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wileds · 6 years ago

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so does he have a lower opinion of faunus since a lot of his houses help were faunus

wakes up early, sees this in my email notifs, hewwo ??

i can’t emphasize enough that love grew up a bit sheltered especially in the years immediately after he came into his semblance. his power is activated by shedding blood and being exposed to it. it was not a pleasant experience and it had real legal ramifications between the victim and love (a minor at the time of course) which brought on a surge of protectiveness from his parents as well as them using their political/social clout to win a favorable solution for love, basically sweeping the event under the rug, while also keeping love ignorant about what exactly happened to the person. which is why i still say that he has no criminal record. quite a bad idea in hindsight - love feels certain that he killed them and he was not given the chance to personally apologize to the family for it, if they would even have him at this point, and all of this began his feelings of shame around his semblance alongside its celebration from his tribe as a mark of charisma / a good warrior / what have you, which is why i’m always inches away from saying that love has a bit of a complex around his affinity which is … pretty unfortunately janus-faced when you really think about the contrary natures of his supposed fate: greatness or madness, or greatness even in madness - greatness is the central destiny here, the contrariness bolstered by stories of previous inheritors of their hereditary semblance who always fell into one of the two categories. the inheritor immediately before him was for sure bloodmad. which doesn’t help matters. love has a feeling that he would become so too if he fully indulged his semblance. maybe that’s paranoia or the aforementioned shame talking, but whatever, it’s genuinely how he feels.

why am i talking about semblance again.

back to the point, he was sheltered more after this event. a lot of the house help and hires were faunus so he did spend a lot of time with them when his parents were busy. yes seeing faunus in certain roles affected him, i know how iffy it can sound to say ‘i have a __ friend so i understand ___!’ or ‘i know many __, so __!’ his curiosity about some faunus traits will come across as ignorant or even affronting if done in the wrong way. and a question like ‘can i touch it?’ always vacillates between ok and wtf no. but in actuality he typically doesn’t bring attention to faunus traits at all because then he knows he won’t make a social faux pas and he’s taken way too many etiquette classes to blunder too badly at this point idk how he was as a kid, he was a fucking handful. but today he is a naturally sensitive person. has more tact than you might expect from his abundance. he’s not afraid to apologize or be corrected, at any rate. tends to notice/comment on someone’s overall attractiveness rather than specifics (he takes note of people’s attractiveness like people do the weather. it’s just a part of how he meets someone and it doesn’t need to mean anything). there’s no intentional othering going on when he thinks of faunus or meets one. also like … i’m sure historical figures such as the faunus queen of vacuo who led during the great war + the apparent egalitarianism of the society (but is it tho) has introduced some levity into vacuoan society and into love’s mind even if through history books or lessons or moments of exposure. going too far into the i don’t see species i see people direction is also an issue (kind of like the i don’t see color argument which negates imp history, current social/criminal/etc injustices, prejudice & racism, etc). but. i answered this ask a year ago and it’s still faithful to his attitude.

… after going to shade academy he at least feels ok to ask mai and aris questions too lol, rip if he’s ever said anything awkward or offensive to them. i am sure he has been offensive due to some part of his upbringing.

that said, all of the faunus in love’s life were not in subservient roles while growing up. some of his most impactful tutors were/are faunus. including one of his primary weapons & combat trainers who i am currently trying to create. her name is leila and she’s one of the lakhdari’s (alt name for the akhdar clan which his tribe belongs to) most formidable warriors. even though she flitted in and out of love’s life because she needed to go and kick ass somewhere, she is like one of his most favorite people ever. not pictured: little love, an only child, precocious and celebrated and sometimes feared with very few friends his own age, telling his badass adult trainer that they’re friends now ok? can i visit? what’s your scroll number? then they actually became friends and leila is always like, well, alright i guess. leila is an arabian oryx whose faunus trait are those horns and she is also literally a golden-eyed warrior (they have their own lore for golden-eyed warriors) (it’s a wip from my end but i gesture vigorously at love’s own gold eyes. when i say he’s fated he’s fuckin fated) … leila’s profile post is forthcoming mostly because i don’t know how the hell to edit gifs in ps for her graphic.

AND NOW THE CONNECTION.

the point of his tribe’s endogamy (marriage within one’s own group) is to preserve their hereditary semblance. it already skips generations instead of being passed down faithfully from parent to offspring. there is an element of blood purity for a blood affinity going on here. in a difficult place like vacuo you can understand why one might want to keep a semblance like that close and alive. the clarkia semblance plus their role as prominent dust merchants contributed to their wealth and influence today. in addition, the clarkias are a human tribe. so that reinforces things. the akhdar clan they belong to have both humans and faunus though, hence folks like leila. this dynamic even goes into his and ksenija’s relationship, who are second cousins i think … there was reluctance from some people in love’s life about letting them meet a lot, although their parents got along fine because love’s parents went the exogamous route. exogamy is when one marries someone outside one’s own group. isa married amina who is way outside the kin group although still of an equal (or higher tbh) socioeconomic status than isa, when the general tradition of the clarkia tribe is to marry within one’s own group. basically they all married for love and so they didn’t really give a fuck about faunus heritage when love like, cried and begged to skip out of lessons in order to see ksenija when he was little. family is so important to them.

the clarkias are a failing house because they’re in the dust industry, and that hasn’t been doing too hot in vacuo for a long while. love is trying to help save his family from obscurity. part of this means him keeping traditions and expectations like the above going. part of his decision in choosing to become a huntsman is because of this desire to keep them from obscurity, when the clarkias really have no reason or tradition of buying into the idea of a huntsman when they’ve been warring and fighting against grimm generations before shade academy ever popped up as the ““““only real source of order.””””” so love fully expects to marry a human too. it doesn’t stop who he associates with, befriends, flirts with, or sleeps with. but he’s gonna marry a human. he is currently engaged to one even if they kinda want to break it off, but even then love is gonna marry a human. if anyone thinks that’s problematic please call him out on it but he never talks about his betrothed or marriage expectations unless he has to, not because he’s ashamed (they’re actually very compatible! they just don’t want to marry each other) (also i have not ‘created’ his betrothed yet because this is going to be all disney aladdin / 1,001 nights mythos which i haven’t had the time to watch/read for the past. year … lol.)

he is a member of vacuoan elite and marriage prospects or who his family has hired / continue to hire seriously does not mean that he personally thinks lesser of faunus, only that he grew up in an environment that has informed his life and expects certain things from him.

#thrushed #✧ﾟ * hc. i see gold on your cheeks and glitter in your lungs –— *#long post /#me: i-- ; sb: you love making headcanons. we know. you LOVE headcanoning you love it SO MUCH we know - you LOOOOVE HEADCANONS

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sunlitroom · 7 years ago

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Gotham – s4e19 – To Our Deaths and Beyond

As I watched it, and some random observations here and there.

Previously on Gotham

Ra's and his magic dagger. He’s walked this earth for centuries, and only Bruce can kill him. Butch throttled Oswald, and made Oswald promise about the possibility of a cure for him. Ed loves Lee and he’s loved her all along. Barbara has a magic hand! Tabitha doesn’t, and has to endure a beating. Random weird guys still worship Ra’s. Death is only an illusion.

As always, long post will be long. There are likely to be rambling digressions. Gobblepot might appear (although I welcome all shippers and non-shippers alike :)). There will be naked favouritism and naked not-favouritism. Broader comments at the end on plotlines and parallels and general direction.

Barbara is standing about in the drafty vault that she’s so taken with. Suddenly, a knife is planted in the forehead of her possible predecessor, or previous incarnation, or whatever she’s decided the woman in the dodgy portrait is.

Turning, Barbara sees masked assassins. She fights them off, but is quickly overwhelmed. They unmask themselves, and we see it’s her assistants. It was a test, since the Demon’s Head is supposed to be able to know past, present and future – but Barbara couldn’t sense their approach.

