#observing-the-graphic

This is a super cool headcanon that I’ve seen floating around, though as far as I’m aware there’s no canon evidence either way about it. I personally absolutely believe that he was experimented on at this point. It just makes more sense than not.

Like, he remembers nothing of eleven years, and sorry if I say I don’t believe that a single traumatic incident that didn’t, as far as we know, physically affect Caleb (who also as far as we know had no history of any mental issues prior to this point that might have been aggravated or worsened) would do that. Does Trent really wanna look me in the eye and tell me that Caleb was so affected by the act of killing his parents that he became unable to think or act with agency for over a decade???

So Caleb, after a traumatic incident, mysteriously becomes incredibly vulnerable in a way that means… Well, no family or friends are gonna come looking for him. From what we’ve been told of his state, he can’t give meaningful consent to any procedures or hospital stays… and he also can’t refuse. He has no one to do so on his behalf, either. I don’t think we know to what degree he was conscious and aware, but the fact that the few memories he has of the time are “hazy” doesn’t bode well.

And incredibly conveniently, while in this curious state, Caleb just happens to fall into an Asylum under Assembly control. Where magic users can… “learn.” And Trent has offices. And once his stay is over, his memories are scrambled to hell if not nonexistent.

Oh yeah, I definitely noticed that, and I think a few others did too. It honestly hurt me a bit to watch, because I think Caleb’s been really struggling to get through to Nott about how much Halas worries him and how sincerely he’s trying to create that spell for her. Last episode he tried being harsh in the middle of his panic, but she was pretty slow to respond to that. This episode he tried being very quiet and soft, using her halfling name to try and get her attention, but she pretty much completely ignored him. Which kind of feels like he’s failed to get through to her twice, now.

It’s just that perfect storm of Caleb being swept up in his PTSD by one of his least favourite things (powerful wizards, especially unknown powerful wizards of dubious morality) that also happens to hit Nott exactly where it hurts, at her greatest wish (to physically be who she used to be). Which means that while Caleb’s tactics probably would have gotten to Nott usually, they failed spectacularly when put up against someone offering her exactly what she wants. Doubly because she knows the rest of the Nein had absolutely no intention of entertaining Halas doing that for her. Usually he might have been clearheaded enough to find some way to get her attention, but he wasn’t in a great place either, right then.

A gift for you. twitter.com/NBCHann…

wow i spent way too much time on this