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I wanted to share this because it is a truly well researched MarkCU retrospective that was really enjoyable to watch! If you’re a newer fan who wants to understand the main Mark ego lore better, or an older fan who wants to relive it all, this video fully hits the mark (pun not intended)

#I’ve clicked off many mark ego retrospectives in my day for saying outright wrong things #but this creator got all the big points needed to understand the main story beats #markiplier egos #YouTube link #not my content #Youtube

Someone mentioned the fact that Boxman is technically K.O.'s stepdad in the comments section on my Boxman character analysis. I've been thinking about what impact that has and the handful of times the show itself addresses this. It's not something covered overtly, but it is worth discussing or unpacking beyond how funny it is in a vacuum.

Throughout the show itself, Boxman and Venomous are canonically business partners and their relationship is heavily coded as gay partners building and raising a blended family. The most overt nods are Raymond referring to PV as 'Step-Father,' Darrell mentioning that he sees Boxman and Venomous as father figures, and eventually, Boxman and PV wearing wedding rings in "Thank You for Watching the Show."

When Boxman first meets K.O., he straps him to an operating table with manacles and plays a more threatening villain than he really intends to be. It's kinda interesting looking at Boxman's first interaction with K.O. compared to the rest of the series.

Boxman built a family to love and support him unconditionally. There's the precedent that he invents evil robots to sell or act as minions, but he calls them his kids. He has no qualms about blurring the line between family and business. He controls them through fear, authoritarian rule, and manipulation. If they don't do exactly what he wants, he threatens to revoke his love and care. Whatever other interactions Boxman had in trying to make friends or build relationships shaped his life trajectory and goals as a villain.

I'm leapfrogging from someone's headcanon that stems from Boxman's very specific comment that "No one will want to play with you anymore." He thinks that K.O. sneaking into Boxmore and trying to take on Boxman himself equates to whatever thing he tried and was beat up or shunned over at some indeterminate point. Boxman honestly believes that whatever punishment he expects Rad and Enid to dole out trumps anything he could dream up. I'm scared to know what Boxman's home life or broken friendships looked like since he's baffled by how empathetic and understanding Rad and Enid are.

Boxman's collective experiences taught him that love is conditional, mistakes are excuses to treat someone else as an emotional punching bag, and no one is trustworthy. He needs full, uncontested control over everything, everyone, and his environment. Enter K.O.: a wide-eyed kid full of hope, eager to learn about others, and the worst part, an active desire to make friends.

Boxman develops a very specific, personalized grudge against K.O. Where the Plaza attacks started with the Bodega, there's something about K.O. in particular that hits a strong chord in Boxman's personal experiences. Maybe K.O.'s budding friendship with Rad and Enid was exactly what Boxman wanted, doesn't realize he wants or needs something like that, and chooses to channel his hatred and bitterness towards K.O. Arguably, K.O. has a very significant impact on the overall morale at the Plaza too. Rad and Enid become that much more open-minded, Mr. Gar's stoic facade loosens up, and countless other little touches or ripple effects that'd be difficult to pull together in a comprehensive list. Boxman recognizes K.O.'s potential and it scares him.

Setting the stage with this kind of dynamic helps paint how bizarre it is for Boxman to confide in K.O., Rad, and Enid in "Lord Cowboy Darrell." His world has been turned upside down. He took his position as Boxmore C.E.O. and center of his children's universe for granted. It's honestly difficult for him to understand why Darrell betrayed him, what revenge Darrell is seeking, and that Darrell's turnabout is a result of generational trauma. Darrell felt like he had to hold more power and influence than Boxman to feel heard or acknowledged. He wasn't necessarily wrong. The problem was that neither one was ready or equipped to have the substantial heart to heart they needed without an outside mediator or observer giving helpful advice.

So, Rad, Enid, and K.O. give Boxman advice that sticks. K.O.'s comment is the clincher. Honestly, there's such stinging irony to K.O. getting through to Boxman about stepping up as Darrell's dad. The biggest thing missing in K.O.'s life is his supposedly dead, absentee father. He's desperately seeking out someone to be a role model, an example of positive masculinity, emotional support, and the complement to what his mom is as a hero.

When K.O. comments that "You'll always be Darrell's father," there's an unspoken, for-granted expectation that Boxman will accept and fulfill the responsibility of that role. He'll do what it takes to be the man worthy of Darrell's love, affection, and respect. And Boxman does start working on that. He starts repairing his strained relationship with his kids and takes their needs more seriously. It's a slow burn, but him owning where he failed Darrell is a good start.

Where Boxman takes the Bodegamen's advice here, nothing changes his role as their major villain. Enter Professor Venomous as Boxman's partner. Boxman starts building a rapport with Fink as his immediate stepkid and new entry to the Boxmore family. He learns about K.O.'s bio-dad. Between the Voxmore merger and new, dramatic changes, he advises Venomous to 'take the reveal slowly.' Boxman anticipates just how much of a bombshell K.O. discovering who his father is and prefers something that could maintain the slow, steady Boxmore vs the Plaza battle. Ultimately, he wants to figure out how to incorporate Venomous but keep K.O. where he is.

Instead, Venomous plants him in a very tenuous, awkward position. Boxman has to adjust quickly. The key scene showcasing Boxman as his nemesis' freshly dubbed step-dad is the beginning of "Let's Get Shadowy." Where Carol is trying to respect her son's wishes and autonomy, Boxman steps in as the peacekeeper. He extends an olive branch to Carol, apologizing for Venomous' bombshell reveal and the weird aftermath. He tries to commiserate with her or establish that even if PV isn't reliable, Boxman is ready to act as a go-between or buffer. It's awkward. Boxman is rebuffed, but the fact he tried shows strength of character and maturity he didn't have previously.

Boxman's reaction to K.O.'s overnight bag reveals that...PV is doing a terrible job keeping his partner in the loop on this new arrangement. At the beginning of "Carl," Boxman sets up a sportsgame match with the Boxbots to help create a bonding opportunity for PV and K.O. The end of the episode is quietly devastating. Despite how much he bent over backwards to carve out a space for K.O., Boxman was bulldozed in favor of Venomous' selfish desires. Boxman is sitting there, starting to grieve the loss of his relationship and trying to figure out what to do next. Viewers see the nightmare rolling consequences when Boxman confronts and breaks up with Shadowy in "Dendy's Video Channel."

With how Boxman talks to Shadowy, he focuses on Venomous' shitty behavior and K.O. is rolled up as part of these accusations. Shadowy and T.K.O. are a package deal. Both of them need to leave. It's interesting to highlight that Boxman easily and readily made room or concessions for Fink. He's courteous to her on his way out too. K.O. was always a very shaky, tentative line. Regardless of Venomous making amends with Boxman, there's no real follow up to K.O. and Boxman.

Maybe they implicitly decided that since K.O. is no contact with Venomous outside of hero and villain spats, that extends to Boxman. It's probably a relief to return to status quo and keep a very rigid, defined hero and villain line in the sand.

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