Barbara is irritated. She reiterates that she is the Demon’s Head – her hand is a freaking light bulb, after all.

Her acolytes aren’t impressed – she hasn’t accessed her real powers yet. Barbara, in turn, is sick of being questioned by everyone. Leila tells Barbara that Ra’s could see the future, and this is what she is trying to trigger in Barbara. Barbara tells her not to go easy next time.

In the possible Batmobile, Bruce and Selina are driving somewhere at Tabitha’s request. Is it a manual or an automatic? There’s some mild flirting before they stop at a church. They exit the car. Why is Bruce leaving the lights on? Dramatic effect?

They enter the church. There’s a lot of hooded figures around, and Bruce – who has a bad history with hooded figures – is instantly nervous, asking Tabitha why he’s there. Two figures grab Bruce, who struggles. Selina is also held back, and tells Bruce that Tabitha didn’t tell her about this part.

The hooded figures need Bruce’s blood to bring back Ra’s. Bruce – who knows Ra’s wanted to die, and is still pretty traumatised over that whole affair – struggles, and tries to explain about Ra’s’ wishes, but it’s no use.

Chanting, they slice Bruce’s hand open with a knife. This show really hates hands. As the blood drips, they chant. We see Selina, still held back, looking upset.

Ra’s corpse starts to spring back to life. Bruce yells that they have no idea what they’ve done, but they hit him on the head and pull him away. He passes out momentarily, but comes round again to see a gnarled hand reaching over the side of the tomb.

GCPD, where Jim and Harvey are talking about the recent robberies. Five in one night, apparently. Harper comments that they’re all Gotham Savings and Loan. Jim wonders whether someone is proving how smart they are. Harvey guesses that he means Ed – and Jim says it does fit his pattern. He says he knows someone to talk to for more info. Harvey tells him to say hi to Lee, and congratulate her for her marksmanship with Sofia.

(An aside. I know they can’t strictly play by the rules – but there’s not a lot of consistency about what will get you arrested, charged, and put away in Gotham. Lee hasn’t been arrested for the attempted murder of Sofia. Oswald was sent down for the suspected murder of Martin – but seemed to face no consequences for stabbing his fellow diner at Pyg’s dinner. Like I said – I know they can’t really abide properly by the law – but it means that it’s really difficult to know when a character is really at risk of being arrested and charged. And when it does happen – it feels a bit inconsistent.)

At the Narrows, where money is being distributed to the people. Lee watches with hand on hips, before wandering over to stand beside Ed at the bar.

Look at them - we did good

Ed frowns. He says his brilliance robbed the banks, and now the people here are drowning in cigarettes and booze. Lee says they will also buy food, clothes and medicine, but turns to look at him and – seeing his expression – asks what’s wrong. He regards her seriously.

What am I to you?

She replies.

A friend, a partner

Ed tilts his head.

Are you always this amorous with your friends? I know that only happened once…

She cuts him of with an Ed – but he tersely tells her not to call him that.

Lee says she cares about him and depends on him. She looks and sounds sincere.

Ed looks at her seriously, a little sadly.

You’re not stringing me along, are you - Lee?

She smiles at him, a slightly teasing expression on her face.

Don't you want to find out the answer to the riddle?

Ed smiles back – face lightening.

Maybe I do

She asks if he’s good for tomorrow night, and he replies that tomorrow night will be a work of art. Their smiling and flirting is interrupted, however.

That sounds promising

It’s Oswald and Butch.

Oswald grins and tells Ed and Lee to count them in.

Neither Ed nor Lee looks happy about this.

(An aside. Ed has pretty much unalloyed contempt for the residents of the Narrows – but his point stands. The problems in the Narrows are deep-rooted, complicated, and long-standing. Just handing out money isn’t going to fix anything at all – and is likely to worsen many problems. Lee’s solutions are still ultimately facile, short-term, and short-sighted. On top of that – the people we see in Cherry’s are not the people we saw, for example, when GCPD and the Pax mob raided that apartment block. Those people might not be able to make it out to Cherry’s, or might be intimidated by the usual clientele. So – what happens to them? Do they get a share? It just doesn’t work.)

Back at church, Bruce is passed out. Selina tells Tabitha she could have told her – but Tabitha says that then she wouldn't have brought him. Selina confirms this.

Yeah – because he's my friend

Tabitha snaps at her

And what is Barbara? What am I?

A not-very-well-fleshed-out season 4 side-line for Selina’s character, Tabitha? Also – neither of you seemed to have the slightest concern over where Selina was during Jerome’s break-out, so meh.

Tabitha tells her to pick a side and stick to it.

Up at the holy end, Ra’s is using his monster voice to scold his acolytes. One protests that Barbara started a war – but Ra’s says this was his will: the League was rotten and needed cleaning out, to be reborn through violence. He kills the guy for his troubles.

Another more suitably grovelly guy wisely prefaces his comment by telling Ra’s that they would all gladly die for him – but that Barbara doesn’t serve the League. She’s limited and selfish.

Tabitha approaches and says she agrees with this.

There’s general agreement that if Barbara keeps the Head, the League will die. Tabitha says he should take it back from her, but Ra's tells Tabitha Barbara must give it to him – and if she doesn’t, he’ll kill her and rip it from her corpse.

Back at Cherry’s, Oswald is telling Ed and Lee that they owe both him and Butch. Ed laughs and asks how. Oswald replies.

Because we made you - both of you

Oswald reminds Ed that he released the trapped Riddler. Butch points out that he made Lee a lot of money, and that she’d still be stitching up cage-fighters ringside without him. Oswald says that he needs the money to buy back Sofia’s capos, and that Butch is saving up for medical treatment.

Ed laughs incredulously. Oswald asks what they’ve taken - 3 or 4 million? They’ll happily go halfsies.

Lee tells Oswald to bite her. She doesn't like people coming into her club and telling her what to do, and making threats - implicit or otherwise. And she especially doesn't like people telling her they made her

Ed applauds, and gives her a well-said

Oswald glances from one to the other and immediately twigs

Are you kidding me?

Oswald clearly doesn’t find it believable that an ex of Jim’s would be interested in hooking up with Ed. That’d be like going from prime rib to…. weird brother of prime rib.

I miss the Arrested Gotham tumblr. Please come back.

Lee says they’re done, and quickly tries to retreat, but Oswald continues. He tells Ed he thought he’d got past all that when he became Riddler again, but plainly it was passed along like a virus. He tells him that Lee knows it too, and is using him. He turns to her, with a faux-moral expression on his face.

Shame on you - stringing along this troubled man

Butch steps forward, but Oswald stops him, and says that they didn't come for violence - they came in hope that their friends would honour their debts. Before they leave, he whispers a loud aside to Ed.

Little advice: be sure to skim some off the top for when she tosses you aside

Butch and Oswald leave, leaving Ed and Lee looking troubled.

Barbara is still in the vault, looking at some map. She hears someone approach

It kinda defeats the purpose if I can hear you

Hello Barbara

Barbara turns, wide-eyed, and asks him what happened. He says it’s a long story, and judgily asks what she has done with his gift. She tells him he might have left a how-to, and a heads up that the old boys’ club don't appreciate women.

Ra’s ignores this, and asks about her plans – and if she’s been rebuilding. He notices books (with a tumbler of booze left on them - use a coaster, Barbara) and says she’s read his histories.

Barbara says needs to do her own thing, which turns out to be ruling Gotham, with people worshipping her like a queen

How disappointing

Barbara is mad-eyed, and ups this to worshipping her like a god. Ra’s asks for his hand back. Barbara says he promised – and Ra’s says that he’s made a huge mistake. Barbara says he should tell that to her – gesturing to portrait woman.

