TRIGGER WARNING!!! This post contains talk of mental illnesses, child abuse, mentions of suicide and suicidal thoughts, and focuses on analyzing the possible illnesses that characters within The Seven Realms Series may have.
This analysis will be for the following character Hanson (Han, Cuffs, Hunts Alone) Alister
Possible Mental Illnesses and or Disorders:
Depression: Depression is a common disorder. It involves a person to be in a depressed mood and experience a loss of enjoyment or interest in activities over long periods of time. Depression can affect all parts of life including familial relationships, romantic relationships, and friendships. It can even cause problems at work and school. A depressive episode is different from a normal mood change and lasts for at least two weeks. Symptoms of depression include poor concentration, feelings of excessive guilt or low self-worth, hopelessness about the future, thoughts about dying or suicide, disrupted sleep, changes in appetite or weight, and feeling very tired or low in energy. A depressive episode can be categorized as mild, moderate, or severe depending on the severity of the symptoms someone is experiencing and the frequency at which they occur. People who have experienced unemployment, traumatic events, or losing someone are more likely to develop depression.
How does this apply to the character- In my opinion Han very clearly expresses depression in these books. I mostly see grief related depression and that is what I will be going over in this portion of the analysis as I feel it is the clearest and most realistically expressed within the books. Just as a quick warning, this part of the analysis will contain mentions of suicide and suicidal thoughts.
Han expresses grief over his mother and sister over the course of the series. (Even though grief is not a form of depression, it can cause depression like I think it did in this case). When his Mam and sister Mari first died we saw some very obvious signs of depression and grief as is expected after such an event. For starters Han is depicted oversleeping after their death. To expand on this, Sarie Dobbs, Han’s friend from the gang even expressed concern over Han’s well-being telling him to be safe and not do anything that could get him hurt. We also see in The Exiled Queen that for a second, Han forgets that his mother and sister are dead and when he sees a doll laying on the ground he goes to pick it up before remembering everything and leaving the doll feeling a rush of grief seen here:
“Han spotted a child’s homespun dolly in the ditch, pressed into the mud. He reined in, meaning to climb down and fetch it so he could clean it up for his little sister. Then he remembered that Mari was dead and had no need of dollies anymore.
Grief was like that. It gradually faded into a dull ache, until some simple sight or sound or scent hit him like a hammer blow.” (Chapter 2, In the borderlands).
I had a hard time finding out why it is that people forget that people have died when they are grieving them. Though I have no way of knowing this part for sure and this is just a guess I think that it may be part of the denial stage of grief. Forgetting that they are dead is a lot like denying that it had ever happened and still living in a reality in which they are alive. Though this is not fully proven (as far as i know as I was not able to find anything) I think that it is likely, though I am not qualified to make that assumption so do not hold me to this. Even though my previous claim could not be proven, I know that many people do experience wanting to tell people that have recently passed away things or even give them things and then remember that they are dead. This may not be a part of grief and more a part of adjusting, but the event does bring on grief and a whole new feeling of loss, just as Han expressed in the quote.
In the Demon King, we see Sarie Dobbs worry about Han, noticing his depressive state worrying that he might do something crazy, likely implying that he may try to hurt himself. This is further explored in the line where she asked if he will still need the place his is giving away, (giving away items people once used is a sign of suicidal thought) noticing this she is concerned about him and that is expressed in the following quote:
“Han shook his head. ‘I’ve been sick. Anyway, when Cat comes back, tell her she can have the place in Pilfer Alley.’
Sarie blinked at him, then took his arm and led him away from the others. ‘Why? An’t you staying?’ she demanded.
He shrugged. ‘I’m going away for a while.’ She searched his face. ‘But. You’ll need it later, right?’
He shook his head. ‘No. I won’t.’
Her grip on his arm tightened. ‘You not going to do nothin’ crazy, are you?’
‘Nah.’” (Chapter 25, The end of Days).
Before going into the explanation I have for this quote I would like to just remind everyone that when the Raggers were pulling Han away from his home he was shouting that he should leave him to “die with [his] family like [he] was supposed to.” This could have put the idea into Sarie’s head that he may have been planning something harming to himself.that along with him giving away his items could have made her feel as though he was likely to have done something harmful to himself. This quote also makes me wonder about Han’s history with depression. This is because Sarie recognized these signs so quickly. This could be because Sarie has had a history with depression and people who have been depressed and potentially suicidal, but it could also mean that Han had previously experienced these characteristics and Sarie picked up on them. Of course it could also be a combination of the two of these. Having a history with depression and seeing Han depressed could have made her better equipped to notice the signs in Han.
