The Psychology of Salem Crow
Author’s note: Absolutely doing a deep dive on my oc because I need to get active on here more and I need to share how mentally ill I am over him and I need to share with the world. Enjoy!✨
All that is mentioned for quotes is from Chapter One of Afterdark and primarily focuses on Salem’s current character before any of his arcs
WARNINGS: mention of sex, violence, self destructive behavior, obsession, unhealthy escapism/coping mechanisms/behavior, minor self harm (?)
Salem Brooklyn Crow, one of the main protagonists for Welcome To Wolfshire is a very complex character built upon violence, hate and sorrow from past troubles and refusal to bring his problems into the light. He is the prime definition of a ‘pure young soul cradled by hate’, otherwise known as ‘the king of a glass castle of his own making’ …
Salem doesn’t focus on himself. He worries about others over himself but to extreme degrees where his body pays the price whether it be wounded in fights, to taking the fall by authorities to exhaustion. He’s selfless but at a price of his own health
Salem’s nature at first glances is intimidating and distant— he doesn’t get close with people off the bat nor does he indeed on being seen as ‘friendly’ at first glances. He’s extremely rough around the edges, both physically and mentally, and is often seen as a brute. That’s he’s known as and all he knows how to act with others. A typically loner who only keeps those he’s bonded with close as everything else goes to hell under his own making. One example, Reggie Belmont
Immediately in the chapter of Proposal, Salem’s relationship is introduced as a rivals with benefits deal that is the only time the two talk civilly without being at each others’ throats— high school friends who fell out of a friendship to become a complicated rivalry duo that uses sex as a coping mechanism to dodge their problems, not only as clique leaders but as young adults
“I know you want nothing more than to sink fangs deep like some raging animal. Fight tooth and claw to be titled as victor in the end. To be titled as king.” — Reggie Belmont
Salem and Reggie and both consent to this relationship built upon violence and sex, they both can opt out of their rival with benefits relationship at any given moment (confirmed they do after Chapter One). Salem can leave if he likes but somehow he keeps returning to it as routine he can have control over— all of it started as some ego rising pseudo obsession-esque thing to a form of escapism the two fall into as a way to escape reality for a moment and talk like adults while trying to dodge their own problems
Salem buries his problems rather than deflecting them to others like Reggie but holds them down deep enough where they reaching the breaking point and he crumbles with it. Instead of dealing with them in a healthy way, he keeps dodging them or simply takes it out on himself like punching a tree till his knuckles turn bloody or driving out to the far side of the county and screaming until he can’t no more. He hides his emotions as the concept of him going for help is ‘pushing his problems onto others’ and lets them be buried under the rug. He’s too stubborn for his own good to go for help— he could go to his parents but choosing not to ‘burden them further more than he already has’ (reference to his curse) — Salem practically grew up too quickly by his own means and is refusing to listen to his inner child
Salem has been hurt so many times where he doesn’t know what ‘love’ is — all he knows is violence and mutual beneficial over genuine romantic love
Quotes that define Salem Crow as a character — Blue Eye Samurai mention:
“That child would look at you and run…”- Swordfather to Mizu (Blue Eye Samurai)
“Your face isn’t eve scary. It’s just… angry…” - Akemi to Mizu (Blue Eye Samurai)
These two quotes stuck with me as it reminded me of Salem and how his inner child would view him. He was a child with a bright smile, no curse, little goat horns, sheepish ears and bright eyes— eager to explore the world and what mysteries of Wolfshire County
If his inner child would see him now, he would stand in fear. Not because of Salem’s curse by of what happened to him after all these years. Where the loving child vanished and the bitter young adult came out as a front to shield himself from the harsh realities of the world and the hands that hurt— biting at the hand that reaches out from the darkness to save him. He’s not scary… just angry