Her? You think that is you? She was just a whore. I killed her out of pity

Barbara desperately says he’s lying, and that this is her destiny. Ra’s asks her why, then, she has been unable to unlock the secrets?

You sad, deluded woman. You thought you were a reincarnated queen – but, in truth, you’re just an unstable nightclub owner whose greatest accomplishment in life is the murder of your own parents. You are nothing.

Wow, Ra’s. Why not just call out the upsetting nude lipstick habit and badly tailored trousers too?

Ra’s says to give him the Head back or he will kill her and take it by force. The brawl a bit – and Babs is knocked to the floor. Her assistants show up, though – and usher her away, one of them killed in the process. Out in the street – Bruce’s car pulls up and Tabitha tells her to get in. They speed off, with Bruce watching Ra’s in the rear view mirror

(An aside. I knew a very posh person whose aunt – a older lady – referred to it as the ‘rear-view looking glass’)

We open on a tin full of cockroaches. There’s some kind of eating contest going on at Cherry’s. It’s really hard to stay on-board with Lee’s devotion to them when we see stuff like this.

Jim enters, and looks fastidiously appalled by everything. He asks for Lee Thompkins, before clarifying The Doc. It’s a pre-emptive nod to what we’ll see in this scene - the fact that Jim doesn’t really know who Lee is now.

Lee looks over as he approaches

Jim. You don’t look like a guy that got shot four times

Jim offers a small smile

Because you were able to keep me alive - thanks

She smiles, acknowledging his thanks, and adds

I had just shot Sofia Falcone in the head. I was in a good mood

She seems light and happy at the recollection of this.

Jim doesn’t like that, and loses his smile, looking at her like he’s reassessing.

Jim says he's looking for Ed – that five banks have been robbed, and it looks like him. Lee says she hasn't seen him in weeks. Jim says he knows she feels loyalty to him, but that she of all people should know that he's sick - a psychopath. She replies,

We all have our flaws

it's a quick and glib repsonse - but it's genuinely both defensive of herself and protective of Ed, I think.

Jim sighs, frustrated.

Lee - I understand why you're here, but there are other ways of finding absolution. You can't take ownership of everyone’s problems.

Lee says that in the Narrows no one owns anything except the landlords, and if he really wants to catch crooks, then he should go after the rich making money off the backs of the poor.

Realisation dawns on Jim’s face.

Like Gotham Savings and Loan

Lee avoids eye contact. He continues.

There were no guards killed – that doesn’t feel like just Ed alone

She tersely dismisses him, but he stays a moment longer

Whatever’s happened - you can always call me. I'll help.

She eyes him irritatedly

You don't get it, do you Jim?

Jim frowns

She says, without much sincerity, that it was good to see him, and gestures vaguely at nearby muscle to encourage him to leave – which he does. After he’s gone, her mood looks considerably more sour.

(An aside. While Jim was able to figure out that Lee was likely working with Ed, I’m surprised by the extent to which they had no connection in this scene. Jim sees Lee’s need for absolution as her only motivation for being in the Narrows – but that’s not really the case. From what we’ve seen, she feels at home there. She feels powerful and needed there. On top of that, with her new (or newly admitted) taste for violence and crime – she feels like she fits in. She likes the place.

He’s also failing to recognise the impact of her attempted murder of Sofia. Lee took part in the planning of it, carried it out, and enjoys remembering it. This was the first time we saw him try to integrate those actions into the woman he knew – and he finds it difficult.

In short, Jim sees the woman he used to know. Having this scene, I suppose, was to contrast this with Ed and Lee’s new connection, which is presented to us as very tied up in their ability to see and accept all facets of each other.)

Wayne Manor, where Barbara is yelling at Tabitha for Ra’s murder attempt. They squabble – with Tabitha saying she could have handed it over, but Barbara refusing. Barbara says Tabitha betrayed her. Tabitha says she was only trying to save her from herself, and raises the small matter of the beating Barbara ordered – which Barbara characterises as only a spanking.

Selina loses her temper, channels the audience, and tells them to shut up. Alfred adds that they're wasting time - Ra's could be on way. Tabitha starts to squabble again. Barbara says Ra’s can be killed – Bruce did it before. Alfred points out that they had a special knife – but that was returned to the embassy.

Barbara says they can rob the embassy. Bruce pipes up and says he has to kill Ra’s – it’s part of the ritual. Neither Selina nor Alfred is happy, but Bruce says it’s the only way.

Barbara pettishly responds with

Says you. I've got the Demon’s Head

Alfred asks what happens if she fails, and another argument breaks out. Selina looks troubled

Alfred says there’s another option, but they have to guarantee not to stab them in the back again. Tabitha smiles, Barbara frowns peevishly.

At the embassy, Alfred and Tabitha put on a little show – insisting that he wants the knife back. The man at the embassy says it was a looted antiquity, but Alfred persists, with Tabitha playing the part of his spoiled girlfriend.

The official loses his temper, and tries to order Alfred and his ‘chippie’ out. Alfred fakes a heart attack, and knocks over a vase as he falls – triggering the alarm. In all the commotion, Selina abseils in unnoticed and steals the dagger, grinning all the while.

That done, Tabitha slaps Alfred to bring him round – him sarcastically responding that he feels much better now.

They leave.

A be-hatted Ed strides into a room, the echo of Oswald’s comment about Lee stringing along this troubled man playing in his head.

We see a mirror which now contains goodish Ed, seeing that Riddler is in charge. He comments that

Just because you're in charge doesn't mean I disappear

Non-mirror Ed spits that he lost, but mirror Ed is unruffled. He repeats what he said earlier

Lee - what am I to you?

And grins widely, asking non-mirror Ed if that sounds like him. He tells him that he’s inside him, like a virus – infecting his thoughts.

Non-mirror Ed condescends to himself, and says mirror Ed couldn't comprehend his thoughts. Mirror Ed smiles.

How about feelings? What about the desperate attempts to get her approval?

Non-mirror Ed splutters and denies this, but mirror Ed laughs and points out that he gave money to the poor. Non-mirror Ed says this was part of a larger plan – but Ed points out that plan is Lee’s – he’s never cared about the Narrows. Non-mirror Ed says the Narrows’ residents could drown in a stew of their own filth and he wouldn’t lose wink of sleep

Mirror-Ed nods.

I know - because all you care about is her, just like I did. Soon there’ll be no telling where you end and I begin.

A door opens elsewhere in the room and the reflection disappears. Non-mirror Ed stares grimly.

That's not going to happen.

In a random warehouse, Barbara snottily demands the knife from Selina now that the robbery as been carried out. I know the show likes to imply that Oswald is the worst boss ever, but Barbara takes the cake, to be honest.

Selina looks troubled, and Bruce remonstrates. Barbara insists, though – telling him not to make her angry. Tabitha and Alfred face off. Alfred tells Selina not to give them the knife. Barbara loses patience and pulls a gun on Alfred.

Selina steps back, wide-eyed, holding the knife to her. It’s a deliberately childish defensive move. Selina is so desperate for family and has found it with these people. When she’s with them – she’s usually relaxed, letting her defences down. As such, we see that her response to their conflict is that of a child who just wants them to stop fighting.

Selina tells them to stop – and hands over the knife. She has little option, with Barbara pointing a gun at Alfred. She looks torn and reluctant, while Bruce looks hurt. Selina, Tabitha and Barbara escape, with Barbara throwing back an obnoxious nice doing business with you, and leave Alfred and Bruce standing.

Ed is at Oswald’s. Butch and Oswald are sitting in front of the fire, while Ed stands in front of them.

You're right, she's using me

Oswald throws up his hands.

Finally. So much for you being smart now

Ed eyes him

The most brilliant minds are often blind to the most obvious truths

Oswald doesn’t catch on that this might be a coded threat/gloat in advance from Ed, and impatiently offers a fine. Butch watches Oswald

(An aside. I’m endlessly amused that Butch is in a proper suit now. Oswald clearly wasn’t going to tolerate his weird monster cut suits.)

