#defiance: 3x01

[aflawedfashion]

Irisa Nolan | Defiance 3x01

[perfectlybriefmoon]

Season 3 faves

One of my favorite storylines from season 3 was Cordi and Liam's kidnapping I love how unlike when Officer Chen and Detective Lopez were kidnapped in season 2 and 4 of The Rookie they weren't found in the first episode and I love how they showed just how traumatic it was not only for Cordi and Liam but to the people who love them and it's heartbreaking to watch how devastating it was to not only the rest of the family but to Cassie, James, Trey and Ben and this was what was missing from when Chen and Lopez were kidnapped in the Rookie we didn't see the Devastation in caused to their families and for the most part the Midwilshire division behaved themselves when. It came to looking for one of their own

Compared to how Cassie as well as the kids went full on nuclear (understandable given their past traumas and Cordi's and Liam's disappearance brought up everything to the surface for both of them) Cassie broke into protective custody to talk to her previous partner Miles to see if he knew something and he did which ended up with how the Rangers found Cordi and Liam meanwhile Stella and Auggie went off on their own to speak to Shannon and her goons which ended pretty badly with Auggie getting beaten up and Stella forced to give up her Mom's mustang (which is what her Dad would've done if the situations were reversed)

As for Bonham and especially Abby they seriously broke my heart in both episodes Bonham being a rock for his wife and trying to comfort her the best he can meanwhile having faith in both of his boys to get themselves out of their situation and poor poor Abby after everything her family has been through she no longer has the emotional strength to hope that both her boys would come home alive and I wanted to hug her so badly

Cordi and Liam I love how in 3x01 Cordi had Emily's ghost to give him mental and emotional strength despite the horrors of being tortured by Sean and his goons I love his defiance which reminded me so much of Sam in the first 2 episodes of season 12 of Supernatural and while for the most part he doesn't break his situation get 1000 times worse when they being in baby brother Liam so not only does Cordi have to worry about himself he now has to worry about his baby brother and Cordi knows that Sean would have Liam killed if they don't get out of there now and they managed to escape just in time to be reunited with James and Cassie

Poor James not only having to keep his promise to Abby that he won't come to the Ranch until he had Cordi with him now he has to tell her that Liam went missing as well (i wonder how that conversation went down) then having Cassie go off on her own to talk to Miles despite him telling her to wait until she clearance and Stella going off with Auggie to talk to Shannon

[mayorofdefiance]

Defiance 3x01

Amanda Rosewater

[scottimae94]

I would like to take this opportunity to take credit for “Kurtis”. It is simply the only way to refer to him sometimes. Highly recommend. Very satisfying.

Blindspot 3x01 - Jane’s a little different

“Send help, my wife’s gone rogue!” -Kurtis Weller, probably

Extra:

[thebrochtuarachs]

To celebrate my birthday this Sunday...

...I will be posting new chapters of my current WIPs - To Begin Again, Arranged, Something In The Rain, and All That Was Good☺️Which will come out first, I'm not sure yet but kindly expect the new chapters dropping soon! (I've had a few days break, some of them spent on the beach, my creative juices are determined to get these out)

For the meantime, catch up on some of the other things I’ve written some while back:

ONE SHOTS

Woe is All I Possess ( Tumblr | AO3 ) - Frank Randall takes a break from editing his book when a familiar name suddenly made itself known [From Gotham’s Writing Workshop]

A Right To Claim ( Tumblr | AO3 ) - A little expansion of Claire and Laoghaire’s confrontation (1x10) plus a little imagined post-scene fic if Jamie had seen the entire thing.

On The Corporal’s Account ( Tumblr | AO3 ) - A 1x15 One-Shot imagined fic. What if someone had witnessed just how much Claire and Jamie fought for each other in that cell? I took the liberty of inventing a corporal officer as witness to it all.

All I Ask ( Tumblr | AO3 ) - Claire contemplates her decision after she promises to go back through the stones to Jamie. A little 2x06 post-scene fic.

Sisters ( Tumblr | AO3 ) - How Bree and Faith Meet. Modern AU. [From the Single Syllable Fic Challenge]

Good Morning ( Tumblr | AO3 ) - An unexpected visitor joins Claire’s morning bath routine [From Jamie x Claire Photo Prompt One Shots series]

Not A Parade ( Tumblr | AO3 ) - Jamie and Claire attend a party at his work. [From Jamie x Claire Photo Prompt One Shots series]

Joe ( Tumblr | AO3 ) - Claire tries to explain her two rings in the people she encountered in her life. [Tales of the Silver Ring series]

When Love Dies ( Tumblr | AO3 ) - AU. One Shot. Major Character Death. In which Claire and Bree doesn’t deserve Jamie for the way they (over) reacted in 4x10 and 4x11.

Of Small Glances ( Tumblr | AO3 ) - Jamie and Claire get trapped in an elevator on e New York Blackout. (Possible) One Shot. Fluff.

Introducing Bree [DONE] A short post 3x01 scene after Claire and Bree meet for the first time

Chapter 1: Redheads for a Reason ( Tumblr | AO3 )

Chapter 2: Her Name ( Tumblr | AO3 )

Forever [DONE] Jamie left Claire eight years ago and now he’s at her house. Will she take him back?

