A Fennec Fox's autonomy (Kitsunami the Fennec analysis, kinda)
You can consider this somewhat to be a follow up to this previous post of mine. (Give it a read). This one I just winged it.
This is Kitsunami the Fennec (Kit from now on). He was brainwashed to serve and support Surge the Tenrec and do anything for her.
Kitsunami is an orderly person, he likes to follow plans that others lay out for him or preform whatever task his superiors give to him. Here is an example.
Enter the base and get to the tower, simple. Despite being brainwashed to follow her orders and support her, Kit displays a bit of autonomy. Visible distressment from Surge going off on her own from Kit's directions on how to execute Starline's orders. He even tries his best to detour back onto the plan.
So he clearly hates it when plans and strategies don't work out. Despite this, he has an.... eager reaction towards being asked for help.
Already wanting to be given new orders and tasks whenever possible.
So, they come up with a plan.
uh...
.....It failed.
Kit's plan failed and the worst interpretive realization rears its head when he's told by Sonic what happened in Issue #53.
Surge is Dead.......
.......and it's his fault.
If he didn't let his guard down around Tails, if he just killed him. If he just tried to help Surge, if he just let her kill Dr. Starline when he was unconscious. "Maybe she wouldn't have died because of me"
Throughout Issues #52-54, Kit is stuck with Sonic and co. after being separated from Surge.
Despite being the person that Surge wanted to kill, Kit complies with them. It doesn't matter whose orders he's following, Kit is willing to following authorative individuals such as Sonic, Surge or Dr. Starline (at first). He helps them escape from Metal Sonic and the next day rolls.
Kit is much more nervous and awaits whatever orders the team gives him, even unpromptly having supplies to help Sonic with his leg. He.... gets shot down and asked to put away the tools... Sounding estatic. After this was the "Surge death" confession from Sonic.
Having lost Surge, Kitsunami falls unconscious then awakes to the news of a mystery attacker in the city.
Kit decides (On his own) to go help Sonic, spelling out in plain detail. Kit likes helping people, he likes being given orders, he likes being USEFUL to people. He gives him PURPOSE. And he hates being Worthless and Failing above all else.
So he finds out Surge is alive and that Sonic lied to him (Tails too but he tricked him throughout their fight to get Kit's guard down).
Here is where Kitsunami's character permanently changes around anyone NOT named Surge. Throughout the rest of IDW, Kit is much colder and sharp to people with an irritated glare.
I noted before how Kit liked to follow the orders of authorative figures regardless of who they were and how useful they made him feel.
This speech in Issue #56 is Kitsunami's defining moment. Everything he does here was done on his own. Nobody told him to save Surge, nobody told him to escape, nobody told him to bury them all in water. Nobody is telling him to stay with Surge, he already was just fine without her for a full 24 hours.
He's done. He doesn't want to be used anymore He wants to be with Surge not because he was told to but because he cares about her after all they went through. >But the programming- You mean the Hypnosis? The suggesstive thoughts?" The ones that both Surge and Kit have shown not be as beholden to them as displayed throughout the Imposter Syndrome mini-series? (#67 is also a great example of Surge resisting the Hypnotism).
Kit has of course shown himself to still follow plans but the context behind these are different from the ones in Imposter Syndrome.
He follows the plan / orders of others all for the benefit of Surge. And the moment they don't, he turns against them (seen with Clurch).
Clutch has information on their pasts in exchange to infiltrate the Restoration HQ (oh and get revenge on Sonic and Tails).
It's fairly obvious why he followed this plan.
- His autonomy has been addressed with a renew stance in helping Surge.
Now... Surge and Kit have currently decided to become "Heroes"! :D.....
"I remain useful to her"
.......Even after all you went through, you're still afraid of messing up, still afraid that she'll leave you? That she only keeps you around because you're useful? That she loves you for how useful you are? That you can only feel good by being useful?
He has messed up plenty of times before. Was it brainwashed into him or was it born from his failures?
Heck, maybe he was always like this, always wanting to feel like he has a purpose to someone even pre-Starline. And Starline just gave him the partner he always desired... like a code of honor.
Both of them hate liars and being lied to. Whether at a desire to keep things as real as possible / make it feel "earned" in Surge's eyes or something. This won't end well for either of them.
Ian flynn and Evan Stanley (our two writers) both differ in how they write S&K by quite a bit. Something to keep in mind.
Do you wonder if he isn't just saying sorry for leaving her or not coming back sooner? But also if he's saying sorry for "killing" her? For failing to do his job. for having the plan backfire. For being indirectly the cause of her pain throughout this arc?
I'm done, sorry for wasting your time.
