Also This Guy Is Down BAD In The Comics' Comment Section

Thomas Hewitt Medical Analysis / Headcanons?? Because I love him

TW: Self-mutilation, Hoyt mention {very very brief}, typical canon activities, self-harm?, skin conditions,

Very poor editing, my apologies -

Speech:

I’ve seen many people assume that Thomas either A.) Doesn’t speak by choice; B.) Can’t speak from vocal {cord} issues; Or C.) A combination of the two / his facial deformity. I agree with everyone else but I’d also like to add a potential reason: I’m pretty sure Thomas was diagnosed with ‘metal deterioration’ of some sort in the introduction scene {2006/The Beginning}, and considering this was the mid-late 1900’s, knowledge on mental health was very little compared to now, especially in such a small town. Thomas could possibly be neurodivergent, maybe high-function autism but even then, Thomas could simply have a condition called Speech Apraxia/Apraxia of Speech/AOS/CAS. “In CAS, the brain has trouble planning for speech movement. The brain isn't able to properly direct the movements needed for speech. The speech muscles aren't weak, but the muscles don't form words the right way.” - Mayo Clinic. This could’ve been amplified by his facial deformity. I don’t think it’s irrational to think Thomas can speak, or speaks scarcely, but it’s also not irrational to think Thomas just doesn’t speak. I don’t think it’s a vocal cord issue as Thomas can make sounds pretty well {Considering he screams/yells/yelps at times in the 2003 remake, and even ‘howls’ in the 2006 version after he gets stabbed by Chrissie.} This is just a thought though, I could be wrong.

Skin Condition:

In a behind-the-scenes video {which can be found on youtube}, one of the crew members said Thomas had an extreme form of skin cancer. Now, this could very well be true, but if it was a real-world condition, Thomas would either be bed-ridden, hooked to a machine constantly, or dead. This condition could be made up, but I’ve found two possible real-world conditions which Thomas may have. 

Cutaneous Lupus {CLE}. “Cutaneous lupus is one type of lupus — an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation in different body tissues. “Cutaneous lupus,” which means skin lupus, affects your skin. Inflammation in your skin causes a variety of symptoms — most often a red, scaly rash. These symptoms are triggered by sunlight exposure.” - Cleveland Clinic. This, as most skin conditions, can be localized, meaning they’re only in one area. In Thomas’ case, this is his face. This could also occur in his scalp, neck, and ears for all we know. CLE is also not contagious.

___

What is CLE? 

“Cutaneous lupus, or skin lupus, is an autoimmune disease that affects your skin, causing skin rashes. Autoimmune diseases happen when your immune system mistakenly attacks your own body tissues. In cutaneous lupus, your immune system attacks your skin cells, causing chronic inflammation in your skin. This manifests as a recognizable rash, often with related symptoms like itching, irritation or swelling.” - Cleveland Clinic

2. Pustular Psoriasis. Now, this diagnosis doesn’t make the most sense until you see the actual ‘photo’ of Thomas’ face. A photo {Which is shown below} is from the 2006/The Beginning behind-the-scenes’ on youtube. This looks A LOT like Pustular Psoriasis to me; Though I could be very wrong. “Symptoms of pustular psoriasis include pustules (white or yellow, pus-filled, painful bumps) that may be surrounded by inflamed or reddened/discolored skin. The pus in pustules is caused by inflammation and is not contagious. People with plaque psoriasis or other types of psoriasis may also develop pustular psoriasis” - The National Psoriasis Foundation. Common placement of Pustular Psoriasis includes the hands, feet, scalp, and face. It usually affects the hands and feet {Palmoplantar pustulosis}, but not in all patients.

___

What’s the Difference?

“Pustular psoriasis is a type of psoriasis that causes skin plaques with pustules or blisters anywhere on your body. Palmoplantar pustulosis, which is also known as palmoplantar pustular psoriasis, is pustular psoriasis that affects only your hands and feet.” - Cleveland Clinic

___

What is Pustular Psoriasis?

Psoriasis is an auto-immune disease, as is CLE: “Your immune system keeps your body healthy by defending itself against foreign invaders like bacteria. These invaders can make you sick. If you have psoriasis, your skin immune system becomes overactive and releases inflammatory molecules that cause healthy skin cells to divide and replicate too quickly, which causes dead skin cells to form on the surface of your skin as scales or flakes. This state of immunologic over-activity also causes certain cells from the immune system called neutrophils to collect in the most superficial layers of the skin, which causes pustules.” - Cleveland Clinic

Photo for Reference:

I’m not joking, this is an actual screenshot from the Behind-The-Scenes at around 32:17. Now, I don’t think Thomas’ condition AS SEEN IN THE FILMS is as extreme, but this might be what a flare-up looks like for him. That being said, there’s a significant feature Thomas has that we haven’t addressed yet,

How Did Thomas Lose His Nose?

