#yes s6 theo is still mean. he can be cruel and manipulative but also he plays that up as a mask in situations where when you look at his

[lesbiradshaw]

once again thinking about how so much of s6 liam and theo’s relationship is about theo choosing to do the dirty work so liam doesn’t have to. he went from trying to harness liam’s anger for his own gain to trying to help him get it under control— and even in triggers when he does intentionally piss liam off so they can fight to cause a distraction, he keeps liam from killing nolan right after. he tries to comfort liam (in his own Extremely Emotionally Stunted way) during the car ride home by pointing out how hard he tried to avoid hurting him. he does it again in the locker room, telling liam he’s making progress by not killing gabe— right before stepping forward and smashing gabe’s face right back into that mirror for himself to get the information they need. theo throws himself at the ghost riders as bait because he knows liam, despite his harsh promises, is too good of a person to do it himself. he pulls liam into the sheriff station bathroom and reality checks him about saving his friends and himself (also in the most Emotionally Stunted way possible) because he knows liam is sometimes blinded by his own idealism. he pushes liam ahead of him at the hospital and takes bullets meant for them both.

for someone who claims to relish in his own selfishness, theo time and time again shows that he’d rather get blood on his hands as long as it keeps liam from having to get it on himself.

#yes s6 theo is still mean. he can be cruel and manipulative but also he plays that up as a mask in situations where when you look at his #motives it becomes pretty clear he’s doing/saying shit because he really does care #about LIAM even ​if not about ‘the greater good’ #its rotten work! not to me! not if its you! #theo doing the rotten work so liam wont have to be corrupted the same way he was ooooooh let me write that down #obviously liam is still traumatized and haunted by a lot of what happens to him bc it’s inevitable #but when theo is with him … idk theo tends to take on the bloodier tasks. intentionally. #hes not trying to preserve liams innocence or whatever because frankly i think naïveté frustrates him #but he’s trying to preserve liams goodness. maybe it makes him feel like he can rekindle some of his own. #him trying to make liam see the world for what it is while also wanting him to avoid the worst parts of it so he doesnt end up like theo #oh i feel faint #anyways #enjoy another analysis no one asked for #thiam #carolcore