I just remember in the past, anytime you would mention that Saitama cares about Genos it would be immediately shut down. Anything that had any emotion was boiled down to as “reading too much into it” and having shipping lenses. I always said that Genos was so important because the story doesn’t really even start until he is introduced into Saitama’s life, and so many would say he was just there for info dumping for the viewer. Yes, he accomplishes that, but he basically helped pull Saitama out of the monotonous apathy of his life that he couldn’t stand.

I also hope people realize what Genos does isn’t easy- and it’s not supposed to be. I think something ONE really values is the hard work of basic tasks that others take for granted. Genos works hard doing stuff like cooking and cleaning and supporting Saitama, and it’s not just supposed to be a gag. “Haha Genos is washing dishes again,” but if you’ve read Makai no Ossan, another of ONEs gag mangas, there’s a page that I think really sums up the value of doing these daily, menial tasks

Putting work into taking care of someone else is work.

They are both just so important to the other in regards to staying grounded in their humanity, and now it’s very blatant: Saitama lost Genos in a way that makes him feel like a failure and doubt his own ability as a hero. Hero work is the thing that gave his life meaning before, and when that started to wane he met Genos, who helped him find new meaning when they became professional heroes together. He is now stripped of everything, house, city, clothes, ((and Genos himself)) and all the pride he had in himself as a hero and is holding onto the one thing that is helping him maintain that humanity- Genos’s core. He says “I have to keep a tight grip on this” and I feel like it really represents his last grip on what separates him from being a monster himself. He taught Genos mercy, let’s hope he remembers that now…

Genos does so, so much for Saitama and the series in general.

Without him there’s no introduction to the HA, no hero job, no Mumen, no Bang, no Fubuki. Saitama would never have spared King a second glance. He could meet Sonic, learn that no one knows who he is, feel even worse about himself and move on.

He would have to look for another job. Even if he became a hero he wouldn’t know about the quotas and would be fired in a week.

Genos not only helped Saitama come out of isolation, but to have a stable job and just a better life in general. He keeps the house clean, cooks, takes care of his clothes, is aware of his needs, keeps him company, supports him in whatever he does, patiently explains things to him, humors him no matter what he does, even stands up for him when he won’t do it himself.

That requires so much effort to do just for oneself, imagine someone else.

Genos works really, really hard. Everything he does is important.

Saitama went from having no one to having someone who genuinely cares so much about him. There’s no way he would be indifferent about him.

And now he’s lost everything

Yes!!! And now I really wanna see Saitama finally putting in work for Genos. When Genos comes back I can see some sort of rift forming between them after all this. I’d love to see Saitama putting in more effort on Genos’s behalf cause he deserves it! 😭