in unrivaled i want to see hayden pike get stuck on the slippery slope of Not Knowing Where the Line is. because hayden is someone who’s always navigated the world unaware of the Consequences.
he’s straight, white, neurotypical(or at least navigates the world as one), conveniently attractive, good at his sport, rich, and he got married young and had kids with a conventionally attractive wife.
with Shane in Ottawa, hayden loses his Visible reminder of how bad the other guys in his locker room are. Montreal has one of the worst locker room cultures in the east (that we see) and Shane was affected deeply by that (cptsd?). but now he’s gone and with him, an in-your-face reminder that Other people exist and are Affected by your words. Hayden has been a part of the same room as long as Shane without any of the same experiences (see above paragraph) and i need to see that explored especially now that Shane is gone. (and happier!)
hayden already completely disregards how both Shane and Ilya feel (or potentially feel) about his words against their relationship, which are ignorant and ‘im being a good best friend by hating his partner on his behalf’ at best and biphobic/homophobic at worst.
he’s the reason Shane was terrified to come out to anyone else because instead of correcting his initial reaction (like the hollander parents) he doubles down. he doesn’t really face social consequences for how he acts. (it pisses me off that when he shows up to tell them about the Video, they comfort him???? are you kidding me??? he begs forgiveness and them pays no penance, even in his own head?? but i digress)
I want the distance to make him unintentionally lean into the toxic culture he’s always been around, and to actually be held accountable. (preferably by Shane, who finally wises up and gives him an ultimatum) (redemption optional, but likely, i just need it to actually be done and done well. stop letting him off the hook for his stupid shit, intentional or not)