For this next piece of evidence, Han is depicted oversleeping and standing outside even though he is recently getting over being sick and it is raining out. That is seen here:
“Later, Willo found him standing in the rain on South Bridge, looking past Fellsmarch Castle to where Gray Lady brooded, shrouded in mist.
Willo loaded him onto a horse, and they rode back to Marisa Pines. He climbed onto a sleeping bench in the Matriarch Lodge and slept for three more day” (Chapter 25, The End of Days).
This whole scene depicts his grief and the depression he feels over Sali and Mari’s deaths. Even though he had just been very ill for a week prior to this and now he is standing in the rain looking out to the castle. We don’t know how long he was standing there but it is likely that it had been a while. We don’t know what he was thinking as there was no inner monologue, but what we do know is the power within the scene. He is standing in the rain after recovering from a disease looking off into the distance unresponsive. He is in a kind of trance until Willo comes along still grief stricken over his lost family. This is where his grief crosses over to being dangerous for him and turning into depression and self destructive one at that. Furthermore, when he arrives at Marissa Pines he sleeps for three days. Though insomnia is a more common symptom of being depressed there are cases in which people will oversleep just as Han is doing here. I think that Han started out grieving over his family but it quickly turned to something depressive.
PTSD or C-PTSD: PTSD may develop following exposure to an extremely threatening or horrific event or series of events. It is characterized by all of the following: 1) re-experiencing the traumatic event or events in the present (intrusive memories, flashbacks, or nightmares); 2) avoidance of thoughts and memories of the event(s), or avoidance of activities, situations, or people reminiscent of the event(s); and 3) persistent perceptions of heightened current threat. These symptoms persist for at least several weeks and cause significant impairment in functioning. Effective psychological treatment exists. C-PTSD is a condition like PTSD where a person will experience similar side effects of PTSD as well as additional ones. Common side effects for C-PTSD include flashbacks, memory lapses, distorted sense of self, inability to control your emotions, hyperarousal, unexplained upset stomach, sleep disturbances, challenged interpersonal relationships, avoidance of certain circumstances/places, substance use, low self-esteem, chronic health conditions, avoidance of certain circumstances/places, depersonalization or derealization, negative self-perception and thoughts of suicide, unexplained headaches, and autoimmune conditions.
How does this apply to the character- I know that it may seem to be obvious that Han would have PTSD or C-PTSD and for it to be more on the headcanon side may seem odd, so let me explain why I have classified it this way. Mainly because Han did not experience or outwardly express PTSD or C-PTSD, meaning that this was not a fully explored possibility in the books other than the fact that Han has many traumas from his childhood and street days and because of that has many “habits” that involve protecting himself. I didn’t want to overreach by saying this was more definite though I can prove that it is highly likely that he suffers from either Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
For starters, we see the very clear hyperarousal (the heightened awareness to one’s surroundings) that Han exhibits. Every time that he is in a public place he is constantly aware of his surroundings, the people around him, looking out for anything shady, facing the room and door when sitting or standing in a public place, and even checking and profiling people as he observes rooms. This is all part of the trauma and learned behaviors that Han developed from his street days and living with Sali. Further, there is one particular instance where Han in The Demon King where Han states how he does not like to think about his past. We also never have any memories from his street days and since he is the only one that can provide that information it is safe to assume that, since the book follows his perspective in third person with an unreliable narrator, that these memories are extremely suppressed, so much so that we do not see any in the books, not even as flashbacks.
