#I think it’s worth remembering that Ivan got a single line mentioning his death after the actor was cut for budget reasons

[polyamoryprincess]

I know people are upset about Izzy being killed (I am too) but the truth is I don’t think it was bad writing or even them diminishing Izzy’s character, I actually think everything about the last episode has to do with production and I think Izzy lovers will feel a little better about it if they see it like that (it helped for me).

Basically, if you look at it like this, I think 2 important things came into play. Budget and how the showrunners assumed this would play out. Which is to say that they probably assume HBO will either renew them for season 3 and cut their budget again or they’re going to be cancelled.

Both are very likely, so assuming they had this in mind, removing Con, who I’d guess is the 3rd highest paycheck after Taika and Rhys was probably their best budgeting move, especially if they’re thinking of having an all out war in the final season that they probably want to be a visual spectacle, so each season feels like it’s getting consistently larger in scope.

On the other hand, if they do get cancelled (which they probably will because the HBO CEO is a weird little conservative goon), they left the ending in a way that could be considered an ENDING while still being prepped for a 3rd season. So in the time they had left (which was 2 episodes less than their first season) they gave Izzy an entire completed character arc.

I 100% understand the sadness and anger, especially after all the shit he went through during the beginning of the season, I felt gut punched when I learned he died and was bitter as hell through my whole first viewing of the season even though I’d had more than a month to process it. But after having thought it through, I genuinely don’t think it’s simply them treating Izzy as just an extension of Ed’s character growth and I sure as shit don’t think it’s because they wanted to conform to Izzy haters.

I think if they had all of the resources and episodes they wanted, had a guaranteed season 3, I think we would have gotten the character growth we got with better pacing and he probably would have at minimum made it to season 3 (I also think he would have had a love interest, but that’s just what I wanted for him tbh).

I think they did the best they could with what they had, allocated a lot of budget and screen time towards his character despite having less of those 2 things than the first season, and at least let Izzy have a completed story and arc, even if the ending was deeply disappointing.

[thezolblade]

@the-cryptographer

(And, I hope you don't mind me saying - I can't remember where I read it now, but I'm looking forward to seeing you tackle mudshipping cliches in upcoming fic~! )

I semi-forgot where you asked this (sorry, it was that comment thread on ao3), but yeah, that might have been on a post on my old LJ, which I locked for a while until I imported it to dreamwidth? (New blog link in my tumblr bio.) If it was this summary in a WIP list:

An Isaac/Mia oneshot in the classic mudshipping style; the two of them dating and getting serious while rebuilding the Valean settlement. If you read enough mudshipping, it gets to you after a while. The plot's planned out (and has been since before Dark Dawn), so I just need to write it as a full fic at some point. 

So yeah, it was sort of a reaction to reading a lot of fic I didn’t like (in the pre-DD era, years ago) because the characters acted like OOC 13 year olds, and the “we’re rebuilding Vale!” premise ignored the way that Vale wasn’t a normal town to begin with, and should have had to reconsider its weird customs if it wasn’t protecting the seal - there was never any re-evaluation of their place in the world. So it almost left me thinking I didn’t like mudshipping, and definitely that I didn’t like the idea of them rebuilding a single settlement in the same spot with the same name. But the plotbunny was a moment of “What if Mia/Isaac where they get along well, because why wouldn’t they? Wasn’t that what you were looking for in the first place?”

Uh, it doesn’t exactly tackle the cliches directly. I’d pretty much forgotten the detail, but I’ve still got the file with the notes for the outline. I’ll post it here under a cut, since you’re curious?

(Not sure if or when I’ll do more with it, since it’s not as plot-heavy as most of my bunnies, just fluff. Also slightly nsfw text, and mention of minor character death.)

Mia/Isaac fic; building Vale’s replacement, Sheba left w/ teleport lapis, Ivan left for Contigo & training w/ Sheba and Hama; Piers, Felix and Kraden reporting to King Hydros, hoping to be back within a few months; Garet & Jenna friends and on/off together, Mia staying at Inn and Isaac staying with his parents while rebuilding (about half the town already done).

Isaac and Mia romantically involved; Mia has small room in the Inn to herself since last of friends left; she and Isaac go to her room for privacy; when they're making out, Isaac's not sure how sex works but knows it's how children are made, says they shouldn't go too far before married, embarrassed that he doesn't know all the physiology that she does and trying not to let on that he doesn't really know much about it; Mia pink and happy (been kissing for quite a while) but still fairly calm and reassuring as she tells him that 'penetrative sex can lead to conception' and that 'there are things we can do with our hands and mouths that are perfectly safe, as long as we are true to each other'. Goes on to demonstrate, and he reciprocates.

