What I found most interesting is that I don't really think it's just Sev's coping mechanism, either? In the books, Sev's POV is such a contrast from how he's perceived/talked about (and how he presents himself) that it was like reader whiplash to get dropped in his head. Something that stuck with me is how confused and frustrated he was that everyone else thought he was so scary. He genuinely doesn't understand why he intimidates people - even other commandos! Which REALLY baffles him - so much more than Scorch or Boss or even Fixer do. The reader realization that he's not presenting himself that way on purpose (most of the time - he is still a prickly asshole, that's true), he's just...doing it.
The ones who are presenting him that way on purpose are his squad. Boss is the one he points out in particular, as "hyping him up" to others. It sort of seems like Sev's almost at a point where he would start breaking away from his more maladaptive behaviors on his own, actually, but his squad (with good intentions or just knee-jerk alarm at the change to the status quo) keep buttoning him right back up in them, like he's a toddler trying to shuck his winter coat or something.
I just think it's very interesting. Sev gets a lot of the focus as the problem child as Delta's "hard man", but none of Delta are actually well-adjusted. They just made Sev out to be a neon sign, and so no one gets too close a look at the rest of them.
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What I found most interesting is that I don't really think it's just Sev's coping mechanism, either? In the books, Sev's POV is such a contrast from how he's perceived/talked about (and how he presents himself) that it was like reader whiplash to get dropped in his head. Something that stuck with me is how confused and frustrated he was that everyone else thought he was so scary. He genuinely doesn't understand why he intimidates people - even other commandos! Which REALLY baffles him - so much more than Scorch or Boss or even Fixer do. The reader realization that he's not presenting himself that way on purpose (most of the time - he is still a prickly asshole, that's true), he's just...doing it.
The ones who are presenting him that way on purpose are his squad. Boss is the one he points out in particular, as "hyping him up" to others. It sort of seems like Sev's almost at a point where he would start breaking away from his more maladaptive behaviors on his own, actually, but his squad (with good intentions or just knee-jerk alarm at the change to the status quo) keep buttoning him right back up in them, like he's a toddler trying to shuck his winter coat or something.
I just think it's very interesting. Sev gets a lot of the focus as the problem child as Delta's "hard man", but none of Delta are actually well-adjusted. They just made Sev out to be a neon sign, and so no one gets too close a look at the rest of them.