#please read this i spent over 2 hours on this hahdjkskdsjjdjdme

[gentil-minou]

Why the sentiadrien theory scares us...and why it might actually be a wonderful narrative for therapeutic healing

So when I'm not shit posting on tumblr or flailing about ml, I'm a therapist working with kids Mari and Adrien's age. One of the reasons I was drawn to this show was how amazing it works as a metaphor for mental health and therapeutic healing.

Originally when I heard the sentiadrien theory, I was terrified because with it were all these painful complications I hadn't considered...

But when I really sat down and thought about it, I figured out how if done well sentiadrien has the potential to make Adrien's story more compelling than anything we might have thought... I also find it fascinating how the fandom is reacting to it and how it might be related to the way a fan handles grief, mental health, and the loss of hope.

I wanted to take the time to explore why the sentiadrien hurts some fans so much, to the point where they can't accept it. I also wanted to offer reassurance to those who do, because I truly think the sentiadrien theory is the best theory we have that will allow Adrien to heal and finally be free.

I'm not here to convert anyone into believing this theory, I only want to provide reassurance to those who feel pain because of it.

Disclaimer: I'm a therapist but I am not your therapist. If any of what I say offends you I'm sorry, this does not apply to every fan and is more a hypothesis than anything else. In addition, if you are in need of support please reach out to those around you and get the help you need. I strongly believe that everyone has the opportunity to get better and live their best lives.

But before we can talk about sentiadrien, we have to look at the character Adrien and his impact on his fans.

From the get go, to the fandom Adrien represents sunshine and hope. We literally see Adrien breaking free from his chains and striving for freedom. Whether or not you consider what he's been through as abuse, it's clear he has been craving a better world. Throughout the show, we watch him healing slowly. He makes friends, falls in love, develops new interests, makes jokes and values his time as Chat Noir. I've always thought this show is an excellent metaphor for mental health and the therapeutic journey, and like we can compare Marinette with anxiety and self-esteem issues (i could go into a whole separate analysis on that girl), we can say Adrien is a metaphor for the the struggles people with depression and trauma go through. He represents what happens when someone's mental health is getting better, when someone is starting their therapeutic journey towards healing.

Personally I think season 4 is tackling that last big shackle that traps Adrien. It's painful right now but the end will include Adrien finally being able to share those demons he doesn't know how to share just yet.

Now what does this mean for his fans?

Although not everyone is like this, people often turn to fandom as a way of coping with their own mental health. Seeing a character struggling with their figurative or literal demons and being able to make it out and get their happy ending is very therapeutic. And while most of us don't have a literal supervillain for a dad or dress in a leather catsuit, we can relate to Adrien's worries regarding freedom, being chained, trapped, and that desire to get out, especially those of us who have struggled with depression, emotional abuse, neglect, isolation, etc. 

Fans can look to Adrien and identify with him and maybe even rely on him as their emotional support. They find they can relate to him and that he gives them hope it will get better. It happens a lot with a lot of shows but Adrien is sunshine boy who has hard times but can still smile and laugh even though there is still pain, it makes sense to have him as an emotional support character. He represents healing.

"If a character like him can get better, can be free and happy, then I can too."

He represents our hope.

This is where the sentiadrien discourse happens and why i think it provides valuable info for fandom psychology, particularly for fans who are anti-sentiadrien.

Let's consider the way sentimonsters were introduced in the show, created as a tool, an object to be used and discarded. They're different than an akuma which is purified, sentis are taken away and never seen again. We can compare it to those of us striving for freedom, and that fear of never getting it. For example senti-Ladybug, the only senti we have seen be freed from their chains...was destroyed regardless.

The implications of that episode were that even if we can win back control, are we really free? Did we really win? Can we really not be destroyed or can we lose again? This is something I see a lot with those healing from trauma, the fear that their freedom is fleeting.

There's also the whole senti"monster" bit. People don't like hearing they are considered a monster, there are some other implications there as well. But it implies outcast or segregation, discrimination. Plenty of real-world painful concepts in the word itself. To apply it to the character we identify the most with might make us believe that we too are monsters, and that hurts.

A lot of the discomfort also stems from the idea that this would be emotionally crushing for Adrien, and we who can relate to him can empathize almost too much with him.

