Why the sentiadrien theory scares us...and why it might actually be a wonderful narrative for therapeutic healing
So when I'm not shit posting on tumblr or flailing about ml with the @gamma-squad, I'm a therapist working with kids Mari and Adrien's age. One of the reasons I was drawn to this show was how amazing it works as a metaphor for mental health and therapeutic healing.
Originally when I heard the sentiadrien theory, I was terrified because with it were all these painful complications I hadn't considered...
But when I really sat down and thought about it, I figured out how if done well sentiadrien has the potential to make Adrien's story more compelling than anything we might have thought... I also find it fascinating how the fandom is reacting to it and how it might be related to the way a fan handles grief, mental health, and the loss of hope.
I wanted to take the time to explore why the sentiadrien hurts some fans so much, to the point where they can't accept it. I also wanted to offer reassurance to those who do, because I truly think the sentiadrien theory is the best theory we have that will allow Adrien to heal and finally be free.
I'm not here to convert anyone into believing this theory, I only want to provide reassurance to those who feel pain because of it.
Disclaimer: I'm a therapist but I am not your therapist. If any of what I say offends you I'm sorry, this does not apply to every fan and is more a hypothesis than anything else. In addition, if you are in need of support please reach out to those around you and get the help you need. I strongly believe that everyone has the opportunity to get better and live their best lives.
But before we can talk about sentiadrien, we have to look at the character Adrien and his impact on his fans.
From the get go, to the fandom Adrien represents sunshine and hope. We literally see Adrien breaking free from his chains and striving for freedom. Whether or not you consider what he's been through as abuse, it's clear he has been craving a better world. Throughout the show, we watch him healing slowly. He makes friends, falls in love, develops new interests, makes jokes and values his time as Chat Noir. I've always thought this show is an excellent metaphor for mental health and the therapeutic journey, and like we can compare Marinette with anxiety and self-esteem issues (i could go into a whole separate analysis on that girl), we can say Adrien is a metaphor for the the struggles people with depression and trauma go through. He represents what happens when someone's mental health is getting better, when someone is starting their therapeutic journey towards healing.
Personally I think season 4 is tackling that last big shackle that traps Adrien. It's painful right now but the end will include Adrien finally being able to share those demons he doesn't know how to share just yet.
Now what does this mean for his fans?
Although not everyone is like this, people often turn to fandom as a way of coping with their own mental health. Seeing a character struggling with their figurative or literal demons and being able to make it out and get their happy ending is very therapeutic. And while most of us don't have a literal supervillain for a dad or dress in a leather catsuit, we can relate to Adrien's worries regarding freedom, being chained, trapped, and that desire to get out, especially those of us who have struggled with depression, emotional abuse, neglect, isolation, etc.
Fans can look to Adrien and identify with him and maybe even rely on him as their emotional support. They find they can relate to him and that he gives them hope it will get better. It happens a lot with a lot of shows but Adrien is sunshine boy who has hard times but can still smile and laugh even though there is still pain, it makes sense to have him as an emotional support character. He represents healing.
"If a character like him can get better, can be free and happy, then I can too."
He represents our hope.
This is where the sentiadrien discourse happens and why i think it provides valuable info for fandom psychology, particularly for fans who are anti-sentiadrien.
Let's consider the way sentimonsters were introduced in the show, created as a tool, an object to be used and discarded. They're different than an akuma which is purified, sentis are taken away and never seen again. We can compare it to those of us striving for freedom, and that fear of never getting it. For example senti-Ladybug, the only senti we have seen be freed from their chains...was destroyed regardless.
The implications of that episode were that even if we can win back control, are we really free? Did we really win? Can we really not be destroyed or can we lose again? This is something I see a lot with those healing from trauma, the fear that their freedom is fleeting.
There's also the whole senti"monster" bit. People don't like hearing they are considered a monster, there are some other implications there as well. But it implies outcast or segregation, discrimination. Plenty of real-world painful concepts in the word itself. To apply it to the character we identify the most with might make us believe that we too are monsters, and that hurts.
