Kody loved Christine

Rewatching season 17 and Kody was really heartbroken when Christine decided to leave. He was angry and we witnessed him go through the stages of grief. I believe he didn’t love her at first but then fell in love. As in love as a narcissist can, then he decided she needed to earn his love again when Robyn entered the picture.

He was actually more brokenhearted with Christine leaving than with Janelle. I think Janelle didn’t require much of him but Christine was the epitome of what a plural wife is. Her leaving, meant the loss of the fiber of the family.

I think he loved what Christine brought to his family, had it not been for Christine - his family might have not been functional for so long. Kody even admitted that Christine helped settle him home and created harmony between Janelle and Meri.

In this season, Janelle revealed that Kody was constantly telling Janelle what Robyn said about how awful Christine was - Janelle said they tried to get her to turn against Christine. I think the reason Christine and Kody’s relationship suffered the most after Robyn entered the picture is because knew Christine was the threat and did everything in her power to poison Kody against Christine.

Additionally all of this, shows that Kody was never fit to be a plural husband. He created different camps and led the charge against a wife at any given point.