To have thought you were getting better, improving everyday, having the ability to make your own choices and the chance to be free, then losing it because were you ever really free? All that healing, just to lose again? But the sentiadrien theory implies there is none, that at the end Adrien is going to be controlled and the freedom he worked hard to get is going to go away and he will be back in the dark place he was at the beginning of the show. That is a very real fear a lot of people have. So the theory kinda takes that hope and throws it in the trash

So now we've established that the implication behind sentiadrien can be traumatic and painful, how on earth could it be possible for Adrien to grow from it?

Well first, we need to talk about what it means to heal from trauma.

The way I handle trauma is by helping people reclaim their safety and empowering them, showing them that despite it all they made it through and are tougher than they think.

What that doesn't mean is telling them that their trauma wasn't real, that their feelings aren't valid, that they should forgive their abusers, that their pain and experiences didn't matter. THAT IS NOT WHAT THIS MEANS.

That's also not what the sentiadrien theory means. It doesn't mean that Adrien's experiences were somehow not real. It doesn't mean his abuse wasn't real. It doesn't mean that his feelings are invalid. It doesn't. The way he came into the world might have been different, but at the end of the day, his experiences were REAL.

Even if Adrien is a senti-being, he is STILL Adrien, he will always be sunshine cat boy. He's real.

So now we get to the point of this: Why the sentiadrien theory has some amazing storytelling potential.

I always thought this show was an excellent way to describe mental health and the therapeutic journey in general. (I've used it to describe the CBT triangle with some clients with great success! Let me know if people want to hear about it because seriously it's some amazing comparisons) And sentiadrien is a perfect, real and raw metaphor for healing from trauma.

People think that sentiadrien will erase Adrien's trauma and make him less than a real person, essentially confirming a fan's inner fears that their pain is not real or invalid.

In reality, it would actually do the opposite and empower Adrien.

When working with trauma using TF-CBT, a major component is the use of a trauma narrative where people with PTSD tell the story of their trauma, from their point of view, free of criticism and invalidation. A chance for them to take their story and tell it, their way.

For years, Adrien never had a chance to tell his story, his way. Even if he wasn't a senti-being, he has always been controlled by his dad and probably his mom too. Becoming Chat Noir was Adrien's way of breaking free, but he hasn't dealt with or addressed any of his trauma. It's been pushed to the side, to be dealt with never.

But if he's a senti, he will have to address what happened to him and face the fundamental question he has in season 4: Does he belong, is he needed?

@coccinelle-et-chaton once said it very well: "abuse victims that relate to Adrien already have difficulties legitimizing their own emotions and are constantly double-guessing themselves. The fact that the character you relate to bc of your trauma turns out to be "magic" even though that does not negate his emotions, can elicit a powerful reaction bc deep down you just want to be acknowledged."

And to those who share those sentiments, I want to ask them this: Is your trauma real? And if Adrien is a senti, does that make him any less real?

And the answer is yes, they are.

If the writers can do it (and I actually sincerely think they can), being a senti could mean Adrien learning to take control of himself while dealing with his "trauma", and even eventually reclaiming his life and freedom through getting control of his amok.

Thus showing that despite the trauma and pain and depression and anxiety, he can still live a normal life. He is still real.

That's essentially what treating PTSD is, we cant make the trauma go away but we can take back control, while allowing those who struggle with it to realize their experiences and feelings are real and valid. To show that despite it all, we can live and keep going. And that actually avoiding the trauma or not thinking about it makes the whole situation worse. If Adrien is a senti, he will face that and he will come out stronger for it.

Despite everything, sentiAdrien is inarguably, indelibly real. (Something even Thomas Astruc has discussed in his twitter responses.)

Adrien is real, just like a viewer's trauma and mental health is real.

And that despite it all, even during the hardest and bleakest time, you are real and you can keep living. Your struggles and past are part of you, but they don't define you.

Like how sentiAdrien isn't just a senti, he's a kid, a friend, a hero, and so, so much more. Just like how he is so much more than being a senti, you are so much more than your trauma.

Your trauma doesn't control you, only you can.

Like Adrien if he gets control of his amok.

