 Greno and Howard wanted Flynn to be funny and sarcastic as opposed to snarky. One occasion in particular involved an animator having Flynn respond to Rapunzel's excitement by simply walking away from her in silence. The directors did not like this because, according to Greno, Flynn "did this reaction where [he] treated her like she's nuts." Although both directors agreed that Flynn's reaction was funny, Greno and Howard wanted the characters to "connect" emotionally during this scene. Screenwriter Dan Fogelman said that Flynn is "at his best ... when he's playing little mind games with other people and entertaining himself along with them," likening him to English actor Cary Grant. Fogelman concluded, "At his heart, he's really kind of a lost soul who doesn't quite know what he wants and who he is." Howard cited fictional characters Ferris Bueller and Indiana Jones as influences because these characters, like Flynn, "are skilled but have a human side to them." Flynn is considered an antihero because "He is quick-witted and agile, stealing to survive" and "he is also extremely narcissistic."
