#1x20 There's More Than One of Everything

[elialys]

ANNA TORV as Olivia Dunham (Fringe) | 1.20 There's More Than One of Everything

[bronx-bomber87]

Hi! just want to say really love The Rookie episode breakdown that you do.

So assuming you have watch all of them, do you have any list / ranking of best Chenford related episodes? Or can you give us your ranking of best Chenford related episodes? Really want to hear your thoughts on this. Thank you!

Hi @xiaozhen16! First off thank you for your lovely comment on my reviews. Means a lot I'm so glad you enjoy them. :) Also appreciate you wanting my thoughts on this. Let's see I have been with The Rookie since day one, actually pre-green light. I followed Nathan after Castle and his next project and saw The Rookie get its green light. So i've been with since the literal jump. Seen all eps for sure more than once haha Think I've rewatched it least 5 times since it started. Thank you for being patient while I took the time to answer this. Life is hard to fit stuff in so thank you. It'll be a long reply lol In order to answer this properly I'm going to do top 5 with an honorable mentions that could span up to 5 cause this is hard LOL Those will be in no particular order. I'll do it for each season. Except S5. I just can't choose S5 down to a top ten.

I love that entire season. But I can do 1-4. Someday I can rank S5 on its own ranking the entire season if you like but for now it'll be this. Let me know if you'd like me to do that in the comments. But for this one Each season has something different to offer for them. So it'll be easier to break it down by season but only going up to S4. Hopefully you enjoy this detailed reply. Anyone is welcome to comment and such too.

Season 1.

1x14 Plain Clothes Day

Hands down this is my favorite episode of S1 for them. It's a very telling episode for them both. Lots of growth as well. Lucy is hell bent to prove herself to Tim. She is nervous but driven to prove to Tim she is worth investing his time in. Her day is a plethora of jitters and mistakes. Tim consistently getting under her skin and rattling her cage. Then at the last minute like a phoenix rising from the ashes Lucy makes the right call. Such a clutch moment that impresses Tim more than he'll ever let on. Doesn't hesitate for one moment checking that man's garage out.

This is a huge step towards her growth as a cop and a person really. Its seminal episode for Lucy. A stepping stone to her confidence and learning to trust her instincts and not second guess herself. For Tim it's realizing as much as he loves to mess with Lucy he wants her to succeed more. He states in the very beginning of the episode how he's had 11 rookies wash out on this day. ELEVEN. He hasn't cared if his rookies have washed out 11 times. Then Lucy Chen walked into his life. Disrupted his life in the best way.

With her incredibly driven sunshine ways he REFUSES to let her be his 12th. Does everything in his ability to keep her from being fired. They have a lot of lovely moments in this episode ranging from messing with her to fiercely protecting her from that tool-bag trying to take her job. The scene outside the captain's office where he has to re-write her eval gah so very good. Overall just an amazing episode of moments and growth for them as characters and as a ship. Another step towards their rock-solid bond.

2. 1x20 Free Fall

What's not to love about this finale? It's the culmination of everything they've been through to this point in the season. We watch how Tim instantly protects Lucy from being infected. At first he's in control of the situation (or so he thinks..) Trying to keep Lucy calm while on the inside he is panicking. Attempting to keep up his tough T.O. act with her. Determined to show Lucy he's bulletproof no matter the situation. That quickly begins the devolve the longer he is in that room.

The more he has to deal with this disease alone the worse it gets. We get a front row seat into protective Lucy. The way she is losing it for Tim on the outside. Doing anything and everything to get him out of there. This is the first time we get to see Tim trust Lucy emotionally and not hesitate. Not only that but so openly. She has been knocking on the door of this all season.

The scene above is her reward for all that work. The role reversal that happens here is wonderful. Where Lucy becomes the rock. The one to comfort him while Tim is battling with his dark thoughts of suicide if this goes sideways. Trusting her enough to tell her such deep thoughts. Lucy guiding him through those emotions best she can. It's a fantastic way to end the season for them. Lots of earned moments in this one.

3. 1x11 Redwood

Our first Iconic OTP Line Episode. This is where we start to see Tim soften for Lucy. Those sharp edges dulling a bit. We get to watch how he knows exactly how to calm her when she is in a panic. Tim commands this entire episode for her. Distracting her from the moment that needle goes in to chewing out the nurse for not prioritizing her. It was our first glimpse into protective Tim and I was here for it. Excellent introduction to this side of him regarding Lucy. Does the Tim Bradford special where he tells her like it is while showing empathy.

The first time we get to see him care truly care and let her know that he's there. Has her back in a way no one really has before. Lucy is watching her career go down the drain in her eyes. Changing her life forever and is in panic city. Tim doesn't let her be a resident there for very long. This ep showcases how amazing he is at his job and how good Tim is with Lucy. Knows exactly what to do in order to keep her sane.

He spends his entire day distracting her and showing empathy in the process. Ultimately stopping her from going off the razor's edge. It's these moments she has with Tim that shift her POV of him. Why she fights for him like she does. Lucy knows the good heart this man has. That he cares about her as person. That she is more than just his rookie. It's so very good. Producing the line above. *sigh*

4. 1x07 The Ride Along

These early episode are what I like to call building block eps. The foundation that is laid in these are so important. It's Lucy showing up for Tim when he needs it most. Their relationship is in its infancy in these episodes. Being molded into what we see in the finale and honestly the future. Lucy noticing a serious wrong (Isabel taking advantage of Tim's deep loyalty) Not only noticing but not letting him throw his life/career away for it. The line above is EVERYTHING. She refuses to let Tim cross an ocean and compromise his soul for someone who wouldn't cross a puddle for him. The bravery it took for her take a stand I'll always commend her for. How scary it must've been for her to confront him like this. When he was still in his radioactive insanely damaged phase. Tim already meant more to her at this point than she expected. She couldn't stand back and watch him self-destruct for someone who didn't deserve it. Tim is not even close to being used to someone showing up for him like this at this point. It's so very foreign to him.

Not only that but someone putting him in place and knocking sense back into him. Something he comes to learn and love about Lucy. Becomes the fabric of their dynamic really. In the moment he's so angry with her but long term forever grateful she stepped in like she did. That crack in his wall starting to grow a little more. A defining moment for them early on in this season. They had me hook line and sinker after this. I was already low-key shipping them but this added to it.

5. 1x03 The Good The Bad and the Ugly

Another building block episode. A crucial one for them really. I love how their early episodes set them up beautifully for the rest of the season. If not for these episodes you wouldn't see how wonderful the growth is for them both. The episodes that'll be in my honorable mentions are the fruit of these. Because without seeing where they came from how could we deeply appreciate how far they've come? Tim is imploding at a high velocity in this episode. Doesn't care about the collateral damage either. At this point that damage radius includes Lucy.

We truly see Tim as his very worst in the beginning. The beautiful thing is Lucy see's past his hurt into who he is as a person. He is worth getting through to. Also she also see's he is a god damn dumpster fire. One that if she doesn't put him out he's going to take her down with him. You know Tim respects the hell out of her for the scene above. (Not in the moment but in the long term of it all.)

For standing up to him and showing him how selfish he was being. It's what earns her that wonderful scene in the shop afterwards. Where he opens up and tells her about Isabel and a little bit of their history. His way of thanking her for getting his head on straight. Their early stuff is so raw but so good. They're learning how to function together. Usually one of them leading the other more depending on the situation. Start of their wonderful dynamic.

~~~

Honorable mentions-Ones I wanted to include cause they're amazing but can only gif the top 5 and one mention ha So it'll be my top ten for each season. They have so many good eps.

1x18 Home Front

So much to love about this one. Lucy busting his chops the entire ep. Get our first glimpse into their playful work flirts. Her challenging him on his personal life and not work for the first time. Standing her ground in that opinion. Like she does best with him. Telling Tim he needs something other than work. Naturally is defensive at first and eventually caves in. It results in the cute paintball moment above we all know and love.

1x19-Checklist-We get another glimpse into what Tim is willing to do to keep Lucy from washing out. I love this episode and how we start to see Tim trust in her decision making skills. Like the woman with the swapped plates. She lets her go and it ends up working out for her. The final scene is the best where he logs OT for her to continue on in the program. Lucy feeling so supported with this gesture. *heart clutch* So good.

1x16 Green light- Our first look into how protective Lucy can be about Tim. Their rank be damned in her opinion. The way she protects and defends him to Detective Murphy is glorious. Not caring she's her superior officer. She is kicking him when he is already down and Lucy won't stand for it. Then Tim returns the favor when she's upset about catching Cole. ‘Grief is grief. It’s a hole that can’t be filled. But over time, it’ll shrink enough so that you won’t fall in every time you take a step.’ His growth in this line is amazing to watch unfold. How he has grown since his whole debacle with Isabel.

1x15-Man Hunt.- We see some more fruit of Lucy's impact on Tim. Him wanting to do more with his career. He decides to go for Sergeant and we all know she is part of that reason. Also we get a glimpse into Tim and his rookie days through Deacon and his 54 connection. Lucy is delighted to get a birds eye view to his past. It's the scene where they're defending the escaped prisoner that's the best. Saying how he refuses to do something he will be ashamed in the light of day. This moment being proof Lucy's impact on him from 1x07. Its beautifully full circle.

1x01 Pilot-Gotta include the pilot. It's what set the table for them. "Officer Bradford gets our hot shot." He sure does. Getting a look into them as characters and where they start off from. It's what hooked me to this show to begin with. Other than just my love for Eric and Nathan at the time lol I saw deep characters with so much potential and I've been hooked ever since.

~~~

Season 2. Has an unreal amount of good eps for them did my best to keep it to ten.

2x11 Day of Death

Naturally this iconic episode is my favorite of S2. How could it not be? This is a massively seminal moment in their history. It's where they go from border-line friends to bonded in a way no one else will ever understand. We watch Lucy fight tooth and nail to stay alive. She is so resilient because she knows Tim is on his way. He won't let her die. Won't Let Caleb win. Her immense amount of faith is beautiful. Knowing that he will get to her in time. Not a doubt in her mind.

We watch Tim race against the clock to rescue her. The pressure and anxiety mounting through out the entire episode for him. Like a weight on his soul he refuses to put down until she is back. We get to witness how much Tim has come to care about Lucy. See the depth's he will go to get her back safely. Also get to see a darker side to him. Which I wasn't totally opposed to seeing in order to get to her. (and wouldn't mind seeing again. tbh) 'Today is your day of reckoning. I am responsible for a life that is in jeopardy, and I will do whatever I have to, to save her.' *fans self* That man is on edge from the moment she goes missing till she is in his arms above.

First actual relaxing breath he takes the entire ep. You see how his body slumps against her in relief as he holds her. How deeply worried he was and won't let her out of his sight afterwards. We all know that man slept at the hospital all night and didn't take his eyes off her until she woke up. To make sure he was the first face she saw. That final scene in the hospital a beautiful look into the deep bond they've formed at this point. I love them sfm. Where we get our next Iconic OTP Line. 'You know me so well. Too Well.' Amongst a flurry of heart eyes and emotions.

2. 2x12 Now and Then

What I love the most about this episode is how Tim steps back. Let's her get taken care of by someone other than himself. Control Freak Tim Bradford hands the reins over. Because her recovering is more important than his ego. The growth I can not. He see's a blind spot within himself that he can not help out with. So he heeds Nyla's words when she approaches him about taking her on. He watches anxiously from afar wanting not to over step the entire episode.

Lucy is hurt he doesn't let her ride with him right away. She is confused and her emotions are all over the place in this episode. Rightfully so. We get to see once again how much Tim cares about her. The way he's asking everyone around her how she is. Even asks Nolan how she is really doing. You know that was hard for him to do. We get to the end of the episode and this glorious scene above. Tim sharing a piece of his past to heal her present.

You can tell he so desperately wants to take on some of her pain. That if he could he would. Still shouldering the weight of her being taken being on him. Trying to give her some hard won perspective. This is his way of saying he's so proud of her, he misses her, hoping him sharing his past brings her back to him. Brings Lucy back to being his sunshine human. Not the angry resentful one he see's in front of him. It's a beautiful scene for the both of them. The sweet smiles when he tosses back the ring. My damn heart.

3. 2x13 Follow Up Day

Another Iconic moment in S2. This season is full of them. Ground breaking moments that drive them forward as a ship. He's passed his Sergeants exam. Hooray. Lucy is SO DAMN PROUD when they get the news. It's the thing he's been working toward since the beginning of S2. He's offered a Hollywood post. One that he can have quickly. A prominent position for him right out the gate and yet he hesitates. Why you ask? Well he's a little too attached to his current rookie that he pretends he isn't attached to. (While dating her best friend might I add. Something I would forget regularly in this season)

Lucy reminds him why he wants to stay around and not leave yet. She challenges him, supports him and believes in Tim in a way he's never had before. Has unwavering faith in him. He says he's not done training her yet. When really he's not ready to let go of the influence she's had on his life. Heart eyes galore. She is more important than moving up atm. I love it.

4. 2x02 The Night General

The beginning of Tim's quest to study for being a Sergeant. It starts off as Tim torturing Lucy with reading his out of print book to him. What starts out as him enjoying making her read it turns into so much more. Lucy quickly turns it around on him. Because well Lucy. Decides on specific segments to have him recite back. Quickly annoying him and he loses this game fairly quickly. It's during this studying we find out Tim learns a certain way. That he must be in motion to absorb the material. (Me too love) He doesn't take this news in stride very well because it's Tim.

Lucy goes above and beyond to apologize for upsetting him. She spends what I assume is any free time between shifts recording the book for him. Not only does she do this she reassures him that it's ok to learn this way. There is no shame in it even compliments him because of it. Telling him its why he excels at being a cop. I

I just adore this moment so much because she builds him up and encourages him. Never once letting him feel shame for how he learns. Lucy taking care of him in ways Tim can't even comprehend atm. He is overwhelmed by her support and empathy. Can only muster a really loaded 'Thanks.' Such a lovely building block for them. Also welcome to the sweaty gun show above *fans self*

5. 2x08 Clean Cut

Ahh the protective Lucy episode. We get to see how far Tim will go for Lucy in this season. The audience also gets to see how far Lucy is willing to go to protect and defend Tim. Just like in 1x16 she charges head long at a superior to defend Tim. Refusing to let anyone sully his name or character. From the moment their shop hits that woman's car she goes into 'Protect Tim mode.' at all costs.

Hell raining down on anyone who gets in the way of her clearing his name. Eating anyone trying to stop her from righting this wrong she KNOWS is a wrong against him. Tim is so defeated and resigned after it happens. He's not going to defend himself so Lucy takes it on herself to do this. The ferocity is noticed by Tim. Why he lets her lead the questioning against the shady BF.

Lucy breathes life back into him that they could overturn this. That unshakeable faith she has in him. Refusing to let him give up on himself. It's the way she builds him up and won't let him think any less of himself I adore so much. After it's reversed and he gets his award she's a proud wifey. Even throwing back his own words at him when he thanks her. Eyes full of love. It's fantastic full circle moment for them.

~~~

Honorable Mentions

2x19-Q Word

As I've said earlier S2 is chock full of goodies. Tim learning the place he still holds in Lucy's life. He is her GO TO. A place he thought he had lost in 2x11. He gave up having that spot in her life because he no longer felt worthy of it. That he was given his shot and he blew it. Lucy not for one damn second thought he forfeited that. She was more upset he wasn't engaging with her about this than anything else.

Lucy does her best to relieve him of his burden. Of the guilt he continues to feel. To let him know it was NOT his fault. That his opinion is one of most value to her. The very opposite of what Tim thought of his place in her world. It's a good episode. One of the best parts above. Lucy applying some salve to his guilty soul.

2x06 Fallout

Lots to love in this ep. Tim trying and failing at 'being nice' to Lucy while she goes through her emotions about her ex. To him tapping into his actual soft side for her. The genuine side. Them facing a bomb threat and Lucy getting to unleash all her anger about her ex's wedding Such a good scene.. With a little of Lucy throwing his words back like no one else can. Lastly ending with them deciding to spend their last moments on earth together drinking booze. Damn good ep.

2x10-The Dark Side

Ahhh the pre-DOD episode. Where Tim spends the entire episode being over protective of Lucy and not sure why he is. All he knows is he doesn't like this guy sniffing around her. His cop gut screaming at him with a mixture of jealously and actual worry. The whole episode is one giant foreshadowing for the following episode.

2x14 Casualties

Tim background eps are always my jam. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this man and learning of his history. Getting a little look into his life in the service with Mitch. Also the intro of their fur-baby Kojo and how very unready Lucy is to care for him. We get our next Iconic OTP line 'Some things matter more.' A moment which is such a prominent scene for them. Good precursor to the moment they share in 2x19 as well.

2x01 impact

The premiere got some real good stuff. We see how Tim reacts so very poorly to Lucy protecting him. Regressing them both with his flour bomb moment. HIs anger coming out in everything he does with her in this episode. Lucy taking it at first then reaches her boiling point towards the end. Basically hands him his ass in a way only Lucy Chen can. It's glorious. Turns him around so much he brags on her to Grey later on about her jump after a suspect. 'Of course she did. I trained her.'

