#licorice

Bro just over exaggerates the romantic shit so Sweetheart thinks it's normal and then when Halite, Red-Hot, and Sourpuss return, they just straight up tell her "oh, no. Bitterbat is just fucking crazy and an outlier."

For a while, I and a solid chunk of the fandom have always interpreted the necromancer as being desperate. Wanting to be seen and gaining approval either via respect, or with those he sees as enemies: fear. It's a solid block of his character

But, I got to thinking about what his voice actor had mentioned about his interp of the character. It's not necessarily approval as a whole he is seeking out. But rather an aspect of it: for someone to believe in him

Because more often then not, not even he believes in himself

We get a glimpse of this from time to time, particularly in the earlier episodes in crispya. It becomes apparent that all of his confidence is just a show. A front seeking to appear as intimidating and powerful. To make up for said power he doesn't necessarily have in most situations might I add. One wrong question or poking and prodding at what he said or did and it all come crashing down, crumbing around him as he tries to quickly make an excuse or invent a reason for whatever he said that (at the time) felt right in the moment.

bbg is out here literally just trying to copy the books and advice he is given bc he sucks absolute ass at being the bad guy. He tries, granted. Gives it his all, always trying to improve where there were previous failures. But it just keeps happening. Licorice just keeps failing. And bit by bit, it chips away at his faked ego. At ever having a change to be taken seriously for once.

So to have someone that has faith in him, that doesn't underestimate him like everyone else... A dream. One he doesn't hardly believe in anymore. And he is so used to being spat on and rejected, that even when it's right in front of him, Licorice pushes them away or distances himself.

Bat-Cat and Schwarzwalder are the closest things he has to family, yet he only ever refers to them as his underlings. Poison Mushroom cookie is pretty much his little sibling at this point, yet when questioned about their relationship Licorice adamantly says all of the C.O.D. are just coworkers and nothing more. (Hollyberry of course ain't fooled, his ass was clearly on babysitting duty lol). Even in different timelines he is adamant that he neither has nor needs friends, especially in Oven Break.

Like the very thing he wants is literally Right There, and yet, Licorice gets in the way of himself and becomes his own worst enemy. Denying himself the very thing he seeks. A part of me wonders if he doesn't even recognizes that he is part of the problem, or if it's the necromancer's way of punishing himself for not meeting the expectations of his master or himself.

Why should anyone believe in him when he has nothing to show for it? Surely their approval means nothing, they'd be fools for trying to put their faith in him when he can't even complete a basic mission as ordered by his mistress... right?