A lot of the discomfort also stems from the idea that this would be emotionally crushing for Adrien, and we who can relate to him can empathize almost too much with him.
To have thought you were getting better, improving everyday, having the ability to make your own choices and the chance to be free, then losing it because were you ever really free? All that healing, just to lose again? But the sentiadrien theory implies there is none, that at the end Adrien is going to be controlled and the freedom he worked hard to get is going to go away and he will be back in the dark place he was at the beginning of the show. That is a very real fear a lot of people have. So the theory kinda takes that hope and throws it in the trash
So now we've established that the implication behind sentiadrien can be traumatic and painful, how on earth could it be possible for Adrien to grow from it?
Well first, we need to talk about what it means to heal from trauma.
The way I handle trauma is by helping people reclaim their safety and empowering them, showing them that despite it all they made it through and are tougher than they think.
What that doesn't mean is telling them that their trauma wasn't real, that their feelings aren't valid, that they should forgive their abusers, that their pain and experiences didn't matter. THAT IS NOT WHAT THIS MEANS.
That's also not what the sentiadrien theory means. It doesn't mean that Adrien's experiences were somehow not real. It doesn't mean his abuse wasn't real. It doesn't mean that his feelings are invalid. It doesn't. The way he came into the world might have been different, but at the end of the day, his experiences were REAL.
Even if Adrien is a senti-being, he is STILL Adrien, he will always be sunshine cat boy. He's real.
So now we get to the point of this: Why the sentiadrien theory has some amazing storytelling potential.
I always thought this show was an excellent way to describe mental health and the therapeutic journey in general. (I've used it to describe the CBT triangle with some clients with great success! Let me know if people want to hear about it because seriously it's some amazing comparisons) And sentiadrien is a perfect, real and raw metaphor for healing from trauma.
People think that sentiadrien will erase Adrien's trauma and make him less than a real person, essentially confirming a fan's inner fears that their pain is not real or invalid.
In reality, it would actually do the opposite and empower Adrien.
When working with trauma using TF-CBT, a major component is the use of a trauma narrative where people with PTSD tell the story of their trauma, from their point of view, free of criticism and invalidation. A chance for them to take their story and tell it, their way.
For years, Adrien never had a chance to tell his story, his way. Even if he wasn't a senti-being, he has always been controlled by his dad and probably his mom too. Becoming Chat Noir was Adrien's way of breaking free, but he hasn't dealt with or addressed any of his trauma. It's been pushed to the side, to be dealt with never.
But if he's a senti, he will have to address what happened to him and face the fundamental question he has in season 4: Does he belong, is he needed?
@coccinelle-et-chaton once said it very well: "abuse victims that relate to Adrien already have difficulties legitimizing their own emotions and are constantly double-guessing themselves. The fact that the character you relate to bc of your trauma turns out to be "magic" even though that does not negate his emotions, can elicit a powerful reaction bc deep down you just want to be acknowledged."
And to those who share those sentiments, I want to ask them this: Is your trauma real? And if Adrien is a senti, does that make him any less real?
And the answer is yes, they are.
If the writers can do it (and I actually sincerely think they can), being a senti could mean Adrien learning to take control of himself while dealing with his "trauma", and even eventually reclaiming his life and freedom through getting control of his amok.
Thus showing that despite the trauma and pain and depression and anxiety, he can still live a normal life. He is still real.
That's essentially what treating PTSD is, we cant make the trauma go away but we can take back control, while allowing those who struggle with it to realize their experiences and feelings are real and valid. To show that despite it all, we can live and keep going. And that actually avoiding the trauma or not thinking about it makes the whole situation worse. If Adrien is a senti, he will face that and he will come out stronger for it.
Despite everything, sentiAdrien is inarguably, indelibly real. (Something even Thomas Astruc has discussed in his twitter responses.)
Adrien is real, just like a viewer's trauma and mental health is real.
And that despite it all, even during the hardest and bleakest time, you are real and you can keep living. Your struggles and past are part of you, but they don't define you.
Like how sentiAdrien isn't just a senti, he's a kid, a friend, a hero, and so, so much more. Just like how he is so much more than being a senti, you are so much more than your trauma.