~~~

Season 3

3x09 Amber

Ahh my fav ep of the season. This episode has so many good moments. Lucy with her list for a 'healthy parting.' How she is determined to make her last day a big deal with Tim. Where as Tim is also determined, just in the opposite direction. Because if he talks about it he's going to have to face her leaving. Which we all know he does not want to do. Fights her on it most of the episode. Until something serious happens. Then Tim finally gives in to distract Lucy from the stressful baby scenario they're currently in.

Takes care of her by letting her do the bloody list he's trying to avoid. They have a lovely moment of reminiscing over Plain Clothes Day. How far Lucy has come since that moment. The amount of confidence she had gained. Learning to trust her instincts fully. Something Tim saw in her day one and wanted her to hone in on. Lucy then brings up UC and Tim saying she doesn't have what it takes. it leads into the most iconic moment of the episode. Where she "pretends" to have feelings for Tim.

Sending Tim into an ABSOLUTE panic till she can't take it anymore and breaks into pure laughter. Wounding his pride severely in the process of proving her point. We get two epic moments in this episode. The parking garage scene is lovely. A culmination of the last year of so. How far they've both come. His last eval being one that brings them full circle. Lucy's flour bomb finishing off the nostalgia. The heart eyes galore in this scene and its topped off with them calling each other by their first names. Starting a new chapter with this wonderful moment.

2. 3x14 Threshold

I LOVE this episode so much. It's why it's number 2. This episode is the culmination of Lucy's fast track UC training with Harper. Lucy chomping at the bit to prove herself. A VERY anxious Tim observing from the outside. The flirty flirt we get in the car makes me squee every time. Little bit of Tim and Lucy truly coming out in that moment. The touching is everything as she communicates silently with him about what's going on.

Then we get this moment above. Where they are blatantly flirting and checking each other out. Especially Tim. Man could not be more transparent in his attraction to Lucy at this point. The elevator gaze before they even talk. *fans self* Shameless flirting, praise from Tim and to top it off Tim is the one to ask Lucy to save him a dance. I remember going out of my mind with excitement when I saw this episode. Look at them above. My god the UST in immense and I love it so very much.

3. 3x06 Revelations

The episode where Lucy begins her interest in UC. It's a ROUGH episode for Tim for a lot of reasons. From his PTSD about Isabel with Mack showing up to seeing Lucy put in harms way. We see the protective side come out fiercely in this one. He doesn't even try to tamp it down. Especially in front of others. i.e. the entire OP room LOL Tim battling past demons and losing terribly. Seeing his favorite human put at risk isn't sitting well with him. His panic at losing her or possibly getting hurt making him lose his mind.

Lucy just wanting him to be proud of her. For showing an interest outside of patrol. To be excited she got put on an OP because she kicked ass on the fly. Impressed Harper enough to green light her. His approval and opinion meaning the entire world to her. When he doesn't she is so very discouraged. That's what makes the moment above so important and amazing. Tim putting aside those demons and letting her have that approval and praise she earned ten times over. Because at the end of the day this OP was about her and not him. So he puts her first with the lovely moment above.

4. 3x11 New Blood

Where we see Lucy be utterly CONSUMED by jealously and insecurities. Tim gets his new rookie and Lucy is excited at first. Then see's Tim isn't treating her anywhere near how she was treated in the beginning. He's being nice, letting her drive, buying her coffee, being soft and empathetic. All things she had to drag out of him kicking and screaming. I've said this before but Tim was her first real 'puppy' with massive success. It was a lot of work though for her to have the relationship she has with him now.

Then this Katie Barnes comes in and gets it all in one shift. Lucy is losing her damn mind most of the ep. Watching from afar with massive jealously. Poor Jackson has to listen to it most of his shift LOL Comes with the bestie territory though. By the end of the episode she see's Tim filling out her paperwork and lets Tim have it. What I love is he doesn't get mad at her for it.

Doesn't reprimand her just quell's her insecurities. Explaining why he was training Barnes the way he was. Then seals the scene with the lovely line above. Lucy is absolutely beaming when he walks away. Full of so much joy and happiness she can't contain herself. He thinks she is one of the best rookie's he's trained and lets her know it. Saying maybe one day Katie could be as good as her. *sigh* So good.

5. 3x01 Consequences

Their first marriage episode of the season. Where Lucy is on Tim like white on rice. Her confidence and self esteem shines through out this season and this is the starter episode of it all. The way they go through Nolan's house together is fantastic. She challenges Tim the entire time with her own cop gut. It's so fun to watch the back and forth.

They go from cute banter to Tim being a fierce protector when they have to go see Rosalind. Tim tries to prevent her from going in. Wanting to shield her from this monster. Lucy refuses says she can handle it. Rosalind just see's someone she can play with. Tim attempts to hold back. Not interfere and tries to keep Lucy steady. Then loses it when she taunts Lucy with her barrel song. The official title of 'Fierce protector.' is born in this moment. Such a good episode for them beginning to end.

~~~

Honorable Mentions

3x02 In-Justice

I adore this ep because it is one giant flirting session. The scene above alone is proof of that. Tim just sitting back and enjoying the Lucy show. Setting up a game he knows she is going to absolutely crush. (and does) They're legit flirting in front of their call for like two minutes before they disengage and Lucy works her magic. Also we get to see how soft Tim is for Lucy and gone for her with her car. Telling her to get over until Caleb PTSD in brought into the picture. It's then he caves instantly. Also the introduction of their pseudo daughter Tamara. Lucy's 'puppy.'

3x04-Sabotage

The fruit of the last couple eps coming to fruition. Lucy having Tim revisit something he did on her first shift. Confronting him about how he treated those gardeners. Not only that but the impact he had on them through his actions. This brings Tim's defenses immediately up and he snaps at her. Trying to defend his actions because he is feeling defensive. He does a poor job of it and shuts down completely. Reason being he's ashamed of who he was then and Lucy bringing it up hurts in a way he wasn't expecting.

We get to see our boy go through some serious growth. MASSIVE growth really. I could not be prouder of him for it. For not shutting down for the rest of the day. Letting Lucy know he was wrong and what he can do so it never happens again. Love this ep for the Tim growth, Lucy calling him out and letting him know how proud she is of him. It's such a good moment/ep for them.

3x07 True Crime

I personally LOVE the documentary episodes so much. The reason being their banter is the best part. Their chemistry is on full display for all to see. Lucy owns Tim's ass in this one. Shoots down all his cocky comments. He is also all heart eyes whenever she isn't crushing him with her words ahha. Light hearted fun ep for them.

3x08 Bad Blood

Good ep for Tim telling her like it is when he's trying to avoid it like the plague haha Emmett breaking up with her over text. Lucy doesn't handle it well. She self destructs till Tim does what he does best and gives her some solid perspective. Helping her finally solve the 'Why' behind her break up.

3x05 Lockdown

Tim and Lucy being a united front against Doug is the absolute best. How Tim comes tearing into the station after Stanton and Lucy has to stop him. Then Stanton is an extra ass and Tim then has to prevent Lucy from hurting him. The way they have each other's backs always gets to me. They spend the entire episode this kick ass duo determined to protect Jackson. I love it sfm.

~~~~

Season 4 another super hard one for me but top ten helped.

4x09 Breakdown

I'm sure some of you thought I would choose 4x22. It follows this one pretty closely but I ADORE this episode. It's my favorite for so many reasons. Lucy has a day off and how does she spend it? With Tim and his sister redoing his childhood home. Totally normal 'Friend' status there. Nothing soulmate level about that at all....Then they spend the episode chasing down his father's sordid past. This is due to a gun they find in the wall. Not only that but how heavily Tim leans on Lucy during the process.

Let's her take the lead and trusts her to handle portions of it for him. Like interrogating his dad's former mistress. Then we get this GLORIOUS scene above. Hands down my favorite hug of their's. Tim confronting his father and walking out feeling nuclear in his emotions. He is radioactive from that interaction and so very hurt. He explains what his father did to Lucy. He's so disgusted and hurt.

Then he is NEEDING Lucy to know he isn't his father. That the Tim tests don't make him like his dad. He is on the verge of tears as he says this to her. The most vulnerable we have ever seen Tim in general but especially with her. Lucy jumping into action and gathering him up in her arms. Comforting him, letting him know he is NOTHING like him. Tim sinks into the hug. Wraps himself entirely around her. Letting her hold him up emotionally. It's here we see the last of his wall crumble to the ground never to be rebuilt again. This was the ep I knew we were headed towards them getting together. All time fav ep.

2. 4x22 Day in The Hole

So much to love in this episode. From their daughter getting her ‘first’ car to finding Tim's bizzaro world double 'Dim' LOL Also the introduction of Juicy aha It's so good I can not. Lucy getting beyond excited to get Tim all dressed up for his UC mission. Especially with the tattoo's. Then when Juicy gets involved so does Lucy. It's AU Tim and Lucy and I was dying. Lucy breaks his brain in more ways than one above. The way she stuns him with her UC background for their characters LMAO He stumbles on his words and shifts like his pants are getting little tight for him heh. They haven't even kissed yet.

It will forever crack me up his reaction. Also the hilarious lead up to the kiss. How nervous and awkward they are. 'Well that's romantic....I wasn't trying to be romantic.' LMFAO. Clearly Timothy.... Eric and Melissa's chemistry on full display in this moment. Then the way Lucy just grabs his face and the kiss above happens. How they instantly melt into each other. Like why haven't we been doing this the entire time? You can see Tim ready to seriously deepen the kiss above. The pre-tongue action going on. Hot damn. I remember having to rewind it making sure what I was seeing was real.

The hilarity that ensures when Tamara walks in is so so funny. Never not cackle at this. Lucy's 'Oh!' and Tim is stumbling over himself to get out of there. Makes me laugh just writing it. The awkward 'Good jobs' and pointing. I'm dying. Tim's epiphany in the hallway is the best. Can no longer run from how he feels anymore. That kiss unlocking why he's felt the way he does. The awkward way they interact at the station. Both hiding in their vehicles waiting to find the courage to come out. Gah such a good finale leading to an incredible season 5.

3. 4x12 The Knock

Another episode on the road to them ending up together. They are at soulmate level territory in the scene above alone. The entire episode is fantastic. 'Personal space I don't know her' is the theme of this episode for them. From this 'date' to their case. Where Tim lets her take the lead. They're right on top of each other in that hallway scene when Tim is asking her POV on what they should do.

The beach date is one of the best parts. I don't know how both Ashley and Chris didn't just get up and leave. It's so obvious Tim and Lucy are the ones on a date. Chris and Ashley just happen to be there. The way they flirt the entire time, the inside jokes, the way they know each other so deeply. Their intimate connection on full display.

It's the lack of space I adore so much. That magnetic pull of their's. Never be over Gerald the goat. The way they lovingly stare at each other after he's told the story. The only ones laughing are them. To think either of them (Chris and Ashley) actually thought they had a chance against their bond. Such fools. I would've been highly threatened after that display. Something so intimate about knowing someone on an emotional level like they do. Height of their soulmate moments in this one.

4. 4x18-Backstabbers

Gah this episode be still my damn shipper heart. Lucy getting annoyed she isn't getting any recognition as Tim's aide. Naturally at first Tim pushes against it. Gives her crap for asking for it. Little bit of Old school Tim coming out in this scenario. But we see by the end of the episode him cracking for her. Like he always does. Tim cashing in on the dance he owed her from 3x14. How these two don't know they're in love at this point I couldn't tell you. Blows my damn mind.

The fact that he gives up recognition for her to have it. To further her career and telling her he wants her to be successful? Gah not to mention the heart eyes in this moment. Lucy is beaming brightly like a Christmas tree at this gesture. Tim is so so gone for her by this point it's oozing out of him. If you watched these two above with no context you'd think they were together. Everything about them says how in love they are. The entire scene is one giant I love you/in love with you moment. Tim I don't do weddings Bradford tearing up the dance floor with his girl. Gah I can not.

5. 4x01-Life and Death

The premiere is so very very good. Tim offering her a safe space the moment they get some time alone. Especially after hearing how heartbroken she is. How she can't go back to her apt without Jackson right now. The way he gives her a safe place to crash land into. I love it sfm. Then we get the gloriously intimate and beautiful hug above. The one that sparks the flame between them. One they've been trying to keep at a low flame roaring into an inferno. Their emotions and closeness ramping it up to a level neither is ready for.

The chemistry in this moment is out of this world good. Both being smacked in the face with the growing UST between them. Lucy going for it but it being shot down by Wesley's call. Gah such a good way to start an amazing season. Then Lucy spends the rest of the episode worrying about him from the other side of the world. Letting him know that worry until he makes it back. Such a good premiere.

Honorable Mentions

4x07 Fire Fight

This scene alone is why it's my first honorable mention. Phew lord. The fiery UST in this scene. HOT DAMN. The brazen way they're both looking at each other. This is totally platonic friendship right here....The intense gaze gets me in my shipper feels. Then Tim gets his wits about him a bit before sassing her. Telling her the mic is too high. Her ripping it right off and his face LOL They're so married it kills me. I do love the way she bosses him around in this scene and afterwards when he's in the car. She's projecting jealously entire time.

4x06 Poetic Justice

Oh you know just another episode where all they do is compete and flirt. Not caring about anyone else around them while they do so. Because they can't handle their emotions yet. So they intensely channel it into flirting and competitive things instead. I love these idiots so much.

4x08 -Hit and Run

I LOVE this episode for the Tim background alone. We get the introduction of his sister Genny. Who I love sfm. Lucy of course eats up her being there. She THRIVES on any morsel of info she can get on his background. Lucy is enjoying herself till his dark childhood is brought up. His sister is there to sell their childhood home and he doesn't want to be apart of it. ""Wha-what do you want? Some other family to just cuddle up under the broken plaster where dad slammed my head against the wall?" Ugh my heart. My boy. But it's such a good episode in full for Tim. Also for Lucy getting to meet his sister.

4x14-The Long Shot

This is a great episode for Lucy. We get to see more about her background as well. Finally finding out why her mother is the way she is with her. Her deep digging revealing her father isn't her real father. How much she struggles in this episode emotionally. We get to see how natural it is for Tim to be there for her. Not an ounce of fight left in him to stay out of her personal life. This is just part of who they are now and it's such growth I can not stand it.

4x16-Real Crime

Another gem for the documentary series. If you think they were married in this last one they double down on this one. The amount of cuteness, sass and marriage moments is primo in this one. 'Can I be interviewed alone?' LMAO The epitome of Grumpy x Sunshine. Lucy having the time of her life while Tim is a grumpsaurous. Their dynamic gives me life haha I adore this entire episode for them.

S5 I adore all it's own. If you want a ranking from 1-22 I can do that but I can not choose. Hurts me too much to do that LOL but here are my picks for 1-4. Once again thank you for being so patient on my reply. This was a hefty ask to answer thank you for asking me :) I hope you enjoy the answer.

[goodwhump-temp]

Fringe: Peter Bishop Whump

SEASON ONE

1x01 Pilot - Angry towards his father/Walter 1x03 The Ghost Network - Stalked, argument 1x04 The Arrival - Angry, kidnapped (signs of struggle), bleeding from the mouth, tortured; wire put in his nose, electrocuted, convulsing, weak, shot with strange gun, collapse, unconscious, concussion, badly bruised 1x05 Power Hungry - Bruised face and wrists, tired, painful shock, bandaged wrists 1x07 In Which We Meet Mr. Jones - Painfully electrocuted, delerious 😊 1x08 The Equation - Ominously hypnotized 1x09 The Dreamscape - Hit in the face 1x12 The No-Brainer - Protective, angry, drunk 1x13 The Transformation - Undercover, held at gunpoint 1x16 Unleashed - Arguing with Waltuh, desperate for Walter 1x20 There's More Than One of Everything - Emotional bonding with Waltuh, manhandled, gravestone

SEASON TWO

2x01 A New Day in the Old Town - MEGHAN MARKLE, emotional, depressed 2x02 Night of Desirable Objects - Almost shot, bit by skeletal monster 2x03 Fracture - Talks about past in Iraq, fighting, punched, restrained 2x05 Dream Logic - Talks about childhood nightmares, starts remembering, wakes from nightmare 2x07 Of Human Action - Mind controlled, kidnapped, intense pain, forced to hurt people, car crash, knocked unconscious, chest pain/bandaged 2x08 August - Held at gunpoint, forehead bleeding 2x09 Snakehead - Knocked out, captured, bleeding, forced to swallow parasite, badly bruised face 2x10 Grey Matters - Sad about Walter, desperate to find him, emotional 2x11 Unearthed - Held at gunpoint 2x12 Johari Window - Car crash, briefly unconscious, shot at, bloody eyebrow, chased and shot at, held at gunpoint 2x13 What Lies Below - Infected, crazy, bloody nose, violent, knocked down, knocked out, weak 2x15 Jacksonville - Oliva learns the truth about Peter (he still doesn't know) 2x16 Peter - His story/death, sick/dying child, funeral, "significant" to the baldis, abducted, falls through the ice, drowning 2x19 The Man from the Other Side - Shot at, risking his life, loud noise, pain, knocked back into hood of car, unconscious, bloody ear, hospitalized, back pain, learns the truth, emotional, dissapears 2x20 Brown Betty - Missing, manhandled, punched multiple times, heart stolen, dying, weak, dies, painful reawakening 2x21 Northwest Passage - Missing/friends searching for him, tired, stalked, tranq shot at him, attacked with hammer, held at gunpoint/taken to… 2x22 Over There pt. 1 - Still missing, in danger from a prophecy, wakes in hospital, emotional 2x23 Over There pt. 2 - In danger the whole episode

SEASON THREE

3x02 The Box - Painful talk with Waltuh, scared of the prophecy/possible death, shot by the ear, deafened, headache, almost hit by a train 3x03 The Plateau - Real Olivia's hallucination 3x04 Do Shapeshifters Dream of Electric Sheep? - Panic, manipulated by "Olivia" 3x05 Amber 31422 - Real Olivia's confrontational hallucination 3x07 The Abducted - Contacted by Olivia, feels betrayed, held at gunpoint, paralyzing injection, nausea, bad headache 3x09 Marionette - Guilt, emotional talk with Olivia 3x10 The Firefly - Walter obsesses thinking the Observer will kill Peter, almost hit by a truck, scared, shot with weird gun, unconscious, poisoned, collapse, seizure, unconscious 3x11 Reciprocity - Nosebleed, insomnia, scared, lab tests, unusually high heart rate, knocked to the ground, being suspicious the whole episode, held at gunpoint, psychologically changed from the machine/turned killer 3x12 Concentrate and Ask Again - Suspicious, scares Waltuh 3x15 Subject 13 - Flashback to almost killing himself as a child, runs away 3x19 Lysergic Acid Diethlamide - Nervous, high/tripping, freaked out, passes out, knocked down, held at gunpoint, freaking out, restrained/comforted, trauma blanket, loopy 3x20 6:02 AM EST - Sacrificing himself, aggressively knocked back with electricity, falls from great height, very bloody face/head trauma 3x21 The Last Sam Weiss - Hospitalized, amnesia, walks out of hospital, confused, sacrifices himself, pain, head wound, shrapnel to the stomach, passes out 3x22 The Day We Died - Hospitalized, extreme pain, emergency surgery, emotional at funeral, depressed, extreme pain, dying, wiped from existence

SEASON FOUR

4x01-4x03 - Seeping into reality 4x04 Subject 9 - Breaking into reality, wakes up in a lake, reunion, friends dont remember him 4x05 Novation - Held for interrogation 4x06 And Those We've Left Behind - Emotionally abandoned from his father, causing time slips, stabbed in the neck (technology), knocked out 4x08 Back to Where You've Never Been - Desperate, "prisoner" turned prisoner 4x09 Enemy of My Enemy - Admits to being scared 4x12 Welcome to Westfield - Kicked to the ground 4x13 A Better Human Being - Scar on his hand, uncomfortable, baited into a trap 4x14 The End of All Things - Desperate, mind converged, pain, knocked out, kidnapped, knocked over, slight pain/ache, held at gunpoint, punched, 4x15 A Short Story About Love - Heartbroken, thing found on his iris 4x20 Worlds Apart - Walters are scared for Peter 4x21 Brave New World Pt. 1 - Knocked down, fight, hit multiple times, pain, choked, shoulder dislocated, body controlled by Olivia 4x22 Brave New World Pt. 2 - Sling, falls from great height, hurts arm, emotional, slapped

SEASON FOUR

5x01 Transilience Thought Unifier Model-11 - Caught in explosion, bloody, emotional, shot at, cries, "dead" 5x03 The Recordist - Held at gunpoint 5x04 The Bullet That Saved The World - Mind read, headache, chased, caught in an explosion, badly bruised, bloody, shot with weird gun, emotional, heartbroken, emotional shut down 5x05 An Origin Story - Depressed, electrocutes himself, kicked across the room, punched, bleeding mouth, bruised, very angry, self surgery, intense pain 5x06 Through the Looking Glass and What Walter Found There - Knocked down, punched, slowly becoming an observer 5x07 Five-Twenty-Ten - Becoming an observer, insomnia, ear starts bleeding, brain overwhelmed, intense pain, headache, going psycho, confesses to Olivia, fully emotionless, hair falling out 5x08 The Human Kind - Full strength observer fight, punched, bruised, stabbed in the shoulder, bleeding and bruised, emotional, self surgery, extreme pain, emotional release, sobbing 5x09 Black Blotter - Insomnia, bruised/bandaged forehead, headache, shot at 5x13 An Enemy of Fate - Emotional talk with Walter, sobbing, fight with an Observer, punched multiple times, shot onto a car and into a wall

[jackiequick]

The truth hurts, doesn’t it? | Agents Of SHIELD Fanfic

Summary: Everything good must have been an interesting lie underneath it all, waiting to be uncovered, but the question is how will you take it?

Pairing: Grant Ward x OC, Grant Ward & Amelia Parker (WardParker)

Setting: Captain America The Winter Solider and Agents Of SHIELD season 1

Spoilers for Agents Of SHIELD 1x17–1x20

Warning: Blood, mentions of anxiety, heartbreak, a bit of manipulation, betrayal

Characters mentioned: Nikolai, Marlene, Melissa, Coulson, Fury, May, Skye, Fitzsimmons, Tripp and The Young Avengers

——

It felt like madness. The air was thick and colder than they would’ve liked. The team was tired, confused and more or less worried. Trying to figure out what to do next and how to stick together while doing so. There were some agents coming in and out of the bunker, they were even set underneath an lie detector and all passed with flying colors.

The cell service was better than expect, they had food, water, and shelter that’s what matters.

It was a late afternoon when it happened.

Practically night.

Everyone was doing their own thing. Some were trying to rest like Fitz and Jemma, some were on computers doing research such as Skye, and others were training themselves for the bigger fight near the locker area.

Amelia felt on edge, these last few weeks it was like a nervous twitch creeping up on her waiting to snap. She wasn’t thinking straight about anything, as far as they knew Fury is dead. Hell, she wasn’t sure if Nikolai, Marlene, or Melissa were fully aware of the situation in place, even though she sent an critical message to them.

She knew that none of the young avengers or adults one had any clue about what exactly was happening, due to the truth of Coulson’s death was kept from most of them. But HYDRA creeping around wasn’t something truly hidden per say…

Sometimes she felt like it was this shivering headache that reached from the back of her neck toward the front of her forehead. This whole situation bothered her to the inch of her bones, this chilling adventure she didn’t remember signing up for in the first place.

Maybe she needed a nap? Watch a video to relax her mind? Hell, splash some water crossed her face to try and clear her head?

Walking past the supply room, she left oddly enough weary like she was missing something. It was just her anxiety seeping itself, as she thought. An odd feeling recklessly filled the rest of the area, as she scurried into one of the restrooms.

Closing the door behind her, she let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding. Her joints hurt, twisting themselves into her shoulders as she rested her arms against the bathroom sink. Her vision went blurry for a moment, her back arched froward as she unzipped her jacket to breathe and roll up her sleeves.

She turned on the knobs as she splashed some cold water on her face, wiping her eyes browns and rubbed her eyelids facing the mirror for a quick second. She mumbled a few things to herself, wishing she was back on the bus with her friends like nothing happened, but she knew it couldn’t do a blasted thing about it. She grabbed an towel to dry her face, as she wiped her face out of the corner of her eye she noticed something that set her off.

An automatic sliding painting that was supposed to set to afternoon, was lowing a hushed flickering light. She clenched the towel against her fist stepping forward to notice an dagger, a small knife, stabbed into the edge of the painting. It was waiting to bent over and break, there was a hatch breathe in Amelia’s throat as she removed it from the placing.

The painting slid upwards to display a horrific glint of flickering lights as the slashing words ran across the screen. The sunset frame brushed against the wording in deep gashes.

Amelia blinked, gasping a shaky breath that catches in her throat. She shakes her head at the wording in disbelief, as if she couldn’t do anything but freeze. Her fingernails were pressed so hard against her palm, she would’ve drawn blood.

“N-no..” She mumbled underneath her breath, “..no, no..no!”

Suddenly her voice became so small, her eyes waters and her mouth went dry. The denial sinks in so fast, she stumbled back hesitant to run her fingers across the painting.

“It’s not him..” She muttered softly accidentally dropping the towel on the floor, unable to breathe once again and laced in shock.

Ward Is Hydra.

The words ran by her eyesight in pure shock. She thought it was a trick, some sort of joke being made to use her own wits against the team. Amelia heard people saying that Coulson or May might be Hydra, that even one of their agents might play a game to see who’s loyal or not.

Someone knew about this before her, but they couldn’t. They all passes every single test with—

An loud noise startled Amelia, hands of her hips as she ran her hands above her waistline stumbling out of the room shaking her head taking another glance at the sign. She practically slid down the hallway, tripped over her steps stopped inside one of the supply closets to find Jemma racing out of the room at the same time as she entered.

She narrowed her vision in confusion, sending a odd look to her teammates. They were field agents but also scientists and technicians who weren’t used to this whole thing, so it was understandable if they was uneasy with whatever they saw. But it couldn’t be that bad, right?

Wrong!

The moment she wiped her head inside the room, the sight would’ve had her screaming if it weren’t for her biting her buttons lip and gripping the doorknob. There was a blush of heated dripping liquid slowly hitting the floor from above, as her gaze followed it towards the red drops, her eyes widened.

Blood from a fellow agent, laying dead against the ceiling and high shelves. Their eyes were closed, killed in the late hours of the afternoon in a dark supply closet. Amelia was left in utter tears, silence and shockingly loud noise ringing in her heads. She felt hurt and heavy, wonder where the hell is the rest of the team.

Amelia felt like she might throw up, fumbling with her pocket trying to reach her phone as her other hand cover her mouth. She tried reaching Nikolai and no response, Marlene and no response and even Melissa had no single response. There was a mole in the bunker.

Skye was still upstairs doing research, as Amelia raced upstairs to face her as she whisper yelled, “Skye! What do you know?”

She looked up with a gasping glare, “I’m guessing you know?”

“Yes! And it’s not him..it can’t be him!”

“You don’t know that..Ward has lied to us, Amelia..he’s Hydra.”

“He lied to the team! But I have known that man for 4 years, Skye! 4 years!”

“You think I like this?! I fell for the man, I kissed him..I still think I love him..”

“Oh god..okay, maybe this is just a game right? Ward treats us different, something’s not right..”

“…you still feel like you love him, don’t you?”

“Well the truth hurts, doesn’t it Skye? We just gotta play along.”

“I’m already doing that, I feel hurt Amelia. But I’m gonna follow Ward, see what’s going on in his head and if something happens.”

“Okay, yeah..okay. I’ll try to see who I can contact and prepare for whatever Ward thinks he might pull..”

There was an unspoken sense of urgency in their eyes. Grant Ward is Hydra but that concern and confusion hurt both of their feelings.

Mainly Amelia’s heart.

It felt like the five stages of grief, sadness and anxiety was rushing across her veins. She felt alone, betrayed and abandoned, even though she wasn’t, it felt that way.

———

The next 48 hours was a world wind..

So many things happened, from unexpected agents trying ambushing the bunker and buildings to the news about some of their fellow agents dying protecting the property of SHIELD. No one knew who was right or wronged here, who’s good and who’s bad. Fitz and Simmons were off doing their own thing for Coulson, May have gone with a couple of glares, Tripp rushed off to get extra stuff, and John Garrets got into a fight with Coulson.

Hell, Skye was sharing a few short moments with Ward himself.

Honestly Amelia felt bad for Skye, she knew she felt deeply for Ward since their chemistry climbed upon the time they all spend together on the plane. She also knew Grant felt some very similar feelings for her, as he was teased about it from the team.

She was still trying to contact her friends but nothing came up, tears rising to be released. She felt nauseous, a little numb and bruised. As if she was in the middle of a hot flash.

Currently, she sat nearby couch of a decently small room with her head in her hands, tiredly sighing. The door gently opened as in came the man of the hour, noticing her downing look as he looked at the girl in concern.

He sat down beside her, leaning against one of the chairs and asked, “Sweetheart..are you okay?”

“Hm?” She replied, peeking in between her hands to look at him.

“What happened?”

“You really asking me that?”

He scoffed, “Yeah, I know what’s happening. I wish it wasn’t like this but we can’t do anything about it.”

“It feels like I’m being caught in a horror movie.” She added.

“What? Like Scream? Who’s the killer?”

“One of our agents..we don’t know who’s on our side or not.”

“More like multiple agents, you don’t know who is really involved in SHIELD or HYDRA. You probably think I can’t be trusted, Ames.”

“Ward, honey, I trust you. I do. But the question is, will you actually be telling me the truth or not..”

“I alway try to tell you the truth, even if it hurts.”

At that moment, she removed her hands from her face and turned to face him, “Oh really?”

He straightened his shoulders seeing the look on her face as he sighed, “Amelia, are you seriously asking me that?”

“Grant, you lied to me before about missions to keep me and the team safe. You could be lying to me right now.”

“And you lied to me more than once to keep me in the loop. I’m being honest here. Do you trust me?”

“Do you trust enough to tell me the truth?”

~~~

And there it was again. The line that has been repeatedly said by one another the moment they trained, to the times the group was on the road for missions. Even in moments of daring action, where it might result in something serious or stupid.

The glances, the nods, the smiles or smirks, the pointing and the questions..

Do you trust me?

It hurts how much those words carried so much, such as a heavyweight question to them.

~~~

They both sat there in silence. The silence was so loud, it was painful to even notice the smell of their perfume and cologne that filled the room. Ward could see the oddly wave of emotions that washed over her face, it honestly felt like he was ripping her heart out of her chest.

He hated seeing her upset, it’s why Grant practically took a beating from his boss, Garret, when the man told him how soft he gets around the people he cared for. And he won’t admit it but it’s true. Deep down he cared about Amelia, Daisy, Fitz and Jemma. He respected Coulson and May. Especially with how much time he spent with the team was placed into.

“Do you trust us? Did you even love me?” Said a small broken voice that belonged to Amelia, looking down at her hands, her fingers were laced with cuts and small gashes.

“Oh my god, Ames..” He replied, standing up as he went to sit down next to her grabbing her hand gently, “..of course, I trust you. You know I love you, I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you if it meant you would feel like this.”

“I’ve known you for 4 years Grant. 4 years, I have stood by your side fighting on the ground and the skies to make sure everyone was safe, to come home safe and sound. As a team and now..”

“4 years and I don’t regret anything, none of our time together. I can explain whatever it is that is crossing your mind.”

~~

She knows. He knows.

~~

Amelia wiped her head over to see him and asked, “Can you?! Can you look me in the eye and tell me you are on the same team?”

“You weren’t meant to get hurt! You and I were always on the same team, don’t you dare think that there is anything, past or present, that I would put in front of you!” Grant replied yelling, hesitant to let her hand go.

“I swear, you weren’t even on the same team to beginning with! You were loyal to HYDRA.”

“No. I wasn’t ever loyal to HYDRA, if anything I would say I’m loyal to Garret.”

“You killed people.”

“And you haven’t?”

“I..”

“The last few days you have shot down unexpected agents, not knowing if they were on your side or not. You and I are just trying to protect ourselves here! That’s all what we’re trying to do.”

“Were you ever gonna tell me?”

“Of course I was. Garret wanted you dead! I couldn’t let that happen! I’m trying to protect you here, I was just trying to protect all of us.”

“By keeping this secret from me? I know you are never one to talk about how you feel, but this..this should’ve been something you should’ve told me..”

“And have you act like this towards me? I told you years ago, I’m not a good man, Ames..and yet you stood by me. You and Skye decided to stay beside me no matter how bad it got.”

“And I said ‘yes you are.’ But right now, i just can’t imagine what I should and shouldn’t believe here. Was I pawned in your little lie, huh? Was I?”

At some point both of them were standing up, pacing the room grunting and groaning in annoyance. The room felt like it was heating up due to the argument that forming between them.

Tears were forever forming in her eyesight, running her fingers across her hair as her eyebrows furrowed as her glares softened. She was hurt, she more than hurt and her emotions were breaking in front of her. Tears that being hold back for more than 48 hours finally were getting to see the light of day.

He sighed deeply, wishing he didn’t see those tears, knowing that he will have to deal with Skye later on but this, he looked away from. His hands rested on his hips shaking his head, his anger was rising and his annoyance was taking form. This wasn’t the plan, she wasn’t supposed to get hurt. It wasn’t supposed to be personal for any of them.

“No. You weren’t ever part of the plan nor a pawn, Ames. Believe me, I didn’t expect you to come into my life and change things up!” Grant admitted closing his eyes shut, “It’s over. It’s done, i can’t do anything about it. For once in my life I wanted something that was for me, not Garret giving me orders here! And you came in, yes I lied to you but it wasn’t personal..I swear it wasn’t!”

“Oh, but i think it was! Please, Grant I’m begging you..you’re living a double life here! Getting so close, yet so far to people. I didn’t expect for you to come into my life but you did!” She admitted, “..you were..you lied to me. You lied to me. Don’t hurt Skye, more you than probably are already.”

“I won’t regret getting here and I won’t think about hurting Skye. But Ames, someday you will understand what i have gone through to keep you safe because I love you..”

“So why does it hurt so bad? What are you gonna do next? Lock me up in here? Because your definition of keeping me safe from it all sounds like a hell lot of lies..why?”

“Everything i ever felt for you was real, don’t you get it?! But I won’t betray Garret..”

“..because me and the team woke up a weakness inside of you. I..i don’t know what to think, or believe right now, alright?! I..i..”

Amelia felt weak, not like an agent of shield or anything. Just hurt, broken, betrayed as she crumbled underneath her feet about to walk away.

That was when Ward gently swiftly her back in effort to calm her down as she tried fighting back.

She tried pulling away, hitting him in the chest as hard as she could, causing him to stumble back regaining his stance. Grant just held her in his arms, grabbing her wrist as she repeatedly kept hitting his chest.

“Stop! Stop it, Ames!” Ward said, practically growled at her, “You’re embarrassing yourself here. I won’t kill you or our team, i promise!”

“You promise?” She said, mumbling and stopped hitting his chest, resting her forehead against his chest instead.

“I promise. You can tell them or shout it from the rooftops, but HYDRA is already here.”

“I failed..you failed me, Grant. HYDRA is here..oh god, there’s nothing else to say.”

“I know, baby. I know..”

She just cried into his arms, banging her fist softly again his best. He wrapped kept his embrace tightly, closing his eyes and kissed her forehead before walking away.

“W-where you going?” She asked.

“It’s for your own good, Ames.” He replied.

Without a second later, Grant speeded away out the door, locking the door behind him as you can hear Amelia screams and shouted trying to unlock it. He squeezed his eyes shut and made his out of the hallway.

Amelia grunted realized what he was about to do and scrambled to search for her phone, quickly she texted Skye a message.

‘He’s coming to you.’ She messaged

She responded, ‘On it. You okay?’

‘Will be..’

‘Okay.’

———

Amelia Parker was on the verge of tears once again, anger filling up her mind and conflicted onto what was happening next.

Her next move was informing Coulson, Hill and whoever else was online about what she knows from her research. At the same time, she tried finding a way out, possibly crawling across the vent.

“T-this is agent..Amelia Parker..we found one of the moles, Hydra is dead set of seeking into whatever corner they can. Garret is one of leaders, i don’t know who’s his boss but we need extra weapons, load up the power grids at every SHIELD Facility we can. You should know that Project Insight is part of it. Keep a-any updates coming from any scanners and detectors available. And most importantly, watch your six, you..you don’t know who is your friend or foe..” She said into her voicemail, messaging anyone on her contact list.

She knew that her voice message may have come out choppy or a bit rushed per say due to the sound of her voice, but it was all she can mange at the moment. It sounds like she was exhausted and most likely finished crying before starting that message.

She was practically locked in a bunker in what feels like the middle of nowhere, with not the best service but it manageable if you knew how to handle some technical problems. She just found out that the organization, she has been working for has a lot of issues and the people she thought she knew had more secrets than she ever expected…

Of course she was a mess!

Her only hopes were that she can get out here soon, and her message was sent out to her friends and fellow actual agents. Oh heavens, did she hope her friends and loved ones were safe..

——

Thank you for reading this! Tell me what you think about it

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[doggirlbuffysummers]

On Charles Gunn and Community

A large part of why I want to write this meta is that I don’t really see many people talking about Gunn. This is not all my thoughts on Gunn, I am going to write more over time. I have stated before that I personally feel that Gunn is in fact a much more complicated character than many here give him credit for.

I posit that the reason for this lack of credit was a larger trend of people in the fandom accepting the narratives presented by white characters regarding the people of color in the show (this is probably more discussed about at this point regarding Spike and Nikki and Robin Wood). While this essay is not entirely about the racism present in the corpus of Angel the Series, it exists in dialogue with more in depth takes on the racism present in Ats.

Gunn is in many respects unique in the buffyverse. There are no other people of color who achieve the status of main cast member, and certainly not for four consecutive seasons. The lack of discussion regarding him is a huge indignity to his character.

Much more care is taken to fleshing out Gunn in season two than in other seasons. In season two Gunn has a life outside of Angel Investigations. He has roots in the city, a community that he has spent his life dedicated to protecting. In season three, after the events of “That Old Gang of Mine” (3x03), this critical aspect of his character is gone.

It would be inaccurate to say that this happens suddenly, but the way it is handled is different in season three. During most of season two, Gunn exists in two worlds, never fully belonging to either. Both the early stages of the Pylea arc and especially “That Old Gang of Mine” throw into sharp focus that the story the writers want to tell with him is that he cannot live in this state of dual existence. “That Old Gang of Mine” depicts the members of Gunn’s old community as violent and unenlightened, with Gunn being pulled in two highly racialized directions: “black” wanton violence, and “white” enlightened application of reason regarding the use of violence. The way the episode portrays people of color is just downright awful, and Ats’s larger portrayal of race actively upholds existing, current stereotypes surrounding people of color.

I would say that Gunn is someone who cares highly about community. Episodes like 1x20 “War Zone,” 2x03 “First Impressions,” and 2x14 “The Thin Dead Line” contrast Gunn heavily with the other three members of AI. Gunn doesn’t fight for some greater ideal like others, but because it helps protect the people around him, as highlighted by @titsgirlbuffy and @punksouthie here:

Gunn’s decisions in “That Old Gang of Mine” are heavily informed by the idea posed by writers that AI and his old community are ideologically opposed. He is forced to choose between the two. The reason he comes to the decision that he does is largely decided by the dynamics at play in the situation. It is only once he is put in a situation where those who he has bonded with are at risk – the showdown in Caritas – that Gunn fully reflects and decides to turn against those in his old community. Gunn recontextualizes the scenario as being about an “out of town” person stirring up trouble within his community only once Angel and Lorne are put at risk. While he says in this gifset that it is about the mission, he does not necessarily argue against demons as an “other” to humans but more argues in defense of Angel *specifically*:

Anne reflecting the existentialist themes of the show back at Gunn in “Never Fade Away” recontextualizes everything. It parallels Doyle’s conversation with Angel in “City of” around the need to not be cut off. In these short two lines of dialogue, so much is said.

This post contains a similar parallel:

In the larger context of the show, we can see that Gunn starts off a paragon of Doyle’s explicitly stated message of what the show is about. He is incredibly entrenched in his local community. He knows the people he interacts with in “First Impressions” and “The Thin Dead Line.” He fights not for an ideal but for others. Over time, as he interacts with AI, he gets increasingly cut off from those that he is helping, moving further and further away from the actual mission of AI.

In his first appearance Gunn recognizes this, actually:

The conversation with Anne is not just about AI having lost its way but also about Gunn losing Everything. The people he has spent years trying to fit in with look at him and see the reason Fred is dead. He has no one and has so thoroughly internalized the values of his white co-workers that when he goes back to help Anne, he is separated from his old community by a vast ideological language barrier.

Brief aside that I might go into in more depth in a later post but I would like you to think about Fred���s death with regard to Gunn’s words here. A missed opportunity with Gunn’s character is exploring how he is impacted by hypervigilance and his tendency for blaming himself for events out of his control:

One interesting direction a rewrite (from a writer’s room with black writers in it) could go is having Gunn become the leader post 2x11 “Redefinition,” leading to closer interaction with the people of LA. AI becomes a much more high-profile member of the community and there is more focus on how Wolfram and Hart enables material harm in high poverty areas. I will talk about this more in the future because I think it is an interesting road to go down.

This post barely scratches the surface of my thoughts on Gunn. I haven’t even explained the take on valuing community fully. I think to fully present my take on that I need to write up at least another full post on it. There is also so much more to write about other things, like more alternate roles Gunn could have filled in AI as I talk about here:

[pastorfutureletthembe]

Full disclosure, Link Click Live Action 1x24 was underwhelming.

Honestly, it's been a good ride, Link Click Live Action got better with each episode. 1x20 to 1x23 were actually exciting, I really enjoyed it.

The issue is: you start 1x24 and you already know everything that's gonna happen. And it's kinda boring. It's hard to find this episode emotional because it's one hour long.. and could have been 20 minutes.

Spoilers:

I loved He Xu at first but the acting in the last few episodes was over the top, almost clownesque. I wanted to empathize with him but they made him so "evil". No redemption possible. Supposedly the purpose? Well, I don't eat that kid stuff, the world isn't black or white.

The worst thing is his relationship with Cheng Xiaoshi. Because it was manipulative from the start to the end, I felt cheated. One reason is how Cheng Xiaoshi himself is barely upset about it??? He Xu had actually no affection for the guy at all??? That's sociopathic. And once he understands he failed, he tries to play the victim to get sympathy? Hell no, that made it worse. That's pathetic.

I love the story about his sister to be honest. I always like siblings stuff more than dead wife/husband tropes. The sister is an amazing character. Listen, what's best about this show is how real the female characters are. Her choice made sense, because she met our expectations as the perfect sister one brother would destroy the world for. And the message she left for him was moving. Still. The director made it so long and He Xu's actor made it ridiculous.

I think they could have done better. Lots of good ideas. The whole plotline about He Xu using CXS's ability to change the past was genius. CXS going back as himself?? ✨👌👀 It's too bad the realization wasn't able to keep up but the show isnt so bad.

Note: I was actually annoyed with Lu Guang's hair subplot. They just decided it was a fun wink to the fans and did it last minute. I'm not buying this snack, nope. The last scene was cute tho. LC's donghua opening as end credits throw me into the sun.

[homeofthemany]

jack versus kai

part 1, part 2, part 3

second part of my "kickin' it in china" analysis! the post got long so i split it up lmao. robin keep your analysis posts to a relatively short length challenge, level: impossible.

TW for general discussion of trauma & ptsd, & a light allusion to abuse ["punished"]??? nothing really specific, it's all light.

seeing kai again; jack's resolve crumbling

i truly think that seeing kai again would emotionally destroy jack for a bit. not because jack actually believed he left that part of his life behind, but because he's always running from it. he dropped karate, became a skater & moved to seaford with no intention of coming back to it. then he does, albeit reluctantly, but this time he actually enjoys it. he doesn't get punished for making mistakes and has people he likes to train with, rather than the one person who's always trying to prove that he's better than him. and then right when he thinks he's let go, when he's at the one tournament where he can show himself that he's actually good at this thing he loves, kai himself shows up. and jack is forced to realize that all he's actually been doing is running away.

hell, he almost drops out of the fight right after, too! jack & kai's brief interaction when they see each other again doesn't give us much [other than the fact that he refused to let kai see him freaking out, showing that he doesn't want to look like a scared little kid in front of him], but jack's immediate resignation to everything does. he's already in the finals, but he'd still rather give up on the championship than have to face kai again; he just accepts that he can't win against him and seems pretty ready to go home before kim & rudy stop him.

about here is where i think things would seriously take a turn if this wasn't on disney! i think jack would've had a complete breakdown after seeing kai because of the ptsd from that match, and his relationship with rudy here would definitely shift into a much more personal one here because he'd see how troubled jack actually is. BUT THAT'S NOT THE POINT OF THIS POST & IS A DEEP DIVE FOR ANOTHER TIME. i also think that jerry, milton, & eddie would've been notified of all this considering jerry's his best friend [or is on the way to becoming his best friend] & all of them in general became close very fast. rudy's dojo is a sanctuary for those troubled kids, so they'd all have a tight bond even if jack keeps them at arms length regarding his personal life & history.

after they get him settled down jack's like okay cool maybe things will be all right! and then proceeds to get JUMPED LMFAO. kai saves him but jack's intuition is very strong. i think he would've known something was up because he's able to sense something off about ricky [1x08], brody [1x20], carson [2x20], & probably a few others i'm forgetting. but he not only sniffs out liars & bad people fast, he's just a smart kid who knows when something's up. my point is that jack has a very strong sense of danger, & it's a pretty consistent trait of his; he trusts his gut, & he's right often enough to be confident in his judgment. i can see him being very weirded out by kai suddenly being there to help, but can understand him looking past it because now he's just worried about whether or not he can compete. and he can't.

i would imagine that being told you can't compete in the tournament you finally felt you could prove yourself in, would suck. in jack's mind, this tournament was going to determine his future—but not his future in karate. winning the tournament would finally let him believe he was actually good at martial arts & that he was finally past all of the stuff with kai and his grandfather. but then his wrist gets broken, he can't compete, and kai, the guy who beat the shit out of him when they were twelve[?] years old, the rival he'd been trying to outperform throughout his childhood, saved him. how conflicting.

final part (:

[shrinkthisviolet]

idk if you still do the ☕ opinions but i was thinking about season 1 and how Iris found out Barry was Flash. and i really think it would have been so much better to have Iris investigate Mason Bridge's death, knowing he was asking so many questions about Star Labs, and her not buying Eddie's "explanation" until she finds it all out by herself. and all of it, Mason's death, Wells being sketchy and a murderer, and Barry's Flash business of course.

it would have felt much more earned and would have been an amazing way to push her fully into the investigative side of her career, as a serious and good reporter, rather than have her get info dumped in one episode.

There is no time limit on the ask games I reblog, you can ask about any of them whenever! Especially this one 💞 I am notorious for never shutting up about this show.

and YES!! I’ve always been of the mind that Iris should’ve either been told or figured it out herself (in my AU, I sorta go with a mix of both, and have it happen much sooner, because Iris deserved to be told, but she’s also definitely smart enough to figure it out).

And you’re so right—she was already investigating things with Mason Bridge, this plotline was already about her learning to love journalism for its investigative nature! So take it all the way! Having her find out by accident and then be told everything is just. It’s strange. She should’ve found all this out—or at least most of it—herself, and then used that! Maybe even throw it in Barry’s and Joe’s faces, say “protect me, huh? I know some things that even you don’t. Who’s protecting whom exactly?”

