when in doubt about whether or not to make a thing, do it for your 3 hardcore fans.
Jumpscare + OG image below:
I promise y'all Im working on asks I just have stuff to do 😭
Yeah...Thomas has attachment issues lololol
Thomas' possessiveness is really just a progression of his desperation. For example:
Stay with me, I don't want you to leave
Mutates into
You're my possession - Of that, my love, there really is no question
Okay, yeah, I'm using lyrics to get my point across, so what?
Because of his low self-esteem, Thomas gets jealous without realizing it. He's anxious about his potential future with his S/O, with constant worries surrounding abandonment and comparison.
What if you get hurt? What if you push too far, explore too deeply and find something you hate? What if turn to hate him? He can't have that. No, no, no, no, not here; Not now.
You really are his special someone. He's in love with you, his Momma'll make sure to tell you. Thomas' favorite thing is how sweet you are with him; Buttering him up with compliments {all of which you find to be true statements, though he disagrees}, and variations of physical affection. One thing that never fails:
"You're so handsome, Tommy."
Goddd, does it make him blush. He gets all giddy and shy - a bit aroused, depending on the situation.
What if that stops? What if when he finally reveals himself, you run away? You scream and shriek in terror? Is he really that ugly?
What if I make you feel sick?
That's a question he asks himself a lot. You're all he has {outside of the family}, and he plans to keep it that way {excluding potential future children}.
I explored this a bit in a previous post:
'You can't leave. I won't leave you leave - I have nothing. I'll prove to you how good I am - How good I can be, I swear. You can live with us on this farm, just like momma always dreamed of. You're not leaving me; Not after you've met momma, not after the countless times you've saved me from callous assholes out here. No - I couldn't..' -- He had to keep you. Keep you here; In the basement; In the barn; Maybe in a spare bedroom - His bedroom. It didn't matter. You could would not leave.
_____
At the root of his issues, Thomas is a scared, concerned, insecure man who's been starved of proper connection. Healthy, reciprocated emotions that don't burn out when he does something wrong. Once he's found someone worth opening up to, he'll treasured them. After years of believing they'd never meet, here they are.
Are you an angel? Have I been rewarded?
Or has the Devil sending one of his succubi to ravish me down to the rings of Wrath and Ptolemaea?
Although Thomas' thoughts are not as religiously-driven as those above, he often treads in waters of similar questioning:
Do I deserve this? - Am I being tricked? - They'll leave eventually..
--
Overtime, his anxiety turns to desperation - And soon, that desperation turns into jealousy.
Someone could compliment you, and it'd set him off. Especially if it's a man. He's so scared you'll find someone better than him, and he's envious of how easy it is not only for you to interact with people, but how easy it is for them to interact with you. He wants to interact with you so badly! He wants to tell you how beautiful you are, how grateful he is for you {even if you two aren't in a relationship yet}. He wishes he was approachable - Not that he's comfortable with causal conversation, but he wishes it was plausible in his situation.
--
One afternoon, a {soon to be} victim complimented you; 'Called you 'attractive' in whatever fancy way they put it. You scoffed a bit, albeit amused, followed by a small 'thank you.' - Boy, Thomas couldn't've been more peeved. How dare you? After all he's done to make you comfortable? Really, this is how you repay him?
He had to take a minute to himself, realizing how irrational he sounded. How were you supposed to know the sacrifices he made? It's not like he could tell you..though he wishes he could, just so you would be proud of him.
After his anger calmed down, he was left guilty and worrisome - It wasn't anyone's fault. The stranger couldn't have known his feelings for you, and he doubted you're aware either. That being said, that 'charming' victim made a delicious dinner that night ;)
_____
Thomas thought he had his emotions under control, but he was greatly mistaken. Momma had sent you out to grab things from the {wilting} garden just a few minutes prior; You'd gained enough trust from her to be left unsupervised outside - Though, she kept tabs on you though the windows.
