“You were just a child, it wasn’t your fault.” OKAY BUT LIKE THE EMOTIONAL IMPACT OF THIS, because this is a situation where Steven’s whole world has been turned upside down, and his sense of identity and personhood is in question because “you made me up?” But he understands Marc’s pain in that moment, and now everything about Marc Spector suddenly makes sense and EVEN THOUGH Steven’s hurting too, Steven’s wondering and questioning his purpose and whether or not his existence even matters anymore, he knows in his bones that they didn’t deserve all of this.
Y’all bringing out the essayist in me so now I gotta make a Bi Han post.
Ahem
So contrary to extremely popular opinion, I actually think Bi Han was given a bit of depth in MK12. Maybe it’s just wishful thinking but I thought this was the most compelling he’s been since Mythologies. At least to me.
“Had we not held back, you would not have survived.” — Bi Han to Kung Lao after the bar fight
I can actually understand his frustrations with Liu Kang. While I think the bar fight between the Lin Kuei vs Raiden & Kung Lao was super fun to watch and interesting from Liu Kang’s POV, it had to be pretty humiliating for someone as prideful as Bi Han.
Liu Kang told them to intentionally make themselves seem weaker just to give actually weaker fighters more of a chance. Not only that, but they had to come off like they were nothing but obnoxious & lowly thugs, instead of the elite, powerhouse of a clan the Lin Kuei actually are.
Not to mention the relationship the Lin Kuei have with Liu Kang irritates him just in general. It’s clear Bi Han doesn’t like having to take orders from someone, and wants to be the boss rather than an underling. But with the Lin Kuei’s goal being Earthrealm’s protection, and Liu Kang being Earthrealm’s protector, that’s always the dynamic they were going to have with him. To operate underneath FG Liu Kang. There’s no way to be equals with a god.
This is only reinforced once it’s revealed to everyone that mere Earthrealm Protector God Liu Kang is actually Titan Liu Kang, manufacturer of their entire timeline and all of their destinies. All of the characters have different opinions and concerns about Liu Kang’s actual status and involvement in their lives. Bi Han included.
“This is what you were meant to do. Defend Earthrealm.”
“I am not allowed to desire a different future?” — Convo between Liu Kang & Bi Han in Khaos Reigns
There’s no way to be equals with a god, but there is zero chance in hell of ever being equal with the Keeper of Time and ultimate creator of your destiny who knew and fabricated your life’s path before your ancestors were ever even conceived.
But circling back to before the reveal, Bi Han already had issues with working underneath Earthrealm Protector God Liu Kang.
I’m not excusing Bi Han’s actions, but I think the game did a decent job of making us understand why he was so frustrated with Liu Kang. The Lin Kuei are powerful, but at the rate they were going, they would always have to bend to Liu Kang. For members like Kuai Liang, Tomas, Cyrax, etc. this was not an issue. But for those like Bi Han and Sektor, it clearly is.
And this all goes into why he accepted Shang Tsung’s offer when he, Kuai Liang, and Tomas infiltrated the hideout. Some people have said it was too sudden, I disagree. Bi Han went there to take them out, then got curious, and only agreed to join after he and Kuai Liang had been taken prisoner. He was hesitant at first and wasn’t interested in Shang Tsung’s proposal, but his frustration with being inferior to Liu Kang was the perfect in for Shang Tsung to persuade him, because anyone could see Bi Han was not satisfied with his current position in life.
I wouldn’t even say Bi Han trusted Shang Tsung, but that it’s just as Shang Tsung himself said:
“I’m sure you’re asking yourself: ‘Can I afford to trust a man I have never met?’ But the true question you must ask is: ‘Can I afford not to?’”
This scene told me it’s not about genuine trust. Bi Han just views “being Liu Kang’s inferior forever” as a worst fate than anything Shang Tsung could do to him. He viewed Shang Tsung as the lesser of two evils. Whether that’s objectively true or not is irrelevant.
Afterwards, Bi Han actually shows remorse about aligning with Shang Tsung. This is evident in his intros.