Chapter 1: The Unexpected Visitor ( Tumblr | AO3 )

Chapter 2: Defiance ( Tumblr | AO3 )

Chapter 3: Fight On ( Tumblr | AO3 )

Chapter 4: Another Unexpected Visitor ( Tumblr | AO3 )

Chapter 5: The Challenge ( Tumblr | AO3 )

Chapter 6: Aftermath ( Tumblr | AO3 )

To Begin Again [WIP] My take on how Jamie passes through the stones to the 20th century on Beltane to 1968.

Chapter 1: Someone’s At The Moor ( Tumblr | AO3 )

Chapter 2: A Birthday Celebrated ( Tumblr | AO3 )

Chapter 3: Of Lost and New Loves ( Tumblr | AO3 )

Chapter 4: The Introduction ( Tumblr | AO3 )

Chapter 5: Cars and the Issue of Semantics ( Tumblr | AO3 )

Chapter 6: Surprise, Surprise ( Tumblr | AO3 )

Chapter 7: Getting To Know You ( Tumblr | AO3 )

Chapter 8: A 20-Year Recap ( Tumblr | AO3 )

Chapter 9: Revelations Continued ( Tumblr | AO3 )

Chapter 10: Lallybroch ( Tumblr | AO3 ) [In participation in One Quote, One Shot 2]

Chapter 11: Riding (Tumblr | AO3)

Arranged [WIP] Modern AU. Set in 2018. Where Claire and Jamie are arranged to be married.

Chapter 1: The Announcement ( Tumblr | AO3 )

Chapter 2: The Explanation ( Tumblr | AO3 )

Chapter 3: The First Afternoon ( Tumblr | AO3 )

Chapter 4: The Dinner ( Tumblr | AO3)

Chapter 5: The New Acquaintances (Tumblr | AO3)

Chapter 6: Making A Claim (Tumblr | AO3)

Something In The Rain [WIP] Modern day meet-cute instance between Jamie and Claire.

Chapter 1: A Day In June ( Tumblr | AO3 )

Chapter 2: Definitely, Maybe ( Tumblr | AO3 )

Chapter 3: So We Meet Again ( Tumblr | AO3 )

Chapter 4: Friday Lunch ( Tumblr | AO3)

Chapter 5: Finding Solid Ground (Tumblr | AO3)

Chapter 6: Situations (Tumblr | AO3)

Chapter 7: Interruptions (Tumblr | AO3)

Chapter 8: A Month Apart, Part 1 (Tumblr | AO3)

Chapter 9: A Month Apart, Part 2 (Tumblr | AO3)

All That Was Good [WIP] My take on "What if Jamie and Claire both passed through the stones before Culloden?". I'm bad at summaries but hope you like this wee one!

Chapter 1 ( Tumblr | AO3 )

Chapter 2 ( Tumblr | AO3 )

Chapter 3 ( Tumblr | AO3 )

[tuiyla]

i would love to hear your thoughts specifically about sue and santana’s relationship if u have the time and ever feel up to discussing! hope you’re having a lovely break ^.^

Dear Anon, it's been way too long and I'm very sorry. I was actually back from break by the time you sent this but they just,,, did everything other than replying so I apologize and hope you are reading this. Please let me know if possible if you are lol I just feel bad about this delay.

So the reason this took me a while is because I think there's just so much there, you know, and I've been meaning to revisit their later seasons scenes because I think those are so interesting in how Santana grows to resent Sue. But of course I feel up to discussing it! I just started writing and realized there really is, just, too much, worthy of a season by season breakdown at least - which I will do if people want me to lol y'all know I'm unhinged. But for this, I guess I ended up going down more of an overview route and just the mention of potential juicy topics instead of fully elaborating on them. I've been meaning to do a "Sue traumatized the UHT and here's how post" and I've left an anon hanging so long ago about how Santana's anger was affected by Alma's and Sue's influences, so I'll leave thoughts on those out for now.

As a disclaimer, we have pretty limited information based on canon and, because this is Glee, what we do have can be inconsistent. More than that, Sue can be a tricky character to discuss on serious terms like I usually do character analysis because she's largely cartoony in her villain role and her grounded moments aim to humanize her. There's a conflict there with her presentation and what to take seriously so I believe interpretations can wary wildly. It's a similar problem Brittany's character has but Sue is to a more extreme degree, especially as the show's antagonist whose actions can range from bizarre to illegal and to morally appalling if taken at face value. But we can't take trying to shoot Brittany out of a canon at face value, right? So there's bound to be some negotiation about that, about what we do and don't seriously consider. Thus, let's just say a lot of what I'm touching on here is speculation. And because there was a first draft of this that went on foreveeeer, let's do bullet points in an attempt to restrain myself. It's gonna be more stream of consciousness than a lot of what I do but hey, mixing it up.

Sue as a matriarchal figure: now that I've said I won't touch on this too much I'll mention it anyway how Santana goes from having one prominent harsh matriarchal figure in her life to having two with Sue. She sure learned the wrong things from Sue because I think she'd be the kind of teenager to aspire to be like this accomplished coach who everyone fears.

Sue as an idol of Santana: Building on that, I don't think it's reaching too far to assume 14-15 year-old Santana idolized Sue, with her accomplishments and cutthroat behaviour, and how people didn't dare cross her. Sue was never kind to her but Abuela wasn't "a nice lady" either and she meant the world to Santana. I don't wanna chalk up Santana's cruelty to either of them, I think that's letting her off the hook too much. But I do think she was an impressionable young girl influenced by Sue's tactics and behaviour and needed to unlearn that in later life.