Further, we also see through the books that Han is a rough sleeper, likely suffering from nightmares, and he has a heightened perception of threat, constantly expecting danger or a possible attack. First off, I would like to tackle the rough sleeper portion of this. Common reasons for these to occur are as follows:
Insomnia, stress, anxiety, grief, depression, trauma, hormonal imbalances, sleep apnea, inconsistent sleep schedules, coffee or alcohol consumption, acid reflux, some medications, and occasionally working out before bed. Obviously a lot of these are not going to be anything that Han suffers from. There are some other things that Han canonically does suffer from, however, I think that it is safe to say that it is most likely Han’s sleep is most likely affected by the trauma he experiences from Sali and his days on the streets. Now as stated in the description above, Nightmares are a symptom of PTSD and Han regularly experiences nightmares as evidenced by his rowdy sleeping, during which he is often depicted twitching, muttering, and moving around a lot. We do not get to see into his dreams as far as I have been able to recall and read. Nothing in the book that I remember or have been able to find has shown me anything on what he is dreaming about. This could once again be because of the third person unreliable narrator. With Han not wanting to think about what he had gone through and him not wanting to have to remember anything, we do not get to see into his dreams nor do we know wha is troubling him during his distressing nightmares. Because of this it makes perfect sense as to why other people notice this behavior and are able to recognize there is something that may be troubling him where he would deflect from what he is feeling.
Now Han has extremely heightened senses when it comes to detecting danger and perceived threats. We see this not only when Han has a compulsive need to sit facing a room or always be able to see the door and who may be coming in or out of a certain area, but one particular scene in The Exiled Queen sticks out to me when Han is traveling to Oden’s Ford and he is in the Taproom with Dancer where he first encounters Cat along their Journey. He is taking in the roo and classifying all of the people in the room as seen here:
“Han idly surveyed the next table, where a foursome played royals and commons, a Fellsian card game Han knew well. The man facing Han was cheating—a needle point for sure. An overplush man in Ardenine flatlander garb, his round face was cratered from some ancient bout with the pox. Though it was cool in the common room, he mopped at his sweating face with a large handkerchief. Coppers and girlies and notes of promise were stacked in front of him, evidence of his success.
It didn’t take long for Han to figure out his system. The sharp was a busy man for someone so large, always flailing his hands around in a distracting way. He used the distraction to second deal, bottom deal, and palm cards. He won nearly every hand he dealt, and a good number of those he didn’t—losing just often enough to kill suspicion.
Han wasn’t impressed. The sharp was just your standard hand mucker with a rowdy, aggressive style of play. The smart players came and went, soon perceiving that they were at a disadvantage. But one player stayed throughout, stubbornly trying to win back her losses.” (Chapter 4, Delphi)
Han is observing a sharp who was cheating people at cards. Though not exactly a threat it does show left over trauma from his street days. This is because he remains in the mindset of figuring out where there are going to be scams and how they might escalate into something he would have to get away from. By observing the scene he is also preparing himself for possible dangers the situation may bring by observing the other card players, one whom we learn to be Cat who later kills the man, and seeing who could potentially cause a disturbance within the room through his observation of their actions.
Other non-Specifically Classifiable Issues:
Abandonment Issues: Abandonment Issues are a type of anxiety that stem from the fear of losing someone. People with abandonment issues live in fear of these losses. Symptoms of abandonment issues are cycling through relationships (people with abandonment issues may enter into shallow relationships and find a way to leave before the other person can), sabotaging relationships (people may try to knowingly push their partner away to avoid getting hurt), clinging to unhealthy relationships (people may stay in a relationship even though they may want to leave), and needing constant reassurance (people have a friend or partner give them emotional reassurance). People who have faced Neglect or abuse, stress, and or traumatic events have an increased risk of developing abandonment issues. Abandonment issues can develop from death, abuse, poverty, and relationship loss.
How does this apply to the character- Okay, I have always felt that Han’s relationships (before Raisa) were shallow in the way that Han would enter them knowing deep down that they would not last and that either he or the other person was not as into the relationship. Through this I have come to find that he might have abandonment issues.
Where does this stem from? Likely this comes from his childhood when Daniel died. It can also stem from abuse (specifically emotional) and the poverty he faced. Let’s start with how this is possibly poverty related. In general poverty related abandonment issues are caused when poverty leads to one believing they will always lack what they need. This will then cause them to feel as though love is limited as well as attention and friendship. Now how does this apply to Han? Well Han has faced poverty for most of his life and through The Demon King. We see him constantly worrying about how to provide for his family and constantly worrying that there won’t be enough money or food for them to live. I believe that this in turn, as well as the emotional abuse from Sali, has caused him to feel as though love and attention are also a limited resource. I believe this because he often feels as though, especially with his mom, that people do not care about him and that anything they may feel towards him is extremely limited or never existed in the first place.