“Your mother’s death is regrettable.” — To Kitana
“If it is asylum you want, I won’t grant it.” — To Shang Tsung
“You have been cold to my entreaties.” / “Because you proved you can’t be trusted.” — Convo between Shang Tsung & Bi Han
“I was wrong to trust you.” — To General Shao
“I wasn’t aware of Shang Tsung’s experiments.” — To Liu Kang
Alongside his regret with aligning with Shang Tsung, Bi Han does NOT want to kill Kuai Liang. Shocking I know, but it’s true!
This is probably the first game I’ve seen where he actually values Kuai Liang as his brother. PLEASE BARE WITH ME I SWEAR IM NOT INSANE LMAO!
In both the main story and in Khaos Reigns, Bi Han clearly states that his intention is to capture and imprison Kuai Liang.
“And you must be imprisoned alongside my brother.” — To Cyrax in Khaos Reigns
And while hypocritical as hell, I do believe Sektor’s “immense shock” at Kuai Liang willing to leave Bi Han trapped and brainwashed in Havik’s timeline is because she knows, in turn, that Bi Han doesn’t plan to actually kill Kuai Liang, only punish and imprison him. (I am not saying her annoyance was well founded! It was for sure hypocritical. I am simply explaining why she was shocked and what she knows of Bi Han’s intentions.)
Does this mean Bi Han cares about those around Kuai Liang? No. He doesn’t care at all about Harumi and was fine with killing her if she got in the way. She is not Lin Kuei. Even worse, she’s hinted to have ties with the Umgadi and Outworld. A fact Bi Han and Sektor may be aware of since in one of their intros together (with Bi Han as Noob), they say she’s a “formidable problem”.
But, interestingly, it doesn’t seem as though Bi Han wants to kill other Lin Kuei that have turned to Kuai Liang’s side. When opposed, he threatens to punish and capture Tomas and Cyrax, not kill them. Just like he does with Kuai Liang.
Alongside this, in most of his and Kuai Liang’s direct conversations with each other, it’s mostly Bi Han defending his stance and encouraging Kuai Liang to return to his side. Frequently telling him to “heed” and “obey” him as Grandmaster.
“You could have ruled at my side.” — To Kuai Liang in an intro
“Your rebellion stings.” — To Kuai Liang in an intro
“End this, brother! Embrace the future.” — To Kuai Liang in the main story after he aligns with Shang Tsung
“You would shed your brother’s blood?” / “Because you CHOOSE to stand in my way!” — Convo between Kuai Liang and Bi Han in an intro
“Your brotherS regret losing your fellowship.” / “Then THEY shouldn’t have disobeyed my commands.” — Convo between Liu Kang and Bi Han in an intro
Bi Han is definitely pissed and plans to beat his ass, that’s not debatable, but it’s clear he’d much rather Kuai Liang just come back to the Lin Kuei than them full on fighting each other. And he has no intention of actually killing Kuai Liang. He will punish his “treachery” and imprison him, but never talks about straight up killing him. The one single time he references Kuai Liang’s possible death is when he’s boasting to General Shao in an intro, who he has currently lost all respect for and sees as an enemy (plus Shao is the one who mentions Kuai Liang first in that convo).
He thinks Kuai Liang made the wrong choice when refusing to stand with him, and seems to think their current feud is Kuai Liang’s own fault. That they COULD reconcile, but it’s Kuai Liang who is refusing to “see reason” and support him. Bi Han truly thinks he is “defending” the Lin Kuei from Kuai Liang’s poor vision. He does not actually view himself or his actions as evil, despite what fans seem to think. He even opposes this perspective in-universe whenever a character says he’s turned evil.
“There are many in the Netherrealm just like you.” / “You conflate ambition with evil, Ashrah.” — Convo between Ashrah and Bi Han in an intro
Bi Han’s real malice is reserved mostly towards Liu Kang. He hated having to work underneath the Fire God, and now with the Titan status revealed, he’s even more furious and thinks Liu Kang has always only ever been about control. This is made especially evident in his intros.
