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these two, alright

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Marta & Fina - Sueños de Libertad

Ep. 40 | Ep. 166 | Ep. 214

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ep. 185 | 08.11.24

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Favorite Marta and Fina Moments - Part 111 Sueños de Libertad, Ep. 214

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MARTA & FINA - Dreams of Freedom "Marta, living halfway is still living. And that's what we're going to do, without fear. You and me together, remember?"

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MARTA & FINA - Sueños de Libertad (2024)

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Marta a secas & Marta de la Reina

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Funny how wanting to teach a rapist a lesson all of a sudden makes a woman less. Oh no, she’s succumbed to her ire and wants to retaliate because the justice system failed her. Oh no, deciding to become fluent in violence, because it’s the only language said rapist responds to, is heinous and turns her into a horrible person. Women aren’t supposed to retaliate. No. They’re supposed to endure and accept, resigning themselves to whatever scraps they’re being offered as meagre compensation. A woman defending herself, and others, is a freak of nature. That’s not for her to do. No. Taking matters into her own hands only proves she’s hysterical, incapable of calculated reasoning, forever ruled by her passions and not her intellect. She ought to know her place and defer to her masculine betters.

Funny how when men crusade for justice, it’s expected. All the more, it’s to be admired. Especially when they deal out justice themselves, due to a corrupt and broken system. If they do that? Well, they’re the consummate romantic heroes. They get the girl too, who swoons at their daring feat in defense of her. “He slew the villain, ensuring the bad guy got what he deserved”. Everyone celebrates and lives happily ever after. The male vigilante is encouraged and acclaimed. The female one? She’s a pariah. The village witch. She’s an aberration that disturbs the natural order. As such, she needs to be put in her place. Reminded that she’s wrong for feeling the way she does, banished and vilified.

So God forbid, that for a moment, Marta risked donning the proverbial cape of the avenger. Oh, no. She’s suddenly no better than her murderous brother and kingpin father. Her ensuring a rapist got roughed up a little equals murder. Her morals are forever compromised, if nonexistent. The Queen has lost her crown. She’s turning to the dark, down a path of no return. The end of days is upon us.

Personally? I’m baffled. Because as much as we may want to? The high road is not always the solution. In fact, there’s times when it preserves the status quo and those in power profit from it. As a result, going low remains the only option to strike back. And Marta tried taking every high road available to her. Until she had enough of running into closed doors or having them shut in her face.

I also think Fina’s “this isn’t about you” is a nonsensical. Fina’s not insular, she’s not a lone wolf. She’s part of a whole now. She and Marta are indivisible, together in whatever it is they’re facing. What happens to one of them, happens to both. Fina’s pain is Marta’s pain. Fina’s anguish is Marta’s anguish. Fina’s terror and helplessness is Marta’s as well. And therefore, Fina’s fight is Marta’s fight. They’re a common unit, a united front. Fina can’t just ask Marta to let it all slide, because Fina didn’t go through it all alone - even as no one really asks Marta if she’s alright (well, Carmen did ask at some point, but curiously enough, Fina hasn’t and it’s Fina who needs to hear, and know, how Marta’s been impacted by this situation. If anything, most people are fiercer in defence of others and would go to lengths they’d never go to for themselves. Marta is one of those people. Fina is sacred to her and this is Marta’s holy war. For Fina, for herself and for the countless women to whom justice is denied)

I also don’t think Marta’s disrespecting the wishes of the true victim. Fina may have the physical bruises, but Marta carries them like a debilitating echo within. If Fina won’t be able to see that? To realise that Marta’s fight is her own fight? That it’s their fight? I confess I’ll be rather disappointed. As will I be if the show decides to send the message that victims should swallow their pain, be thankful what happened wasn’t worse and resign themselves to abusers getting richly rewarded. For if they don’t? They’re just as bad as their aggressors, or worse.

We’ll see. Agree to disagree, as always. Until then? I’m all for Marta being unapologetic and proud. She’s nothing to be remorseful about, even as the world will try its hardest to shame her into believing it.

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al menos a mi me consuela saber que me me mueve la justicia, a ti la ambición

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Fina trying to keep Marta from ripping cabbage-man a new one

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The light after the snow.

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nathaniel wise

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Sueños de Libertad | Episodio 19

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THIS & LOUDER !!!