In The Beginning {2006}, we can see Thomas’ nose cartilage rotting off from multiple open wounds. Just based on this information, it’s safe to assume it just rotten off, right? Not necessarily. Looking at Thomas’ face reveal in the 2003 remake, we notice the nose is cleanly cut off right where the ‘rot’/wound was in the 2006 version. Combine this with his tendency of self-mutilation, this leads me to assume he {or someone in the family} cut it off. Now, I’ve researched this a bit {hyperfixation running rampant rn} and cutting off your nose doesn’t hit any major arteries and isn’t life-threatening on its own. However, your nose is part of what’s called the ‘Triangle of Death.’ The Triangle of Death is a part of the face featuring the nose all the way down to the corners of the mouth. Because this area is so close to your brain as well as openings in your face, infections can be deadly. So cutting off your own nose could kill you from infection, not the act itself. Obviously, Thomas didn’t die from this as he’s in the damn movies with a fully-healed 'nose'. Anyway, going back to observing his face, we can also see the nasal bone. Finally answering the question: It’s safe to assume Thomas picks at his skin alot. Combine this with poor hygiene and wearing his {very dirty} mask all the time, his wounds most likely got infected. This caused him to literally rot from the inside out, which caused necrosis. Thomas most likely cut his nose off because of an infection that had the potential to be fatal. Lord knows Luda Mae was probably horrified and I’m sure Hoyt wasn’t too thrilled either..{Monty’s snoozin’ 100%}

Anyway, apologies for the poorly-edited and non-coherent rant. I see so many theories and get a bit intimidated to comment under most of them so I decided to post this instead. :)

This is how I view Thomas' love life btw:

He invites you to dinner: 🥰🫀💐

He invites you to dinner: 😥😟 🪓

Oh! So I may have overreacted in my previous post

maybe Thomas doesn't have breakdowns...uh

or maybe he does and I cooked and I'm a genius

I may or may not have written this segment based off previous experiences...maybe, maybe not?

working on Thomas Hewitt x Plus/Midsized reader..hooray for me ig

Still working on: Thomas Hewitt x Caring Reader - How Thomas' Outcome Would Differ From the 2006/2003 Remakes

Feel free to put requests here or in the ask box - Trust I'm cooking {it's burnt..that's okay}

what do you think a modern-era thomas would be like? i wonder how different he would be from his canon version with the greater normalization of mental health disorders and everything (and possibly being able to stay in school for longer). i love reading your posts :)

I love reading your posts :)

Modern Thomas {Hewitt} AU Headcanons

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･.

I think the most impactful effect of the modern AU would be Thomas' mental and physical condition. He'd most likely get diagnosed quicker and more accurately -

'Mental Retardation' - ASD 1

Would not be diagnosed with 'Mental Deterioration'

Disfigurative/Disfiguring Facial Disease - CLE or Pustular Psoriasis {Possibly both}

Birth Defect {Assumed to be an Incomplete Unilateral Cleft} would stay the same, potentially fixed at birth IF the Hewitt's had the money

Other mental disorders:

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Depression

Apraxia of Speech {?}

PTSD

--

With the earlier/more accurate diagnoses, Thomas {if the Hewitt's had the money} would have more treatment/management options. For example:

Therapy: ABA, Speech therapy, general psychology

Medication: Anti-depressants, Anger management, Anti-anxiety, Anti-Psychotics

Honestly..I doubt the Hewitts would approve of either..BUT they'd be more open to it than compared to the canon timeline {due to less societal pressure}

_____

School...oh boy. Depending on what year he'd be born {late 80's - early 90's} his accommodations would change {not too drastically, though}.

The Americans with Disabilities Act {ADA} was signed into law in 1990 by former President George H.W. Bush, meaning Thomas {if he had a 504 or educational plan of some sort} would require accommodations. That being said...he went to school in a small conservative town...in the Deep South...that is heavily religious..

Would he have stayed in school longer? Most likely. Would he have graduated..I don't think so. LISTEN - He'd probably drop out around 14/15 {not that it was legal} - To work at the slaughterhouse. School would've been overwhelming not only from work, but the social aspects as well. He wasn't the best in school..

If he did happen to make it through high school, I doubt he'd go to college - but that's just me.

