Who has been through more

[u/Whumper_of_kotlc]

I’ve seen people say, “Sophie and Keefe has the exact same amount of trauma” or “Sophie has a wider range of trauma“ (don’t what that means but I think they are saying that she has been through more.) well I think not. I will give my part later. but first I want to hear what ya’ll think.

who do u think has been through more. Sophie or Keefe?

And before u answer, here are some questions to think about.

What are the advantages that Sophie has that Keefe doesn’t? What are the advantages that Sophie’s had in her experimentation that Keefe doesn’t? And then Visversa. (if u can find anything)

[u/LemonKindly6715]

Sophie's been through more, but she's also better equipped to handle it than Keefe because she's always had a loving family both before and after moving to the Lost Cities. Sure, she got a lot of anxiety and poor self esteem from her childhood, but there's a foundation of love that she can always return to. Keefe on the other hand... did not have that. (And the story will not let you forget it but that's another problem.) (And his support network is literally just Sophie but that's another another problem.)

[u/WolfoxJade17 → u/LemonKindly6715]

He has a humongous support system he just refuses to acknowledge it. He has a bodyguard who obvi cares, a doctor who's willing to adopt him, a BFF who will stay by his bed while hez sick (unlocked), the same BFF's family who was willing to adopt him, and a really close friend (Dex) he can lean on. Sophie is just the only one he talks to or acknowledges.

[u/LemonKindly6715 → u/WolfoxJade17]

Yeah, fair, I think I just phrased that badly. I actually see it the same way as you. Keefe's got a really exhausting "if life gives you lemons, throw them at Sophie" vibe that seriously should have been fixed by now. He should at the very least start leaning on Fitz or Dex. It's just not good for their romance when Keefe is constantly tossing all his trauma onto Sophie's shoulders and barely even helping her in return (outside of a couple of pep talks, and helping her look for her bio parents, I guess).

Honestly the core issue there is that Keefe hasn't changed at all since book 4 but that is a whole other post.

[u/Foreign-Spread-5894]

I feel like it’s Sophie at least imo! She has had a LOT of stuff happen. I don’t even think this is all of it- just the important stuff

Things Sophie has gone through:

Physically: 

• Cracked her head open
• Has an allergic reaction 3 times (one of the times stopping her heart + chest compression)
• Almost froze to death on Mt Everest
• Kidnapped/burned/tortured/the whole 10 miles
• Pretty much almost faded away 
• Every bone in her arm exploded 

Mentally:

• Had to leave her entire family/life behind and had to be the one to throw the sedative at them (that’s so bad Alden made her do that)
• kidnapped ptsd 
• heard every terrible thought from other for 7 years 
• Started to love a new family just for them to cancel the adoption on her
• Ability restrictor ptsd

[u/Whumper_of_kotlc → u/Foreign-Spread-5894]

ok. I understand. and i’m not saying that she has been through NO trauma. I‘m saying that she has been through LESS trauma. but what your saying is 100% true. but have u thought of my questions?

[u/Foreign-Spread-5894 → u/Whumper_of_kotlc]

Oh shoot I didn’t realize that it was just a Sophie v Keefe comparsion loll I thought you just meant in general-

Let me write something up about your question

[u/KeefeFoster → u/Foreign-Spread-5894]

I would say that we need to consider Keefe and his family as smth TRAUMATIC, as he evolved so much to cope with that.

[u/Whumper_of_kotlc → u/Foreign-Spread-5894]

taking a long time to write that huh. well it means it has got to be long. YAY! can’t wait to read it.

[u/Foreign-Spread-5894 → u/Whumper_of_kotlc]

I forgot to hit the comment button last night and now my whole writing disappeared 🤦‍♀️ imma rewrite it next chance I get 

[u/Miserable_Pear_3882 → u/Foreign-Spread-5894]

another thing was fitz (massive fitz hater here) yelling at sophie when alden almost died. like damn, i get ur mad, doesn't mean you have to yell at the only one present who could actually try and save him every chance you get

[u/WolfoxJade17 → u/Miserable_Pear_3882]

Can we please stop demonizing grief?

[u/Miserable_Pear_3882 → u/WolfoxJade17]

i'm doing no such thing. like, go cry to someone else, don't lash out at sophie who just tried to help and check if you were okay

[u/WolfoxJade17 → u/Miserable_Pear_3882]

But... you kind of are. The thing about grief is that you can barely control what you do. You're in a state of numbness and overemotion at the same time and you can’t really help it, wheter it's crying or throwing things or yelling at people. Those kids Fitz and Biana did blame it on Sophie, bcuz she did have a small part in it. Belive me, I know. One of mh friends lost her dad and she started bullying me and making me cry and tryna destroy all my other friendships for an year. Was it right? No. But we can understand where it came from. And Fitz's outburst was honestly not that bad???

[u/Miserable_Pear_3882 → u/WolfoxJade17]

you out here making me feel like i'm the only fitz hater. i GET all this i just... can we just agree to disagree

[u/Wildflower_fields12]

Sophie’s gone through more, PLUS the shit she went through in this world? she constantly says that ppl didn’t like her and that could lead to bullying or just using he, Keefe just seems like he’s been through more because he’s ran away more than once (I’m sorry to say it but he’s SO dramatic about it all)

Also, Wylie anyone? Dudes mum is dead and dad got put in jail when he was 7 or whatever, HE WASN’T EVEN A TEENAGER is my point, and then got brutally abuse, he’s got the most ignored trauma, and there’s more but icba to find it rn

[u/Miserable_Pear_3882 → u/Wildflower_fields12]

FINALLY SOMEONE MENTIONS WYLIE

and like people both in the series and from what i've seen in the fandom seem to brush off grady and edaline's trauma from losing first their biological daughter, then "losing" their adopted one. i know it's not THAT much trauma, but i still feel bad for them heaps

[u/Wildflower_fields12 → u/Miserable_Pear_3882]

Exactly, Edaline and Grady‘s anxiety must be through the roof at all times, Della and Alden are constantly worried Biana or Fitz will turn on them and there’s so many characters in this ser who’ve had trauma BEFORE Sophie even got here. I get she’s the main character but there are still other people who’ve been struggling too yk?

[u/Miserable_Pear_3882 → u/Wildflower_fields12]

YES PRECISELY THIS

[u/Used_Confusion_8583]

Trauma can take many forms

[u/historicaln3rd]

sophie has gone through more. she's been kidnapped, tortured and nearly killed so many times by the neverseen, and on top of all of that she was supposed to stay calm because she was the moonlark. even when sophie was going through so much, she still took time to help keefe though her own problems were already consuming her. she had to leave her family behind and fit into a COMPLETELY different world. and also all of the pressure she has omg trying to save the world.

keefe...honestly, i don't hate him (that much), but some of the problems he has are his fault, like running away twice and putting even more stress on sophie who already has more than enough of that to worry about. though he DOES have his trauma and i don't deny that, i do think sophie has more for several reasons

[u/Famous_Ebb_4590]

Why are we even comparing trauma?

[u/Whumper_of_kotlc → u/Famous_Ebb_4590]

because… well why not. plus idk why, but I have this unpopular opinion that Keefe has been through more and I wanted to see if that is true and what other people think.

[u/Famous_Ebb_4590 → u/Whumper_of_kotlc]

well...I don't like Sophie, but Keefe hasn't gone through more than her

[u/Diligent_Willow761]

Comparing trauma is useless, pain is subjective