Owen the Strong One

[lombano]

A minor point, but that adds to the differences in the two boys' situations: Owen used a metal pole, film Oskar a plastic one. Now if you were reading the case file, which boy would at that point strike you as more dangerous? Of all three boys, Owen used the more dangerous implement, and the choice of implement would no doubt influence how the police would see, with hindsight, the incident. An attack with a plastic pole might easily be seen as the sort of thing any kid might do, but a metal pole is different. It's dificult to know how much either boy would consider this, but I do think Owen would be significantly influenced by Abby being a cop-killer (and his own presence while the crime was committed).

[lombano]

Something else I forgot to mention: the differences in households have been mentioned, but it's worth elaborating on something: From what little we see, it's reasonable to conclude that Owen's dad, if questioned by the police, would likely blame everything on the mother, which put together with the alcoholism could contribute to the authorities putting a post-massacre Owen in care. Whereas Oskar's parents seem both more concerned with both avoiding blame - 'they're going to blame us' - and would both probably seek to avoid his home environment being blamed.

[sauvin]

Something else I forgot to mention: the differences in households have been mentioned, but it's worth elaborating on something: From what little we see, it's reasonable to conclude that Owen's dad, if questioned by the police, would likely blame everything on the mother, which put together with the alcoholism could contribute to the authorities putting a post-massacre Owen in care. Whereas Oskar's parents seem both more concerned with both avoiding blame - 'they're going to blame us' - and would both probably seek to avoid his home environment being blamed.

I don't even get that Oskar's father (in the movie) even dealt with the bullying issue at all. He didn't try to avoid blame, didn't try to understand what happened, didn't try to do anything. Oskar came over, they had some good times, all buddy-buddy like. Oskar's father just wasn't a participant at all.

[TigerEyes]

Something else I forgot to mention: the differences in households have been mentioned, but it's worth elaborating on something: From what little we see, it's reasonable to conclude that Owen's dad, if questioned by the police, would likely blame everything on the mother, which put together with the alcoholism could contribute to the authorities putting a post-massacre Owen in care. Whereas Oskar's parents seem both more concerned with both avoiding blame - 'they're going to blame us' - and would both probably seek to avoid his home environment being blamed.

I don't even get that Oskar's father (in the movie) even dealt with the bullying issue at all. He didn't try to avoid blame, didn't try to understand what happened, didn't try to do anything. Oskar came over, they had some good times, all buddy-buddy like. Oskar's father just wasn't a participant at all.

I agree. The police would prett much get nothing from him.

I for one think that neither Owen nor Oskar would be in serious trouble. But Owen with his mask, the metal pole, and the severe bloodbath in the pool would be a major concern than with Oskar's scrap book, plastic pole, and the pool where the massacre wasn't as horrible as Owen's. But i could be wrong. It's rather interesting how people looks at Oskar as cruel and cold, he's just a kid making mistakes, but he never was a bad kid.

[lombano]

I don't even get that Oskar's father (in the movie) even dealt with the bullying issue at all.

No, he didn't - that includes not trying to pin the blame on the mother when they're on the phone, as far as we can tell. But I at least strongly got the impression that, if questioned by the police, Owen's father would blame his ex.

[sauvin]

A minor point, but that adds to the differences in the two boys' situations: Owen used a metal pole, film Oskar a plastic one. Now if you were reading the case file, which boy would at that point strike you as more dangerous? Of all three boys, Owen used the more dangerous implement, and the choice of implement would no doubt influence how the police would see, with hindsight, the incident. An attack with a plastic pole might easily be seen as the sort of thing any kid might do, but a metal pole is different. It's dificult to know how much either boy would consider this, but I do think Owen would be significantly influenced by Abby being a cop-killer (and his own presence while the crime was committed).

There may be something to what you say, but the plastic pole that Oskar used was, what? 30mm in diameter? Plastics can get to be pretty dense, and when you're talking about whacking somebody upside the head with something that diameter even with less dense plastics, the impact is liable to hurt quite a bit, and Oskar wasn't just playfully sorta-kinda swinging - he put his whole body into that swing, and it's actually something of a minor miracle Conny didn't also wind up running around in a neck brace.

[lombano]

Nevertheless metal is far heavier and harder than plastic. The potential for damage is more. But that wasn't so much my point as that it would be seen as worse by others - a blow to the head with a metal pole would be seen as a graver act of violence than an attack with a plastic pole or, for that matter, a tree branch. I'm also basing this on audience reaction - when I watched LTROI in the cinema people mostly cheered Oskar on, but with LMI, the audience reaction seemed overwhelmingly 'this is serious now,' or shock, despite the more extreme bullying. Extrapolating, I think the police would view Oskar's actions as something that got out of hand, but Owen's as 'it's lucky the other kid didn't end up with permanent brain damage.' I'm pretty sure Owen would've been aware, at least at a gut level, of this difference in reactions.

[Angelalex242]

It does seem that, while Oskar is a colder kid in general, when Owen does does get around to acting, he's hardcore about it.

In that respect, I'm not so sure Oskarvamp would beat Owenvamp. In general, Oskarvamp would be more eager to do violence, but Owen would be packing a bigger weapon. And if he got pissed off enough to use it...well.

[jetboy]

Not if you take into consideration the reaction of their deeds. Oskar felt triumphant, Owen looked uncomfortable if not scared. Eli seemed to have helped Oskar exorcise some demons while Abbey seemed to have made Owen do something against his will.

[Angelalex242]

Is it really against his will? Abby's a big influencer, it's true, but there's only so long Owen can go with the woe is me thing once he's turned. He's gotta get over it, or he won't be able to be a fit mate for Abby in the first place.