I made a meta going into detail about Autistic Keith right after the release of his vlog. Since there has been a lot more content since then that’s come out I feel like it’s about time to do an updated version of this Meta going into even more detail using both more details from previous seasons and new proof that’s come out since the vlog!
This is the most obvious and clear symptom we see in Keith throughout the canon material, missed social cues. The most widely discussed example of this (though its more discussed as an injoke than a reason Keith may be autistic) is “I say Vol, you say Tron.” Keith doesn’t understand the point of this “game”, as he clearly states in his paladin vlog where he gets upset over how difficult it was for him to understand. He also clearly doesn’t understand the rules as he simply says voltron, rather than repeating after Lance. Though it’s clear he wants to understand he simply doesn’t get it and this frustrates him greatly. This also connects to another sign of autism which is needing step by step instructions to guide you through something you may not understand. Keith just wasn’t getting the help he needed to understand the game.
Missed social cues are also shown through Keith’s quiet nature, as well as his struggle to understand sarcasm and dry humor. Examples of this can be seen in the “are you joking?” scene as well as in season 7, episode 1 when James makes a sarcastic remark (“thanks a lot”) and Keith responds in a serious tone. (“My pleasure.”)
It’s also shown that in response to his struggle in situations like this Keith tends to lash out, or have meltdowns. This is shown in his vlog with his angry response and meltdown is also shown in Season 7, Episode 1, when Keith attacks James for his rude comments about Keith’s family. This is also shown several times throughout the entire series when things get hard for Keith and he lashes out in response.
Though as the series goes on Keith is shown handling unexpected hugs better and better, from the beginning of the series we see his aversion to such. He’s shown expressing discomfort to hugs, touch, and even confined spaces (such as the elevator scene with Lance.) In response to this discomfort we can see visible reactions. Backing away, stiffening up, or, like mentioned above, lashing out. This is shown through multiple hugs throughout the show and though in Season 7 he’s shown hugging his mom, Krolia, without hesitation the two have had years to bond and Keith has a trust for her beyond his struggle, starting to understand that hugging is an important part of social interaction with those you love.
Keith at the beginning of the show and even occasionally now is shown standing in very stiff, closed off positions. This is how he’s most often seen towards the beginning of the show especially when in a group with the other paladins. This can be attributed to his discomfort in the group, especially in Season 1 when the group aren’t very close together yet. Or, this could be attributed to him not understanding how to stand and act around others, especially due to his long term isolation and the fact that he had not to that point had the opportunity to watch and learn social cues such as posture.
Later on in the show as seasons pass Keith is shown beginning to copy the posture and stance of the other Paladins, this is an attempt to blend in and learn how to act. (Something that is very common with autistic people is an attempt to camouflage in this way.)
Prosopagnosia is facial blindness, or not recognizing facial features. This is very common in autistic people and is actually widely recognized for Keith in the fandom though like many of his autistic traits, it’s used to make fun of him.
This post goes into more detail on Prosopagnosia in Keith than I could do on my own here but his unrecognition of Krolia, despite the similarities in the two of them and her hinting can be attributed to this.
Keith often has trouble identifying his emotions and dealing with them, something that many people attribute to him being hot headed and angry. However, it’s more likely the other way around. Keith acts angry and appears hot headed because he doesn’t know how to process his emotions, or identify how he’s feeling. Rather than expressing emotions the way the others do he bottles them up or becomes frustrated with his struggles to understand what’s going on and blows up. This explains his angry expressions, fits of rage, and his so labeled “hot-headedness.”
In Keith’s vlog we see many signs of his autism, this vlog was quite revolutionary for the fandom and the theories of autistic Keith. Though the vlog could be an entire meta on it’s own I didn’t want to go through this one without giving the vlog its own point here.
In the vlog, as mentioned in point one, Keith discusses the “Vol-Tron” joke. As he discusses this he becomes frustrated, shouting about how it’s too complicated and doesn’t need to be so complicated. This is an example of meltdown due to overwhelming social difficulty.
Also shown in the vlog is him explaining away his struggles. This is also common with autistic people who don’t have a diagnosis and are searching for an explanation as to why they struggle and have the symptoms they do. When Keith finds out he’s part galra he wonders if this is why he struggles so much, and uses that to explain everything away.
Also shown in the vlog is Keith stimming. Both with his knife which can be considered an attachment object to him, and by rubbing his fingers together which is a very common stim for many autistic people and was one of the most groundbreaking parts of this vlog as far as the autistic Keith theory goes.
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