Thomas was just finishing up in the basement when he walked up to the main floor; Oddly enough, he was looking for you. One random evening {a day he couldn't quite remember}, he'd overheard you talking to Henrietta about a locket you had once - A dainty one that complimented your skin ethereally. One of the victims, a nice gal from out of town, had a locket similar to the one you described; And he planned on giving it to you.
As he searched around the home, he found no trace of you. His anxiety quickly picked up; What if you'd left? No, Momma wouldn't lose you that easily, you'd have to be somewhere. He made his way outside, carelessly throwing the front screen doors open, albeit a bit aggressive. After a few minutes of pacing, he finally found you in the garden - Just as you were supposed to be.
The knot in his stomach relaxed, just as his shoulders did. There you were: Safe and content. He clutched the locket within his right hand, the chain dangling from his stressed fingers.
Unbeknownst to you, Thomas stood a few feet away, just..staring. His mind raced with incoherent thoughts: Would you like the gift? What if you were confused, or even worse, disgusted? What if the locket wasn't to your liking? He was quickly pulled from his thoughts when you finally noticed him.
"Hi, Thomas." You acknowledged, he really was just some big, awkward hunk, huh? "Did you need something?"
He quickly shook his head, bringing his hand forward. He twisted his wrist so his palm could face upward, revealing the locket.
You wiped some sweat off your forehead with your dirt-covered gloves and stood up. Your knees had gotten a bit dirty, but your pants provided a solid-enough layer between skin and soil.
"Is this for me?" You naively asked. Of course it was for you, he wouldn't just hand something to you that he intended on keeping.
He nodded, slightly nudging his hand closer as if to say 'take it.' - Which you did.
"Might be a bit difficult to put on, the jump ring's a bit small."
Were you..asking him to help? Was that it? He wasn't too sure, but he took the chance anyway. He gently grasped the split chain, folding it cautiously around your neck. He fumbled a lot with the chains..he didn't know how to handle such a small mechanism despite his sewing hobby; But eventually, he connected the jump rings.
You adjusted the locket to your liking, turning to face him with a thankful smile painted amongst your face.
"Thank you, Tommy."
Oh god..there it was. You knew he liked being called 'Tommy', you must've. He felt teased, just a bit. Mostly shy, though. He swallowed and gave a small nod.
Gosh, you were gorgeous, at least he thought so. He wanted so badly to tell you - Just like that piece of shit victim previously had. Okay..they weren't that bad, but he didn't want to acknowledge that. His jealously started to fester again, soon overriding his yearning.
God fucking damnit, why do I have to be so restricted? He thought to himself, an anger bubbling beneath him.
"Are you alright?" You hesitantly asked, tilting your head just a bit.
Was he alright? No, he was not 'alright.' He felt silenced. Restricted in his own body. How hard could it be to tell you how much he liked that locket on you?
His throat strained, trying to make any sensible noise - Yet all that came out were gurgles and incoherent mumbles. He shook his head, obviously overwhelmed and fed up. Instead of straining too hard, he pointed at the necklace and nodded - He really did think you were the most beautiful creature in the word, the locket only amplified that.
"You like it?"
He nodded once more.
"Aw; Well, thank you, Tommy. That's very kind of you."
He nodded a final time, making a mental decision: You were never going to leave him. He'd do anything and everything to make you happy, including small things like this.
That piece of shit nobody couldn't treat you like I could; They'd only make you happy chopped up, seared, and served right at the dinner table.
He'd make sure that would never happen to you. That no one besides him or the family would make you laugh, cry, smile; Not like he could. You two would be one, one way or another - Even in death. He'd make sure of that.
_____
Boo lame boo 🍅🍅🍅
I'm not too proud of the one-shot but my brain isn't giving me anything different.
