Stardust has very unconventional methods of helping those around him, but does that make him a psychopath?
Shy spoilers ahead!
Summary
- Stardust is called a psychopath and heartless multiple times in Shy. Some of his actions support that assessment, and even his power is based on his ability to not care about others.
- Stardust’s power involves defending himself from others, which might imply that he feels like everybody judges him.
- Psychopathy is not just a word; it is no longer a diagnosis, but it still requires a psychiatric evaluation to be identified.
When asked about Stardust, Pepesha starts by discussing his positive qualities before admitting that if she had to use one word to describe him, it would be psychopath. Stardust does not mind her assessment in the slightest, but we have to wonder if it is correct.
Stardust’s Powers
Stardust does not care much about others. When Pepesha is angry with him, he does not even acknowledge it. As a result of this lack of care, his power involves controlling the environment around him, which is why blows miss him. When Shy tries to touch his face, she cannot because of that ability. He, on the other hand, is able to touch Shy, and he does, as fans have noted, quite brutally, to show Shy that she is not ready to be a hero. All of that suggests that he has a problem with empathy.
Stardust’s Flashback
Some viewers have noticed that Stardust’s power is clearly aimed at protecting himself from others. This makes sense if you look at the flashback that Shy's determination awakens in him. In it, he is shown to be ostracized for not having enough empathy. In other words, Stardust doesn't seem to be ignoring others because he is heartless; he might have learned to ignore others because they hurt him for being less empathetic. It is not that he is uncaring; he learned to ignore others because they would not accept him for who he is.
Stardust at the Psychiatrist’s?
Psychopathy is not a diagnosis, but psychiatrists can help to determine if a person has such a trait. It is not clear if Stardust had been to a psychiatrist, however, so calling him a psycho is just a personal reaction and not a diagnosis. However, it is clear that Stardust was called that for a very long time, until his heart learned to shield him from angry looks, which later became his superpower. A very cool superpower, according to fans!
The answer to whether Stardust is a psycho is that it is not confirmed. But everyone around him seems convinced that he is, and that causes him to create barriers around his heart, which only people like Shy can get through.