least.

[jamie-sunderland]

I think James loves horror movies. Especially slashers.

James would, you're so real for that.

He reads as 'the weird dude' (obviously) so I think he'd keep his interest in horror more to himself, not wanting to come off weirder for being such a quiet and stoic guy. Despite his severe paranoia, he can watch slashers back to back.

He just thinks they're neat.

Unfortunately, once and if he returns from Silent Hill - he can't enjoy them as much as he did before.

James will still watch them, because its nostalgic and kinda enjoyable. But then he's forced to remember everything he saw, and then it kinda just becomes a way to torment himself.

[jamie-sunderland]

James played baseball as a kid, I think.

couldn't hit the ball well, but he was a good pitcher with a damn good fastball!

...its really all he had bc he wasn't good at school.....

His dad probably nudged him to sign up, mostly in an attempt to get him out and socialize with people more properly. It kinda helped him out of his shell, but obviously not nearly enough..

Even though he wasn't the best at communicating, he managed to get a friend or two even. James' wasn't normal still (to his dad) but hey at least he actually had friends now! Outside of baseball, I believe he'd be more of a loner. Not having a desire to talk to people, which really just made people more hesitant to talk to him.

Turns out he's much better at communicating physically, rather then verbally. His good pitches got some interested in talking to him, and really just one or two people who liked him enough to actually strike a conversation, was all he needed.

This poor boy is lonely.

[jamie-sunderland]

I just stumbled upon your blog and I'm loving it here.🩷 But I need to get dirty.🥴 You can reply or not if you want, you know. I'd like to read a HC about what our sweet James is like between the sheets. Is he submissive? Does he let his lady love take charge? Is he completely needy? Or is he a total wolf in sheep's clothing?🔥🔥🔥

Wow first spicy ask, caught me off guard.

PERSONALLY, I think he isn't able to take control that well. Kinda a desire to be the big dominant man, but he really just likes being able to be comfortable and safe feeling. So he's embarrassed and/or conflicted about being submissive.

Mary probably has more experience then him.

[jamie-sunderland]

JAMES SUNDERLAND HEAD CANON 11 ;

He really, REALLY dislikes bugs. He won't scream and run away, but it will haunt him. Thinking the bug is actually still there, or on him? Just pure paranoia. One bug can make him think suddenly there is more there hiding, specifically on him.

Mary also hates bugs, so when there is one, they have to figure out who has the balls to do it.

[jamie-sunderland]

james and mary meeting at a house party makes so much sense. it prob took some convincing for him to show up to that party. i feel like mary was the one who liked to go out n do stuff. james didn’t dislike going out i think there was just a lack of interest. and mary kind of opened him up to new experiences in a way that feels safe? i think it was good for him

Yes.. This is so real.

James probably tried to back out many times, going to the house party. But destiny has other plans, and it went perfect for him.

Mary most likely has gone out and about a lot, always happy to be in a new place. Being in the same place for so long tired her, so making small trips helped greatly. James, never having traveled really at all, is nervous. He doesn't like new places, or want to go to any. It is full of people he doesn't know, and couldn't trust.

As time goes on, small trips become farther and longer. In fact, getting to be out of the house with his Mary was something he would happily take, now.

[jamie-sunderland]

I feel like James' comfort food is chicken nuggets/chicken tenders. He'll go to a fancy restaurant with Mary and just get chicken nuggets.

No doubt. I'm sure growing up he was picked on or gotten 'in trouble' by his father for only being able to be comfy with a few meals, as everything else was just impossible to stomach. Frank Sunderland, I have a feeling, for some reason maybe an ok dad at best.

James gets really self-conscious about this, and tries to eat 'normally' in front of Mary. Sometimes, it physically feels like he can't eat something that wasn't something familiar. She catches onto this, and eventually tells her majority of things have a horrible feeling to them, or just make him feel grossed out and uncomfortable. He's ready to be shamed, he is a 6'1 man who still is picky, but she adapts fast.

Before they go out, she double checks to see if his comfort food is on the menu. She doesn't know why it would be embarrassing or something to be ashamed of.

She just counts it as one of the many quirks James has, and it feels like with each new thing she discovers, she falls more in love with him.

[jamie-sunderland]

before mary got sick he was a silly little goofball with her. she just brought out that side of him so well :((

This hurts, I can see him cracking the stupidest and nonsensical jokes at her that genuinely just don't work, but it gets Mary every time. He will say something barebone as hell, or will say something unnecessarily long and complex. He isn't good at it, but he has the spirit.

I can also see him using it to cope at times but mostly in the sense of haha this is totally not a cry for help. I don't think it would happen often, though. He seems more the type to just want to rot instead of get through it with humor.

