#alicia | musings

[earthiercurator]

✨the hardback design even without the sleeve✨

[dcyswclking]

— ENDLESS EDITS ft. Alicia

[thescullyphile]

not the original tgw anon but would love to read your whole spiel on the kalicia dynamic

TWO of you? oh this just makes my day. now that I have an excuse, I will /definitely/ spiel.

I think an understanding of Alicia and Kalinda separately is the best place to start when thinking about their dynamic, whether you read it as friendship or otherwise. (Personally, I think it's pretty much canon that Kalinda at least was like, horrendously in love in a way she didn't expect.) Putting the rest under the cut because I don't want to overwhelm anyone hahaha.

Let's start with Alicia, because it's so easy to. She's the Good Wife™. In the show we get to see her break that mold, express herself and her opinions and develop her mind as she pursues a legal career with great success. All of this positive evolution has to come from somewhere though, the change has to result from an unchanged state. The Alicia Florrick at L/G is not the same person as the mom at Highland Park talking about pilates. The show answers the question of how she grows from there, but it never talks about how she gets there. Saint Alicia, good at school. Incredibly bright, driven, and still sweet. She graduates with honors, top of her class at one of the best law schools in the nation, followed by a year of smashing success right out of the gate. And then...she throws it all away. Because for all of her drive, and intelligence, she's not quite firm. She gets pregnant and Peter wants her to stay home, and so she compromises. The next 13 years are a series of compromises that take her further and further away from the person that she was. Like I've already said, Alicia is a listener. And the idea of such an incredibly bright, responsive mind essentially wasting away in her attempts to fit in to the catty and social extension of suburbia is just galling. The fact that none of her friends stick around, not one, is evidence enough to me that she was completely bereft of true connection. The fact that this was Peter's preference for her...well, it says a lot to me.

Essentially, she has been hiding herself for years, perhaps without consciously thinking about it. She's pressed further and further into this model what other people think is perfection. She doesn't get to explore herself, and she puts this moral attribution on things that truly are neutral characteristics. Alicia is not just a flower waiting to bloom, she is someone who represses the richness and intelligence and complexity of herself, usually unconsciously, in her attempts to strive for other people's ideals.

MEET: Kalinda Sharma.

You want to know the only person on the show MORE repressed and emotionally reluctant than Alicia? It's Kalinda. We never see what she was like as Leela, but as Kalinda, she is a force to be reckoned with. I know a lot of people put stock into the idea that Kalinda is all morally grey and shady or whatever but if you look at the series that is not at all the case. She is fiercely, breathtakingly loyal to Will and Diane, and somehow, inexplicably, she extends this to Alicia as well. The woman that holds everyone at arms length and denies all connection except where she professionally expresses herself (but come on, she would die for Diane or Will without a second thought and that extends way beyond professionalism) meets Alicia Florrick and cannot help but be drawn by her into the most meaningful friendship and connection to someone else that she's ever experienced. And this is CANONICAL.

Because for all of their individual difficulties in you know, those things like expressing their emotions and being genuinely themselves and whatnot, Alicia and Kalinda understand one another and are really drawn to one another intuitively. Insert three paragraph long digression on their first drinking scene together that I can provide if asked lol.

What do they get out of their friendship with each other? Like I said, they're both listeners, but Alicia is at this pivotal point where she is becoming something new and she is so alone and it is so difficult but she's being brave and doing hard things. There is NO ONE that she can talk to. And Kalinda just...listens. And there's something about Kalinda that draws Alicia to honesty, and there is a relief in feeling like she doesn't have to be anything in particular because, as I said, there's this image of Kalinda not being someone that you have to be morally responsible to. Alicia doesn't have to care about impressing her. And so she talks. And unbelievably, she finds herself connecting to someone who is so different from her and it is genuine and it is real and it is everything that she didn't have in her old life. It is without expectations of a 'certain her.' And it's just what she needed.

(They're so different but they're so the same. Alicia may have remade herself for others, but Kalinda remade herself for herself. Really they're two sides of the same coin with desperation leading to invention as Alicia starts on the same path at the beginning of the series that led Kalinda from Leela to Kalinda but I can talk abt that another time).

