History Tearjerker / AFrozenHeart

** For starters, during the family gathering, some of his brothers toss food ''and'' glassware just for daydreaming, while his father chides him for being a weakling and showing up late. Plus, one of the scenes shows Hans blatantly self-harming himself by running his fingers along the rough wood of an old table but finding the physical pain to be oddly better than the constant abuse his family heaps on him. When Hans attempts not to rise to his brothers' bait, the king declares that Hans should "learn a thing or two" from his brothers and "stop acting like he's better than them." From his father's perspective, [[AlwaysSecondBest Hans will always]] [[AlwaysSomeoneBetter be second best compared to his older sons]]. It causes him to [[InferioritySuperiorityComplex develop an obsessive need]] to prove himself worthy to his family and be recognized by becoming the king's gofer. As he grows up, the neglect slowly corrupts Hans and hardens his heart to the point of thinking LoveIsAWeakness, but it also leaves him [[WhatIsThisThingYouCallLove incapable]] of reciprocating love when Anna asks him for a TrueLovesKiss. That [[WorseWithContext he downplays the abuse]] as "what brothers do" reveals the psychological damage that's been done. By the time he's a young adult, Hans not only suffers from clinical depression, [=PTSD=], and possible SelfHarm, he believes that ''the abuse is normal''. He even doesn't seek outside help to cope with the family issues, having chosen to accept the suffering for its sake. While talking to Anna about the "Hans is invisible" prank, it's clear he despises them. He gets along with Lars and his mother, but neither of them are close enough to help him get through life.

* While what he does in ''WesternAnimation/{{Frozen|2013}}'' is morally wrong, the TieInNovel gives [[FreudianExcuse reveals why Hans ends up being a messed-up person]] that's heartrending. He often gets the short end of the stick in his family, as they dismiss him for being too ineffectual. Note that much of it also involves NightmareFuel, and ParanoiaFuel as well:

** Most of his [[ImagineSpot fantasies]] about his father always involve the king taking him out to hunting, valuing his input during meetings, naming him heir to the kingdom, and most of all, recognizing him as TheDutifulSon. However, those dreams end with Hans realizing he'll always be the invisible and useless "throwaway" son.
** When Hans makes SelfDeprecatingHumor on his lowly status in the familial pecking order with Lars, only Lars knows the truth behind Hans's [[DeadpanSnarker deadpan jokes]]. Hans even speculates that the king [[ShippingTorpedo plans to]] [[ReassignedToAntarctica have him become]] [[LockedAwayInAMonastery a monk]] for the [[TheChurch Brotherhood of the Isles]] instead of marrying him off. Also as time passed by, it's implied that Lars and Hans became increasingly distant with each other after the latter decides to become the king's gofer.

** His thoughts after being ordered to do the king's dirty tasks imply he [[HiddenDepths detests his father for]] [[EvenEvilHasStandards his wanton violence]]. But he also fears the repercussions of ignoring the king's orders, including the prospect of losing his father's respect and his brothers mocking him for "not having the guts to do anything." Also, after spending time being the king's errand boy, Hans is finally allowed to attend Elsa's coronation and secure a trade deal and it seems he has won his father's trust, but the king [[YankTheDogsChain immediately tells]] him to come back soon so that Hans can babysit his brothers' children. This shows that no matter what Hans did for him, his father only barely trusts him and still severely restricts his freedom. Hans is also ''clearly terrified'' of his family's wrath as he's being deported back, having been denied an opportunity to explain his actions.
** As he's being sent back home, he's baffled to see that while the sisters have reconciled with one another despite years of separation, neither he nor his brothers won't have any opportunity to get along with each other as their father abhors such actions. Coming from an abusive household, Hans ends up [[WhatIsThisThingYouCallLove clueless on what an actual happy relationship would be]]. While it may [[EvilCannotStandCuteness seem funny]] how Hans reacts to the Great Thaw before he's deported, one should note that such things are all alien to him. He even feels confused when Anna asks him for a TrueLovesKiss.

