Ray

It was mentioned in an earlier post that Strade probably kept Ren because Ren was willing to believe and accept anything Strade said or did. He was even willing to adopt Strade's twisted morality, feeding into his ego. What did Ren get out of this deal? He got what he never got before: the feeling of being needed.

Knowing one's place in the world is a powerful thing. This applies to any role within society. When someone is 'set in their ways', it means they established those ways for themself. Go ahead and try to get them to break the routine. You'll find it's easier to move heaven and earth than it is to get them to do something different. This is why most addicts stay addicts and why many in abusive relationships stay in abusive relationships. Sure, the experiences may be horrible, but they are familiar. They are comfortable. Creating an entirely new identity requires killing the old one, and many cannot handle the pain. In an earlier post, it's mentioned that the Ren of BTD1 ceased to exist once BTD2 comes about. When Strade died, his final act of cruelty was taking Ren with him.

Fox has now built his entire identity around what he learned from Strade. By the time we meet him in TPOF, he is fully set in his ways. Even if his heart isn't in it, even if he feels bad for MC, he has to keep going, because it's all he knows. It's important to note, the only time Fox inflicts harm on MC is during the streams when he has the mask on. Even if he's putting up a front (a 'show', if you will) the front has to be maintained, otherwise he'd lose his identity yet again. The people he surrounds himself with would see through him and possibly put him through horrible pain. Appropriately, the DLC is called 'The Show Must Go On!' I don't think this refers to the streams Fox produces, as the one we see wouldn't have happened if MC didn't beg Fox to take them (something Fox couldn't have predicted). Rather, it refers to the show Fox has to put on for himself to convince himself that he really is this cruel, uncaring monster.

When MC asks, "Are you going to kill me or not?" He cheerily responds, "That's for the chat to decide!" To me, this indicates he's not actually interested in causing harm during the shows, further shown by the painkillers he gives the MC. He does what he does, because he doesn't know how to do anything different. He is fully on autopilot and can resolve any moral dilemmas by pointing to the chat and saying it's what they wanted. When the MC says, "I thought you were the one in charge," he's stunned into silence as if he regained some of his clarity.

Throughout the shows, if the MC plays up to the chat, makes the show easier to put on, and acts submissive to Fox's requests, Fox will warm up to them. This is exactly how Ren used to act around Strade in an effort to (futilely) avoid some of Strade's torment. As someone who's run many DnD games, I can't tell you how inspiring it is when I get a player who wants to roleplay and also does it well. I'm certain Fox feels the same way about his co-stars (What's that? Am I comparing my DnD sessions to a snuff stream? No more questions, please!). Gato even mentioned in one of her asks that Ren loves fetish gear and kinky clothing as evidenced when he dresses the MC up in lingerie for his shows. The MC indicating they like the outfit is the only option that increases his affection towards them.

So when Fox spares the MC, it's because they acted in a way that was deeply familiar to him. They offered him what he craved and hoped to get from his chat: the feeling of being needed. In doing so, he couldn't help but try to build a connection with them by showing them his scars. In making the MC his Ren, he could finally transcend into his ideal version of Strade. The cycle continues. Time is a flat circle. -☢️

Emma and takemitchy claim he saved them by making them not feel alone. The same is literally why toman exists... to make these abandoned kids feel at home, the reason why he protected kazutora, why he wanted to make his mom happy and protect her...etc. etc., all of it leads us back to Mikey feeling understandably lonely in a broken household, which eventually grew into a huge void but at all times he has been hoping if he can’t cure himself of it then he can cure others, and he would do that no matter the price. His own suffering was the reason for his empathy. He knows what it's like. So even unconsciouly he could recognize this pain and help.

Mikey was able to make them keep going and live, and when they tragically eventually died it was with no regrets.