#Dumpster Fire Sapphic FailGirl™️

[dumpster-fire-sapphic-failgirl]

Some more Imodna thoughts:

Marisha was (if we take her at her word, which why not) trying to play an unromanceable PC. Just didn’t think of it. Wasn’t expecting it. Obviously as a player picked up on what Laura was putting down but was trying to dodge it as best she could.

But Laura Bailey is the ttrpg equivalent of a Dragon Age modder. Ain’t nobody non-romanceable without explicitly being Aro, or exclusively into men.

And over 65 episodes, Marisha crafted a story about a girl who thought she was too monstrous for love. One who didn’t let herself think of it. One who was more afraid to lose what she had in a best friend than to let it be anymore.

And Laura just played Imogen as a dumpster fire sapphic failgirl in love with her best friend from the start. And one who couldn’t make the first move, because she’d forever have to hear Laudna’s thoughts rejecting her. So That Burn Was So Slow.

But burn it did. And things built up perfectly. Imogen had the protection of the circlet, meaning she’d only have to endure heartache not a constant bombardment of thoughts. For one of the first times, Laudna was the jealous one. And after weeks apart. Weeks of not seeing each other. It was the push they needed.

And Laura gave Marisha the chance to say no. It would have been heartbreak and drama and they would have done a hellova good job with that. But Marisha made sure that Laudna not only initiated the second kiss, but fuckin pranced around when they reunited with the group and that’s super important to show Laudna accepting of and happy with that change. That chance.

Anyway I have a normal amount of feelings about this.

[dumpster-fire-sapphic-failgirl]

Most excellent analysis, OP, though i add a tiny bit that Imogen is happy to let Laudna set the pace *for now*

The second someone hits on or Laudna there’s like a 50/50 chance that little horse girl will psychically fling that other person straight into the next town and then will have to explain it to the group

I’d say she’s also gonna go feral the next time someone hurts Laudna but that’s not exactly an new situation

Saw some gripes™  about Laudna and Imogen “hiding” their kiss from the BH, and I have some Thoughts. 

They were just reunited. Their whole lives have been pedal-to-the-metal for the past several months, and everyone in BH is reeling. The whole group was split and is just coming together, and they may not know how everyone else is dealing with things right now. Ashton is unpredictable, Fearne is quiet, Orym is hanging on by a thread, Chetney was just attacked in broad daylight, and FCG just said goodbye to their boyfriend. It feels very much like a “read the room” situation. 

Imogen seems to be pretty content with just having it out there. I don’t see her pushing anything at all now that Laudna knows how she feels and will most likely let Laudna set the pace. She let out the one thing she’s been repressing for who knows how long, and now that Laudna’s in the loop, Imogen is good. She doesn’t have to do anything but let Laudna figure out how she wants to move forward. 

The ball feels like it’s Laudna’s court, tbh. Maybe she’s still processing. Maybe she likes having this sort-of secret between them for now. Maybe she’s just waiting until she can talk to Imogen so they can decide what to tell the group together. My money is personally on the last one. But what it does not feel like is that either is ashamed of the other or that either of them regret being closer to one another. 

Laudna reads as being extremely surprised, processing, and a bit unsure of whether she’s good enough for Imogen to me. Which is why, I think, her immediate response to Imogen kissing her was “I’m a bad person” and why, when Imogen assured her that she’s not, Laudna kissed her again. Because Imogen really believes she’s a good person and worthy of love, and Laudna couldn’t help but kiss her again. I hope they have time to have a discussion in Zephrah about how to move forward together, now that they’re on the same page. 

Also, I just want Imogen to be able to finally be able to show her feelings unchecked and for them to be able to be soft with each other without the subtext. 

[dumpster-fire-sapphic-failgirl]

Rewatching the Imodna Supercuts and OMG Imogen had it baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad from the beginning.

