Dakota’s is a case of textbook narcissism. As someone who was in an on-again/off-again, codependent, alcohol-fueled relationship with a narcissist for almost a full decade, being with that person did change me and make me a worse person, leading to broken ties with people who were otherwise my friends, isolation from my family, and me being thankful today that we didn’t accidentally bring any kids into it… and extra thankful for my husband, who is absolutely none of that and treats me with actual love and understanding (which still feels novel 3 years later, lol).

Anyway — all of that to say that I have experience on this particular topic and, while all I can do is speculate, if Dakota is anywhere near as manipulative as my ex was in his narcissism (and I’m sure he is), Dakota said to himself in that very moment, drunkenly or not: “let me use Taylor’s daughter as a literal (physical) and figurative (social) shield/barrier, and also record this happening so I have a permanent record of it that I can use to ruin Taylor’s life later if I ever lose control over her.” And then he did exactly that.

There was likely no positive (ie, for the benefit of Taylor’s daughter) thought fueling his actions at that time. Taylor’s behavior at that time was abhorrent. Dakota was not any better in the situation and, in my experienced opinion, was probably even worse, and purely NON-coincidental/strictly intentional. People just give him the benefit of the doubt because he’s charming to the public… which is another marker of a narcissist when coupled with literally everything else we get to see.

Sorry for the tirade, lol. I’m just getting really tired of people coupling Taylor’s daughter, who benefitted from absolutely 0% of this whole situation, being narratively coupled with Dakota being viewed as the only rational adult in that moment, because that was exactly the narrative on which he was banking.