We will, however, get more possessive Tommy as I finished up pt. 2 of Proprietorial 😈
TW: Self-harm, Self-mutilation, Rape {only mentioned twice, and very brief}, Hoyt warning, TCM-Canon-Typical Violence
Thomas {Hewitt} is such a complex character that I feel is taken to such extremes - he's either oversimplified or outrageously radical. For example: The two most-common tropes I see for him {which I'm not demeaning, just critiquing} are A.) He's an extremely sadistic, unforgiving maniac who has no form of empathy or depth to him {this trope usually makes him a rapist, sex-fiend, or someone who uses sex as a way to resolve disagreements.} B.) An extremely-traumatized individual who can do no wrong, doesn't understand the weight of his actions, a consistently-scared man who's socially unaware of EVERYTHING, and just generally a character with no depth. {This trope ALSO usually portrays Thomas as a sex-fiend as well as someone who uses sex as a form of apology.} The truth is - Thomas is such a complex man; Not only in his character but truly in his nature {which I guess is another word for character but whtever.} YES; He is sadistic. YES; He's traumatized. Yes; He's socially unaware at times - But he's NEITHER of those extremes - at least not by default. I understand the first trope , considering he does appear that way to victims - especially Kemper and Bailey. That being said, he {in the mentality of Thomas} had "valid" reasons to target those two: Bailey referred to him as a "what" {"What is that?"} and Kemper barged into the house uninvited. Thomas knows Erin was invited, he was watching through the basement peephole. He knew Andy wasn't invited based off the way Monty treated him. Also - let's address an obvious-but-often-overlooked aspect of Thomas' "killing patterns": The men he kills - the masks he makes - the way he treats the "masks-to-be" all seem to hint at his potential jealously and envy. He tortured Eric by skinning his fuckin arms - he knocked Kemper out with a sledge hammer and presumably {implied by him picking up a chain of meat hooks} attaches him to a meat hook. Kemper's WAKING UP on a meat hook just to get killed and skinned. Thomas' forms of catharsis are destructive in nature - which seem to extend beyond his victims. In the unrated version of the film, during the "first supper" scene, as Thomas rests his arms against the head crest of the dining chair {this is the most popular GIF of him}, there's multiple scars around his arms - all which vary in size, depth, and location. Sure, these could be work-related accidents, which I'm sure some are, but some seem to be a form of self-harm as well. I wouldn't be surprised if the majority are self-inflicted; Considering Thomas has no other outlet of emotional regulation or consistent support system. To get into further detail, let's break down his prominent character traits individually:
Protective + Family Oriented {and Selfless}
It's very obvious that Thomas is protective, both of his things and his people. He's not possessive, at least not in my interpretation. His devotion to his family comes in selfless ways; Including sacrificing his own safety just to keep the family alive and well - Together. He refused to stop chasing Erin; Even after injuring his leg and losing his arm. He killed the slaughterhouse manager because he insulted his family; Insulting him and his family's hard work to survive. He lost not only his job and his purpose that day, but his family's main income. His selflessness often leads to him getting taken advantage of and overworked. For example; The family fully relies on him and Hoyt for their survival; Though mostly Thomas. Hoyt can do enough, sure, but if Thomas was gone, the whole family would go with him one way or another. I find he genuinely doesn't view himself "on their level." As in he's subservient to them. This post is essentially the essence Im hinting at. He focuses on his purpose - If that purpose isn't fulfilled, "I haven't done enough - I'm not trying hard enough - The family's not proud of me - They shouldn't be proud of me - ect."
Reserved / Distant
Thomas is very reserved which is very obviously a defense mechanism developed in early childhood. He's distant not only because of his trauma, but his personality as well. I've always interpreted him as a natural introvert - which would've been amplified if he so happens to be autistic. Of course, not all autistic individuals are introverted, I just figured because of his predisposed characteristics. Thomas prefers to observe rather to interact; Almost acting as a shadow amongst concrete - Or a fly upon the wall: Watching every movement and discerning every sound. I talk more about this in a previous post.