Put in the Schuevester crossfire: Because Glee's writing is bad and they never knew what to do with the spy storyline, Santana oscillates between being blindly loyal to Sue and small or larger acts of defiance. This is best illustrated in The Sue Sylvestre Shuffle, arguably the only ep to actually deal with this and then the mess that is 3x01. And I do think Santana's the most prominent Cheerio in this way, as Brittany is treated comically and Quinn more sympathetically who wasn't on the squad for as long anyway. Schue doesn't help the matter, either, and together these two grown-ass adults put her into a horrible position.

Sue's favourite? Hmm I think not: Sue states Santana is her favourite but she also states it's Quinn several times and she's a pretty unreliable character anyway. I think Santana was elevated in regards to her relationship with Sue when she became a more important character than Quinn but that doesn't change the fact that Q was always her favourite (apart from Becky, duh). Sue did her fair share of damaging Quinn, too, but I have no doubt in my mind that Santana was never her favourite. Tricky thing about Sue is that I think she might have convinced herself it was Santana because she was more loyal to her, overall in high school, than Quinn. But as Santana herself points out to Sue in no uncertain terms, those rose-coloured glasses are taken off at least from her side after high school.

Growing resentment: Speaking of. I think Santana already resented Sue in high school but in that inherent power imbalance kind of way where she's pissed at her teacher but fears her too much to actually confront her. Or even this feeling within herself, really. A good example of the power Sue holds over her is 3x01, where Santana tells Quinn that "screw Sue, rejoining the Cheerios isn't about her" but then proceeds to be intimidated into doing her bidding yet again. And I think Santana grows to look back on that and all the messed up shit and grows to hate Sue for it, which is what we see in seasons 5 and 6 in their limited interactions. Not so much in season 4 yet, there Santana still acts like a scared schoolgirl when Sue confronts her with dropping out and offers her a career. But New York Santana probably does some introspection to reach the conclusion 5x03 and 6x08 Santana does. And I think Sue's bafflement in 6x08 is telling of how messed up the imbalance was. Relating to this, their Quarterback plot of Santana so obviously externalizing her anger (as part fo grief) and taking it out on Sue, accusing her of things she feels about herself, and that whole issue of just how much of Sie she recognizes in herself - and is appalled by.

Weird sexualization on Sue's part: This one really pisses me off so just briefly, starting with the Sandbags nickname that sticks around for some godforsaken reason but taking it to an extreme with several sex worker comments. Sue really singled Santana out and while that wasn't just her, it was in fact the whole show, it's still gross and disgusting and genuinely one of the worst things I can say about Sue. Makes me so. Mad. You can't even imagine.

Overall I think this growing resentment is probably the most interesting part of their relationship if I had to choose because the writers actually do something with that. It's not, like, the best, but I'll take what I can get. And I think there's a story there about growing up and retroactively realizing that actually, the shit you were out through as a kid isn't okay. Let's consider for a moment the role Sue played in Santana's outing on state TV, for example. Yeah. And then the weird and gross sexualization (which felt racialized at certain points tbh) and general awfulness with how Sue used the UHT as pawns.

Plus, I mean, Sue had no problem potentially killing her future wife. I wouldn't invite her to the wedding, either.

[shayera-the-magpie]

How I would Have Done the DC Storyline in ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’...

Serena did float around wanting June transferred to another district, and in the events of 2x13 and 3x01, transferring June to another district would be an sure way to make sure she is out of reach from her daughter and as an result of her continual defiance under Aunt Lydia.

She’d be taken to DC where guidelines are slightly more rigid (I’d have just the veils, as that would have been enough to convey the message) and she’d be in DC’s Red Center until an Commander (other then High Commander Winslow, obviously) selects her. Where June would find herself thrust into the political going ons in DC, initially with her new Commander trying to see if she has any dirt on Waterford to give him via conversation (because, you shouldn’t put it past an DC Commander to want dirt in order to obtain blackmail material should said Commander fall out of line; showing that it wasn’t just Pryce trying to get dirt).

As to why I wouldn’t have placed June with the Winslows, s2 established what we’ve already known in the books about teens being wedded off (with Agnes almost married off to an fifty or sixty-some Commander Judd in The Testaments when she was just thirteen). So, I’d have her in an household where the Commander’s Wife is an girl in her late teens, as an dynamic between an teenage Commander’s Wife and an thirty-five year old Handmaid would have been interesting. Also showing that in DC, households where the Wives are fruitful can acquire Handmaids in order to get large families (i.e: Leah was able to conceive yet she gave Jacob her handmaid; the Red Center is called the Rachel and Leah Center after all). 

(Regarding the Nichole storyline, the Waterfords would go to DC to film their ‘plea’ before appearing in those range of propaganda shots, and instead of June coming with them, she’d already be conveniently there in order to show the entire household). 

But that’s how I would have explored the DC storyline, as I’m sure any one else has an better idea. 