“You are content being Liu Kang’s servant?” — To Raiden
“Liu Kang wants to help, Bi Han!” / “No, Tomas. He wants to control.” — Convo between Tomas and Noob!Bi Han
“Earthrealm isn’t yours to rule!” — To Liu Kang
“You’ve turned Kuai Liang against me!” — To Liu Kang
“Come in from the cold Bi Han.” / “And again kneel before you?” — Convo between Liu Kang and Bi Han
I suspect that the sole reason Bi Han prefers being Noob is because it was against Liu Kang’s design for him. In a lot of Noob’s intros, he praises his newfound “chaos”, but in a very easily missed few, he says these:
“Is it best for you to remain this way?” / “It is best for the Lin Kuei.” — Convo between Sektor and Noob!Bi Han
“Weren’t you supposed to be on ice?” / “Liu Kang’s plan has been disrupted.” — Convo between Takeda and Noob!Bi Han
“I’m envious. The things you must have seen…” / “No one should experience such chaos.” — Convo between Shang Tsung and Noob!Bi Han
“Throwing the Lin Kuei into chaos-” / “Is NOT what I am doing!” — Convo between Kenshi and Noob!Bi Han
I don’t think Bi Han enjoys being Noob simply for the “sinister nature” of being Noob Saibot. I think it’s actually because the transition was against Liu Kang’s plans. A sort’ve rebellion even though it was also forced upon him. This is just a theory though.
I want to clarify: BI HAN IS AN ASSHOLE!
I am in no way saying that Bi Han isn’t a douchebag and should be pitied.
This post is solely intended to refute the claims that he’s not a complex character. There is actually a lot of subtlety in how he’s been written so far. There ARE genuine reasons he doesn’t want to keep bowing to Liu Kang (who is a proven liar love my boy tho). He does NOT want to kill his own brother, and would actually prefer Kuai Liang come to his side, rather than them being at odds.
Bi Han is an asshole. He’s arrogant, impulsive, selfish, and overwhelmingly prideful. But he DOES actually care about Kuai Liang as his brother and doesn’t have any interest in killing ex-Lin Kuei members. His goal is to punish their treachery, but then imprison them. Not kill.
And while he heavily dislikes Tomas and doesn’t hold any respect for him, Bi Han slips up and does acknowledge Tomas as his brother when talking with Liu Kang in one of the intros I shared above. A very small part of him does subconsciously view Tomas as his brother. He will never ever admit this though.
Not counting Mythologies, this is probably my favorite rendition of Bi Han to date. I could actually see where he was coming from most of the time, and he didn’t seem just “one dimensionally” angry and evil. He’s a raging dick, but he’s not just “evil to be evil” nor is that his goal.
He regrets some of the events that have come from his actions, has affections for Sektor, refuses to abandon the Lin Kuei after becoming Noob (unlike past Noobs), and still values Kuai Liang as his brother with zero plans to actually kill him only imprison him.
In Khaos Reigns, even Liu Kang states that Bi Han’s desire for a different future isn’t actually an issue, it’s just his methods that are.
Bi Han is a massive problem child, but he’s not a one dimensionally evil thoughtlessly written character. I actually think this is the most compelling iteration Bi Han’s ever been (TO ME) and I find the current nuances in his and Kuai Liang’s dynamic more fascinating than ever.
So much of Layla is in Marc. Because he did not ask to be loved on his own. He didn't know how.
Any semblance of connection always had a price of admission. He has a bedrock of traumatized attachment to unlearn.
Years of watching her analyze the tree rings of the world to understand where it went wrong while still smiling has taught him things he doesn't even realize. Makes me crazy actually.
For a supposed badass mercenary, Marc never truly wins.
He fails to keep Steven unaware of himself and Khonshu. He fails in keeping the scarab away from Harrow. Khonshu leads them to Cairo, and Khonshu summons the other gods after Marc fails to gather information from Harrow's goons. Hathor's avatar gives Marc the clue about Senfu's sarcophagus, while Layla gets him there and Steven finally deciphers the star chart. Marc then doesn't front until Layla confronts him about her father, and they get shot a few moments later.
All in all, not a great track record.
But Marc's real fight was never to stop Harrow. Marc's real fight was to keep moving and not give up.
While it finally becomes clear what Marc has been dealing with in episode five, he hints at it far earlier. Marc promises Steven that he will disappear after the deal with Khonshu is over in the second episode, and reinforces this in the fourth. He also tells Steven that it has been hard to even be a fly on the wall. In addition, Marc says he should have died when Layla confronts him about her farther, and he says something similar while they are down in the room with all the people he has killed.