To extend on the emotional abuse standpoint, emotional abuse can create a fear of being left behind. I think that this is expressed in Han’s relationships prior to Raisa most. This is because in most of his relationships either he put more into it and expressed more love and attachment (Bird, for example, he loved her more than she loved him. But he still knew deep down that the relationship was never going to make it) or he was withdrawn from the relationship not holding it to any sort of importance (Cat, for example, he did not treat the relationship seriously or think of it as a serious relationship.) This relates to a fear of being left behind because oftentimes people with abandonment issues are going to enter into relationships where they are going to fail or they end up pushing the other person away, not getting close to them, etcetera. Furthermore, all of the past relationships that were alluded to all seemed as though they were either flings or short lived relationships where attachment is not involved.
Now finally to explain the early death of Daniel in Han’s childhood. Daniel was likely a figure that Han looked up to even though Han did not see much of him. Furthermore, Daniel probably held a special place in Han’s heart being a person that he did not see often and was usually at risk of being killed. With his death, Han likely felt abandoned by him, especially since he was left with only Sali as a parent (who was emotionally and physically abusive), no source of income, and he had to take up Daniel’s roles. This early abandonment in childhood was likely to have been a reason for his issues with abandonment.
To take everything that has been talked about so far, I would like to mention an excerpt from The Crimson Crown when Han and Raisa get a chance to talk about everything that they have been through and Han learns that Raisa never intended to marry Micah. The scene goes as follows:
“‘How could you think that I would choose Micah over you?’ Raisa asked, running her fingertips over his blistered wrists.
‘It’s hard to change everything you’ve believed all your life about bluebloods,’ Han said. ‘I guess there was a place in me that was just waiting for it to go wrong, for you to realize your mistake.’ He shrugged, embarrassed. ‘I’m sorry.’” (Chapter 56, A Rematch)
This scene exemplifies the effects the abandonment issues have had on his thinking, actions, and feelings towards people. Han, through the book that there was a possibility that Raisa did not care about him and that to her he was a means to an end. He was completely ready to believe that over the signs that she did love and care for him. He also states that she thought she would “realize her mistake” in trying to pursue a relationship with him. Eventhough Han was actively trying to find a way to be with Raisa over the course of The Gray wolf Throne and The Crimson Crown, most of his thoughts are layered with doubt such as the one shown in the previous quote. Further, Han worried about Nightwalker, Micah, and Amon constantly thinking that Raisa was possibly using him and that a relationship, if any, was never going to happen between them, at least not without many conditions and limitations.
(side note, there is a scene in The Crimson Crown where Han explicitly thinks of Raisa and Nightwalker getting together, but it was a little bit awkward of a scene to sight. Also, I am having a bit of difficulty finding it. For anyone who wants to know about it I will quickly explain it. Han was in his room after a night out searching for the possible killer of wizards in Ragmarket. During this time he thinks about a possible explicit scene between Nightwalker and Raisa which he abruptly cuts off because he made himself extremely uncomfortable. This is just another example of how Han was thinking his and Raisa’s relationship was never really serious as he was thinking that she could easily get with Nightwalker.)
This could also be one of the reasons that Han didn’t like being referred to as a doxy or paramore. People thinking this may have instilled the idea in him that their relationship was not one driven by love and human attachment but by lust. Furthermore this can also be a reason why the clandestine lovers idea was quickly shot down by Han as he wanted a real relationship with her that would last instead of one where he can easily be left and cast aside when Raisa’s future husband comes along. I would like to explore one more excerpt from The Crimson Crown when Han is getting dressed for his and Raisa’s wedding and worries that she might not want to go through with it as seen here:
“He’d never expected to be going to temple at eighteen—and he was barely that, having just had his birthday. But then, for most of his life he had not expected to live to be eighteen. Looking at it that way, he was marrying late in life.
Han was eager to get it done before the opposition could organize, or some new calamity could befall them. He couldn't shed the nagging worry that Raisa might change her mind” (Chapter 59, Redo)
This further explores the possible abandonment issues that Han has because he is not only thinking about how Raisa may withdraw from the wedding and change her mind about wanting to marry him, a worry that he has had through the books, but also how outside forces could prevent them from getting married as if they were not meant to be together at all.