[northcountry39]

Do u think Teresa will start to view P & KA's relationship the way Camilla saw her relationship with James? KA was never an asset to Teresa in the way T was to Camilla, nor does Pote provide quite the same service to T that J did to C. But James' connection to Teresa caused him to make some decisions that weren't always in the best interest of Camilla. It'll be interesting to see if Teresa worries about Pote: if a moment ever presents itself, will he choose the business or what's best for KA?

Hey anon, this is a great question! I am veeerrry interested to see how the whole KA/Pote romance will play out (and how it will impact Pote’s dynamic with Teresa). Because adorable as it all is, there is definitely potential for conflict and divided loyalties as you say. Remember in season 3 when Pote warned Teresa that it was dangerous to mix love and business? Hopefully his words won’t come back to haunt him!

So if we are to assume that this is more than a one-time makeout session, Pote will eventually need to tell Teresa about his involvement with KA (or keep it on the DL forever?) Because we’re talking about a romance with someone Teresa explicitly does not want around her or her business. Pote did promise in 3x08 to never hide the truth from Teresa, so hopefully he’ll be upfront and honest about what he wants rather than lying (like last ep’s revisionist history with Tony ahem). 

Teresa obviously cares about Pote’s happiness, but I can’t imagine she’ll be too thrilled about this development. She may learn to live with it or even embrace it given time, but I can see then butting heads over it initially and her even seeing it as a personal betrayal. And, as I mentioned in my other post, it could lead to Teresa feeling increasingly isolated (combined with KG’s departure, Birdie’s death, and Javier’s super sketchy behaviour).

We have seen a shift in Pote and Teresa’s relationship since 3x01, too, when it was just the two of them together on the run, struggling to stay alive and keep their fledgling business afloat. As much as Pote is still Teresa’s loyal “ride or die” companion, in 4x01 we see them more secure than they have ever been, with an expanded team, making plans to go legitimate and set down roots. Teresa gifts him a house so he can have his own life. Pote even says, “it seems like since we moved here, you need less of me.” Teresa says she will always need him, but it’s certainly in less of a “you and me against the world” way.

And throwing a love interest into the mix means Teresa wouldn’t necessarily be his only priority anymore. If that love interest is someone Teresa does not trust? That could mean Teresa might not trust Pote as implicitly as a result. Like you mentioned, James disobeyed Camila on several occasions in order to protect Teresa, and even though it’s not quite the same dynamic, we might see situations where Pote is similarly torn between the two. Or Teresa (who benefitted directly from James’ previous acts of defiance) wondering what his choice would be based on her past experiences. 

There hasn’t really been a serious test of the bond between Teresa and Pote since Pote threw in his lot with her back at the end of season 1 (apart from the wine cellar incident I guess), so there’s certainly room for some interesting storylines here and some more character bits for Pote - I’m excited to see where they will take it. Thanks for the ask! :)

[village-skeptic]

on “having it both ways”: thinking about S2 and looking ahead to S3

So apparently once a year I end up latching on to Riverdale pre-season promo and having WAY TOO MUCH to say about it.

Image analysis, pop-culture riffing, S2 criticism, meditations on resistant reading, my own discomfort with “wrongfully accused” narratives in this particular historical moment, and some hopes on the literal eve of the S3 premiere, below the cut...

So, last week when this piece of promo dropped, the very first thing that I thought of was the visual reference to Chicago and the Cell-Block Tango.

(I didn’t do it! - but if I’d done it? - how could you tell me that I was wrong?)

HOW perfect is that homage? The red lighting, the raised arms? The promo still just FEELS like a snapshot from a Fosse dance routine. (A little more on legendary choreographer Bob Fosse here.)

It’s a defiant pose, right in the center of the frame, but a slightly vulnerable one at the same time. There’s nothing hidden here; everything’s on display. The pose draws the viewer’s eyes inescapably to the body - a muscled body, but one which here seems like a gymnast or dancer’s body: lithe figure, tapered waist, power that is channeled into performance.

(this is tasty; this is plenty; this is hungry work)

So, on a first pass, insofar as it puts this demonstrative male body on display, it’s a little bit of a subversive image, I think. And that’s well in line with the way that Riverdale so often courts the female (and/or gay male) gaze, and at its best does some really unusual stuff with masculinity. 

I thought about all of this - and then, silly me, I saw that this piece of promo was NOT a still, but is, instead, a short clip. 

Archie doing pull-ups on the prison bars, as another heavily muscled dude saunters behind him, reads to me like a completely different type of performance! To the degree that it invites the eye, it sends the message: don’t fuck with me. In motion, we have purely the pursuit of greater strength, the purging of weakness in favor of the means of self-protection. 

Instead of Chicago, my mind jumps to 3x01′s title source: Fortune and Men’s Eyes. Dominate or be dominated. 

Realistically, I’m willing to believe that the ambiguous interpretation here between “still” and clip is just a quirk of how it happened to be uploaded to Twitter by a social media intern. 

Still - the interpretative gulf between the still image and the image in motion got me thinking how often Riverdale seems to want to “have it both ways,” and what that does to the audience’s experience and expectations of the show.

For instance:

Other people have written at length about how Riverdale’s pursuit of aesthetic homage or plot contrivance has created character inconsistencies that occasionally baffle. Cheryl is alternately a tragic Gothic heroine and a lacquered, ruthless Mean Girl; Jughead is both a sensitive loner writer and also a bad-boy gang leader; Betty is both Betty and Dark Betty. (GOD.)

