#// and fen is SUCH a caring person. like why do you think he willingly goes back to tevinter for the slaves that cant be released

[fen-dwxller]

wholsumvalues quiz !

tagging: anyone that wants to do this ! <3

[milquetoast-on-acid]

Bad Blood, A Reactionary Post

What this episode was about: Nothing and no one can dictate who is a part of your family The sacrifices that we make for (those that we love) and (those that don't deserve our love). The family-ship was strong with this one

Provenza dropping the ball I'm wondering if this thread of Provenza's not remembering Mary (as unforgettable as she was). And missing out on clues that Buzz picked up about the murder is what starts Provenza thinking about retirement. As soon as Provenza remembers who Mary is and says that there's someone who know her much better than I did I know exactly who he was talking about. 

Wes and his case of the PTSD’s I really like this subtle storyline of Wes' and how he's dealing with being in an organized police unit again. Nolan was undercover for 5 years immersed in the criminal underworld and it's going to effect him in some way and it's really nice to see that we are seeing some of that subtly develop through 5b. 

It was his first instinct to shoot the suspect. And when your in an environment that advocates violence as the first solution it's not something that's going to be shaken right away. So I really love that it was Mike that took charge of the situation and told his ass to stand down and not to shoot unless he's got a weapon. Also Mike knows what it's like to kill a suspect and he knows it's not something that anyone wants to go through.

"No one ever thinks about the murder's family" I thought that was an interesting line. Because they tend to get lost in the shuffle. They also have an emotional fallout they have to deal with when it comes to their family member becoming a murderer. I fell like it also relates a lot to Sharon and her family life. For so long everyone sees Sharon as this evil woman because of the job she had to do as IA. That no one ever really saw the sacrifices that she had to make in her personal life and in her professional life.

Make Way for Ducklings I really love how the show has had this wonderful thread linking Julio's adoption story with that book. We get another really great heartfelt moment between Julio and Mark. This time Julio explaining to Mark that (while he's starting the processes of adoption) he isn't officially his kid. Poor Mark just doesn't understand is like why can't he call Julio, dad. While we know that the two of them think of themselves as father and son. Julio just doesn't want to jump the gun and risk Mark being taken away from him just yet. So I really loved Julio solution in the end of Pato (duck) and Patito(little duck)!

Buzz and his Bike Is there a reason why Buzz insists on bringing his Bike all the way up to MC with him everyday? There is a garage where people keep their cars and I'm sure a place to lock your bike up so no one will steal it. Dude, paranoid much?

#The Future Mrs Flynn One of the things that I loved about this episode was flipping a very traditional trope on its head. When the squad finds out about Sharon and Andy's engagement it's Mike, Julio and Ricky that ask and comment about the ring. Also it's Ricky and Mike that seem to be the cheer leaders over the engagement. It's a very nice and deliberate choice for MC to make because normally we'd see the women (Amy and Andrea) giggly about the wedding. It's a nice and refreshing thing to see. 

It reminds me of that scene in "Down the Drain" when it's Andy and Provenza who try to out dad each other with the baby. While both Sharon and Amy are featured in the scene and don't have much interaction with the baby. 

Lets talk about Mike and his enthusiasm for this wedding. Like we could never have seen Mike be so excited about Sharon and Andy of all people getting married back during The Closer days. But then I don't think that any of them could back in those days. Anyway I just love how happy he is about it.

The Ring Since there was such a big reveal regarding the ring. I think that it's only fair to actually talk about the ring. 

"I can't afford a ring as beautiful as she deserves." Let's start with this. If Andy Flynn could he would by Sharon Raydor the freaking moon and use it as her engagement ring. I think he's selling himself short here because I thought the ring was really beautiful and so does everyone else including Sharon. It's really nice to see that the show really keeps stuff like this in mind, such as a cops salary. Another thing that I want to comment on regarding this line is that I think there is a part of Andy that feels that he doesn't deserve Sharon. I think a part of him will always feel that way because of the mistakes that he made in his past. 

