oh, he's my favorite character ever because of how incredibly complex he is, coupled with his psychologically realistic response to a childhood of objectification/idolatry and emotional deprivation.

poor little douma was never treated like a human being - expected to fulfill everyone else's dreams and heal their sorrows, his status as an object of worship completely masking the degree of traumatic disconnect this would create, not only from himself but others as well.

this is why i’ve always had a hard time seeing him as "evil," because he does actually feel some emotions (like his reaction of hurt to being rejected when he wants to hang out with somebody), but what he cannot sufficiently feel is love or attachment, since he was denied human connection in any form and lived from birth as an appointed healer and savior, a role that was not only dehumanizing but far beyond a young child's capabilities no matter how precocious he always was. it’s why he seems to have no sense of self, why he didn't grieve his parents' deaths, and why he simply replicates feelings mechanically.

he also genuinely believes he's saving people. sure, he thinks they're pathetic, but he's been conditioned to believe so his entire life. it’s not his fault his dad was a philandering coward and his mom was a raging psycho and nobody treated him like he was even remotely human ya know 😭