Imagine you are Rapunzel, Cass, etc. This random ass kid comes up to you and is like “let’s be friends.” He blows up his own village by accident. Then the next time you see him he nearly blows up the castle. THEN next time you see him he is pleading for his father’s life. Eventually he kidnaps your queen and you have to send an army after him, lock him up for about a year, he then wiped the memories of your king and Queen, saves the kingdom with you, and now you are besties.
If you’re Cass: you also have to deal with the fact he had a crush on you and next you know he is crushing your ribs. Years later you kidnap him.
If you’re Rapunzel: you are directly involved with this kid’s trauma (by accident but still) and are one of the reasons he went crazy— only to find yourself sitting next to him on a trip and he is using your hair as a shield while a robber tries to jump you.
If you’re Eugene: this weird kid with a shrine to you, who tried to kill you years ago, is now your cousin.
If you’re Lance: go touch his stuff and mess with him.
Not to mention he’s only 16 and all of you are really confused how he’s smarter than you OR how anything even led to this fucked up friend group.