#the 41 years of trauma in a cute little package

[notmoreflippingelves]

So like I'm pretty much in complete and total agreement with everything said here, but I'd just like to build upon what you said a bit more especially in the reference to the writers largely ignoring Esteban's trauma. Partly because "well, it was kind of his fault" and partly because "this guy spent 41 years in captivity wallowing in guilt and desperation without a break or a friend" is admittedly rather a lot to put on the eight-year-olds watching.

But even knowing that does not make it any more frustrating to watch as an adult. I already did a little word vomit of my own about how "Island of Youth" is actually rather heartbreaking in an understated way. But at least, he does get considerable focus in that ep, unlike the other microagressive moments in S1-S2 which Esteban's past experiences (or even the man himself) are either ignored, played for laughs or both.

Don't think I didn't notice how quick everyone was to ignore his stated wish for a quiet, traditional Navidad at home with the familia in the first holiday episode ! Even though he has probably been dreaming of that very thing for decades! Nope, this idea is not even worth considering for everyone else. (At least, he got his family Christmas time the second time around).

Don't think I didn't notice that he straight-up *wasn't* there during the "family" vacations in "Royal Retreat" and "The Gecko's Tale"! (And yeah, he was probably working but would it really have been so hard to have someone quickly say "It's really too bad Esteban was too busy with that trade agreement to join us. Next time, we'll take him with us even if we have to pack his entire study to lure him here.")

And on a similar note, his absence in every Dias de las Muertos episodes is also super-glaring. Word of God says he's visiting his parents' altar but like... you could've showed that and you chose not to. Because apparently, he's the only one who isn't allowed onscreen grief on the day where people remember their lost loved ones.

But all of that is absolutely nothing at all compared to the glaring hole of wasted potential/unexplored complexity that was Esteban's characterization in S2 in particular. (Adding further insult to injury, he's not even listed at all as either a "main character," a "recurring character," *or* a "supporting character" on the official wiki's page for S2. King Verago's listed and he's only in 1 episode. Esteban is in 8-9 but apparently he's a non-character).

It's incredibly frustrating considering that S2 as a whole is arguably the most plot-consistent and has the least filler. More importantly, Esteban has long-standing and very important connections to the driving forces of said S2 plot (namely Elena, Shuriki, and Victor). And yet, the only real things of substance the S2 narrative gives us for him (apart from a few funny moments) are his rap battle with Elena and the Navidad episode. (Ironically, both of those are only peripherally related to Esteban's connections to the S2 plot as a whole)

Even both of those great moments are undercut by the fact that in the latter case, he has to share focus with Elena, Mateo, and Naomi all of whom get at least 1 additional character-focused episode of their own that they don't have to "share" with anyone else. And in the former case, the fun Hamilton-esque beat makes it far too easy to ignore what is actually happening during "The Right Thing to Do." Namely, Esteban doing a literal song and dance in order to convince the Grand Council to protect Elena from Shuriki--since Elena sure as hell isn't going to protect herself.

However, the most aggravating to me personally is the absolute wasted Esteban potential in "Song of the Sirenas." This is arguably the most important episode of the show since "Secret of Avalor" and it should've been nearly as huge for Esteban's character as it was for Elena's. He comes face to face again with the person who manipulated him and terrorized him for forty-one years, (!) the person who had thought he was finally free of but turned out to be mistaken (even if the reunion was mercifully temporary). The narrative owed him a direct interaction with Shuriki, one that would've brought him closure or at least would've acknowledged how painful and terrifying his situation is. I would've gobbled up that delicious angst like Esteban gobbles up tres leches cake.

Instead, we get only two tiny little character moments from Esteban in the episode, both of which involve his "cowardice" being played for laughs and neither of which stop to consider that his self-preservation instincts are normal considering what he's been through.

The first of these moments is Esteban immediately darting behind Francisco for protection when he sees that flash of green smoke for the first time in two years.

