I agree that Will would be problematic as a girl-dad more than a boy-dad, but what do you think of Hannibal? He seems more able to forge bonds, like with Abigail. Do you think his parenthood would be just as fucked up as Will's?

Hannibal as a father.

If Hannibal had become a father in his early 20s, his child would have been around 20-25 when the events of the show began. This would make for a very different dynamic than what he had with Abigail. He did not raise Abigail from birth, which meant his approach with her was centered on molding and transforming her. With his own child, however, the shaping process would have already been completed long before adulthood.

Hannibal would be an extremely demanding father, expecting excellence in all areas and ensuring that his child upheld an image of prestige. A child raised by him would be entirely consumed by his influence, regardless of gender, they would be mini-Hannibals. However, a daughter would likely receive more softness from him (because of Mischa), whereas a son would be subjected to greater expectations due to Hannibal seeing too much of himself in the boy. Without question, he would expose his child to his world of violence, if not directly training them to kill, then at the very least acclimating them to his activities. He would never raise his voice or argue, but his authority would be unquestionable, enforced through sheer manipulative prowess. It is entirely plausible that he would demonstrate his power by making them witness something disturbing, like what he did with Marissa, and just as he was unconcerned with the very real possibility of Wally being savagely brutalized by the Dragon (both were kids on the show).

Academically, he would be highly involved, keenly aware of his child’s psychological development, and actively shaping their worldview. If his child were an adult in canon, they would either still be living with him or attending a prestigious university but maintaining constant contact. Unlike Will, who would allow a son to drift away, Hannibal would never permit such distance. His children would live in perpetual pursuit of his approval, fostering a resentment toward Will (“How dare you have my father’s devotion?”). Hannibal’s love would not be selfless; he would care for his children, but only insofar as they represented his legacy. They would not be loved as autonomous individuals but as extensions of himself.

If Hannibal had a child during the events of the show, his approach would shift toward hyper-protectiveness. Having experienced the dangers of his world firsthand, he would be acutely aware of the risks. In this case, his parenting would resemble what he did with Abigail, effectively a slow-building Stockholm syndrome, ensuring the child remained bound to him, unable to escape his influence.