I haven't posted any thoughts on the new episode because I was afraid.
If any of you have seen my react video (link is here: https://youtu.be/t38KiRcRfGc), once Patton tells Thomas, "You don't mean any of this. I'm your morality. I wouldn't be here if you did." I said quite instantaneously, "That doesn't sound like something Patton would say."
It sat with me wrong and it still does today. But I can't just over look this because I enjoy Patton as a character. There's a reason that hit me the wrong way and analyzing why and maybe realizing Patton took the wrong course of action doesn't mean I like him any less.
Patton has always had the most open, purist of hearts to me. He was emotional, sentimental, self sacrificing, and accepting of all. He proved that with Virgil. Even if he disagreed how Virgil did things, he would still go out of his way to say that Virgil was just doing things the way he knew. He accepted Virgil had a different way of seeing things and just moved on from it.
But when it comes to Deceit, he can't do that. And a lot of people will shout "That's because Deceit is a liar! That's because Deceit manipulates people!"
Sure, that's one perspective. But the other is also that Patton knows that Deceit is self preservation. He said it himself in Deceit's premiere episode "Can Lying Be Good?":
Self-preservation is defined as: the protection of oneself from harm or death, especially regarded as a basic instinct in human beings and animals.
That could mean that Deceit is both truths and lies. He helps based on how the situation affects Thomas' self preservation and self worth overall. He helps Thomas get what he truly wants, even if he doesn't know it.
A lot of people, including myself, said at the end of the video that we "agreed with Deceit" and that "Thomas should go to the callback" but those are two different things.
Deceit didn't care either way if Thomas went to the callback or to the wedding. He wanted Thomas to admit he wanted to go to the callback.
In my mind that leads me to believe that Deceit would've supported Thomas if he actually had wanted to go to the wedding and probably would've never said anything. But because Thomas was lying to himself he showed up to reveal that. If Deceit actually is self preservation, that means Deceit is looking out for Thomas's self worth here. Choosing his own needs (because a callback is an audition for a job in the grand scheme of things and a job is something Thomas needs to live and support himself) over his friends wants (because getting married is a want, not something needed) will help with his self-worth, especially if he wins the callback.
Overall, I just wanted to point this out. If you wanted Thomas to go to the callback and not the wedding, that means you were looking out for Thomas's self-worth and wanting him to succeed. If you wanted Thomas to go to the wedding, you were looking out for Thomas's connection to his friends. Neither one is wrong in this scenario.
Keep your mind open, and remember, just because a character you love or see a lot of yourself in has a moment that makes you feel uncomfortable doesn't make them toxic or wrong. But seeing a character's errors and mistakes and knowing those things are a chance for the character to grow is important. Don't just gloss over errors in your favorite characters. Take the time to adjust the lens and look through a different perspective. You might learn a lot that way.
