#bfb 5

"You overjudged them, but they might overjudge you!"

To make this simple, we’ll take this episode by episode. It’ll be easier to oversee the drastic change this way. This analysis was written via the release of the most recent episode, episode 12.

Episode 1:

As we can see from this first screenshot, X introduces himself by being very supportive of Four, by backing Four up when he says, “Too bad!” - this initially gives the impression that X is Four’s ally, and they’re on the same level. There is no “better” or “worse” between the two.

This screenshot shows us a differing side, though. While Four shows up, appearing ruthless and with a “my way or the screech-way” mentality, X greatly contrasts Four by giving the impression that he has more of a moral compass, being against the unfair screeching of the contestants who have done nothing wrong.

Four seems to not care at all about X’s well-being; constantly screeching him and disregarding X’s attempts to make peace. This is very much how he treats the contestants - constantly screeching them and making them do things. He sees X and the contestants as equal levels - he forces the contestants to partake in this death trap of a contest, and he makes X help him construct said contest.

Episode 2:

X continues to be considerate in helping Four out - even staying quiet when Four uses him as a table to place the cake pieces.

X having more of a moral compass and overall pertaining more to emotions and the well-being of contestants shows more evidence here.

When Pencil insists that Fanny will be eliminated instead of her, X stands up to her domineering personality and says that Fanny is safe. His overall annoyed tone shows that he dislikes her assumption that she is automatically safe. This within itself shows that he has his own opinions on how the characters interact within each other and how he dislikes rudeness and brute assumption. It’s slight characterization, but this further differentiates him from his buddy Four’s indifferent and sadistic nature of seeing them argue amongst each other.

Despite having a tendency to assert his own opinions and beliefs when the time calls for it, he is still under Four’s instructions to manage things and maintain the show’s “stage” - such as preparing the next challenge, making sure all the teams are doing their works, and the like. X insists that Four won’t like Roboty disappearing on Team BEEP like that, showing that he finds it important that everything is kept in order so that Four won’t get angry. His main goal is to make sure things are running smoothly, but the line he gives in that scene shows that to make sure Four is kept happy is also an underlying objective.

Episode 3:

Despite his demeaning (and, on some levels, somewhat depressing) role as Four’s assistant, X remains happy-go-lucky and upbeat, cheerfully reminding Four that it’s time for intro. Four begrudgingly follows, showing that even though he obviously doesn’t want to do the intro just yet, he still pays heed to X’s reminder. Even though Four may have screeched him multiple times, he still respects him enough to pay attention to his prompting.

In spite of Four respecting X’s reminder about the into, he still ridicules X, stating he “doesn’t know his value”, which hurts X’s feelings. He does this multiple times over the course of the series - making fun of X and the way he behaves. It’s not a very nice thing to do, not at all, but, for the moment, X is quiet and puts up with it. Whether this is because Four scares him, he respects Four, or this is all because he genuinely likes Four is unknown from these past episodes alone.

Episode 4:

Four’s more strict side shows up a lot more this episode. When X makes the simple mistake of saying the wrong amount of votes (which, by the way, was only off by 1), Four screeches him, causing him to cry.

Throughout the rest of the episode, X happily helps Four rank the teams in terms of best to worst representation of Four. He goes along with giving his own opinions on each team’s product, even responding to Four’s seemingly friendly questions, “What do you think of roleplay?”.

So far, X has been putting up with Four’s treatment and not talking back - he does what he is told without complaint, even taking his taunts.

Episode 5:

Episode 5 is what I consider to be a table-turner of sorts. This is the first episode where X sassed Four back. This went unnoticed by surprisingly a lot of people, as I didn’t see anyone mention it. They may have seen it as a joke, but I personally saw it as a very very important plot point in the relationship between these two.

“If you don’t like it, just screech me!” is the line X says. Listen to his tone. It’s taunting, quite disrespectfully so. He knows all that Four has done to him because of the mistakes he has made. I would relate to when I am with someone who punishes me for even the smallest of mistakes and whenever they see fit - when I manage to one-up them on something, I give them a response like what? aren’t you going to punish me? and ridiculing them right back. It’s a small line, a line that’s never brought up again in the episode. But to me, it’s very important. It shows character growth and a bit of an assessment on X’s opinions of this whole scenario. He still listens to Four and does what he says, but it’s interesting to see him fight back.

X went from being quiet and putting up with Four’s rude behavior to sassing him back when he beat him at the elimination. It’s a small start, sure, but it’s an important one, because it shows he’s FIGHTING BACK, in some way or another. It also shows that he is CAPABLE of such actions and is able to do it again.