I remember when I first watched s1, I was fully convinced this was how she’d find out. She’d dig up details, get deeper into the mystery, find out more and more…and in the process, she’d discover Barry was the Flash and then go confront him. Imagine my disappointment when 1x20 played out and she found out because of a lightning touch 💀

(I love the parallels, truly I do, but it was a cop out, and I stand by that.)

send me “☕️” and a topic, and I’ll talk about it!

[winn-schott-throughtheheart]

hello, all. I present to you a long list of why Winn Schott is Autistic as Hell:

• academically gifted

• stims- hand flappies, plays with his shirt, fidget spinner, lots of trinkets to play with, fidgets a lot, scratching/rubbing the back of his neck, playing with his tie, etc

• star wars special interest- frequently makes references, talks about it a lot, 2x01, 3x09, etc

• also superman special interest or old hyperfixation perhaps: strong long term memory, able to recall exact details of past fights

• doctor who/orphan black, etc, scifi in general also - comfort and routine in fictional worlds

• Genius™- picks up on info that trained agents couldn't after spending an hour at the DEO 1x13, makes Superman's new suit 2x01/2 (?), wrote the code that made literally everything after 5x11 possible, etc

• overwhelmed at lots of voices and shouting 2x11 - noise complexity issues

• that technically wasn't winn but since the Martian took all his memories/thoughts/mannerisms im going to count it as him

• complains that today's music is too loud 1x16

• wears headphones at both places of employment, 1x05, 2x05- noise processing issues again

• can easily go hours without taking a break if he's In The Zone, 1x15, 3x20

• bad social cues 1x13, 1x07, 3x02, 3x09, 2x16 etc etc

• learns a new alien coding language in less than 45 minutes

• learned kryptonian because he was bored

• hyperfocussss

• prefers to be alone- doesn't talk to anybody besides his friends much

• poor self esteem

• over analytical

• time blindness - "How is it still night time? it feels like it's been one week." 2x11

• sensory issues- certain smells - teak wood and tobacco, frequently wears headphones, scrunching his face up at having to wear rubber gloves

• frequently drinks soft drinks- sensory with the bubbles maybe??

• frequently eats more unhealthy things: more predictable in taste and texture than fruits/veg/organic foods.

• very expressive with his hands when talking

• hyper empathy- 3x02, training room scene

• bad at lying

• never noticed how bad his home life was

• awkward with emotions/bad at dealing with emotions 1x10, 1x20, 3x14, 5x12

• easily gives in to peer pressure

• panics under pressure

• routines- it takes a while for him to get used to Guardianing and Supering

• sensitive to temperature

• missing social cues when being questioned by Maggie, 2x16

• stimming - spinning on the stool 3x13

• special interests in techy stuff

• repetetive tasks?? likes taking stuff apart and putting it back together again

• awkward with hugs?? 3x18 at least

• shifting his weight when standing

• face rubbing/touching stim

• "if they like someone romantically, they can be extremely, noticeably awkward in attempts to let them know."

• difficulty making friends/approaching new people

• taking things literally?/ difficulty reading between the lines. "oh, things are not chill." social cues again 3x20

• prefers meaningful conversation over small talk

• ooh routine mayhaps might have been a part of 2x09

• daydreamer/deep thinker, e.g 3x14

• alexythemia - trouble identifying/describing their own/others emotions.

• see e.g- "oh, so I'm supposed to be feeling something? well I don't feel.... anything... I don't think..."

• typical gifted kid- "I always knew he was brilliant and capable-" at ten years old

• difficulty managing intense emotions- could also be PTSD. e.g, 1x10, 3x14, 1x11

• negative beliefs of self, again linked to PTSD

• intense connection to fictional worlds

• engaging in special interests very intently - 1x15, 3x20

• RSD maybe????

• strong long term memory

• pattern spotting/attention to detail, 2x14

• hyperfocus, again 3x20

• low trust in himself

• stimming by pacing, and also humming/singing, 2x16, 3x22, 2x20 (superfriends)

• could be echolalia after Kara maybe explained it cause he literally wasn't there

• clumsy - fine motor skills go brr

• "doesn't really do holidays," perhaps sensory overloads/sensory difficulties??

• or maybe thats just trauma

• or both

• quick/blunt remarks that could come off as rude

• 't-rex' arms

• sticking to the same clothing??

• talking to himself/thinking out loud

• takes his tablet almost everywhere- comfort item??

• stimming- moving his fingers idk like flapping/moving them up and down

• heightened sense of smell - "Oh, God, is that smell you?" like a second after bumping into Kara 1x02

• Kara knows about his Maxwell Lord obsession- hyperfixation/infodumping mayhaps??

• very very t-rex arms Jesus

• I'd make a compilation but God he's doing it in literally every scene I swear

• mumbles when writing code - idk if that's a thing it just seems very neurodivergent

• echolalia- repeats "turbulence" after Brainy in 3x11

• literal - 2x02, "actually, he said he would try."

• uses diagrams and drawings as a means to get points across - 3x22

• highly intelligent but can sometimes be slow to comprehend due to sensory and social difficulties

• stims to soothe when sad or agitated - face rubbing/touching, finger/foot tapping, etc

• similar when happy - jumping, dancing, singing, 2x09, 2x16

• anxiety and fear are prominent emotions

• proud of himself when he can distinguish tones - "Oh, I know that tone, that's a bad news tone" 2x09

• sitting on desks and tables

• sits weird - 2x14

• literally in the middle of an alien invasion and runs back to get his tablet

• genuine 'yep?' after cats sarcastic 'oh, Winslow,' when asked if she's ready 2x21

• prepares for the worst, always

• tapping his fingers 1x10 balcony scene

• tablet is a definite comfort/security item because it's been seen since 1x01. So.

• pacing to self soothe, 1x10, 2x09, 3x14, 5x11 etc

• unique thought process (voyager 3x11, satellites 1x13)

• finger wiggles!!! 3x09

• literally memorises a futuristic maths system to fix a futuristic ship better than the ships owner (someone from the future)

• sensory overload/overstimulation in 3x20 with ruby (coming off as easily irritated etc)

• has a fucking dirt collection

• which Mon-El of all people knows about, so he's either infodumped a whole bunch or they have sleepovers

• always making references

• keeps random shit in his desk?? why does he need a whole toolbox in his desk at catco

• overclarifies himself ("that's like, that's like really fast"); struggles with understanding things sometimes so when he's explaining stuff he explains in more detail the stuff that normally he wouldn't understand.

• relieved hand flappies after stopping indigos missile 1x15

• disinterest in sports/physical activity

• " I was a theatre kid, not a track star!"

• "youthful" for his age: in dresses, activities, tastes, etc

• fictional worlds as a retreat/safe space/coping mechanism

• "may have a strong interest in computers, games, science, graphic design, inventing, things of a technological and visual nature"

• emotionally sensitive

• hates injustice/being misunderstood

• words and actions are often misunderstood by others

• doesn't go out much: only really shown 'out' with his friends/'safe' people (barring that one time in 2x20)

• actually having said that he was probably only in the marketplace because he knew James was going to be there

• when he was at the bar alone in 2x13

• difficulty regulating voice volume - "too loud." "I'm sorry-" 2x14

• "high and to the.. left?" - struggles with fine motor skills and lefts/rights 2x07

• "head north. or, wait, more helpfully.... left."

• stimming with his mask in 3x16

• memory again: remembers where he was told his mum and dad met from over twenty years ago in 3x14, immediate correction "I thought you two met in Ivy Town?"

• fine motor skills again when he breaks the thing in the bathroom on the legion ship 3x17 (?)

• also "I broke something" in 1x07

• wears "restrictively tight" cardigans - comforted by deep pressure therapy

• chicken wings as a safe food

• he also immediately knows what's so important about flight 237 in 3x04- remembers exact details about Supergirl much like he does with Superman

• awkward gait

[kiss-my-freckle]

Full Episode Commentary

2x15: The Dinner Party

"With the dying embers of the fire at Fell's Church, the scourge of the vampires had passed. And though war raged all around us, our town was safe from the demons of the night... Or so we thought. For the monsters we drove to their fiery deaths had begat new monsters."

They open with Elena reading Johnathon Gilbert's journal. He wrote about the 27 vampires they led to Fell's Church with the plan to burn them, and how they didn't expect new vampires. He's referring to the Salvatore brothers. It's through current timeline that you can see the truth of Damon in 1864. Katherine shifts to Elena.

All of their flashbacks in this episode would've taken place soon after Stefan fed on his father and forced Damon to turn. The Dinner Party literally opens with a flashback of Johnathon Gilbert with his family at the dinner table. "I saw the vampire who killed me. I recognized him. It was Stefan Salvatore." Johnathon's line is every bit Elijah and Damon. "I killed you. You were dead." Johnathon survived because of his Gilbert ring. Elijah survived because he's an Original. Stefan ate three people in this single shot: Johnathon, Thomas, and Honoria.

It's because of Johnathon's Gilbert ring that Elena is able to read the truth about Stefan. Even though Elena is adopted, she's still a Gilbert. Her adoptive father was her blood uncle. Johnathon Gilbert was her blood. While Elena reads this journal, Stefan is out skipping stones in the lake. So much for a romantic getaway lol. I suppose Stefan is still pissed that Elena plans to self-sacrifice. The more this episode moves along, the more I laugh about it.

Damon contacts Stefan to tell him about his plan to kill Elijah. This is where things get interesting because Damon isn't stupid. He plans to visit Katherine to make sure the dagger works because the silver didn't work on Mason and the regular stake didn't work on Elijah. That's basically what the tail end of their conversation is about -making sure the dagger works on Elijah because Damon put himself at risk with both Mason and Elijah. "Yes, Stefan, I've become you. How tragic for both of us." The perfect line for their series finale.

"Men are very territorial." This is true for both the Salvatores. Elijah and Jenna are having a historical conversation. You'll understand the position Bonnie's in when they get to 8x16 just by listening to Elijah and Jenna. The Bennetts are the true founding family of Mystic Falls. Nothing like patriarchs. Can't have women in power, no siree. They burned 100 witches in Mystic Falls and dubbed themselves the founders. Elijah is trying to find out where the 100 witches burned, and he's trying to find it without anyone finding out why he wants to find it. Unfortunately for him, Damon is the only one who knows of its location. While Stefan has his extras like Johnathon Gilbert, Damon has his extras... like Emily. He knows where she burned because she's the one who told him Katherine survived. They had a deal.

I would place Emily's death somewhere after Damon's final flashback in 1x20 and before his first flashback in 2x15. I base this on Damon's comments in 1x20 and Katherine's comments in 2x16. Because Katherine faked her death, she must've put a death trigger in place for Emily. Something similar to John's threat to Damon in 1x18, only Katherine actually carried it out. Like John, Elijah isn't ignorant to the fact that Alaric is Damon's buddy and Jenna is blind to the existence of supernatural. "You don't have to be jealous. I don't really pursue younger women. It's a joke, Ric, lighten up." lol… Elijah is fun. I view him like I view Damon. They're everything I'd expect a vampire to be.

Poor Jeremy. He was hoping Bonnie thought about him as much as he thought about her. She starts talking about a spell rather than their kiss. These two witches are the entire reason they dagger Elijah just to have Elena turn around and pull the dagger out. It's absurd to me that Elena can trust Elijah's two witches to protect all of her loved ones, but she can't trust Damon and Bonnie. You'll hear me complain about this more when I re-watch Bonnie's fake death. At any rate, Luka knows Bonnie did something to him, and he's demanding to know what she did. Jeremy is insanely protective of Bonnie, so yeah... his feelings run deep.

The problem isn't so much their plans. It's their constant failure to follow through. If you're gonna dagger Elijah, keep the dagger in. If Matt plans to take Elena out of town in 3x22, best he keep driving. Altering plans midway is a good way to screw yourself. That's why Alaric daggers Elijah. He knows it's necessary to protect Elena.

Dear Elena, here's your sign. If you can't handle reading about Stefan, you won't be able to handle dating him. Stefan and Elena are the only two at the lake house, yet Stefan startles her when he walks in.

Elena: Are you still mad? Stefan: Yeah, I'm still mad.

This moment sounds a lot like 4x2 lol

Elena: He describes you as a monster. Stefan: That's what I was. I want you to know the truth, but I want you to hear it from me.

This is where I take issue with Stefan continuing to blind Elena. He speaks as if he's no longer a vampire, as if he's no longer a monster. It's also another instance in which Stefan only gives Elena the truth because Elena had already discovered that truth for herself. He should've told Elena this story when he was painting Damon a monster back in 1x13. Instead, he basically painted Damon as the only monster in 1x13.

"I want you to know the truth. But I want you to hear it from me." This is Stefan's way of saying his side is the only side that matters. That's why Damon twice told Elena that she doesn't have the full story. If Stefan wanted her to know the truth, she would've already known it, and she'd know the whole of it. This isn't about Stefan wanting her to know the truth, it's about Stefan cleaning up his lying mess.

They pull flashbacks to 1864 because they're gonna show how Lexi came into Stefan's life. I can already say with certainty that Elena is only getting what Stefan gives her, so she's not getting the full detail. That's why Elena should've continued reading Johnathon's journal. Better she get the whole story rather than Stefan's half story bullshit.

Stefan: I took it to the darkest place I could. Elena: I've seen Stefan in his darkest periods. I can handle it.

This shows in Stefan's own wording, as Elena assumes in 3x3 that she already saw Stefan in his darkest periods.

Damon: We have to be more careful than this. More clever. Like Katherine was. Stefan: Look where that got her.

Damon can't stay with Stefan when he talks of Katherine this way. More so in the fact that Stefan is the entire reason she was caught. Katherine is Damon's hot button. They already made this clear with Mr. Tanner in 1x3. She's the very reason he leaves Stefan with Lexi in 1864. I'd so much as say Katherine is likely why Damon left Lexi on the rooftop in 1977. From his pov, Katherine isn't dead, she's trapped in a tomb for 145 years. The difference is the emotion he'd feel while Lexi is using Katherine to flip his humanity switch. Neither Stefan or Lexi were intelligent enough to realize the truth. Had Katherine actually died, Damon would've already moved on. He's torturing them because they're dropping Katherine's name in ignorance.

This is a parallel they've buried in 2x15. It's the whole of 3x5, straight down to Damon offering to compel Elena. It's what happens when the truth sounds like a lie. Yes, that's how blind Stefan has Elena in the first two seasons. THIS is why Stelena is over in season 3. Elena doesn't just fall for Damon. She un-falls for Stefan.

Damon: You sounded jealous. Sound a bit jealous? Andie: Kinda do.

Elijah and Damon both pick up on Alaric's jealousy. Well, Damon knows jealousy when he hears it… because of Stefan lol. "Ooh, my girl. Full of good ideas." I love it when Damon compliments Andie. He's gonna turn her dinner party into a killing party. He heads on over to see Katherine because he doesn't wanna dagger Elijah and find out it doesn't work. That would be the quickest way for him to get killed. I mean… he already tried to kill him with a coat rack and failed lol. He did the same with Mason, tried to kill him with a silver knife and failed. This scene of Damon and Katherine is every bit what it would've looked like had Katherine been in the tomb for 145 years. Damon feeding her human blood to get her going.

"I've come bearing gifts. I didn't have time to properly shop, but I did get a couple of things." I consider Damon a fashion savant, so I guarantee he picked out something Katherine would actually wear. "Wow, that blood did the trick. You're almost pretty again." Damon is hilarious in this scene. Unfortunately for him, Katherine is about to manipulate his ass. "Guess who's back in town? Your old friend, John Gilbert." Damon is easy to manipulate, it's just a matter of knowing his buttons. Katherine does. This scene is written opposite Delena's scene at Isobel's office. The best way to get Damon to do what you want… tell him what he's not gonna do, what he shouldn't do, or what you don't want him to do. Rebels enjoy breaking the rules. Because Katherine wants Damon to dagger Elijah, she's gonna tell him not to dagger Elijah. This manipulation is only gonna add to what Damon already knows. So when he uses Katherine to insult Elena in 2x3, yeah… this is gonna make him hate Katherine all the more. Whether Damon daggered Elijah or he had a human like Alaric dagger Elijah didn't matter, Katherine still would've gotten out of the tomb. She had no reason not to tell him. Either Katherine doesn't believe Damon is capable of human friendship, or she truly wants him to die. "And you don't have any friends. So, no more lying." Perhaps Alaric's comment in this episode explains Katherine's reason for not telling Damon about the dagger. Perhaps Katherine sees Damon as she sees herself. The woman sent 26 of her friends to burn at Fell's Church for the sake of faking her death because they weren't her friends, so Alaric's comment about Damon fits in with Katherine. I could totally see this being the reason she wouldn't tell Damon the dagger would kill him if he used it. She thinks he has no human friends to do it for him. Either way, she pretends that she had no idea John is back in town. This is part of her lie.