*** With Anna: used to being friendless and feeling inadequate, but he grows up to be a selfish man who sees all love as weaknesses and thinks competition makes him more successful to compensate for his insecurities. Sadly, he never gets to reconcile with his own family and remains friendless at the end of the movie.
*** With Elsa: someone who shuns relationships and emotional bonds, but embraces harming others, and has no LivingEmotionalCrutch. Because of this, he accepts villainy.
*** With Kristoff: in contrast to Kristoff, he grew up in a human family that never cared for him, causing him to become ruthless and care only about power. Kristoff has the warm love of family that Anna needs (and gets after she and Elsa are able to be together), while Hans has the cold family relationship that Anna doesn't want.
** From how he's shown in the novel, what keeps Hans from the goals he seeks isn't anyone [[HisOwnWorstEnemy but himself.]] Sure, he would have been second-best again, but he could've easily found happiness by courting Anna or Elsa, or by pursuing a different interest altogether, but his desperation to win his father's approval undermines everything he worked so hard for. It ended up becoming self-destructive, as he ends up back to square one and is deported back in disgrace.
* Hans' older brothers are also [[ShadowArchetype darker versions of Elsa as well]] in that they shut out their siblings but have no chance to reconcile with each other as their father hates such actions. As with Hans, they embrace harming others and refuse to even reconcile with each other. The king's emotional manipulation has also caused them to develop serious mental health issues. It shows the relationship Anna and Elsa could have embraced if they refused to reconcile, causing Anna to become TheUnfettered like Hans, while Elsa's fear of her own powers would've led her to stop caring about Anna and sink further into despair.

* While what he does in ''WesternAnimation/{{Frozen|2013}}'' is morally wrong, the TieInNovel gives [[FreudianExcuse reveals why Hans ends up being a messed-up person]] that's heartrending. He often gets the short end of the stick in his family, as they dismiss him for being too ineffectual. Note that much of it also involves AdultFear, NightmareFuel, and ParanoiaFuel as well:

* Hans's human family serves as a foil to both the Arendellian royal family and Kristoff's adoptive troll family. While the other two families are [[ParentsAsPeople misguided]] and [[AmazinglyEmbarrassingParents inappropriate]] respectively when it comes to raising their children, both families are genuinely loving and caring to each other. However, the Westergaards are highly dysfunctional and the 13 brothers try to out-compete each other with violence and harsh mocking, and use dubious means to obtain their father's respect. Hans' thoughts regarding his brothers indicate that he even planned to rub his achievements in his family's faces.

** Except for Lars, most of Hans's brothers are pricks who take sadistic joy in punishing him in whatever methods they can, ranging from pranks to downright physical abuse. For example:

* The [[BrokenBird queen of the Southern Isles]]. Her husband is an [[AbusiveParents emotionally abusive]] {{sociopath}} who brainwashes most of their sons into being his devoted enforcers while she is forced to watch them torment each other to fit their father's standards. It's implied she wants to stop the abuse but can't do anything and gives small smiles to Hans as he's mocked and ridiculed his whole life. It's also implied the reason why her older sons bully Hans is that he gets the lion's share of her attention compared to them, just as they resent Caleb for being their father's favorite.
** During the queen's birthday, the king even makes a rude jab about Hans's status as a MommasBoy, stating that the queen "will be the only one who would have even noticed that [he was] missing." Also, after they toss an object at Hans, Rudi and Runo tease him, rudely asking if he's going to "run to mommy" so she can "kiss his boo-boo to make it all better." Based on this, it's implied that when Hans was younger, his mother was TheConfidant for him, but as he grew older and more knowledgeable of his brothers' tactics, he distanced himself from her, knowing that his father and brothers would only mock him even more for running to her when in need. Worse still, no one knows how she or Lars reacted to Hans's crimes in Arendelle.

** The king has blatantly ignored 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 gave up. One can only imagine the immense trauma she is still undergoing after accepting being neglected, giving birth to so many children, and being forced to watch her sons develop serious psychological issues.

* The [[BrokenBird queen of the Southern Isles]]. Her husband is an [[AbusiveParents emotionally abusive]] {{sociopath}} who brainwashes most of their sons into being his devoted enforcers, while she is forced to watch them torment each other to fit their father's standards. It's implied she wants to stop the abuse, but is unable to do anything and gives small smiles to Hans as he's mocked and ridiculed his whole life. It's also implied her older sons bully and resent Hans because he gets the lion's share of her attention compared to them, just as they do resent Caleb for being their father's favorite.