Four doesn’t seem to think too much about him arguing back, though. It’s almost as if this is a normal occurrence for them, that this has happened before, even…

Four continues to hurt X by dismembering him.

X seems… a bit different this episode. There’s his usual charm, but it’s held under a different light. I feel X’s comment towards Four alters how his actions are perceived from here on out in the episode. He seems jubilant, much more so than when he is normally at the receiving end of Four’s fury. This may just be me, but, I dunno, he seems a bit more… free? If that makes sense? Interpret it as you will, but this is just my own take on it.

Like, does X normally dance around like this when Four hurts him? Hmmm…

Episode 6:

Four and X’s relationship seems to zoom from one end of the scale to another. Sometimes, Four is hurting X’s feelings and X is feeling really hurt. Sometimes, it’s like they’re the best of friends. Sometimes Four is kind and patient with X and other times he lashes out at X. It’s like Four doesn’t consider X important enough to keep a stable relationship with - he lashes out whenever he’s angry but kind when he wants to be. This is the kind of character Four is - sadistic and all over the place. (Don’t take this as character-hate; I really do like Four a whole lot, but this is just part of his personality.)

I had a theory that Four is only nice towards X when it concerns a work environment. For example, during eliminations, when X pitches in, Four is usually quiet, accepting the help graciously. Sometimes, like in episode 5, when X interrupts him, Four snaps at him. I can, for the most part, say that Four is only nice towards X in a work environment (in this case, reading the votes) as long as X doesn’t “step out of line”. In all the times he has, Four gets angry - in the times X just stays quiet and does his part, Four is usually just all business.

I think this adds a lot of depth to their relationship. They appear as close friends, but the whole concept of a reality show… changes Four. Remember how they were in X Finds His Value? They were close friends, and Four was the polar opposite that he was in BFB. Where Four was kind, sincere, and thoughtful in XFHV, BFB Four is vicious, manipulative, and easily provoked. Something must have happened in between these two timelines for this change to occur. Everything in BFB happens for a reason - that much is clear. Until the future, however, we’ll just have to speculate on what it could have been.

Now, from best friends to “I will only look you in the eye when we’re at work” acquaintances, it’s like they’re completely different characters.

Episode 9:

Now, people have two interpretations on X’s behavior here. Some say it was Four’s doing that makes X’s so nervous and uncertain about himself. Others say it was always his general demeanor to be a bit insecure. Both are good theories, but I personally believe it’s the second one - that this was always how X acted. Remember how he was in XFHV? Quiet, uncertain about himself and his value. Like in XFHV, X opens up when people show him their kind side, just as he does over the course of the episodes.

By this point of X’s reappearance, Four and X’s relationship has undergone many drastic fluctuations and changes. Four and X appear from best buddies, to a boss and an assistant, to someone to hurts the other’s feelings, to mere work acquaintances. And back and forth, and so on. X, while being kind and respectful of Four even in his most angry cases, also shows a bit of his own angry side at how he’s being treated, such as when he sasses Four back. This isn’t a common theme, and soon the appearances of this side of X fade to the side.

Because Four constantly taunted X (and because hosting seemed to look oh-so-fun!), X wants to give hosting a try. Not only because it just looks like a blast, but because he wants a chance to prove that he can do it. After a long time of being told he couldn’t, or just being an assistant, he can rise the occasion.

This scene shows a lot about X. It looks as if he never had anyone who has commented positively on his ability to do things on his own - or, at the very least, hasn’t had someone do that in a long while. This may be because for the past couple months, he’s been sort of a lackey to Four, doing as he says, and listening to him say some pretty mean things. He has a very wow! i can do this! me! of all people! maybe i can do this, after all sort of look in this scene. This is what brings about his actions in the next episode.

Episode 10:

This episode is one that I consider to be very important when looking at Four and X’s dynamic - this is especially important if you’re trying to find out about X’s stance on their relationship.

His attitude has completely changed over the course of an episode. (Seems a bit off, but considering the time in between each episode in the BFB universe is about a week to a month, it’s not completely impossible.) He’s gone from being uncertain to, yes, still polite, but much more open and broad than beforehand.

He even tries some of Four’s tactics on the characters up for elimination. Four had a tendency to tease the contestants more in danger of being eliminated, and we can see X trying out some of Four’s tricks here. This could also be a sign that X respects and looks up to Four enough to try some of his tricks here, on his own time.

This scene, I think, is very, very, very important when we’re considering X’s character development up until this point. X went from being very shy and insecure to being kind and more open. 