Picture this, we discover Adrien was a senti,

Created by his parents to be "the perfect son" and it hurts....hurts worse than anything else ever has and ever could.

Every worst fear, that is is replaceable, unimportant, invalid, unneeded, unwanted, come to the forefront of his mind.

But wait...he isn't just a senti...he's a human. He is, he was created to be yes, but he's still a person.

But not just any person, he's a hero. He's Chat Noir, wearer of the black cat miraculous...

Destruction itself.

And, just like how Mari can use Creation to create anything, Adrien can use destruction to break anything....

Including the magic that binds him to his amok, to his creater, that keeps him from his freedom.

Picture this: Adrien's power-up is what helps him take back control and lets him take control of himself, and his life.

He takes back his own freedom. And proves, most importantly to himself, that he DOES belong. He doesn't need some creator or someone else to tell him that. He can tell himself that, and that's the ONLY voice who matters.

In Summary,

The sentiadrien theory has scary implications and it is painful to think about, but it also has the potential for tremendous growth and healing. In fact, i think sentiadrien would cover multiple mental health avenues and ml has always done a wonderful job with mental health analysis and therapeutic healing.

And our boy is in deep denial mode with his emotions, finding out he's a senti would be super helpful in helping him open the door and start processing them.

It also shows that we don't always get a successful upward curve of progress. Sometimes we have dips and low lows and sometimes we hit rock bottom again. But we get back up, and we keep going and we keep living. We have control of our own destinies and our own lives, and Adrien will too. (Remember: ML is a kids show, we aren't going to have a tragic ending)

But despite it all:

Being a senti-being doesn't make Adrien any less of a character. It doesn't make him less of a person, it doesn't make him someone whose experiences matter any less than Mari or Nino or Gabe or anyone. He is real, just like them. His feelings, his thoughts, his experiences, his pain, his hope, and his dreams matter.

Just like yours do.

Note: please feel free to ask any questions, I love this topic and could talk about ml and mental health for ages. Just remember I'm not your therapist and for true support and care I always recommend going to a pro.

Edit: Someone asked if being a senti invalidates Adrien's existence, here is my response

[bloom-agreste-cheng]

Another senti Adrien post? I’m scared but I have to be ready in case it turns out to be canon.

Why the sentiadrien theory scares us...and why it might actually be a wonderful narrative for therapeutic healing

So when I'm not shit posting on tumblr or flailing about ml with the @gamma-squad, I'm a therapist working with kids Mari and Adrien's age. One of the reasons I was drawn to this show was how amazing it works as a metaphor for mental health and therapeutic healing.

Originally when I heard the sentiadrien theory, I was terrified because with it were all these painful complications I hadn't considered...

But when I really sat down and thought about it, I figured out how if done well sentiadrien has the potential to make Adrien's story more compelling than anything we might have thought... I also find it fascinating how the fandom is reacting to it and how it might be related to the way a fan handles grief, mental health, and the loss of hope.

I wanted to take the time to explore why the sentiadrien hurts some fans so much, to the point where they can't accept it. I also wanted to offer reassurance to those who do, because I truly think the sentiadrien theory is the best theory we have that will allow Adrien to heal and finally be free.

I'm not here to convert anyone into believing this theory, I only want to provide reassurance to those who feel pain because of it.

Disclaimer: I'm a therapist but I am not your therapist. If any of what I say offends you I'm sorry, this does not apply to every fan and is more a hypothesis than anything else. In addition, if you are in need of support please reach out to those around you and get the help you need. I strongly believe that everyone has the opportunity to get better and live their best lives.

But before we can talk about sentiadrien, we have to look at the character Adrien and his impact on his fans.

From the get go, to the fandom Adrien represents sunshine and hope. We literally see Adrien breaking free from his chains and striving for freedom. Whether or not you consider what he's been through as abuse, it's clear he has been craving a better world. Throughout the show, we watch him healing slowly. He makes friends, falls in love, develops new interests, makes jokes and values his time as Chat Noir. I've always thought this show is an excellent metaphor for mental health and the therapeutic journey, and like we can compare Marinette with anxiety and self-esteem issues (i could go into a whole separate analysis on that girl), we can say Adrien is a metaphor for the the struggles people with depression and trauma go through. He represents what happens when someone's mental health is getting better, when someone is starting their therapeutic journey towards healing.