Marc's true strength lies in the fact that despite everything, he still puts one foot in front of the other and keeps fighting. Marc was presented the opportunity to stop and be rid of Khonshu three times, each time with the cost of Harrow releasing Ammit. The first time during the trial, the second time in Mr. Great's tomb, and the final time in the Field of Reeds. But all three times he chose to go on. Despite Khonshu's abuse, despite that he was still reeling from his mother's death, and despite having to leave eternal paradise behind, Marc chose to fight.
And he did it for Layla and Steven.
If that isn't the sign of a hero, I don't know what else is.
How I think the Moon Boys would react to meeting Other Heroes
I want to eventually turn these into fanfics relaying the events in detail (and if you want to as well, please do and tag me in it, I'd love to see what you make!) but for now we just do meta :] I'm gonna do the OG 6 avengers first, but I'll likely reblog later with other heroes if people seem interested, so lemme know if you wanna see more!
Tony Stark
Marc: Definitely assumes this guy is an asshole before ever meeting him. He's a billionaire, he's cocky, he built a giant tower with his name on it--he's got all the makings of a real asshole. Upon meeting him? Well, yeah, he has to admit the guy is smart and fights well. They can work as a team when in battle for sure. Still cannot stand his personality though, and it's in part because Marc can see some parts of himself in Tony. He really doesn't like the idea that he might relate to guy who used to be fine with building weapons for awful people.
Steven: Definitely hesitant about him, in part because Marc is so adamant about his assumptions. However upon meeting him, I think Steven could grow to like him in some ways. Sure he's cocky, and has a hard exterior, but it's not like he doesn't know how to deal with that, sharing a body with Marc and Jake. He likes to hear Tony explain science and machines to him, and I could see them talking about their weapons and armor, exchanging ideas. He too is fine to fight alongside Iron Man
Jake: He's also hesitant about Stark, both because of Marc and because of his role as the protector, but he can't help but admit... the guy has fuckin style. He particularly likes Tony's cars, and when he sees magazines in the store detailing all of Tony's cars, he can't help but snag one. And when he MEETS Tony? Well it takes help from Steven outright telling Tony that he'd love to see them, but Tony does show Jake his garage full of cars, and they chat about it for so long that Marc and Steven have to practically drag the body back home before midnight. Fighting enemies with him is an entire different playing field however. Jake really hates being told what to do, so generally he'll let Marc or Steven handle battles alongside Iron Man
Steve Rogers
Marc: Mixed feelings about Cap before meeting him for sure. He was a soldier like Marc was, and for that Marc feels a sense of loyalty or comradery with him. Cap also fought in WWII and helped save a lot of Jewish people, which obviously puts him in a good light. But at the same time, he's named Captain America, the same nation that spit him out of the marines with no support, no option but to become a mercenary to survive. After meeting him though, he finds that he quite likes Cap. They bond over their pasts as soldiers, and exchange stories of punching fascists right in the kisser. He considers it quite an honor to fight alongside Cap in any battles
Steven: He liked Cap from the very beginning, since he was a kid. Not obsessed, he never collected cards like Coulson, but he always regarded him as a hero for what he did in WWII. He's never liked to be called Steve, always the full name Steven, but it still made him just a little bit proud to share the same name as Captain America. After meeting Cap, he found he appreciated him as a person as well, not just as a hero. He enjoyed hearing Cap's stories about what life was like in his time, and they exchanged song recommendations together often. He too finds it an honor to fight alongside Cap