Oswald gestures – wanting to know why Ed came to him.

Ed says that the lovestruck moron Ed is floating on a dopamine river in the circuitry of Ed's brain, and he needs Oswald to help drown him for good. Oswald’s face is one giant eye-roll at Ed’s phrasing, but he asks for a half share of the money. Ed says that’s gone - distributed among the riff-raff. Ed says that he has a bigger plan, and tonight is the coup de grace

Oswald laughs and stands up, exclaiming,

I knew you were scheming something - that's why we were going to rob you afterwards!

Oh Oswald - you do make me laugh.

Ed smirks, and Oswald says he prefers this option. Butch says it better be enough to fix him, and reminds Oswald angrily about their deal. You know what, Butch, just push off with that. Team up with Oswald for the possibility of making cash - but stop trying to make him solely responsible for your cure. And if you want to be unpleasant - go be unpleasant to Tabitha, who ditched you; or Barbara, who killed you; or Ed, who used you.

Ed says the take will be 100 million, and pauses before adding.

Apiece

Oswald's eyes widen. Butch stares.

Ed points.

And you help me deal with Lee Thompkins

At Sirens, and the storyline for which I have limited patience continues.

Barbara thanks the head assassin for coming

She responds that they serve the Demon’s Head.

Barbara says she’ll do the flashlight hand, and stabby stab with the knife – and send Ra’s back to hell

Selina points out that her plan sucks, and asks how she expects to get the drop on a martial artist zombie. Irritated, Barbara tells KittyCat that she’s not hearing much faith from her. Selina says she’d hear more if she’s learned to use the Demon’s Head – and she’s going to get them killed.

Tabitha asks what her suggestions might be. Selina suggests backup from Bruce – but Tabitha says she just stole from them. Selina says that’s because she was told to. Tabitha tells her they’re strongest when together – in or out?

Selina says if it’s suicide by Ra's then she’s out – Barbara coldly tells her to go – and they watch her leave. After she’s gone, Barbara asks Tabitha what is she’s right – and she really is just a nightclub owner? Tabitha tells her she doesn’t want her to have the Demon’s Head, but they’ve been together – on and off – for three years, and she’s never seen her doubt herself. However she wants to play it, she’s in – but the moment she says she’s not worthy, she’ll jump ship.

Barbara smiles

Let's do this

She makes her hand glow to summon Ra’s. Is that necessary? Ra’s men aren’t already staking out her, you know, home and place of business?

(An aside. Tabitha’s thinking – that she’ll believe in Barbara as long as she believes in herself is nice and all in the context of their relationship, but it’s complicated by the fact that Selina is supposed to be part of their team now. When you factor in that Tabitha has taken on a protective/mentoring role to someone who is essentially still a child, then it doesn’t look so good. She’d risk endangering Selina just so long as Barbara’s feeling confident about herself?)

Wayne Manor – where Bruce is beginning what will be a long-standing habit of brooding about Selina in front of a roaring fire. Alfred tries to lighten his mood – saying that he won’t have to kill Ra’s, but Bruce tells him he can’t believe Selina turned on them. Alfred tries to brush this off, asying that at least they know where she stand – but Selina herself appears.

Alfred says she’s got a cheek coming here. Selina says she gave Barbara the knife because if there was a chance she could, that would be preferable to Bruce having to kill Ra’s again.

Alfred looks slightly mollified. Bruce says he would have done what he had to – but Selina says that would have meant a return to douchebag Bruce – so no thanks.

Alfred agrees – but Bruce is still sore, thanking her for the explanation, but telling her she sided with them – and needs to leave now.

Selina asks why it has to be about sides - they need to focus on Ra’s. Alfred backs her up. Selina tells Bruce that Tabitha and Barbara are going to get themselves killed, and she doesn’t want that to happen.

Jim is interviewing the woman in charge of Gotham Savings and Loan. He frowns at her, saying that there are easier banks to hit - why choose hers? She gets irritated by his tone, saying that he’s treating her like a criminal. Jim sneers, and suggests theirs good cause for that – citing lots of nefarious practices. She says they were cleared on all counts, but he retorts that they had good lawyers. She asks if he’s saying they deserved to robbed – but Harvey excuses them before Jim can screw the interview up any more.

Outside, Harvey asks what the hell he’s doing. Jim says she’s a bigger crook than whoever ripped her off.

Harvey is impatient

You mean Lee?

Harvey tells a defiant Jim that he knows what this is about – but if Lee is involved with Ed, they need to stop things before they go bad.

(An aside. It’s believable that Jim would have seized on what Lee said for three reasons. One – he loves a cause. Two – it’s a way to exonerate her of what she’s doing. Three – if he focuses on this, then he can try to ignore her response to recalling shooting Sofia.)

They go back into the interview room. The woman tells them that they moved all their assets to one completely secure location. She kind of deserves to be robbed for being so dumb.

At the completely secure location, we see guards getting tranquilliser darts fired into them. They collapse. Ed says that a pistol would have been more fun. Lee grins at him.

You indulge me

Lee says that breaking into the vault is the last detail. Ed says they have help from friends.

Lee turns, not best pleased about this.

Ed offers a riddle.

I am the revealer of masks

When I appear, friend become foe

And the one you love becomes the one you hate

Oswald walks out

Betrayal. Hello Lee

Ed pulls a gun on her. Lee looks shocked. Ed tells her this isn’t a dart gun, so let’s go. Oswald’s jangly eastern European theme plays.

Back at Sirens. This is booooring. The two leagues file in and face each other. The lights flicker, and Ra’s appears. They should have done dry ice, too.

Ra's says he hopes Barbara reconsidered. Barbara says she’s been thinking about them and what they had when he was less dug-uppy. Barbara says she’ll give him what he wants if he acknowledges their connection, and admits the things he said were just mind games to make her lose her nerve.

Ra's is incredulous that Barbara wants him to tell her she's special. Barbara asks if that would be so hard. Ra’s says it isn’t, and - moreover – it’s true. She is special. He’s just sorry it had to come to this.

Barbara says she’s sorry too - but thanks him for saying that, and stabs him.

Nothing happens – and Ra’s lets out a sarcastic ouch before tossing Barbara through a glass panel.

She gets up and fights with him. She’s almost down and out when Bruce runs in and knocks Barbara’s down. One of the assassin says that this is Barbara’s fight. Which she promptly loses – getting stabbed through the heart.

Immediately, her hand flares up and we go back in time. This time, she deflects. Ra’s is impressed.

Well now – look at you.

One of the assassins helpfully points out that she’s mastered the Demon’s Head.

Barbara says she can see why Ra’s likes this. However, Ra’s grabs Tabitha and tells Barbara to hand it over or else.

Choose now!

Barbara stares

Tabby…. I can’t give this up

Ra’s cuts Tabitha’s throat.

Barbara starts to dry sob as she sees Tabitha bleed out on the floor. She’s immediately taken back, though. The Demon’s Hand is basically a really convenient save point.

This time – she acquiesces to Ra’s demand, just requesting that he doesn’t hurt Tabitha. Ra’s promptly shoves Tabitha away – and presses his hand to Barbara’s, taking back his power. He also tells her

Barbara Kean - you surprise me yet again. Maybe I wasn't mistaken in you after all

Ra’s then splutters a bit, and turns into handsome Ra’s again. Bruce steps forwards and tells him to give him the knife, and he will kill him again – but Ra’s has changed his mind

Today is not the day that I die

(An aside – I choose to take that as a Deep Space Nine reference, since it’s basically a play on the Klingon today is a good day to die.)

Ra’s breaks the knife in two. The lights go off and he disappears. The mood in the room is defused, and people slacken and shuffle out.