Personally I think season 4 is tackling that last big shackle that traps Adrien. It's painful right now but the end will include Adrien finally being able to share those demons he doesn't know how to share just yet.

Now what does this mean for his fans?

Although not everyone is like this, people often turn to fandom as a way of coping with their own mental health. Seeing a character struggling with their figurative or literal demons and being able to make it out and get their happy ending is very therapeutic. And while most of us don't have a literal supervillain for a dad or dress in a leather catsuit, we can relate to Adrien's worries regarding freedom, being chained, trapped, and that desire to get out, especially those of us who have struggled with depression, emotional abuse, neglect, isolation, etc. 

Fans can look to Adrien and identify with him and maybe even rely on him as their emotional support. They find they can relate to him and that he gives them hope it will get better. It happens a lot with a lot of shows but Adrien is sunshine boy who has hard times but can still smile and laugh even though there is still pain, it makes sense to have him as an emotional support character. He represents healing.

"If a character like him can get better, can be free and happy, then I can too."

He represents our hope.

This is where the sentiadrien discourse happens and why i think it provides valuable info for fandom psychology, particularly for fans who are anti-sentiadrien.

Let's consider the way sentimonsters were introduced in the show, created as a tool, an object to be used and discarded. They're different than an akuma which is purified, sentis are taken away and never seen again. We can compare it to those of us striving for freedom, and that fear of never getting it. For example senti-Ladybug, the only senti we have seen be freed from their chains...was destroyed regardless.

The implications of that episode were that even if we can win back control, are we really free? Did we really win? Can we really not be destroyed or can we lose again? This is something I see a lot with those healing from trauma, the fear that their freedom is fleeting.

There's also the whole senti"monster" bit. People don't like hearing they are considered a monster, there are some other implications there as well. But it implies outcast or segregation, discrimination. Plenty of real-world painful concepts in the word itself. To apply it to the character we identify the most with might make us believe that we too are monsters, and that hurts.

A lot of the discomfort also stems from the idea that this would be emotionally crushing for Adrien, and we who can relate to him can empathize almost too much with him.

To have thought you were getting better, improving everyday, having the ability to make your own choices and the chance to be free, then losing it because were you ever really free? All that healing, just to lose again? But the sentiadrien theory implies there is none, that at the end Adrien is going to be controlled and the freedom he worked hard to get is going to go away and he will be back in the dark place he was at the beginning of the show. That is a very real fear a lot of people have. So the theory kinda takes that hope and throws it in the trash

So now we've established that the implication behind sentiadrien can be traumatic and painful, how on earth could it be possible for Adrien to grow from it?

Well first, we need to talk about what it means to heal from trauma.

The way I handle trauma is by helping people reclaim their safety and empowering them, showing them that despite it all they made it through and are tougher than they think.

What that doesn't mean is telling them that their trauma wasn't real, that their feelings aren't valid, that they should forgive their abusers, that their pain and experiences didn't matter. THAT IS NOT WHAT THIS MEANS.

That's also not what the sentiadrien theory means. It doesn't mean that Adrien's experiences were somehow not real. It doesn't mean his abuse wasn't real. It doesn't mean that his feelings are invalid. It doesn't. The way he came into the world might have been different, but at the end of the day, his experiences were REAL.

Even if Adrien is a senti-being, he is STILL Adrien, he will always be sunshine cat boy. He's real.

So now we get to the point of this: Why the sentiadrien theory has some amazing storytelling potential.

I always thought this show was an excellent way to describe mental health and the therapeutic journey in general. (I've used it to describe the CBT triangle with some clients with great success! Let me know if people want to hear about it because seriously it's some amazing comparisons) And sentiadrien is a perfect, real and raw metaphor for healing from trauma.

People think that sentiadrien will erase Adrien's trauma and make him less than a real person, essentially confirming a fan's inner fears that their pain is not real or invalid.

In reality, it would actually do the opposite and empower Adrien.

When working with trauma using TF-CBT, a major component is the use of a trauma narrative where people with PTSD tell the story of their trauma, from their point of view, free of criticism and invalidation. A chance for them to take their story and tell it, their way.