During daytime; Mia acting as healer and friend to others in the village; Isaac training some of the kids in Psynergy and swordplay, spending time around his family and learning to relax now that the fighting is over; both of them helping with rebuilding & learning construction skills in the process. Mia round at Isaac's place with him and Dora & Kyle at some point, conversation where all getting along; establishes (when Isaac asks) that the old couple Mia calls Grandpa and Grandma aren't her blood relatives, but have always been like family.

Isaac struck by how Mia was never squeamish or out of her depth during the quest; he saw her stressed out at times, like the rest of them, but she kept her calm in battle and tended to wounds without any sign of nausea or hesitance, and she never seemed to doubt that every part of their mission was within their capabilities and worth pursuing above all else (unlike Ivan and Garet). Isaac knows that she was raised and trained as a healer and had actually seen other places beyond her hometown before starting the quest, but it still bothers him sometimes -- slight envy, and doubt over what she sees in him (he doesn't fully appreciate his own impressiveness). Feels that his determination on the quest came from hardening his feelings, a deliberate focus; now that he's not fighting every day, he's gradually unwinding, able to feel more at ease in good moments but also letting his guard down in bad ones (compared to while on journey); feels like he's softening (though he's still quite toughened compared to civilians). Doesn't understand how Mia could be so 'together' then and now without her personality really being changed by circumstance; he had to grow up quickly to cope, but she didn't seem to have been shaped by the same stresses over the last few months; a part of him fears that since he hasn't changed her, she might leave him and return to Imil without ever losing her composure.

An instance of Mia healing a deep wound across (an unconscious) Valean's upper chest and shoulder, broken bones exposed; Mia describes what she's doing to Isaac as she works, knowing that he's curious, naming muscles and bones as she aligns them to make sure that Ply heals them into place rather than healing the area as a non-functional lump of flesh. [Research biology before writing this part.] After leaving patient with his family, while she finishes washing her hands, she and Isaac get to talking about how she learned the theory involved; she tells him that she once watched a dissection of a man who was hanged in Imil.

“What did he do?” (Isaac asks about hanged man.)

“He killed a couple of children.” (Mia's voice fairly flat and not particularly emotional; even so, Isaac not sure what to say, and she continues.) “My father received permission to dissect the cadaver in order to teach his students. He let both of us choose whether or not we wanted to attend that lesson. I was too young for it, really, but I wanted to learn everything he was learning.” (Isaac doesn't ask who she's talking about; has a pretty good idea, especially given the edge of anger that's crept into her voice. Mia shakes her head and finishes with flat expression.) “And I have never forgotten.”

Isaac sees what he already knew in a different light: that she was already grown up on their quest because she'd had to grow up far earlier than he had. Seems like she might need the warmth in their relationship the same way he needs it. Isaac nods and touches her shoulder, and tells her that her skill now is amazing. She smiles and reaches up to brush his hair out of his eyes (with very clean hands), and they move on from that room and that topic of conversation, getting wrapped up in each other's presence etc.

A few days later, the village celebrating the completion of another house with a dance that night; keeping community spirits up. Still a few families doubling up who need the next few houses that will be built, but Isaac hoping that by summer, most of the work will be completed; he plans on proposing then, so that when he and Mia announce their engagement, they'll be next in line, and will have their own home to move into after the wedding.

At the dance, walking on air with Mia, taking in the happy and optimistic mood pervading the event. Mia takes him aside after the first dance to talk; she seems slightly lost in thought, slightly distant, and he assumes she's enjoying herself and thinking about the future, as he is. They sit facing each other at the edge of the gathering; she wraps her fingers around a cup of hot cider and tells him, conversationally;

“I need to go back to Imil soon.”

Isaac's heart freezes.

Mia continues in the same tone, gazing at her drink.

“I left a lot of supplies at home. There was only so much we could carry, you know? But Jenna asked for something for her mother the other day, and I could use all my equipment. I should have gotten this done before Sheba left, really. It would have been far easier with the teleport lapis. I could always wait until the next time she visits. If you fancy making a trip of it, though, we could rent a horse and cart from Vault and set aside a week or so for travel. You didn't see much of Imil before we left, did you? We were in such a hurry. I could show you around and introduce you properly to everyone. It would mean a lot to Grandpa and Grandma if we gave them a chance to give us their blessing. We could invite them to visit us here, too.”

Mia looks up and sees Isaac staring at her; she worries that he doesn't want to come with her and visit her family.

“Isaac...?”

He leans over and hugs her; the movement spills the drink between them, and she sets it aside, returning the embrace, neither of them too bothered. He kisses her and she melts into it, surprised in a happy way by this sudden intensity. They're both warm and short of air by the time he leans back to speak.

“Yes. Whenever. I'll go with you.”

His voice thick and happy; she smiles and runs her fingers along his lips. She considers discussing the plan further, but finds that his smile and his pulse and his eyes currently merit more attention; she pulls him close again and resumes the kiss.

Jenna and Garet soon find them and drag them back to the dance.