Does Bullseye from Daredevil have BPD? (+7 Signs of BPD)

The following post will be explaining if Bullseye has BPD. We will also be checking out the different signs of Borderline Personality Disorder that Bullseye depicts in the comics and Daredevil series, along with a couple of causal factors which could have contributed to this.

Does Bullseye from Daredevil have BPD?

Yes, Bullseye has BPD. Bullseye, or Benjamin “Dex” Poindexter, who appears as a villain Seasn 3 of Daredevil, was confirmed to have been diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder. In the series, Bullseye shows many signs of Borderline Personality Disorder.

However, there is a big difference between the character Bullseye in the comics and in the Daredevil series. In the comics, the character Bullseye is known to be villainous and uses his amazing accuracy to take down others, and is specifically targeted on Daredevil.

In the Daredevil series where Bullseye appears, his negative actions and behaviors have been mainly blamed on his diagnosis with Borderline Personality Disorder. According to the story arc, Bullseye was diagnosed with BPD as well as psychopathic tendencies.

Bullseye’s diagnosis with Borderline Personality Disorder actually won a lot of critical acclaim from viewers of the series who praised the creators for improving public health awareness about this particular mental health disorder.

At the same time, it also drew negative reviews from certain fans who felt that the portrayal of Borderline Personality Disorder was not accurate enough. Also, many people felt that this negative portrayal of BPD could lead to more stigmas in society.

Signs of Bullseye’s BPD

In Season 3 of Daredevil, Bullseye is said to have been diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder. While some of the signs of his BPD are pretty clear, other sings of his mental health disorder are pretty subtle.

In the following points, we have discussed the different signs and symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder that have been portrayed by Bullseye in Season 3 of Daredevil.

He shows a high fear of abandonment

In the Daredevil series where Bullseye appears as the villain, he definitely portrays a high fear of abandonment. A fear of abandonment is one of the main signs of Borderline Personality Disorder, and this often leads the person to become extremely clingy in relationships.

In Bullseye’s case, this fear of abandonment can be seen in several instances, but mainly with his therapist and even with the woman called Julie. Bullseye is so dependent on her, for her morals and her good behavior, that he calls her his North Star.

Right from the start, Bullseye shows that he ‘needs’ Julie and without her he cannot function. When Julie stops talking to Bullseye, he reacts by getting very angry and showing immense rage on other people.

He can be seen to go through panic attacks often

In many instances in the Daredevil series where he is depicted, Bullseye can be seen going through panic attacks. These panic attacks in the series that Bullseye goes through are portrayed through buzzing sounds and the character becoming giddy.

Panic attacks can also be experienced in Borderline Personality Disorder, especially if the person is being triggered by some stressful factor. However, many fans of the series have felt that these visual and audio effects were unnecessary to portray Bullseye’s panic attacks.

His emotions fluctuate often

Apart from going through panic attacks, Bullseye also goes through many emotional swings and fluctuations. These are also pretty characteristic of Borderline Personality Disorder where the person’s mood may change all of a sudden with no notice at all.

He had an issue with empathy and sympathy

Bullseye even struggles with empathy and sympathy and this clearly stresses him out. He is unable to respond to social cues at many times and cannot discern the emotional behaviors of those around him.

At the same time, Bullseye also tries his best to become more empathetic and sympathetic. He even uses a live moral compass in the form of his North Star so that he can understand people better.

He is looking for his North Star

Another interesting theme which is covered in Daredevil Season 3 in regards to Bullseye is that he is constantly looking for his North Star. Bullseye, with the help of his therapist, finds out that he seriously needs a moral compass to base his personality on.

Bullseye actually finds his North Star in a woman named Julie. And for a while, everything seems to be going well for him. However, his fear of abandonment and clinginess eventually takes over, destroying their relationship.

When Julie becomes uncomfortable and decides to stop talking to Bullseye, he eventually loses his cool and goes on a destructive path. He furthermore, still keeps looking for his North Star, to point him in the right direction.

This behavior or personality trait in Bullseye actually shows how much he yearns to be a normal human being with empathy and sympathy. He actively tries to be good by looking for his North Star, by listening to his therapy tapes and even by following a strict routine.

But, even this behavioral tendency of Bullseye was called out by many people who have Borderline Personality Disorder, saying that this is not something usual and that it paints those who have BPD to be clingy stalkers who are always dependent on others.

He also shows plenty of impulsivity

Along with the various signs of Borderline Personality Disorder which have been discussed above, Bullseye also shows high levels of impulsivity. His impulsivity and recklessness are mostly triggered when people whom he is close to leave him or abandon him.

Impulsivity in Borderline Personality Disorder can often be even life-threatening to the person, and may sometimes be illegal in nature. Many times, this impulsivity and recklessness can endanger familial relationships and break close bonds.

He shows psychopathic tendencies

Furthermore, Bullseye also shows many psychopathic tendencies. Psychopathic tendencies are actually not a characteristic sign of Borderline Personality Disorder. And therefore, this coupling of BPD with psychopathy drew a lot of anger from many fans who felt insulted.

However, in the Daredevil series, it is clearly mentioned that Bullseye has been diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder along with psychopathic tendencies, which are quite different from each other.

These psychopathic tendencies lead Bullseye to become a full-on villainous character, leaving his morals behind and dwelling on killing targets like Daredevil. These have nothing to do with his Borderline Personality Disorder diagnosis.

Causes of Bullseye’s BPD

There is no specific cause for Borderline Personality Disorder but a number of factors definitely contribute to it. In the points below, we have listed a few causal factors which could have contributed to Bullseye’s Borderline Personality Disorder.

• He had an abusive father: In all accounts of Bullseye’s childhood, it is said that he had a very abusive father. In one account of the story, it is said that Bullseye’s brother started a fire to kill their father but this was unsuccessful.

Bullseye is never over the abuse from his father, as much later on in his story, he gets caught on purpose so that he can get inside the prison and burn his father to death. Childhood abuse from parents is a very strong risk factor for Borderline Personality Disorder.

• His unstable relationships: Right from the start, Bullseye does not share healthy relationships with anyone, including his own father and his brother. Strong familial bonds are important for developing empathy, which is very much lacking in Bullseye.

Conclusion

The following post has explained if Bullseye has BPD. We have also checked out the different signs of Borderline Personality Disorder that Bullseye depicts in the comics and Daredevil series, along with a couple of causal factors which could have contributed to this.

If you like this post, please leave your comments and questions in the space below.

Citations