#*flashbacks to fandom wilfully misunderstanding paxton*

[edwinas]

I think the problem is, actors have to create psychological realism for their characters in order to deliver a performance their proud of and I admire that Charithra did that. She was fabulous throughout.

However, actor interviews aren’t included in the canon of a show or movie, and her scenes and writing for the show, what was included, felt contradictory to everyone I talked to in real life. For fans who read the interviews they may understand that it was more about the Kate and Edwina relationship, but no one I’ve talked to in person got that from what was on screen. They took it as Edwina being strangely stuck on Anthony because she was apparently still considering marrying him even after knowing he loved Kate. I understand the actress didn’t want it to be perceived that way, but it isn’t her responsibility to clean up sloppy writing in interviews. The writers should have done better. We don’t need to defend the writers’ failures to enjoy Edwina as she was or as Charithra wanted her to be.

In reference to this post 

I put Charithra’s interview extracts because she articulates it better than me but I came to the same conclusion without reading the interview.

This is how I and many of my friends understood it. Edwina briefly considered marrying Anthony because she still loved him and thought they had a chance but she realised what they shared wasn't real love after witnessing the king and queen's relationship. Maybe she also felt obliged to because it was her wedding day, a lot of effort went into it (it was organised by the queen), societal pressure etc. But she called it off. Edwina’s allowed to be human and not make the most logical decision immediately (especially when other characters repeatedly didn’t). 

I wrote what I did because I enjoyed Edwina's writing this season, not to defend the writers. I've acknowledged the writing wasn’t perfect with Edwina being kept in the dark for 6 episodes for drama and the reconciliation being rushed.

My problem is the overwhelming bad faith fans have for Edwina. It’s “Kate told her Anthony won’t marry for love. How dare Edwina lash out at her?” when Edwina was angry about being kept in the dark about her sister loving her fiancé. It’s “Edwina’s a self-absorbed brat” when she was upset at being lied to. It’s “Edwina hates her sister” when she wept for her, made peace with her, openly supported her relationship. Fans cherry-picked scenes to suit narratives instead of looking at them holistically, that’s what bothers me.