Rex and His Relationship with Radcliffe (+ some small Cecil speculation)
Concerning Radcliffe:
First things first, honestly, Comic Radcliffe and Show Radcliffe almost seem like two different people 🤣 Show!Radcliffe is much more chill than Comic!RadCliffe (from what we have seen so far). Since there is more material on comic Radcliffe we are just going to work with that for now.
Rex’s first introduction to Radcliffe is in an alleyway, where is stopped by Radcliffe who asks him if he is aware you shouldn’t steal.
Literal villain laughter 😬 Overall a very terrifying interaction for a kid to go through. This is Radcliffe’s first test, probing out if Rex might share his world view that the ends justify the means. This also establishes Rex’s poor relationship with his father, as he only mentions his mother going hungry.
The next meeting is implied to happen pretty soon after this. They are eating dinner and Rex’s father asks him next time to steal something heartier than cup noodles (further cementing the poor familial relationship), which is when the knock comes.
It is the freaky man from the alley. Somehow he knows all of their names, even though Rex never told him. He comes bearing steak dinner and immediately gets down to business. Introducing himself as Radcliffe from the government, he tells Rex’s dad they could be eating steak dinner every night as long as they give him Rex in exchange.
Rex’s dad doesn’t even hesitate, and Rex’s mom hasn’t said anything this entire time. Radcliffe and his Dad shake on the deal right in front of him. Also did I mention it was CHRISTMAS?? 💀💀💀
I think this is very intentional on Radcliffe’s part (more on this later)
Rex is immediately whisked away to luxury, it is explained to him that from now on, he will be working for the government.
Two things about this page, one it is where Rex learns to he is expected to work if he wants to stay, and that it establishes that just Radcliffe and Rex live here. All these blue people? They are robots. We get a little training montage which I think is the most interesting thing here. This is Radcliffe talking to Rex, encouraging him and comforting him when he is scared and terrified of the surgery that will give him his “powers”
Radcliffe is the only other person in his life right now, and if this is the usual, I think it is pretty clear to see why Rex would see him as a fatherly figure.
Rex’s first mission goes off without a hitch and Radcliffe is beaming. This is also the first appearance of an affectionate nickname, “Rexy boy”. Radcliffe also gives Rex his last name on forged documents, which could indicate an inkling of reciprocal attachments (or does it? Keep this in mind for later)
Rex continues to go on missions and Radcliffe rewards him.
Radcliffe remembered his birthday, something his OG dad never did. (But dear reader don’t forget, they had never celebrated his birthday before even though Radcliffe was aware of it…there is something deeper going on. The deeper thing being purposeful linking of success with affection, as partially evidenced by Radcliffe leading with the gift being for successful missions, before noting the birthday)
Here is where I want to bring up my speculation that Radcliffe intentionally made the deal for Rex’s life in front of him. Radcliffe’s gaze gets steely when Rex’s mentions his “other dad”. He immediately reminds him that Rex’s Dad sold him and that where he truly belongs? It is with him (Radcliffe).
What I am getting from this is that it is a meticulous long term plan, with the goal of crafting a powerful, loyal subordinate. He has isolated Rex, made him dependent emotionally and physically and burned all his bridges to his past life.
This becomes more clear when Rex finally disobeys Radcliffe for the very first time. He goes absolutely ballistic, hitting and choking him, a stark contrast to the man who held his hand before surgery.
This is a pivotal moment for Rex. I think for Rex it has always been a low level fear, that all this is temporary….*conditional*. How could it not be, the poor guy was literally sold off. When he doesn’t complete the mission he packs up to leave, and he tells Eve he is scared that Radcliffe might hurt him (perhaps his original father did that because there really hasn’t been a hint that Radcliffe is prone to violence). But Rex gives Radcliffe a chance to prove him wrong by trying to say goodbye. *this page is also where he refers to Radcliffe as his dad for the first time
But now that Radcliffe struck him? It confirms his worst fears, the love and affection has been and will always be conditional for him. He wasn’t enough for his original father to keep, and still not enough here.
But even though he called him evil and was trying to leave, Rex still loved the man, and he is devastated when he kills him on accident, full blown ugly crying all the way to Eve’s house.
RIP Rex and his two messed up families 😔. Doesn’t even catch a break because later he tracks down his old family for some revenge and they seem super happy without him
The TLDR: Government agent takes advantage of impressionable/vulnerable child to mold his own loyal super solider through isolation and fatherly affection contingent on strict obedience. Becomes violent when it doesn’t work. __________________ Concerning Cecil:
Firstly, Rex would be highly curious about Cecil. He was ordered to kill him, but he chose not to go through with it, which led to this whole traumatic killing my dad thing. The question of, “Did I make the right choice?” Would probably be in the back of his mind the whole time. This could have potentially impacted, why he was the first one to attack when Mark (his friend) was being subjected to the sound device and the first one to leave.
As Radcliffe’s protege, I think Rex would find many similar traits between the two. Both a push and pull factor.
Once bitten, twice shy sort of a deal. He misses his dad #2 and he desperately wants to believe at least some part Radcliffe’s kindness was real (maybe it was or maybe it wasn’t 🤷). But he is starkly aware of the reality of who his dad was and what his dad had him do. So if Cecil started showing him any sort of affection, he would be on high alert.
This is Rex every time Cecil does something that reminds him of Radcliffe:
