GragonGV

I. Not Like Your Father

From early on in the show, Dean is set up to follow in Rusty's footsteps, both within the story and from our outside perspective. He is designed to resemble Rusty, especially in contrast to Hank. He shares his father's lanky build (even their head shapes are the same), reddish hair, and even his freckles are a trait shared with a younger Rusty. His hairstyle in the earlier seasons even matches Jonas's exactly, which I can't help but think contributes to this image of him being the one to continue the legacy of the Ventures.

Dean is also established as the smarter of the twins, despite the fact that both are still fairly naive. In “Dia de Los Dangerous!”, Dean first implies this when he tells Hank to “Leave the thinking to me, Albert Einsteen [sic]” (07:49–07:52). Hank backs up the idea in “Past Tense”, directly calling Dean “a smart kid” (08:00–08:01). This general comparison comes up often throughout the series, serving to strengthen the impression of Dean as more alike to Rusty.

This extends to the characters’ opinions in-universe, too. Rusty in particular makes it very obvious as the series progresses that he favours Dean, and believes he will take his place one day. Even back in season 2 this starts to present itself, with a notable example in “Hate Floats”. On what is supposed to be the twins’ 16th birthday, Rusty's idea of a birthday present for Dean is… A speedsuit (05:44–06:11). Something he obviously doesn't want, yet he gets no choice in the matter. This one example encapsulates the struggle between the two for the entire series. Rusty is certain that Dean is just like him, and Dean really doesn't want to be.

The other major element to this is how Dean deals with it across the course of the show. In season 1 we aren't really seeing the favouritism from Rusty yet, but we do see what their relationship is like otherwise. Dean definitely idolizes his father to a degree at this point, actively proclaiming that he's the best dad ever (“Dia de los Dangerous!”, 20:54–21:03) and showing confidence in his abilities as a scientist. A great example of this is in “Ice Station - Impossible!”, where he's uncharacteristically calm about his brother’s apparent impending death. He says it's because “our dad's a super genius with, like, chemistry. He can fix this no prob” (13:27–13:33), which Brock refutes. He's definitely at his most naive and in-denial of the more negative aspects of he and Hank's life at this point, so it makes sense that he would think highly of his dad.

Although the cracks start to show by the beginning of season 2 (as I previously mentioned with “Hate Floats”), it's definitely ramping up by season 4. Dean starts recognizing his struggle with wanting to please his father, but feeling forced into things he doesn't want as a result. He isn't in active resistance yet, but it’s a starting point. The most in-your-face instance is in “Perchance to Dean”, when he says “I don't even want to be a scientist! I'm only doing this because my dad made me do it!” (20:10–20:14). We get a similar admission in “Bright Lights, Dean City”, when he talks to Brown Widow about his frustrations (16:19–17:19). It’s also worth noting that the plot of this episode involves Rusty intruding on Dean’s space during his entire internship, despite his obvious discomfort with the situation (04:03–05:24).

Season 5 is the definite turning point. Dean’s worldview is shattered, forcing him out of any vestiges of naivety and denial. He becomes vocally disillusioned with Rusty and the adventuring life in general. He pulls away from everyone, including Hank, and it’s pretty obvious that he’s struggling throughout the whole season. Specifically in regards to Rusty, this is the first time he spells it out to his face. He burns his learning bed and most of his old things, before telling his dad that “I don’t want to be a scientist, or a boy adventurer, or even a Venture Brother anymore” (“What Color is Your Cleansuit?”, 04:42–05:35). He also makes it very clear through his other behaviour throughout the season, like refusing to go on adventures (“Venture Libre”, 01:33–01:54), and getting into contact with Myra despite her status as a threat (“Momma’s Boys”, 01:11–01:28; 06:19–06:32; 11:08–11:50). His appearance reflects the change as well, dying his hair black and growing it out. Considering the previously-noted similarity between his hair and Jonas/Rusty’s, it’s clear that this is representative of his shift in character towards active rebellion.

In seasons 6 and 7, Dean has been able to work through his self-isolation thanks to Hank’s positivity at the end of season 5 (“The Devil’s Grip”, 21:34–22:10). His disillusionment with his father remains, but he has reached a more balanced point in his attempts to find his own path. Despite this, he still wants a different life for himself, and Rusty continues to fight him on that. This is primarily seen in regards to Dean’s schooling, which his father tries to take control of multiple times. The first instance of this is a short exchange in “The Venture Bros and the Curse of the Haunted Problem”, where Rusty says “Who told you you could take art?” in response to Dean mentioning something he created in an art class (17:00–17:02). A more extreme example comes later in the same season, when Rusty signs Dean up for several science classes against his will, and he has to go out of his way to drop those classes (“The High Cost of Loathing”, 04:54–04:57; 08:55–08:59).

By the conclusion of the series, his and Rusty’s relationship does seem to be in a better place, so I like to hope that he’s able to pursue his own path with less friction. Though, speculation on events after the series aside, you’re probably wondering: what does all this have to do with the transgender part of this “transgender analysis”? I needed to lay out the greater context of Dean’s character, so I can show how this can be related to a transgender experience. His character arc isn’t solely about his relationship with his father, it’s about identity. The struggles with his father are one part of a larger identity pie, for lack of a better phrase. Of course, stories about struggling with identity do not automatically have to be trans, but stories about the trans experience almost always involve struggles with identity. Especially when you’re talking about living up to expectations, and following in the footsteps of a parent or relatives.

Let’s take a step back to look at the bigger picture. You have a kid who lives in a very sheltered environment and looks up to his father. As time goes on, his father is pushing for them to become more alike, but he’s simultaneously becoming more aware of his own naivety. He realizes that he doesn’t want to be what his father wants him to be, but for a long time he’s afraid to say anything because he still wants to please him. What finally pushes him over the edge is losing a friendship to his own jealousy and social incompetence, something in part as a result of his sheltered upbringing. He’s sent further down after learning he isn’t even what he thought he was, causing him to self-isolate as he tries to reconcile his identity. He’s able to make peace with his identity through the support of others, but he still doesn’t fully know what he wants in his life, and his father still hasn’t let go of the idea that he’ll follow in his footsteps.

For me, at least, this is very akin to a trans experience. There’s this certain expectation, whether spoken or not, that you will one day end up a certain way. At a certain point you realize, “hey, I don’t want to be that way”! But it’s not always easy to say anything right away. You don’t know how people will feel, or you don’t want to “rock the boat”, or you don’t fully understand it yet, or you’re in denial. So you keep it to yourself. Until, eventually, inevitably, it boils over. You’re faced with the truth and you have to figure out how to deal with that. You’ll probably end up telling people close to you, and they may resist it or not understand. Especially if your father has always been hoping you’ll be just like him. But you’re not like your father, not in the ways he wants you to be.

II. The Fulcrum

The namesake of this part originates from a comment made by Doc Hammer in Go Team Venture! The Art and Making of the Venture Bros, where his role is summed up quite well: “Dean’s a fulcrum– things happen around him” (315). This is true throughout the entire show; once you notice it, it’s hard to miss. Almost everything that happens in Dean’s life is the result of other people’s actions. All these events happen to and around him, but it's never because of his direct actions. He is pulled along for the ride of whatever crazy decisions somebody else made that day, or 20 years ago, or whenever else.

In other words: Dean does not get a choice in the life he leads for most of the show. Things happen, and he is stuck passively observing and reacting. You could look at just about any episode of the entire show for instances of this happening, but one example that comes to mind is “Victor. Echo. November.”. You would think an episode about Dean going on a date with Triana would be one where he is granted significant agency. But, the date isn’t even something Dean actively chose to do. He didn’t ask her out, or get to plan anything about it. It was something arranged between Dr. Orpheus and Rusty out of convenience. As Orpheus directly puts it: “Mr. Venture has been kind enough to give me some leeway with the rent if I get the boys, as he says, "out of his hair" for the evening” (01:34–01:41). On top of that, he doesn’t actually get to have much of a date at all. The whole event was crashed early on by Phantom Limb calling a hit on the Ventures, as a way of showboating to The Monarch (11:20–11:36). This exemplifies two different ways in which he usually is forced into scenarios: someone else decides he’s going to do something, and getting caught in the crossfire of someone else’s actions.

Sometimes, the illusion of a major choice is not even entirely his own. In “Operation P.R.O.M”, the misguided plan to win back Triana after she leaves is actually Dermott’s idea. He comes up with the whole plan, and Dean goes along with it as some desperate last-ditch effort (32:09–32:26; 35:31–35:54). Although Dean still agrees to the idea, which was his own choice, it’s interesting to note that a major character event like this one technically falls under the category of “someone else decides he’s going to do something”.

Later on in the show, when he’s making more efforts to become his own person, he starts to make choices of his own accord that are in opposition to these previously-established categories. In “The High Cost of Loathing”, as previously mentioned, Rusty enrolls Dean in several science classes (04:54–04:57; 08:55–08:59). This is a case of someone else deciding he’s going to do something. However, rather than passively accepting this, he goes out of his way to cancel those classes. This episode also has an example of him taking action against a “crossfire” scenario, when The Monarch crashes Professor Von Helping’s botany class. Dean actively de-escalates the situation by writing The Monarch a cheque for one million dollars, under the condition that he leaves all of them alone (20:17–21:00). While he hasn’t escaped the cycle of wild events happening around him, he is at least starting to act in active defiance. He is starting to see that he doesn’t have to only be the fulcrum, he can have an active effect on these events.

How does this piece tie into the trans reading? To put it simply, I see the act of transitioning as an extension of working in active defiance of the cycle you’re stuck in. You’re forced– whether directly or through expectations– to be a certain way, to do certain things. Do what you’re told, go with the flow. To be trans is to be in opposition of what you’re told to do and how you’re told to be. You have to make the active choice to open up about it and pursue the life you want to have, instead of the one you’re forced into. As you likely picked up on, this also ties back into Dean’s relationship with Rusty. All these aspects of identity are tied together, distinct yet with clearly overlapping areas. While I write on each separately, they do not exist in a vacuum.

III. Frankenstein's Monster

Would it really be a proper analysis if I didn’t touch on the clone thing? I alluded to it in part one, but I knew it needed its own dedicated section. Dean discovering that he and Hank are clones is one of the two major reasons for his tipping point in season 5, and is a major aspect of his identity-related turmoil.

Dean learns the truth about his origins during “A Very Venture Halloween”, where his initial response to the information is “I’m frickin’ Frankenstein– I mean, Frankenstein’s monster– Whatever!” (17:11–17:15), so clearly he’s taking it very well. In his eyes, there’s something wrong and different about him for being that way, and he doesn’t know how to process that. He self-isolates in season 5 primarily for this reason: he feels like he can’t talk to anyone about all the things he’s trying to work through and reconcile. He somewhat opens up to Thalia about it in “What Color is Your Cleansuit?”, with “Now I don’t even know who I am. I can’t even tell my brother. He’d be devastated! It’s like I’m different from everyone else, and I’m just completely alone” (15:26–15:34). Despite his initial feelings on the subject, finally opening up to Hank at the end of the season is what gives him the reassurance he needed from the start (“The Devil’s Grip”, 21:34–22:10).

Briefly taking a step back from the direct facts of what happened, it’s also worth thinking about the existential concept of Dean’s scenario. You’re a copy of someone who has already died time and time again, with no way of knowing for certain how similar or different you are from the original. Things about you could have been fundamentally altered to make you “better” by someone else’s definition, and you would never know. Maybe if you deviate, you would be replaced. Are you even still you after so many times being re-made? How would you know? Is it even right for you to be alive after dying so many times?

With all that in mind, it seems like a perfect time to segue to the other aspect of this whole cloning thing I want to cover: D-19. For those who need a refresher, D-19 is the designation of a “defective” Dean clone. He was “aborted” by Rusty due to his defects, but managed to survive and live in an attic of the compound for years (“Perchance to Dean”, 00:46–01:06; 01:54–01:57). There’s a certain irony to the fact that a clone abandoned by Rusty lived longer than any of the ones who didn’t, but that’s besides the point.

In “Perchance to Dean”, the two Deans have their own simultaneously occurring scenarios. Dean spends most of this episode trying to do “science” focused around preventing his future hair loss, after Rusty started pushing him more to get into super-science (02:43–02:59; 13:41–14:01). D-19 is instead focused on his goal of becoming a “real Dean”, which leads to him trying to kill Dean and take his place. Notably, both Deans are being driven by aspects of appearance and acceptance. D-19 wants to be “pretty”. He wants to look like the other Deans and be accepted as one, to be accepted by the father that left him behind. Going as far as to create a skin suit out of previous Dean clones, believing that if he looks like the rest, he will finally be accepted (03:44–04:40; 14:34–15:27). Specifically, what he says to Dean when confronting him, is: “I want your pretty little life! And your smooth, pretty little face” (20:04–20:07). On the other side, Dean is doing science because he knows it’s what his father wants, and because he’s afraid of losing his hair (20:00–20:03; 20:11–20:14). While D-19 wants something he never had, Dean is trying to keep his father’s acceptance when he knows that he’s only doing it to make him happy. It’s also notable that the fear of balding can be connected back to him not wanting to become like Rusty, since it’s another physical aspect they share.

Beyond those connections, I believe that D-19 gains an additional layer of meaning from the trans perspective. Aside from being generally less “pretty” than the other Dean clones, he specifically is missing the hair on the top of his head. While not for the same reason, it parallels Dean’s previously established fears. His build can also be read as more “masculine”, with a bulkier upper body than the typical Dean. Beyond his appearance, there’s also elements like the illusory Rusty chastising him for having a stuffed animal (“Perchance to Dean”, 03:38–03:41), his obsession with becoming a “real Dean” (03:43–03:47), and the literal “Dean suit” he creates in pursuit of that goal (04:04–04:14). The Dean suit is of particular note, due to it being an obvious reference to the film The Silence of the Lambs, where Buffalo Bill creates a “woman suit” for similar reasons (01:25:49–01:26:11; 01:31:50–01:31:53; 01:44:37–01:44:39). While I won’t be going into the complexities and criticisms of that movie’s portrayal here, this connection is notable in the context of a character’s desire to become a woman in a way that is explicitly framed as horrific and dangerous.

From a trans perspective, D-19 can act as being representative of dysphoria and negative perception. He just wants to be accepted for who and what he is, but is seen as “not pretty enough”. He observes the way the others act, trying to be like them, trying to look like them, but it isn’t seen as enough. He takes these to an extreme level with the skin suit of previous Dean clones, and his attempt on Dean’s life– something representative of the way trans women in particular are often vilified, or how someone may fear their desires would be perceived by others. It could also be seen as the way trans people are sometimes treated as if they are “killing” their prior selves through the act of transitioning. Notably, much of this turmoil around becoming real and being pretty happens in D-19’s own head, personified by Rusty. This parallels the distress around self-perception that primarily occurs within one’s own head when dealing with gender dysphoria, which can include making assumptions about how other people might perceive you.

One additional concept of note around being a clone is the overlap with expectations from others, as explored in previous parts. It would be hard not to compare yourself to tons upon tons of exact replicas of you, all designed to be a certain way. Especially considering Dean by season 5 has matured past the point of any of his “predecessors”, effectively deviating from the original image of Dean as a person. As the series progresses, Dean strays farther from this original naive and sheltered version of himself. He screws up, becomes disillusioned with the way things are, and tries to assert himself as his own person on his own path. And not everyone likes that, even from a meta perspective. There are people who would’ve preferred he stayed innocent, untarnished by mistakes and hard truths. And even from an in-character standpoint, he may feel like he’s an impostor due to not being the “original” Dean. 