This is especially striking as it's a direct contrast to his behavior in S3. Long before his sacrifice in the series finale, we see multiple occasions where Esteban inserts himself as a physical barrier between Elena and Ash Delgado. Even though Elena sees him as the "enemy" and arguably "more" of the enemy than Ash, Esteban still refuses to let any harm come to his cousin, even if he has to put himself literally in the line of fire.

And yet when Esteban sees his former queen, his first instinct is to hide behind his grandfather like a scared little boy. Shuriki terrifies Esteban in a way that nothing else in the show seems to--not even Ash or Zopilote or Cahu. He reverts to being the child he was forty-three years earlier and waits for the older, braver man to save him from the nightmare.

The second notable Esteban moment in "Song of the Sirenas" is pretty similar to the first and nearly as striking. And it's played for laughs even more so than the other. After Esteban, his cousins, the abuelos, and Marisa are locked up in the tower ("for now" as Shuriki made sure to remind them), they are rescued by Naomi, Gabe, Mateo, and the jaquins. When Mateo asks who should be taken to safety first, Esteban's response is an immediate "me, me, me." And then two seconds later, "Or Isabel."

Unsurprisingly, Esteban's first instinct is to protect himself from the person who made his life hell for decades. But equally telling is the fact that just a few short moments later, his priorities reorient towards protecting the youngest and most vulnerable person in the room. Even though no one was able to protect him when he was nearly as young and nearly as vulnerable. (I'm fairly meh about Mateo overall but my opinion of him did shoot up dramatically when he subsequently decides to save Isabel and Esteban at the same time. You done good, wizard boy. Keep it up)

It's all so much and Esteban is just so much, the most character. But still not nearly as much character as the narrative should let him be.

Both my twitters are locked now due to the increase in spam and bot issues since the Muskrat's hostile takeover but here is the original "losing my mind about Esteban Flores" thread for posterity and your reading pleasure*

[yatorihell]

Noragami Reread Volume 11-13

I'm so sad Adachitoka you make me so sad

We've hit the Sakura chapters and the hospital arc and I am not having a good time

Vol 11

40

They're visiting Suzuha's tree they've not forgotten him

Coo phone where are you baby

Yato shaming Kazuma for being like That with Bishamon

Father is like 'I want to have as much fun as I can' then makes that woman jump off the balcony

Father wants to save Hiyori from his worthless son jshd

'She might take Yato away from you' 'that would never happen' lol suffer

'Just being near him is enough to bring someone disaster' why did we ignore the red flags

Father stop saying you got dumped dieeee

Crush his balls Hiyori

Yato clinging to Hiyori wanting her to talk about her problems

'I have to do something for her' grant her wish lol

41

Capyperland trauma here we go

Yato using his money for someone else is such a development

Kofuku wanting to ruin Yato's smile hsh

Hiyori preserving belief that Capypers are real

Yukine deserves to go to Capyperland

Kms the trio are all together they're so happy even with all the disaster happening

Hate that the Marry Me sign wasn't in the ova

'Can we stay together a little longer' sad to say I think a little while is over

'How much can I trust your words' hand scene had me more feral than the season 1 ending

42

Yato's goddess Hiyori dream would be a fun little ova

Kofuku backstory time

Kofuku being banned from shinki but taking Daikoku because he's hot, I wonder why Heaven didn't make her release him

Daikoku giving Kofuku a name in return

Daigo was so cute but all I can think of is the Kagome children, creepy bastard is probably in there

Yato cutting Daikoku's ties but it was fake and they worked it out together I'm so sad

Daikoku would raise Kofuku if she even reincarnated I'm so sad

Bubble era Kofuku is a look

43

Mayu's past but what we really wanted right then was Yukine's

Father letting Yato make memories to destroy later die challenge

Gods greatest secret and Sakura arc let's go

Vol 12

44

'If he'd lived his shadow would be longer than mine' mine would be a lot shorter if I was stood on a cliff

Fuck offff Father croc ass bitch makes himself known

He's really making him play video games

I forgot what happened to the old word

Necessary evil foreshadowing

'I won't do anything to Yukine' liarrrrrrr 'Hiyori chan on the other hand' zsgcgcf DIE