Other folks have discussed how the show needs to really play out the consequences of conflicts between the characters. It’s not that the show shouldn’t drop bombshells like the Bughead breakup(s) or the conflict between Betty and Veronica/Jughead and Archie, but it seems all too willing to reset back to milkshakes in a booth at Pop’s without doing enough work to explain WHY things are okay again. (See also: resolving major conflicts between characters literally with a song.)

The desire to “have it both ways” also really shows up in the show’s tendency to engage complicated issues (racism, sexism, colonialism, the prison-industrial complex) on a shallow level - thus getting credit for mentioning them, without really taking the time to explore them meaningfully or to explain the characters’ investment in them. 

The result of this, in terms of storytelling, is that you leave a lot of room for resistant (even combative) readings of the text to emerge. To name a few of my own:

frustration with Jughead’s acceptance of what feels like a suuuuper patriarchal role as “the Serpent Prince” (and later King)

the fact that it’s really hard to sympathize with Veronica throughout entire swathes of season 2

a profound opposition to a storyline that sexualizes Betty’s mental health issues in a really exploitative fashion

And then... there’s Archie.

In the “Cell Block Tango,” the murderesses of Chicago (bar one) get to justify their crimes. Conversely, as we open the third season of Riverdale, the audience knows that Archie’s being blamed for something he didn’t do. Despite bragging about it (!!) to a bunch of mobsters (!!!!), Archie is not guilty of the murder of Cassidy Bullock. 

...but he IS guilty of so! many! other! things! across Season 2. I’m sure I’m forgetting some, but aiding and abetting a criminal, covering up a murder, blowing up a car, and forming an extralegal vigilante militia group - TWICE - all come to mind. 

The last bits of S2 offer us a version of Archie’s amends-making that comes in the form of defending the Serpents, turning on Hiram, supporting his father, et cetera. And then the very last image of S2 - Archie being clapped in cuffs right at the moment that he’s supposed to be sworn into office - is meant to distress us.

But a season of watching Archie embrace fascism leaves some marks, y’all. And a not insignificant portion of the audience, still frustrated with the character’s choices, couldn’t help but say - well, he had it coming.

So, yeah. It’s been a few months between the close of S2 and the open of S3, and in most cases that would be enough time for me to sit with the story in and of itself, to consider more broadly where it had failed or succeeded, and to allow some of that “resistant reader” response to drain away.

But real talk, you guys: I’m finding it really hard right now, at this moment in American history, to connect emotionally with the story of a young man trying to fight the charges of which he has been wrongfully-yet-ever-so-plausibly accused.  

[Please note, I am NOT trying to say that RAS is somehow trying to weigh in explicitly on the SCOTUS debacle. The S2 finale laying the groundwork for this plot aired this spring, and S3E1 has (presumably?) been in the can for a while now. And, to its credit, Riverdale has in both seasons explicitly criticized a sexual culture that objectifies young women and reduces them to “points” (the football team’s playbook) and to prey (Nick St. Clair).]

But, for me personally, I can’t help looking at this plot and hearing echoes of “It's a very scary time for young men in America when you can be guilty of something you may not be guilty of.”

Here’s the interesting thing: I think RAS knows this, and I think the promo around this plot is partially designed to try to dispel these connections. 

(For me, at least, it’s having mixed results.)

(source)

For instance, I can’t look at this still (young man, formal suit intended to project good character and youthful vulnerability, sullen face, flanked by counsel) without thinking, “Wow, this feels....Brock Turner-y.” 

I don’t know if anyone’s written about courtroom photos and sketches as a genre of visual composition, but I feel like I’ve seen variations of the Riverdale still a million times, often printed on the front page of the local university newspaper, discussing the controversy over the conviction (or NON-conviction) of a promising young athlete accused of something awful that no one who knows him EVER would have suspected he would do. (Nice boy, nice family, so many extracurriculars, such good grades!)

Of course, there’s a major difference between the photos above: Archie’s defense team is entirely female. 

Obviously this makes sense because Mary Andrews and Sierra McCoy are both major supporting characters who are also lawyers - but it also makes sense in trying to dismantle some of the potential gut reactions to this visual framing. There’s some “innocence by association” going on here, I think. And after all, Archie IS innocent of this particular crime!

This still lands with mixed effect for me though, because any defense strategy that suggests the intentional composition of a visual tableau feels inherently cynical, even when the character is sympathetic or innocent. 

For instance: I just watched The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, which features a scene where the main character shows up in the courtroom in full Upper West Side respectable regalia to try to get the obscenity charges against her dismissed - she fails and ends up having to plead guilty, because she mouths off at the judge. Anyone who’s familiar with Amy Sherman-Palladino’s work will recognize this bones of this plot point in the courtroom scene in Gilmore Girls: Rory’s grandparents’/lawyer’s attempt to portray her as a naive little angel backfires, and she ends up getting a ton of community service as penance for stealing a boat. It’s important to note that the characters are both guilty of their charges - although, as another favorite show of mine might note, “the situation’s a lot more nuanced than that.”)

(source | source)

Another way in which the pre-season promo is distancing Archie from both his actions last season, and the present context external to the show, is to emphasize his profound contrition. In this teaser from Riverdale 3x01, we get Archie declaring that “whatever happens to me in the courtroom on Tuesday - that is what I deserve.” This a statement of universal guilt and responsibility (one might say martyrdom?) that goes well beyond the scope of his actual infractions.

