THE FACT THAT THIS POOR KID HALF DIED AND TURNED INTO SOMETHING HIS PARENTS DESPISE AND HOW HE WAS ALREADY AWKWARD AND BULLIED TO BEGIN WITH BUT HE PULLS THROUGH HE TRIES TO DO THE RIGHT THING EVEN WHEN THERE’S A MILLION REASONS WHY HE SHOULDN’T. HE STILL TRIES HIS HARDEST. HE STAYS UP ALL NIGHT FIGHTING EVIL AND RISKING HIS HALF LIFE FOR PEOPLE WHO HATE HIM. FOR PEOPLE WHO YELL AT HIM. FOR SLEEPING IN CLASS OR FOR FORGETTING CHORES OR FAILING A TEST. HE KEEPS HIS ANGER IN CHECK BECAUSE HIS POWERS LEAK OUT IN HIS RAGE. HE TREATS HIS WOUNDS HIMSELF BECAUSE HE DOESN’T WANT TO WORRY ANYONE AND BECAUSE HE’S NOT SURE IF HIS BLOOD WORK IS HUMAN. HE HAS TO DEAL WITH PEOPLE FROM TWO SEPARATE VIEWS: THE PARENTS WHO LOVE HIM AND THE SCIENTISTS WHO WANT TO DISSECT HIM, THE BULLY WHO BEATS HIM YET REVERES HIM AS A HERO, THE GIRL WHO LOVES HIM BUT WILL SHOOT HIM ON SIGHT. THE ONLY MAN WHO COULD POSSIBLY UNDERSTAND HIM WANTS HIS FATHER DEAD AND WOULD USE HIM AS A TOOL. HE SHOULDERS SO MUCH RESPONSIBILITY AND IS EXPECTED TO UPHOLD THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF A GROWING TEENAGER. WHAT KIND OF JOB OR FUTURE DOES A HALF DEAD GHOST DREAM ABOUT? NOT AN ASTRONAUT. NOT WITH THOSE GRADES. AND WHEN HE DOES SEE HIS FUTURE, WHAT DOES HE SEE? HE SEES A MONSTER. DESTROYING AND KILLING EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE AND ENJOYING IT. AND EVEN IF HE’S AVOIDED THAT FUTURE, JUST HOW EASY IS IT TO SET IT BACK IN MOTION? ONE SLIP UP. JUST ONE. AND HE THINKS ABOUT IT CONSTANTLY. HE’S FOURTEEN AND HE HAS TO DEAL WITH PROTECTING A TOWN, ACCEPTING HIS EXISTENCE, MAKING SURE HE DOESN’T TURN INTO A MONSTER, THE PARANOIA OF BEING FOUND OUT AND WHAT THAT COULD ENTAIL, TWO-FACING FRIENDS AND FAMILY, THE PRESSURES OF SCHOOL, BULLYING, AND STRESSING OVER GRADES, OF LIVING IN THE SHADOW OF A FAMILY OF GENIUSES, OF CRUSHING ON HIS FRIEND BUT NOT WANTING TO RUIN WHAT THEY HAVE, AND THE GUILT OF CANCELING PLANS WITH FRIENDS BECAUSE OF A GHOST ATTACK OR NOT BEING ABLE TO LOOK HIS MOTHER IN THE EYE AS HE CONSTANTLY LIES TO HER FACE, OF HIDING WOUNDS AND SCARS AND LAUGHING IT OFF SO NO ONE WORRIES ABOUT HIM WHEN INSIDE HE’S READY TO BURST. WOW, I WONDER WHY I LIKE DANNY PHANTOM?
Danny Phantom is actually perfect.
Woah. How is it even possible for me to have so much respect for a cartoon character?
HE NEEDS ALL THE RESPECT AND LOVE HE CAN GET
JUST LOOK AT HIM
THE NEED I HAVE TO PROTECT THIS CHILD IS UNGODLY
#yes#my sentiments exactly#THANK YOU VERY MUCH#I mean he’s gotta constantly wonder exactly what he is#to paraphrase Spectra ‘a ghost trying to be human or a human trying to wield ghost powers’#and he’s stuck between these two worlds#and the pressures and responsibilities which both of them constantly dump on him#repeatedly putting himself in danger for people who would rather see him destroyed#torn apart ‘molecule by molecule’#than support his heroic efforts#he’s FOURTEEN#and he’s stuck being national ghost enemy 1#AND a super hero#AND one of The Ghost Zone’s Most Wanted#AND a Freshman in high school#AND an socially outcast target of insecure bullies#AND someone who is neither alive nor dead#but somewhere in between#and in his writing#he’s not treated as one of those egotistical heroes who always get everything right#he’s not treated as one of those stupid teenagers who never get ANYTHING right either#he doesn’t have instantaneous knowledge of his powers#(he didn’t even know what his Ghost Sense was or what it came from until near the end of the series)#he doesn’t defeat every villain every time by some lucky coincidence#he learns#he grows#he is#dare I say it#actually bizarrely realistic#not just for a character who’s half-ghost (via)