#and I'm just like ''...when she peed loudly in the next stall or...

[pepperf]

Question to all the Five fans who haven't blocked me yet: is there anything actually in canon to say that he worked closely with/was personally victimised by the Handler, or is this just an incredibly popular headcanon (because people feel it explains a few things)? Because that wasn't at all how I read it, but Five is not my focus, so I may have missed something?

From what I remember: when she first appears in the apocalypse, they're definitely strangers, and she recruits him. Then on her next appearance, it sounds largely as if that was the last time she'd seen him. She tagged along on the killing of Lila's parents, but this was stated to be unusual, maybe even unheard of ("Management never came on missions" or words to that effect). She focuses on him in s2, but she's working on a specific plan at that point, and although she deliberately plays cat and mouse with him, it's not exactly the worst thing that happens to him that week. And after that, she's fully dead.

I ask because I have seen a lot of comparisons of Five and Lila's relationships with the Handler, and I'm honestly not seeing where that comes from. Lila had years of abuse from childhood, she was indoctrinated and manipulated, gaslighted into loving her tormentor, told that she'd been 'saved', her loyalty had to be absolute - the relationship was one of abusive parent and abused child. Whereas Five was recruited by the Commission, worked for them for...five years? (I don't think they ever specify, but he's already Old Man Five in the apocalypse), and then got out. He barely seems to know the Handler - or the building and people, judging by the introductory tour he gets.

I'm sure he had a shitty time there, and the Commission absolutely uses people! But like...on the level of denying expense claims, judging by Hazel and Cha Cha. And oh, they'll definitely kill you if you're in their way - but it's not personal. For my money's worth, I would say his life in the apocalypse was far more formative for who he is as a person - and that absolutely was as terrible a fate as anyone could wish.

(Relatedly, I think it would be kind of hilarious if Five's there complaining about the Commission with an undercurrent of 'I know that place like the back of my hand', whereas in fact everyone there is like, "The new guy? Yeah, I think I met him in the canteen once...kind of mean...")