Do you think mewtwo may be touch starved? (I don’t mean anything gross or perverted!!!) more like hugs or cuddles and stuff
Hi, Anon! Yes, I do! I think Mewtwo has gone so long without positive touch (battling doesn't count) that he could be suffering from touch starvation. He probably wouldn't know what to do if given a hug!
Disclaimer: I’m not a doctor. Please don’t use this to diagnose yourself.
We humans need positive touch. Positive contact causes the brain to release oxytocin, which makes you feel good. It gives you a sense of comfort, security and satisfaction. People who don’t get enough positive physical touch can become stressed, anxious or depressed. As discussed in this other question, prolonged stress and anxiety can be detrimental to your health, even triggering PTSD.
This reaction to touch starts at birth. It’s why doctors have new mothers hold their babies to their chest for skin-to-skin contact. Mothers are encouraged to hold and comfort their babies often to promote healthy development.
In the animated films, nobody holds Mewtwo when he pops out of the tank. Nobody touches him. The only physical contact he presumably has at Team Rocket is having his armor put on. The only positive contact I recall him having is Ash Ketchum carrying him to Purity Spring to be healed. It’s notable that Mewtwo regains the strength to fight off Team Rocket and the courage to explore the world after this happens.
Mewtwo’s personality may align with someone suffering from touch starvation. It’s common to have feelings of loneliness, depression, decreased life satisfaction, anxiety and stress if touch starved.
Or it could be that Mewtwo is touch averse. Perhaps he’s never liked being touched. Maybe he has a sensory processing issue. Or perhaps not being held or touched from “birth” resulted in him developing a touch aversion. Our tendency to engage in physical touch like hugging is often a product of early childhood experiences, so perhaps because Mewtwo isn't raised being hugged, he grows up to dislike it. How touch aversion is experienced and expressed in real life is highly individual, so take all this with a grain of salt.
All of this is to say that it’s an interesting issue to explore when considering Mewtwo’s character. There are many different ways you can characterize Mewtwo with regards to positive physical contact!
Thanks for the interesting ask! Sources under the cut.
