amityravenclawelf
replied to your
post
:
OKAY SO A LITTLE DARK but adam wants ben to hate...
Wait, when did the books imply that Beast was abusive to Ben?
Itās more my interpretation than outright fact, but their relationship in the first book certainly doesnāt seem healthy. Between those scenes and the way he behaves towards Ben in the first film, Iād say Beast is... well, heās definitely not a good father.
Some lines from tIotL that I think demonstrate this:
Chapter 5 (Ben looks over a petition from the Council of Sidekicks; his father joins him, followed by Belle):
- 'Everyone gets a voice in Auradon. Although you can't let too many voices drown out reason, of course. That's what it means to be kingly,' (Beast) said, perhaps a little more forcefully than was necessary.
- The second he saw his mother, Ben found himself more at ease.
- āLead with a gentle heart and a firm hand. That's the way to be a king!" King Beast extended his own fist, and Ben just stared at it. He gazed down at his own hand, which looked like a small child's in comparison to his father's. Beast pulled Ben up by the arm, closing his hand around his son's. "There. Strong. Powerful. Kingly." King Beast's hand was so enormous Ben found he could no longer see his own. "Strong. Powerful. Kingly," Ben repeated. Beast growled, then slapped his son on the back, almost sending him flying into the nearest decorative lamp. The floor shook as he strode out of the room, still chuckling. Queen Belle looked relieved: Beast was not above making a joke at his own expense - though he was much less forgiving when anyone else attempted the same line of humour. She put her arms around her son, drawing him close. "Ben. You don't have to be another King Beast. Just be yourself - it's more than enough." "That's not what Father says." Belle smiled. They both knew there was no use trying to explain away his father's logic, and she didn't try.
- As the feather-light steps of his mother faded away, Ben took up his pen and turned back to his pages. This time, though, all he could see was his fist, with the same golden beast-head ring that his father wore. Strong. Powerful. Kingly. He clenched his fingers harder. Ben swore he would make his father proud.
Chapter 10 (Ben is running a meeting with the Council of Sidekicks by himself, as his father asked):
- His fatherās advice rang in his ear. Keep a strong hand. Show āem whoās king. He flexed his own fingers, thinking of his fatherās fist.
- Ben covered his ears. This wasnāt a meeting anymore. It was an all-out brawl. He had to shut it down, before people started throwing things - or mice. What would my father do? What does he expect me to do? How could he put me in this situation and expect me to know what to do? The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. Finally, Ben stood up. No one cared. He climbed on top of his chair - and still nobody noticed him. Thatās it! His father told him to be kingly, and kings were heard!
Chapter 18 (Ben meets with Audrey and discusses the council meeting with her):
- āSurely even a prince canāt be expected to do everything right the very first time he tries?ā Easy for you to say, Ben thought.
- āDad says I have to hold another meeting to fix it. Heās disappointed, of course, and heās had to send conciliatory gift baskets of his favourite cream cakes to everyone who was there, so heās not in the best mood. You know how much he likes his cream cakes.ā (...) āMom thinks itās the only way to make peace, although Dad was kind of annoyed to give away so many of his favourite treats.ā
Chapter 21 (Ben meets with Grumpy to fix the damage he did at the previous meeting):
- Just be yourself, there are other ways to show strength than your fatherās kind. Benās motherās words rang in Benās ears as he sat down to meet with Grumpy...
- Ben wished that people would stop telling him to be himself. It sounded like such simple advice - and maybe it would have been, if he had had any idea who himself was. But who was he? Prince Ben, son of King Beast, heir to the throne of the great Kingdom of Auradon? (...) He was Prince Ben, son of King Beast and Queen Belle (...) And if, like his father, he was meant to inherit the throne - then it would be on his own terms, as his motherās son and not just as his fatherās heir.
