Theory about Michael and his past

[snowcoma]

Does anyone else think that Michael was abused as a child?

I've been getting an inkling, what with his uncomfortable disregard for his family, strong objection to being called "Mikey", and several other hints (bear with me, I'm on my second full listen-through. I know they're there, I just can't remember specifics). If anyone has anything (pro or con) to add to the list, let me know.

Thoughts?

[7oddisdead]

Michael keeps the philosophy of not letting anyone get too close to him,making pegs an exception.
We have also seen his total apprehension for anyone touching him.( forget the chapter, but Saul pushes him and Michael completely freaks)
as far as these two aspects of his personality go. I can TOTALLY relate to Michael...i carry the same life philosophy, and I certainly was not abused...so I'm not sure I can go along with your theory, but I like where your going with it none the less:)

[snowcoma]

I'm coming at this from the perspective of an abuse victim. I, and a good portion of my friends, had a lot of bad shit happen to them as children. I could be off-base, but he's showing a lot of the signs I recognize in myself and others, so it got me thinking.

He also gets really pissed off when people ignore what children say (like Tommy and his camera). It sounds like he was ignored on something of importance, whether or not it was abuse.

[uuhhhuuu]

I'm coming at this from the perspective of an abuse victim. I, and a good portion of my friends, had a lot of bad shit happen to them as children. I could be off-base, but he's showing a lot of the signs I recognize in myself and others, so it got me thinking.

He also gets really pissed off when people ignore what children say (like Tommy and his camera). It sounds like he was ignored on something of importance, whether or not it was abuse.

But wasn't Micheal an only child? so he wouldn't really be ignored? idk i'm just guessing here.

[7oddisdead]

Ah,I forgot about that part,I could see mental abuse for sure. I'm def not saying your not onto something here..it'll be interesting if we can actually map out all the examples given...hmm. (puts on thinking cap)

[uuhhhuuu]

haha so we meet again 7oddisdead!!and about Micheal, abuse would make sense because when he talked about his parents dying in a car accident he said he didn't come back to there funeral or anything. so basically he shrugged it off and kept moving on with his life. . .

[diosa]

I think he just has issues with showing affection. You know, like a typical guy....

[snowcoma]

Ooh, I'd forgotten that! It makes a rather strong statement about his feelings towards his parents.


The "ignored" thing was relating to how people often ignore or overlook abuse, as in "I fell down some stairs". No one really believes that shit, but it's easier for people to just pretend it's true. BT,DT. I highly doubt THAT actually occurred, but with how pissed off he got with Kelly, who knows. He says he still has family in the area, but Riley pointed out that he hadn't even thought of them until they were at the tower and Angel lost his girl. Estranged much?

Even if I'm totally off-base, it's still an interesting discussion, and I'm enjoying bantering theories about. :)

[7oddisdead]

Here's what I would find interesting...we map out the examples of Michaels issues, then site examples of those things in the fellow tower residents...example:.. Saul arrives back on the moped ...saul makes a bad joke about the thing,..michael doesn't find it funny...lizzies man ...todd. Worked on motorcycles. Something of that nature. Everything ties back to some part of Michaels life...

Its a work in progress

[GD_Elite]

Could some of the way he is be contributed to some sort of post-traumic stress from being in the army. He starts of the story as being a tired and depressed sergeant after 3 tours. If you want to be a good leader in the heat of battle, you just have to be able to hide your emotions and not let people know if you are scared or upset if someone close to you has died.

Also, thinking about it, if he had abusive parents, maybe he had it beaten into to him to not cry and to be a "real man".

Disclaimer: None of this comes from personal experience and so may not be 100% accurate, and especially not in all cases.

[snowcoma]

Hell, he could have PTSD from both, if abuse occurred!

Another random piece of the Michael puzzle: He can talk about his friendships and welcome new people into his life, provided they're not trying to kill him, but he has trouble telling Pegs that he likes her, or admitting that they're in a relationship.

Hmmm.

[diosa]

Good one.

[cameron1223]

Now if Micheal was abused as a child I could see Kc possibly having Micheal snap at some point in the series. I don't know who he would snap on or why but if he was abused that could definatly be a major problem plaugeing him through the rest of the series.
(Sorry for any spelling errors or grammatical errors i just woke up xD)

[GD_Elite]

Another random piece of the Michael puzzle: He can talk about his friendships and welcome new people into his life, provided they're not trying to kill him, but he has trouble telling Pegs that he likes her, or admitting that they're in a relationship.

When Angel and Kalani are together Angel says that he likes Michael's philosophy of personal ignorance because it makes it easier if something happens to Kalani.

Perhaps if Michael thinks if he lets down his barriers for Pegs, and something happened to her, he wouldn't know how to cope with it and would go crazy or suicidal or something.

[cameron1223]

Further supporting the fact that maybe Micheal is gonna hit the wall because I can definatly see Pegs getting hurt someway in the future.

[diosa]

GD, I love your signature! I don't understand how Michael is even interested in Pegs. Her neediness doesn't seem to fit with his personality. Unless you want to take the opposites attract thing to the nth degree. She has to be my least favorite character. Well she and Kelly share that spot. But that is a sign of great storytelling. When the writer can make you detest a character.

[Osiris]

I am under the impression that Michael is setting a standard of conduct with those around him. Not wanting to be called Mikey is fairly easy to pass off as him wanting to stave off too much familiarity with those under his rule/protection. Leaders need to separate themselves from those they lead to a certain extent and as such he may simply be trying to stay as objective as he can. Given his relationships with Angel, Saul and Lizzy... it could be difficult for him to make the hard choices that a leader often finds themselves having to make in crisis situations.

More to come on this, work beckons.

[snowcoma]

While trying to get the second half of the first season to download (damn you, Audible! *shakes fist*), I re-listened to the first episode, and Michael mentions his parents living in a different city (which is probably just a smidge of noncontinuity ).

It did make me think, though. Either this is an elaborate lead-up to a character detail, or I'm tilting at windmills here. So I'm stuck with a resounding "possibly".

Now to go back and try to download part two again!

[Zombiehead]

But wasn't Micheal an only child? so he wouldn't really be ignored? idk i'm just guessing here.It's very easy to both spoil and ignore an only child.

[Dr. Hatchet]

But wasn't Micheal an only child? so he wouldn't really be ignored? idk i'm just guessing here.

I do think that he is said to be an only child but I am too, it's easy to be ignored

[snowcoma]

I agree. If the parents both work, an only child has a shitload of time by themselves, and may be ignored by tired parents at the end of the day.