I would love to hear more about how you think it's obvious that Arnold has a crush on Helga! Would you elaborate on some moments that stand out besides the obvious (April Fools, the movies)?
would i elaborate? pfttt shoot!
So, for me, I see his feelings for her as manifesting mostly subconsciously throughout the show, and I also feel that while he may not be in active denial, he is uncomfortable inspecting his feelings about her. and that’s what’s going on the majority of the time. He even expresses more surface level thoughts about other crushes, so we know he doesn’t reflect on his romantic feelings too deeply.
Gerald: What do you really know about Ruth?
Arnold: Well, I know, uh... I know she's, um... well, for one thing, she... hmm. I guess I really don't know much about her. I just wanna tell her how much I like her.
bc Arnold has a tendency to repress his more complicated feelings, you do, as a viewer, learn to extrapolate what is happening internally there and read into his reactions to things... And boy does he respond to Helga!
He deliberately challenges her a lot. like, a noticeable amount. More than he does even other bully characters? And Yes, Arnold is pretty earnest and optimistic when faced with someone who is being negative, but he also is quick to be like, “kay, guess I’ll eff off” when people are too prickly with him lol.
But... Helga can make it clear she’s annoyed with him and lash out disproportionately, and he’ll just... brush it off to keep trying to get her attention or interact with her meaningfully lol. It’s really cute! Like this exchange in biosquare
Arnold: Look. The black ant is observing its surroundings and inspecting the red ant. How do you think the red ant's reacting, Helga?
Helga: I think the red ant wants the black ant to clam up and quit bugging her.
Arnold: No, look! I think the black ant is trying to get the red ant to help it move the blade of grass.
Helga: Well, if that black ant knows what's good for him, he'll go over to his corner of the ant farm and stay there, because the red ant's getting annoyed and hungry.
Arnold: Helga, you have to see what the black ant just did.
Like, imagine reading this exchange with no context... who would you assume is the one hopelessly infatuated with the other?
I view that behavior as an off chute of Arnolds desire to draw out a version of Helga that he feels she keeps hidden, which is just A Lot.
in married for example...
Arnold: (grabbing her by the shoulders) Why are you doing this?! Look, I know you’re not this lazy and cold and uncaring! You may act like that, but deep down I know you’re smart and you have feelings, and if we have to be married to each other, then I want you to start showing it!
He wants to be the person she shows that to. He wants to see this side of her and nurture it. This is obviously... very romantic, but it also has the potential to cause friction.
We know, of course, that while Helga sincerely is a deeply sensitive person with the capacity to be sweet as pie, she also isn’t putting on nearly as much of a facade as Arnold may be assuming. I think he has to reconcile that Helga is genuinely a girl comprised of contradictions, which may contribute to how often they misunderstand each other.
On a similar note, I think it’s worth acknowledging that Arnold does have some frankly conservative social opinions when it comes to girls, and certain preferences when it comes to crushing that Helga does not necessarily align with. For example, how he talks about Ruth:
Arnold: Well, she's tall and delicate. And she has this really shiny auburn hair that cascades over her ears and onto her milky white shoulders, and soft brown eyes that sparkle and...
vs.
Arnold: You know, Helga, for a girl, you're not very dainty.
So... just another reason why Arnold might struggle to confront or pinpoint his feelings. But there are moments where Helga is more traditionally girly or sweet, and pretty much every single time Arnold notices her and he’s very quick to compliment her!
for instance
Arnold: Personally, I thought you were great up there. It's the first time I ever saw you, well, being nice. I liked it.
Helga: You did?
Arnold: Yeah. Why can't you act nice like that all the time?
nd of course
Arnold: Wow, Helga. You've got flowers in your hair.
Helga: Yeah, you wanna make something of it, football head?
Arnold: No, I was just thinking you look kinda nice.
Helga herself also kinda notices this after their sweet exchange in Arnold’s valentine, where Arnold is very forward! kissing her hand and telling her their date was the best Valentine’s he’s ever had (?!)
Helga: He likes me. He really likes me. (EXCLAIMS) Wait a minute. He doesn't like me. He likes Cecile. Well, not “Cecile” Cecile—“me” Cecile. So he does like me.
Not to mention the psychological can of worms that is Hilda.
...
Arnold’s subconscious is about as subtle as a freight train lmfao.
But continuing! he really often uses her criticism as a springboard to motivate him, which I’ve always interpreted as him valuing her opinion. On the flip side of that, she simultaneously seems to get under his skin for this reason. Like, I think it’s interesting that interacting with her negatively never has him thinking, “I ought to avoid this girl,” but rather, “How can I prove her wrong? How can I show her up? How can I change her mind?”
Because she has the ability to make Arnold lose his temper, she’s often a catalyst for reflection and connection. I see this as giving them a relationship that Arnold wouldn’t be able to have with someone who didn’t challenge him.
Then, there’s his tendency to unintentionally associate Helga with romance for, like, actually no reason? i.e., my absolute favorite freudian slip
Helga: So, Arnold, is there anyone you especially like in your class? Perhaps a smart, funny, beautiful girl?
Arnold: A girl? Well, there's this one girl named Helga.
Riiiiight. We all bring up the class bully when asked about smart, funny, pretty girls. Totally. Smh.
Or Married, where he, for... whatever reason, can’t seem to stop thinking about marrying her + he really fights it too! he retakes the test 110 times.
But why? You can’t imagine he’d react the same if he’d been paired with another character. And he doesn’t put much stock in the fortune... until he gets Helga. Then it’s serious. Then it’s a commitment. Then it feels real the second he gets her name.
And isn’t he the one that’s always trying to tell people to see the good in her? So why is he so immediately and staunchly opposed?
Because Helga bugs him. For reasons. Deep, deep down? she really bugs him...
married may be the first real deliberate avoidance of the topic lol.
I hope everyone enjoyed me losing my mind here and enjoys my meta u_u. I love inspecting a character’s internal feelings, especially for someone like Arnold!!