Back in the bank. Ed says this is what happens for Lee for taking advantage of him. Lee protests - he's wrong, she's not taking advantage. Ed gets mad at the use of the name Ed again.

Oswald passes and says the truck is almost full - time to go. Ed tells him to tell the ogre (did I hear that right? I’m guessing he’s insulting Butch, but was a bit confused for a moment – since we had a character with that name) to leave the property deeds, for the Narrows, as they’re worthless.

He says all this while still staring at Lee - which is now a pattern in these scenes. Lee looks hurt. Oswald leans in before walking past

And so ends the tale of the queen of the Narrows. G'bye Lee!

He laughs and walks away.

Watching him go, Ed puts his gun down the back of his trousers. As I said last week – I’m still confused about the logistics of this.

Lee frowns.

What are you doing?

Ed is putting something together, and asks her

How did that go again, that riddle?

He repeats it and Lee answers: betrayal

Exactly

He throws the explosive thing he made into the vault towards Oswald and Butch, setting fire to the Narrows’ deeds.

Oswald spins. Butch runs to the door back into the bank, but the bars come down. He asks ed what he’s doing. Ed says he’s burning the Narrows property deeds. An impatient and enraged Oswald snaps to Butch that

He's proving his love by betraying us

Lee face lights up, and she smiles at Ed.

Butch says bars can't hold him – but Ed points out he won’t have time to get out. Ed tells Oswald that they’ve been through thick and thin, and he bears him no grudge – but if he comes against Lee, he comes against Ed. Couldn’t we have used ‘goes against’, there, writers? Because that sounded unfortunate.

Lee is still beaming at Ed, eyes sparkling. Butch says he'll dismember Ed. At least he’s not going to come against him.

Ed is contemptuous at his threat. He turns to Lee

Let’s go

Lee gives Oswald a smile and a little wave as she leaves.

Oswald yells that it won't make any difference. She's still using him. He is not the Riddler, but a fool. They’ve gone with the weird choice of having Oswald with a lot of spit in his mouth as he says that – which I can only imagine is to try and make Oswald seem physically repulsive.

Butch starts to bend the bars of the cell.

Up in the main bank, Lee asks Ed why he did it. Ed says needed Grundy to get into the vault, and Oswald was going to rob them anyway. He’ll keep an eye on the situation – Oswald will either get over it, or he won’t.

Lee concludes that he can’t think anymore that she’s using him. Ed says he knows that she is. Lee asks, then, why he betrayed his friends for her.

She steps forward, excited

Is this…. are you Ed?

He shakes his head

No – I’m me….

Lee steps in front of him as he turns.

…because Ed didn't understand you - didn't see how deeply you had changed. I do.

Lee swallows – eyes fairly rapt on him.

The Tetch virus woke up something deep inside you. You let it loose when shot Sofia

Lee's face lights up at this, and she looks – like she did after the gameshow – very turned on: eyes rolling back a little, jaw shifting.

He smiles at her.

And you love it.

He pauses

And I love it too. And I know that you don’t feel the same way about me, but you will. And when you do - I will be here.

They’re both staring at each other, animated – almost on a high from each other’s company. They're both pretty smitten, to be honest

Lee smiles at him.

Ed Nygma - you are a riddle

He smiles.

That’s the nicest thing someone's ever said to me

They hear sirens outside. Lee says that's Jim. Ed says that it can’t be – the alarm just went off, but Lee says he was already onto them. She adds that they’ll see the truck, and need to distract them.

Ed immediately turns to do this, gun raised

Done

But Lee says no

I can handle Jim Gordon. You take the money to the Narrows

You trust me?

She smiles. I do

She leans in and kisses him as she passes, and then tells him to go

Ed smiles and watches her leave before putting his hat back on.

(An aside. Hmmmm. That was a tricksy little scene, wasn’t it? The question is – how many betrayals did we see?

First up – we had Ed’s seeming betrayal of Lee. This would have tied in with the story he spun Oswald – betrayal as a means of killing the relationship. He wanted to see how Lee would react to the idea of him double-crossing her and figure out just exactly what he is to her: that would be consistent with his riddle about betrayal being a revealer, a lifter of masks – not just of the betrayer, but of the betrayed. If, when he pretended to betray her, she’d turned on him, insulting him, and telling him that she was just using him – then he would know that it was just that: he was simply being used, and that’s all. But she didn’t react in that way - she was hurt and shocked - so that assuaged some doubts on that front. He now knows that she does benefit from the relationship in terms of his criminal expertise, but she is also definitely emotionally involved.

Second and most straightforward – Ed broke the deal he had with Oswald. To be honest, I’m not sure I’d count this as a betrayal. Betrayal implies some deeper feeling. This arrangement was pretty transactional: Oswald wants a cut, Ed wanted help cutting ties with Lee. On top of that, their relationship here just didn’t seem deep enough for his actions to be classed as a betrayal – more like a business relationship with some amiability, some animosity.

It’s also worth remembering here, I think, that breaking this deal probably served another purpose, specifically for MirrorEd, who would likely want to teach Oswald a lesson about being used, after Oswald used him to secure his escape from Arkham. Ed begged him not to release Riddler, and he did it anyway. I can see him wanting revenge for that.

Third up – do we have a betrayal in waiting? Everything Ed did here, as Oswald pointed out, acted as a demonstration of his love for Lee. Was this entirely sincere? Or does this serve to make Lee feel more secure, nudging her feelings towards love – only for Ed to betray her later? It’s very hard to tell. I feel there was some ambiguity from Ed right at the end – his face was almost masked when he put his hat back on, and watching her leave without her looking round gives the sense that she’s unaware of something – that he knows something she doesn’t. All that said – CMS is a fantastic actor, and he might just be adding that little bit of ambiguity in there to create that tension.

Outside – where we have yelling.

GCPD! Nygma – we know you’re in there.

Lee walks out – slight trepidation on her face. Jim lowers his gun a fraction-, but raises it again.

Harvey is wide-eyed.

Sweet merciful mother

Jim approaches. There’s not much of a hint of softness on his face, to be honest, as he says you know your rights. Lee looks over at Harvey. As she is handcuffed, she looks back, and we see again some fear on her face.

Back at Sirens, where a disconsolate Barbara is cleaning up. Tabitha approaches and smiles at her. Barbara tells her,

You'd have done the same for me

They look fondly at each other, but are interrupted by the entrance of the assassins who were loyal to Barbara. They tell her that they have discussed things, and she fought for those alongside her

You are worthy, Barbara Kean. We follow you - to death and beyond.

(An aside. I suppose pointing out that Barbara’s first instinct was to allow Tabitha to be killed would be churlish. What happens in a Demon’s Head-induced temporal anomaly stays in a Demon’s Head-induced temporal anomaly, I guess.)

Wayne Manor, Bruce and Selina are talking about Ra’s. Bruce is still is mission mood. Selina tells him that Gotham managed a long time without him – he can have one night off. Bruce gazes at her, and she adds.

You did good today

So did you

They lean in, about to kiss, when they hear a cough.

It’s Ra’s

That was poor timing, on my part. Apologies

Ra's asks to talk to Bruce alone, but Selina says she’s staying. Ra’s gives an avuncular very well. He goes on to say that she’s right – he likes Bruce. On top of that, he knows what he could become. He also felt he owed him an explanation about why he chose to live.

Ra’s says he saw a vision – a cataclysmic event is soon to befall the city, a cleansing fire that will destroy and purify. Ra’s will also use it as a forge to mould Bruce into a dark knight of Gotham.

As he speaks, we see his vision of the city on fire.

If it doesn't kill you, that is.

General Observations

Choose now!

All about sides and allegiances this week. Ed feared that Lee was only using him for his criminal skills, and staged a betrayal to make her reveal her true feelings, and then a second betrayal to prove his love for her. For her part, she refused to turn on him, and then demonstrated her loyalty be taking the fall and trusting him with the Narrows cash. There’s the possibility of future betrayal, but for the time being – Ed chose Lee, and Lee chose Ed.

