"The Missing Piece": Why the Girls need Tremolo, Tremolo needs the Girls and People need People

NOTE: This covers MOST girls. Anyone on that "I ain't readin' all that" tip, just save yourself the time and peace out to another thread. Posting just to say that is just admitting your ignorance.

One of the many things about BaD that makes it so surprisingly compelling and personal is the emphasis on character dynamics ("relationships even when not in a committed relationship,") regardless of playstyle. Instead of simply choosing one shallow flavor of "Hot Girl" over another, there's surprising depth and nuance even from unexpected places like the Miss Popular or the sex worker and in kind, how their attraction to the player character isn't simply due to him being blandsome with a big porn star-type dick or the usual eye-rolling fawning as if the bare minimum of kindness is miraculous in typical Gary Sue fashion, but rather because that he (in the best case scenario of right choices/affinity,) fills an emotional void. Not only does it emphasize that these characters are written as people with their own lives rather than mere "dolls" to do or not, and makes interactions more meaningful in emphasizing their personalities and histories, but also adds a personal distinctness to each path so that not only is there a clear difference between being a boy scout with Jill vs. a bad boy with Sage, but even being a bad boy with Quinn vs. a bad boy with Riona.

Why the Girls need Tremolo

Main or Side, nearly every girl has some kind of specific, personal void that he fills not because of his looks, dick or some kind of "special" ability ("Chosen One" bullshit or "video game-y" constant gift-giving,) but simply talking to them as people to bond with that other men haven't. Even the women who do cheat, aren't doing so lightly and instead still do due to unmet needs with their official significant other. To be more specific,

Maya: He supports her in building confidence in pledging and embracing her newly realized bisexuality that becomes more evident over time and both issues stemming from her father's abuse that he goes out of his way to deal with.

Josy: He supports her in her self-admitted "too niceness"/lack of confidence to self-improve as she's the last of the girls to find herself.

Throuple: He's the pressure valve/mediator in defusing the tension between the girls and instead strengthens their bond that they work together far better than ever before. They can be open, honest and supportive to/with each other as equals in a cohesive unit and their first proper threesome is a reflection of this.

Sage: He's both the only (straight) guy that wants more than casual sex with her and especially the only person, period, that's helped her regulate her emotions in a healthy way as something of an amateur therapist after her upbringing taught her to repress such feelings. She's the most overtly sexual of the Main Girls that her comfort zone is wild casual sex, so it's ironic that going on a "traditional" date is such an awkward ordeal, but one she feels worth it because being with him is worth it.

Bella: He's a Manic Pixie Dream Boy that shakes her out of her quiet despair over her missing husband, who she otherwise can't move on from because of the lack of closure about his status. Despite the taboo of being a teacher, the obvious age gap and originally aiming him towards Jill, he ultimately makes her feel alive and this is reflected in her sexuality as her gradually revealed kinkiness is what she once was (basically proto-Sage.)

Jill: A nice guy to match her nice girl who also values her as an individual instead of her name and the status that comes with it. Rusty and especially Tybalt both struck out because they felt entitled to her without caring about what she wants. Tremolo didn't know and then didn't care about her being a Royce and instead returns the kindness she gave him as well as guiding her out of her shell as she's so self-conscious as reflected in both the recital and virginity.

Quinn: He's a bad boy that she can relate to yet he presses her to be more intimate than she's used to especially as she was raised not to by her father. He inches her out of her comfort zone to open up and trust, which she increasingly needs as said upbringing is increasingly biting her in the ass and leaving her increasingly with nothing and nobody else to turn to.

Riona: He's the one guy that truly cares about her as a person instead of just a sexual plaything as she's so used to being used that she doesn't realize they're on a date until he explicitly points it out. Additionally, even without realizing the broader problem(s,) he's supported her into being more confident as a positive influence contrary to Quinn's abuse. He may be a bad boy, but he is very good to her that they have a heart-to-heart at Thanksgiving with the sex being so intimate, she's on the verge of an orgasm, which is noted to be something she's never had from sex yet clearly a psychological issue given past treatment.

Lily: He both admires her hustle and cares about her as a person that it surprises and throws her off when she's bitterly used to being looked down on for her occupation. Even with his usually dense ass, he understands her need to put up a front as she fears intimacy and said fear's related to both her occupation and her long-term goals.

Nicole: He gets to know and values her as a person instead of her occupation that she took to out of desperation as a young mother. A caring romantic, there's still insecurity due to her job and ex, but this new guy is mature for his age and equally caring.

