#but his worldview is deeply unhealthy and he’s never been within 10 feet of a healthy coping mechanism

[thewistlingbadger]

Also I feel like it's important to remember that Silco didn't plan to be a parent and probably never wanted to be one before jinx. He has no idea what he's doing and probably doesn't have a good father figure in his life, if he had a father figure at all. Silco has mental illness like Jinx. Not her same exact type but he's clearly not mentally healthy. He's severely traumatized and he lacks the skills to handle or process that trauma. All the advice he gives Jinx is just what he's been doing all this time, and that's why it's unhelpful and doesn't work.

Jason Spisak, Silco's voice actor, once said in an interview that Silco was a good dad but he wasn't a good role model, and I think that's a really good way to put it. Kids often look up to their parents and try to copy them in some way. Silco is DEFINITELY not someone you want others to mimic. He's cold and ruthless and lacks empathy for others. Jinx definitely does copy some stuff from him, most noticeably in my opinion facial expressions and certain methods of intimidation and violence. For some parents, having children makes them better people because it changes their perspective. Having Jinx as a daughter did NOT make Silco a better person, and only changed his perspective slightly. Their relationship lacks boundaries on both of their ends and it is an unhealthy, codependent relationship. But that doesn't mean there aren't good things about their relationship. Their relationship is so controversial because the people examining them have different perspectives when they look at these two. For some people, they'd give anything to have a father as loving and as understanding as Silco because they know what it's like to not have a father who's like that. Some people do have good fathers and because they do, they can see the flaws in Silco. Some people have bad fathers and that's why they see the flaws in Silco too. Honestly, it's just a decision of how much you can and cannot let slide, what matters most to you when it comes to parent/child relationships. I think Silco and Jinx have a really special relationship because they're the only people in the whole world that can fully understand each other, and to me that's awesome. The fact that they completely get their counterpart is what makes their relationship so healing for both of them. Silco and Jinx validate each other as much as they hurt each other. For some people that are used to messy relationships like that, where the fault lines are blurry, they're okay with their relationship. But some people see the lines more clearly, and that makes them against them.

if we define “good dad” by genuinely wanting what’s best for your kid, loving and caring for them unconditionally, being patient with them, making them feel valued, giving them the space to express themselves, encouraging their talents, and genuinely trying your best and doing what you think is best for them, then Silco was a good dad.

But if we define “good dad” by actually being able to properly parent and discipline your child, ensuring they aren’t a danger to themselves and others, teaching them healthy life lessons so that they can grow, not projecting your own unresolved trauma onto your child in a codependent way, and being a good role model, then Silco was NOT a good dad.