History NightmareFuel / AFrozenHeart

** The king has [[DomesticAbuse blatantly neglected]] his wife for ''almost 30 years''. It's implied she tried to object to his actions at some point in the past, but the repercussions were so harsh that she eventually gave up. One can only imagine the immense mental stress she is still undergoing after accepting her fate, giving birth to so many children, and being forced to watch her husband abuse their sons out of contempt. On top of this, Caleb's wife is [[HereWeGoAgain undergoing the same psychological abuse]] that her mother-in-law has been through, and Hans selfishly exploits Anna's [[DesperatelyCravesAffection desire to be loved]].

* At the end of the novel, Hans is shown panicking when the guards drag him to be deported home without even seeing Anna and Elsa one last time. He's begging to be spared and not wanting to return to the hellhole he came from in the first place, aware [[FateWorseThanDeath what punishment]] his family will dish out on him when they get wind of his actions. As shown in ''WesternAnimation/FrozenFever'', he's now in a worse situation than before back home, as he's been condemned to hard labor and part of it involves shoveling horse manure. Given his current condition, he's in a bleak and unfriendly environment compared to the lively atmosphere in Arendelle, with the royal stables alone looking dark and uninviting.

* In essence, the king only cares about [[DespotismJustifiesTheMeans maintaining an iron fist over the kingdom]], leaving Hans to wonder how his father [[TheCaligula "could be so stupid."]] That his older brothers are not different from their father doesn't surprise him either — he even remembers the many times he tried pleaded with them, only to find himself being belittled or pummeled. Also, whenever he felt hesitant to use violence, Hans remembers his brothers gloating about killing their enemies and imagines being mocked for [[ARealManIsAKiller "not having the guts to do anything."]]

** At one point while fighting Marshmallow during the assault on Elsa's ice castle, Hans notes the {{Snowlem}} looks tame compared to his father, who is implied to have a HairTriggerTemper. Judging by his interactions with his family, it's safe to say that Hans is ''clearly terrified'' of their wrath as he's being deported back home. Plus, when Hans thinks of becoming his father's gofer, he briefly thinks of turning back, but he then shakes his head, believing that if he wants to earn his father's trust in going to Arendelle, then he must follow whatever orders the king may give, even if it involves violence. It ultimately causes Hans to compromise his own morals over the years and do things he once despised in the first place.
** He's also shown to be a petty and cruel dictator who strong-arms his subjects for more money and favors like a Mafia extortionist, and reacts violently when they don't do so or when they criticize him.
* Except for Lars, most of Hans' brothers are brutish thugs who take [[ForTheEvulz sadistic joy and cruelty]] in punishing Hans in whatever methods they can, ranging from practical jokes to outright physical abuse. That he even downplays it by [[WorseWithContext stating "it's what brothers do"]] shows that Hans has trouble comprehending normal familial relationships. For example:

** The fake "ransom note" from a certain "King Gotya," who had [[FakedKidnapping "kidnapped"]] one of his brothers and would "return" him on the condition that Hans ''run around the entire castle three times in just his underwear''. He was only ''four'' years at the time.

* Except for Lars, most of Hans' brothers are brutish thugs who take [[ForTheEvulz sadistic joy and cruelty]] in punishing Hans in whatever methods they can, ranging from practical jokes and painful "accidents," to outright physical abuse. The fact that he even downplays it by [[WorseWithContext stating "it's what brothers do"]] shows that Hans has trouble comprehending familial relationships. For example:

** Hans hates attending family gatherings, as they always end with him being humiliated in some manner. For example, before reluctantly attending his mother's birthday, he's nervous, knowing that he'll end up being the family's laughing stock. As such, he stands outside the door for 20 minutes, and when he finally appears, his father scolds him for being late, while his brothers mock him for being a MommasBoy. Rudi and Runo even toss ''glassware'' at him when he starts daydreaming. Plus, one of the scenes shows Hans [[SelfHarm blatantly self-injuring]] himself by running his fingers along the rough wood splinters of an old table, but feeling the physical pain to be oddly better than the constant emotional turmoil his family puts him through.