He would NOT be employed at age 12, as the Texas Child Labor Laws {finalized in 1993} state:

"The Texas Child Labor Laws make sure a child is not working in a job or way that could harm the child's safety, health, or well-being. Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) also has rules to make sure a job does not interfere with a child’s education. It is illegal to employ a child under 14 except under specific circumstances."

_____

Okay!! Now time for more personalized modern AU headcanons 🤗

IF he had a phone {which I don't think he would, unfortunately} he'd like playing random mobile games. I'm talking Tetris-esque and solitaire games {and those of similar nature}.

--

He'd grow his hair out - OP and I have talked about this; He'd grow it out a bit. Maybe not terribly long, but longer than his 2006 length. {I have no idea why this would be modern-related but it popped in my mind}.

--

I don't know if Thomas would be the type to watch TV, honestly. Maybe whatever's on here and there - Eavesdropping on what the family's watching - But nothing too particular.

--

The family would not spend money on mobile phones. I'm sorry, but they wouldn't..they really don't talk to anyone outside of the family, and even then, they'd most likely have a rotary or push-button phone.

--

The Hewitts are poor, okay? Which leads me to believe Thomas would have a CD player as opposed to an online streaming service {for music}. I just envision this post.

--

Possible Music Taste {Open to suggestions}: Type O Negative, The Smashing Pumpkins, Korn {momentarily}, Led Zeppelin, Mortician, Cannibal Corpse, Pantera, Black Sabbath, Metallica, Alice In Chains, Johnny Cash, The Highwaymen, Elvis {momentarily}, Lynyrd Skynyrd {momentarily}, ACDC {momentarily}, Slipknot {momentarily}, hear me out..Radiohead?

--

Thomas would have more variety in his masks - Listen, rural Texas is still rural Texas, but it's not 1960's rural Texas. There'd be more variety in the people there {both from in and out of town}, which leads me to believe his masks would show that.

--

The family would have a bit more variety in their food - Not by much, but still an influential amount. Think about it, Luda's community center/gas station would get some different things {especially in the 2020's}. Vapes, new chip and sweet brands, gum, different soda pop brands, more fast-food-esque stock, but still new stock nonetheless. I'm sure she'd bring some home for the family..even if it's just a bit.

--

I think Thomas would dress relatively the same - Wearing his Sunday clothes to work at the bug-infested bloodfest that is the slaughterhouse {we love a gentleman}.

--

Okay listen, I know this post is about Thomas but I just thought of something: Hoyt would want a phone. NOT because he's social, but because he wants access to certain things..with ease. The Hewitts wouldn't have internet but that doesn't mean Hoyt won't drive out somewhere. He'd have a Facebook account - You can't tell me different.

_____

yay modern Thomas playing solitaire with his momma

GUYS LOOK AT JEDIDIAH

Image Credit: Alamy.com

This is literally just David Dorfman but still

writing more Tommy oneshots and headcanonssss for my fellow nerds {much love}

Sneak peak {both are answers to asks}:

Thomas Hewitt x Meek/Emotional Reader

Thomas Hewitt x Caring Reader - How Thomas' Outcome Would Differ From the 2006/2003 Remakes

loves ya - once I finish these {and wrap up intensive assignments} I'll begin brainstorming pt. 2 to Proprietorial

Thoughts on how the TCM (2003 & 2006) guys would react to going to kill a cockroach and it starts flying?

I know for a fact hoyt would be all macho and pissy and yelling at everyone for not being man enough to kill it and then he screams and runs away as soon as that shit starts flying

TCM {2003 / 2006} Men Reacting to a {Flying} Cockroach

Jedidiah seems like a kid who would love observing creatures and wildlife but would be terrified as soon as that thing started flying. ESPECIALLY if it flew towards him or got on him unexpectedly.

Monty would probably just get his dog to eat it or something - or call Thomas to catch / release it.

Hoyt's is hard to imagine considering this guy is so different depending on the situation - But you're right; He'd most definitely groan about "just kill it - it's a harmless bug, ect." up until it starts flying. He'd probably try to avoid the roach whilst yelling at "someone" to get it out of annoyance and slight discomfort.

Thomas would just kill it. He'd be walking to catch / squish it and be a bit startled once it starts flying - but he'd still get it either way. Working in a slaughterhouse - There's flies, larvae, gnats, roaches, rats, spiders, mice, wasps, maybe larder beetles; All sorts of pests and unpredictable creatures which he'd probably be used to.

Thank you for the ask 🫀 I think I got everyone on the list? If I didn't, I'll update the ask if you'd like me to!

Roman Holiday (1953) dir. William Wyler