Okay I tag waffled about this on this gifset I made but I’m having Increased Feelings/thoughts about the Molly/Caleb scene so like I’m just going to cry some more here, but it’s going to be like, a weird smush of meta and headcanons.
-So I’m pretty sure Molly has some personal experience with PTSD/triggers.
Taliesin all but confirmed he had amnesia in that last Talks episode (because, apart from anything, no-one, regardless of their personal moral philosophy, is absolutely unaffected by their past).
We know that he was nonverbal when he first arrived at the carnival which I’m thinking didn’t happen because of something pleasant.
Also that little throwaway comment about how he remembers all of his dreams was….not a throwaway comment. *places tinfoil hat on* EVERYTHING IS IMPORTANT.
But yeah, the way he deals with Caleb is the most telling. The first thing he does is remove the fire trigger (which means he was watching Caleb in the battle and saw what set him off) but as soon as the battle ends that’s what he does. Then he refocuses Caleb (I’m not sure if I’d recommend slapping folks having an episode but you know), then he asks if he’s alright, he waits for an answer. Then he just gives Caleb a little reassuring kiss on the forehead and then he leaves him and doesn’t stand over him fussing or pitying him.
He checks in with other folks, like Nott, and then he and Beau help Caleb out. But something I think is important is that he never tells Caleb to pull himself together/get over it/stop reacting he just says ‘Later’. They still have things to do now. They have people to help. They have to get home. They could still be in danger. He can’t do this now. But later he can.
And that line more than anything sounds like the voice of experience. It sounds like someone who’s been there, who has experience with these kinds of episodes, these kinds of triggers, and has learned how to deal with them to some extent. And we’ve actually seen this before with Molly. The battle of Alfield freaked him out big time, but he waits until everything is quiet, they’re somewhere safe, the fighting is done, and he’s got a drink in his hand before he lets himself break.
TL;DR: I think Molly just became the group’s battle-scarred ‘been there, seen that’ PTSD veteran and has in turn appointed himself their collective therapist. Prayer circle now for their mental health in the future.
(Also possible further tin foil crackpot theories to come because this sparked some musing and half-cooked thoughts on his background which I may or may not hit y’all with in the future depending on if tomorrow!brain still thinks it’s a good theory)
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