Damon: Well, thank you... you've told me everything I need to know. Katherine: I've told you nothing.

Damon should've taken Katherine at her word. She's telling the truth, which is the manipulation. It's what happens when the truth sounds like a lie. With the 27 vampires that were led to Fell's Church, it's easy to forget that the Battle of Willow Creek wasn't just about vampires. There was an actual war going on. Stefan tells Elena that's why he was never caught. War gave him an endless blood supply, so he didn't really have to hide his kills. It's because vampires can't sense other vampires that Stefan assumes Lexi is human. Elijah actually had to smell Elena to know that she's human. I don't hate Lexi, but I do consider her overrated. Damon is protective of Elena because he's in love with her and because she's the voice of his humanity. If Elena is going to die in the ritual, then Damon might as well die along with her. I feel that's the entire point of Elena dying, then Damon nearly dying. Damon knows exactly what he is without Elena. Probably best to imagine where Stefan would be had he never met Lexi. That's what they're doing to Damon while trying to sacrifice Elena in this ritual.

Stefan: Talking about her brings up things that I'd rather forget. Elena: Like Damon killing her?

The reason they're now trying to kill Elena. The difference between Stefan and Lexi and Damon and Elena is 145 years. Stefan always had Lexi. "Trust is the key to any relationship. I mean, I am so grateful that Damon tells me everything." This is at the top of my list of reasons to love Delena. It wouldn't take Damon an entire season to tell Elena that he killed Johnathon Gilbert. He would've told her in 1x13. Damon is more likely to hide his good qualities. That's why it takes him more than a season to tell Elena about the dream he gave to Rose in 2x12. While Andie talks to Jenna about Damon telling her everything, it's probably a good idea to remember that he told her he kills people and he likes it. Similar to Caroline's confession to Alaric in season 3 lol.

"There's no such thing as a bad idea. Just poorly executed awesome ones." It's best to keep this line in mind with every plan they have. Everyone needs to be on the same page, that's why awesome ideas are poorly executed. Elena's awesome idea to self-sacrifice will be poorly executed because Damon isn't on the same page with the rest of them. "Listen, no sneak attacks. No surprise plans. Nothing that's gonna put Jenna in harm's way. Okay?" lol… Damon is still lying to Alaric. He's like Katherine in this episode. He fully believes they're all safe because he went and spoke with Katherine about the dagger.

I love this scene with Andie. Damon is grabbing the dagger out of the box and dipping it in ash. It feels just like Mason all over again, only it's Elijah. John shows up to this dinner party. "When Jenna told me she was coming to a dinner party for Elijah, I decided I couldn't miss out on all the fun and games." That's honesty for you. He's there to see two vampires die in one shot. An exciting moment for him, that's how much he hates vampires. "You did like it, right?" lol... I hate the Jeremy and Bonnie ship, but Jeremy is adorable af. He wants to know if Bonnie enjoyed their kiss. "Because, you know... although Elena and I have this deal, if you so much as make a move to cross me, I'll kill you and I'll kill everyone in this house. Are we clear?" Elijah isn't stupid, but he has yet to see just how capable of murder Damon is. He won't see it until the Salvatore fight.

Elijah: They were tied to stakes in a field together and, uh, burned. Some say you could hear the screams from miles around us. They were consumed by the fire.

Damon's like… thank you for telling me you wanna know where Emily died. Now why would you wanna know that? And he's so not gonna buy "historian curiosity" while Elijah has two witches in his corner lol. Damon has need to hold onto Emily's death location because it's what makes Bonnie their secret weapon. As I've said before, he's like Katherine in the fact that information is power. That's why he won't tell Stefan that he's the reason Elena fed him her blood in 2x5. That's why he won't so much as tell Stefan that he's the one who met Elena first. Damon holds onto as much as he can, and only uses it when he feels the desire to. Such is the case when he outs Stefan for sleeping with Rebekah in 4x12 lol. It's because of this, Damon is also the kind of person you need to know how to torture for information because you're not gonna take his power. That's why, even though he didn't have the moonstone, Damon wouldn't tell Jules that Elijah had it.

"Johnathan Gilbert got crazier and crazier. I guess that's what happens when you spend your life obsessed with vampires." This is coming from the mouth of a girl that's currently dating one while being blind to the reality of him lol. Stefan is still mad at Elena for planning to self-sacrifice and keeping that a secret from him. At the same time, he knows of Damon's plan to kill Elijah and he's keeping that a secret from her. It's now 2x15, and this couple is still lying to each other. How a couple that continuously lies to each other is considered epic is beyond me. I honestly hate how they split this dagger journal because they make Elena look like an idiot.

Elena: It must be brandished by humans alone, for it will bring death to all demons who wield it. Stefan: John's trying to get Damon killed.

The dagger is similiar to the hunter's curse, but straight-up kills. This is John's second attempt on Damon's life. 'I think I've been very clear with you, Ric. I want my ring back." This is also the second time John mentioned expecting the ring back. I suppose it's the Gilbert of it all. Damon asks Elijah why he's looking for the witch burial ground. He won't know why until Jonas dies and hands Bonnie that information. Damon will only give up the location to the witch he trusts. And he won't just tell Bonnie where it is. He'll take her there. "It's a funny thing about books. Before they existed, people actually had memories." Elijah is referring to journals, and it's a good thing Elena was reading Johnathon's or Damon would be dead.

lol… John has no idea why he's getting this look. At this point, Elena is the only person that can stop Damon from killing him because John just tried to kill him - again.

This right here is John's death. Everything that was possible without hate. It's sorta like Elena with her necklace and Pearl with her Gilbert device. The dagger would've been the perfect apology, but John wanted a dead Original and a dead Damon because of his hatred for vampires. There are three relevant witch spells in season 2. One shows the truth of the other. The third reveals their direction for season 3. I'll pull that collage together when I get closer to Klaus' ritual.

"Elijah, did John tell you he's Elena's uncle-slash-father? Of course, she hates him, so there's absolutely no need to keep him on the endangered species list."

lol... this entire scene is funny. I also laugh when Alaric daggers Elijah because no one expected it. Andie expected Damon to do it as he planned. John didn't know just how ballsy Alaric is. Damon does, but he didn't expect the favor. "What good is talking if you and Damon are just gonna lie to me?" I can't stop smh over just how ridiculous this question is. What good is talking about the future if you're just gonna lie to Stefan about having one? I hate the level of hyprocrisy with Stefan and Elena. It's too much. "Because once you can hurt, you can love. Love, Stefan. That's the point. Everything is intensified when you're a vampire. When we hurt, we really hurt. But when we love…" This part of Lexi's intro is relevant to Delena. It is Elena's life, but she acts like she has no brother, no friends, no boyfriend. I don't think she knows the full effect of suicide. If she did, she'd fight for them... her loved ones.

What would've been possible if only Stefan could find it in himself to love vampires. Her eyes remind me of Elena the night she first met Damon. "Lexi showed me that there was another way. And from that day forward, I started fighting for it. For my own survival." Elena fights for like two episodes and returns to her plan to self-sacrifice. Stefan didn't do shit, he simply stalled her. She'd rather die for love than fight for it, which is every bit what she will do... for Damon.

Stefan: Needed a place to crash, so I brought her home with me. Stefan: My wife is out there waiting for me to come home to her.

I can see the series finale in this episode. The 145 years Stefan spent with Lexi becomes Damon's human life with Elena. What they do with Caroline and Lexi is nuts. That's where Stefan's truth shines the brighest. Like I said… what would've been possible if only Stefan could find it in himself to love vampires. That's why he ends up with Lexi in Peace.

"Hey, I am your friend, damn it. And you don't have any friends. So, no more lying." So, the problem with Damon and Alaric… Alaric is wanting to protect Jenna and Damon is wanting to protect Elena, and the two collide on the trust issue. What Alaric doesn't understand is that a plan to kill an Original requires a certain level of comfort. He's not just any vampire Damon can approach on the street and dagger. Jenna being there is partly why it works. A reason Klaus has two women at their dinner in season 3 lol. The women are meant to act as distractions. Otherwise it's a room full of testosterone. He lied to Alaric for the same reason Katherine lied to him. He wanted to get the job done. It takes a long time for him to build the kind of trust Alaric deserves, and equally, to get him to work as a team. He wanted to get the job done - and do it on his own. He prefers being the lone ranger.

"And as long as the dagger stays in place, the Original, for all intents and purposes, is dead." This is where the writers made Elena look like an idiot. I know that she's not used to killing, but it's not common for people to leave their murder weapons in their victims lol... so yeah, she should've already told Stefan about this part. They basically made Elena look like an idiot for the sake of selling a reason for Jonas to take Bonnie's power. "If you become a liability, I'll take her away from you and you'll never see her again." Elijah did warn them. He's now going after Elena.

Poor kids. Bonnie and Jeremy are having a romantic moment, and Jonas bursts in to take her power.

We get this whole thing at the cabin similar to the coins with Slater and Rose and the tempered glass. Elijah will be tossing some rocks. "He'll feed me his blood to heal me, and then I'll kill myself and become a vampire just like Katherine did." I can't stop laughing at Elijah. I'm not sure whose plan this was, but it's hilarious to watch Elena threaten him while he thinks she's joking. First season, it was Damon threatening to turn Elena. Second season, Elena threatening to turn herself. Third season, Stefan threatening to turn Elena. See where this is going lol. Elena demands Elijah give her his word to build his desperation to heal her. The more desperate he is, the more likely he'll be blinded by the dagger that's coming from her directly.

The best way to see season 1 Stefan is to watch season 2 Alaric. Both Damon and Stefan have parallels with Alaric as they continue their Isobel/Katherine parallels. Alaric asks Elena permission to tell Jenna everything about him being a hunter and Isobel being a vampire so he can have an honest relationship with her. Stefan didn't need permission because it was his truth to tell, and he kept it from Elena anyway. Jenna basically dies to show the audience what would've happened to Elena had Stefan's secret remained a secret. To put it simply… Elena only survives Klaus' ritual because Damon wanted her to know she was dating a vampire (Stefan). That's why Damon is the one to get Elena to safety. I'll collage this concept once I get to Klaus' ritual. "You want it? Take it. It's yours. And after what you did to Damon… You're gonna need it more than me." This is one of my top favorite Dalaric moments. Alaric knows how dangerous Damon is. He would know because Damon killed him in self-defense...

"Let me recap... You tried to kill me. I defended myself. You died. Then according to my brother, your ring brought you back to life. Am I leaving anything out?"

Damon takes the moonstone from Elijah's pocket when they toss him in the cellar. Know what you see in season 3. The letter Damon puts in Elijah's pocket where the moonstone was. It's fun to watch season 3 because of the implications. "You know, you guys want me to fight, fine, I'll fight. But if we're gonna do this, you can't keep anything from me anymore. From this moment on, we're doing it my way." Elena can't change the game and expect Damon to play by the same rules. It doesn't work that way, so the moment she chooses to stop fighting is the moment Damon is done doing things her way. Faking Bonnie's death isn't for Elena, it's for Bonnie.

Damon: Seems like she's had a change of attitude. How did you get through to her? Stefan: I told her a little story about when I was making the wrong decisions and somebody showed me there was a better way. Damon: Lexi? Stefan: Yeah. You remember her?

A reason Elena doesn't throw Damon's past actions in his face. Guilting Damon does nothing but make Stefan feel better. More so after spending the day in his own ripper guilt. That's what this moment is about. Stefan's guilt.

It wasn't hate, it was love that got the best of Damon. Like I sid, both Stefan and Lexi dropped Katherine's name in ignorance. Damon's truth is shown in their scene cut. That's why they cut from Damon and Lexi in 1864 to Damon and Katherine in current timeline. LOVE got the best of Damon. Every bit the reason Stefan dies to take Katherine to hell. Everything Damon goes through with Katherine… it makes him all the better for Elena. That's why Datherine's scenes are important af.

Lexi: My God, you're a ripper. There are good parts of being a vampire and there are bad parts. You're the bad parts. Well...we're going to have to change that.

I still love this moment even though Stefan feels the need to guilt Damon. I love it because Damon needs to feel what he took from Stefan when he killed Lexi, and he feels it just in knowing his own relationship with Elena. Because yes, Elena is Damon's Lexi. He'll feel it even more in season 3 when Stefan goes full-blown ripper. Lexi's absence will be everything as Damon will return to his big brother role. The best way for me to explain Delena is to say that Stefan first meeting Lexi IS Damon first meeting Elena. That's literally everything you need to know.

The most important thing about this Datherine scene is the truth of "how" Katherine ruined Damon. It's the Delena/Steroline parallel.

Damon: I thought you broke my heart, so I ripped open Aaron's neck: THAT is how much control you have over me.  Elena: And I'm still here: That's how much control you have over me! 

Damon and Elena have equal control over each other because they're in love with each other.

Stefan: That's because you're a control freak who's lost control. I feel the same way when I'm around you. That's what falling for somebody is. It's being vulnerable. It's giving up control.

Similarly, Stefan and Caroline have equal control over each other because they're in love with each other.

Katherine: And I'm still here. Elena: And I'm still here:

THAT'S how Katherine ruined Damon. She had COMPLETE control, not equal control. And she had complete control because she didn't fall for Damon. That's why this scene matters. It's not just the scene cut, it's the whole of both scenes combined. THIS is the very core of Damon's character journey and the very truth of his character. Fans would feel the same way had Elena strung Stefan along for 145 years just to tell him it was always Damon. Just look at the petty shit they do bitch about. That's why the Damon hate is ridiculous. Be happy that Elena respected Stefan enough to let him go when she did because he could've had it a whole lot worse. He could've had it like Damon.

I'm just gonna end this post by saying that they're pushing Damon to a level of desperation similar to Elijah's when he watches Elena stab herself. They want him to get desperate enough to feed Elena his blood. That's why it's one thing right after another. Slater de-spelling the moonstone for Damon gets ruined by Elijah. Rose helping protect Elena for Damon gets ruined when Jules kills her with her bite. Elena will end up screwing Damon's plan to dagger Elijah when she pulls the dagger back out. Katherine will top it off, and when she does, she'll take the moonstone with her. So yeah… he will get desperate. Just remember that it's not only about love for Damon. It's about Elena's role in his life. She's his Lexi.

[dumbblondesposts]

If you could have it your way how would the process be for klayley. What would you change and what would you keep from canon? If it had an extra season how would it progress?

I'd remove haylijah all together for the simple fact it offered nothing to the characters/plot and was funny enough used to make klayley look better for some reason? Like idk if it was intentional or not but the narrative was absolutely ruthless in the way it obliterated them in favor of klayley/Hayleyxjackson every time

This question is so tricky because honestly the show actually worked in their favor really, but if anything I'd definitely have them confront each other regarding their feelings by the end of season one/ season 2 at most

I'd pretty much keep their canon dynamic because it was absolutely perfect and the tragic aspect is what makes them great

I would however give at least one scene that would deal with the aftermath of them choosing each other above hope, for example I find it insane that the writers had Klaus chose to risk unborn hope's life to potentially save a dead Hayley in 1x20, or choosing to Grieve her death over saving hope's life once again In 1x22, because how are you going to tell us Klaus loved her more than anyone but not elaborate or show the impact of such decisions on Hayley who wanted nothing more than to matter to him??