One of the most interesting aspects of Marta's demand for justice is that it goes far beyond what happened to Fina. Santiago's violence is the driving force behind her anger, but the sense of injustice is rooted in the way women are considered insignificant in comparison to men.

Marta has always been aware of her privilege and class, but it is only now that she understands the depth of the difference between her and women like Fina, who have no money or social position on their side. She was already a feminist, but now she understands the pain and powerlessness of having no power against power. Marta is becoming political and I would love to see that side of her developed.

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Thing is. If Fina’s partner were a man, no one would bat an eye at him making a stance, taking matters into his own hands even, and punishing his wife’s aggressor. Most likely there’d be those wondering why he wasn’t doing anything. But given Marta is a woman, she’s supposed to endure, to forget, to be the consummate pacifist, the proverbial bleeding heart. As such, the double standards are alive and well.

Marta doesn’t need to be perfect. Nor should she be held to those standards. Always aboveboard, always exemplary in every way, always angelic, the very compass of morality. She’s human, after all. She suffers, she rages, she lashes out. The justice system failed her and it failed Fina. It failed all women. Turning the cheek, again and again? That’s the province of Saints and for all her countless virtues, Marta never claimed to be one.

Her sole claim is that of a woman who’s deeply in love with her partner and whose ire at her woman being assaulted is a raging inferno. Fina might not even be truly aware of how lucky she is Marta is willing to go for war for her. And no, I don’t think wanting to teach Santiago a lesson makes Marta the same as her brother and father. Marta doesn’t seek to inflict pain for sport, she’s not a murderer nor does she seek to ruin the lives of innocent people. Hers is a crusade to right a wrong, teach a lesson and, hopefully, feel less vulnerable. Hell, she even gave Santiago the opportunity to be a man and turn himself in for attempted rape. After all, he’s constantly fist-thumping he’s a male, loud and proud. He was given the chance to act like one and take responsibility for his actions. He smugly declined and threatened to rape her instead. And Marta is one who’s sick and tired of a system that’s rigged against women. She did what she felt was needed. For Fina, for herself, for countless other women whose aggressors were never, and will never, be punished. And if deep down she found a kernel of enjoyment, an intense flare of satisfaction, even as it mixed with doubt? No one can blame her. It was well deserved. This is a man who will continue assaulting women no matter where he goes, proudly so. And he deserves to have a taste of this own vile medicine.

Do I think this won’t affect Marta after all, once the dust settles? Definitely not. In fact, given her sensitive nature, it might leave scars. And sensitive she is. Beautiful souls aren’t left unscathed, especially when committing to something that goes against their nature. And Marta’s nature isn’t vengeful, nor is it violent. However, she’s been bitterly tested. I don’t think she was found lacking though. She was simply pierced through her Achilles tendon. And it triggered a primal need to defend, to attack, to punish.

One isn’t truly aware of how far they’re capable of going until they find themselves in that unlikely, most unfortunate position. And Marta would defend Fina to the bitter end, even if Fina doesn’t want it. Even if she disavows her. In fact, Fina will judge her way too harshly for this. She’ll be judge, jury and executioner and hot-headed to boot.

Also, we don’t yet know if Santiago will actually leave for good, or if he will double down, seeking vengeance against Marta now. Based on what we’ve seen of him so far, he’s a coward. As such, he should flee like a rat abandoning a sinking ship. Will he though? Remains to be seen. We’ve probably not met the end of this curveball? One never knows with the show: will they keep focusing on this storyline, or will they move on to Fina’s anger and disappointment/disapproval. I gather a fallout between them is imminent. Marta will have to deal with Fina’s disillusion and Fina will have to deal with accepting Marta’s indisputable humanity.

I also keep wondering, given we know Fina will have a negative reaction to all of this? If she’d consider herself above doing the same, were the situation reversed. She confessed to Marta about wanting to die after what happened, fumed about her aggressor coming out smelling of roses while she had to suffer, becoming a pariah, felt abject terror at the thought of him pursuing her, told Marta she feels unsafe and unprotected. All of that? All of that she revealed to Marta. So it makes me wonder. Would she have suffered an aggression of the kind against Marta? Would she have easily chosen to stand down? Would she have found it tolerable, sitting on her hands after the woman she loves has been attacked. Because I sincerely doubt that.

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