Your trauma doesn't control you, only you can.
Like Adrien if he gets control of his amok.
Picture this, we discover Adrien was a senti,
Created by his parents to be "the perfect son" and it hurts....hurts worse than anything else ever has and ever could.
Every worst fear, that is is replaceable, unimportant, invalid, unneeded, unwanted, come to the forefront of his mind.
But wait...he isn't just a senti...he's a human. He is, he was created to be yes, but he's still a person.
But not just any person, he's a hero. He's Chat Noir, wearer of the black cat miraculous...
Destruction itself.
And, just like how Mari can use Creation to create anything, Adrien can use destruction to break anything....
Including the magic that binds him to his amok, to his creater, that keeps him from his freedom.
Picture this: Adrien's power-up is what helps him take back control and lets him take control of himself, and his life.
He takes back his own freedom. And proves, most importantly to himself, that he DOES belong. He doesn't need some creator or someone else to tell him that. He can tell himself that, and that's the ONLY voice who matters.
In Summary,
The sentiadrien theory has scary implications and it is painful to think about, but it also has the potential for tremendous growth and healing. In fact, i think sentiadrien would cover multiple mental health avenues and ml has always done a wonderful job with mental health analysis and therapeutic healing.
And our boy is in deep denial mode with his emotions, finding out he's a senti would be super helpful in helping him open the door and start processing them.
It also shows that we don't always get a successful upward curve of progress. Sometimes we have dips and low lows and sometimes we hit rock bottom again. But we get back up, and we keep going and we keep living. We have control of our own destinies and our own lives, and Adrien will too. (Remember: ML is a kids show, we aren't going to have a tragic ending)
But despite it all:
Being a senti-being doesn't make Adrien any less of a character. It doesn't make him less of a person, it doesn't make him someone whose experiences matter any less than Mari or Nino or Gabe or anyone. He is real, just like them. His feelings, his thoughts, his experiences, his pain, his hope, and his dreams matter.
Just like yours do.
Note: please feel free to ask any questions, I love this topic and could talk about ml and mental health for ages. Just remember I'm not your therapist and for true support and care I always recommend going to a pro.
It was late, Adrien noted, as he stacked the books of accounts and dealings in the small locker hidden under the table, a dainty bulb illuminating the room. His work day at the cheese shop had gone longer than he had expected, what with Sabrina calling in sick at the last minute, leaving it on him to sort out the day’s accounts.
As he picked up few damp sheets he thought back to his day, when he had ran into the rather touchy guards in a shady alley, half afraid they might recognize him as the runaway son of an Ingary statesman.
“Here you are, sweetheart.” A woman — or rather, a girl his age — had announced in a silvery voice. ”Sorry, I’m late. I was looking everywhere for you!”
He had felt a sturdy hand resting on his shoulder and a warm body pressed against his shoulder. This was how he had met her — the girl in a red dress, a black coat and a red mask with black spots covering her upper half of her face, and eyes bluer than the sea, his savior — the stranger who had gently guided him past the malicious guards. He looked back, a few steps away, but they were gone.
I have found that the fics where I get overly invested in the feedback are the ones that I end up abandoning. At least 90% because they were SUPPOSED to be ONE-SHOTS. but then people are like "moar plz." and I'm like "lol kk. *writes 1.5 more chapters* OO SHINY NEW IDEA/FANDOM/HOBBY!!" and then it just sits there and rots.
Just some artsy dumping. I doodled this little autumn-y marichat, because scarves. I dunno. I doodled some one wearing a scarf, and then I was like "marichat autumn. yess." So. there. Have that.
ALSO my 10-yo got me into My Hero Academia, and I binge watched it on Funaimation in like a week (he was super mad that I was suddenly ahead of him after I watched all of season 5 in one night, but in my defence I warned him this would happen!) AND THEN I went and binge read the manga on the Shounen Jump app.
I dont have a problem. nope. not meee. have some MHA doodles.
The longer the silence grew, the more Marinette’s anxiety rose alongside it.
