How exactly did Zoe end up in Andre Bourgeois’s care, considering she’s not his biological daughter? A divorce settlement between Audrey and “Dre-Dre” would theoretically favor the former’s parental rights based on parentage. Then again, Audrey never accepted Zoe, and she seems more interested in furthering Noe’s work as the new Diamond.
This is presumably Zoe’s first encounter with Ray in Paris, so this episode precedes “Daddycop” in chronology. The episode order numbers mean nothing anymore.
The French titles call this episode as “Couchorak” rather than “Grendiaper”. As I noted in my “Werepapas” analysis, the episodes outside of Season 5 are usually named after the entity that causes the main conflict, not necessarily the same as the akumatized villain Ladybug and Chat Noir end up fighting. Zoe’s alternate form isn’t explicitly named, but anglophone viewers can't be blamed for spotting the similarity of the word to “cockroach”.
Chloe’s in London now, but she insists on taking time out of her new life in London to diss Sabrina on main. Get Chloe to talk honestly (good luck with that), and you’d probably find Chloe misses her best frenemy, the one person who never let her down. And just like before, Marinette acts as the counterbalance, supporting the people Chloe tries to tear down. Proof of concept: Juleka is among those who follow Marinette’s lead in taking selfies with Sabrina. Juleka, who once thought every attempt to photograph her was cursed, and who became Reflekta due to one of Chloe’s pranks.
Ray and his entourage pick up right where Chloe left off. It’s even worse because Sabrina acted on Chloe’s orders reluctantly, but Nelson and Loic are solidly behind Ray and probably would become bullies all on their own without Ray’s influence. Ray even has a rich, sadistic parent who encourages his bad behavior. I’ve seen people joke about Chloe and Ray being related, but I’m starting to believe them.
As shown in “Daddycop”, Ray has something on Zoe, and on his cellphone. A theory: when Zoe was introduced in “Sole Crusher”, she confided to Andre that back at her boarding school in New York, she was always “acting” to fit in with other cliques, and it backfired so hard she had to leave school. Ray has video clips of her acting the fool, literally, including a few incidents of bullying that would do her mother proud. Zoe is terrified about people thinking she’s no better than Chloe, because there was a time she wasn’t.
Monsieur Astruc loves punny names. If Ray’s father is Monsieur Pugnant (misspelled as “Punya” in the .to subtitles), that makes him… Ray Pugnant!
While consoling Zoe, Marinette neatly outlines the ideal response to bullying, whatever form it takes: watch for the warning signs, join together with other people to stand up to the offenders, set a good example with one’s own behavior, and affirm people’s intrinsic value apart from what anyone else does or says about them. Note carefully the word “ideal”. Consistent exposure to other people’s unpunished nastiness can make people forget there are good people in the world. It can drive you to seek retribution against the people who harmed you or whoever you decide are “the bad people” who need punishment.
Maybe now that Mayor Bustier’s done renovating its schools and green spaces, perhaps she can coordinate retraining of its transportation personnel? I bet this bus driver plays poker with the ticket inspector from “Qilin”.
Remember how Adrien created the Catwalker purrsona in “Kuro Neko” simply by imagining a different personality for his alter ego? That’s how Zoe unlocked the cockroach. But this persona is grounded in corrupted energy, full of anger and the desire for vengeance.
I can hear the “salt takes” from this show’s hate-watchers already: how is what Zoe does that much different from what she does as Vesperia, or what any of the Miraculers do? The rules Ladybug set explicitly allow a Miraculer to act independently as long as the situation doesn’t involve an akumatized villain, right? Marinette explains that while the Miraculers have “a right and duty to act,” they do not have the ability or the moral authority to force people into good behavior. Their power is “the power of defense.” The actions of the Miraculers may be inherently reactive, true. But consider what happened when Zoe acted out of retaliation, disproportionately punishing and even endangering people she thought “deserved” it. And in Sam’s case, it backfired and made him into an even bigger problem than he was before. Zoe doesn’t make the best argument for “proactive” force.
