Alright so I basically went through the whole angel eater tag because you’ve got me HOOKED. I was curious to know what Wilbur and Techno’s dynamic is like, is there any resentment there since Techno is the favorite son or do they just kinda exist around each other?
Actually, no. I’m going to ramble a bit here, so… warning?
CW// UNHEALTHY FAMILY DYNAMIC, DRUG MENTIONS, KIDNAPPING MENTIONS.
Their dynamic was manufactured by Phil, a careful divide to keep both of them in check. Wilbur is Phil’s successor, Techno is Phil’s son.
Wilbur likes to pretend he doesn’t resent Techno and the attention he receives by Phil, he likes to believe he is the favourite because Why else would Phil let him leave the house? Why would he support Wilbur through College if he did not love him more than Techno? Yet Wilbur does know, deep down, that Phil doesn’t love him as much as he should.
Techno is just a pet in a gilded cage in comparison to Wilbur afterall, who for all intents and purposes, is Phil’s successor. Wilbur was taught everything by Phil, given the drugs to keep Tommy docile, allowed to live a life away but close to Phil, and advice on how to develop a relationship with Tommy to make him easy to kidnap— and more importantly— All of Phil’s trust.
What does Techno have from Phil? A list of chores to handle, a laptop that is heavily monitored, and a few books to keep him busy in his downtime. Techno is not trusted, his role within the family isn’t to be equals but something Phil can exercise control over and fulfill his fantasy of being the doting father to his son.
If Phil died, it would have been Wilbur who receives everything. Techno’s care transfers to Wilbur, so Techno is never truly free. Despite this, Wilbur does love Techno. That’s his brother, his beloved brother who needs to be cared for. That’s one of his things, as much as he is one of Techno’s things. Yet he still harbours a deep rooted insecurity that he is not good enough for Phil, that Techno for some unfathomable reason, is the one Philza wants to put his everything into.
Techno on the other hand, openly resents Wilbur. He is the one who got to be free, the one able to pursue his dreams and yet Techno is forced to stay with their dad. Stuck with the man who kidnapped him, forced him into a role he never wanted, and made him wholly dependent on him. While wilbur wasted his degree on something frivolous like Photography and arts, fucked up his relationships and is constantly whining to Phil about how Sally keeps ignoring him.
Wilbur is a failure in Techno’s eyes who only got freedom because he is too stupid to see how horrible Phil is for making them both like this, he knows that Phil never lets him leave because he will use that opportunity to escape. If Phil ever gave him an inch, he’d go mile.
Techno also feels uncomfortable around Wilbur, he’s just as delusional as Philza and more clingy. Wilbur genuinely sees him as his grumpy big brother, talking to him about everything in his life. It deeply disturbs Techno to hear about Wilbur stalking Sally, and it terrified him how Wilbur talked about Tommy like he something so sublime that no words would do the boy justice.
He hates that Wilbur went through with it, that Wilbur brought home Tommy and had them move in to help Wilbur with Tommy. He hates that he has to see a mirror of his younger self every day because of Wilbur.
He however is not allowed to be reckless like Wilbur, he is not allowed to express or display his disgust or disdain for their family traditions. He is expected to suck it up, and play the role of a happy family while trying not to think too much about everything that is happening.
