Dude is literally traumatised — had time away from his abuser and began healing then was shoved back into it without any of this support pilers that he developed. It’s not shocking at all that it was easy for the mother to get them to swallow it because he probably reverted when she came back. Plus who expects their mother to kiss them to force them to drink something? Give my baby some thoughtful thinking cmon now
Hmm thats kinda how trauma works, hes lived his whole life being a puppet controlled by his mother, a shell of a person so when his mom came back its difficult to outright disobey her
I do agree i would have liked etienne to fight her off a little
Plus isn’t he also trying to still convince her that he is on her side and is keeping his “betrayal” a secret - so he can’t really just push her away or act differently either. Though I did not expect the mother to know so much already - she’s a tricky villain and her fall, because of her wits, will be that much sweeter.
For a second? I mean he acts like he has his shit together and is putting things in place when mom is gone but reverts back to this naive weakling when she comes back. It should not have been that easy for her to make him swallow that potion. I am probably just frustrated with the dragging storyline...I don't know.