#No matter how much a dick s1 jon is he would fucking never

[abelllia]

still thinking about that time i saw a post imply jon wouldn't take another character's childhood trauma seriously.

that's the closest I've ever come to wanting to eat drywall because of a character interpretation.

[citrinekay]

Looking Season 2 thoughts

So I finished season 2 last night, and I’ve been trying to gather my thoughts and pick the broken pieces of my heart up off the floor - and the first thing that comes to my mind as a general reaction to these ten perfectly crafted yet heart-breaking episodes is the quote by C.S. Lewis: “Experience: that most brutal of teachers. But you learn; my God, do you learn.” 

I absolutely loved all the character arcs and development that occurred over the course of season 2 for all the characters, not just Patrick. Though I was very sad to see Lynn and Dom break up, I think that relationship taught Dom that he wants something real - not just sex - out of relationship. If S3 had happened, I would have loved to see Lynn learn that he wants to try to find some level of the happiness that he had with his late boyfriend again. Later on, Dom also learned that he needs to be independent and do things on his own with him opening his chicken window (in my mind, a smashing success!!) I was most surprised by Agustin’s development in this season. He truly hit rock bottom, and I gained a new respect for him seeing him face the consequences of his actions and in part, the brutal truths about himself that Frank explained to him at the end of S1. I can relate to and respect a character who learns from his bad choices and tries to be a better person. And in turn, the addition of Eddie to the cast of characters was really lovely for me. I loved the fact that they included an HIV positive character and were honest yet also sensitive about the topic. Eddie himself was just a joy to see, and what I really liked about his relationship to Agustin was that he’s a no-bullshit kind of person. He doesn’t let Agustin lie to himself or be a prideful asshole. If we had gotten S3, I think we would have seen a beautiful evolution of that relationship, and Eddie learning to stop using his HIV status as a reason to shut people out from having a serious, committed relationship with him. 

And now, I save Patrick for last because oh my Lord 😭 Oh my poor, sweet, baby. Where do I even start? Though the character development in this show is so detailed and carefully orchestrated in a way that feels really natural and amazing to watch, it was also really fucking sad and disappointing. This season with him and Kevin was like watching a train wreck in slow motion. I knew exactly where it was going, but at some point (I think around episode 8 or 9 when Kevin finally broke up with Jon and they got together and seemed to be really happy) I had one small moment where I wanted it to work out - simply so that I wouldn’t have to see Patrick get his heart broken again. Alas, my opinions about Kevin were correct from the very beginning. What a dick. I never liked them together, but the reason for their breakup really upset me. I completely agree with Patrick when it comes to relationships and monogamy. If the point of having a relationship isn’t exclusivity and devotion, then what is the point??? Kevin really blew it because he could have had someone who would love him fervently for the rest of his life - but I guess that goes to show how he felt about his relationship to Patrick all along. It’s like Richie told Patrick, “You shouldn’t be in deeper than the person you’re with.” That was the case, for sure. 

It all comes back around to 1x1 in which Patrick asked Dom “Why do I go on so many bad dates?” and Dom said, “Because you care too much what your mom thinks.” Maybe in this season Patrick saw a whole different side of his mother, but he still cared so much about what his entire family thought of him. The fact that he rushed to move in with Kevin just to prove a point to his sister is really fucking sad. He’s just looking for acceptance and respect inside his own family and it seems that no matter what he does, he can never get it. I don’t agree with Megan’s mean behavior over the whole situation, but she had a couple good points. Patrick made the same mistake as he did in S1 with Richie, though for entirely different reasons - he rushed it. He was so eager to prove to himself that he could be in a relationship that he completely ignored every warning sign and gut feeling about Kevin that could have saved him a lot of heartache. To see him admit that to himself in their final conversation was crushing yet also important. Watching him lie to himself about Kevin and himself all season was so frustrating, and it was good to see him open his eyes to the truth no matter how painful it was. 

So, in conclusion, I suppose Patrick did learn. He finally learned that he does want a real, monogamous relationship (a clear contrast to episode 1 and cruising in the park.) He learned to stop caring about his family. He learned that he should have listened to himself when he broke up with Kevin the first time. I think, in time, he’ll learn that he still loves Richie so much and that he is finally ready for that commitment Richie was looking for the first time around. And if the show HAD to end (i know there’s the movie but I’m talking season after season) I would have wanted it to end exactly the way it did - Patrick showing up at Richie’s barber shop, asking for him to cut his hair. Not just cut it, but shave it all off, a fresh start. I think this was a very subtle point and a throwback to Patrick’s conversation with his mom in the wedding episode when he told her that Richie has no other ambition aside from cutting hair. It’s not a lowly, unimportant pursuit. I think it’s a form of healing touch that’s very intrinsic to the human condition. Not only did Patrick go to Richie after his horrible breakup with Kevin, he went there to change his hair and to start changing himself.

Favorite episodes happened right in the middle of the season:

2x5: Looking For Truth - Patrick’s day with Richie which felt a little like a modified version of their date back in S1 when Patrick called off work to spend the day with him. I love them just sitting there talking, looking at each other, understanding one another 💛

2x6: Looking For Gordon Freeman - Patrick being an absolute MESS

2x7: Looking for a Plot - Patrick going to Doris’ dad’s funeral with her and Dom. I thought it highlighted grief and emotional turmoil in an important and poignant way from Doris’ reactions to her father’s passing, to Dom’s nostalgia about their hometown, to Patrick’s utter breakdown at the graveside service. Even though he didn’t know Doris’ dad, the memorial spoke deeply to him about what he really wants for himself, the brevity of life, and the impact of his choices. It made sense to me why he went back to Kevin after that even if I didn’t agree with that choice. I think it was probably my most favorite out of the entire season. 

