I think being able to handle dark stuff is only the first step towards maturity right after you step out of childhood.
A 30/40 y/o who still thinks edgy stuff is 'mature' is more of a manchild than anything.
After the edge and darkness phase one should enter a more peaceful phase instead.
And this is what I love about Vagabond. Musashi is going through this development and advances as a human being rather than becoming the biggest edgelord in history. You should really check it out.
Exactly I completely agree. Its important to be aware of the fucked up shit in reality but it shouldnt be a crutch to claim maturity, especially when you're a fully grown adult/middle aged as you said.
Ah that does sound pretty nice, I did hear similar stuff like that about Vagabond, I might check it out then.
This comes to mind tbh, I've seen some men go through this as they get a lot older too: