[ SECRET POST #2756 ]

[case]

⌈ Secret Post #2756 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

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Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 04 pages, 076 secrets from Secret Submission Post #394.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 1 2 3 - broken links ], [ 1 2 3 - not!secrets (random images from what appears to be one spammy anon) ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Comments

Re: Genderswap and abusive ships

[(Anonymous)]

I think Helga/Arnold is skeevy as fuck and people don't tend to realize it because a) it's a childhood nostalgia thing and b) the girl is the crazed stalker. They did an A-plus job of making her sympathetic, but that doesn't mean her actions aren't pretty disturbing.

I mean I ship it too but...

Re: Genderswap and abusive ships

[(Anonymous)]

I agree, but she was like ten and I always figured she'd grow out of it. Thats one of the main reasons I ship them together when they're both older.

Re: Genderswap and abusive ships

[(Anonymous)]

I think even as a kid I realized she took it too far when she revealed her chewed gum closet shrine of Arnold.

Re: Genderswap and abusive ships

[(Anonymous)]

Ditto. A sculpture of Arnolds head made out of gum he'd chewed and discarded is too out there to excuse as just a crush, let alone the fact that she kissed it.

Re: Genderswap and abusive ships

[(Anonymous)]

Did you guys see the psychiatrist episode? Helga is neglected. I'm not saying her Arnold obsession wasn't creepy, a lot of abused and neglected children will often cause trouble with other kids. But she was 10 and she had a garbage statue in her closet and that's disturbing and sad.

Helga was always my fave though and I hope she got the happy adulthood some episodes were hinting at.

Re: Genderswap and abusive ships

[(Anonymous)]

Quoth OP: "They did an A-plus job of making her sympathetic, but that doesn't mean her actions aren't pretty disturbing." So pretty sure they saw it.

That episode is amazing, though. Like, it's the first time I ever saw child abuse being taken seriously in media, let alone emotional abuse and neglect when most people who talk about abuse focus solely on physical and sexual variants even now. It's got terrific messages for kids: sometimes, people who are annoying or seem really messed up have tragic lives, and sometimes, your parents aren't right and don't know best. It even explains Helga's obsession with Arnold by showing how he was the first person ever to show her kindness.

It may very well be what taught me, at a young age, that people can be emotionally abused. That parents treating kids like that isn't right. Hell, it may have sparked what enabled me to realize decades later that my own parents fucked me up supremely (though not in the same way - they were very controlling and constantly shamed me for basically not being able to hide the outward manifestations of my mental problems, but otherwise gave me everything I wanted or needed and seemed to dote on me).

And he was so understanding, he kept being nice to her even when she bullied him for years, kept saying she should be given a chance...I get the feeling he wouldn't be so bothered. And then we got the official word that he felt the same way about her (though in a much healthier way...probably). I love the ship, and I think he could make her really happy, finally happy after years of having nothing and nobody.

That being said? If I were in Arnold's shoes, and found out about what she did in her private time, I'd probably run and never look back. I'd definitely be creeped out. Probably have anxiety attacks for ages about it. Then again, my severe phobia of being assaulted likely contributes to my horror at the idea of anyone being romantically obsessed with me.

Re: Genderswap and abusive ships

[(Anonymous)]

DA

Tbh I find Helga really sympathetic but she did also treat him badly so it does come off as unbalanced when people see the ship as only what he can do for her. She would have to give something good for him in return once the tsundere act is over. I think it could happen, just think people shouldn't treat characters as a prize for another just because the other suffered.

Re: Genderswap and abusive ships

[(Anonymous)]

nayrt: I think the show did pretty well showing that Helga did have qualities and feelings toward Arnold that were less obsession and more healthy. Like the Christmas episode where she gave up the boots she'd wanted so badly and finally got to Arnold because it would make him happy, or the one where she got back his hat for him.

That's the reason I can ship that. I usually don't like childhood crush ships or ones where one character would obviously be more emotionally dependent, but canon gave enough cues that their relationship could really grow and that they would support each other.