Annalise Keating, the central character of the American legal drama television series “How to Get Away with Murder,” has a complex relationship with the character Wes Gibbins. The question of whether Annalise sees Wes as her son is a matter of interpretation, and there are arguments for both sides of the debate.
On one hand, Annalise certainly cares for Wes deeply and has invested a great deal of time and energy into helping him throughout the series. She takes him under her wing when he first arrives at law school, provides him with a job and mentorship, and even goes so far as to cover up a murder that he commits in the course of the series. At times, she appears to treat Wes with a level of maternal protectiveness and concern that suggests a filial relationship.
For example, in season one, Annalise visits Wes in the hospital after he is injured in a car accident and tells him, “You are not alone. You are not alone.” Later in the same episode, she holds his hand as he wakes up from surgery and tells him, “I’m here. I’m here.” These moments suggest that Annalise sees Wes as someone she cares for deeply and wants to protect.
Furthermore, there are moments throughout the series where Annalise displays a sense of maternal love and care towards Wes that go beyond what might be expected of a mentor or employer. For example, in season two, after Wes’s biological father dies, Annalise tells him that she’s sorry and gives him a hug. Later in the same episode, she shares a memory of her own mother dying and comforts Wes by saying, “I know how it feels to lose a parent.”
However, on the other hand, there are moments in the series where Annalise’s relationship with Wes appears to be more complicated than a simple mother-son dynamic. For one thing, Annalise is often quite manipulative towards Wes, using him to further her own ends and frequently lying to him. She also has a tendency to keep him at arm’s length emotionally, sometimes treating him coldly or with a level of detachment that seems at odds with a maternal relationship.
For example, in season one, Annalise initially lies to Wes about the true identity of his biological father, and when the truth comes out, she is angry with him for prying into her personal life. Later in the same episode, she tells him, “You don’t know me, Wes. You don’t know anything about me.” These moments suggest that Annalise may not see Wes as a son, but rather as someone she is using for her own purposes.
Additionally, there are other characters in the series who have a more clearly defined mother-son relationship with Annalise. For example, in season two, Annalise’s relationship with her mother, Ophelia, is depicted as complex and fraught with tension, but ultimately deeply loving. In contrast, her relationship with Wes is less clearly defined, suggesting that while she may care for him deeply, her feelings towards him are not strictly maternal.
In conclusion, while there are certainly moments throughout “How to Get Away with Murder” where Annalise’s relationship with Wes appears to be characterized by maternal love and care, there are also moments where their relationship is more complicated and fraught with tension. Ultimately, whether or not Annalise sees Wes as her son is a matter of interpretation, and different viewers may come to different conclusions based on their own experiences and understanding of the show’s characters and themes.