** For starters, during the family gathering, some of his brothers toss food ''and'' glassware just for daydreaming, while his father chides him for being a weakling and showing up late. Plus, one of the scenes shows Hans blatantly self-harming himself by running his fingers along the rough wood of an old table, but finding the physical pain to be oddly better than the constant abuse his family heaps on him. When Hans attempts not to rise to his brothers' bait, the king declares that Hans should "learn a thing or two" from his brothers and "stop acting like he's better than them." From his father's perspective, [[AlwaysSecondBest Hans will always]] [[AlwaysSomeoneBetter be second best compared to his older sons]]. It causes him to [[InferioritySuperiorityComplex develop an obsessive need]] to prove himself worthy to his family and be recognized by becoming the king's gofer. As he grows up, the neglect slowly corrupts Hans and hardens his heart to the point of thinking LoveIsAWeakness, but it also leaves him [[WhatIsThisThingYouCallLove incapable]] of reciprocating love when Anna asks him for a TrueLovesKiss. That [[WorseWithContext he downplays the abuse]] as "what brothers do" reveals the psychological damage that's been done. By the time he's a young adult, Hans not only suffers from clinical depression, [=PTSD=], and possible SelfHarm, he believes that ''the abuse is normal''. He even doesn't seek outside help to cope with the family issues, having chosen to accept the suffering for its sake. While talking to Anna about the "Hans is invisible" prank, it's clear he despises them. He gets along with Lars and his mother, but neither of them are close enough to help him get through life.

** His thoughts after being ordered to do the king's dirty tasks imply he [[HiddenDepths detests his father for]] [[EvenEvilHasStandards his wanton violence]]. But he also fears the repercussions of ignoring the king's orders, including the prospect of losing his father's respect and his brothers mocking him for "not having the guts to do anything." Also, after spending time being the king's errand boy, Hans is finally allowed to attend Elsa's coronation and secure a trade deal, and it seems he has won his father's trust, but the king [[YankTheDogsChain immediately tells]] him to come back soon so that Hans can babysit his brothers' children. This shows that no matter what Hans did for him, his father only barely trusts him and still severely restricts his freedom. Hans is also ''clearly terrified'' of his family's wrath as he's being deported back, having been denied an opportunity to explain his actions.
** As he's being sent back home, he's baffled to see that while the sisters have reconciled with one another despite years of separation, neither he nor his brothers won't have any opportunity to get along with each other, as their father abhors such actions. Coming from an abusive household, Hans ends up [[WhatIsThisThingYouCallLove clueless on what an actual happy relationship would be]]. While it may [[EvilCannotStandCuteness seem funny]] how Hans reacts to the Great Thaw before he's deported, one should note that such things are all alien to him. He even feels confused when Anna asks him for a TrueLovesKiss.

** At times, Hans feels he's a stranger to his own people, especially when he notices how Arendelle's citizens become deeply concerned with their missing queen and princess after Anna's horse returns without its owner, briefly musing that his family won't even rescue him if he were stuck in a similar situation.

** From how he's shown in the novel, what keeps Hans from the goals he seeks isn't anyone [[HisOwnWorstEnemy but himself.]] He could've easily found happiness by getting close with Anna or Elsa, or by pursuing a different interest altogether, but his desperation to win his father's approval in hopes of making his life better undermines everything he worked so hard for. This desire ended up becoming self-destructive, as he ends up back to square one and is deported back in disgrace.

** At times, Hans feels he's a stranger to his own people, particularly when he notices how Arendelle's citizens become deeply concerned with their missing queen and princess after Anna's horse returns without its owner, briefly wondering if his family would rescue him if he were stuck in a similar situation. They probably won't care if he gets lost or worse.

** As he's being sent back home, he's baffled to see that while the sisters have reconciled with one another despite years of separation, neither he nor his brothers won't have any opportunity to get along with each other, as their father views such actions to be signs of weakness. Coming from a home where very few people trust each other, Hans ends up [[WhatIsThisThingYouCallLove clueless on what an actual happy relationship would be]]. While it may [[EvilCannotStandCuteness seem funny]] how Hans reacts to the Great Thaw before he's deported, one should note that such things are all alien to him. He even feels confused when Anna asks him for a TrueLovesKiss.

** Hans [[ShadowArchetype is a darker counterpart to Anna, Kristoff and Elsa]]:

*** With Elsa: someone who shuns relationships and emotional bonds, but doesn't fear causing harm to others, and has no LivingEmotionalCrutch. Because of this, he embraces villainy.

