What are your thoughts about Ray?
I think Ray, despite his brovo and the show he puts on for everyone, including himself, is just the way he masks his insecurities.
That's heavily hinted at in the show, and as a character, he's written so well, but nickelodeon lacks the ability to execute his character development and angst to the fullest potential making him appear shallow rather then deeply depressed.
I think there's also a deep internalized emptiness he tries to fill. He's been training his whole childhood to be this one thing, and he's it. He became the hero he was supposed to be, so why does he feel like such a failure- Why is it not enough?
The only thing that shuts up the nagging insecurities is his own voice of praise and the attention of others. He'll constantly consume them as if they could fill the hole inside his soul.
So, oftentimes, he projects this twisted toxic masculinity that delutes in his decisions. Which, when matched with his messed up sense of morality, can be reckless.
He's been indestructible since he was eight, he's lost that primal sense of danger, and he has to manually remind himself of every risk.
This is why I think he unintentionally puts Henry in danger sometimes. Ray probably hates himself for it every time he sees his sidekick narrowly escape a trap he fails to see, or feels a sinking guilt every time he watches Henry bleed in a way Ray can't.
It happens more often than he'd like, but everytime he's filled with that gnawing dread, that sinking reminder that he's more like his irresponsible scientist dad than he'd like to be.
This time, he's the one hurting a kid for the sake of heroism... but Ray can't let him go, or his dorky friends. They're the closest he's ever felt to having a family. Being with them heals something inside, something he didn't know was broken.