Cathy: A number of insecurities, namely her age and past traumas yet he not only kept her private life private when he found out about that side of her, gives her a pep talk and continues to assure her he feels the same way that she feels a long overdue catharsis in sleeping with her now ex-student.

Jade: He actually giving her attention when she feels neglected by her husband as another spiteful cheater, who feels entitled to return the favor after years of quietly excepting being cheated on and the dead bedroom. Her student is her personal sexual stress ball.

Nora: Because most men are scared off by her strong desire to be a mother, she's either only had shallow one-night stands or nothing yet him being on the same page may mean he's the one... except for the issue of finding out he's in her class, making for a clash between two goals.

Zoey: After her own personal trip to find herself and realizing what/who she needed was actually at home, a mutually late realization of how much their friendship meant more to each other to the point of love and perhaps the chance to formally start over.

Elena: A unique case because she's in a happy, healthy, committed relationship with JB and not cheating, (they're swingers, people,) but she clearly appreciates Tremolo's friendship in kind and understanding of her unconventional relationship as well as a bit of ironic insecurity that she didn't expect him to notice her with all the "hot girl competition."

Heather: As toxic as her relationship with Tommy is, she responds "best" to Tremolo being the same kind of bad boy, just one that told her about what Tommy's been up to, as s reflection of her low self-esteem and impulsiveness.

Bianca: As of Episode 10, it's still early, but the likeliest reason(s) is much like the other jilted women as "Matty" did her dirty in cheating on her with another friend and she in kind might feel entitled to do likewise, especially if a certain other friend's man made a move first. Unlike Jill, she's far more outgoing (i.e. her Halloween costume) and that might be what Tremolo's looking for, especially in a moment of weakness.

While others like Sandy, Sarah, Melanie and the like are only looking for a good time because they have no such needs and are otherwise content with their lives/situations.

Why Tremolo needs the Girls

In kind and unlike a typical AVN/harem/male-focused protag in general, regardless of player choice/affinity, Tremolo isn't a typical avatar as regardless of the former, he comes with his own baggage and void that needs filling. Further unlike most AVN protags, his impoverish past is a genuine facet of his character rather than a cheap ploy for sympathy. Because he was poor, he was relentlessly bullied with literally no friends, let alone girlfriends until meeting Zoey in detention, so he has a well-meaning yet stunted emotional development that along with his age, makes him love-hungry (note that even when choosing "Others" at the end of Episode 8, he's not averse to love/relationships, merely considering himself unready for the time being,) melodramatically thin-skinned (him storming off upon the MJ reveal, which Derek calls him out on,) and unable to read the room (i.e. expecting Sage to open up about their family in the middle of sex.) This works well both for comedy and drama's sake in explaining his character regardless of player choice (i.e. when it comes to fighting the jocks after Dawe or punching Tybalt, CHICK!MC chooses to be a bigger man while DIK!MC monologues from a place of immature defensiveness,) and that he in kind needs the support of whichever girl(s) he's involved with. "Even" platonically, he and the girls still mean a lot to each other.

Why People need People

Despite being an AVN about hooking up with any number of women, DPC makes it very clear that the non-sexual/romantic relationships have meaning as well whether between Tremolo and others or others with others. The deep familial love between Neil and MC is just as essential as inherent as their poverty with the sense that without his son, Neil would otherwise shut down over the loss of his wife. The brotherhood with the DIKs (to the point their motto is literally "Family Comes First" and emphasize the teamwork of two maggots at a time,) gives MC the friendship and belonging he's never had. Derek needs "Assman's" friendship more than initially realized when his family's dirty laundry comes out as well as explaining the tight sibling bond with Maya. The Main Girls (without MC's influence,) gradually become bound as friends in supporting each other and especially Maya. Maya, herself eventually makes peace with and formally joins the HOTs as a sister. Tommy and Quinn's friendship is not only important to both of their characters, but also representative of the bond between DIKs and HOTs as neither likes the latter being involved with other fraternities. After Mona's gone, Camila is closer with Riona as a positive influence unlike Quinn.

On the contrary, those who're alone are at their worst with no such support system. Tybalt has no real friends as he treats them as minions and they in kind only stand him to social-climb, the friendship between his mother and Cathy doesn't seem as ideal as advertised given Jade's own issues, but the worst example is Patrick. While he loves his wife and been her faithful caretaker, he's had no one to vent to or set him straight as he instead takes it out on his children as a variety of abuse, especially his daughter for not "conforming," which has done a number on her mindset and relationships. None of them have the bonds they need, which perhaps could do wonders.

In summary, it's not just about the bonds between genitals, it's the bonds between people that matter most.