To bring things back around to the main trans perspective: Dean’s experience with being a clone can be compared to being trans in multiple ways. There is learning the truth about your identity and having to keep it a secret, your mental wellbeing suffering as a result. The relief of being able to tell someone who supports you, and not having to keep it to yourself anymore. Feeling like you’re fake, that you desperately want to be real but you never will be. Fearing physical changes that could make you be seen in a way that you don’t want. Fearing that you’re ugly or monstrous or dangerous, or could be seen as those things by others. Wanting to be accepted but not wanting to give up who you are to do that. Questioning your entire identity. Wanting to become your own person and follow your own path, while simultaneously fearing that if you do, you won’t be “you” anymore.

IV. Be With Her, or Be Her

At the beginning of the clones section, I noted its discovery as one of the major reasons for his tipping point in season 5. The other reason being, of course, Triana. While the character aspects related to her may not seem as directly related to my overall trans and identity focuses, I believe there is still something here to discuss. This connection may be more speculative than my others, but I wanted to include it for the sake of thoroughness.

Triana is, without a doubt, a major figure in the development of early-season Dean. She is introduced in season 1’s “Eeney, Meeney, Miney… Magic!”, as the daughter of Doctor Byron Orpheus (07:02–07:24). He falls for her immediately, and the two end up becoming friends over the course of the next few seasons. His massive crush on her always colours his interactions with her, however, as he’s usually trying to impress her in some way, or is just thinking about her in general. This starts as early as her introductory episode, where he both fantasizes about her and comments on how cool her name is (“Eeney, Meeney, Miney… Magic!”, 12:03–12:23; 14:33–14:39).

Unfortunately for him, Triana doesn’t completely reciprocate these feelings. While she does call him cute (“Victor, Echo, November”, 06:01–06:04; “The Buddy System”, 15:58–16:00), she seems more interested in him as a friend overall. Additionally, the Master’s talk with her in “The Better Man” where he takes on the form of a hypothetical future Dean (13:12–14:02; 17:15–18:19) acts as the final nail in the coffin regarding her feelings there. In the same episode, Hank implies that the two spend time together offscreen via a line about helping her shop for shoes (07:22–07:25). He uses this as a way to point out the one-sided nature of Dean’s crush, but it’s also notable in regards to the idea that they spend time together in a friend capacity beyond what is directly shown to us.

As touched upon in previous sections, Dean ruins their friendship entirely during the events of “Operation P.R.O.M”, when his jealousy towards her moving on and getting a boyfriend causes him to lash out in an immature way (25:45–26:24). This is what initially leads into his rebellious streak in season 5, as he feels frustrated with his own naivety and lack of real-world experiences (“What Color is Your Cleansuit?”, 05:07–05:26). Triana is important to this overall character arc because she’s the first glimpse into the “normal” world, his first peer and friend who isn’t his own brother. While his crush on her was definitely real, I think it was exacerbated by the fact that she was the first girl his age he had ever met, mixed with “true love” already being on his mind at the time (“Eeney, Meeny, Miney… Magic!”, 00:50–00:53). He was so eager about this normal human connection, that he became almost obsessed with gaining her affection. So, when he lost that only link to the normal world from both her moving away and getting into a relationship, he didn’t handle it very well.

What I described may not appear to connect back to the overall trans interpretation on the face of it, especially compared to something more directly comparable like the clone experience, but I believe there is an aspect of it beyond the surface. I alluded to this within the title of this section, but Dean’s relationship with Triana could be interpreted as having elements of gender envy– or at the very least, a peek into the possibilities outside of his own sheltered reality up until that point. That might sound out of left-field, but I promise I’m going to explain my logic behind it best I can.

As already established, Triana was the first girl his age that Dean ever met. They bonded as friends (before he ruined that later down the line). She was his first exposure to what girls his age are actually like, and he seems to think she’s so cool and interesting and is just overall kind of obsessed with her liking him. Despite his claims otherwise (“What Color is Your Cleansuit?”, 07:40–07:44), he even takes on a look somewhat resembling hers after ruining their friendship. The way I see it, this situation almost acts as a reverse to the situation with D-19. Rather than being a reflection of these negative aspects and fears, Triana represents what he could have or may desire to have. Both in the sense of wanting to be with her, and perhaps, wanting to be like her.