Cautious {and Selective}
Adding on to the previous segment, Thomas is very cautious {and selective} with the people he surrounds himself with. Strangers? Absolutely not - unless it's obligatory. His family? Yes. I think this traces back to his trauma and social anxiety; His speech impediment makes it excruciatingly difficult to socialize, further isolating himself and his family from 'evil outside' civilizations. Hoyt's consistent hatred for 'hippy' city-slingers and the family's already-biased ignorant and overly-traditional values make Thomas' social pool a drying puddle.
Judgmental, Envious, {and Violent}
To add onto Hoyt's hatred for city-slinging, draft-dodging, hippy protesters; This hate definitely rubs off on Thomas. He's judgmental - both for survival and out of envy. His momma's "Christian teachings" about how full of sin the world is surely don't help the judgment issues. It's a calamitous cycle which gets worse with each year they spend in solitude. Their fear of society - fear of judgment - keeps them hidden from the rest of the world: Abandoned by the government as they're forced to fend for themselves. Forced to lay low within the shadows so they can remain together, as opposed to rotting in separate jail cells. In a way, it's their own "solitary confinement." Solitary confinement can cause an increase in violence / violent tendencies - Which is no surprise in the case of the Hewitt family. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness,
"Those with mental illness are overrepresented in solitary confinement, despite the vulnerability and threats to the mental health of those incarcerated. Research shows that the effects of solitary confinement on mental health are often fatal, both during and after incarceration. Half of all suicides in prisons and jails occur in solitary confinement. A recent study shows the long-lasting effects; that any amount of time spent in solitary increases the risk of death in the first year after release. Individuals were overall 24% more likely to die in the first year after release, including from suicide (78% more likely) and homicide (54% more likely). They were also 127% more likely to die of an opioid overdose in the first two weeks after release."
How does this relate to judgment and envy? I'll tell you:
Thomas is so conspicuously envious - We can see it in every scene with Eric. When he beats the shit out of Eric whilst caressing his face in admiration - Only to calculatingly caress his own in desperation. The way he gasps once he sees Kemper's wedding ring {for Erin} - Only to follow it up with wearing his face to visit her?? His envy comes out as judgment; His anxiety comes out as judgment. His judgment comes out as violence. It's a continuous cycle which he's learned over time from multiple sources.
Creative, Appreciative, Resourceful
Do I even have to explain this one? Nah I'm kidding.
Thomas is a creative and skilled individual who knows taxidermy, sewing, patchwork, leather-working/smith, all that jazz. It's not only a form of catharsis, but a form of hiding himself from the world. He takes pieces of what he finds beautiful, stitches them together, and presents himself as that "collection" of beauty. It's his way to turning himself "beautiful." This leads me to believe he finds beauty in the smallest things. A decaying carcass? A new mask. Withered and rusting jewelry? A new accessory. Left-behind tools? His tools now. He takes care of the things he loves, and loves to take care of what's been forgotten. He's appreciative of small things; Especially considering the Hewitt family didn't {and still doesn't} have much but themselves and their old farm. He notices the small things. The usually insignificant, under-appreciated, forgotten things. Maybe it's out of necessity; Maybe it's because he feels he's one of those things - Just not one deserving of the same grace.
Reliant {and Independant}
Notice how the family always calls for Thomas? They call multiple times, sure, but that seems to be more out of annoyance than worry. They know Thomas will get the job done - He always does - and he does it damn well. He works hard; He was quite literally one of the slaughterhouse's hardest workers. He worked 'till he was forced out of there. Thomas is stubborn, sure, but it helps get his work done. And - it keeps him safe.
Besides meal-prep, housing, cleaning, and transport, Thomas is very independent. He can hunt forage his own food; Protect himself and others; Make his own clothes; Hell, he'd learn how to cook and clean if he needed to. He doesn't really need transport - at least not in his mind. He's content - He'll make do with what he has. It's like the quote from 'Pearl' "One day you will understand that getting what you have isn't what's important - Making the most of what you have is."
___
Apologies for this being relatively short compared to my other previous analyses; My brain's been kinda foggy recently but we're recovering!