As for Kalinda, she gets someone who is struggling to find the difference between nice and kind and how to navigate a world that has become unfamiliar. Someone who is earnest and (mostly) honest (because for all of her obfuscations, she never really lies to Kalinda. She's always honest with Kalinda). All of Kalinda's connections are premeditated, balanced by the transaction of what each party can do for one another. And Alicia...doesn't want anything. She doesn't want to know about Kalinda because she's looking for leverage to manipulate her or for more information about xyz job-related-things. She's just curious. She wants to know about Kalinda for the sake of being interested in her as a person, no ulterior motive. Granted, Kalinda doesn't often indulge even Alicia's curiosity, but she gets much closer than she does with anyone else.

At the end of the day, two people who are unlikely friends find not just what they were looking for, but what they needed, in one another. And sure, it gets endlessly more complicated and I could talk about that too, but at the start, it is just two women who are more or less adrift. And by chance they work together and defy expectations of everyone by their unlikely pairing. And their friendship blossoms with humor and honesty and this unrecognized 'this is important to me' aspect that makes every scene with them so unique and captivating to watch.

Honestly that's not even my whole spiel but this is getting pretty long so sorry about that. But if you want more, you know where to find me! I'm just getting started! (and if you've read this far you should check out ao3 for fic because there are some great ones out there. I'm riling up TGW engagement whereever I can hahaha).

I'll be here if anyone would like more questions or commentary or meta or whatever you would call this! But I am truly so delighted to talk about this show (and especially alicia and kalinda)

[coreofgold]

@empathiie for Alicia

"This place normally. . .calm?" Daryl doesn't trust it. Nothing is ever this calm and normal. It wasn't when the world was walker free, and most certainly wasn't when walkers roamed the place so forgive Daryl if he doesn't trust the calm

[penandswords]

Headcanon / Past Rima (Before coming to Endeavor)

There was a POINT in Rima's life, where she carried the same mentality her family had towards quirkless people.

And while SHE never WENT out of her way to act on those feelings and opinions. She CARRIES that version of herself with a sense of SHAME, and regret.

The only reason she did NOT become as hostile as her biological family, is because she MET Alicia (Her Quirkless friend in middle school)

And THAT meeting changed the way she thought and felt. When she DIED, because of her family's beliefs, it PUSHED her to BE better.

She ran off with SPITE in her heart, and it only became resolved because other heros came along to be a better influence on her.

Rima, has NOT forgotten the person she was before, and she keeps that memory in the back of her mind. It is what REMINDS her of how people can change (If they WANT to change). And how easily it is for someone to get lost in WRONG teachings, and bitter emotions.

She will not drag up The past of the people she loves (both romantically and platonically), or judge them for it. IF they've shown clear signs that they have changed. (Unless they act up, then she will happily call them OUT on it.)

It took her a LOT of internal struggling and unlearning what she was originally taught to be the soft and confident person she currently is.

(and she KNOWS the only reason she got there is because she had HELP)

[thethaliaclark]

@aliciamillergarcia

setting: Humming Bee yoga studio

"Would you like to try something different?" Thalia asked, closing the door to the smaller yoga studio gently behind her. "The offer is for a beginner's yoga session but we could do anything you prefer." As soon as the offer came up to sponsor an activity for the week, Thalia agreed immediately. She could provide as much time as people were interested as long as someone was watching over Chai. "Ashtanga, vinyasha, restorative, or something I make up as we go. Or no yoga at all. It is your time."

[feelswrvng]

open: dom muses

plot: my muse is pissed off at her ex and wants to get even. your muse has agreed to assist. by any means possible. based on this. 

she wouldn’t have usually made such a request. if it were not for the liquid courage and her excessive rage, alicia would have just dealt with her pushy, cheating ex by herself. instead, she’d found her friend and pleaded with them to take a risqué pic of her to send them via snapchat. “please,” she repeated, and they had to know she was not in the habit of asking nicely. “i’m not asking you to actually fuck me.” though considering how hot they were, she might. “it just needs to look like we are.” it didn’t seem to matter that her friend had yet to agree, alicia was already removing her jacket. “i just need to get on all fours, you stand behind me and you take a picture so it looks like you’re giving it to me good. maybe pull my hair,” she suddenly decided as she pulled her top over her head. 

[weighty-wh40k]

”Then let us begin that journey~” the Governess’s tiny lover said gently to her as they hugged her expansive wall of belly flesh, eager to add even more girth to it.

"Would you be so kind as to feed me please, my dear? You are so good at it~" Alicia asked softly, giggling more as she felt them sinking into her doughy masses of belly blubber, where they seemed to enjoy the most. She was always eager to grow, even more now that she had someone to enjoy that growth with.