** From how he's shown in the novel, the thing that keeps Hans from the goals he seeks isn't anyone [[HisOwnWorstEnemy but himself.]] He could've easily found happiness by getting close with Anna or Elsa, or by pursuing a different interest altogether, but his desperation to win his father's approval in hopes of making his life better undermines everything he worked so hard for. His desire to earn his family's respect drives him to make choices which make things worse, and as a result, he ends back to square one and is now hated in and out of the Southern Isles.
* Hans' older brothers are also [[ShadowArchetype darker versions of Elsa as well]], in that they shut out their siblings but have no chance to reconcile with each other as their father hates such actions. As with Hans, they accept causing harm to others and refuse to get outside help to cope with their issues. The king's emotional manipulation has also caused them to develop serious psychological issues such as WellDoneSonGuy tendencies, LackOfEmpathy, and [[{{Manchild}} immaturity]]. This shows the relationship Anna and Elsa could have been had they refused to reconcile, causing Anna to become TheUnfettered like Hans, who embodies her fears of being a SpareToTheThrone. On the flip side, Elsa's fear of her own powers would've led her to stop caring about Anna and sink further into despair.

** During the queen's birthday, the king even makes a rude jab about Hans's status as a MommasBoy, stating that the queen "will be the only one who would have even noticed that [he was] missing." Also, after they toss an object at Hans, Rudi and Runo tease him, rudely asking if he's going to "run to mommy" so she can "kiss his boo-boo to make it all better." Based on this, it's implied that when Hans was younger, his mother was TheConfidant for him, but as he grew older and more knowledgeable of his brothers' tactics, he distanced himself from her, knowing that his father and brothers would only mock him even more for running to her when in need. Worse still, no one knows how she reacted to Hans's crimes in Arendelle.

* While what he does in ''WesternAnimation/{{Frozen|2013}}'' is morally wrong, the TieInNovel gives [[FreudianExcuse reveals why Hans ends up being a messed-up person]] that's heartrending. He often gets the short end of the stick in his family, as his father and brothers usually dismiss him for being too ineffectual. Note that much of it also involves AdultFear, NightmareFuel, and ParanoiaFuel as well:

** Most of his [[ImagineSpot fantasies]] about his father always involve the king taking him out to hunting, valuing his input during political meetings, naming him heir to the kingdom, and most of all, recognizing him as TheDutifulSon. However, those dreams end with Hans realizing he'll always be the invisible "throwaway" who's of no use.

** At times, Hans feels he's not even a part of his own large family, particularly when he notices how Arendelle's citizens become deeply concerned with their missing queen and princess after Anna's horse returns without its owner, briefly wondering if his family would rescue him if he were stuck in a similar situation. They probably won't, partly because of the distrust between his family and their subjects.

*** He hates family and diplomatic gatherings, given that he ends up being the laughing stock. For example, he's nervous attending his mother's birthday, and as such, he stands outside the door for 20 minutes. His father scolds him for being late, while his brothers throw objects at him just for daydreaming, and make harsh jabs about being a MommasBoy when he shows up late.

*** With Anna: used to being friendless and feeling inadequate, but he grows up to be a self-centered person who sees all love as weaknesses, and thinks competition makes him more successful to compensate for his insecurities. Sadly, he never gets to reconcile with his own family, and remains friendless at the end of the movie.
*** With Elsa: someone who avoids forming relationships and emotional bonds, but doesn't fear causing harm to others, and has no LivingEmotionalCrutch. Because of this, he embraces villainy.

** His thoughts after being ordered to do the king's dirty tasks imply he [[HiddenDepths despises his father for]] [[EvenEvilHasStandards his wanton violence.]] But he also fears the repercussions of ignoring the king's orders, including the prospect of losing his father's respect and his brothers making harsh jabs about him "not having the guts to do anything." Also, after spending time being the king's errand boy, Hans is finally allowed to attend Elsa's coronation and secure a trade deal, and it seems he has won his father's trust, but then, the king [[YankTheDogsChain immediately tells]] him to come back soon so that Hans can babysit his brothers' children. This shows that no matter what Hans did for him, his father only barely trusts him and still severely restricts his freedom. Hans is also ''clearly terrified'' of his family's wrath as he's being deported back, having been denied an opportunity to explain his actions.
** As he's being sent back home, he's baffled to see that while the sisters have reconciled with one another despite years of separation, neither he nor his brothers won't have any opportunity to get along with each other, as their father perceives such actions to be signs of weakness. Coming from a home where very few people trust each other, Hans ends up [[WhatIsThisThingYouCallLove clueless on what an actual happy relationship would be]]. While it may [[EvilCannotStandCuteness seem funny]] how Hans reacts to the Great Thaw before he's deported, one should note that he's never known love, and things like compassion and kindness are all alien to him. He even feels confused when Anna asks him for a TrueLovesKiss.

