Why I like the William loving his kids idea so much
WEEWOO WEEWOO PERSONAL OPINION ALERTTTT!!!
Now, apart from just my own preference, there is actual evidence he liked his kids genuinely guysssssss, but I'll talk about my own thoughts on narratives here. And don't bother bringing up novel and movie William, I know of them, this is a personal idea I have.
What I find boring:
I find the lack of love or understanding of true love boring lmao. At least from many fictional media I've gotten the pleasure of consuming, the villains tend to lack love or lack understanding it, or do anything to have it.
What I want instead:
I want William's arc to not be about his failure of understanding love, or wanting love, or regaining love, but mainly co-existing with whatever he has going on, that impure, warped love of his just being a part of him.
For William, I believe he'd be able to love as much as a narcissist can. They can be loving btw, but ultimately self-centred, even if they value others.
The trope (and subversion):
Of course, there's the constant trope of reviving a loved one in fiction, and while I dislike recurring tropes, there's very specific scenarios that can make this trope good.
So the general gist is that I want a William Afton who has love and follows the "reviving loved ones" trope but have it executed in such a way that it's clear it becomes something selfish, instead of noble. And he knows. It's something evidently pathetic, and shows that even if love is the drive, it can turn into something disturbing, even for the people the villain loves. Anti-romanticism of such an ideal lol.
Not just revival too — William could go "I want my kid back, but if possession helps with living forever... sign me up lmao," and that ends up becoming his major motivation.
Why this works (morally):
I've already mentioned how I like it so that he has the capability to love, because that makes him more unforgiveable as someone who chooses to not love. Even better when he believes he's acting out of love, when really, it's his own selfishness.
The main point is how that love was a part of him in his past, and instead of being a normal dude, he threw that entire thing away and decided to just go wild. This gives William a new level of "autonomy" and accountability, where he has the ability to be human, but also an equal likelihood of being a monster, and he repeatedly chooses the monster in many aspects, until even his family life has that monster in there. I like him being aware because it makes him more guilty.
He can do horrible things for his kid, but the point is, he has done horrible things, and he was capable of such things. Love only sped up this corruption.
The weaponization of love:
Additionally, the villain understands love brilliantly — like the idea of William killing children because he wants the parents in particular to suffer, because he can understand the pain coming from grief. He experienced a human feeling, and decided to make it his weapon. I find it horrific.
Final thought:
In stories love is seen as the ultimate cure, but what if in this story whenever hints of it are seen, it only harms? Not just outsiders, but the people actually loved?
also, agree with this framework? feel free to check out r/WillFlawedCare lol