I've been pondering this over the last, eh, week and a half or two, ever since the event really. I've gone back and read a bunch of cwcki shit when it's up, and rewatched a bunch of videos.
I'm firmly, but not totally, of the opinion that Chris has always been like this; that this is something beyond autism. I know plenty of people with autism, and as I look back on Chris with shit-tinted glasses, I have to say the guy's always been a sociopath. Autistic, yes, insane, yes, but I think the thread that wraps up everything I can remember off the top of my head about Chris is unrestrained ASPD.
Chris fed the trolls, even the most autistic person I know, who frankly (at least a year ago, he's gotten way better, proud of the guy) could have given Chris a run for his money, had enough common sense to show me his dating app and ask me if he was being catfished. Chris was aware of what was going on. I'm firmly convinced of that. I know it's easy to look at a man who plays with legos and pokemon cards, who draws shitty comics, and think; "oh boy, that guy's a complete retard" and then to treat him with those expectations, but I don't think so.
I think Chris used the trolling to make Sonichu popular, he didn't care, he's a manipulative, calculating (he couldn't even do a family tree without using math formulas) sociopath who is only limited by his inability to actually read social situations and people.
Chris probably knew it was rape, and didn't care, because he doesn't have the ability to care, because he's a self-involved, completely narcissistic sociopath whose only concern is fulfilling himself at the expense of everyone around him, and then lying about it/manipulating others with the "I'm just a dumb autist" act; like Jersh with the 750 bucks he stole from Barb. He lied about that. He lied to Josh about who he was "dating", he manipulates and distorts and twists the truth seamlessly to keep getting what he wants.
Sociopath. He's a deviant, autistic sociopath, who might have been dangerous (more so than he actually is) if he had even a mote of social awareness. He's capable of scheming, but not capable of materializing any of his schemes in a realistic or tangible way. He preyed on the weakest of the weak, because it fulfilled his selfish, all consuming desires.
As proof that Chris isn't the potatoheaded retard many take him for. He made Isabella send him receipts for the $500 camera. He's at least aware enough to have picked up on her vibes. What else was he aware of? Probably a lot more than anyone would guess. The dude was a monster, a wolf in sheep's clothing, a wolf with no teeth, but a wolf nonetheless, and I think he's played the internet as much as the internet's played him. If the last decade of trolling never happened, 99.9% of the people who are aware of him today would know nothing about him. This forum probably wouldn't exist. The CWCKI probably wouldn't exist, and he'd be some obscure guy on the internet that maybe less than 100 people knew about. He got everything he wanted, and introduces himself to people, Gamestop employees and the voice of Eggman as being "famous on the internet"
Which is what he wanted. He got everything he wanted. And he probably thinks he won.
Yes he knew it was "wrong", and he didn't give a damn. Just like everything else in his life.