Kat Kotowatee

First of all, before anyone jumps at me, I'm not calling Servantis a pedophile, I know he is confirmed not to be (the fact this had to be specified is crazy tho), however he is in fact by all means still a groomer. Like he on purpose targets vounerable kids, "outcasts, orphans, runaways" as he puts it, to then manipulate them and use them. He also builds a personal relationship with them, gets on their eye level, even does small comforting touches like placing a hand on their shoulders.

And he is very aware they are children! He keeps calling them that, well all exept for one.

Servantis's grooming is most prevelant in Kevin, but also you might not catch on forst viewings how truly in depth and gross that becomes. There's the obvious things, he found Kevin when he was 12, manipulated him, used him for his body's special abilities, messed with his mind and changed his memories to "get closer to the target". And there's also really painful thing of how guilty Kevin feels over the fate of other amalgam kids, feeling like he has to make it up to them, not viewing himself as another victim, but as one at fault. Which is made so much more worse, when I watched english dub and I realized that's also the narrative Servantis potrays.

"His destruction is what you and I created the children for."

And what's even worse is all the blame comes prior to Kevin hearing this line, nor is he suprised by Servantis placing the blame on both of them. So it's easy to guess that's something Servantis's been claiming since Kevin was 12 years old. Like their views on the matter just allign to well.

However what I really wanna talk about it how he INSANLEY adultifies Kevin and it gets worse the more I rewatch these episodes. One rather creepy thing did notice that made alarm bells ring in my brain was that Servantis keeps calling everyone children. Amalgams? Children. Ben, child. Kevin? Well. Kevin is the exeption. Kevin is refered to as a child only once, and he says "when you WERE only a child?!" And. Yeah. Were. That line itself isn't that creepy but it helpsnyou realize how in general Servantis speaks to Kevin. The "you and I", placing them as equals. The fact that Kevin doesn't share the title of recruit, with kids (not counting Alan) propably not much younger than him, he is agent. Just like Swift and Phil, two grown ass adults. And also the fact what Kevin says, that's so clearly an echo of something Servantis once told him.

"Ben's not here, and you and I aren't partners anymore."

Partners. To this day Kevin doesn't see that Servantis was an abuser, an adult in a place of power, someone above. He views their relationship as one of equals. Two partners just as guilty for the fate of others who were just kids. A little 12 year old boy, and a middle aged man. Do- DO YOU ALSO SEE HOW FUCKED UP THIS IS??

But that's also bullshit, considering how clearly Servantis is the one in control and at the end of the day, Kevin's got nothing to say. The fact how he dropped him off to trash after one mistake, and then came back like nothing happened. Like he OWNED Kevin and could just take back what's his. There's also the fact Kevin while refering to Swift, Leander and Phil, says "Where are your lap dogs?" And Servantis doesn't try to deny the honor of his subordinates, with his answer about them "watching Kevin" (you know. Like dogs.) confirming that in fact yes, they are his lapdogs. You know who else litearlly shares a title with two of these lapdogs and also is treated like his belonging? Yeah.

And that's also why he belived Kevin turned so easly, and didn't question his motifs in the slightest. Although he propably should have, considering how unwilling Kevin was at frst to turn against Ben. That's beacuse Kevin belongs to him, he is his lapdog, and dogs obey what their owner says. He belives he got Kevin wrapped around his finger so well, he doesn't question his obediance.

So yeah. In between lines Servantis keeps basically telling Kevin how special and mature he is while also viewing him as his personal belonging. I don't know what else to tell you. That's a GROOMER BEHAVIOUR. And NO the fact he never said "age is just a number" or whatever bullshit, doesn't deminish this!

There's also more things to talk about, that I'll skim through since this post is way too long anyway. The way Servantis's behaviour depends on what kid he is talking to (we see that when comparing Alan to Kevin), knowing just how to get through them, the way he smirked when Kevin managed to run away, like he was either treating this like game of cat and mouse or just "glad his weapon is still working great". Or the fact he's seemingly in a weird age gap relationship- like Agent Swift is an adult woman, but also Alan unknowlingly called her "Kevin's jetray girlfriend" so she propably looks rather young and the touches, the nickname Swifty, the fact even then he doesn't deny she is his dog- YEAH THAT GUY IS FUCKING WEIRD.