It's hard for me to believe Loic is really 18, considering he’s even shorter than some of his 14-year-old classmates. Also, there’s no trusting anything he says. What little information I’ve been able to find on grade retention in France suggests that if Loic really were 18 and he hadn’t been able to pass the Baccalauréat (the rough equivalent of a high school diploma in France), he’d risk being kicked out of school.
Can you blame me for thinking Grendiaper was August from “Gigantitan” at first? This episode already brought back Mr. Damocles and XY, so why not him too? Speaking of callbacks, you get no points for recognizing Sam’s little sister as Maya, a.k.a. Illustrhater and also featured in “Revelator”.
Please note that neither of the Lucky Charms summoned directly helped defeat Grendiaper. “Messenger” objects are nothing new to the series, but I don’t recall seeing two in one episode.
“Humiliation and harassment have nothing to do with justice”? Say it louder for the people across the pond, because that’s who you wanted to hear it.
And maybe the worst thing about what Zoe is doing? No one learns anything from it. Sam doesn’t get that he needs to be more tolerant of his sisters; he’s still focused on getting back at whoever humiliated him. Ray, Nelson, and Loic are still messing with people in “Sleeping Syren”, and Zoe is still jumping people she considers a problem. Homegirl is one nosehair away from becoming the bully she probably was in NYC, or at least following the family tradition. Marinette’s on record as considering revocation of Miraculer status for bad conduct, and if she finds out about Zoe’s alter alter ego, she might damn well do it!
Between Anansi's new job and Officer Roger doing his, we close with two representations of defensive power that derives from duly authorized, responsibly enforced authority, just like the kind practiced and advocated by Ladybug and Chat Noir... a reminder that you don't always need to go rogue to secure peace and justice in this world.
Adrien Agreste and Borderline Personality Disorder
DISCLAIMER: I've been a bit low on spoons this week, so I haven't gathered as much evidence as I probably could have. Also, I am but a humble student in clinical psychology. This is mainly a thought compilation for @moonieratty!
To introduce the topic, without going into it too much, personality is described by features and behavioral patterns, or traits, consistent across situations and across time. Personality disorders are therefore enduring patterns of highly maladaptive traits evaluated in personal and sociocultural context (Dozois, 2019, p. 290).
Like other disorders, personality disorders have diagnostic criteria. The DSM is used primarily for diagnosis in the US and Canada while the ICD is used more widely in Europe and other places. I'm more familiar with the DSM, but I've included a brief section on the ICD to be comprehensive. It ended up a bit longer than anticipated, so let's go below the cut. Warning for discussions of abuse, self harm, and suicide, and a brief mention of substance use.
Overview of Borderline Personality Disorder
BPD is prevalent in a small percentage of the population, about 1-2% by varying estimates, and is characterized by instability across domains of emotions, identity, interpersonal relationships, and behavior. Its onset is usually in late adolescence or early adulthood and symptoms may diminish with age, after one's thirties or forties, especially with therapeutic intervention. Along with ASPD, it has been the focus of a lot of clinical research; it is unfortunately associated with high rates of non-suicidal self-injury and suicide (APA, 2022, pp. 754–755; Dozois, 2019, pp. 308–309).
Etiological factors for BPD include both biological and environmental disturbances. Of note to our discussion is the heightened risk for BPD in cases of child abuse or neglect, as well as growing up with another family member with a serious mental health condition (NHS, 2022). It's been well established that Gabriel is emotionally neglectful if not outright abusive toward Adrien in multiple ways, so this is a clear risk factor. In addition, although I won't argue definitively for Gabriel having a psychological condition, he did keep Emilie's body in the basement, so there is clearly some kind of disturbance going on.
From a cognitive-behavioral perspective, Linehan argues that BPD stems from families who consistently invalidate childhood emotional experiences and "oversimplify the ease with which life's problems can be solved," which may cause children to learn to seek attention and communicate with others through emotional outbursts (Dozois, 2019, p. 297). This rings true for Adrien and Gabriel as well.