Here, imagine this; say, for example, you had a friend who you had known for a very long time. They’ve helped you through the times where you just didn’t know what to do with yourself, and you’ve helped them in turn, and you two are very close. You both then work on a project together, in which this friend has… a lot of passion, I guess you could say. Actually, it’s more than that. This friend lives and breathes this project, and often ends up hurting you because of the passion they feel for it. Sometimes you feel you aren’t important…

Then, you get your chance to share the project yourself, explain how it works, actually give instructions instead of being behind your friend all the time having them tell you what to do. It’s freeing, isn’t it? People tell you, oh, what an amazing project, i just adored it! and you smile, because it’s the first time in a long time, where you felt you did something yourself, that you loved, and did it right.

And then people are panicking and asking for your friend back.

Hm.

Now do you see why X looks as hurt as he does? He looks incredibly dejected, and I believe it’s for these reasons: he felt like he could do something right and be appreciated for once, and now they’re asking for Four back. It would sting you, too, wouldn’t it?

However, X manages to push it aside, and greet Four in his arrival. It seems even though X was having fun on his own, experimenting and experiencing calling the shots, he’s happy to have Four back. I personally like to think that it’s because, deep down inside, although Four seems to be a different person as compared to how he was in XFHV, he still thinks of Four as the same, and even misses that Four, too.

Just a thought.

X is very happy to be praised by Four. Being praised by Four is a rare occurrence, now-a-days, and so having a seemingly friendly Four compliment him on David’s elimination just seems to make his day.

Throughout the rest of the episode, Four is very friendly and compassionate towards X - asking for his opinions on things, praising him, ect. This is sort of the case for the next episode, too.

I do have a little theory as to why this is. Donut, when deflated after Firey got Four out of him, looked very flat.

Up until now, Donut has been in a very, very bad mood. It’s possible that Donut was absorbing all of Four’s “bad qualities”, like being mean and intolerant of jokesters. And when Four came out, he was nice simply because he didn’t have those qualities. That’s a theory, of course, not anything confirmed, but I thought it was interesting.

Episode 11:

Four seems to be a much more tolerant version of his prior self. In the past, when X corrected him, Four did not like that, because he “doesn’t like criticism”. Now, he’s fully acceptant of it.

Four even seems to be more patient with the contestants. The way he says “...and no fliers allowed! Or else! Understand?” shows that he actually warned them instead of letting them go in blind like last time, which is something the “old Four” would have done.

Up until now, Four and X have undergone a lot of changes in their relationship. Now, as compared to the fluctuating “by chance” of their interactions, Four seems to be steadily nicer and more open with X. He’s patient, understanding, and forgiving - especially when you compare it to how he was in prior episodes.

It seems things just can’t get any better! Or… is that how it really is?

Episode 12:

This scene is pretty self-explanatory - unless you haven’t yet seen the episode (in that case, why are you reading this!!!! Go watch the episode), then all you need to know is that X and Four switch bodies for this scene.

The important thing, I think, is how X interacts with Four in this scene. X is all okay, okay lol i’ll say the thing you want as if he were talking to a good friend. When Four notices that X is treating him as if they were on equal terms, he lashes out once again and hits X, saying, and I quote, “Don’t lean on me.” Which is… sort of things friends do.

I believe this further pushes the evidence that one of the reasons X likes Four so much is because he looks up to Four. He admires the way Four runs the show. And he, in a way, admires Four himself.

Four is shown to become increasingly less and less tolerant of X’s mistakes, such as glaring at him when he messes up his elimination intro.

He also seems to want to get back at X for the simple mistake X did in, what, episode six? That was six episodes ago. Plus, Four already got his revenge on X by dismembling him. Four seems entirely in character now, back to being his vicious self. It seems entirely in character for Four to bring back old arguments and get revenge for things from the past. He’s pretty petty.

We see a bit of Four’s quick-thinking and helpful side, here, too. Although X is usually the one reminding him about things (such as not to blast the contestants when Four was disguised as X), Four can also lend a helping hand when he sees fit.

Throughout the rest of this episode, Four and X are very playful with one another, constantly joking around, and having a good time. I see it as a sign of them somewhat starting over and being friends. However, we see peeks of the previous Four peeking out, such as when he slaps X for leaning on him.

Conclusion:

X and Four’s relationship has undergone many fluctuate changes throughout the course of the series. They start out as seemingly good friends, but it escalates to Four constantly being rude and judgmental towards X. They have their kind moments, especially during eliminations. But it’s obvious Four doesn’t, at the moment, seem to take in regard X’s feelings on important things. X looks up to Four, and although he can fight back if he wants, Four is more stronger than he is - plus, X does like Four, so that may be holding him back. All in all, they have an ever changing relationship, one worlds different from the close duo they were in XFHV. I hope we see more background on what really went down between the two of them from then till now, but only time will tell.