Question B

[Jonetta]

When Kim meets with the two families, the dynamics are pretty clear. Why do you think Stephen was so difficult and Robert not so much? How did their behaviors characterize them and their relationships with their own families?

[Lisa - (Aussie Girl)]

People often react to situations out of their control in line with their basic personalities and their own life experiences. Robert seemed to be in a good place in his life, mature and happy in his marriage, business and life in general. It is revealed that Stephen and Liz already have issues both in marriage and financially and so the amazing stress of their child being abducted just exacerbates the cracks that were already there. It was very interesting how both couples reacted to the circumstances.

[Lynn]

Stephen is an abuser, gambler, and immature. Robert is none of those things. I think their differences were emphasized on purpose to make someone in the house suspect. I started wondering pretty early on if Stephen was Subject Number Three.

[Robin]

I agree that people will react to the same situation differently. It just depends on their own life experiences and their own personality.

[Brenda ~The Sisters~Book Witch]

I read the first two to the series 3 years ago so I didn't remember who was part of Kim's team and I struggled with keeping all the characters straight. I struggled with mixing up Stephen and Robert up I thought it was a fascinating and exciting game played here pitting the parents against each other to save their child, leaving me asking what a parent is willing to do to save their child. Even though there was a couple of turns there, I think they both behaved how I expected them to. It was intriguing how it separated the adults yet the girls came together to survive. Made me think as parents they needed to pull together to save them both so their child didn't have to live with the other dying.

I think Stephen had control issues and that shaped his relationships.

[Jonetta]

FYI, Brenda...

I maintain a character list in the pinned post and also include details about the endings under a spoiler for reference. It ain’t easy remembering this stuff so the info is there to facilitate recall.

[Jonetta]

While people can be at their worst under severe pressure like this, they also tend to show you who they are underneath the veneer. From the start, Stephen showed his insecurity by trying to bully Kim and bluster. Robert tried to play team because that was his nature. Their choice of vocations seemed to reflect the same (Robert owned dealerships, managing a team; Stephen managed a fund, something where he controls everything without having to manage or consult anyone). Stephen’s behavior had me questioning his relationship with his wife immediately. He didn’t even know Kim and was dismissive before she opened her mouth. I assumed it was related to gender and that proved itself out once we learned he was physically abusing Elizabeth. Robert was clearly comfortable in his own skin.