"Oooh Emerald cut. Nice." Mike's comment about the ring really got me going. Not to mention both Sharon and Andy's responses to it. When ever Sharon is overwhelmed by something she can't form words. So I love how she just glows with happiness and looks to Andy. 

I really love the ring because I think that it's very much Sharon. It's beautiful and understated, classic yet the unusual band makes it truly unique. Which to mean just screams Sharon Raydor's own personality. I love that he didn't get a traditional gold band because when have we ever seen her wear gold? Not any time that I can ever thing of. She's really a silver person as far as her jewelry tastes tend to lean.

Sacrifices

Those that don't deserve our love Mary This woman is so aweful so why is it that everyone seems to be giving her a break from her terrible behavior? She blarently steals, posions dogs and mooches off of her family. The police officers that catch her stealing felt that she would have been more of a nusance to book her than to just let her go. Provenza can't remember her and when he does remember who she is. He can't remember why he had liked her. Mary's niece takes care of her by paying for an apartment for her when she loses her pention. So why? The answer really comes back to her having been a cop. The job is respected so she gets away with so much stuff that she wouldn't have normally been able to get away with. Another (bigger) reason is Mary's niece. To her she's a nusence but to her she's family and a cop.

Jack There is so many parallells between Mary/Jack and the stuff that both Mary's niece/ Sharon went through with of them. Both Mary and Jack are assholes who use people and think that they are entitled to exactly what they want and they could care less about how much it hurts other people. I thought it was so interesting regarding Mary's niece conversation with her son. It was a really nice callback to Sharon reaming Ricky out over his treatment of Rusty. Both women had to make sacficies because no matter how terrible human beings Jack and Mary were they were family to them. Mary was a cop and her niece. Jack was Sharon's husband and father to her children.

Those that we love Sharon and Andy

Sharon's Annulment I've read a few reviews and peoples opinions on this episode and what Ricky did in particular. I do agree that it wasn't appropriate and it wasn't his business but it's not something that I'm upset with him over. For several reasons, it really shows how much they (him and Emily) love their mom and want to see her happy. They can all really see the difference in how Jack treated Sharon verses how Andy treats Sharon. And just how much Andy makes her happy. As much as it should have been Sharon going to Jack telling him about the engagement and asking about the annulment. I can't help but feel happy that it wasn't. We all know that Jack would have been difficult about it (and he was according to their conversation) and that conversation would have been emotionally trying for her. Jack would never have willingly signed the annulment papers. He'd be bitter and vindictive about it. Holding it over her head that she wouldn't have been able to get married in a church. 

And of course this is Sharon and she would have been able to handle it but it's really nice that she didn't have to. I get from her emotions at the beginning of the conversation that she felt that a church wedding would have been next to impossible. 

This whole gesture goes back to how much Sharon had to sacrifice for her family. Her whole entire career for instance as Sharon originally wanted to be a lawyer. She only became a cop first to take care of their family while Jack went to law school first. And by the time he was established as a lawyer enough for her to quit as a cop and go to law school he up and left. 

She eventually found happiness in her career as a cop and even realized that she liked that side of the law better. And then later again when she became a cop in IA. She wanted to be a detective but the hours were better for kids, the pay was better because it was a faster climb up the rank ladder and it was a safer job as a single parent because she would be in the line of fire. 

Andy's Annulment Honestly I had no idea what Rusty was up too. But it makes perfect sense that he would get Nicole in on it. Even though Rusty found a different way to get Andy's annulment (other than straight out telling him to get one), it didn't come from Andy in the way that Sharon wanted. Andy seems shocked by it. And then there’s the question well why didn't Andy ask Sandra for an annulment if it meant so much to Sharon? I think from Andy's comments in his conversation earlier with the boys - that he probably felt he didn't have the right to ask her for something like that. 

It was pretty funny seeing Rusty fen ignorance like oh do you get calls from your ex-wife often? And seeing both of them trying not to laugh at Andy's shock. I also wonder a bit why Andy didn't put it together. Sharon though saw right through both of her boys. 

I kind of feel like to the three of them - Sharon and Andy have been dating forever. And that their parents needed a push to get the ball rolling. Like the fact that they were dating and didn't even realize it. And that they didn't interfere with their dating life (and see how long it took them to get to actual dating) they don't want them taking forever to get married.