Also I have to disagree with anyone saying that Servantis was in any way justifable. Yes, I he had a point with the fact a child shouldn't wield the most powerful weapon in the universe! However he looses me at his solution being KILLING THE CHILD, fuck, not even that! Grooming other children to do the dirty work for him! Especially as- he was working with Kevin. Kevin who in fact managed to take off the omnitrix like a year prior, and it's still the same model. He also didn't just mutate a team for one mission. He also mutated himself, on PURPOSE picking just the perfect all his mind games (wihout planning to assist the amalgam kids on the mission. What was that for huh?) And also created two other adult, better trained soliders THAT HE ALSO KEPT FOR LATER. He definetley had plans beyond "saving the universe from Ben", and I have a guess they didn't sound as noble. I need you to remember! This guy is a manipulator! And he is trying to manipulate the audience as well, something just doesn't check out in this painting of a well meaning hero he tries to sell.

She wants desperately to be normal. That feeling of being set apart from her peers, being different, other, has only grown as she has. From something as a child she could stick her nose in the air about, to a building uncertainty as her came into her own. From something acceptable for a girl having fun and establishing her education to a worried nagging in her mom’s voice about what was healthy for a young woman.

When she was little, there had been a wall between herself and others. One she had been determined to climb, to stand on top of every brick they laid and prove herself.

Now here she is, in her teens, staring into the gaping chasm beyond and feeling nothing but vertigo dread. Doubts swimming in her mind as she watches her peers on the other side, mingling and laughing and making friends in a way she never has before. A way a quarter to the left of what feels right.

She has Emily, and her brother, and Ben.

(“You should go out more, make more friends.”)

They don’t understand, not really. The boys come closest to knowing how it feels, to always be seemingly talking passed the people you meet. For both sides to step away feeling like something isn’t right with you. But even they don’t get it.

(“Polite people don’t-”)

And she stands there, alone in her classes, alone in the peers, somedays nearly alone in her family, and watches them. Emily with her family that understand each other like it’s second nature. Ken with his crowd of friends that have each other’s back through everything. Ben and his sports teams, his allies across the galaxy, girls he doesn’t even notice looking at him.

(“I just worry about you.”)

She has Emily, and her brother, and Ben. And they have, more.

Without them, she’s alone. As they grow older, move on with their lives like Ken already has, she will have nobody. Left behind, strange little Gwen who was never really right. Who was smart and skilled and diligent, but what does that matter when you aren’t like the others? When you’ll always be to the right of normal, just passed the invisible line?

Someday, everyone she has will find greater, more important things to have in their lives.

And where will that leave her?

(“If you’d just try a little harder-”)

Then, Kevin steps in.

Kevin, who tried to kill her cousin. Kevin, who stalked and attacked them. Kevin, whose always been trouble.

Kevin, who’s the closest thing Ben has to Charmcaster.

(She’d been the first person who seemed to truly get it. What it felt like to not be like anyone around you. A chunk of Gwen’s heart yearns for the maybes and could have beens.)

He’s mellowed out, over the years. A burst of violence at Ben, but otherwise seems far calmer, far saner, than he had once been. He helps them with their mission, then joins them into their duty to Earth.

(If even he can be better…)

More than that, she sees him now, in more normal situations, and can relate. The slight uncertainty when he speaks casually to people, like he’s toeing waters of what’s right to say and do. The way people look at him like they don’t quite get it. She doesn’t understand him any better than she does anyone else, maybe even worse because he’s different too. Ben throws up his arms as both of them, calls them both weirdos, in the same but different ways.

A knot has twisted in her gut for years, but she looks at him and sees a chance.

(She’s so scared to be alone, to be left behind.)

No, Kevin isn’t what she’d always hoped for in a partner. His temper is short, and tendencies towards violence. His morals are shot, crime coming second nature to him. He does that same thing Ben does, where they think taunting and teasing is fun and funny beyond the point where she wants to throw things.

But he is funny, and skilled, and driven. Handsome too, even with all the scars. When you blot out all the bad parts, he’s the sort of guy the girls at school talk about. Even with them he’s like what you see on tv, in movies, in books. The classic bad boy you were supposed to swoon over, eyeing her hungrily when he thinks nobody’s looking. Besides, she’s seen enough of those shows, those films, those stories, between hanging out with Emily and her own research.

She’s skilled and diligent, she can fix him.

(Her mom would be finally, properly proud, to see her finally acting like a normal girl her age.)

(People wouldn’t look at her like she was weird anymore, too impressed with what she’d caught and how well she handled him.)

(She’d never be alone.)