Tabitha and Barbara has a similar story. Barbara framed Tabitha summoning helping in the summoning of Ra’s as a betrayal, but Tabitha sees it was saving her. Later, Barbara gets the chance to see what betraying Tabitha would feel like (although she’s tried to kill her before) – and opts instead to side with her and give up the Demon’s Head.

Selina is pulled in two different directions this week. She chooses different sides at different times – but brings them back together by rejecting the notion of sides altogether. To Selina, who has been desperate for family and connection for a long time, the notion of being forced to shut people out of her life in favour of others is mystifying.

To a lesser extent, Jim demonstrates his commitment to his job over his past with Lee – he can’t look past her actions.

Jim. By and large, Jim stays on his sympathetic track this week. He tries to offer an ear to Lee, which she rejects. Even so – he tries to follow up what she said about corrupt powers taking advantage of the poor – but he ultimately can’t ignore what she’s been doing, and arrests her.

Bruce. We see that Bruce – who had such difficulty killing Ra’s before, seems much more able to do so this time. His story this week was really more about his connection with Selina, and how important that is to him.

Ed was a major player this week. It seems, eventually, that it’s not just that ‘good’ Ed is ‘infecting’ him with feelings for Lee. His Riddler persona is also taken with her – recognising and embracing her darker side. It’s hard to say where he’ll go next. It seems that he’s in love with her, but there’s still the option for betrayal, should things change.

Lee’s story was all about her new self, and how she’s perceived. We see her troubled twice in the episode – when Jim and Oswald remind her that Ed is, in fact, vulnerable (Oswald going on to accuse her of stringing him along). I don’t think she doesn’t care for him – in fact, she seems completely caught up in him – but she knows he’s more sure about the depth of his feeling. She’s also enjoying the pragmatic benefits of their relationship, and apparently feels guilty about both of those things.

As such, when Ed tells her at the end that he knows she doesn’t feel the same right now – but doesn’t judge her for it, or reject her – you see a weight lifted off her shoulders. He acknowledges, in the same scene, that she enjoyed killing Sofia, and her eyes light up. Ed sees her.

She’s pretty much nailed her colours to the mast inn terms of her loyalties, but it remains to be seen where everything will go.

Oswald was really only here this week to facilitate Lee and Ed’s story. He’s been one of Ed’s ally’s in the past – so was a suitable means by which Ed could demonstrate his feelings for Lee. Plot-wise, the ramifications are that he might well want revenge on Ed for stitching him, and on Lee for laughing at him – but that’s pretty much it, I would imagine.

We also had two reminders of that bargain between him and Butch: once in the ‘previously’, and again when Ed visits them. To be honest, I don’t have much patience for this plot point, and feel they’re hanging a lot on it. Oswald told Butch his best shot was Hugo Strange – he didn’t personally guarantee he would cure him. On top of that, Butch knows he can make a ton of cash fighting at places like Cherry’s – why doesn’t he start accumulate money himself that way? If he hates Oswald just that much, then why doesn’t he go it alone instead of hanging around and threatening him?

I’m guessing that this ‘promise’ plot will go south – because they keep reminding us of it. Either Butch is going to decide Oswald didn’t help enough, and screw him over – or Oswald is going to screw Butch over. Being wildly partisan when it comes to Oswald – I just hope that Oswald doesn’t suffer as a result of what, to be honest, is a pretty contrived plot point.

Last comment:

The city on fire is obviously a call back to Jerome’s remark last week. It could also be referencing Fish telling Oswald to burn the city down if he couldn’t make it his – but I’m not sure if I’m supposed to remember that.

Thoughts?

#Gotham commentary #gotham s4e19 #to our deaths and beyond

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50shadessnarker · 8 years ago

Text

SUMMARY: Chapter 10 (50 Shades Darker)

n.b.: as I realise this is the first chapter summary on the new blog, you can find all previous chapter summaries - as well as one written, one drawn, and one timeline summary of the first book - either here or here. They’re a bit muddled, due to my shitty tagging, but they’re all there. Also, apologies for the gap between posts - I don’t like moving on to the next chapter without summarising the last, and ending this chapter coincided with both thesis deadlines and my queue running out.

Okay, let’s get this show on the road.

PREVIOUSLY, ON 50 SHADES THEATRE: Our hero’s apartment was broken into by his evil crazy ex, LEILA, and CHRISTIAN and ANA had to flee to a luxury hotel and have lots of sex, all even more vanilla than usual. Ever sensitive and gentle, ANA took the opportunity to ask CHRISTIAN a bunch of overly personal questions about his traumatic past, such as whether he knows who his birth father was (he doesn’t), how he knows it wasn’t his mother’s pimp (because of reasons), and whether being left in a room with his dead mother for several days at the age of three might have left some kind of psychological scar that you shouldn’t keep fucking prodding at, Ana. Luckily for CHRISTIAN, the plot arrives in the nick of time, in the form of ANA remembering he promised her a surprise. The surprise turns out to be a new car, because LEILA threw paint all over the last one he bought her, and it’s not like she specifically asked for him not to buy her expensive presents or anything. It’s okay, though, because along with CHRISTIAN and the NARRATIVE, ANA has completely forgotten that she was ever uncomfortable with this. After buying the car, CHRISTIAN takes her down to the marina, for an awkward lunch and a ride on his boat. Not a euphemism (although, as we shall see, also totally a euphemism. Is anyone surprised?). ANA blatantly flirts with the guy already on the boat, Christian’s employee MAC, and then blames CHRISTIAN for turning her into the sort of girl who pervs on random guys. Finally, to cap off this exhaustingly overlong summary, MAC goes ashore (probably to deal drugs, I remain convinced of this) and ANA and CHRISTIAN have yet another bout of weirdly-foot-fetishy-but-otherwise-vanilla sex and simultaneous orgasms while shouting each other’s names.

NOW READ ON...

[SCENE: a bed in a luxury yacht, where our lovebirds, CHRISTIAN and ANA, lie in post-coital bliss]

C: [smoking a cigarette] Well, I needed that. But now, I have to go and help Mac get the dinghy back in, assuming the rival cartel left him alive.

A: ...wait, what?

C: Nothing, my sweet. [He gets up to get dressed, finally coming back to kiss ANA before leaving the cabin] Can I get you anything? A shower? A drink?

A: [realising how out of character this is] “Who are you, and what have you done with Christian?”

C: Hahaha, don’t be ridiculous. Now get your ass out of bed before I spank it.

A: That’s a relief. You had me worried for a moment.

C: You give off such mixed signals. How’s a guy meant to keep up?

[I’d laugh at him for the comment, but honestly, I can’t keep up with what the hell ANA wants either. Her motivation changes between scenes. Speaking of which, it’s time to change scenes. The next two contain nothing interesting, so let’s go to the one after:]

[SCENE: The marina again, evening. ANA and CHRISTIAN disembark after a long afternoon of him teaching her to sail, none of which was shown, because heaven forbid these two actually have a prolonged onscreen interaction that isn’t fucking. That way lies character development, and no-one wants that, after all.]

[Oh, and she spent the whole of the intervening time monologuing about how she loves him truly madly deeply and could never leave him because... um... he said he loved her that one time so obviously leaving him would be a betrayal. Right. Whatever.]

[As I was saying, the marina, evening. A small crowd has gathered to watch the boat come in, presumably because it was a really slow news day on the Seattle docks. ANA and CHRISTIAN disembark]

A: Oh, that was a wonderful afternoon!

C: Yep. We should enroll you in sailing school, then we could go out without Mac there for you to ogle unsubtly.

A: And so we could christen the bedroom of your yacht over and over again!

C: I don’t think that’s how christening w... oh, never mind. Whatever. My security told me the apartment’s safe to go back to, so let’s go back.

