Ok I’m pretty sure it’s been said before but Puss has absolutely no identity outside of “the legendary puss in boots.” Like none whatsoever. The legend has gotten so big that even he can’t live up to it.

The most obvious example of this is when Kitty confronts him at the wishing star. After confessing that she thought she could trust him again, she says, “but you’re just the same old puss in boots” and on the verge of tears he exclaims, “but I’m not!! I am not puss in boots! I am not-“ Kitty rolls her eyes and says, “what? The legend?” And puss just crumples. He’s viewing this persona that’s he’s made as a separate entity, as something he has to live up to and strive to be, not who he really is. Another example of this is as Puss is leaving mama Lunas in the beginning. Perrito asks, “pickles, you’re puss in boots?” And he responds, “not yet, but I will be.” He believes that if he gets his lives back, he’ll be able to once again live up to ppls expectations of him and become puss in boots. He is not puss in boots, that’s smth he has to become.

After his panic attack, he admits to perrito that without his lives he is nothing and we see in the beginning of the movie that those extra lives are what let him be a “fearless hero.” So wo the lives he can’t be a hero and wo being a hero he is nothing. He has no identity outside of that. Also in the cave of lost souls, one of his past lives says “oh, the legends still big, gato. It’s YOU who got small.” which I think fits this whole situation really well. This whole idea of puss in boots has gotten way too big for him to handle and he’s lost wo that script to follow.

He needs so badly for ppl to like him and he’s poured so much time, energy, and lives into it that he doesn’t know who he is wo it. And we see as soon as that identity is taken away at mama Lunas, he becomes extremely depressed and aimless.

But now he’s got friends who actually love him for him, not the legend, but still ended the movie choosing to carry on as puss in boots. I’m interested to see how his character will change because of that. Will he find a balance between his persona and who he really is? Will he explore aspects of himself outside of being a hero? Maybe pick up a hobby or smth that’s just for him, not for public display? Idk we’ll just have to see.