Stanley Pines Is Basically Holding Onto The Teenaged Version Of His Brother.

Stanley Pines is basically holding onto the teenaged version of his brother.

That connection is strong enough that it only took two words to get him to drive all the way up to Oregon and then spend three decades trying to bring Ford back. That kind of dedication, that kind of inextinguishable hope, is astounding, and it is not the behavior of someone who blames Ford for closing the window on him, not at all.

So why, then, does Stan care so much? Because to him, Ford is just about the coolest person to exist. Not just because he's astoundingly smart and capable, but also because he was the only person who really cared about him.

There's a lot of talk about suspected physical abuse in the Pines household for the twins growing up, but I think there was a lot of neglect too. I think Ford and Stan really only had each other as kids. That is an intense connection.

For Ford, that connection terrifies him. Because Ford does not want to be that boy. That boy was scared and that boy got knocked around and had to hide behind his twin. That boy was weak and Stanford Pines is not weak, Stanford Pines is special and important and he's going to show the whole goddamn world.

But for Stan... that connection is the only thing that proves he was worth anything. So if his relationship with Ford isn't salvageable...

then is he worth anything at all?