She shifted from foot-to-foot, glancing around to see if anyone was approaching, but the rest of the group had left the main deck to go into Luka’s kitchen. No Alya to make pleading eyes with, no Nino to swoop in with a terrible joke, Luka to distract them with music or Kagami to approach them with a challenging debate. They were truly alone.
Marinette was going to have to get out of this of her own accord. Taking a deep breath, she steeled her nerves and met Adrien’s gaze. His expression was completely unreadable.
Come on Marinette, THINK. You’ve gotten out of life threatening scenarios and saved this city hundreds, maybe thousands of times by this point. You can talk to a boy.
Why was Adrien taking so long to bring up… whatever he was going to bring up? It had to be the kiss, didn’t it? It’s not like he was going to discuss the benefits of kayaking and WHY WAS SHE THINKING ABOUT KAYAKING AT A TIME LIKE THIS?!
Maybe the reason he was frozen up was because he simply didn’t know how to bring up such an awkward topic? Adrien was a kind soul, she knew he’d never want to hurt her no matter what the circumstances were. With that in mind, Marinette pushed her own anxieties to one side and took the first step.
“Did you want to… talk to me about the kiss?” she ventured, words slow and unsure. Though she tried not to sound terrified, she couldn’t fight the slight tremor in her voice.
That, at least, seemed to snap Adrien out of his stupor. Much like a cat after one too many pats, Adrien shook his head, blinking hard.
“Oh. Y- yeah,” he nodded. “The kiss. Our kiss. The fact that we kissed.”
“As our characters,” Marinette responded, cheeks betraying her by beginning to burn. “We got a little carried away in real life though.”
Of all the times for my laugh to sound like a throttled chicken, it had to be now, she thought in between giggle-snorts.
Adrien, bless his heart, humoured her by chucking lowly. He leaned in and, for a split second, his raised eyebrows and slight smirk made Marinette’s heart leap, reminding her of how Chat Noir used to flirt with her.
i was rewatching sentibubbler to determine whether chat noir could’ve feasibly determined alya’s identity from it (for fic purposes) and came to the realization that if he was thinking about it he would’ve assumed alya is ladybug because sentibubbler was yelling for ladybug and threatening the hostages who were alya’s friends and family and obviously that makes no sense since alya has already been akumatized, but also: what if he drew that conclusion anyway
Idk. Its more likely that he’d figure out she’s Rena Rouge imo, partly because he’s figured out Marinette at least twice canonically.
In fact, with him having figured it out twice already, and the reveal of Alya and Nino’s identities in Rocketear, I can’t imagine him thinking it’s anyone else. The more i think about it the more convinced I am that he knows its Marinette but hasn’t said anything because he’s scared of losing his miraculous, scared of losing her - especially with all the Agreste Brand Angst we’re apparently getting this season - and is just so frustrated that he can’t tell her who he is.
it's very fucking weird to be an adult and be This into shipping characters from a children's show, especially if they're minors.
I mean. Is it though?
If I’m enjoying the show, and enjoying the relationship dynamics - because that’s what shipping is - is it really that weird? I mean, everyone had an opinion on Harry Potter’s love life. Or whether Katnyss should have ended up with Peta or Gayle. So why is it weird when it’s BNHA? Or Miraculous? Same age groups. Still cute. Or frustrating, depending on the ship. Am I not allowed to be on Team Kataang anymore, because I’m an adult now, even though I was the target audience when the show came out?
Edited to add; what a newsflash! Nerdy outcast is fucking weird. Wow. Such shock. Much surprise. Or however that meme goes.
I was just thinking about this last night. More specifically, I was thinking about how frustrating and potentially toxic it was that every male relationship was twisted by fandoms to be homosexual, because boys can only have relationships with each other if they’re banging, and my frustration was more particular to BNHA, but point still stands.
I’m a hard lovesquare shipper. But. Luka is absolutely finding a way into my heart. He’s just. So. Good. I think everyone could stand to have a friend like Luka, honestly.
So I was reading "Sweet Dreams" over on Ao3, and of course got the Eurythmics song of the same name stuck in my head. Which of course was promptly replaced by the cheesy version. And. well. I think we know what happened next.
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