* The king's BigFancyCastle. Generally mistaken for a giant, black SeaMonster by outsiders, most people think it is beautiful and jaw-dropping given how it manages to flourish in a harsh and windy environment, but Hans sees every ''inch'' of his home as an ugly prison, with his father and brothers as corrupt jail wardens.
* At the end of the novel, Hans is shown panicking when the guards drag him to be deported home without even seeing Anna and Elsa one last time. He's begging to be spared and not wanting to return to the hellhole he came from in the first place, aware [[FateWorseThanDeath what punishment]] his family will dish out on him when they get wind of his actions. As shown in ''WesternAnimation/FrozenFever'', he's now in a worse situation than before back home, as he's been condemned to hard labor, and part of it involves shoveling horse manure. Given his current condition, he's in a bleak and unfriendly environment compared to the lively atmosphere in Arendelle, with the royal stables alone looking dark and uninviting.

* As Hans grows up, the abuse warps him into a bitter man who [[ManipulativeBastard sees people as objects]], thinks it's a CrapsackWorld out there with everyone out there for themselves, and assumes LoveIsAWeakness. This really shows how warped his mind has become over the years, [[EvilCannotComprehendGood leaving him clueless]] on what love actually is thanks to the harsh environment he was raised in. The betrayal scene near the end shows that he's heaping the same abuse on his fiancé just as his father and brothers are doing to their spouses.

** Given that he doesn't get along with his brothers due to ParentalFavoritism, [[ParanoiaFuel who's to say]] Caleb's legitimacy will be challenged once he becomes king, possibly triggering a SuccessionCrisis, [[TheCoup a coup d'état]] by military officers or nobles loyal to some of the sons challenging Caleb, or even worse, a CivilWar? Plus, he's also seen as an immature RoyalBrat who isn't [[TheSlacker serious about his job]], as his brothers know he'll be an incompetent ruler. [[RealityEnsues In fact]], the king's abuse of power has transformed the Southern Isles into a hellhole.

* In essence, the king only cares about [[DespotismJustifiesTheMeans maintaining an iron fist over the kingdom]], leaving Hans to wonder how his father [[TheCaligula "could be so stupid."]] That his older brothers are NotSoDifferent from their father doesn't surprise him either — he even remembers the many times he tried pleaded with them, only to find himself being belittled or pummeled. Also, whenever he felt hesitant to use violence, Hans remembers his brothers gloating about killing their enemies and imagines being mocked for [[ARealManIsAKiller "not having the guts to do anything."]]

* From the looks of it, [[PoliceState the kingdom]] is an incredibly harsh place to live in, with the government being a corrupt dictatorship. The [[EvilOverlord king]] reacts to any problem, even minor ones, with DisproportionateRetribution. The princes (including Hans himself) also basically act as the king's musclemen. For example:

** God help those that are behind on their taxes — [[EvilDebtCollector they're collected forcibly]]. Even Hans is unnerved and nearly throws up while giving a detailed account of the [[IntimidatingRevenueService tax collection]] he "conducted" to the king.
* In essence, the only item the king cares about is DespotismJustifiesTheMeans, leaving Hans to wonder how his father [[TheCaligula "could be so stupid."]] That his older brothers are NotSoDifferent from their father doesn't surprise him either — Hans even remembers the countless times he tried negotiating with them, only to find himself being belittled or pummeled. Also, whenever Hans felt hesitant to use violence, he remembers his brothers gloating about killing their enemies and imagines being mocked for [[ARealManIsAKiller "not having the guts to do anything."]]

** God help those that are behind on their taxes — [[EvilDebtCollector they're collected forcibly]]. Even Hans is unnerved while giving a detailed account of the [[IntimidatingRevenueService tax collection]] he "conducted" to the king.

* From the looks of it, [[PoliceState the kingdom]] is an incredibly harsh place to live in, with the government being a corrupt dictatorship. The EvilOverlord king reacts to any problem, even minor ones, with DisproportionateRetribution. The princes (including Hans himself) also basically act as the king's musclemen. For example:
** At one point, Hans is reluctantly sent to [[DeadlyEuphemism "talk"]] to a peasant who insulted the king.
** The king's "solution" to a farmer having a problem he didn't like? He has their farm burned down to the ground and seized their livestock.

