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I was talking with @DDandT6 about Edward and we both realized something - Edward more than likely suffers from an incredible amount of insecurity. (THREAD)
Ever since the beginning, Edward’s been bullied and insulted for who he was, so much so that it even causes him to cry.
Ever since the beginning, Edward’s been bullied and insulted for who he was, so much so that it even causes him to cry.
Despite him being brought out of the shed and proving his worth multiple times, he’s never given the respect or praise he deserves from the other engines. This, combined with the constant emotional abuse he faces, makes Edward start to feel like maybe he isn’t worth it after all.
This carries on into Paint Pots and Queens, where Edward flat out says: “I’m too old to pull important trains” - at this point, he’s internalized all the abuse he’s experienced, and now firmly believes he isn’t worthy of pulling the Royal Train despite everything he’s done.
Even after saving James from his runaway, the big engines continue to belittle Edward, going so far as to say that “he should give up and be preserved before it’s too late”.
At this point, it’s safe to say that Edward’s fully internalized the constant emotional abuse he’s faced-
At this point, it’s safe to say that Edward’s fully internalized the constant emotional abuse he’s faced-
-and probably even finds them acting as negative voices in his head from time to time.
This is why Edward always gets the job done despite everything, to prove those voices in his head wrong, because he knows that if he doesn’t, he’s only proving that they’re right.
This is why Edward always gets the job done despite everything, to prove those voices in his head wrong, because he knows that if he doesn’t, he’s only proving that they’re right.
This is also why Edward constantly acts like a source of emotional support for engines like Thomas or Duck, because he doesn’t want them to struggle the same way he does - he doesn’t want them to have to constantly suffer from emotional abuse or a lack of self-worth like him.
Deep down, Edward knows that he’ll never really get rid of those negative voices in his head, but he can try his hardest to make sure other engines don’t suffer from them as well.
This would also explain why Edward doesn’t ever open up about his problems, because he’s afraid-
This would also explain why Edward doesn’t ever open up about his problems, because he’s afraid-
-that if he does, he’ll once again be harassed and bullied by the other engines, so he just keeps it all to himself so as not to further the emotional abuse he faces.
This also explains why Edward acts as a sort of ‘safe haven’ for other engines, because he wants them to have-
This also explains why Edward acts as a sort of ‘safe haven’ for other engines, because he wants them to have-
-someone they can talk to and receive emotional support from, something Edward himself never had.
Edward always stays optimistic and helps out despite everything because he knows that if he doesn’t, all the other engines will suffer both emotionally and mentally like he does.
Edward always stays optimistic and helps out despite everything because he knows that if he doesn’t, all the other engines will suffer both emotionally and mentally like he does.
He acts as the wise old guardian we know and love because he doesn’t want anyone else to go through what he does.
In short, Edward suffers from insecurity and is trying his hardest to make sure he doesn’t suffer more from it, and that no one else does as well.
In short, Edward suffers from insecurity and is trying his hardest to make sure he doesn’t suffer more from it, and that no one else does as well.