Now - I really, really appreciate that we’re getting a sad Archie rather than a mad Archie. And I want to acknowledge that he’s so definitely a kid here, trying hard to “man up” and to grapple with the fact that he screwed up big time and that there are consequences for his actions. After a season of doing the wrong thing over and over and OVER again, he’s trying to do the right thing. 

But here’s the thing: Fred responds to this confession of near-universal guilt with what (in this snippet) feels like a pair of universally-exculpatory statements: “You are a good kid. You got manipulated by a mobster.” (Mary is more nuanced: “You do not deserve to be framed for murder.”)

Archie does not deserve to be framed for murder, and he certainly did get manipulated by a mobster. In fact, I would like to formally start a petition to have Archie not fall under the control of an unscrupulous adult in S3!

However. 

Instead of accepting guilt for anything and everything and being immediately absolved for non-specific sins because of his inherent “goodness,” I really want to know that Archie understands what he actually DID do last season. He climbed wholeheartedly on board with the plan to Make Riverdale Great Again, and in that process, he did things that were NOT AT ALL commensurate with being “a good kid.” I think both the character and the show would benefit from a more explicit meditation on exactly why Hiram’s manipulation was so effective, and why Archie moved so quickly past being merely Hiram’s pawn, and voluntarily embraced the role of Hiram’s very ambitious accomplice. 

One of the specific preconditions of restorative justice is that the offender has to acknowledge their actions and the hurt that they caused. Reconciliation and vagueness are incompatible for so many reasons, but one of them is because a BIG part of learning from your mistakes is thinking precisely about what you did so that you can choose not to do it again.

I read a bunch of the new Archie comics over the break, and I think I now have a greater appreciation for the trope of Archie as a schlemiel. Despite his best intentions, the Archie archetype keeps making the same goofy, klutzy mistakes over and over again. This is fine, even funny, when it means that Archie just keeps accidentally ending up with a bucket on his head. Whoops! 

It is super not okay if it means that Archie just keeps finding himself supporting fascists. ...whoops?

(At present, my entire country is being “manipulated by mobsters.” Clearly, I have some feelings about this.)

I don’t actually know how to wrap all the loose ends of this analysis up meaningfully and coherently at the finish here - but then again, that probably puts me into good company with our showrunners. Optimistically, I’m going to hope that that’s intentional - that I’m judging in media res, and that plotlines and character arcs in S3 will weave together in a way that will surprise and delight me! 

But mostly, I’m going to reiterate my hope that S3 makes meaningful choices. That the people in charge don’t waste their actors’ time filming oodles and oodles of material that gets sliced and diced to ribbons. That they make choices EARLY about major plot points; that they stick to them; and that they let the rising action and falling action of your narrative reflect those choices, and the consequences that naturally accompany them. 

I hope that the people in charge of S3 will resist the ever-present temptation to “have it both ways” - which ultimately works out to really no definitive way at all. Telling a sturdy story is risky in a totally different way than courting controversy - but it’s so, so worth it. 

[cardiaceyes]

I would be by your side - AO3

Pairing: Kara/Lena Summary: Alternative scene to that one in 3x01.

Lena’s eyes were pleading, begging to understand what she was asking. For the first time in weeks Kara felt her resolve to stay Supergirl weaken, she wanted to run to Lena’s side in this endeavor. It was the first time she saw the need of Kara being in someone’s life.

Perhaps- her attention turned towards the door as she heard his footsteps.

“You’re more of a lunatic than your brother is,” he spoke with disbelief, anger.

Unfortunately, his words angered Kara. Hadn't Lena proven she was better than that? That she was better than most men, you’d ever come across? Morgan had no idea about what he was talking about; he didn’t know Lena or the things she’d done maybe even sacrificed to distance herself from her family. She was not them. She brought pride to the Luthor name.

Kara felt herself click into this certain mindset after a year of people telling not just herself but Lena that her friend was no good. She didn’t even have to think about it before she felt took a step in front of Lena protectively. She was invulnerable, and she’d always protect Lena.

“Excuse me?” Kara spoke up, Morgan's attention moved away from Lena for a moment. Her voice begged for him to say something, give her an excuse to throw him out personally.

What she’d give to do just that.

“I could ruin you.” This time it wasn’t spoken to just Lena, she could tell it was directed at the both of them.

Something in his voice made her paranoid for a moment like he knew something she didn’t. She almost wanted to break cover and demand he speak about the things he thought he could keep hidden. Her fist clenched, but before she could do anything, it was Lena’s voice that brought her back.

“You’re dangerously close to being thrown out by security,” Lena gave him a pointed look, unbothered by how Kara stood in front of her but not entirely thinking of her as cover as she stood tall.

He only seemed amused and more irritated than he had before with this...look that seemed as if he was teetering an edge. With a quiet sigh, Kara relented. She couldn’t do anything as...well Kara, but maybe she could do something as the girl of steel. People, knowing they were in the wrong usually hid from both her and her cousin or tried to lie their way out of it.

Did a little intimidation ever hurt anyone?

“You know what, I’m gonna go and let you handle...this,” she threw it like half of an insult, and she could tell by the way he twitched it worked. She felt pride.