[hunsa-jars]

Little My is super suspicious of Shaun and follows him around some nights because

1. He's weird and creepy (her words not mine) and 24/7 looks like he's up to no good

2. Why would anyone hang out with Sniff this much without any ulterior motive, she needs to know what he's planning

After a few weeks she asks Alicia if her grandma knows what kind of creature he is and how she should deal with him and Clarissa just gives her a book on Imps and familiar contracts (cut to a very wide eyed My and Alicia)

[clvrtacctcs]

♕| ALICIA | 𝑭𝑳𝑶𝑨𝑻𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑻𝑯𝑹𝑶𝑼𝑮𝑯 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑴𝑬𝑴𝑶𝑹𝑰𝑬𝑺: MAIN

♕| ALICIA | 𝑳𝑰𝑮𝑯𝑻𝑬𝑹 𝑳𝑰𝑲𝑬 𝑨 𝑭𝑬𝑨𝑻𝑯𝑬𝑹: VISAGE

♕| ALICIA | 𝑰𝑵 𝑨 𝑪𝑨𝑺𝑬 𝑶𝑭 𝑭𝑹𝑨𝑮𝑰𝑳𝑬 𝑮𝑳𝑨𝑺𝑺: HEADCANON

♕| ALICIA | 𝑵𝑬𝑬𝑫 𝑻𝑶 𝑩𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑨𝑵𝑫 𝑭𝑹𝑬𝑺𝑯 𝑨𝑰𝑹: MUSINGS

[nighthcwling]

stop fussing— this isn’t my blood.  ” ( alicia for leighton ?? )

❛       then who's blood is it??     ❜ the last thing Leighton was expecting was to see the other walk in with ʙʟᴏᴏᴅ sᴛᴀɪɴᴇᴅ ᴄʟᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ, worry grew as he feet carried her c l o s e r to Alicia, ❛      please tell me you didn't attempt to play ʙɪɢ ʙᴀᴅ ᴡᴏʟғ to some frat boy!      ❜ it was no secret that majority of the frat guys didn't take kindly to Alicia, their fragile masculinity caused them to 𝕓𝕦𝕝𝕜 𝕦𝕡 in the presence of those who weren't attracted to them. ❛       are you hurt at all?      ❜ sapphire eyes examined the shorter girl as she walked a circle around her - ʟᴇɪɢʜᴛᴏɴ ᴡᴀs ʀᴇᴀᴅʏ ᴛᴏ ғɪɢʜᴛ, the idea of some hurting someone she cared deeply for 𝕚𝕟𝕗𝕦𝕣𝕚𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕕 her. | @nightskied

[immcrtalsx]

@mcnstercus ( Chase Carr )

[dcyswclking]

𝘴𝘶𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 ... & 𝘄𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳.

— ENDLESS EDITS

[thescullyphile]

hellooo sorry for the late ish response but i (tgw anon) am back. 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️ great ep choices. and kalinda and alicia are def the most interesting relationship of the show imo their dynamic is soo interesting it’s such a shame what happened😩 my all time fave ep is red team blue team idk i jusr think it’s so good and fun pissed off alicia just slays

listen red team blue team is a GEM i also feel i have to mention Blue Ribbon Panel because it is a GENIUS episode just the way it challenges Alicia and her morality with the reality that she faces in the 'boys club' of the panel.

The thing I love most about Kalinda and Alicia's dynamic is that they are really, at their core, both listeners. Like think about how many times Alicia reacts with just a look. But Kalinda is soooo reticent that it really moves Alicia to speak, and you just get this glimpse into her life because she is vulnerable in a way that she can't be with anyone else. Because everyone WANTS something from her or has an agenda for her, even people who desire her like Will or Peter. So we /finally/ get Alicia speaking and connecting and I feel like their friendship is so almost pure? Like Kalinda is so devoted to Alicia's wellbeing and I could really go on a whole spiel about how their dynamic works but I won't (unless you want me to lol)

But ANYWAY keep the questions coming if you like! I'm happy to discuss episodes or themes or characters literally anything this is my SHOW as of July of 2024

[thedarkredliquor]

> ღ  *  ➜  (  jessica sula  ,  cis female ,  twenty-seven  ,  she/her  ) it seems like alicia clark might be making a new home in  mystic, connecticut.  a canon character from fear the walking dead was seen walking down main street. while they arrived one year ago , they do not believe they have been here their whole lives.

[immcrtalsx]

@mcnstercus ( Chase Carr )