And Laudna was very much of the “We've resigned ourselves to not being able to fix what's deep down inside, but if we can give them the life we never had...” mindset. Like, literal quote. She thought she was a broken monster and wanted to give Imogen a life better than she thought she could provide. And then she died. And then she felt guilty about coming back to life. and then the world was ending. and then they were split up. and the world kept falling apart. And then she murdered a guy.

also, Laura Bailey can fit so many Sapphic Longing Stares™️ into just about any moment

[dumpster-fire-sapphic-failgirl]

“She could always hear Laudna’s thoughts going [incoherent angst] and it didn’t happen”

Imogen’s internal monologue: “I’m gonna do it! I’m gonna do it! I’m gonna…. nope nope nope nope not the right moment… abort abort abort!”

[dumpster-fire-sapphic-failgirl]

Imogen just used a third level spell slot to not risk failing on her ass in front of Laudna

[dumpster-fire-sapphic-failgirl]

Saw a take where someone didn’t like Imodna as a ship bc “they have no conflict” and “any growth they’ve had is independent and not for each other” and like maybe I’m just seeing things that aren’t there, but from the gnarlrock to Imogen getting more and more frustrated with the false positivity that Laudna keeps up around her to their obvious and arguably toxic codependence to both of them being too wrapped up in their own fears and seeing themselves as monsters to be able to consider anything like love to, and this is a big one, desperately trying not to upset what they had because a change could mean loss and they were both refusing to try to grow and idealizing their memory of the other from when things were easy and good

Like, those are all conflicts. They are all things that can destroy a relationship. And honestly, some of those things still might.

But. They take steps to see each other and allow themselves to be seen. The time apart means that change was inevitable. And they both finally admit to the monsters within them and they both receive love for it. And I think, and I hope, that those southern gothic girlies are seeing each other as they are now and renewing their love of the person in the moment.

And you know what? Growing *for* someone? That’s toxic AF. You grow for you. You change for you. If you do it for someone else, that’s part of yourself you’re subsuming. There’s expectation and bitterness and guilt. I’m glad they grew while they were apart. Fuck.

And like, this isn’t to say that the poster I saw *should* find it narratively compelling. That’s why I’m not reposting this as a response. Folks like different things and that’s cool. But. Damn. Like, it hit something visceral in me and I felt the need to get my thoughts out.

Anyway, change and grow for yourself. Check in every once in a while to make sure you’re in love with the person you’re with. And for fuck’s sake. Communicate with your partner(s) and the people in your life, romantic or otherwise.

[dumpster-fire-sapphic-failgirl]

80% of y’all out here acting like you didn’t see the episode where Imogen almost got shot up the key and Fearne brought her back with sheer force of will

I almost put “Laudna but later in the campaign” but I feel like that would have skewed the results so no Laudna option at all

[dumpster-fire-sapphic-failgirl]

side note, it is tempting to change my blog name to dumpster-fire-sapphic-failgirl now

eta: lol i have poor impulse control

Some more Imodna thoughts:

Marisha was (if we take her at her word, which why not) trying to play an unromanceable PC. Just didn’t think of it. Wasn’t expecting it. Obviously as a player picked up on what Laura was putting down but was trying to dodge it as best she could.

But Laura Bailey is the ttrpg equivalent of a Dragon Age modder. Ain’t nobody non-romanceable without explicitly being Aro, or exclusively into men.

And over 65 episodes, Marisha crafted a story about a girl who thought she was too monstrous for love. One who didn’t let herself think of it. One who was more afraid to lose what she had in a best friend than to let it be anymore.

And Laura just played Imogen as a dumpster fire sapphic failgirl in love with her best friend from the start. And one who couldn’t make the first move, because she’d forever have to hear Laudna’s thoughts rejecting her. So That Burn Was So Slow.

But burn it did. And things built up perfectly. Imogen had the protection of the circlet, meaning she’d only have to endure heartache not a constant bombardment of thoughts. For one of the first times, Laudna was the jealous one. And after weeks apart. Weeks of not seeing each other. It was the push they needed.

And Laura gave Marisha the chance to say no. It would have been heartbreak and drama and they would have done a hellova good job with that. But Marisha made sure that Laudna not only initiated the second kiss, but fuckin pranced around when they reunited with the group and that’s super important to show Laudna accepting of and happy with that change. That chance.

Anyway I have a normal amount of feelings about this.