She detached herself from the situation, moving towards the door not bothering to move around Morgan. He shifted at the last second to avoid from being hit, and there was a particular sound that came with it that made her pause the moment she reached the door. She blinked in confusion a few times.

Had she misheard it? Was it not what she- she turned around to stare at him, her eyes dipping the hand slipping behind his back. She heard the sound as it brushed against metal, though aware of Lena’s eyes still on her in confusion as she froze. Watching as his hand moved with the telling sound of a familiar click.

“You are going to regret the day you screwed me. I hope you enjoyed yourself because now you have all of my attention,” he sounded so smug.

That was it. A hand pulled a gun from his pants belt. Kara remained frozen for a moment, surprised he was this unhinged. How did he even get it inside? As far as she knew L-Corp implemented security checks at a certain point for weapons after a couple of attempts on Lena’s life. Did he pay someone?

How had she not noticed it? It was a 9mm at least. Alex had one like it at her apartment. She’d seen it several times.

Her gut twisted.

It was Lena’s gasp that brought her back to reality, unfreezing her as it pointed at her. Lena stood up straight and tried to look as unafraid as possible, but Kara could see there was fear in her eyes.

Instantly Kara took a step forward and rose her hand out to him, he looked over his shoulder at her, and there was surprise she was still there. However, he didn’t seem willing to back down. Kara’s heart clenched at the thought. She couldn’t lose Lena to an unhinged man who thought he was owed the world.

“Put the gun down, you don’t want to do this,” she tried, voice pleading.

“No,” Lena spoke, shocking them both to look at her but Lena was watching Kara rather than the man, “if he wants to shoot me, he can. He can make his claims about who I am and then put a bullet in between my eyes. The world will never know I wasn’t but he will,” she looked at him, “you’ll see my face every night and know I was who I was but you could never be who you pretended to be.”

He clasped both hands around the gun, teeth clenching as he snarled in anger at the things being spoken. Kara took a step forward in a panic, looking from him to Lena and begging her not to egg him on through a look. Lena, however, had her attention on him only. Fear was still there and very real, but there was something that unsettled Kara.

Lena was accepting the fate of whatever happened from her action, her family’s activities and not for the first time Kara wanted her to know that she was faster than a speeding bullet. Stronger than a tank. She would beat his weapon with desperation.

“No,” he laughed humorlessly, “you do NOT get to take the moral high ground. You hate them as much as your family does.”

He took a step forward, and so did Kara. While she may be faster, she had to treat the situation with care. Lena could still get hurt as well as anyone else. She refused to harm this man even as despicable as she found him unless she had no choice.

“Please put the-”

��Shut it blondie!” Morgan barked at her, Kara’s mouth remained open in surprise at the intensity rolling off of him.

“That’s the thing,” Lena stole his attention again as her eyes flickered from Kara to the door begging her to leave wordlessly, “I don’t. I am cautious, but I don’t hate them. They are not human, but they are people who deserve every right we do. You’re trying to take away from the fact you’re grasping at straws.”

That must have been a tipping point because he snapped again, snarling a shut up as he readied himself to take another step closer, finger slowly squeezing the trigger pointed directly at Lena. Kara couldn’t remain silent any longer.

“You do NOT want to do this-”

“I said shut up!” He tried to interject, but Kara stared him down and continued.

“I don’t know what kind of man you are, I don’t care, but you will not get a single thing you came for after if you do this. It will all be pulled away from your fingertips more than it already is by you standing here with a gun in your hands.”

Her argument was real and cut to the point, but it didn’t seem to do anything. It did the opposite. He laughed at her as his head turned back to speak with venom. His words aimed at Lena and it surprised the two women in the room.

“No...it’ll get me what I want,” he squeezed the trigger a little further, “one Luthor dead. Out of my way, the next will be Lillian. For kicks.”

“Ms. Luthor are-” the moment Jess appeared at the doorway, her eyes widened.

He turned, taking a shot at the secretary. Kara, however, was faster, her hand reaching out and pushing Jess out of the way on instinct it what felt like slow motion. Thankfully Jess was knocked backward out of the room as Morgan stared at her, blinking in shock. She could see Jess crawling towards her desk and prayed she was alright enough to call security or the DEO.

Kara turned her head staring him down as she took a breath. She tried to remain calm. Her eyes flickered to Lena who was staring with an unreadable expression.

She had no time to decipher it as Morgan took a shot at Kara this time. Out of instinct, she tilted her head to the side at the last second, missing it. Not that it would have hurt her, but it was part of her training. Bullets bounced off of her skin. That could have hurt someone else.

He looked at the gun in his hand in shock, slowly putting the pieces together.

“As I said,” she grabbed his attention again, “you don’t want to do this. Put. The. Gun. Down.”

It was a demand. She stood taller; if no one could tell before she and the girl of steel had similarities, they saw it now in the way she stood tall with her chin tilted upward. Not in pride but defiance.

“I won’t let you hurt her.” This statement had never been said with immense truth before.

He thought for a moment blinking before he turned back to Lena.

“No...I will,” and with that, the gun came up and another shot was fired.

Kara, however, was faster. Faster than usual. The bullet never found any purchase in Lena. It saw itself in Kara’s hand, her arm outstretched as she stood beside him.