* In essence, all the king [[DespotismJustifiesTheMeans seems to care about is]] lording over his subjects at all costs, leaving Hans to wonder how his father [[TheCaligula "could be so stupid."]] The fact that his older brothers are NotSoDifferent from their father doesn't surprise him either — Hans even remembers the countless times he tried negotiating with them, only to find himself being belittled or pummeled. Also, whenever Hans feels hesitant to use violence, he remembers his brothers gloating about how good they felt killing their enemies and imagines being mocked for [[ARealManIsAKiller "not having the guts to do anything."]]

* By the time he's a young adult, Hans not only suffers from clinical depression and possible SelfHarm, he believes that ''abuse is normal''. He practically gives up fighting back, but it only makes things worse. No wonder he's got so many issues, as being the proverbial BlackSheep and [[ExtremeDoormat laughing stock]] of his family, and growing up the youngest but most forgettable of his clan wound up becoming his FreudianExcuse.

** He believes in SocialDarwinism, and often encourages his 13 sons to gang up on each other for the sake of politics, while deviations from his beliefs must be corrected forcefully. As his sons grow up, [[TheCorrupter his toxic influence]] slowly brainwashes them into becoming sycophantic enforcers for him and drives them to dehumanize others. He demands them to follow his orders and emulate him, and it's implied [[WouldHurtAChild he even physically abused them]] when they were younger. Having been born into a family that believed in VirtueIsWeakness, MightMakesRight, MiseryBuildsCharacter, and MeeknessIsWeakness, Hans UsedToBeASweetKid who abhorred his family's violence towards others, but slowly becomes a power-hungry ManipulativeBastard over time. The severity of the king's beliefs in Social Darwinism has also left his older sons equally miserable as well.

** At one point while fighting Marshmallow during the assault on Elsa's ice castle, Hans notes the {{Snowlem}} looks tame compared to his father, who is implied to have an explosive temper. Judging by his interactions with his family, it's safe to say that Hans is ''clearly terrified'' of his father's wrath as he's being deported back home. Plus, when Hans thinks of becoming his father's gofer, he briefly thinks of turning back, but he then shakes his head, believing that if he wants to earn his father's trust in going to Arendelle, then he must follow whatever orders the king may give, even if it involves violence. It ultimately causes Hans to compromise his own morals over the years and do things he once despised in the first place.

** Given that he and his brothers don't get along as he is seen as the king's favorite son, [[ParanoiaFuel who's to say]] Caleb's legitimacy will be challenged by one of his brothers once he becomes king, possibly triggering a SuccessionCrisis, [[TheCoup a coup d'état]] by military officers or nobles loyal to some of the sons challenging Caleb, or even worse, a CivilWar? Plus, he's also seen as an immature RoyalBrat who doesn't take his duties [[TheSlacker seriously]], as his brothers know he'll be an incompetent ruler. [[RealityEnsues In fact]], the king's preaching of SocialDarwinism has transformed the Southern Isles into a hellhole.

** The king has [[DomesticAbuse blatantly neglected]] his wife for ''almost 30 years''. It's implied she tried to object to his actions at some point in the past, but the repercussions were so harsh that she eventually gave up. One can only imagine the immense mental stress she is still undergoing after accepting her fate, giving birth to so many children, and being forced to watch her husband abuse their sons out of contempt. On top of this, Caleb's wife is [[HereWeGoAgain undergoing the same psychological abuse]] that her mother-in-law has been through, and Hans cruelly mocks Anna for her unreciprocated feelings.

** At one point, Hans is reluctantly sent to [[DeadlyEuphemism "talk"]] to a peasant who insulted the king, and it's implied violence was involved.
** The king's "solution" to a farmer having a problem he didn't like? He has their farm burned down to the ground. In another case, he had their livestock confiscated.