Tommy my beloved socially awkward {autistic} Texan🫀
if the 2006 TCM movie was produced or direct by the same person as the 2003 remake {Marcus Nispel}, it would be so so SO much better. Don't get me wrong, I love TCM: The Beginning - For the lore. If I wasn't invested in TCM I wouldn't care for the movie - Honestly. The cinematography is wonderful {there's better, but I loved the shots outside the house/through the fields}, the FAMILY character designs are top tier - The group/main protagonists? Their designs are..fine. Nothing special, really {which they don't have to be, but some have pointed out that they aren't the most historically accurate.} THE HOUSE?? God, I love the architecture used in this movie - The house is an 1800's plantation home, which I LOVE the features of {not the history..}
I think what made the 2003 remake so great was how consistent the story was, how believable the story was, the cinematography, the characters, and the chemistry. Lots of stuff was happening in that movie - And that doesn't necessarily refer to the events occurring: The connection to the Hewitt's kitchen from the community center's display shelf - Leatherface/Thomas peering through the walls, floor boards, shutters, HIS MASK?? The reveal of Hoyt, Luda Mae, the Tea Lady, and Henrietta as antagonists??? {Monty was an opp from the start}
Also, I hate to say it, but the 2006 protagonists didn't appeal to me much. Listen..they are all GORGEOUS actors {both in talent and looks} but they were dealt with poorly-written characters. The dialogue is fine - Compared to the 2003 remake? Subpar. The 2003 protagonists had/have so much character to them - Pepper is what Bailey was intended to be: A sexual, screaming damsel who loses their love interest. Kemper you just feel bad for; He was gonna propose and dies before he gets to tell Erin? Especially since just {under} an hour before, she'd asked when they were gonna get engaged? His character is built on sympathy - He's a protective, sarcastic, and a bit too nosey for his own good {hence his death.} Morgan is a sensible anxious guy who’s kind of an airhead at times..but he’s logical when faced with fear {surprisingly.} Andy is the protective and reactive force {similarly to Kemper.} Erin is THE final girl. Smart, strategic, alluring? Doesn’t that sound like Erin?
Chrissie and Eric are good characters - but they could've been better. insulting your captives is NOT a smart move. At. All. The thing is, when Eric was insulting Hoyt, he was provoking him as a distraction. When Chrissie insulted the family, she did it as a final ‘fuck you.’ One is more productive than the other in terms of survival {but the ‘fuck you’ was deserved.}
Dean and Bailey pissed me off fr - No survival skills what so ever {okay, that’s not fair..they’re trying - and I sure as shit can’t be talking considering this was a life-or-death situation.} Also, I get it, no one wants to go to war {I sure as shit don’t} but consider Hoyt’s perspective for a moment:
Dean not only abandoned his country - he abandoned his brother. Hoyt knew from the moment he called Eric and Dean over which one was which. He stares Dean down so much; ESPECIALLY IN THE CAR !!!
Hoyt is disgusted by Dean. How could he be so selfish? After all this country’s done for him - He just..abandons it? Not only that, he sacrifices his brother? The Hewitts are so family oriented that this ONE action alone could've set Hoyt off. Pair the two together - Dean was bound to die.
{I feel bad for them all, just fyi}
The worst part {in MY opinion} is the waisted potential. There was so so SO much opportunities for this movie to focus on the FAMILY - Instead, it shares the focus with the protagonists. I know this is supposed to be about their 'first family kill' and how they adopted cannibalism, but we could've had so much more.
More into the relationship between Thomas, Hoyt, and Luda Mae. More into the sibling relationship between Luda, Monty, and The Tea Lady. How's Henrietta related? What was Thomas' first mask? How far did he make it in school? WHY can't he speak? CAN he speak? What is his skin condition??? I wish they explored these more in the movie rather than snippets during the introduction sequence.
