#also this is obviously something I'd be discussing with a potential partner before things got serious

[coockie8]

do u have a partner??

No lol I just know I want kids, and I will go to a sperm bank and have a kid "on my own" (my sister has already promised to help me raise my children if I go it "alone") if I don't meet someone by like 35-ish.

Ideally I'd meet someone, but that's not crucial. I'm also extremely firm on Kozmotis and Agatha, so I completely understand why that might make it harder for me to find a partner; I won't budge on those, my first son and daughter are being named those.

I'm risking my life having a human rip its way out of my body, I'm naming it. My partner can pick the middle name, and the kid will be getting their last name, 'cause mine's super lame.

[actuallylorelaigilmore]

I know you mentioned how you feel when you see people write characters having bipolar disorder or autism who don't know what it's like, so I'd love to ask your POV on this: Do you think Schneider exhibits any signs of being bipolar or having autism? A few characteristics of his remind me of a family member who is bipolar, but as someone who personally isn't and admittedly doesn't know a ton about bipolar disorder or autism, I'd love to know your thoughts instead of having uninformed headcanons.

Ooh I love this question!! Thanks for thinking of me to ask it. My answer got longer than expected, surprise surprise, so it’s an essay behind the cut now. :)

I also love Schneider and find him easier to understand and write than just about anybody, so I feel pretty comfortable getting inside his head and musing about all this. 

For the record as to where I’m coming from here, I am autistic and have bipolar disorder (bipolar 1 technically), and I also have combined-type ADHD and generalized anxiety disorder (I’m quite something). 

I’ve never seen anyone connect Schneider to autistic traits before, and I’m generally thrilled to headcanon my faves as on the spectrum, so I had to think about this. He definitely has interests, but I wouldn’t say he has an intense focus on any specific things in that autistic way. He makes eye contact easily and a lot, and off the top of my head I don’t remember him making any comments that would indicate sensory issues (about noise or clothing texture, for example). He doesn’t seem stuck to specific routines, and his diet is eclectic but not rigid.

He does seem pretty oblivious to social cues? But in an overeager, he steamrolls right past them kind of way…and he often immediately corrects himself when his words come out offensive, because he can tell the difference between what people think it’s okay to say or not. He likes puzzles and mechanical things, but so do lots of neurotypical people. His voice is very expressive, not a monotone, and he’s very comfortable with physical affection.

Honestly, every autistic person is different so it’s totally possible to be on the spectrum and not have some of the ‘usual’ traits (for example, I don’t make much eye contact and am blatantly autistic in a lot of ways, but I’m very comfortable in crowds and loud days like the 4th of July don’t bother me). But I don’t see much canon evidence for Schneider being autistic that isn’t better explained by him having a serious case of ADHD. 

That’s the stuff that he and I have in common, as a matter of fact…he has a billion hobbies and is overenthusiastic and full of energy and impulsive, and he’s often mentally and emotionally moving so fast that he doesn’t even notice he’s pushed past people’s personal boundaries. Trying to be Victor’s best man or inviting himself over to the Alvarez apartment all the time is never because Schneider doesn’t care that they may not want him involved–he’s just so excited to be a part of things that he doesn’t stop and think first, and that’s super ADHD of him.

Now the bipolar question is such a fun one for me! I feel like bipolar people who don’t end up violent or committed are waaaay underrepresented in media, and I tend to see those traits everywhere. Some of my favorite characters I love because they remind me of me, and could definitely be coded bipolar.

It’s really common for bipolar people to struggle with addiction, which obviously Schneider does. I don’t have that history personally, but I completely understand the way bipolar people can use drugs and alcohol to self-medicate the symptoms of the disorder. 

They can also go through periods where they turn to sex in an unusually intense way, and we know Schneider’s a big fan of sex, but I wouldn’t say he’s presented as being unusual with it…just as a guy who likes casual sex and is able to find willing partners.

Schneider does have a proven record of not only gambling but impulsive spending, both bipolar traits. He sees most of his problems as just being different forms of addiction, but that makes sense for him–and I’ve read about people whose bipolar behavior was masked by their addictions until they got sober.