* In essence, all the king [[DespotismJustifiesTheMeans seems to care about is]] lording over his subjects at all costs, leaving Hans to wonder how his father [[TheCaligula "could be so stupid."]] The fact that his older brothers are NotSoDifferent from their father doesn't surprise him either — Hans even remembers the countless times he tried negotiating with them, only to find himself being belittled or pummeled. Also, whenever Hans feels hesitant to use violence, he remembers his brothers gloating about how good they felt killing their enemies and imagines being ridiculed for [[ARealManIsAKiller "not having the guts to do anything."]]

** The king of the Southern Isles has [[DomesticAbuse blatantly neglected]] his wife for ''almost 30 years''. It's implied she tried to object to his actions at some point in the past, but the repercussions were so harsh that she eventually gave up. One can only imagine the immense mental stress she is still undergoing after accepting her fate, giving birth to so many children, and being forced to watch her husband abuse their sons out of contempt. On top of this, Caleb's wife is [[HereWeGoAgain undergoing the same psychological abuse]] that her mother-in-law has been through, and Hans cruelly mocks Anna for her unreciprocated feelings.

** God help those that are behind on their taxes — [[EvilDebtCollector they're collected forcibly]]. Even Hans is unnerved while giving a detailed account of the tax collection he "conducted" to the king.

* In essence, all the king [[DespotismJustifiesTheMeans seems to care about is]] lording over his subjects at all costs, leaving Hans to wonder how his father [[TheCaligula "could be so stupid."]] The fact that his older brothers are NotSoDifferent from their father doesn't surprise him either — Hans even remembers the countless times he tried negotiating with them, only to find himself being belittled or pummeled. Also, when Hans feels hesitant to use violence, he remembers his brothers gloating about how good they felt killing their enemies and imagines being ridiculed for [[ARealManIsAKiller "not having the guts to do anything."]]

** He believes in SocialDarwinism, and often encourages his 13 sons to gang up on each other for the sake of politics, while deviations from his beliefs must be corrected forcefully. As his sons grow up, [[TheCorrupter his toxic influence]] slowly brainwashes them into becoming sycophantic enforcers for him and drives them to dehumanize others. He demands them to follow his orders and emulate him, and it's implied [[WouldHurtAChild he even physically abused them]] when they were younger. Having been born into a family that believed in VirtueIsWeakness, MightMakesRight, MiseryBuildsCharacter, and MeeknessIsWeakness, Hans UsedToBeASweetKid who abhorred his family's violence towards others, but slowly becomes a power-hungry ManipulativeBastard over time. The severity of the king's beliefs in Social Darwinism has also left his older sons psychologically miserable as well.

* From the looks of it, [[PoliceState the kingdom]] is an incredibly brutal and unpleasant place to live in, with the government being a corrupt dictatorship. The EvilOverlord king reacts to any problem, even minor ones, with DisproportionateRetribution. The princes (including Hans himself) also basically act as the king's musclemen. For example:

* As Hans grows up, the abuse warps him into an emotionally bitter man who [[ManipulativeBastard sees people as objects]], thinks it's a CrapsackWorld out there with everyone out there for themselves, and assumes LoveIsAWeakness. This really shows how warped his mind has become over the years, [[EvilCannotComprehendGood leaving him clueless]] on what love actually is thanks to the harsh environment he was raised in. The betrayal scene near the end shows that he's heaping the same abuse on his fiancé just as his father and brothers are doing to their spouses.

* Except for Lars, most of Hans' brothers are brutish thugs who take [[ForTheEvulz sadistic joy and cruelty]] in punishing Hans in whatever methods they can, ranging from practical jokes and painful "accidents," to outright physical abuse. The fact that he even downplays it by [[WorseWithContext stating "it's what brothers do"]] shows that Hans has trouble comprehending familial relationships, as he even assumes Anna has the same dynamic with her sister when in reality, Elsa does genuinely love her, but puts up the facade of an reclusive older sister who doesn't want to harm her sister because of her ice powers. For example:

* His father is a SocialDarwinist, so in his view, Hans being beaten up by his older sons is a sign of strength. Hans' relative meekness at the beginning of the story has made him TheUnfavorite of 13 sons.