Anyway..I still watch this movie religiously, but I wish it explored the family wayyyy more :)
TW: Discussions of Depression, Mental Health, Self-Harm, Skin Conditions, Personal Neglect, Hygiene Neglect, Descriptions of Injuries/Conditions/Bodily Functions?
Odor:
Thomas smells gross as fuck - You will vomit all your organs out ten times over before dying repeatedly {with love}.
No but seriously - Thomas does not take care of himself. At all. He will go weeks without a shower. He'd go months if it wasn't his momma and uncles nagging him {the smell gets oh so bad}.
--
Skin Conditions:
Because of how much he's on his feet, his body chafes - Usually around his thighs and groin. This paired with the lack of cleansing + constant sweet buildup, he's in constant pain. Not that he can't handle the pain, but it creeps up on him at times.
He also has a lot of acne - On his face, neck, back, highs, glutes, lots of places. Typically blackheads and inflamed cysts, papules, and pustules. He's learned not to pick...but sometimes he can't help himself {same, Thomas}.
--
Infections:
His neglected hygiene is one of the reasons {in my headcanon} that his nose rotted off. The constant suffocation with his {dirty} mask as well as the sweat and dirt buildup fostered an infection. Infections in this area are deadly - but with the right treatment, such as antibiotics {or amputation depending on how bad it's gotten} the individual can survive. Infections can lead to necrosis if left untreated, which in Thomas' case, ate away his nose {again, in my headcanon🫀}.
When he picks at his skin {popping, scratching, cutting}, he's not too good at keeping the area clean. This causes the skin to get infected; This usually presents in high inflammation, pus, and swelling {in his case}.
--
Hair:
Oh boy...his hair is KNOTTED AND MATTED !! This poor man..No wonder he cut his hair in the 2003 remake..it must've been a lot to handle.
His curls are THIRSTYYY, desperate for some moisture {mine too, Thomas..}.
If you know how to take care of textured hair, PLEASE please PLEASE teach him how. Please teach him how to detangle it..his hair is a knotted matted mess going through a drought rn.
Please deep-shampoo his hair..please - It has more oil than a southern cookout. Deep-condition it too..lord knows he needs it.
I think he'd actually feel very cared for if someone did his hair {by someone I mean his partner} - It would be an intimate moment for him; Getting to be so vulnerable isn't something he takes lightly, y'know.
Brush and detangle his hair, wash it, moisturize it, STYLE IT !!!! Maybe help encourage his curls, give him kisses too {he'll be blushing so so hard}. If any of the family saw it, he'd be so embarrassed {Luda would love it}.
L: "Look how handsome you look, Tommy! My sweet boy, getting all pampered." {She'd love this so much, would most definitely tell Kathryn/Tea Lady about it 😉}
H: "Didn't know you were going all soft, Tommy." {He'd say this half-jokingly, whilst he chuckles like a smug idiot}
--
Thomas isn't neglecting his hygiene out of laziness; He's disgusted with himself. The less he cares for himself, the more disgusted he gets. The more disgusted he gets, the less he wants to look at himself. Depression also plays a major role in his self-neglect, suppressing his motivation and desire to take care of himself. He views it more as a chore rather than an act of self-respect and health concerns.
He hates having to see himself in the shower - and he most DEFINITELY hates having to touch himself {in the shower, you perv}. You'll {his partner} have to coax him into taking care of himself - A reward system would help. Lots of praise is most DEFINITELY a reward he's willing to accept.
"That's much better, Tommy; Good job." - "Look how handsome you are!" - "You did good, Thomas; Thank you {for ___}"
Calling him handsome/calling him pet names are the easiest ways for him to blush - It's an addicting yet embarrassing feeling for him.
Starting slow would be the most helpful {and sustainable} for him. For example: Starting with him washing his hands more - Then moving to washing his clothes, ect. Starting small is best, it won't overwhelm him as easily.