His head to turn at staring at her in surprise, but Kara was looking Lena over as if she almost didn’t trust herself to save her best friend. Lena blinked in surprised but was relatively okay. She blinked at Kara, but there was no anger there. Just surprise that she’d done this so soon. Kara would have to talk to her about that later.

Kara turned her attention back on him, staring him down as she dropped the bullet from her hand, letting her arm fall to her side.

He brought his elbow back to try and slam it into her face as if it’d do something. Her hand was faster, and she squeezed tight twisting his arm just slightly as she brought it behind his back. He yelped in pain, trying to stand on the tips of his toes as if it’d do something. She huffed in frustration as she took his gun with her free hand yanking it from his grip.

She shook her head as she pulled him to the opposite side of the room, with a push he slammed against the wall knocking a few frames off center. He grunted and slid to the floor staring at her in shock as she twisted his gun in her hands, so it was unusable and threw it at his feet in anger.

“Stay put. If I have to drag you back I’ll dangle you over the balcony,” it was a command and a promise.

He showed no signs of disobeying, so she turned and walked to where Lena was staring at him in disbelief. Kara felt guilt boil over Lena discovering who she was this way. She had thought about her reveal before. A situation where she wasn’t forced to come out. Where she could freely open up to Lena without other forces pushing her to.

She wanted to say sorry.

“Are you okay?” Came out instead with genuine concern for Lena.

“No,” Kara frowned ready to apologize, but Lena beat her to it, “people always keep trying to kill me. I’m going to need intense therapy eventually.”

Kara frowned further at the joke.

“Lena,” she pleaded.

Lena looked at her and sighed as she relented.

“No, I just…”

Kara’s eyes flickered behind her as she heard the sound of movement again. She found another gun pointed at Lena with uncertainty this time. Kara’s jaw clenched in frustration. How many guns did he have?

She took a step forward as he took another shot, her hand wrapping around Lena as she covered Lena’s body with her own. Time resumed, and Lena only curled into her like she found a comforting warmth that might protect her. She had. The bullet bounced off of her back after tearing a hole in her shirt.

With a huff, she turned her head and stared him down.

“Drop it,” he did so instantly, “kick it over, and any other weapons you have. Do not make me come check you.”

He obeyed, muttering a small that’s all in compliance to other weapons. He gulped nervously, and it allowed Kara to turn attention back on Lena who was still hiding in her arms.

“It’s okay Lena,” she muttered into her hair.

Slowly Lena lifted her head and sighed in relief at the sight of Kara with a smile. Did she really think she was going to die? Lena smiled thankfully at her and closed her eyes as she took in a deep breath. Kara let herself soften enough to place a soft kiss on Lena’s forehead repeating her words.

“I’m okay,” Lena told her.

She wasn’t, but Kara let it slide as she stood up allowing Lena to do the same. She didn’t distance herself, however. She remained as close as she was, her hands never leaving Lena. Not for Lena’s sake but more for her own.

“Seems like the girl of steel is always my shield isn’t she?” Lena’s smile didn’t reach her eyes, and Kara felt guilty again.

Kara tried to step back, letting go, and to give Lena distance as guilt twisted in her gut. Lena however, grasped her arms and gave her a pleading look. Kara froze, tensing, afraid of what Lena might say.

“Please don’t do that anymore. Please stop distancing yourself from me,” Lena’s eyes had never shone with fear of losing Kara as much as they had now, “I’ve known for awhile I was just waiting for you to say it, I’m not mad, but please the distance is driving me up the wall.”

Kara stared for a few moments before nodding. This wasn’t the only reason she had been distancing herself, but that was part of it. Lena sagged into her in relief, letting her forehead fall onto Kara’s shoulder as she took a couple of breaths to steady herself again. Kara felt guilty that Lena thought she was ever going to lose her.

Was this how everyone else was feeling? Or at least Alex?

Had she let everyone think they’d all lost her? Was that fair to do? She had every right to be as pessimistic and dark as she was lately, but maybe she’d taken it out on the people she cared about. Even unknowingly.

Family started with a reminder of love, didn’t it?

“I love you,” she spoke softly, gathering Lena’s attention who was shocked to hear the words as Kara’s hands moved to wrap around her again, “I’m sorry I made you feel like I didn’t or that you might have been losing me.”

Lena smiled understandingly.

“It’s fine,” Kara opened her mouth to disagree, “no it is. You have every right to be distant if it’s what you want and needs. I just don’t want to lose my only family. You can understand that can’t you?”

Kara’s bottom lip quivered because she did understand. She understood more than anyone ever should.

“I do.”

“Oh Kara,” Lena cupped her cheeks with a watery smile, “it’s- it might not be okay, but you’re not alone. You’re never alone. Please never forget that.”

Kara kissed her forehead again.

“I love you,” she whispered against Lena’s forehead again.

“I love you too.”

[aflawedfashion]

Defiance Rewatch: 3x01 - The World We Seize

[aflawedfashion]

Defiance Rewatch: 3x01 - The World We Seize

[mayorofdefiance]

Defiance 3x01

Irisa Nolan

[mayorofdefiance]

Defiance 3x01

Berlin

[mayorofdefiance]

Defiance 3x10

Christie and Luke

[mayorofdefiance]

Defiance 3x01

Nolan and Amanda