I have to apologize for my son, Ladybug, he's like his mother. Way too overly dramatic. (Jackady)
It doesn't seem like this is the first time Gabriel has thought this, and labeling an emotional reaction as being overly dramatic is very much invalidation of it. As for emotional outbursts, Adrien has had quite a few, mostly as Chat Noir. More on this later.
To round out this first section, attachment theory proposes a connection between poor parent-child attachments and BPD relationship difficulties. Specifically, maladaptive behavior in relationships may stem from childhood development of an anxious-ambivalent attachment style, where intense fears of abandonment interfere with a strong desire for intimacy (Dozois, 2019, p. 310). You can clearly see this in Chat Noir's relationship with Ladybug, and I'm sure other people have discussed Adrien's attachment style more in depth, but suffice to say I think this is an apt description.
Argument from DSM-5-TR
In the DSM, personality disorders are primarily diagnosed on a categorical model. There are a few general criteria which I won't be going into, but I will highlight that personality disorders are stable and pervasive, and would be diagnosed only if they were leading to significant distress or dysfunction. Adrien's mental state is not great, so the latter shouldn't be a problem, but this show does not always pay attention to consistency, so I'm going to be speculating some. Everything in this section is cited to the relevant DSM entry unless otherwise stated.
The DSM characterizes BPD with instability in relationships, self image, and affects, as well as marked impulsivity. It has no exclusion criteria, so BPD can be and frequently is comorbid with other disorders like mood disorders, PTSD, and ADHD. Of the below criteria, five need to be met in order for a diagnosis to be made.
Frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment
Hey, where're you going? . . . So you're allowed to know her true identity, but I'm not? (Syren)
You're not really replacing me with a turtle, are you? (Anansi)
A lot of people have delved into Adrien's abandonment issues, which feature most prominently in his relationship with Ladybug. His fears of being replaced result in him seeking reassurance from Ladybug, and he can lash out if he does not receive the response he hopes for. Ladybug is his world, and he wants to be hers, so anything infringing on that feels to him like a threat of being abandoned, and he does not like it very much.
Impulsive behaviors like giving up his ring can be interpreted under this lens: he can avoid abandonment by doing the abandoning first. Then it will be him leaving, and not the other way around.
I also interpret Adrien's nightmare (Le Marchand de Sable) as being a fear of being alone as much as it is a fear of being trapped.
Unstable and intense interpersonal relationships alternating between extremes of idealization and devaluation
We'll be united, more powerful and free. We'll defeat Hawk Moth, then we can both run away to an island! Far away from everything. We will live off nothing but fruits, and we will have a little pet hamster and we will name it— (Le Patineur)
I just can't do this anymore. I give up… on everything. Even you . . . If I become Chat Noir again, Ladybug will just end up rejecting me, over and over. (Kuro Neko)
Even though Adrien mostly keeps his head on straight regarding what he's owed and not owed by other people, his relationship with Ladybug is full of highs and lows. He thinks Ladybug is the most amazing girl, but this can recoil quickly into feeling as though Ladybug doesn't care about him enough or isn't meeting his needs.
Furthermore, he developed this idealization of Ladybug as a potential lover or caregiver at one of their first meetings (Cœur de Pierre), and continually sought to spend time together and share the intimate details of their secret identities early on. These are all common to individuals with BPD, as is the switch from idealization to feeling as if the other person "does not care enough, does not give enough, or is not 'there' enough." Ladybug is the only person Adrien consistently projects this instability and intensity on, which might be something interesting to explore.
Identity disturbance: unstable self image or sense of self
When I was a kid, I always wanted to be what my parents wanted me to be! (Exauceur)
But, does that mean Chat Noir is who I really am? Deep down inside? (Kuro Neko)
With all the secret identities, it isn't surprising that Adrien fits this criterion, but canon even explicitly draws a link between Adrien's unstable sense of self and his childhood experiences. He doesn't know who he is, and he distracts from this by being Chat Noir, only to struggle even more when he feels useless and underlooked as his hero self. His behavior shifts dramatically between trying to prove himself with grand gestures and refusing to participate or lashing out. There is definitely something to discuss on this front.
