Make it a Reese's peanut butter one, and you've got yourself a deal!
Russell's headcanons are coming up in 3… 2… 1!
★ - sad headcanon
Russell was closer to his mother than his father growing up since Caroline was less involved in the Utopians than Jupiter. When Russell left the Utopians, he tried to convince his mother to go with him, but Caroline was afraid to disobey the Utopian leader. Russell promised to come back for his mother once he had the means to support them in the real world. But sadly, Caroline died a few months after Russell had left the Utopians. Since the Utopians were so isolated, no public obituary was released for Caroline, and only those in the Utopians knew of her passing and could attend the funeral.
Russell didn't find out about his mother's death until years later when he had gone to the Utopian temple to save her. He was crushed when he was told Caroline had been dead for years and was angry he was never notified. The Utopians told him he had no right to know about what was happening in their world since he abandoned them. He wasn't even allowed to know where she was buried, but he assumed it was in the Utopian cemetery, a place outsiders were forbidden from entering. The closest Russell could ever get to visiting his mother's grave was at the bars of the locked gate.
Russell vowed to one day take down the Utopian cult to avenge his mother and all those who have suffered in some way because of them. He didn't want anyone else to go through what he did. He spent years working to build a life for himself and his mother, only to have his hopes crushed right after he thought he had succeeded.
☆ - happy headcanon
This is a slight continuation of the sad headcanon: after the Utopian Cult was dissolved, Russell was finally allowed to visit his mother’s grave once the cemetery had been opened to the public. Jupiter took Russell to Caroline’s burial plot, and the two brought bouquets of her favourite flowers. Russell cried when he saw his mother’s grave, and his father held him as he was finally able to pay Caroline his respects properly. The two spent a long time at the grave reminiscing about Caroline, and Jupiter told Russell about her final days and how she had hoped their son was happy in the real world. Caroline only wanted Russell to be happy, and her greatest dream for him was to find people who would love him as he deserved and to be free to forge his own path.
Even if he wasn't there for his mother when she died, Russell is grateful that his father was with her till the end. Knowing she wasn't alone when her end came gave him some peace. Finding out Jupiter regularly visited Caroline’s grave was one of the first steps in helping the father and son rebuild their relationship. Russell knows his father loved his mother, and to hear that Jupiter didn't abandon her for the Utopians after her death gives him hope that they can become a family again.
☠ - angry/violent headcanon
While he's never been a fighter, Russell is known to have his angry moments. He uses psychology to verbally attack his opponents, hurting them mentally by targeting their weaknesses. He's made people cry with just his words, and those who have witnessed Russell use psychology as a weapon know not to cross him. With just some carefully selected words, he can make even the most confident person feel more inferior than a flea.
✿ - Sex headcanon
(Why am I not surprised you asked for this one?😉)
Due to his sheltered upbringing, Russell is a little clueless when it comes to sex. He learned about the basics after escaping the Utopians, but he had more important things to do than figure out how sex worked. Plus, sexual education wasn't high on the list of things the Utopians taught their newer generations. As of the timeline of season 2, he’s still a virgin since he was never able to connect with someone in a way he felt was necessary to take that step. Amy is the first person he’s ever thought about being intimate with, but he would never rush her or their relationship to have his first time. He values Amy too much to treat her like that and wants both of them to be ready and consenting when they decide to take their relationship to the next level.
♦ - quirks/hobbies headcanon
Similar to Evie Holloway, Russell likes making up his own riddles for people to try and solve. He makes riddles of all types and themes and posts them on a secret blog he has for people to read and comment their answers. He also posts theories about cold cases and the psychological profiles of criminals. All anonymous, mind you, and never anything official from his work; he would never post an actual profile he did on one of the killers they caught. He has a fair number of followers, from other psychologists to people who simply have an interest in the world of crime.
▼ - childhood headcanon
His favourite story as a child was Rapunzel. It was his mother's favourite story as a little girl, and she told it to him as a bedtime story most nights. Since the Utopians limited what literature their members could read, even the children, Rapunzel was the only story Caroline knew by heart. Therefore, the Utopians couldn't stop her from telling it to her son. Russell loved listening to his mother tell him the tale of a princess trapped in a tower waiting for someone to save her from Mother Gothel. He felt like it symbolized him and his mother, two innocent people trapped by the Utopians, waiting for the day they would be free to live in the real world.
I’m sure you cried reading some of these headcanons, Issy! Hopefully, they’ve helped give you some inspiration! I know how much you enjoy getting ideas for Russell.😉
Now, on to my next request!