* As Hans grows up, the abuse warps him into an emotionally detached and bitter man who [[ManipulativeBastard sees people as objects]], thinks it's a CrapsackWorld out there with everyone out there for themselves, and assumes LoveIsAWeakness. This really shows how warped his mind has become over the years, [[EvilCannotComprehendGood leaving him clueless]] on what love actually is thanks to the harsh environment he was raised in. The betrayal scene near the end shows that he's heaping the same abuse on his fiancé just as his father and brothers are doing to their spouses.

* Except for Lars, most of Hans' brothers are brutish thugs who take [[ForTheEvulz sadistic joy and cruelty]] in punishing Hans in whatever methods they can, ranging from practical jokes and painful "accidents," to outright physical abuse. For example:

* As Hans grows up, the abuse warps him into an emotionally detached and bitter man who [[ManipulativeBastard sees people as objects]], thinks it's a CrapsackWorld out there with everyone out there for themselves, and assumes LoveIsAWeakness. This really shows how warped his mind has become over the years, [[EvilCannotComprehendGood leaving him clueless]] on what love actually is thanks to the harsh environment he was raised in. The betrayal scene near the end shows that he's heaping the same abuse on his fiancé just as his father has done on his mother for years.

* As Hans grows up, the abuse warps him into an emotionally detached and bitter man who [[ManipulativeBastard sees people as objects]], thinks it's a CrapsackWorld out there with everyone out there for themselves, and assumes LoveIsAWeakness. This really shows how warped his mind has become over the years, [[EvilCannotComprehendGood leaving him clueless]] on what love actually is thanks to the harsh environment he was raised in.

** The king of the Southern Isles has [[DomesticAbuse blatantly neglected]] his wife for ''almost 30 years''. It's implied she tried to object to his actions at some point in the past, but the repercussions were so harsh that she eventually gave up. One can only imagine the immense mental stress she is still undergoing after accepting her fate, giving birth to so many children, and being forced to watch her husband abuse their sons out of contempt. On top of this, Caleb's wife is [[HereWeGoAgain undergoing the same psychological abuse]] that her mother-in-law has been through.

** Given that he and his brothers don't get along as he is seen as the king's favorite son, [[ParanoiaFuel who's to say]] Caleb's legitimacy will be challenged by one of his brothers once he becomes king, possibly triggering [[TheCoup a putsch]], or even worse, a CivilWar? Plus, he's also seen as an immature RoyalBrat who doesn't take his duties [[TheSlacker seriously]], as his brothers know he'll be an incompetent ruler. [[RealityEnsues In fact]], the king's preaching of SocialDarwinism has transformed the Southern Isles into a hellhole.

* Most male members of the family have generally all the traits of abusers, including superficial charm and AllTakeAndNoGive.

** As with Hans, it's implied his older brothers didn't start out as mean jerks, but the king raised them to be ruthless, and they now have no problems hurting others or using questionable means to get their father's respect. But because of the SocialDarwinist behavior constantly espoused by the king, the 13 brothers do not get along with each other and the Westergaard clan becomes totally [[DysfunctionalFamily dysfunctional]]. On top of it, most of the 13 sons have [[ManChild retained their immaturity]] even as adults, playing mean pranks against Hans out of pure sadism.

** The king of the Southern Isles has [[DomesticAbuse blatantly neglected]] his wife for ''almost 30 years''. It's implied she tried to object to his actions at some point in the past, but the repercussions were so severe that she eventually gave up. One can only imagine the immense mental stress she's been through and is still undergoing after accepting her fate, giving birth to so many children, and being forced to watch her husband abuse their sons out of contempt. On top of this, Caleb's wife is [[HereWeGoAgain undergoing the same psychological neglect]] that her mother-in-law has been through.

* It's implied most of the royals don't get along with their spouses, [[HappyMarriageCharade but pretend to be happily married for social reasons]]. Noting how Caleb's pregnant wife is uncomfortable with how he ignores her, how Lars' wife Helga hates living in the Isles, and how his mother has been used to being ignored, Hans notes that most of his own family is absolutely miserable with each other. Given the betrayal scene at the climax, one can wonder how Hans's relationship with either Elsa or Anna would've developed into had they married.

