I actually don’t know if I actually think autism is the best explanation for autism traits that Sterling has, but honestly it fits. And also. I’m autistic and he’s one of my favorite characters and I can do what I want
I mean he has the traits, it’s just possible that they’re caused by other things.
Also like, in my experience. It can be hard to separate effects of childhood from autistic traits, especially later in life. So. Even given his childhood, by all rights given that he went to a boarding school, and what seems to be a pretentious one at that, he shouldn’t necessarily have been bullied, and could have had friends. Unless there was something else *cough*autism*cough* making it more difficult for him to make friends and relate to his peers. The likelihood he was the only one at the school that had alcoholic abusive parents is.. unlikely.
It’s also possible he’s obtuse on purpose, but honestly.. i don’t think that’s the most convincing explanation
It’s also unclear if he graduated from college (i think he did, and evidence points to it being from Georgetown with a degree in Theology, but it’s extremely shaky, one picture in one scene in an animated show with occasional continuity problems does not certainty make, but I digress), but also.. it’s possible that he was at his pre-college school for more than the “”“normal”“” 13 years, though I don’t think it’s ever outright stated in the show
It’s also possible, given the flashback in Once Bitten, that his fear of alligators and crocodiles came from knowledge of them, instead of the other way around. It’s also possible that that never actually happened. We’ll probably never know who Archer’s father is anyway.
His knowledge of guns could be due to his job, but it seems unlikely to me given that he’s good at his job mostly by dumb luck and not skill, and that the more competent ISIS agents (and villains/other characters (Coyote Lovely)) can’t count bullets with that kind of accuracy. While probably harder in real life, especially with multiple guns firing and shit, i do think that it’s theoretically possible that someone could have the knowledge of guns necessary to be able to at least somewhat have an idea if someone was out of bullets or not.
Also, burt reynolds?
Also, relatively saying things like “phrasing”? In a video about the use of language in Archer.. it seems Sterling has a lot of things he repeatedly says.
In terms of constantly telling everyone he’s a secret agent.. that could be narcissism or something as a result of trauma from childhood.. but it’s possible it could be caused by autism?
I don’t really see the stacking rocks in Coyote Lovely as anything noteworthy, as it seems to me it was done to prove a point and it isn’t a pattern of behavior anyway
I mean, Archer is an arrogant, self centered, sex-obsessed asshole, but none of that necessarily means that it’s impossible for him to be autistic
Anyway, like I said, i do what want. I headcanon Sterling Malory Archer as autistic and you can pry that from my cold dead hands
The fact that he had them remodel the office to be IDENTICAL to before the FBI raid because he’s “not great with change.”
Tag: yeah exactly
“The Suffering Autistic”
There’s this idea that kids and adults with autism are suffering from some kind of debilitating disease, like a cancer eating away at them, causing them pain every second of the day. This is often the argument used by parents to try to get sympathy, or to act like they’re the biggest heroes on the planet. Here’s the thing.
Autism isn’t suffering. Sometimes it is, but so is life, you know? This is my issue: if an autistic person is constantly having meltdowns, crying, screaming, hurting themselves, it isn’t because of their autism: it’s the environment. Autism doesn’t make us feel pain from every single thing we experience. The pain comes from very specific environmental factors. But when autistic people are forced to endure these things by their parents or loved ones, THAT’S when the pain comes.
An autistic person doesn’t just HAVE A MELTDOWN. It isn’t a function of being autistic. It is a function of environment, of discomfort and frustration. I’m always wary of parents complaining about their autistic child, not just because they’re self centered and egotistical, but also because they’re likely the CAUSE of pain in their child. It isn’t hard to recognize the steps that lead up to a meltdown. Autistic people often Express themselves physically, and the physical signs are hard to miss. Its ignorance and embarrassment toward these signs that creates the pain.
ifesbob 