Lyric quotes that define Salem as a character — Hell Throws Treasures Too:
“I am creation, both haunted and holy made in glory. Even the depths of the night cannot blind me when you guide me. Creature only. Look inside my heart and find a perilous ravine, carved within the beauty, the darkness in between. Standing in the balance of complete and incomplete. I identify the echo of what is and what will be…” - Creature by Half Alive
“You can't fight it, you can't breathe. You say something so lovin', but. Now I gotta let you go. You'll be better off in someone new. I don't wanna be alone. You know it hurts me too. You look so broken when you cry. One more and then I say goodbye…” - Heat Waves - Stripped Back by Glass Animals
“I need something bigger than the sky. Hold it in my arms and know it's mine. Just how many stars will I need to hang around me to finally call it Heaven? 'Cause I need somebody to remember my name. After all that I can do for them is done. I need someone to remember me…” - Remember My Name by Mitski
“Two steps forward, three steps back. Without warning, heart attack. He fell asleep in the snow. Never woke up, died alone. I don't wanna be. I don't wanna be me. I don't wanna be… Me anymore…” - I Don’t Wanna Be Me by Type O Negative
“And now it hurts what we've become. 'Cause you taught me how to love. It's me who taught you how to stop and you just say I drink too much. Maybe I'm defective or maybe I'm dumb. I'm sorry, so sorry for what I've done. Maybe I'm bad natured or maybe I'm young. I'm sorry, so sorry for what I've done…” - Sorry by Nothing But Thieves
“But it won't come from above and there's a hole in my chest like there's a hole in the sun. So tell me, what's coming next. I'm searching what's coming next. I've got a pain in my neck because I keep looking up. I'm searching what's coming next but it won't come from above and there's a hole in my chest and I'll make it my own. I've got a message that you can't ignore. Maybe I'm just not the man I was before. Take this from me, take this lonely heart, ‘cause I, 'cause I don't need it no more…” - Take This Lonely Heart by Nothing But Thieves
“Can't pick them out. Can't press them in. I'll never hide my scars. Can't pick them out. Can't press them in. I'll never hide my scars. Familiarity breeds. Familiarity breeds. Not only is it thicker, blood is stickier than water. Maybe that's relevant somehow. Can I explode now?” - November by Sparkbird
How Salem interprets himself — a battle of heart and mind:
“You want the acclaim, the mother of mothers (it's not worth it, Achilles) More poignant than fame or the taste of another (don't listen, Achilles) But be real and just jump, you dense motherfucker (you're worth more, Achilles) You will not be more than a rat in the gutter (so much more than a rat) You want my opinion, my opinion you've got (no one asked your opinion) You asked for my counsel, I gave you my thoughts (no one asked for your thoughts) Be done with this now and jump off the roof (be done with this now and get off the roof) Can you hear me, Achilles? I'm talking to you. I'm talking to you…” - Achilles Come Down by Gang Of Youths
What is interpreted as what his mind thinks compared to his heart— his current consciousness versus his inner child
“Stacked up to my height. Turn and see you cry. Crumpled down to my size. Broken by your father’s vice. Those years you don't remember. I spent crumpling leather. In the seat next to where you drive. Where you gave your best advice. Your favorite song line hurts. I didn't understand it at first. But an empty seat on your drive home. Reminds me of how often you are alone…” - Deep Down I’m American Werewolf by Crywank
“Well you don’t know me… but I know you.. and I got a message to give to you…” - O Superman by Laurie Anderson
Salem meeting his younger self— seeing how much he’s changed over the years, seeing how hate consumed him and how the world wronged him, but his inner child knows he’s still there on the inside. He’s still in there underneath the cold facade and distant nature, his inner child is hiding away
Bonus: A conversation with his younger self — what it would he like:
(blue = present self — younger self is like 16 years old, ‘pre’-curse era)
“We got a curse. We don’t know how-”
“No. What happened to us?”
“Because people used us…. Because the world hurt us…”
“Can you promise us to be happy?”
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