I’ll be watching the Movie later tonight and am simply praying please be kind. I want to be healed from the heartbreak of S2 and see Patrick and Richie back together again after so much turmoil. It’s what they deserve !! 😭💕

[silkygoldmilkweed]

Tinfoil Theory Q&A w @darklygophilia

(1) 05/08/2018darklygophilia - Hey. If your theory about Sandor being the Azor Ahai, Prince that was Promised and Sansa's his Nissa Nissa (which I believe him to be, too) - What do you think Melisandre's reaction will be? Knowing just how wrong she was in thinking it was Stannis and then Jon Snow. 

(a.) If you want to read all my tinfoiling about this, I think it’s now mostly all tagged under “promised prince” (this phrase is used by Jon late in the books, notice the slight variation in meaning and connotation from Mel’s preferred “the prince that was promised”) and “red sansa” (for my theory that Melisandre’s glamour is a Sansa Stark cosplay that she created without knowing who or what she’s really representing).

(b.) Mel is a colossal fuckup who illustrates the way that religions and cults pervert faith and virtue.  

I suspect Mel might never even know or might figure the truth about “Azor Ahai reborn” about a minute before she dies. Sandor would want nothing to do with her in any case. 

My feeling is that Melisandre will keep talking to Jon and Dany or Davos or Varys or Kinvara or Beric, and bugging them and dumping exposition on them, fruitlessly, but based on what she reveals over the course of the season the AUDIENCE will realize she’s meant to look like Sansa and that Sandor is the Warrior of Light. 

Sandor and Sansa’s hero tale is told on the micro level through the eyes of Sansa and Arya (who are almost the only people Sandor ever really talks to in the books, so far), and on the macro level through Melisandre/Stannis and Bran (he delivers a lot of info about the skinchanging and the role of the Starks in ending the Long Night), with some added narration from Sandor’s assorted spiritual advisors and faith guides: Beric Dondarrion, Thoros of Myr, the Elder Brother, Septon Meribald and Septon Ray (showverse).

Sandor and Sansa themselves may never even know that a cult’s prophecies about their love were the basis of a 5,000-year old religion in Essos. There’s a phrase I like: “World peace is none of your business.” 

The only part that matters to Sansa and Sandor is the part where they are two parts of a whole and they’re finally together again.

tl;dr: Never explain it at the end. Always ruins it. 

(2) And my other question. If your other theory about Sandor/Cersei having once fucked &having possibly had a secret kid (I'm starting to believe this one, you're theories, no matter how tin foil they may seem, always seem to make sense in the end) -How do you think Sansa will react if/when she earns that Sandor once screwed Cersei? 

(a) All my tinfoiling about Sandor x Cersei is tagged “black haired beauty” (after the way Cersei described the baby I suspect they shared), if anyone wants to check it out.

(b) Sansa Stark, upon hearing that long ago--probably before she was even born--young Sandor Clegane was enchanted with young Cersei Lannister: “You fell in love with a beauty you mistook for goodness? I can’t relate.” Sansa will be cool with it because she completely understands falling for a Lannister before realizing they are liars and frauds.

I think the Sandor who fucked Cersei was a stupid boy, and the Sansa who was devoted to her “beloved Joffrey” was a stupid girl, and I think Sandor recognizing his younger, more idealistic self in her is partly why he was so sympathetic. I think by the time we meet him he’s realized he’s spent his life serving dead-enders, and he’s sacrificed both his emotions and his conscience and maybe his own future prospects for...nothing.

If this is not just my deranged ramblings and ever comes out on the book or the show, I imagine Arya would be the most irate. She’ll give Sandor a hilarious and bitchy tongue-lashing and never let him live down that he stuck his dick in crazy.

I truly think Sansa will shrug about Sandor x Cersei, because everyone has a past (who’s worse? Cersei or Joffrey-Littlefinger-Ramsay?), and be very sad about the dead baby, on behalf of grieving father Sandor.

~~~

“Even Joffrey was not so foolish as to command Sandor Clegane to slay a son of Eddard Stark, however; the Hound would have gone to Cersei.“

“Don’t you want to ask who’s winning the battle, little bird?”

“Who?” she said, too frightened to defy him.

The Hound laughed. “I only know who’s lost. Me.”

He is drunker than I’ve ever seen him. He was sleeping in my bed. What does he want here? “What have you lost?”

“All.”

~~~

“The Blackwater? Where do you think I’m taking you?” 

“Back to King’s Landing. To Joffrey and the Queen.”

“Fuck Joffrey. Fuck the Queen.”

“You never love anything in the world the way you love your first child.”

~~~

(MORE TINFOIL, Aemon the Dragonknight-Queen Nerys-King Aegon love triangle edition: The same way Jaime took the white to be close to Cersei, I wonder if warg-crazed and/or love-crazed S1/AGOT Sandor Clegane didn’t take the white to keep close to Sansa. KG is one degree of separation from king’s betrothed. He was pretty much already attached to Joff, but maybe the role of KG elevated him and gave him a couple of more advantages he could use in her service?)