I've thought about this one a lot...but it's hard to know without knowing how he finds out, which probably depends on what happens with Paige.
This is what I do notice. There's been a lot of stuff with Paige showing that she and Elizabeth have very similar basic personalities. At first Elizabeth's personality sort of dominated the entire house because it was so strong, but Paige was always #2 and now she's pushed herself into the center.
But at the same time there's a lot of more subtle stories about Henry being like Philip. Sometimes it's little things like that ep where the two of them are doing parallel break-ins and long-angle lens spying. There's also Henry picking up interests on his own and just kind of doing them, keeping himself occupied. When people don't have time for him or whatever he just withdraws. When he's upset he withdraws and stops talking. He tends to ask questions rather than answer them (when Philip asks him about Paige's church he asks why Philip wants to know). He's instinctively a good liar. He reacted to Paige finding the picture of Sandra by creating a much better, elaborate hiding place that rivals the ones his parents have. He's friends with Stan partly, because he likes him, but also because he's hoping to get intel on Sandra--iow, just like his dad he's got multiple agendas he doesn't see as in conflict. Paige and Elizabeth chase truth as an idea. Henry seems to see deception as a natural part of being human.
But most important, there's the scene in the first season with the hitchiker. Henry starts off suspicious of the guy, is more observant in noticing the knife and when he senses a threat reacts violently and protects Paige. Only later does he go over what he did and worry it was wrong. You don't get much more Philip than that.
All of which leads me to say that where Paige has her mother's interest in commitment to ideals and other people like that, Henry seems like he's got his father's instinct for protecting himself and family. So while I don't know what how he'd completely react to his parents being spies (though the above-mentioned ability to compartmentalize and interest in people and their motivations could come in handy) I think they've laid the groundwork for him to potentially put family first if, for instance, Pastor Tim took it upon himself to tell him or whatever.
Basically, some of the ways he's different from Paige seem relevant to the situation. Paige was curious about her parents because she saw something amiss--Henry's curious in general. Where it's in Paige's character to come at people a bit like a prosecuter to make them explain themselves, I can see Henry being genuinely curious about how his parents got where they are...that is, maybe after he shut down and locked himself in his room.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2015-11-30 03:07 am (UTC)This is what I do notice. There's been a lot of stuff with Paige showing that she and Elizabeth have very similar basic personalities. At first Elizabeth's personality sort of dominated the entire house because it was so strong, but Paige was always #2 and now she's pushed herself into the center.
But at the same time there's a lot of more subtle stories about Henry being like Philip. Sometimes it's little things like that ep where the two of them are doing parallel break-ins and long-angle lens spying. There's also Henry picking up interests on his own and just kind of doing them, keeping himself occupied. When people don't have time for him or whatever he just withdraws. When he's upset he withdraws and stops talking. He tends to ask questions rather than answer them (when Philip asks him about Paige's church he asks why Philip wants to know). He's instinctively a good liar. He reacted to Paige finding the picture of Sandra by creating a much better, elaborate hiding place that rivals the ones his parents have. He's friends with Stan partly, because he likes him, but also because he's hoping to get intel on Sandra--iow, just like his dad he's got multiple agendas he doesn't see as in conflict. Paige and Elizabeth chase truth as an idea. Henry seems to see deception as a natural part of being human.
But most important, there's the scene in the first season with the hitchiker. Henry starts off suspicious of the guy, is more observant in noticing the knife and when he senses a threat reacts violently and protects Paige. Only later does he go over what he did and worry it was wrong. You don't get much more Philip than that.
All of which leads me to say that where Paige has her mother's interest in commitment to ideals and other people like that, Henry seems like he's got his father's instinct for protecting himself and family. So while I don't know what how he'd completely react to his parents being spies (though the above-mentioned ability to compartmentalize and interest in people and their motivations could come in handy) I think they've laid the groundwork for him to potentially put family first if, for instance, Pastor Tim took it upon himself to tell him or whatever.
Basically, some of the ways he's different from Paige seem relevant to the situation. Paige was curious about her parents because she saw something amiss--Henry's curious in general. Where it's in Paige's character to come at people a bit like a prosecuter to make them explain themselves, I can see Henry being genuinely curious about how his parents got where they are...that is, maybe after he shut down and locked himself in his room.