Jake: Jake didn't think much about Cap before meeting him. Sure, he was glad for what he did in WWII, saving Jewish people and punching Hitler, but he kind of thought that should've been the standard anyways. He didn't feel the need to praise the guy just for standing up for Jewish people, if anything he preferred to praise the Jewish doctor that MADE the super soldier serum, he was the one that gave them this great hero after all. After meeting Cap he did find he warmed up to him though. He was a good man, even if a bit robotic at times. Again though, he cannot stand people telling him what to do, especially in the commanding, soldier-like way Cap does it. At least Tony makes a funny comment when he tells people what to do, Cap just orders you, and Jake does NOT like that
Thor Odinson
Marc: VERY hesitant about this guy, as past experience with gods has not exactly gone well for him. Upon meeting him he realizes quickly that Thor isn't much of a threat (to him at least), and he gets less cagey. He doesn't exactly become friends with Thor, but they're nice enough to each other, and can fight as a team well. Secretly tho? He thinks Thor's whole lightning and thunder thing is pretty cool
Steven: Also again hesitant due to Thor's whole God-ness, but also realizes he wouldn't harm them. He is INTENSELY interested in Asgardian/Norse mythology though, and spends several evenings asking Thor a million questions about the different realms, the culture of Asgard and all the magic that exists there. Thor promises to one day show him the Bifrost and Asgardian palace library, as well as introduce him to Heimdall, who could tell Steven more about the realms than Thor ever could
Jake: AGAIN, not exactly excited about meeting another God, and even after meeting him, Jake is still unsure for a long time. He's always quick to remind Steven that Thor is a god and things could go bad with him at any time. With time he learns to trust Thor, and have a tentative relationship with him, at least enough that he's willing to fight alongside the god in battle
Clint Barton
Marc: He'd heard of someone called Hawkeye fighting in the Battle of New York, and mostly thought he must've been insane (or stupid) for fighting aliens with a bow and arrow. However after meeting him he did find a new respect for him. I think of all the people to spar with, he'd often choose Hawkeye, both because they're similar in strength (without the suit at least), and because Clint has a similar fighting style to him. They both utilize rooftops, darts/arrows/grappling hooks, and hand-to-hand combat, so he's a great person to practice with. They work well in battle together.
Steven: He was impressed hearing about a guy fighting aliens with a bow and arrow for sure. After meeting him I think he does like Clint, but might feel intimidated by him. He doesn't seem to be the most open of people, and he can see why Marc enjoys his company because of that, but Steven himself just finds Clint a bit difficult to talk to. They work fine in battle, but not as well as Jake and Marc do.
Jake: I think of anyone in MK system Jake probably is the one that can talk to Clint the most easily. He's relaxed enough that he doesn't worry about Clint being cagey at times, and good enough at bantering and talking with people to get Clint to relax and open up more. If anyone is able to start a good friendship with Clint, it's Jake. This also makes it so they work well fighting together
Natasha Romanoff
Marc: Absolutely just cannot vibe with this woman, at least at first. He could tell immediately that she was analyzing him and trying to get information about himself and his past out of him when they first met, and it just threw him off instantly. Something about the spy, manipulation tactics stuff, and honestly her being a woman, just reminded him too much of his mom. Over time he would learn to be less nervous around her, especially as he realized her analytical first impression was part of a mask she put on, but he couldn't say he ever truly relaxed around her. He doesn't enjoy fighting alongside her much, but he's willing to do it
Steven: He honestly thought she was fine upon meeting her, and that Marc was freaking out over someone just being friendly to him. It's not that he didn't realize she was analyzing them, but more that he understood quickly that it was a mask. She reminded him of Marc and Jake really, and similar to them, it was just a matter of being open enough that the other person felt comfortable taking of their mask too. I think they'd get along pretty well honestly, almost a grumpy+sunshine dynamic similar to him and his alters. They don't fight very similarly though, so while they get along, there's a lot more communication happening between them to try and fight better together.
