#also gwyn and az aren't mates because azriel just doesn't show mate behavior towards gwyn

[elrielffs]

I'm sorry, if you can't understand the difference between Elain's rescue and Gwyn's rescue, one being romance and one being a tragedy that's on you.

Let's look at Elain's rescue. In the book, what purpose does it serve? We learn nothing about Hybern. It doesn't move the plot forward. It doesn't have heartfelt scenes between Feyre and Elain. Even Briar who was also rescued had fuck all to do with the plot afterwards and wasn't mentioned.

It was entirely to serve to Azriel and Elain. The only reason Feyre went from a narrative stand point is so we as the readers could see it. From the moment Azriel muttered," I'm getting her back," to Elain kissing him on the cheek at the end, the entire scene was almost about THEIR reactions to the other. Elain didn't look at Feyre in a devouring way and say," You came for me." Feyre wasn't described as burning the whole world down to get Elain back. Feyre wasn't the one the carried Elain in her arms to safety--then still wouldn't let her go. It was all Azriel and Elain.

Now to Gwyn's. I shouldn't have to say this but any scene that has a traumatic sexual assault happening in it--is not romantic.

I can hear the antis now, "Well then, why was Gwyn retconned to be there? It's only so Azriel can save her!!!" Well...no. Gwyn was not put in a situation where her twin sister had her head cut off, was horrifically raped, all so she could meet Azriel. That's so fucking--like do I have to explain how wrong that sounds?

It feels wrong to even compare the two. Azriel stopped Gwyn's assault, covered her nakedness, then MOR carried Gwyn to the library. That was what the retcon was for. Gwyn to end up at the library, meet Nesta, and work thru her trauma via Valkyrie training.

As a side note: I recently saw a post where an anti described all these little interactions between Gwyn and Az---how Gwyn stares at Az or "the new ribbon" business. Gwyn stares at Azriel at first because he is the man that saw her at the worst moment in her life. It is stated in the BC, both and Azriel and Gwyn think about her rape when they see each other. He is a constant reminder of what happened to her and therefore is the metaphor for overcoming her trauma. That's how he is the ribbon--proving to Azriel that they can pass the qualifier is proving to Gwyn herself that she is more than her trauma, that she can beat it.

You can see how these aren't similar. Even in Azriel's POV, we don't get none of that rage at the thought of Gwyn's assault or even when she's in the BR that we saw when he goes to save Elain. Gwyn herself doesn't describe Azriel in a heroic or romantic light when recounting what happened. Mor carried Gwyn to the library, Azriel could not let Elain go. Azriel stayed with Elain in the garden throughout the years. Azriel never checked on Gwyn. Gwyn herself doesn't describe Azriel in a heroic or romantic light when recounting what happened.

The rescue of Gwyn was not meant to serve so they could meet, to be romance, as a Gwynriel moment for a jumping base for them to pursue a romantic relationship and to think so is frankly, kind of disgusting.