I think I enjoy two interpretations of Flambae’s dad the most:
1) All around, a good father whose only questionable parenting method is getting Chad into arson. But the ultimate conclusion can be interpreted as ‘you are what you are. And I love what you are.’
2) Angsty spin: Cool dad.
Personally, I don’t enjoy erasing the fact that Flambae had a good father.
I understand wanting to explore the possibilities and adding depth to his story. But I feel like that can be achieved without taking away the positive aspects of his life.
This is mostly ‘your father loves you more than anyone in the world. He’s also flawed in ways you aren’t ready to look at.’
That being said: If you asked Flambae if he had a good father, he’d say of course he did. His father is awesome. Always was, always will be.
He laughs like a car in overdrive and dresses like Ghost rider and a cocktail had an affair.
He has five dirty jokes in his gums, and an endearing wildness about him.
He thought Flambae how to cook with one hand and blow stuff up with the other. Thought him that he shouldn’t apologize for what he is.
And whenever he’s asked about Chad’s childhood, his dad always laughs, sunglasses glinting with a certain nervousness.
“Well, we raised eachother, really.”
Because the truth is: He wasn’t ready to be a dad. But he wasn’t ready to be alone, either.
If you asked Flambae, he would also say, cup to his lips and eyes a little downcast, as he and the team discuss childhoods for reasons he can’t quite grasp,
“He used to race all the time, before I was born. He was good at it, too. After my mom had me, he used to pour a little gasoline in his beer. I think it’s the only way he knew how to miss it.”
And if someone did try to tell Flambae that driving your father to the ER at 12, because a race ended badly isn’t ideal, he’d just shrug.
“Yeah, but he didn’t have to stay. Doesn’t that count?”
He’d say that he was loved.
And if someone, — maybe Robert, maybe Prism, maybe anyone on the Z team who can relate to him even a little, — would say “Yeah. But it sounds like you weren’t raised.”
He wouldn’t know how to debate that.
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