Jake: Would also tell immediately that she was trying to analyze them upon first meeting, and I think that might actually trigger him to front when they first meet. She also reminded him of their mother, and Jake would immediately start handing that same energy back to her. I could honestly see a scene where she's asking them questions, and Jake starts to front and responds to her questions with his own questions. However, I think this would result in a friendship to be honest haha! I think through analyzing each other they would figure out they're similar in a lot of ways, and Jake would end up trusting her a lot. He would know that she understood what it was to have secrets and to be constantly striving to be better than the person you were in the past, and he would understand her for the same reasons. I also think they would bond a bit over their protective natures, with how she's protective over Clint and Yelena, and how he protects Marc and Steven. Oh and they would 100000000% dance together. It's basically their version of sparring haha, and in battle in makes it so they barely have to talk in order to coordinate seamlessly together, which works perfectly for him because he doesn't have to be told what to do but he can still work well with her
Bruce Banner/The Hulk
Marc: He'd heard of the Hulk before, and wasn't really sure what to think of it. Some people said he was a good guy, some people said he was bad, overall Marc just kinda hoped he'd never be on his bad side. After meeting Bruce he found that he wasn't afraid of the Hulk at all when he transformed. Cautious of course, but not afraid. He liked Bruce, he kind of reminded him of Steven in his awkwardness and nerdy ramblings. He wasn't exactly close with either Bruce or the Hulk, but they gained a mutual trust
Steven: Steven was very interested in Bruce and the Hulk ever since he'd first heard about them, and at first thought it might've been a weird, magical, or mutated version of DID. Obviously he quickly found out that wasn't the case at all, but he was still very interested in the duality of Bruce and The Other Guy and he ended up having long talks with Bruce about it when they met. I think if they'd met back then, Steven might've been able to help Bruce a lot when he was trying to figure out how to find a balance between himself and the hulk, help him figure out how to merge the best of both worlds. Steven's interactions with Hulk weren't as amicable in the beginning though, because Hulk viewed him mainly as "Banner's Friend", but Steven was still kind to him, so eventually The Hulk grew to like him too
Jake: Jake thought the Hulk was really cool honestly, but he could understand why Bruce didn't like it, because he understood the frustrating feeling of switching when you didn't want to, losing control when things got too emotional. However he didn't really voice how he related to Bruce until much further into their friendship. He still liked Bruce a lot though, for the same reason Marc did, he reminded him of Steven. He likely gets along with The Hulk a bit more though, because of he enthusiastically encouraging he is of the Hulk. He's considered the Hulk's friend, and he fights well alongside him. Overall I also think the Hulk likes the MK system because he understands that they switch similarly to how he and Bruce do, and may actually think about them working together so well when Bruce proposes the idea of them merging and working together better.
BONUS
Loki Laufeyson
(this one I actually already have a fanfic for, which is why there's a link, though it's set in a sort of AU where the Mind Stone hypnotized Loki and made him more violent and evil than he actually is. Here I'll talk about a more canon-ish reaction)
Marc: Obviously, none of the MK boys are gonna like this guy initially. The man sent an alien army to earth, he's not made a good first impression. Getting to know him over time is where things begin to change. When Marc starts to figure out that his swagger and menacing personality is more of a persona than how he actually is, he starts to kind of connect the dots and figure out that this guy may have been manipulated in some way, and may be going through things similar to what Marc went through when he was a mercenary. However he doesn't dig much into it, because he really doesn't love the idea that he might relate to a guy who tried to take over the entire earth (similar to how he doesn't want to relate to Tony either).
Steven: Steven would again, not be a fan of Loki, but unlike the other two, he would be the one actively looking for any sort of redeeming quality in him. Steven would be the one to find out about Loki's father, and how poorly he was treated, and would be able to communicate that to Jake and Marc. He would be the gentlest with Loki, and would likely be able to see through Loki's mask much easier than Marc or Jake would. Whether this would result in a friendship is harder to say though. He would be happy to talk to Loki about his problems, but I can't see him easily finding something to connect with him about. Maybe through magic, and Loki talking about spells and things he knows, similar to how Steven bonds with Thor.
Jake: Again, not a fan at first, but that changes over time. Unlike Marc, Jake would likely trust Steven's ideas about Loki, and how he may not be as horrible as he seems, or at least, he may have been manipulated into being what he is now. Jake I think would be able to talk to Loki and create a stronger friendship with him than the other two, being the people person he is. He wouldn't be able to easily talk about the trauma-related stuff, that's more Steven's expertise, but he would be able to see what Steven does eventually, and realize Loki isn't so different. He'd be able to analyze him similarly to how he did with Natasha, and while he won't talk to Loki about what he realizes, his opinions will still change, and he'll see him in a different light.
If you made it this far, thank you for reading! Lemme know if you want to hear about the MK boys (or Layla???) reacting to more heroes! Again, if you make anything based of of these ideas, definitely tag me, I wanna see what you made!!
Marc's entire existence has been about camouflaging. Being unseen and unheard. It helped him survive his childhood. It helped him hide from Steven. That's why he has such plain clothes, and so few possessions.
