Another thing to add to my absolute certainty that there’s something up with Phoenix’s unmentioned family is the importance of The Class Trial. The incident itself is hardly remarkable if you think about it, it started his friendship with Miles (and Larry) but Miles was whisked away less than a year later, maybe even only a few months later and they were in fourth grade.
What makes The Class Trial™️ so important was how it impacted Phoenix on an emotional level. It wouldn’t have been such a big moment if it was something that happened ever before.
What I’m saying is, I don’t think that Phoenix ever had anyone stand up for him before that. Maybe his parents always took his teachers side or never put any value into his words but the whole situation reeks of ‘there’s gotta be a reason he inflated this so hard in his mind for decades’ you know? Maybe up to that point he never had someone really believe in him.
Maybe this wasn’t just a big deal for him because of the impact Miles had on him, but also the rarity of such an occurrence. He’s never had anyone there for him during his trials except for his (acting) attorney so of course he would idolize the position a little.
He knows more intimately than most what it feels like to have the whole world against them, believing that he would do something horrible and rooting for his punishment, except for one person. Of course he wants to become that person for other people, that pillar of hope where there is nothing else. Of course he clings to Miles and Mia and even Kristoph when they prove to be the one person who would stand up for him.
That one person to stand up for him has always been a stranger, it’s always been a surprise to him. For some reason, he can’t rely on his family to have his back, not when he’s on trial for murder or ganged up on by his whole class, not when he’s a disbarred new father or in the hospital again.
It’s up to individual interpretation about exactly how his family is made up but you can’t deny that there’s something up with them just because of their lack of existence. Just because they’re not brought up doesn’t mean they’re ‘normal’.
i will give tiktok one concession and that is that it has spawned a comment that contains a phrase that i think of often at relevant moments: pack it up boys we've made a social blunder
"Hey, so, I've noticed something, kero." Asui pointed out, scrolling on her own phone, "All of your fanfictions are some variation of being sold to a hero agency. Why is that?"
Midoriya blinked from his place in Iida's grip and slowly came to his senses. "Oh." Midoriya said thoughtfully. "You know, I never noticed that. Not really sure, I guess."
That's my fault. All for One supplied telepathically to Aoyama only. When he was four, he wouldn't eat his veggies, so I threatened to sell him to a hero agency if he didn't.
hey btw there’s nothing wrong with shipping your ocs with canon characters. or shipping yourself with a canon character. even if you have a crush on the character. you are hurting literally no one. you can do whatever you want. cringe culture is dead