Thomas is definitely fishing for compliments. He wants his fans to tell him he looks almost exactly the same, and that only a little has changed. And, more importantly, how they'll patiently wait for the finale. Even if it takes forever. And, that comes from his ego, of course, but also denial.
Thomas seems to have this idea in his mind that he can put down Sanders Sides, leave it for years, then pick it back up and have it completely untouched by time. Which is, quite frankly, a bit delusional. The only reason he still looks like the sides is because, he's the same actor. He has a different haircut, a beard, and most importantly... he's older. Thomas isn't a 20-something or even in his early thirties anymore. Sure, 36 isn't that old. It's still pretty young, but he's not going to be able to slot himself into the role of "young adult guy just trying his best", because he's not a young adult anymore. He's a full-fledged adult now, and he looks like one. Which, isn't a bad thing, but he needs to start acting like one too.
And, Thomas knows that. If this tweet and this video are anything to go by, he might be finally getting a grip. Or, at least, realizing he can't ignore the problem forever. The rose tint on his glasses is starting to fade, and he's seeing himself the way the rest of us see him.
I don't think he likes what he sees.
