#a redemption arc that turned most fans into izzy stans

[irate-iguana]

Anon won but at what cost?

[ourflagmeansgayrights]

god the patronizing hand wringing i've read worrying that if izzy is 'redeemed' in season 2 then all the haters will turn on the show and accuse it of changing its plans to pander to izzy's fandom favoritism. and like, no, probably not! if the writers decide to go in a direction where izzy starts to do better and heals, i currently trust the writer's room to figure out a way to do it that serves the narrative in a satisfying way. idk what could be the catalyst for that kind of growth and change, but i couldn't have predicted most of season 1 so i'll let the big brains on the show figure out if that's something that could work.

i'm more worried about The Discourse if he doesn't get that. certain izzy stans have so wildly reinterpreted the show to make him into who they want him to be, someone's bound to feel betrayed if he continues to be a villain. like i look at the way people complained about infinity train season 3's villain arc for simon, who was imo more sympathetic than izzy, but was given every opportunity to be better and instead doubled down every time until it killed him. so much blame was heaped on grace, who started out in the same place as him, but did put in the work to start doing better, for not trying harder to help him. (how shocking that the black girl who was having a rough enough go at having her own worldviews shattered and confronting and recognizing harm that she'd caused that couldn't be undone was criticized by fans for not also correctly managing the feelings of an angry white boy who decided that any change in opinion was a betrayal to him.)

all that is to say, are izzy stans going to be okay if their guy isn't given the redemption, or in some cases, the hero's vindication they think he deserves? or are they going to blame other characters for not trying hard enough to help him find a way to do better?

i mean, there probably WILL be some people complaining if izzy gets redeemed. i know i take a very firm izzy-critical stance and have gotten into a few arguments w izzy fans about it, but in a fandom this big there are people who are unhinged in all sorts of ways. i dont doubt that SOMEONE out there will get real pissed at the writers if izzy gets a redemption

i am torn tho whether i want an izzy redemption or not. for story purposes ive talked before abt why i think a bad ending for izzy would be interesting to see from a STORY perspective (and also a personal taste perspective), but like you said, if any writers' room could do an izzy redemption arc justice, it's this one. if i think there's something to criticize in ofmd i will criticize it (i have an entire tag for it), but im not gonna like. harass the writers just bc they didnt kill off my least favorite character. nobody with any braincells would do that.

the thing is tho. while i have no problem with an izzy redemption arc as long as it's well-written, i AM kind of terrified of izzy apologists to having MORE reason to interpret izzy as a poor innocent victim. not that i think the writers would actually portray him like that, but if we're given any actual in-text reasons to sympathize with izzy (instead of subtext and headcanon) you KNOW there's gonna be a huge chunk of izzy fans who will be INSUFFERABLE about it

but then youre right, if izzy doesn't get redeemed there's gonna be SO MUCH SHIT. the people who interpret ed as izzy's abuser (🤢) are already gonna have a hard time when ed ends up in a happy relationship with stede (honestly, what fucking show do they think they're watching?), i dont want to even think abt the discourse that'll happen if izzy isn't redeemed. i was only ever in the periphery of the infinity train fandom, but from what ive heard, the discourse was truly horrific

(also tho it's so funny that u mention infinity train bc i brought up simon in the tags of BOTH of those posts i linked above and then i got an anon rlly coming to simon's defense. i didnt rlly get that deep into the discussion w them bc i dont remember a lot of the specific details of infinity train and please nobody send me anons telling me more things abt what happens in infinity train i dont want to talk abt infinity train but i do agree w ur opinion lmao. simon infinitytrain is a crusty-ass white boy who do i feel very bad for but his story was very well-written. grace infinitytrain my beloved <3<3<3)