And while I love them to death season 5 was my absolute favorite klayley season despite their deaths and I think was the perfect conclusion for them because it summed up their relationship perfectly, after all the progress they made in the last two seasons Klaus going back to pushing Hayley away to protect her from himself out of self hatred and stubbornness cause he never really change since any "development" he had relied on Hayley/Elijah being physically there for him while Hayley resorted back to putting everything aside to relentlessly try and tell him she loved him no matter what and how she simply wants to be there for him, writing countless letters he never read, defending his heinous acts and abandonment of her and hope for years was nothing but perfectly in character for her and them

If there's one thing Hayley will do it's fight for Klaus and stand by him no matter what and it's absolutely sad how it took Hayley dying for Klaus to finally see just how much she loves him and how he wasted years being miserable and insecure instead of letting her in the way he wished

Him coming back to the city in a heartbeat risking countless lives, a war and his fucking daughter's life ONCE AGAIN for Hayley and allowing Elijah to die for no reason after disowning and hating him after what he did to Her were all a perfect representation of the tragic dedication he and Hayley had for each other

One thing I would've changed is maybe show them reuniting in the afterlife with the promise of making up for all that's been lost, they finally have no circumstances pulling them away from each other and can finally be at peace knowing they've done everything they can for hope and for each other

There's really no need for another season but both szn 4 and 5 should've been longer to show how great they finally worked out with Klaus getting out of his own way but also the inevitable Fall out with Klaus descent into who he used to be in season 5 and how his abandonment affected Hayley since all she did up to that point was to prevent that

[egipci]

Happy WW Em! There has been endless discussion about Dean’s close relationship with John. But... If John lived, do you think Sam could ever have a similarly close relationship with him? Or do you think the Stanford incident and Sam’s childhood has left too big of a stain on their past? If John and Sam had their own closeness, would Dean ever get jealous? Or would he see it as the final stage of his fucked up family healing itself?

Happy we......ek, friend! What a great question--- I think I tend to be much more optimistic than most people when it comes to Sam and John's (non-incestuous) relationship possibilities, but also I'm pretty committed to 1. the idea that John must die, sooner or later, for the show to become the Sam and Dean show (tm) and for Dean specifically to become his own guy and not just a dad-extension, and more controversially that 2. Sam's hate/frustration towards his dad is pretty much resolved before we even see John in s1, if not entirely before the pilot, 3. that John would die to save Sam just as he had for Dean, and 4. that we see significant character development on both their parts in s1 (or at least a significant improvement in their mutual understanding) such that their relationship couldn't really be as bad as it had been when Sam was growing up--- so with these basic assumption in mind, say John's lifespan is extended by like, a year or so. The short answer is: yes, they can grow closer, but not as close as the Dean-John relationship, not because of the trauma of the Stanford fight but because of the nature of the Dean-John relationship itself. There's about two decades of emotional incest there that I don't think Sam or anyone else can really fit into.

The long answer is-- I think the degree to which Sam and John grow closer depends entirely on how much canon changes to allow John to survive. Let's consider some possibilities:

Azazel is happy in 2x1 to stop the reaper from taking Dean solely in exchange for the gun. So, they get Dean back, but they're down the only weapon that take Azazel out. Obviously Sam can't blame his dad for giving up the gun, and he's recommitted to the fight after they've come face-to-face with Azazel, and insofar that he's happy to defer to his dad on hunts they're in a much better place than 1x20, for example. I can see John's "we wouldn't be here if you had taken the shot" blame persisting, if to a much lesser degree, but much more significantly, John's anxieties about Sam breaking bad persist, and there's a lot of very intriguing tension to be located here. John tells Dean, because of course he must tell his lieutenant, and Dean is torn up about it, watches Dad watching Sam, tries and eventually fails to keep it to himself, etc. etc. Sam is used to being outside the Dad-Dean unit, and it probably is better than when he was a kid, but also there's something going on that feels different, because he was right there when Azazel talked about his plans, and he asked John in 2x1 if he knew anything, so eventually he learns he's at-risk of some freaky shit. Does he know that Dad said to Dean they might have to kill him? And if he does, is his reaction similar to his reaction in canon s2, which is --- okay, whatever Dad says, but if someone has to kill me, please Dean it has to be you? Of course in this scenario we get to 2x22 and John makes a deal for Sam's life.

Azazel takes the gun and gives John one year. Or I guess, he takes the gun and John has to make an independent deal for Dean and gets a one year freebie. This compounds the above scenario in an interesting way: I can see John initially telling Sam about his deal and Dean about the Sam situation, and everything eventually comes to light because Dean knows his dad better than anyone (maybe he connects the dots somehow in 2x8) and Sam figures out that something might happen to him etc. etc. --- so now the stakes are doubled for Sam; they have to get Azazel before Azazel gets him, and maybe if they get Azazel before Dad's year is up they can maybe stop the deal (similar to the s3 Lilith hunt, you can even include some version of Ruby here), and of course he's totally onboard with Dad's contingency kill-Sam-before-he-breaks-bad plan. So like, the Sam-John front is probably the best it has ever been, and outside of his obsession with getting Azazel he's really mellowed out with Sam, not in denial about the inevitability of his death. Dean is absolutely inconsolable in all of this, trying to get his dad to stop worrying about Azazel and redirect to trying to stop the deal, he's worried about saving Sam, he's suicidal (as always). We get to 2x22 and John extremely hypocritically tries to stop Dean from making a deal, which he himself has made and would do again for Sam given the chance. (Also imagine John hilariously micro-managing Sam and Dean to prevent the revelation of his very important secrets--- extremely entertaining, as long as he manages it).

John has a year left and doesn't tell anyone. Of course he's motivated to finish the Azazel job before his time runs out, Sam is on board, and sooner or later learns that Azazel has a son crush on him, etc. etc. see above. But we can also imagine how that attempt at reconciliation in 2x1 ("I don't know why we're fighting" etc.) would underlie John's final year, a real palpable softness towards both Sam and Dean that's nice but obviously weird and unusual. There is also tension before Dean learns about the Sam situation and even more after he does, why would his dad place this on him etc. etc. Until suddenly Dad dies (or acts as bait for Azazel in 2x22, knowing he's not coming out of it).

Would Dean feel jealous in any of these? No. I mean, I don't really know why he would. I would need some canon support for this potential jealousy. Much more plausibly he would feel overwhelmed, or put-upon, or whatever, if there were a unified obsessed-with-hunting Dad-Sam front, but I don't really see jealousy within this dynamic (but of course I can be persuaded).

[antigonewinchester]

15x20

And we come to it... The End of Supernatural.

But we’ve got a double feature this time: because I watched 1x20 too. With 15x20 calling back to that ep so specifically, I thought I’d see what the finale looked like in its context.

There’s a lot of talk of how the early vs. later seasons differ visually in terms of lighting, cinematography, etc., but I was also struck in their difference in tone. There’s a sincerity to 1x20, not just in what’s happening but in how the writing takes itself & the situation seriously, while 15x20 is much lighter and humorous, verging into bathos at points. It’s exactly the same as the contemporary MCU/Disney blockbuster humor: never letting the tension build for too long and breaking it was jokes. Maybe I’m just a bit too earnest but this kind of humor rings really hollow to me. It often feels self-defensive, like the writer(s) are hyper aware of their audience & its reaction and so they make fun of themselves before the audience can make fun of them.

I’d forgotten The Twilight Zone reference early in 1x20; love that. All of the John - Sam - Dean family drama is so compelling -- Sam still hotheaded & angry, John caring but not willing to give up his authority, Dean the peacemaker in the middle of it all. (The rest under a cut because it got long.)

DEAN: What happens if you die? Dad, what happens if you die, and we coulda done something about it? You know I been thinking. I ...think maybe Sammy's right about this one. We should do this together. [SAM nods.] DEAN: We're stronger as a family, Dad. We just are. You know it. JOHN: We're running out of time. You do your job and you get out of the area. That's an order.

Kripke’s idea of ‘family as everything’ is the foundation of this ep. It’s also obviously about healing the original family estrangement in Sam leaving and John rejecting him for it--John has to relearn how to “believe” in family again, which first starts to happen when Sam & Dean rush into save him, and then he saves Sam, using a bullet from the Colt to kill Luther holding Sam hostage, even though it means one less chance to get the YED. If, as SW analyzed, Dean takes on John’s narrative role in S4/5 with Sam, then Dean is in this narrative position thru the entire rest of the show. For ex, in Dabb’s seasons, so much of the writing focuses on Dean not “believing” in or resenting/rejecting family, which drives almost all the emotional conflict. And then cue Dean’s heartfelt deathbed speech in 15x20 about how much he loves Sam & thinks Sam is such an amazing guy, right? The ultimate “I believe in family & love you so much” speech. Dean’s speech even parallels what Sam’s son tell him as he’s dying, so framing Dean in a parental role to the end: (”SAM No. / DEAN (softly pleading): Look at me. Look at me. I need... I need... I need you to tell me that it's okay. I need you to tell me... Tell me it's okay. / SAM (through tears) Dean... it's okay. You can go now.” versus “DEAN II: Dad. It's okay. You can go now.”)

With the Colt, what stood out on this watch was how even though it’s a weapon that can “kill anything,” it’s not divine or blessed or anything like that; it was just a gun made by Samuel Colt for ordinary human hunters. Given how fantastical the show gets by the end, the Colt is grounded in a satisfying way. In order to fight creatures stronger than they are, people will make a tool that’ll allow them to overcome all that, just through sheer human ingenuity & stubbornness.

Jenny is the obvious throughline between these two eps, but there’s also John being integral to both (returning in 1x20, Sam & Dean figuring out the case thru his journal in 15x20) and both eps dealing with vampires. In 15x20, the situation is clearly meant to be a mirror reflection of Sam and Dean’s family tragedy: vampires invade a house, kill the father instead of the mother (but leaving her traumatized and unable to speak, literally & metaphorically) and steal the 2 kids away, but ending more happily with Sam & Dean saving the kids. There’s also again shades of sexual violence against children, in the vampires not just killing the kids but keeping them alive for years, both to feed and feed on them. If it’s more alluded to in 15x20, then it’s literal in 1x20, with vampires intertwined with sexual violence all over the ep: Kate & Luther making out / getting ready to have sex while Jenny watches, with Kate then turning Jenny by assaulting her with a kiss (complete w/ incestuous undertones in Luther then saying “Welcome home”); John looming over Kate and Luther like a creepy stalker when they all invade the vampires’s nest; Dean playing bait and drawing the vamps out, with Kate assaulting Dean very similarly to how she did Jenny. The ‘Dean playing bait’ scene was also interesting in that Dean is very much vulnerable (what if Kate had just gone for his neck?) while the masculine violence of the Winchesters is highlighted as well... John & Sam shooting Kate and the other vamp, John coming in with “sweetheart” to Kate when he confronts her, Dean taking Kate off in a bridal carry, a parody of the real thing. They’re both the hunted and hunters.

SAM (crying) Then don't leave me. Don't leave me. I can't do this alone. DEAN Yes, you can. SAM Well, I don't want to. DEAN Hey. I'm not leaving you. I'm gonna be with you... [DEAN is crying as he places his fist over SAM’S heart.] Right here... every day. ... DEAN Goodbye, Sam. Goodbye.

Telling that it was Jackles and Jarpad who added in those callbacks to Sam & Dean’s dialogue in the pilot, not Dabb. Good for them, tho.

I’m surprised I’ve never seen a comparison made between Dean’s death and Jack’s departure in 15x19! If Jack is a Christ figure, then Dean is a messiah figure, and those figures very often die; both Dean and Jack gave up a chance at a normal life to save the world & protect the people they love, Dean as a hunter & Jack as God; they both do the “I’ll still be with you, in your heart” gesture; it ends with both Jack and Dean saying goodbye, and they both then go onto to ascend to Heaven or a heavenly place. People talk about how Jack’s ending is messed up because he’s just a kid with too much responsibility put on his head, but the show idealizes / does the same thing with Dean, in how much it valorizes Dean’s protection of Sam. I think back to Jarpad’s quote talking about the finale that got people in a huff (“It was a success story — it was Dean’s success story,” Padalecki reflects on the “Supernatural” series finale. “This guy gave his life for years and years and years and ultimately gave his life to have his No. 1 on the planet live as normal a life as possible.”) but like? Doesn’t this attitude seem exactly how the show viewed Sam & Dean at this point?

I’ve also seen people talk pretty cynically about Dean’s death and as much as I’m not a fan of Dean dying I also just cannot read it as cynically as some people do. Dean didn’t die because he “couldn’t live a normal life,” he died because the show set up the “Dean = chooses the hunting life, Sam = wants a normal life” framing back in S12, Dabb’s first season, which culminates here in Dabb’s last, with Dean dying on a hunt after saving 2 kids from something horrible, and Sam going on to live without Dean and having a ‘normal’ life, wife, a son, even if he deep down he longs to be with Dean again. If Dean most represents “the family” in the narrative, then of course he couldn’t get a wife and kid like Sam could; that would be Dean choosing to have another family over Sam, and that wouldn’t work with Dean’s narrative role. In S15 too, Dean’s death also fits thematically with the emphasis within the last season on making sacrifices and dying for what you love and the people you saved living on after that sacrifice. Ketch, Rowena, Cas, Jack (sort of), Dean, to name some major ones. There’s also that Sam dying & Dean living on would be a repeat of Swan Song, so I can see why they would’ve wanted to avoid that plot beat because they’d already done it once. If anything, I’d say Dean’s death echoes his one in 3x16: telling Sam to carry on without him, Sam being unable to prevent his death, but this time instead of going to Hell, Dean ends up in Heaven. And Dean gets narratively rewarded with the perfect, best Heaven ever! The one that is stated he deserves!! I just don’t see how that translates into the writers seeing Dean as not normal or having something wrong with him?

OKAY last few things: I actually like the regular “Carry On Wayward Son” and then the cover version, what can I say. Despite ppl saying Dean spent however many odd decades in Heaven waiting for Sam, it’s clearly implied he only waited a short time in Bobby saying “Time up here, it's... it's different,” which is calling back to Hell’s time dilation, Dean’s 40′s years, and his now only spending a few minutes separate from Sam in comparison. And while I 100% understand not liking the finale, it’s kind of fascinating to me that the finale basically framed it as a final, fantastic Happy Ending for Sam & Dean, they are at peace for all eternity, isn’t that so nice, and parts of the fandom somehow read it as a tragic or unhappy ending. It’s just... so clearly not. It is if you wanted to the story to end another way, but c’mon, the story wasn’t going to end another way. It ended as it started, the Epic Love Story of Sam & Dean.

[englishstrawbie]

I posted 9,102 times in 2022

That's 851 more posts than 2021!

769 posts created (8%)

8,333 posts reblogged (92%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@captain-mayabishop

@thundergrace

@popchoc

@mayasdeluca

@addictedtostorytelling

I tagged 9,091 of my posts in 2022

#station 19 - 936 posts

#in the q - 743 posts

#maya bishop - 654 posts

#carina deluca - 619 posts

#anon - 401 posts

#grey's anatomy - 359 posts

#doctor who - 340 posts

#kate whistler - 322 posts

#orphan black - 314 posts

#lucy tara - 309 posts

Longest Tag: 130 characters

#oh brave of you to include the egg shells line when it sets us off on a rant that she knows that one because she used it already!!

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

📸 danielepiersonsbeauty

82 notes - Posted September 2, 2022

#4

NCIS Hawai’i 2x03

It’s been a while since an episode of tv has delighted me as much as this one!

- The fight scene was everything I hoped it would be - strong, sexy, flirtatious - I loved it!

- KATHERINE MARIE WHISTLER

- “I volunteer my apartment to be cleaned” … “I second that idea” 😂

- Lucy being Kate’s biggest cheerleader when she’s nervous about going undercover

- Kate reading a massive manual (of course she does)

- Jesse and Kai being awkward when they try to give Kate feedback

- Kate talking about her brother, Lucy and the boys listening, Lucy asking her to talk about it later

- Lucy panicking – her face killed me 🥺

- You call the coastguard but there’s no Pike? Disappointing!

- Kate using her battle cry 💪🏻

- “Are you okay?” … “Yeah, but she’s not” – anyone catch the throwback to Lucy taking out Medina in 1x20?

