quartz: how my muse thinks other people see them.

You know, for as self aggrandizing as Szayel comes off as, he has quite the inferiority complex. One that absolutely fuels his need to be seen as better, he needs to be smarter, he must be perfect. He must prove his worth constantly and consistently to be seen as something. 

Because of this, his own sense of self worth is skewed. And inherently based on constantly proving himself time and time again, his worth is conditional and hinges on his performance.