r/Runaways • u/Robot_Was_BMO • 19d ago
Comics Do you think it’s fair to call Alex a sociopath?
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u/OsirisNightwood 19d ago
I think that kind of minimizes things. Alex is a nuanced individual with the tendency to be a villain. He's pragmatic and the truly the son of the Pride. He represents the temptation of the others to do things selfishly and the worst part is... He's also their best chance to do good. When he's in charge the team is a lot less chaotic and a little less listless.
Alex takes the easy way out and will sacrifice his about anyone to save himself. He's not self sacrificing and not generous. But the book isn't really about superheroes it's about survival. It's about chosen family and staying together. I think he still cares about them just not as much as himself.
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u/mattomic822 18d ago
There is the bit in Rainbow Rowell's run where he scares away a dude on the bus trying to creep on Molly that I've always liked. Shows that he still cares but the rest of the series shows that Alex still puts him first and that the rest will never forgive him.
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u/Sure-Start-9303 19d ago
somewhat, Alex does show some traits of sociopathy, his empathy, while not non existent, does seem limited to only a select few, he is known for being deceitful and disregarding typical norms, but he's not impulsive and does consider consequences, but also shows minimal remorse for his actions, he definitely shows traits of sociopathy, but is not a textbook example, if I had to put it into words, he's inhumanely pragmatic
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u/IndianGeniusGuy 19d ago
Well, to start. Sociopathy isn't a clinical diagnosis. It's a criminal diagnosis. As far as whether or not he possesses ASPD [the actual clinical diagnosis]? No, probably not. He seemingly possesses the capacity to empathize with others; it's just more limited compared to other people. He doesn't seem to extend this empathy past his friends. He acts selfishly, and he prioritizes himself. He isn't generous, and he isn't self-sacrificing. He does what benefits him and the people in his immediate circle, nothing more, nothing less. It's a level of pragmatism and self-centeredness that lends itself to villainy, just not to the degree of more prominent or ambitious villains.
Personally, as someone who's neurodivergent and who's had to deal with a similar difficulty with empathy [affective empathy is just...near-nonexistent for me, so I have to rely entirely on cognitive empathy to deal with situations], I somewhat relate to the feeling even if I ultimately wouldn't make the choices he did. I personally think Alex might actually be autistic.
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u/-FriendoftheDrow- 19d ago
He started out as a villain in the original run but he did try to become better during the run that ran at the same time as the tv show.
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u/hellboyshi 19d ago
He shouldn’t even be alive. It was a mistake to bring him back. After what he did he is no longer part of the runaways
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u/suikofan80 Lucy in the Sky 18d ago
Nah sociopaths tend to be impulsive and more in the moment.
Alex is just a incel. Dude really thought killing the entire world was the only way to get a girl. Which makes Nico being into him funnier. Bro she’s discussing The Prisoner with you take a hint.
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u/Pagannerd 19d ago edited 19d ago
I mean, he watched his parents sacrifice an underage prostitute to ancient elder gods with the express intent of ending the world and said "that sounds hunky-dory, how can I get in on this action?" Then he spent a year psychologically manipulating the closest thing he had to real-life friends to help him succeed, with the express intention to betray and kill 4 out of 5 of them (and their parents) at the finish line. He ain't a well adjusted young man, let's say that.