- “Being with you has changed everything” – oh my heart ❤️ ❤️

90 notes - Posted October 4, 2022

#3

“There’s a lot of shame associated with being in the LGBTQ community that’s put on us. And it’s wrong, and it sucks. [Stefania] felt shame because she finally has been following her dream and booked a role, and her parents made her feel shame for playing an LGBTQ character. And I have felt shame because I have had feelings, romantic relationships with people of both sex. I’m very private about my personal life. It is not fair the shame they put on us and I’m sorry if you guys have ever felt shame because it’s miserable. So I’m sorry, and I hope that by playing these characters, you are seen and you feel represented on television. And I hope that we’re doing the best we can.” ~ Danielle Savre

From Spampsavree on Twitter

129 notes - Posted May 22, 2022

#2

Source: xlauradre99x on IG

143 notes - Posted October 23, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

It’s been a week and I’m still thinking about the way Lucy couldn’t stop watching Kate as she walked away from her on the beach. It was so deliciously gay. 😍

154 notes - Posted May 10, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[steely-eyedmissileman]

The Vampire Diaries, Ep. 1x20

Blood Brothers

true in more ways than one, good vampire pun.

i'll sum up my thoughts on this episode with an excerpt from my notes, 'oh this is so… that thing french chefs do with their fingers.' (i believe i meant italian chefs.)

the most important thing to know about this episode is that it is all about parallels. everything is paralleled from damon to stefan and back. the brothers are at their most shadow/self dichotomy, both of them playing both parts. it's a story best enjoyed by thinking about the ways that history is repeating itself, the ways that the brothers work for and against each other, how their stories intertwine as they hurt each other in myriad ways.

so we begin the episode by watching both brothers get shot in the chest as stefan flows in between his past and his present. in a set of interesting historical/present parallels, elena and katherine exchange places (not the interesting part) and damon changes places with jonathan gilbert (the interesting part). stefan views his brother and the man responsible for his death in the same way. let's let that one sit.

we also learn that damon doesn't care about his brother, according to damon. contrary to his words, we have plenty of examples of damon caring about stefan. he wants to pretend he doesn't love his brother, but he does. he's also emotionally constipated, so he's incapable of saying so.

back in the past, we've got my favorite person again! bianca lawson is back!!! she explains what happened to the brothers, how they got their rings, what the whole situation is. she is working for katherine (still don't know why) even after katherine has been sealed in the tomb. from bianca lawson, we learn that stefan was compelled to drink vampire blood, but damon was willing. he wanted to become a vampire and spend his life with katherine. also, stefan has a very amusing almost perfectly circular blood stain on the center of his chest. and damon's hair is cute.

back in the present, damon is wearing a really good sweater. damon proves that he cares about his brother by encouraging him not to die. then ht calls damon about a vampire house he learned of. so now they're going to go on a date to investigate the house. the two of them have so much sexual tension, and it doesn't look like it's going away anytime soon. elena's trying to figure out how to get stefan to eat and damon is not being helpful. elena gets in the zinger 'i would say drop dead but...' which was very funny.

back at the house, i want john gilbert dead. john tries to guilt trip elena into giving up stefan and damon by invoking her mother. she says, 'which mother?' which is another excellent way to end a conversation.

in the past, damon says that he intends to die because he only wanted to become a vampire to be with katherine and she's dead. stefan says, 'i don't want to survive.' for once, they're on the same page.

elena and damon are talking about stefan again. elena is concerned that he is so upset. but damon takes a more cynical view, 'he feels bad about hurting that girl. it's very typical stefan martyr stuff. it will pass.' damon believes that time (and blood) heal all wounds. he's a big believer in repression, moving past things by internalizing them. he does not punish himself for his actions, unlike his brother. damon thinks stefan should just move on, but that's not how stefan works. they have two different ways of handling things, and there are positives and negatives to both.

damon and ht go to the vampire house. damon says 'you just brought me along for my company?' further cementing the idea that this is a date. of course, it's a date where the goal is to find their mutual ex, which is all kinds of awkward. they also prove that this tomb plot line is not over, which makes pearl's declaration in the last episode even more strange.

elena and stefan's conversation in the crypt is particularly interesting: elena: 'talk to me, stefan. Why are you doing this?' stefan: 'i'm making the decision i should have made years ago.' elena: 'what are you talking about?' stefan: 'you have to feed in order to complete the transition.' elena: 'i know that.' stefan: 'it was a choice i shouldn't have made.'

stefan feels guilty about his very existence. he has not processed his guilt over becoming a vampire, even though it has been over a century since these events. having seen it, the way he became a vampire is pretty brutal. he kills his father, who had already shot both him and his brother. killing your father is a classic vampire move, but it is quite traumatic, especially when the father seems to have not sucked that much until recently. freud (*vomit sounds*) considered replacing one's father to be one of the most important steps in a young man's progression. that process is often deeply upsetting, and made worse in this case because of the death and stuff.

stefan: 'how can you even look at me right now?' elena: 'you need to be able to talk about these things, stefan. i need to hear them. come upstairs. we can talk about it more, and we'll keep talking as long as you need.' stefan: 'you're so sure i'm ready?' elena: 'and when you feel the same way...i'll be upstairs.'

elena's trust în stefan is so great. she truly believes that he is not inherently evil, and now that he has no human blood in his system, he must be okay. she believes in his innate goodness, which illustrates a few fundamental things about elena. one: she is quite naive. two: she believes in the goodness of all beings unless there is very very very good evidence to the contrary. three: she does not have a huge amount of concern about preserving her life. she's not suicidal or anything, but her own safety is always a lesser concern than the well-being of the people around her. i think that's part of why she seems so uncomfortable when stefan asks her if she's sure—it had never occurred to her not to be. that sort of overwhelming self-denial is such an eldest daughter trait (as an eldest daughter, i'm a bit of an expert). it's not that she doesn't want things or have desires, it's that it never occurred to her she could. we see throughout the season that she's always more concerned with damon or stefan or jeremy or bonnie or matt or caroline than herself, even when she is in mortal danger.

back to ht and damon, they are being very gay. the vampire whose home they've infiltrated is almost criminally dumb and gives up so much of the plan it's hilarious. and then they have to kill him, and they do it in the gayest possible way (by pushing his body in between them onto a stake). it was at this point that my girlfriend said, 'they need to fuck nasty.' after all this, ht says, 'i'm through with isobel,' therefore ensuring that she will immediately appear.

then, damon reveals to elena that stefan made him become a vampire. stefan says, 'the guilt, the pain...damon, i can turn it off. like a switch. katherine was right. it's a whole another world out there, damon...you can turn that off, too. you don't have to feel that pain anymore...don't fight it. we can do this...together.' the girl that damon drinks from is spencer from pretty little liars. the allure of vampirism, in this show, is particularly interesting. thus far, tvd has associated life with pain. living is painful, and being truly alive, truly a good person means accepting that pain and trying to overcome. becoming a vampire, turning down your life is seductive because it allows you to escape from that overwhelming pain. vampirism is a way to escape from the emotions that are too overwhelming. it's drugs, kids, vampirism is drugs.

stefan recently went on a bender and now he's getting clean. but that made him suicidal. he's gone, left the house, without his ring. he's going to go wait for the sun, like another vampire on another show that i won't mention here. stefan has gone to the place where he forced damon to turn. he's here to die.

in the past, we see bianca lawson again, and she and stefan have an amazing conversation. bianca lawson: 'katherine saved my life once. i owed her. That doesn't mean i'd wish her curse on anyone.' stefan: 'it feels more like a gift.' bianca lawson: 'that will change.' stefan: 'why is that?' bianca lawson: 'because even in death, your heart is pure, stefan. i sense that about you. that will be your curse.' she was right, of course. stefan is unwilling/unable to turn off his emotions. instead he spends most of his time regretting his past mistakes. as soon as he became a vampire, he did terrible things and now he can't escape them. stefan is unwilling to give up his emotions, but he is also unwilling to work through them and move past them. he's decided that the right thing to do, the thing he deserves is to suffer. when he tasted human blood, he stopped suffering. he wants the suffering to stop again now, but he's unwilling to become a monster to do it. thus, death. bianca lawson called it—his heart is pure.

back in the present, the sound design is killing the vibe. i feel a bit bad for putting so many full conversations in this, but we need at least one more (probably two). elena: 'damon told me the rest of the story. i thought i might find you here.' stefan: 'i should have died that night, just like i had chosen. i should have let Damon die, too.' elena: 'but you didn't. and if you die now, it's not gonna change what happened.' stefan: 'every single person that's been hurt...every single life that's been lost, it's because of me.' elena: 'the night that my parents died...i blew off family night so that I could go to some party. i ended up getting stranded, and they had to come pick me up. that's why we ended up in the car at wickery bridge. and that's why they died. pur actions are what set things in motion. but we have to live with that.' stefan: 'i made a choice, elena. because of that choice, a lot of people were hurt.' elena: 'you also made a choice to stop, to reject the person that the blood made you. you made a choice to be good, stefan.' stefan: 'no. please don't do that...please. don't make this all okay.' elena: 'that's the person who saved my life.' stefan: 'it hurts me. it hurts me, knowing what i've done, and that pain...that pain is with me all the time. and every day, i think that if i just...if i just give myself over to the blood, i can make that pain stop. it would be that easy, and every day, i fight that. and I am so terrified that one day, i'm not gonna want to fight that anymore, elena. and the next time i hurt somebody...it could be you.' elena: 'there will be no next time.' stefan: 'you don't know that.' elena: 'maybe i don't. but what i do know is that you can take this, throw it in the quarry, and let the sun rise. or you could take this ring and put it on and keep fighting. it's your choice.'

elena brings up the relevant argument, the argument that stefan can't fully disagree with. stefan has saved people. he has done good. sure, he hasn't done all that much good, but he has done some. just like the good doesn't cancel out the bad, the bad doesn't cancel out the good. stefan needs to keep trying to do good, to keep trying to leave the world better than he found it. and it's hard, it sucks. living well is a difficult thing, a horrifying thing, the hardest thing a person can do. but it's still worth doing. elena believes that wholeheartedly and she wants stefan to believe it too. and he does. he is convinced, here at the end of the episode. he's going to self-actualize!

back at the salvatore house, after a few quips, damon says something genuinely kind and insightful to stefan, 'you brood too much. everything on this planet is not your fault. my actions, what i do, it's not your fault. i own them. they belong to me. you are not allowed to feel my guilt.' this is a shocking expression of care from damon. this is a man who has historically made fun of everyone for feeling any kind of guilt. and now he's claiming his own. i don't think it's just to make stefan feel better either, i think damon really does feel guilt over his actions, whether he shows it regularly or not. damon is also self-actualizing!

[dumbblondesposts]

Well while i fully agree on the klaroline bit, i do think you completely missed the point on klayley, in no way is klayley's relationship even centered around hope, their love for each other is about the common understanding they came to have and the sense of safety they felt around each other and as kinda as shallow as it is their attraction to one another .

Which is why Klaus is literally the only person Hayley consistently goes against every thing she stands for when it comes to him, she would be angry with Elijah and break up with him over the potential of not him even acting evil but simply having a darker side instead of being 100% the good brother which is all that he represents to her but at the same time she's defending Klaus commiting mass murder for the fun of it and also abandoning her and hope for years and proceeds to continually write him letters he never reads stating she misses him , doesn't regret a thing and how she won't give up on him / she flat out admits she can't even fully hate him when Rebekah tells her she thought she'd never forgive Klaus again, she ignores Elijah begging her to stay after her fight with Klaus but ignores the fact her daughter was almost murdered twice in one day because Klaus asked her to stay, she's standing in front of klaus telling him just how much she wants to believe in him after he left her to almost die out of Jealousy of her and Elijah getting closer, and she smiles when he offered to do something as decent as fixing the air conditioning after he attempted to murder her last night, which obviously means he was as much of a top priority to her as hope was to the point where as I stated she actually put him even above hope at times and was risking her life for him left and right despite everything he's done and despite having a daughter to look after,

As for Klaus it's the same exact thing, he notes twice how similar they are, he risks hope dying in 1x20 at a chance of maybe saving Hayley, he doesn't move from Hayley's DEAD body while his daughter is taken to be murdered , he offers her advice on how to make things right with Elijah/lets her marry Jackson despite his jealousy over her and his insecurities regarding being replaced as hope's father, literally putting Hayley's happiness above his own/above a better chance at being a parent to his daughter because he loved her that much

Hayley felt safer/more understood with him than she did with anyone else which is why at the very lowest point of her life post vampirism and giving hope away she's seen to be furious anytime Elijah tries to even talk to her but when Klaus reaches out to her after not talking to her for months she's completely relaxed, allows him to help her however he can either by literally taking her to kill people and when that failed he successfully gives her back her confidence to lead her people again in one short day after Elijah's failure for months and she smiles when he says he's proud of her, showing just how much she valued him and his opinions of her which is lmao why she literally not only intends on permanently ditching Elijah but literally the entire Mikaelson clan after feeling like she lost what she built with Klaus with him going back to controlling her/killing one of her pack

there's something very juvenile and shallow about klaroline, in my opinion. part of it is because the narrative has never really focused on them unless its for fanservice. klayley, for example, have had ups and downs. they have worked together and worked against each other. they have made concessions for each other, they have killed for each other, and they have made choices for each other. their dynamic feels a bit more adult despite their immaturity at times, and of course part of that comes from their shared responsibility and their shared desire to put hope above themselves. it is through their circumstances that they regard each other differently and begin to treat each other like equals, which i find interesting. personally, klaroline just feels a bit stuck in the teen drama pit, which is why i do not find it nearly as compelling.

I also think it's because Caroline herself is a teenager. Yes, a vampire, but also a girl who's frozen at seventeen and will never grow up out of it, similar to Rebekah.

I'm not sure if it's been said in canon, but in tvd it's pretty clear that vampires are more or less mentally frozen with their physical age when they die. I don't know if that made sense, so: you die being twenty-two = you'll always be twenty-two mentally and emotionally, no matter how much you live as a vampire.

A clear example of that is Klaus, who died when he was twenty-one/twenty-two and despite having a thousand years, he clearly doesn't act like it. Or Rebekah, who in canon died being seventeen: she was clearly an insecure and neurotic teenager in tvd, until they made her act mature and feminist in The Originals (don't come at me for the last part, trying to steal a girl's boyfriend wasn't very feminist of her).

But back to the point, definitely. There was a lack of power between their relationship which Klaus always took advantage of, and Caroline did act like she couldn't stand his sight yet she didn't hesitate before accepting his attention or his gifts imo. I believe is because they weren't supposed to be romantically interwined at first, so the writers clearly didn't know how to handle them and they tried to make look romantic every time Klaus threatened her and snapped whenever she said something he didn't like.

Which failed, and yet fans bought it with their whole "Klaus is the only one who always put Caroline first." He didn't imo and that's final.

And Joseph and Kat, the actress of Bonnie, wanted their characters to have a romantic relationship yet Pl*c said a big no because she's a racist piece of shit. So with the way the writers jumped at the opportunity to not give us the romance between the black witch and the hybrid and instead had him "fall" for the baby vampire is disgusting. Klaus x Bonnie would have been a thousand of times better than any of his other relationships.

And now, going to klayley, I personally don't ship them anymore even though I did once. I agree about how they were more mature than klaroline, but the whole point of their dynamic is that they wouldn't have spared the other a glance if not for Hope. Hayley hated sleeping with him, as pointed out for their daughter in s5, but didn't regret it considering it brought her her hope (no pun intended lmao, or perhaps yes). Still, seeing the development in their relationship was quite beautiful despite everything: they loved each other as family, and one of the few things they agreed on was that Hope was their number one priority.

The whole conception about how Hope was made is strange though, hybrid and female werewolf = magic and most powerful baby as cliché as Renaissance from Twilight, that is three species without any logical explanation other than "we don't want any black witch (especially Bonnie Bennett) to be the most powerful" and "Klaus is a hybrid so he can procreate, despite the fact that he had been killed before having his werewolf side locked, therefore he couldn't get any woman pregnant".

I honestly love Hope, but her whole character revolves around being the most powerful and being the daughter of Klaus Mikaelson who is traumatized after her daddy and mommy died.

But going back to the point, definitely. Personally, I don't ship anyone with Klaus because I believe that to be seriously in a relationship with him, you must be as screwed up as him. It's the reason I don't believe Camille or Caroline could have been with him for a long time, and honestly he doesn't deserve either of those girls (I do though, give him to me.)

Either way, klamille and klaroline have problems of their own, but the fact that they resemble so much the sister he's always been obssesed with??? And the way Rebekah went for Marcel, the person that the show always said was the most like Klaus???