(This is a bit of an afterthought, but Han’s abandonment issues can also be a reason that he so easily leaves behind his friends. Now let me explain why. He prevents himself from getting close to anyone by keeping secrets between them and never fully trusting another person with who he is as a person, constantly switching who he is as a human being. He is able to leave behind his friends so easily because he does not allow himself to get too attached to any one person. Yes he does feel a strong emotional connection for his friends and loves them, but he also separates himself from people in an attempt to protect himself from the pain of possibly losing them or them leaving him. Obviously there are more reasons as to why Han would so easily leave his friends but I do think that his abandonment issues are a good reason as to why he may do it.)
Possible Coping Mechanisms:
Humor: Humor is usually considered to be an adaptive Coping Mechanism, or healthy coping mechanism. Humor is usually grouped together with approach coping strategies and avoidant coping strategies. Approach Coping is linked to the reduction of stress and improved mental health. Avoidant, however, is linked to the opposite. An increase in stress and a decrease in mental health. Approach Coping includes strategies such as active coping, positive reframing, and planning. Avoidance includes strategies such as denial, behavioral disengagement, and distraction.
How does this apply to the character- Han, at least in my opinion (a strongly fact based opinion), has a very clear Humor based coping mechanism. In fact, most of the jokes that Han tells through the course of the book series happen after a traumatic event, which could be seen as needed comedy within the book expressed through Han as he is a generally funny character. However, even in times when comedic effect is not needed Han is still seen making jokes, even if they are small and rather unnoticeable and can still be seen as Han’s natural personality, the events and way in which Han makes jokes suggests that for him it is a coping mechanism.
For example, in The Grey Wolf Throne, after Raisa gets home from her time at Odens Ford University and is leaving her mother’s funeral, she encounters an attack where another poison daubed arrow is shot at her, and misses, Han once again uses humor in the situation after making sure that she is okay and had not been hit.
“‘Magret. Set me down,’ Raisa said, exasperated. ‘Please believe me when I say I’m just bruised. I’ve been shot before, and I know the difference.’
At that, Han swung around to look at her, his mouth twitching with amusement and relief. It was the first genuine smile she’d seen on him in a long while, overlaying a face haggard with worry.
‘Byrne, we need to do a better job of protecting the queen,’ he said. ‘Before we know it, she’ll be showing off old battle scars to her ladies whenever she’s in her cups. It won’t help our reputations any.’” (Homecoming Chapter 25, Page 355).
After realizing that Raisa was not injured from the arrow he was finally relieved but his face was still “haggard with worry”. We do not get any further descriptions of Han’s face and what he may be expressing when he tells the joke but it is safe to say that the joke was used as a way to calm himself. This can be further seen when he talks to Amon directly in the joke. By talking to Amon, Han is including him in the worry he may feel, knowing that Amon is definitely worried too. He is throwing some of the worry he feels off as well as Amon’s while making a joke out of a situation that was otherwise nerve racking.
Furthermore, this is seen in The Crimson Crown when Raisa and Han are talking about what their plans are for the next Wizard Council meeting. Dancer is brought up as being Han’s replacement for if he is elected High Wizard. Raisa is worried about Dancer’s well being and in an attempt to prevent him getting killed by Lord Bayar or any of the other Council members, she tries to get to Han by telling him what could happen to Dancer should he be on the Council at all.
“‘It’s your pick, right?’ Han said. ‘You said you wanted to—what was the word—integrate the council into your government. Dancer would be a reliable ally.’
‘They’ll kill him,’ Raisa whispered. ‘I don’t want that on my conscience.’
Han flinched, and Raisa knew she’d gotten to him. For a long moment, he looked desperately lonely. But he collected himself. ‘Well,’ he said, ‘they’ll likely kill me too, but it hasn't happened yet.’ He smiled crookedly. ‘I'll make as much trouble as I can before they do.’” (Meetings At Midnight, Chapter 11 page).
Han is not only trying to reassure himself and Raisa here but he is also trying to cope with the possibility of making a mistake and losing his friend. We do not get a chapter in which we see Han’s perspective of this conversation, but I believe that he would be worried about how much he was asking of Dancer and if he was going too far. The humor is used as a way to not only make Raisa think that he is okay and he has everything under control, but to let him think and cope with what he is doing.