For years, Adrien never had a chance to tell his story, his way. Even if he wasn't a senti-being, he has always been controlled by his dad and probably his mom too. Becoming Chat Noir was Adrien's way of breaking free, but he hasn't dealt with or addressed any of his trauma. It's been pushed to the side, to be dealt with never.

But if he's a senti, he will have to address what happened to him and face the fundamental question he has in season 4: Does he belong, is he needed?

@coccinelle-et-chaton once said it very well: "abuse victims that relate to Adrien already have difficulties legitimizing their own emotions and are constantly double-guessing themselves. The fact that the character you relate to bc of your trauma turns out to be "magic" even though that does not negate his emotions, can elicit a powerful reaction bc deep down you just want to be acknowledged."

And to those who share those sentiments, I want to ask them this: Is your trauma real? And if Adrien is a senti, does that make him any less real?

And the answer is yes, they are.

If the writers can do it (and I actually sincerely think they can), being a senti could mean Adrien learning to take control of himself while dealing with his "trauma", and even eventually reclaiming his life and freedom through getting control of his amok.

Thus showing that despite the trauma and pain and depression and anxiety, he can still live a normal life. He is still real.

That's essentially what treating PTSD is, we cant make the trauma go away but we can take back control, while allowing those who struggle with it to realize their experiences and feelings are real and valid. To show that despite it all, we can live and keep going. And that actually avoiding the trauma or not thinking about it makes the whole situation worse. If Adrien is a senti, he will face that and he will come out stronger for it.

Despite everything, sentiAdrien is inarguably, indelibly real. (Something even Thomas Astruc has discussed in his twitter responses.)

Adrien is real, just like a viewer's trauma and mental health is real.

And that despite it all, even during the hardest and bleakest time, you are real and you can keep living. Your struggles and past are part of you, but they don't define you.

Like how sentiAdrien isn't just a senti, he's a kid, a friend, a hero, and so, so much more. Just like how he is so much more than being a senti, you are so much more than your trauma.

Your trauma doesn't control you, only you can.

Like Adrien if he gets control of his amok.

Picture this, we discover Adrien was a senti,

Created by his parents to be "the perfect son" and it hurts....hurts worse than anything else ever has and ever could.

Every worst fear, that is is replaceable, unimportant, invalid, unneeded, unwanted, come to the forefront of his mind.

But wait...he isn't just a senti...he's a human. He is, he was created to be yes, but he's still a person.

But not just any person, he's a hero. He's Chat Noir, wearer of the black cat miraculous...

Destruction itself.

And, just like how Mari can use Creation to create anything, Adrien can use destruction to break anything....

Including the magic that binds him to his amok, to his creater, that keeps him from his freedom.

Picture this: Adrien's power-up is what helps him take back control and lets him take control of himself, and his life.

He takes back his own freedom. And proves, most importantly to himself, that he DOES belong. He doesn't need some creator or someone else to tell him that. He can tell himself that, and that's the ONLY voice who matters.

In Summary,

The sentiadrien theory has scary implications and it is painful to think about, but it also has the potential for tremendous growth and healing. In fact, i think sentiadrien would cover multiple mental health avenues and ml has always done a wonderful job with mental health analysis and therapeutic healing.

And our boy is in deep denial mode with his emotions, finding out he's a senti would be super helpful in helping him open the door and start processing them.

It also shows that we don't always get a successful upward curve of progress. Sometimes we have dips and low lows and sometimes we hit rock bottom again. But we get back up, and we keep going and we keep living. We have control of our own destinies and our own lives, and Adrien will too. (Remember: ML is a kids show, we aren't going to have a tragic ending)

But despite it all:

Being a senti-being doesn't make Adrien any less of a character. It doesn't make him less of a person, it doesn't make him someone whose experiences matter any less than Mari or Nino or Gabe or anyone. He is real, just like them. His feelings, his thoughts, his experiences, his pain, his hope, and his dreams matter.

Just like yours do.

Note: please feel free to ask any questions, I love this topic and could talk about ml and mental health for ages. Just remember I'm not your therapist and for true support and care I always recommend going to a pro.