Maybe he joked about it so it wouldn't worry Mary. I just like angst too much.

[jamie-sunderland]

i think james maybe struggled with more then his alcoholism. idk why, it just feels like he could have maybe struggled with it before meeting mary/when they were younger?

James struggling with more then just his substance abuse would add up, to me at least.

This is me just assuming, but I always saw him as someone who was even struggling mentally before Silent Hill and the sickness of his wife. He obviously struggles with some sort of schizophrenia, or at least something along the lines of it. I consider maybe sometimes he has ScPD and it just got way worse over time? Tying into the 'James was a previous patient' theory but I won't bombard this post with that.

Either way, I agree and think he would struggle with a multitude of self-harming issues. Maybe even after Mary died, he could have fallen back from old habits.

Any that left scarring or healing wounds probably would make him nervous. The wounds remind him too much of when Mary was worsening. She started to develop wounds that struggled to heal, so seeing something fresh or even in the healing process makes him panic and try to get rid of it.

[jamie-sunderland]

do you have more info about how james and mary met i mustve completely missed that when playing

It’s not in the game, so no worries!

There is a short novel of the entirety of Silent Hill 2, it has some extra stuff that is interesting including good bits about James’ possible hospitalization along with revealing how they met. It describes other moments in the game with very specific detailing and some insight on James’ inner dialogue which is very specific.

“James and Mary met at a house party held by a mutual friend, and their affection evolved from a blazing passion to a peaceful and stable relationship.“

I don’t recall what page it is, unfortunately. So if anyone does you should send me an ask or reply with the correction.

[jamie-sunderland]

Mary seems the type to have a small group of close friends, James on the other hand seems like his only friend was Mary

I AGREE SO MUCH WITH THIS!

I think James wouldn't have much of a desire to try to make friends. If someone happened to like him, then that was that. But he doesn't go out of his way to find people to talk to or relate with. He prefers his time alone, mostly. But it doesn't mean it was ideal, I'm sure the loneliness only tormented James more with the fact he wasn't 'human' or alive. A desire for relationship, but also disgust.

Mary has a good group of friends, all of which I'd think would be put off by James since he's so closed off and secretive. Mary might have been a bit quiet even herself (not nearly as much as James, though) not intending or even expecting to keep a group of friends that stuck with her. Yet she did, and she couldn't be more grateful.

James doesn't get jealous, but it does hurt sometimes to see how well people talk to her or simply like her. If he so much as breaths, it feels like he's being shamed.

This would probably be an insecurity, not being able to really get the will or desire to meet new people. Depression or just simple disinterest. And even when he does, it doesn't feel trust worthy or genuine. Mary was the only friend he really had that understood how he worked, and didn't mind his flaws.

… but yes rambling aside I do think his only friend was Mary. Or only one that stuck. Maybe Mary was the one who spoke to James first at the party they met at (I don't remember entirely if they specified who spoke to who first, but if they did oops. I don't recall it so I'm gonna stick to my ideas)

[jamie-sunderland]

JAMES SUNDERLAND HEAD CANON 10 ;

This one might as well just be me stating facts, but James is bad at emoting/expressing.

It’ll process in his head but he either can’t say it, or he convinces himself that his words aren’t “human” enough and ends up saying stuff really ominous and bland or bizarre and weird. It makes him come off as rude or uninterested, so people usually brand him that way. Mary knows how he works, and can get the most out of him with a few words.

Things just make sense when he’s around her.

[jamie-sunderland]

do you think james was a jealous husband or was chill

I think James might have some jealously, but never enough to ever try to control Mary in anyway. It feels like he would be more self-conscious then anything, and get paranoid and nervous that Mary would do something. Even though he knows that she would never.

This man seems to be horrifically paranoid about just existing, so I think he would make up situations in his head and get so upset over them that it would affect him.

[jamie-sunderland]

JAMES SUNDERLAND HEADCANON 9;

He gets cold very easily. He can layer up in jackets and still be shivering. Mary on the other hand finds herself warmer then she'd like. At least James gets a personal heater

[jamie-sunderland]

JAMES SUNDERLAND HEADCANON 8;

Has a sweet tooth, inspired by one of the asks I got. He has basically no self-control when it comes sweets, and Mary often has to hide away her own so he doesn't snag one. She's more of a chocolate fan, while James is more of a fan of the fruit-y sweets.

To his luck, Mary also enjoys baking! So before she started to get ill, she'd often bake. James was obviously her biggest fan.

(while he often took sweets in secret, he would always end up feeling bad, and would get Mary a replacement, if not more candy)