A: What about our stuff at the hotel?

C: Anastasia, I’m a gazillionaire with a private army of servants, do you really think I’m going to pick up my own luggage?

A: ...good point.

C: Jason already picked them up and checked over the yacht for crazy ex spoor.

A: Who the actual fuck is Jason?

C: Taylor. You know, tall guy, buzzcut, the only person in this book you don’t seem to harbour any kind of vindictiveness towards so far...?

A: He has a first name!?

C: He also has a daughter and, like, a home. I know. I was shocked, too.

[ANA cannot respond, for she has fainted in shock at the idea that TAYLOR might have an existence outside coddling CHRISTIAN. This is convenient, as it means she can’t spend another page and a half making small talk which changes nothing and adds nothing besides the totally vital information that MAC is Northern Irish. I mean, I could be wrong. Maybe this is going to turn out to be a key plot point. Maybe Anastasia will call him English and he’ll throw her overboard. Who knows?]

[SCENE: An Italian restaurant, evening. CHRISTIAN and ANA sit at a small, romantically-lit table, drinking posh wine and wanking over how utterly cliche their love life is, when ANA decides to be a dick again.]

A: Hey, Christian, I’ve noticed you have no friends. How come nobody wants to hang out with you?

C: I’m not unpopular, honest! I’m just... busy! Really busy! Doing business things that are definitely honestly absolutely legal!

A: What?

C: What? Anyway, yeah, you’re right, I have no friends. Just my family and Elena.

A: [sotto voce] Ugh! Elena!

[Yes, ELENA, Christian’s first sexual partner and actual literal child molester, who ANA hates because... she’s blonde and CHRISTIAN likes her, as far as I can tell. Just to remind you that even when the narration remembers that she’s a pederast, it’s immediately tied into AND SHE MADE CHRISTIAN KINKY AND GAVE HIM SOMETHING I CAN’T BLOO HOO HOO. Also, she’s a bitch-troll. Allegedly, according to this scene.]

[If I have to keep remembering this shit, so do you. Plus, it’s been over a year since ELENA made an appearance on this blog, so I figured I should remind y’all.]

[Anyway, on with the show]

A: So, no male friends you can go out with and let off steam?

C: “You know how I like to let off steam, Anastasia.”

A: “Not even in college?”

C: Well, I did experiment with kissing... wait, you mean did I have friends in college! No. God, no. Possibly because I was an insufferable ponce back then as well.

A: Must’ve been lonely.

C: Are you done prodding at all my insecurities? Just order your fucking meal already.

[He summons a waiter, and the garcon appears in a puff of brimstone to take their order. Being suuuuch a gentleman, CHRISTIAN even lets ANA choose her own meal. Awww, how kind.]

[As the waiter returns to wherever he was summoned from, ANA looks down at her lap, clearly upset by something.]

C: Anastasia, what’s wrong? [She doesn’t answer. He, with a gearshift speed usually associated with Formula One racecars, switches immediately from concerned to pissed off.] Tell me!

A: “I worry that this isn’t enough for you.”

C: [shifting up another gear, to terrifying man-rage] Why the HELL how DARE you how could you POSSIBLY think this isn’t enough, just because I keep dropping anvil-like hints that I expect full-time D/s dynamics and no hard limits? “HAVE I EVER GIVEN YOU ANY INDICATION THAT THIS ISN’T ENOUGH?”

[Okay, the capslock isn’t in the original text. But the words are.]

A: [lying through her teeth] “No.”

C: Well, then, why the fuck would you think that?

A: “I know what you’re like. What you... um... need.”

[A chorus of angels arises from around them, singing in one perfect voice, “he doesn’t need kink he’s just a manipulative cu~u~u~unt.” E.L. JAMES shoos them quickly offstage, and motions for the play to continue.]

C: [rubbing his forehead with long fingers, which I assume means the surgical instrument because I’ve been watching too much M*A*S*H] “What do I have to do?”

A: It’s not that. It’s... [She steels herself against the staggering falsehood about to emit from her mouth] ...“you have been amazing, and I know it’s just been a few days, but I hope I’m not forcing you to be someone you’re not.”

[I mean, I feel like anyone who’s ever met Christian probably wants him to be someone he’s not. Like a decent person, or possibly just Edward Cullen. But what do I know? I’m just a sarcastic stage direction.]

C: Don’t worry, I’m still me - an unapologetically controlling, rude douchebag. And I’ll always want to punish you, but I’m holding myself back, even though I really want kink. I hope this reassures you.

A: It does!

C: These have been the best few days of my life.

A: [swooning] Oh, Christian! Mine, too!

[The INNER GODDESS stirs from her slumber to elbow ANA hard]

A: Oh, right, and my personified libido wants me to ask if that means you don’t really want to take me into your playroom?

C: Last time we were in there, you left me. So... no, I don’t.

A: “But it hardly seems fair. It can’t be very relaxing for you—to be constantly concerned about how I feel.”

...okay, I’m... I usually try to avoid snarking about individual lines in these summaries, but I can’t fucking believe I didn’t comment on this the first time around. She ACTUALLY SAYS THIS. She says this, and it is never commented on again, and I need to take a moment to scream wildly into the void because NO NO WHAT NO PLEASE LOVE YOURSELF MORE THAN THIS

Listen, I have said things like this in my own relationship. I’ve told my boyfriend to stop caring so much how I feel. I’ve also told him to break up with me for his own sake, to stop comforting me, and to just do what he wants because he’s the one that matters. And the way you know he has minimal human decency is that his reaction to this has always, always been “that’s the depression talking and your feelings matter.”

For the sake of clarifying the difference here, I’m going to skip over the part where she says she wants to reciprocate more and suggests roleplaying, and move right on to his response:

C: [aiming for sympathy and undershooting by half a mile into Unhelpfulness City] “Ana, you do reciprocate, more than you know. Please, please don’t feel like this.” We’ve literally only been together one weekend this time around. “You need to trust me, and I you. We have to walk before we can run.” [He chuckles]

A: What’s funny?

C: My psychiatrist always says that.

A: lol

[The cringe is blissfully truncated by the waiter bringing, allegedly, unfeasibly large plates of bruschetta and starters. ANA and CHRISTIAN slip into an “easier, happier conversation” all about CHRISTIAN and all the places he’s been and how ANA has never left the mainland US oh noes how boring. They laugh, they joke, they discover things in common, and once again none of this is actually on the page because “show, don’t tell” might as well be a random jumble of letters for all E.L. cares.]

[SCENE: Escala (Christian’s apartment block), evening. SAWYER and TAYLOR are chilling in the hallway.]

SAWYER: So, this is all a bit fucked-up, huh?

TAYLOR: Kind of. I mean, not exactly surprising, right? He’s a squidrillionaire and he keeps jilting women, this was pretty much bound to happen eventually.

SAWYER: I figured after the first time she broke into his flat, he’d up the security system, but I guess he didn’t think of it.

TAYLOR: More likely didn’t want to pay. Buddy, the things I could tell you about this guy. Did you know he keeps all his ex’s information in a filing cabinet for identity theft purposes? And he sells drugs off his yacht. Also, I’m pretty sure he’s killed some people.

SAWYER: And yet the cheap bastard won’t shell out for a decent medical pl-- oh, shit, the book plot’s coming. Later, Jason!

[SAWYER flees the scene of this totally real conversation which Ana just didn’t hear that’s why it’s not in the books, and hurries downstairs to the parking garage to make sure they think he’s been patrolling this whole time. He’s so enthusiastic to look on-the-ball that, according to this, he opens ANA’s door for her before CHRISTIAN even finishes parking.]

C: Hello, Sawyer. No sign?

SAWYER: Negative, sir. I’ve been here this whole time and nobody saw nothin’.