Offer to help him clean himself {don't get any ideas, pervert...or do, he won't mind}. Wiping his face down with a wash cloth, helping him clean his nails, tending to his wounds, cleaning his masks {with his permission, do NOT touch his masks without his knowledge}. This'll make him feel extremely cared for . Consider yourself lucky - Getting this close to Thomas, seeing him this vulnerable, is a privilege he's not willing to give anyone else 🫀
--
Tommy when he has to shower:
Me when I stole this image from alamy only to get lazy and put a Roblox face over it:
Do you think if say you self insert yourself into tcm 2006 maybye reader actually looking after Tommy he woud not loose his nose etc like if reader was there to look after Tommy tcm 2003 would go diffrent and her readers role would most likely be in most films, as she got captured before Chrissies group idk if this is too similar to what y wrote b4
Hi !! I hope I understood this right - If I didn't, please let me know🫀
TW: Self-harm, mental breakdowns, cannibalism, murder, TCM-Canon-Related Topics This isn't spell/grammar checked lol
First of all, I think Thomas would have a different outcome with his nose. Hear me out - If he had someone who not only encouraged, but actively took place in caring for his health, he'd have wayyy less of a chance to develop a deadly infection, or necrosis.
Continuing on that note; He'd take way better care of himself!! With positive feedback, productive routines, and someone to bond with, his mental health would begin to regenerate. He'd actually look forward to coming home from the slaughterhouse instead of dreading it.
..Pack him a lunch, please {and add a note :)}
--
Following the closing of the slaughterhouse, you'll need to be very, very patient with Thomas. He just lost his job, his purpose, and the main source of income for the family. PLUS the family just incorporated cannibalism/murder - which is no easy task.
Give him his space whilst providing opportunities to vent out his frustrations and anxieties. This really is the part where you either make or break your relationship {by 'you' I mean the reader as well as Thomas.} You two will need to care for each other more than ever in this time of need, and continuing this as the years progress.
--
If we follow the events of the 2003 remake's timeline, Thomas gets more manic and less restricted with his movements and overall presentation. Could this have been prevented? I'm not sure. Stalled, maybe, but this definitely seems like the result of multiple stressful events eating away at a man with little support or emotional regulation skills.
It would take a lot for someone to prevent this, but even then, one of you is gonna lose it. Taking care of someone with as much detail that would be needed in this situation would result in you going mad. You lose yourself, which is exactly what happened to Thomas.
That being said, he hasn't lost himself completely. When it's just the family, he's okay - When it's just the two of you, he's even better. Much calmer, relaxed, and open.
I envision Thomas having mental breakdowns every few months, maybe even more. During these breakdowns, it gets bad.
He's destructive, hysterical, and unpredictable. Tons more vocal, by that I mean lots more grunts, yelling, crying out. It's a lot of pent up anger and repressed emotions that not even he knew he had. Once he comes down, he'll be even worse {to himself}. Thomas feels terrible afterward; Guilty and extremely overstimulated which leads to lots of overflowing, hysterical crying and tendencies of self-harm {probably lots of hitting his head with his fist, though not punching}.
Essentially lots of this:
Sorry, I know this section sounds a lot like Bubba {Sawyer}...oops
When he's experiencing breakdowns like this, he needs space whilst also being 'supervised.' By supervised I mean making sure he's not being extremely destructive of other people OR himself {especially}. Don't worry about the items, worry about him. Thomas is never violent to the family {including you} during these episodes, but he most definitely is to the victims.
He just needs something simple, nothing too demanding or overstimulating - Even if it's just you sitting with him and assuring him no one's upset, that's enough for him to start coming down. He might need some rest after this :(
--
Other potential changes {in his outcome}:
He'd wear masks less {around family}
His creativity would flourish earlier-on
Thomas would have an easier time adjusting to the cannibalistic lifestyle {if you were there to suffer through it beside him}
His confidence would grow :)
His emotional regulation skills would strengthen
_____
Im never gonna leave you, baby - Even if you lose what's left of your mind
Roman Holiday (1953) dir. William Wyler