Impulsivity in at least two potentially self-damaging areas
Giving you some extra time . . . I trust you to bring me back, m'lady. (Gamer 2.0)
There are only two liars left in Paris and one of them knows the ultimate way to catch her attention . . . Crazy about you, m'lady. (Mensonge)
This is walking a thin line between impulsivity and suicidal behavior, which would be excluded from this criterion, but I'll list self sacrifice here because I can see an argument for Chat Noir's impulsive behaviors being out of love or the desire to be useful. There may still be some self injurious intent or euphoria, but Chat Noir does have faith in Ladybug to bring him back eventually. Nevertheless, this is impulsive and unhealthy. Chat Noir jumps too quickly to this option to have thought it through.
I can't think of another area, because Adrien isn't old enough for reckless driving, spending, substance use, or sex. This is also a kids' show. Just presenting these options for fanfiction writers out there.
Recurrent suicidal or self mutilating behavior, gestures, or threats
I... I don't know what to do! (Chat Blanc)
This is all our fault . . . Cataclysm. (Culpabysse)
By itself, what happened in Chat Blanc would not be solid evidence, as that was an unprecedentedly traumatic situation. Combined with Culpabysse, though, there is a strong case to be made for at least passive suicidality for this to be able to come up as an option.
You could also interpret the self sacrifice in this category. Suicidal behavior in individuals with BPD is often preempted by fears of rejection or abandonment, so an interesting analysis could be made on this front.
Affective instability due to marked reactivity of mood
He's still only thinking of himself! I just want this terrible day to be over and done with! I hate Christmas! (Pire Noël)
Sorry! Sorry! I didn't mean to make you so mad. I get it. You're sick of me . . . No one can help me, Kagami. (Glaciator 2)
Adrien's prolonged episodes of anger and despair reflect a high reactivity to emotional stressors, especially interpersonal ones. In general, he just doesn't feel very well unless something is actively bringing him joy. Most of his outbursts are brief, though, and I will discuss them as part of a later criterion.
Chronic feelings of emptiness
I'm not Adrien, so I wouldn't know if this is the case, but I can say he has experienced at least one depressive episode (Kuro Neko) and emptiness would not be unfamiliar. You can look at him and decide.
Inappropriate, intense anger or difficulty controlling anger
How was your amazing evening with your "friends"? . . . What do you think? (Glaciator)
Why not? No one'll know if I quit. No one'll care! (Syren)
A two-person plan?! There's only one two-person plan, and that's Ladybug and me! (Sentibulleur)
Give me a break, Miss "I can't even come up with a superhero name"! (Hack-San)
Anger in individuals with BPD can manifest as bitterness, sarcasm, or recurrent verbal outbursts, which Chat Noir absolutely exemplifies. These outbursts are often followed by feelings of shame or guilt and contribute to a feeling of being bad. Chat Noir apologizes after being harsh in Glaciator, and I wouldn't be surprised if he felt badly about the other times. Again, these outbursts are often precipitated by interpersonal fears and perceived threats of abandonment. Unlike other symptoms, this specific one tends to be unique to BPD.
Transient, stress-related paranoid ideation or severe dissociation
I cannot recall any evidence for this but headcanon away, my friends.
All in all, I think Adrien has a strong case for BPD presentation according to the DSM. Canon is not always consistent, but I think it presents an interesting and mostly coherent narrative for this lens. From this perspective, Adrien's behavior reflects a deep intolerance of being alone and a dependence on other people to define the self.
As a corollary, BPD behavioral patterns are frequently linked to self sabotage and self undermining right when a goal is about to be realized, which could manifest as dropping out of school right before graduating or ending a relationship when it seems to be going well. Food for thought. Individuals with BPD may also feel more secure with transitional objects like pets than with interpersonal relationships, which could reflect in Adrien's relationship with Plagg.
To add some subjective understanding to this clinical mumbo jumbo, I've added a source of genuine BPD experiences below (Mind, 2022).