** For starters, during the family gathering, some of his brothers toss food ''and'' glassware just for daydreaming, while his father chides him for being a weakling and showing up late. Plus, one of the scenes shows Hans blatantly self-harming himself by running his fingers along the rough wood of an old table, but finding the physical pain to be oddly better than the constant abuse his family heaps on him. When Hans attempts not to rise to his brothers' bait, the king declares that Hans should "learn a thing or two" from his brothers and "stop acting like he's better than them." From his father's perspective, [[AlwaysSecondBest Hans will always]] [[AlwaysSomeoneBetter be second best compared to his older sons]]. It causes him to [[InferioritySuperiorityComplex develop an obsessive need]] to prove himself worthy to his family and be recognized as TheDutifulSon by becoming the king's gofer. As he grows up, the neglect slowly corrupts Hans and hardens his heart to the point of thinking LoveIsAWeakness, but it also leaves him [[WhatIsThisThingYouCallLove incapable]] of reciprocating love when Anna asks him for a TrueLovesKiss. The fact that [[WorseWithContext he downplays the abuse]] as "what brothers do" reveals the psychological damage that's been done. By the time he's a young adult, Hans not only suffers from clinical depression, [=PTSD=], and possible SelfHarm, he believes that ''the abuse is normal''. He even doesn't seek outside help to cope with the family issues, having chosen to accept the suffering for its sake.

** At times, Hans feels he's not even a part of his own large family. While mentioning to Anna that three of his brothers ignored him for two years, it's clear he despises them. He gets along with Lars and his mother, but neither of them are close enough to help him get through life. Also, when he notices how Arendelle's citizens become deeply concerned with their missing queen and princess after Anna's horse returns without its owner, he briefly wonders if his family would rescue him if he were stuck in a similar situation.

** As he's being sent back home, he's baffled to see that while the sisters have reconciled with one another despite years of separation, neither he nor his brothers won't have any opportunity to get along with each other, as their father perceives such actions to be signs of weakness. Coming from a home where very few people trust each other, Hans ends up [[WhatIsThisThingYouCallLove clueless on what an actual happy relationship would be]].

** While it may [[EvilCannotStandCuteness seem funny]] how Hans reacts to the Great Thaw before he's deported, one should note that he grew up in an harsh environment that valued SocialDarwinism over anything else. He's never known love, and things like compassion and kindness are all alien to him. He even feels confused when Anna asks him for a TrueLovesKiss.

* Hans' older brothers are also [[ShadowArchetype darker versions of Elsa as well]], in that they shut out their siblings, but have no chance to reconcile with each other as their father abhors such actions. As with Hans, they accept causing harm to others and refuse to get outside help to cope with their issues. The king's emotional manipulation has also caused them to develop serious psychological issues such as WellDoneSonGuy tendencies, LackOfEmpathy, and [[{{Manchild}} immaturity]]. This shows the relationship Anna and Elsa could have become if they refused to reconcile, causing Anna to become TheUnfettered like Hans, who embodies her fears of being the SpareToTheThrone. On the flip side, Elsa's fear of her own powers would've led her to stop caring about Anna.

** During the queen's birthday, the king even makes a rude jab about Hans's status as a MommasBoy, stating that the queen "will be the only one who would have even noticed that [he was] missing." Also, after he is hit in the head with an object, Rudi and Runo tease Hans, asking if he's going to "run to mommy" so that she can "kiss his boo-boo to make it all better." Based on this, it's implied that when Hans was younger, his mother was TheConfidant for him, but as he grew older and more knowledgeable of his brothers' tactics, he distanced himself from her, knowing that his father and brothers would only mock him even more for running to her when in need. Worse still, no one knows how his mother or Lars reacted to Hans's crimes in Arendelle.

*** With Elsa: someone who avoids forming relationships and emotional bonds, but doesn't fear causing harm to others, and gets zero support from his siblings to help with his issues. Because of this, he embraces villainy.

** While it may [[EvilCannotStandCuteness seem funny]] how Hans reacts to the Great Thaw before he's sent back home, one should note that he grew up in an harsh environment that valued SocialDarwinism over anything else. He's never known love, and things like compassion and kindness are all alien to him. He even feels confused when Anna asks him for a TrueLovesKiss.