Well, he's got tentacles? That's kind of Lovecraft...?
OK, seriously, Eight was raised in a high control environment, though his was the army and not a cult. It kind of all collapsed during the very first encounter Eight ever had with the opposing army, and he wasn't even fighting them. The one wrinkle is that his memories of that time are super patchwork because of what amounts to involuntary brain surgery.
Course there's other routes. Eight was forced to participate in brutal tests of skill where failure meant instant detonation of a bomb strapped to his back. Octolings have the tech where they can be entirely revived if that happens, but that still meant he was ripped apart and reformed over and over again. That he remembers. Quite clearly, in fact...
And, y'know, also: he's a gentle, helpful dude. If all else fails, there's that.
Re: Prospective Character
OK, seriously, Eight was raised in a high control environment, though his was the army and not a cult. It kind of all collapsed during the very first encounter Eight ever had with the opposing army, and he wasn't even fighting them. The one wrinkle is that his memories of that time are super patchwork because of what amounts to involuntary brain surgery.
Course there's other routes. Eight was forced to participate in brutal tests of skill where failure meant instant detonation of a bomb strapped to his back. Octolings have the tech where they can be entirely revived if that happens, but that still meant he was ripped apart and reformed over and over again. That he remembers. Quite clearly, in fact...
And, y'know, also: he's a gentle, helpful dude. If all else fails, there's that.