'You're a taker' vs Yato giving Hiyori his last breath I hate this manga

Father die challenge

Yato calling Hiyori my pure white yet more foreshadowing

Love how they've both been sent photos of the kiss/trip out of spite

Nora go away (I forgive you)

Is that Father's hand on Yukine's shoulder during the fight sjhdb

'One day Yukine will belong to your Father' dieeee this had us pressed for years until it happened

45

Bishamon seeing Yato in a new light

Yato's concern for Yukine after the Nora fight he's really got the daddy issue and daddy solution package

'I was getting hot and heavy with Hiyori'

Yato reveal that he has a lifeline

'You wanna dig out my tush crystal'

Hiyori tail memories let's goooo

God this is so fucked up look at all baby's murders

Yato's Sakura tree has me quaking cos you know when we see it again it's bad!!!!

46

Baby Yato is so cute

Nora's reaction to being given away for Yato to name

I wonder if the black background and boom boom SFX are meant to represent the womb fir Nora's memories

Yato immediately starts swinging once he gets a sword

Yato and Sakura meeting and he has the attention span of that butterfly

Sakura smacking the shit out of Yato he needs it tbh

Father ready to punish Nora even without proof because Yato's lethargic, not blighted

Yato experiences geniune, no strings attached affection for the first time?

Yato get out of the tits

Yato learning kindness from humans and how to be a kid

'I want to be with sakura a little while longer' WHERE HAVE WE HEARD THAT BEFORE

And then he ruins it by killing

47

Adachitoka really gets the emotion down to a T in this manga Sakura's face is perfect

Sakura finding her purpose is to teach Yato

Father punishing Nora again for Yato's actions but he's a good dad (joke)

Nora like 'and I took that personally' when Sakura notices she has 2 names

When you read it you're like oh she evil but then next chapter you know she didn't know what would happen

Father said its for her own good

Vol 13

48

Love how we've ignored the whole Hiyori storyline lol when did she last ask to be fixed

Kazuma trying to put a spell Yato he's that crazy, even if it was a joke that bitch has issues

Yato wondering why Father is putting ayakashi in humans then thinks of Hiyori jdjj

'You like Yaboku don't you?' now we're confronting the feelings (I wouldn't say they're all the way there yet but she cares for him)

Oh I'm so sad stop bringing up that in centuries Hiyori will be dead and Yato will be alive

IMAGE OF HIYORI WITH HER CHILDREN

'When people die no one can ever see them again' I hate this line stop haunting us

49

Yato and Yukine guarding Hiyori at school and you can see Yukine's bag floating midair

Love how Hiyori just bodies Yato when she thinks about liking him and he enjoys it

Hiyori wanted to be a doctor when she was little

Hospital attack was such a curveball I was riveted

Yukine's name chips oh it begins I hate this

50

'You'll lose your future' haaaaaaa she did now she hasn't

Yatobisha team up

I love how Yato looks in this chapter

Bishamon bare handed killing ayakashi she's just that powerful

Tsuguha getting hit and it's just game over basically

'You're going to make Yato take care of it again' several gun emojis I hate this fucker

'However they want to save her it's up to them' with a kiss apparently <3

51

'Neither of us can do anything but kill stuff' vs most recent chapter has me all sorts of ways

'I don't have to cut anything I'll figure something out' CAN YOU then again her cord is gone nkwnso defacto win if she remembers him

'How can I save Hiyori' kiss <3

'I'm always here to help you'

'I want him to wrap me up in that gentle light and forgive me for everything I've done' IS THAT HOW IT FELT WHEN SHE GOT NAMED HUH

Hiyori half phantom was such a level up

Bite him it's a love language

LET ME BE WITH YOU

MAKE HIYORI A SHINKI

HIYORI WANTS TO BE WITH YOU

Oh the hug I'm so sad Adachitoka you make me so sad

'I can't let you come to this side yet' I'm so sad adachitoka you make me so sad

Oh what are the chances they won't even see each other final chapter lol (I will die)