Why was Dan such a miserable SOB?
He expressed no happiness and no close relationships with anyone friends or family, seemed impossible to please or reason.
shareDan's life was one big regret. Sure on the outside he looked successful (money, - big house, being mayor) but it was all a facade. Dan peaked in high school and everything since then has been a regret - not winning the state championship, choosing Deb over Karen, etc. And all of
The regret turned him bitter IMO
And also his dad bullying him to be a better player like he did with Nathan and taking his mother's advice to quit.
shareRoyal definitely didn't help the situation that's for sure and I think that was just another regret that Dan had - Not standing up to his father and then continuing the cycle with Nathan
shareThink other members of the family had the guts to stand up to Royal?
Think Dan suffered from borderline or narcissistic personality disorder?
Well from the one episode that we saw royal and may it didn't look like anyone in the family had the guts to put him in this place - -at least from what I can remember I haven't seen that episode in forever.
As for Dan being a narcissist,etc. It was easy to think that in the earlier seasons because it seemed like he didn't give a crap about anyone but himself, but his relationship with Jamie showed that he was capable of having that sort of connection with someone, at least to me anyway.
I always found Dan to be such a complex character. He was a prick no doubt but I do think he loved his sons, there's a scene in season 6 where he tells Nate and Luke they are good men despite of him. He acknowledged his short comings in the later seasons and accepted his part in how his life turned out IMO.
Another that really killed him is that nobody really loved or cared about him to begin with.
shareI don't know that I necessarily agree with that no one cares about him to begin with. Karen and Deb both loved Dan at one time so he must have had some good qualities and Keith loved his little brother (even when he didn't like him he loved him). I think Nathan was the same way. He loved his father but was conflicted about that because of all the things he had done.
Like I said, I think Dan's regrets over the way his life turned out turned him bitter and into the SOB we saw in and that eventually pushed everyone away.
Plus every show needs a villain and Dan was a hell of a villian.
They would have loved him forever if he wasn't a terrible person, but people did love him. Keith loved him, but Dan couldn't see it. Deb loved him at a time in her life. Karen loved him at a time. Whitey did. Nathan did. Even Lucas wanted his love. But Dan could not see that. He seen it with Jamie.
Clark's destiny = Superman, LL &LL.
Due to having a unstable personality he couldn't take in any love from anyone, up until after Keith's death all he could express was contempt, see only the bad.
How could Keith love him after what he did to him in season 2?
Keith still had hope for his baby brother. All of this was before he[Dan] killed his brother. The brother who never hated him even though he was a terrible person.
Clark's destiny = Superman, LL &LL.
What hope did he have for him?
How did he feel when Dan pointed a gun at him? Seeing him as a cold blooded killer.
All he could experience happiness with is Jamie.
shareAs for Dan being a narcissist,etc. It was easy to think that in the earlier seasons because it seemed like he didn't give a crap about anyone but himself, but his relationship with Jamie showed that he was capable of having that sort of connection with someone, at least to me anyway.
Seems his inabilities to form or maintain healthy relationships with anyone or take in any love outside himself are mostly gone after killing Keith and the guilt he has over it. share