This is the REAL reason why Netflix removed Frederick
Of course, in the eyes of a billion-dollar streaming service, Werner needs to fulfill some degree of a teen heartthrob standard because obviously these writers hadn't read the room and realized thats inappropriate for the subject matter of atlwcs,,, BUT if they're gonna play that game, I have a couple cards to add to the deck:
Werner and Frederick had something going on.
And I'm guessing that concept insulted the little traditionalist babies at Netflix who were like NOOOO WERNER NEEDS 10000000 GIRLFRIENDS NOOO
but...
might I offer snippets from the book that say otherwise?
enjoy:
"Frederick flutters his fingers and asks, “Do you like birds?” “Sure.” “Do you know about hooded crows?” Werner shakes his head. “Hooded crows are smarter than most mammals. Even monkeys. I’ve seen them put nuts they can’t crack in the road and wait for cars to run over them to get at the kernel. Werner, you and I are going to be great friends, I’m sure of it.” (ok so obviously this was when they first met but look at how ADAMANT Frederick is about being Werner's friend like?!?!?! Werner is like erm ok birds r swag and then Frederick is like "OMG WE WERE LITERALLY MEANT TO MEET EACH OTHER")
"You would like Frederick I think. He sees what other people don’t" (Ok Werner, this is literally the equivalent to suggesting ur beloved should meet your parents, except its not Werners parents, it's his sister)
"Werner keeps to the center of the group as it strings out, his heart beating in dark confusion, wondering where Frederick is..." (dependancy... need i say more?)
"his boot and Frederick’s touch the ground at the exact same moment." (thank you Anthony for further proving that these two were MADE FOR EACHOTHER)
"Werner washes Frederick’s mess tin for him; he shares homework answers, shoe polish, sweets from Dr. Hauptmann; they run next to each other during field exercises." (DID YOU KNOW ACTS OF SERVICE IS A LOVE LANGUAGE)
small break but um
"Frederick stands in the middle, panting and blinking his long eyelashes." (SO HES PRETTY :3 all the more reasons for him to get between Werner and um,,, sandrinaaaa???)
"Frederick hardly ever thinks of himself. Frederick is stronger than he is in every imaginable way." (yes Werner, you enjoy him)
"Frederick slides open a drawer, and when he turns around, he’s wearing eyeglasses with black frames. He looks at Werner shyly. “Oh, come on, you didn’t already know?” With his glasses on, Frederick’s expression seems to ease; his face makes more sense—this, Werner thinks, is who he is. A soft-skinned boy in glasses with taffy-colored hair and the finest trace of a mustache needled across his lip. Bird lover. Rich kid." (DO I EVEN HAVE TO EXPLAIN THIS ONE?!?! WERNER IS ADMIRING HIM)
"They lie on their stomachs and page through comics, feeling the pleasure of being outside of school, glancing at each other now and then as if curious to learn whether their friendship will continue to exist in another place." (THE TENSION HERE IS WILDDD)
"Frederick takes Werner by the arm..." (TBH im just reaching at this point but um!! i dont see SANDRINA TAKING ANYONE BY THE ARM)
“And you must be Werner!” The smile sweeps back onto her face. “Frederick has written lots about you! Look at that hair! Oh, we adore guests.” (FREDERICK'S MUM HAS ACCESS TO SOME TOP TEIR CONTENT THAT WE COULD HAVE REALLY LIKED TO READ... anthony??)
"Every night he polishes Frederick’s boots for him until they shine a foot deep—one less reason for a bunk master, or Bastian, or an upperclassman to jump on him. Sunday mornings in the refectory, they sit quietly in a sunbeam and Werner helps him with his schoolwork. Frederick whispers that in the spring, he hopes to find skylark nests in the grasses outside the school walls." (more acts of service yipeee)
"Werner climbs into bed and stares up at the underside of Frederick’s mattress. A warm wind blows against the castle, and somewhere a shutter bangs and snowmelt trickles down the long downspouts. As quietly as he can manage, he whispers, “Are you awake?” Frederick leans over the side of his bunk, and for a moment in the nearly complete darkness Werner believes they will finally say to each other what they have not been able to say." (LISTEN HEAR ME OUT!!! I know exactly what happens after this snippet BUT the way its written sets the scene up to be something totally different and I'm living for it. LIIIVINNGGGG.
"He’s risking detention or worse; it’s a sunny, bright noon, but his heart is being crushed slowly in a vise, and everything is slow and hypnotic, and he watches his arm work as it pulls open the door as if he’s peering through several feet of blue water." (HIS HEART... thats how much he cares about Frederick, u guys!!!!)
“You look pretty,” he says. He does not look directly at Werner, and his words are close to moans. “You look pretty, very pretty, Mama.” “I’m not your mama,” hisses Werner. “Come on, now.” Frederick’s expression is entirely without artifice." (PROOF THAT WERNER IS ALSO PRETTY)
"Outside, shells fly back and forth. “We must get lower in the house,” she says. But for a moment they do not move. California Partridge. Common Gannet. Frigate Pelican. Werner can still see Frederick kneeling at his window, nose to the glass. Little gray bird hopping about in the boughs. Doesn’t look like much, does it? “Could I keep a page from this?” (SEE HERE?!?!?! WERNER IS WITH THE SUPPOSED LOVE OF HIS LIFE BUT HES LITERALLY JUST THINKING ABOUT FREDERICK. YOU GUYS NEED TO UNDERSTAND!!!!!)
"He has written For Frederick across the front. Frederick: the bunkmate Werner used to write about, the boy who loved birds." (THIS IS FROM JUTTAS PERSPECTIVE!! EVEN SHE KNOWS ABT FREDERICK AND SHE DIDNT EVEN MEET HIM. DO U GUYS UNDERSTAND ME)
There. Thats why.