Ricky inadvertently spilling the beans I don't think that I can get enough of that scene. I really love how Ricky is 1000% enthusiastic about this wedding. Its been made very clear that Ricky really has always liked Andy so it really warms my heart in seeing him be so happy about the marriage. I also really love how Ricky goes to hug Andy first. I swear Ricky and Andy are two peas in one fucking pod and I want Ricky to come back for more Rusty/Ricky skeaming. It seems every time we see Ricky he's involved in some sort of secret plan. It really makes me wonder how much trouble he got into as a kid. 

I know that someone in one of their reviews mentioned how much Ricky is like Sharon. But I think that he's very much like Andy. Which to me explains why they get along so well. He's so enthusiastic and pushes full steam a head just like Andy.

Sandra and Andrew I'm so happy that we got insight into Andy's first marriage and a name for Andy's ex. Other than the bits that we've been able to piece together. At first I really didn't care for the name that they picked for her but now that I think about it. It's such a deliberate choice to use the name Sandra. Which is such a similar name to Sharon that it really highlights how similar Andy's previous marriage was to Sharon's. 

The conversation that Rusty and Ricky have with Andy was so very wonderful. It starts out with them trying to hint to him to get an annulment and ends up being a much needed conversation. I am so glad that they had that segway into Andy talking about what went wrong and why. 

I really loved it because Andy thinks that the boys need reassurances when it comes to who he is as a person now verses who he was back then. I also love how Andy explains the marriage to them. And that it really very clearly shows that Andy has grown miles from who he was in the past, by putting the blame of the marriage on his own shoulders. 

I really feel like because of therapy and him getting involved with Sharon (and her letting him in on her perspective on her own marriage) really helped him see his own marriage through Sandra's eyes. What she went through, how hard she worked and how badly he failed. He’s really got so much respect for Sandra, that he didn’t once have. I really love it. I think it’s beautiful. 

I am also glad to see that while the boys tell Andy that he wasn't ready for marriage and that was an excuse for his bad behavior. Andy is like no - your giving me too much credit for that. That even though we were too young for marriage, I was at fault and I have worked my way to fixing my relationships with my kids and my ex-wife. 

And that smile when Andy tells the boys that he's emotionally ready for Sharon. If that smile doesn't convince anyone than nothing will.

Nothing and no one can dictate who is a part of your family

Mary and her Niece

Mary’s niece (I don’t recall if they ever gave her a name) fights so hard for Mary because she’s a part of her family. No matter how damned difficult she made life for everyone. She was still family to her niece. 

Duck and Little Duck

Even though Julio isn’t legally Mark’s dad. That’s not going to stop Mark or Julio from them thinking that or believing it in their hearts. There isn’t a piece of paper that will tell them otherwise. Hopefully soon it will be official and both of them can sigh with relief. And then Julio won’t have to worry about Mark calling him dad.

The Ex-Husband and the Future Husband

I really loved that Ricky was like please stop letting others tell you who your family is. One one hand, Sharon’s religion is so important to her. On the other hand it’s part of the reason why she took so long to divorce Jack. It’s not the only reason but it’s part of the reason. And then Ricky saw it as something that would be an obstacle to her getting the happiness that she so deserved. 

In the end if it was impossible to have a church wedding. I have no doubt that Sharon would have married him without it. But it is nice that she doesn’t have to marry him without it because it’s so much a part of who she is. 

What I didn't like: The fake out with the engagement.  They did the same thing for Shandy dating but honestly I really think that it was executed here much better. This is a slight nit pick but I wish we would have gotten more of Provenza's reaction. And I think that we didn't was because that he knew about the proposal and it was obvious that he knew about the engagement. We haven't gotten much Flynn/Provenza lately but I do hear some stuff is coming up for the two of them. 

What I did like: I loved this episode. We learned new stuff about Sharon and Andy. Ricky is in a damn it! I have missed him so much and can he come back more often? Sharon and Andy are officially engaged!!!! We saw the ring!!! Mike being so happy about the Raydor/Flynn marriage.