I made myself sad again. 😭
(in ref to these^^^ tags of mine)
You're absolutely right. I've talked his special interests/hyperfixations and I think after Randall's death especially he makes himself and his interests smaller, less distinguishable. If you don't wear the t-shirt for the thing you love, his mother no one will pick it out as something to belittle you over. If you don't take up space, if you don't take up attention...
Space, Star Wars, things considered nerdy and odd to have more than a passing appreciation for? Those go on the back-burner. But the Cubs? Sports are a more socially acceptable thing to get excessively excited about. So. Growing up, having Cubs merch, rooting for them, that can be just as much fitting in as the neutral clothes, the neutral existence.
And as he gets older, he doesn't really get to have interests. Those are for Steven. Steven gets to love things without as much guilt over it, so Marc let's him have it all. Marc doesn't deserve it, Steven does.
In the military, individuality is stomped out in favor of uniformity. And I think there was a lot of appeal to Marc about that. Not being an individual, but part of something bigger than himself. It's easy blending in when everything you're given to wear, to do, to say, to fight for, is the same as the guy next to you.
And then we see in the storage locker, it's neat, it's sparse, it's presumably all utility and necessities. Marc's been living like that since before going into the military, I'm willing to bet. His childhood bedroom's things were surely Steven's to him, I do not doubt.
I think he had the start of his own things when he was living with Layla, in their place, even though they did a lot of traveling on their adventures, but he'd likely still consider them Layla's. When he disappeared on her I don't think he took anything that they bought together, things Layla would have considered his.
Now, after the events in Cairo, I want to see Marc allow himself things, to take up space. Steven considers his food preferences when grocery shopping, a shelf for Marc to fill with whatever he wants, his own drawer(s) and section of the closet. Steven realizes it's easier for Marc to have his own space than to have his things mixed in with Steven's; Marc feels like he's intruding on Steven's life and space regardless of how much Steven assures him he isn't.
Marc has his Cubs hat, and I think he has a worn-out comfort t-shirt with the Cubs logo that he'd wear just to sleep sometimes (if he managed to change out of his clothes before crashing in the first place). I think Steven notes this and gets him some kind of Cubs merch, a jersey, and Marc has to do everything he can to not cry, wishing he could hug Steven like he could back in the Duat. He doesn't wear it for a while, fearful of messing it up, but also of standing out. Of making a statement. They are in London after all.
Steven buys a space themed shirt (with Layla’s assistance), not a patterned button up like his normal style, but a fitted t-shirt like Marc's. He says it's for both of them, and he wears it on days he feels Marc is close to the front with him, and eventually, Marc accepts it as his. Steven expresses interest in watching Star Wars and he feels Marc's surge of energy at it, and he smiles to himself. Marc eats up the new Star Wars content he’s missed out on, and Layla gets them copies of the original trilogy's dvd's (original edition, which blows Marc away) to play over and over. It's one of the first things on Marc's shelf.
Steven gives Marc the opportunity to take up space, and to do so unapologetically. And it takes time, and subtle encouragement, but he does. He finally wears his Cubs jersey out one day, and he gets complimented on it. He sputters and his face heats up, his hand going to the back of his neck and his hair, but he accepts it, and next thing he knows, he's talking baseball with a Londoner from Chicago, and he's talking stats, players, what the World Series win was like, and Marc doesn't even notice the way he's rambling for a while. He apologizes, but the Chicago Londoner assures him not to worry about it, that they love hearing about it from someone who knows what they're talking about. Reminds them of home, and that they're thankful to hear about it. They invite him to coffee, and Steven finally speaks up in the back of his mind to say they should, and they do. They talk Chicago, they talk the Cubs, the Bears, the best restaurants, the "fucking Bean" and it's the first time Marc has connected with a stranger in god knows how long. Years.
They give him their phone number, and, surprising himself, Marc gives them his. They don’t keep in touch much, but when baseball season rolls around, Marc receives a message from them, and soon he has someone to complain or get excited with after every game. Marc takes up space and he makes a friend. And it’s nice. It’s so nice.
He’s missed out on a lot in life. But. He’s working on it. They’re working on it.