To compare his relationship with her to the concept of gender envy, my anecdotal understanding attributes three main feelings to it: a feeling of “they’re so cool, I want to be like that”, a potential jealousy or envy towards them for having what you want, or feelings akin to a crush, where it can be difficult to tell the difference between wanting to be with them, or be like them. I could easily see Dean falling into the camp of being particularly fascinated with Triana because of this combination of those things, where he desperately wants her to like him while also wishing he could be more like her. He becomes jealous that she gets to leave and gets into a relationship that isn’t with him, at a time where he is becoming more silently frustrated with his own life. She is the view into the possibilities of what could be, the one to inadvertently help him realize how sheltered he is through the way he lashes out at her. As part of his identity crisis and trying to become his own person, he partially imitates her despite their falling out, because she is his ideal for what relatively normal people his age would be like. She is, in a way, what he wishes he could be.

V. Tougher to Shop For

This final section is one that is simultaneously the most obvious, yet the one that works best in combination with the other sections already on your mind. This, of course, being Dean’s more “feminine” behaviours throughout the series, and how he is treated by others in his life over it. Acting in ways that are seen as feminine does not automatically make one a woman, of course, but it’s still notable for Dean’s character in this context. Especially when we consider how he is made to feel that it’s a bad thing, and how he sometimes tries to hide it as a result.

A set of tutorial drawings in Go Team Venture! The Art and Making of The Venture Bros. directly refers to Dean as “a little more childlike, even a tad feminine” (348), and Hank in contrast as “the more masculine of the two” (348). This idea is reinforced many times throughout the show, as something the characters believe in themselves. I would say that it is purely implied through the way characters interact, if it weren’t for this exchange between Brock and Rusty in “A Very Venture Christmas”:

“Dean’s a little…” “More feminine?” “Tougher to shop for.” (03:18–03:21)

Outside of being directly called feminine, Dean is also often referred to by his brother as a wuss or a crybaby (“Careers in Science”, 01:26–01:30; 19:40–19:50; “Eeney, Meeney, Miney… Magic!”, 00:54–00:57), which isn’t completely untrue. He is shown to be more sensitive on many occasions, such as crying when he thinks the family is being torn apart (“Home Insecurity”, 04:48–04:57), or when Hank throws his book to the ground (“Careers in Science”, 11:48–11:58). This is something he seems to have internalized too, seeing as his hallucinatory hero’s journey in “Showdown at Cremation Creek (Part II)” includes characters making fun of him for being a crybaby (10:02–11:05). These characters also bear resemblance to his father and friends of his father, which could have some implications in and of itself.

There are also numerous occasions where Dean is tied to more traditionally feminine interests, regardless of whether it is explicitly pointed out. One that has always stood out to me is a short scene in “Tag Sale – You’re It!”. Hank finds a “Princess of Camelot” doll, which he refers to as Dean’s “old dolly”. Dean snatches it back from him, initially protective over it, until he notices other people around them. At that point he backpedals, claiming he just wants the money from the doll being sold, before quickly changing the subject (03:45–04:12). I think this encapsulates his general behaviour in this regard pretty well. There are things he likes that would be considered more feminine, but he may hide it due to the fear of being judged or teased. A slightly more subtle example of this is later on, in season 5. He refers to his diary as such, before Hatred replies that “diary is a girl’s word”, to which Dean begrudgingly calls it a journal instead (“Momma’s Boys”, 05:31–05:38).

There are also instances where he openly takes on a more “feminine” role, for various reasons. For example, In “Fallen Arches”, he tries to put on a showing of Lady Windermere’s Fan to entertain Triana, despite her lack of interest (“Fallen Arches”, 14:11–14:54). An interesting connection of this work to my overall themes, is its plot’s emphasis on gender roles, and the performative, constructed nature of these roles (Sheldon-Dean, para. 1). As with Silence of the Lambs, I won’t be going into the specifics, but it’s an interesting connection nonetheless. Smaller examples of this are in the music video of “From the Ladle to the Grave: The Shallow Gravy Story” where Dean dances in a devil costume (11:05–11:09), and when he acts as a stand-in for a “black widow killer” to help train Rusty on dealing with a similar situation (“The Terminus Mandate”, 11:03–12:12).