Humor coping is definitely something the Han uses throughout the books. I believe that he uses an Approach coping style when using humor. This is because I do not see the negative effects of his humor, but I do see the relife that it gives him.
Stockholm Syndrome: Stockholm Syndrome is a coping mechanism where an abused person will develop a bond with their abuser. Positive feelings victims may feel towards their abusers are ways to cope with days, months, or years of traumatic events. The symptoms of this may include:
Positive feelings towards abusers
Empathizing with their abusers beliefs or behaviors
Negative feelings towards police and authority figures
A theory as to why this coping mechanism is caused is that abuse has a high emotional charge. Over time people will change how they feel about an abuser when they are shown some form of kindness over time. Victims also may stop fighting against their abuser in order to preserve their own safety. When a victim is not hurt by an abuser they may feel grateful or even see their abuser as humane. Stockholm Syndrome often develops in situations of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse, child abuse, coach-athlete abuse, and human trafficking.
How does this apply to the character- This may sound like a stretch, so let me explain why I have this highlighted in yellow. In The Demon King, Han is shown almost being beaten by Sali. Prior to that, we see that Sali had “raised welts on his back” from beating him previously. It is safe to assume that Sali has been beating him his whole life. We also later see Sali berating him and telling him everything that he is doing wrong, what he should be doing with his life, and how everything he has done and sacrificed to help her and Mari out has been wrong. The beating and emotional degrading is all very abusive and it is very damaging to a person, especially a child in early development. Considering that this has been going on from the time that Han was very young, it is safe to assume that this has no doubt caused problems for him during the books. My reason for saying that Han likely has Stockholm syndrome is based on how he talks about her through the rest of the books.
Han never once talks bad about Sali through the rest of the books. He quotes things she says such as, “if wishes were horses then beggars would ride.” Furthermore, he always thought that the things he did were, such as hiding from his mom when she walked in the door because he didn’t want her to hit him, his fault and that the things he did, even if it was to protect himself, made him a bad person (when it came to going against his mom). The way in which he recalls this always seems like he is fond of the memory. Even in The Exiled Queen when he is talking to Raisa about how Sali died in the fire he didn’t say anything resentful or hint at the things she had done to him. I don’t believe he even told anyone that his mother thought he was demon cursed. That may not seem like a big deal, but not having any feelings of resentment for her actions (having thoughts about what she did, feeling conflicted over her death) or seeing that the things she did were wrong and that he was wronged are signs of Stockholm Syndrome.
Now this is not full proof and can be easily debunked as being Han grieving over her death and not wanting to think ill of the dead. But, as mentioned before, before Sali died Han still didn’t think ill of her. Anytime that he did something that would get him in trouble with Sali made him feel awful. He thought of himself as “dog dirt” and “scum”. All of Fellsmarch (Chapter 6) does a really good job of executing my point. He never once sees his mom in the wrong for how she is acting but himself for being the ‘cause’ of her actions. Not only that but later in The Demon King when Han finds out his mom sold him to the Clans he empathizes with her actions realizing it was something that basically anyone would do if they were in her situation. He tends to have positive feelings towards her through the series, as previously mentioned, and he does have negative feelings about police and authority figures, though that could mostly be because of his time in the Raggers. These are all symptoms of Stockholm syndrome and they are all very clearly expressed in Han.
To further explore this point, people who have Stockholm Syndrome will also stop fighting against an abuser to protect themselves. Though this is hard to say that Han ever ‘stopped fighting’ against Sali, especially how in the book (also Fellsmarch chapter 6) Han prevents Sali from hitting him which can be seen as fighting back against Sali. But, there are more factors at play as to why Han fought back. Mari was in the room. Han had already felt her presence in the room before Sali was going to hit him, wishing that they could take their fight somewhere else. I think that Mari being in the room was a driving force as to why he stopped her. If Mari had not been in the room, the scene could have been very different.
There is more that I have to add to this and I still have the other characters to write for, but I have made everyone wait for far too long so here is everything I have so far regarding Han. Thank you so much for your patience and I really hope you all like this! By the way, let me know if you disagree with anything or would like me to adjust anything in case anything was presented inaccurately. Thank you again for both patience and for reading!!!