C: Sounds legit. [He grabs ANA’s hand to lead her to the elevator, then pulls her close in a way that is definitely not threatening in this context, absolutely not, honest, no sirree.] You aren’t allowed to leave here on your own, you hear?

A: [smiling] Okay.

C: ...What’s so funny?

A: I honestly have no idea. I think it’s meant to be endearing that you’re an overprotective asshole who’s up in my personal space?

[CHRISTIAN pouts]

A: Don’t pout, or I’ll bite my lip, and you know how that makes all the blood run to your dick.

[He does, she does, and it does. They’re making out like horny teenagers on prom night by the time the elevator doors open onto the penthouse suite, where TAYLOR awkwardly waits for them to adjust their clothing and get their hands off each other.]

TAYLOR: Mr Grey. Miss Steele.

A: I was Mrs Taylor yesterday.

TAYLOR: [blushing] Are you actually trying to get me fired? Here, I’ll help: “That has a nice ring to it, Miss Steele.”

A: “I thought so too.”

C: Taylor, if you weren’t the only person willing to put up with my bullshit, I’d fire you so fast your head would spin. For now, I have to go talk to Miss Steele.

[He huffs, and drags ANA into hi bedroom]

C: Don’t flirt with the staff.

A: “I wasn’t flirting, I was being friendly. There’s a difference.”

C: “Don’t be friendly with the staff or flirt with them. I don’t like it.” Might give them ideas above their station. Before you know it, they start thinking they’re people.

A: Oh. There goes our ten-minute streak of you not talking down to me or making me feel like an idiot. Sorry, Christian.

C: [grabbing her chin, as he often does] You know I get jealous.

A: Yes, and it is hot and not abjectly terrifying in any way. But you don’t have to be jealous. “You own me, body and soul.” In fact, you could say you’re the... [facing the camera like she’s on the Office] Master of my Universe.

[A cacophony of groans. CHRISTIAN, however, seems to take this at face value, and it mollifies him a little. He kisses her, but is still sulking like a fucking toddler when he leaves the room]

[ANA is left wondering how he could possibly interpret “Mrs Taylor has a nice ring to it” as flirting, but this thought quickly leaves her little squirrel brain as she goes to get her clothes ready for work and realises that her clothes aren’t where she left them! She hunts all through her room with increasing desperation, then goes downstairs to CHRISTIAN’s room to look there, and ends this little adventure by immediately finding all her clothes in his wardrobe.]

A: What the heck?

C: [from the doorway, where he has been lurking like a creeper] Ha ha, gotcha.

A: ...you look distracted. What’s up?

C: They can’t find Leila. I don’t understand it. They think she got in through the emergency stairwell, which you’d think would be alarmed but apparently isn’t, and then they lost track of her and the only proof she was here at all was you seeing her, even though I have a dedicated team and full CCTV provision. Man, when I put it like that, my security system sounds kind of shitty.

A: What are you going to do when you find her?

C: Oh, Dr Flynn will take care of things.

A: What about her husband?

C: You remembered that she was married, but not that she walked out on her husband to cheat on him with another guy? Anyway, yeah, that selfish asshole doesn’t seem to think her behaviour now is his responsibility. What a dickwad. And her family’s out in Connecticut, so she’s pretty much alone.

A: That’s kind of sad.

C: Kinda sad, and kinda convenient if one happens to be a predatory asshole with a known history of manipulating vulnerable young women.

A: What?

C: What? Anyway, as I was saying, you’re okay with your clothes being in my room, right?

A: [immediately dropping the previous conversation] Yes.

C: Good. I want you to sleep with me. You stop me having nightmares.

A: [incredulous] You have nightmares?

C: No, Anastasia, my long history of neglect, violence, and sexual abuse have left me with absolutely no psychological problems. Of course I have nightmares, dumbass, why else do you think I was up at 3am playing piano the first night you were here?

[ANA’s tender heart melteth. Again.]

A: I was just getting ready for work tomorrow.

C: Work? Work?! Work is for plebs, Anastasia! Be with me, and never work again!

A: And, what, sit around doing nothing while you’re off being Master of the Universe?

C: First of all, stop titledropping. And second of all, yeah, pretty much.

A: Wow. Fuck you. Leila already had the chance to hurt me, and she didn’t, so there’s no point freaking out about me leaving the flat. And, more importantly, I like having autonomy.

C: Boy, are you in the wrong relationship.

A: Look, I draw the line at not working.

C: Okay, fine. Sawyer has to go with you, though.

A: Um, no.

C: Look, either Sawyer goes with you, or I tie you up with an entire hardware store’s worth of cable ties and lock you in a cupboard.

A: ...okay, Sawyer can come with. [She rolls her eyes.]

[CHRISTIAN appears to take umbridge at this, and once again stalks up into her personal space to loom aggressively and scowl.]

C: [brightly] Well, I’m glad we sorted that out! Want a tour?

[And so CHRISTIAN shows ANA around the flat she’s been staying in on and off for well over a month, which turns out to have two entire wings she didn’t know about (one for each of his live-in servants) and a TV room that she failed to notice was opposite his study despite spending a whole bunch of time in his study. A+ for observation, that woman.]

A: So you do play Xbox?

C: Yep. Haha, remember when you thought that was what I meant by playroom?

A: Haha, remember how you have a psychiatrist because you’re cuckoo bananas?

[They both laugh heartily at this.]

C: Anyway, I don’t have a middle name. This has no bearing on anything, but I thought you should know because I wanted to clarify that “Trevelyan” and “Grey” are both surnames. Is this plot relevant? Well, probably not, but it’s a crapshoot, really.

[They continue their tour, pausing long enough to bother TAYLOR and confirm that yes, the apartment has CCTV, and no, the highly-paid security team don’t seem to have looked at the tapes. Then, on to the library, where ANA notices the billiards table.]

A: Want to play? [She is smug, as she knows José taught her to play and she’s supes great at it.]

C: Well..

A: “What’s the matter, frightened of a little competition?”

C: “Frightened of a little girl like you?”

[What a dickhead.]

A: [like a true hustler] Then let’s bet on it.

C: Bet what?

A: If I win, you take me back into the playroom. You know, the place we just established you’re uncomfortable with taking me, to do things I keep insisting are solely for your benefit even though I clearly want to do them more than you do at this point.

C: ...And if I win?

A: Do what you want. I mean, you always do anyway, but this time you’ll have consent in advance.

C: Ooh. Tempting. You’re on.

[And so, the game is on! Well... I mean, halfway through it seems to switch from a pool game to a posing competition, with enough butt-waggling for a whole colony of honeybees. But it’s okay, because they’re both absolutely pro-standard pool players who sink three or four balls minimum per turn.]

[At last, with all his balls sunk deep into their pockets (ohoho), Christian lines up to take his shot at the black, and...]

VOICEOVER NARRATION: Will Christian win this low-stakes game of pool? Will our two constantly-banging heroes bang once again? Will the plot ever move beyond a snail’s pace? Find out next time, on FIFTY SHADES THEATRE!

“Oh my”: 0. Not a single one! That’s the most shocking thing to happen this chapter. “Inner goddess”: 2 “Subconscious”: 1 “Holy…”: 2 “...shit”, 1 “...cow”, 1 “...fuck” “Erotic”: 0 ”There”: 0, and I’m starting to wonder if we’ve seen the last of ...there. “Fifty Shades”: only 1, but 7 uses of “Fifty” and one of “Master of the Universe” (the story’s original title), so we’re not lacking too badly for titledrops here.

#50 shades of summary #50 shades of chapter summary #50 shades of grey #50 shades darker #50 shades snarker #50 shades of this was one hell of a good chapter for bingo players!#50 shades of abuse #50 shades of title-drop #50 shades of i can't believe it took me nearly a fucking year to get through this chapter #50 shades of shame on me. i knew i dropped the ball with this blog but i didn't realise it was THAT bad

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