ALRIGHT BEFORE YOU READ THIS, THIS IS SPOILERS TO THE RECENT EPISODE SO PLEASE DONT READ IF YOU HAVENT SEEN IT.

Okay, now that it's just the people that have watched it...

I have theories about why Roman reacted the way he did in this episode.

I know everyone keeps calling Roman a jerk and yeah people have the right to say so. But I think you guys are not looking deep enough into why he acts the way he does. Why he reacted like this when Janus' name was revealed.

This is my theory :

It's been established already that Roman is insecure, for some unknown reason. Virgil has said it in passing several times and it was highlighted in the puppet episode. It was also mentioned when the other sides would ask why he was acting in a certain way.

However, people have never actually checked in on Roman's feelings. None of them have. They never asked him if he was okay or if he had an issue with something. They never took him seriously because he was the arrogant, stupid character in the series.

I mean, look at what he said when he was trying to find something original for Thomas to do as a video. He was doing a segment on the office, sure, but what did he say?

"It's just that people are always mean to the hot, popular persona."

It can be taken as a joke back then, but as the series progressed, the more Roman became unhinged. He began to act more defensive, especially ever since Virgil decided to join the 'group.'

Which leads us to our first question.

Why is he acting more unhinged after Virgil being accepted into their group?

From what was said in the past, Roman has never gotten along with Virgil. In fact, Patton and Logan even mentioned in the Accepting Anxiety video that Roman was the only one who refused to see eye to eye with him. Why? Because he told us himself that Virgil was the one who prevented Thomas from pursuing his hopes and dreams.

However, the same can be said about Patton and Logan right? I mean, Patton and Logan butt heads with Roman (especially Logan), yet they're fine in Roman's standards? Why is that?

... Well, if you think about it, Thomas included a valuable piece of information in the newest episode.

Roman says "Thomas, he's asking us to go back on what we know about Rights and Wrongs. Shoulds and Shouldn'ts." He doesn't want Thomas to question these things. Why?

Because he doesn't want Thomas to think about things that would inevitably frighten him and prevent him from pursuing his dreams. If he has to take the time to address and figure out complicated issues and feelings in his life, it's one step behind that Roman can't afford to lose.

Roman doesn't want Thomas to question what he knows. He doesn't want Thomas to listen to the people that question what he knows. And who are those people?

The dark sides.

Think about it! Why are they called the dark sides? Who the hell coined that term? Don't you find it strange that Thomas would keep such complicated yet massively important parts of his personality hidden?

It's because these sides were shunned away by the light sides. At least that is what people have been speculating for a while.

Yet, when Virgil first appeared in this series, Patton and Logan didn't seem to particularly react or mind his company? Yes, they were annoyed or confused about why he was there, but they didn't have as strong of a sense of hatred towards him than Roman.

Virgil is a dark side not because he puts Thomas in a bad place, like a villain would. He's not always the bad guy. The reason why he's considered a dark side is because he is a complicated side that requires Thomas to stop and work through his relationship with Virgil (aka addressing the situation) before continuing on his life.

So is the same for Janus. Janus isn't evil from what we saw recently. He is self-preservation, not Deceit. It's just that self-preservation comes with deceitful means is all. Janus is a complicated side that Thomas STILL needs to work through and address, which required Thomas to stop what he's doing and address the situation.

Remus is the same. He is intrusive thoughts that Thomas yet again needed to stop and address before it got too terrible to the point where he cannot be productive or live healthily.

Yet, when all things are said and done, these dark sides (questionably Remus too) do contribute to the well being of Thomas's body and mind. They just contribute to the part of his mind where he needs to think about complicated matters and grow and mature as a person.

Now, putting this in context to what Roman said to Thomas about being challenged about their rights and wrongs, this explains why Roman doesn't get along with the dark sides and why he doesn't like them. It's because they make Thomas questioning everything.

They make Roman feel less important as a side.

Although Logan cannot feel things, Patton and Roman have been more or less the enemies of the past few episodes (enemies meaning that they are proven gravely wrong by Logan or the other sides). They are a part of Thomas that has existed to only support him in a cut-and-dry way, you know? Morality said it himself. He had a simplistic way of viewing his job as a side. He's responsible for Thomas's morality and Roman is responsible for Thomas's hopes and dreams.

Yet, with the appearance of Virgil, Remus, and Janus, along with Logan's forever curious and adaptable and logical mindset, Roman and Patton are being drilled and questioned constantly for their views and opinions that may have worked to serve Thomas in the past as a child, but don't apply well or healthily anymore in his adult years.

While Patton has accepted adaptation, Roman hasn't. It's clear when he was fighting with Logan at some episodes. He still hasn't changed and he's the only one who refused to change (save for the agreement that he wouldn't call people names, but that was because he was just being plain rude for no reason).

You could see the cracks in Patton's personality and insecurity as he continues to apologize for being wrong over and over again. Perhaps that is his way of coping?

But Roman? Roman has been coping with this feeling of insecurity for quite some time now.

Whether it be Logan disapproving of his world or the other sides being more listened to and taken seriously, he is left to watch as everyone else grows and changes.

I'm going to connect this idea with Remus, his twin. Roman mentioned that he didn't like seeing Remus because it reminded him of things he doesn't want to mention (I don't really remember the quote). Whatever it takes, he doesn't want to be like Remus.

So what does he do?
What does he do when he's insecure and unsure of his place 'at the table?'

He labels these sides as light and dark.

Just like how it's so easy for him to call the other sides nicknames, he labeled them with the help of Patton to possibly show to the other sides why the 'dark sides' are dark according to Thomas' morality. It sounds crazy but bear with me.

I find it hard to believe that Patton would be the one to label dark and light sides, just because he was caught in the last episode not wanting to accept intrusive thoughts do Thomas' being normal. All along, it would make sense why Roman would be the one labeling these sides.

Again, he is the only one reacting violently whenever those dark sides comes up to contribute to the conversation (save for a few times he agreed with Janus and Virgil).

Also Light Sides and Dark Sides? That's a concept that would only be applicable to the ideals and fantasies of Roman's medieval lifestyle. People forget too that Roman sides with Patton a lot of the time in terms of moral standpoints, for he says himself that he is a knight of honor and valor. He is light, and any other side that he deems to threaten Thomas' happiness is considered a dark side.

Hence light sides and dark sides.

Roman is responsible for these concepts. And now that they're slowly becoming more accepted and that Thomas understands that life is complicated and there is no perfect answer for everything, Roman is reaching his limit point.

And he reached it in this new episode.

That's why he reacted so violently and sunk down when he thought everyone was finally against him.

For once, he was the bad guy in everyone else's eyes.

And that, is the worst and final blow to his ego.

——
Also if you finished this, I'm just letting you know that I'm gonna take some time to let the hype of the new video settle so any mention of Janus will still be considered Deceit, but I will write a separate chapter where he introduces his name to you.

Thanks for reading!

K.