Argument from ICD-11
With the release of the ICD-11, a dimensional model for diagnosis of personality disorders became the new standard. What this means is that individuals are no longer labeled as having 'histrionic' or 'dependent' or, indeed, 'borderline' personality disorders, but are rather assessed as having any form of personality disorder on a sliding scale of severity and with trait domain specifiers (Swales, 2022). To put it more simply, people are diagnosed only with a general personality disorder or personality difficulty which can be optionally specified as deviating on one of the personality traits in the Big Five model, which is well established in personality psychology.
This move has several benefits. Stigmatization related to particular personality disorders can be reduced, and differential diagnosis and comorbidity between personality disorders becomes irrelevant. However, people retain access to treatment and support. Evidence-based treatments like dialectical behavior therapy are particularly well established and crucial for BPD; for this pragmatic purpose, the ICD contains one additional specifier for borderline pattern personality disorder (Bach et al., 2022; Swales, 2022).
The DSM and ICD are designed to be compatible with each other in many ways, and in this case, the borderline specifier in the ICD is directly lifted from the criterion of the DSM (WHO, 2023, 6D11.5). Based on our previous discussion, Adrien would be equally qualified for a diagnosis in France. I would likely describe his personality disorder with moderate severity, where multiple areas of functioning are affected and self harming behaviors may be present, but not all areas or relationships may be equally impacted and traits are not as rigid and inflexible (WHO, 2023, 6D10.0–6D10.2).
Interestingly, the ICD includes three additional manifestations of borderline pattern which are optional and may vary across time (WHO, 2023, 6D11.5).
A view of the self as inadequate, bad, guilty, disgusting, and contemptible
An experience of the self as profoundly different and isolated from other people; a painful sense of alienation and pervasive loneliness
Proneness to rejection hypersensitivity; problems in establishing and maintaining appropriate levels of trust in relationships; frequent misinterpretation of social signals
I'm fascinated by the number of adjectives in here. I simplified very slightly, as I did with the DSM criteria, but I had to keep all these adjectives. Anyway, I won't elaborate for too many more paragraphs, so let's say sentimonster moment and leave it at that. I will spare you my mirrored Félix essay. For now.
Qualifications and Limitations
First of all, Adrien is a teenager. The distinguishing factor between a personality disorder and regular adolescent difficulties would be longevity and identity concerns beyond his developmental phase (APA, 2022, p. 758). Second of all, Adrien has a uniquely terrible home life and magical problems. Some of his behaviors could be normal considering his experiences and sociocultural context, and this matters when it comes to psychological evaluation. Take everything with a grain of salt!
More generally, the categorical model of the DSM has several issues, not to mention diagnostic issues related to culture, gender, and stigma. Some but not all of these issues are addressed by the dimensional model it includes in a later section, which shares theoretical foundations with the model of personality disorders in the ICD. Even so, issues remain. Diagnosis, access to treatment, and political statements are intrinsically linked in complex ways. I won't get into all of the nuances, but be safe, remember this is a fictional character, and keep an open mind.
REFERENCES:
American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., text rev.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787
Bach, B., Kramer, U., Doering, S., di Giacomo, E., Hutsebaut, J., Kaera, A., De Panfilis, C., Schmahl, C., Swales, M., Taubner, S., & Renneberg, B. (2022). The ICD-11 classification of personality disorders: A European perspective on challenges and opportunities. Borderline Personality Disorder and Emotion Dysregulation, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40479-022-00182-0
Dozois, D. J. A. (2019). Abnormal psychology: Perspectives (6th ed.). Pearson.
Mind. (2022, September). What does BPD feel like? https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/borderline-personality-disorder-bpd/experiences-of-bpd/
National Health Service. (2022, November 4). Causes - Borderline personality disorder. https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/borderline-personality-disorder/causes/
Swales, M. A. (2022). Personality disorder diagnoses in ICD-11: Transforming conceptualisations and practice. Clinical Psychology in Europe, 4(Special Issue). https://doi.org/10.32872/cpe.9635
World Health Organization. (2023). International statistical classification of diseases and related health problems (11th ed.). https://icd.who.int/