* As Hans grows up, the abuse corrupts him into an emotionally detached, remorseless and bitter man who [[ManipulativeBastard sees people as objects]], thinks it's a CrapsackWorld out there with everyone out there for themselves, and assumes LoveIsAWeakness. This really shows how warped his mind has become over the years, [[EvilCannotComprehendGood rendering him incapable of understanding]] love thanks to the harsh upbringing that encouraged violence and manipulation over genuine care.

** Given that he and his brothers don't get along as he is seen as the king's favorite son, [[ParanoiaFuel who's to say]] Caleb's legitimacy will be challenged by one of his brothers once he becomes king, possibly triggering [[TheCoup a putsch]], or even worse, a CivilWar? Plus, he's also seen as an immature RoyalBrat who doesn't take his duties [[TheSlacker seriously]], as Lars and Hans know he'll be a sloppy and incompetent king. [[RealityEnsues In fact]], the king's preaching of SocialDarwinism doesn't make his family stronger, as his children even use questionable means to obtain his respect but don't get along with each other.
* It's implied most of the royals don't get along with their spouses, [[HappyMarriageCharade but pretend to be happily married for social reasons]]. Noting how Caleb's pregnant wife is uncomfortable with how he ignores her, how Lars' wife Helga hates living in the Isles, and how his mother has been used to being ignored, Hans notes that most of his own family is absolutely miserable with each other. Given the betrayal scene at the climax, one can only think how Hans' relationship with either Elsa or Anna would've developed had they married.

** At one point while fighting Marshmallow during the assault on Elsa's ice castle, Hans notes the {{Snowlem}} looks tame compared to his father, who is implied to have an explosive temper. Judging by his interactions with his family, it's safe to say that Hans is ''clearly terrified'' of his father's wrath as he's being deported back home at the end of the book. Plus, when Hans thinks of becoming his father's gofer, he briefly thinks of turning back, but he then shakes his head, believing that if he wants to earn his father's trust in going to Arendelle, then he must follow whatever orders the king may give, even if it involves violence. It ultimately causes Hans to compromise his own morals over the years and do things he once despised in the first place.

* As Hans grows up, the abuse corrupts him into an emotionally detached, remorseless and bitter man who [[ManipulativeBastard sees people as objects]], thinks it's a CrapsackWorld out there [[TheSocialDarwinist with everyone out there for themselves]], and assumes LoveIsAWeakness. This really shows how warped his mind has become over the years, [[EvilCannotComprehendGood rendering him incapable of understanding]] love thanks to the harsh upbringing that encouraged violence and manipulation over genuine care.

** Given that he and his brothers don't get along as he is seen as the king's favorite son, [[ParanoiaFuel who's to say]] Caleb's legitimacy will be challenged by one of his brothers once he becomes king, possibly triggering [[TheCoup a putsch]], or even worse, a CivilWar? Plus, he's also seen as an immature RoyalBrat who doesn't take his duties [[TheSlacker seriously]], as Lars and Hans know he'll be a sloppy and incompetent king. [[RealityEnsues In fact]], the king's preaching of SocialDarwinism doesn't make his family stronger, as his children even resort to violence to be his favorite son.

** Given that he and his brothers don't get along as he is seen as the king's favorite son, [[ParanoiaFuel who's to say]] Caleb's legitimacy will be challenged by one of his brothers once he becomes king, possibly triggering [[TheCoup a putsch]], or even worse, a CivilWar? Plus, he's also seen as an immature RoyalBrat who doesn't take his duties [[TheSlacker seriously]], as Lars and Hans know he'll be a sloppy and incompetent king. RealityEnsues as the king's preaching of SocialDarwinism doesn't make his family stronger, as his children even resort to violence to be his favorite son.

** Given that he and his brothers don't get along as he is seen as the king's favorite son, [[ParanoiaFuel who's to say]] Caleb's legitimacy will be challenged by one of his brothers once he becomes king, possibly triggering [[TheCoup a putsch]], or even worse, a CivilWar? Plus, he's also seen as an immature RoyalBrat who doesn't take his duties [[TheSlacker seriously]], as Lars and Hans know he'll be a sloppy and incompetent king. In fact, the king's preaching of SocialDarwinism doesn't make his family stronger, as his children use questionable means (even resorting to violence) to be the king's favorite son.