The most infamous example of Dean taking on a feminine role is the one he is forced into in “Love-Bheits”. I use the term infamous because, frankly, it’s an uncomfortable situation for him to be in. Unlike the other listed instances, this was one not of his own volition, and being forcibly married is not pleasant in any sense of the word. However, it is still worth discussing for the sake of this analysis. To summarize this episode for those unaware or in need of a refresher: the Venture family crashes in Ünderland, and are captured by Baron Ünderbheit. The Baron mistakes Dean as a woman due to him being dressed as Princess Leia from Star Wars, and decides the two will be married before he executes the rest of the Venture family (03:33–05:20; 06:50–07:06; 07:58–08:08). Dean reveals his biological gender shortly after the two are married, causing Ünderbheit to be banished from his own kingdom for breaking same-sex marriage laws (19:15–20:04).

From a trans reading perspective, “Love-Bheits” adds on an interesting layer. His enjoyment for more feminine things and his potential underlying desires are dragged out for all to see, in a twisted and upsetting manner. The marriage aspect in particular is notable both as being a very traditional representation of a woman’s role in society, and in considering how Dean put one of his future jobs in “Pomp and Circuitry” as just “husband” (06:06–06:07). Even in “The Better Man”, the hypothetical future Dean is represented in a “house-husband” role (13:12–14:02). Whether it’s something he genuinely may want, something he’s drawn to because of its perception as a typically female role, or both, he is linked to this concept. This forced marriage drags him out in front of everyone– including his family– and makes him play out the role in a context he doesn’t want. Interestly, despite his clear discomfort with the actual marriage part, he doesn’t seem to mind being in this role on a more abstract level. Up until the ceremony itself, when his family arrives, he never tries to correct anyone on his biological gender. In fact, when the eunuchs discover it, they actively agree to keep this a secret (“Love-Bheits”, 13:53–14:09). The aspect of his reveal coinciding with being reunited with his family is also notable to me, since it parallels his behaviour in instances like the doll in “Tag Sale – You’re It!”. He has to break out of the role, because they know who he really is, and he doesn’t want to be teased or shamed for it. Although, I’m sure it’s also because he doesn’t want to stay married to the Baron, of course.

Overall, Dean is drawn towards enjoying things or behaving in ways that would be considered traditionally feminine, but fears the way he will be treated for it. While this is an issue that extends beyond the trans experience, it is definitely one that is familiar within it. Feeling trapped within the expectations of your gender, wanting to be something else or do things that aren’t “acceptable”, but fearing how you will be judged for it. Desiring to be a certain way, but the idea of openly exposing that to others is terrifying and risky. Playing it off as a joke or otherwise backpedalling on it if you’re found out. Being the brother that’s tougher to shop for, because what you say you like and what you actually like might not actually line up at all.

VI. Conclusion

Writing this has given me a chance to properly dive into and sift through the thematic elements behind Dean, both in general, and from this transgender viewpoint. His struggles with identity and finding your own path in life are seriously resonant for me in comparison to my own journey with gender identity– and my identity as a whole. It’s fascinating how the clone elements, particularly D-19 and his abandonment, end up aligning particularly strongly with these identity struggles and dysphoria in particular. He’s clearly someone who feels trapped in his current identity, struggling to find a foothold against all the crazy things in his life, to break from a cycle of passive reaction. He wants to be “normal”, to be like other people his age, to understand the real world.

While the trans-coding of Dean’s character was almost certainly unintentional, I appreciate being able to reflect upon those kinds of feelings and experiences through a character, and to see those things reflected back at me. Dawn Venture has come to mean a lot to me. She deserves the chance to make an active choice to break the cycle of the Venture legacy and truly be her own person, to determine who she really wants to be.