I dont think Mob is naive as much as he's socially unaware, like the reason why he trusts Reigen so blindly is a bit more complex than just him being naive
Cause Mob reached out to Reigen because he was desperate to find someone like him, someone who understood his psychic specific issues, someone that could truly know what he's feeling and going through and give him guidance and support
Post incident Mob's thinking process was something along the lines of my powers hurt people -> my powers are bad -> my powers (my emotions, my instincts, myself) cannot be trusted
So he lost all confidence and trust in his own actions, resigning to being as passive as possible to avoid any further damage to anyone else, thus he started doubting his own perception of reality too
He's a kid already struggling with being ostracised for being socially inept, who just got traumatised and all of his insecurity increased by the tenfold, he doesn't know how to process what he's going through. He needs help.
And here comes Reigen, seemingly reliable, a responsible adult in a child's eyes, someone who claims he can understand him
Even tho Reigen doesnt. But it doesn't matter, because Mob finds comfort in his words and takes them to heart
Even if Reigen doesn't fully get it, even if he doesn't see the bigger picture, even if his advice isn't always the best
Eventually, Mob grows up, realises Reigen isn't as honest as he seemed through his 11 year old perspective, but like most things, he refuses to acknowledge it on a deeper level
Mob knows, but never tells Reigen, never thinks about what all those lies mean to him (ofc until he forces himself to face those doubts regarding Reigen, to properly acknowledge both of their flaws and accept them as they are, I should scream into the void about Confession Arc more God)
Due to his lack of trust in himself, Mob has relied on Reigen for years now to shape his moral compass, his thoughts, his decisions
Because well, Reigen lies, sure, but he isnt a bad person. When he hurts Mob, it isn't intentional or with ill intent, he still wants the best for him, what's the issue?
Except that it stunts Mob's growth. He doesn't develop as a person, doesn't have goals or wishes or ambitions, can't make choices on his own, he doesn't even let himself acknowledge his own emotions, he refuses to let himself exist
But Mob realises in time that he wants more than that, he wants to become better and be independent and feel again
Still, he puts the acknowledgement of the lies on hold for as long as he can, unwilling to question the way things are
This can make him feel a little naive, he constantly relies on Reigen and trusts his decisions and raises questions rarely until separation arc when he finally puts his foot down
And I do think that moment is the most resounding proof we have that Mob knows and allows himself to be used by Reigen, not wanting to shake the status quo, until he gets fed up
I mentioned the social ineptitude at the beggining but idk if I should even elaborate on that, you've watched the show, you know what I mean
He's blunt and can't read social cues or tonality that well and can't speak in front of crowds and is overall pretty awkward and I do think some people conflate that with naivety
Mob is still a child, he doesnt fully understand how the world works at the ripe age of 14 years old, but some folks take that as him being inherently naive/innocent/whatever which I don't find true
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#57
tw fire / arson
The street is engulfed in a burning blaze. The buildings next door will adopt the flames too, and before long the entire city will be alight with the villain’s master plan.
Everything is coming together just as he wanted. By the time the heroes get here, the destruction will be too great to do anything but salvage whatever little remains. The fallout will give them plenty of time to get everything in place for his final big show.
The villain lets the flames warm his face from where he’s watching the carnage. Everything is perfect.
There’s a light tug at the end of his coat. “Mr. Evil?”
The villain gives the spot next to him a frown, before pointing it downward—a child, a wholeass child, clinging to the hem of his coat with a little too much force, wrinkling the usually smooth fabric. A glance around gives him no inkling as to how they got here.
“Hey, uh…” The villain has to raise his voice over the sound of the buildings crumbling around them. “If this is your kid, can you come and get them? I won’t attack you.”
Nothing. Either no one is willing to risk their neck or this kid is somehow out here alone. Wonderful. Of course this would happen to the villain as he’s trying to reach his peak in life.
“Look, kid.” The villain squats down to the child’s level. They don’t let go of his coat like the villain had hoped, and so he sets about carefully prying their tiny fingers off. “It’s dangerous. You shouldn’t be out here. Where’re your parents?”
The kid laughs brightly, as if the arson of the city they live in is entertaining. “Mr. Evil!”
Clearly there’s been an attempt to teach this thing stranger danger, but maybe the concept of ‘evil’ hasn’t quite gone in yet.
The kid points up to where the building opposite is ragefully burning. “Boom!” they squeak, and they clap their hands joyfully when it responds by creaking on its supports.
There’s no one around but the villain and this child that looks to barely be in the double-digits. He can’t leave them here. He’s a villain, not a degenerate. There’s screaming nearby as people flee the impending blaze.
He stands back upright with an irritated sigh. He can’t believe he’s letting morality he shouldn’t technically have get in the way of everything. He holds a hand out to the child expectantly.
“Come on,” he says with what he hopes passes off as kindness, “we should be going.”
The kid has a concerning lack of hesitation in taking his hand, a bright grin on their face as they watch the flames engulf everything.
There’s people making their getaways a few streets over, moving from the flames like a terrified flood. The child watches everyone absently as the villain tries to pick out anyone he can hand them off to.
“Hey, you!” the villain calls into the fray. “You, in the blue shirt!”
A woman miraculously slows down, swimming through the current of people to reach them. “This kid needs to go,” he tells her urgently. “They’re lost—find their parents if you can.”
The kid turns up to the villain with wide, puppy-like eyes as he lets go of them. “Mr. Evil?”
“You’re going to find your parents, alright?” he says. “Go now, before the fire spreads. I have to, uh, go look for other people.”
The woman nods, bending down to the kid with her hands out. “Come on, kiddo, let’s get going then.”
The villain has let go of the kid, but said kid doesn’t seem to have the same idea. Their grip is back on the bottom of his coat, tucking behind him like he’s the safest person in the world. It takes a frankly embarrassing amount of effort to push them into her arms. They fight it the entire time like they’re being kidnapped.
The woman turns on her heel to continue her escape, and the child gets one last look at the villain from over her shoulder.
“Mr. Evil…?” they say uncertainly. The moment it’s clear the villain’s getting further away they burst into tears, their wails echoing through the collapsing city around them.
The villain lingers worriedly, waiting until the pair are out of sight before turning on his heel to finish what he started.
God, he’s a villain. An upset child shouldn’t make him feel bad. His heart hurts though, much to his dismay, and he knows that he never wants to see a kid caught up in his plans again.
Goddamnit, he doesn't even like kids.
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