I really think Vlad was/is in love* with both Jack and Maddie, in fact even more so with Jack.
Like, why else hadn’t he killed Jack yet if that was really his intent? I know it's rooted in the limits of it being a kids show, but the dissonance in his words versus what he actually does is honestly what makes his character so interesting to me.
I know some people want to see a real murderous, ruthless, and cunning characterization of Vlad, and I can understand that, but honestly? I like this better than his character archetype being played straight. (If I wanted a truly heinous villain, I'd go indulge in, like, Hannibal or something.)
Even in Bitter Reunions, he sends incompetent/non-serious ghosts to test Jack, (the ectopi, the vultures,) when he could've just sent Skulker directly to kill or at least capture Jack. And then at the party, he overshadows Jack himself-- clearly he can do it, he could use any of his ghost powers to deal a decisive death, so why go through the song and dance of trying to humiliate Jack if he wants him dead?
Because he doesn't really want to kill Jack and marry Maddie. He tells himself and everyone else that's what he wants, because maybe if he says it enough, it'll become the truth. But it never does.
What he wants is for both of them to throw themselves at his feet and plead for forgiveness.
He wants to be fawned over and coddled by his two best friends (if the Maddie Program's behavior is anything to go by. Also, the fact that a Jack Program exists at all?? Again, I realize that was for The Bit but the implications are still there.)
***and when I say ‘in love’, it's not necessarily romantic; in fact, I see him as misinterpreting his own feelings as romantic, as per a personal ace spectrum experience.
It’s hard to differentiate between romantic and otherwise platonic feelings when your frame of reference is so narrow and said feelings are so devastating. (Especially when you don’t even know what queerplatonic is.)
It might be some slight projection, as I actually went through the experience of having feelings for both my childhood best friend and the person they ended up marrying (lmao). Or at least, I thought I did. Either way, I’m long since over it, but it’s still such a juicy dramatic concept to explore.
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