So if we look at him sober, then the question is, does he go through periods of depression and mania that are bad enough it interferes with his life? And I can’t say that I see any major signs of that. He’s weird but has a decent grip on reality, he doesn’t hit patches where he thinks he’s invulnerable and capable of everything, and if he faces major depression, it’s never come up when the show has discussed Penelope’s experience with it. 

To me, Schneider just seems like he’s living with ADHD that was never treated, and he’s been an addict since he was very young…and his seriously addictive personality is always looking for new outlets even while he tries to stay sober from drugs and alcohol.

BUT I have to add that I’m bipolar and while my depression looks pretty much like you probably would expect when you think ‘depression’…my mania doesn’t fit the ‘standard’ tells at all. I’ve never had a problem with gambling or shopping. I’ve never had reckless, casual, or unusually frequent sex. I’ve never tried drugs (which is good! because addiction runs in my family) because I’m weird and somehow I always feel much safer in the harshness of reality.

So my mania looks like skipping meals and not needing to sleep and having the most brilliant ideas, all of which will absolutely work out this time, and because I’m not getting any kind of treatment for my ADHD, manic me is the only version of me that’s able to channel my energy into successfully creating anything–it’s like mania balances the unfocused part of my brain. If I can stay mildly manic, I’m actually in a pretty good place…but of course if I had control over it, it wouldn’t be a potentially dangerous disorder.

Point is, is it possible Schneider has a form of bipolar disorder combined with his addictions? Sure, if it presents atypically or is milder than my experience and thus easier for him to function through. It’s definitely possible that he’s always struggled with intense moods and used to ‘treat’ them with drugs and alcohol, and now that he’s sober uses his hobbies and mindfulness to manage them instead. And of course, if we really want to headcanon things outside canon, we could say he’s totally bipolar but on medication for it so he’s fairly stable. 

But since you asked me :) I would say he’s got adult ADHD to a highly visible degree, and had an emotionally stunted childhood that left him with a childlike sense of joy towards the world and other people. He doesn’t seem to have the extreme uncontrollable ups and downs that come with bipolar disorder, or the sensory issues and difficulty understanding social situations and people that’s so common for those of us on the autism spectrum.

(Side note: it’s really, really common for people to have bipolar disorder and ADHD, or ADHD while also being autistic, or to be autistic and also bipolar. They all combine a lot, and have overlapping traits, so I’m not sure if maybe those overlapping traits could explain the ways your family member reminds you of Schneider?) 

Both those disorders are super important to me though in terms of representation, and if anybody bipolar/autistic has claimed Schneider as one of us, I wouldn’t take that away from them! Because he’s sweet and loyal and he struggles but keeps trying and there are worse role models for people like me.

If anybody does see autistic/bipolar traits in him, I would love to hear the counterargument. I know a few other bipolar people, but don’t know that many people on the autism spectrum, so I could totally be missing things.

[wackygoofball]

In Gwen's last interview she said: "And what’s recurrent in Brienne’s life is forming relationships with people that start with an opposing force, then a begrudging mutual respect and, out of that, a deep respect and pure love. That happens again this season. Brienne will realize a deep alliance.” I'd like to think that she was talking about Jaime but don't you think it could be Pod? At first she doesn't like him and if he in some kind of way saves her this season...

Hi! Thanks for thequestion!

Well, I mean, I can onlyremind people of being *very* cautious in approaching actors’ and actresses’interviews on their characters, specifically when it is about yet unairedmaterial.

For one, they don’t want toget shot by the HBO Snipers we all know are there to take them down if theyspoiler too much.

But far more importantly…there are certain actors who have a tendency of putting out rather funny ideasthat we have gotten zero proof for in like… three seasons or so.

I don’t want to dig toomuch into the matter, but Lena and Sophie sometimes use vocabulary ordescriptions for show contents for either seasons already aired or about to airthat either haven’t made it to the screen for all we got to know to supportthat viewpoint or do not reallyreflect the way they seemingly see it for what most viewers see – at least from my perspective, whichagain, of course, is up to debate.

But take for instance Lenatalking about Cersei’s relationship with Jaime being at an all-time weird level (or so, Ithink that was the wording, though I am just too lazy to double-check, soplease correct me if I am totally wrong on the matter) for season 6, only tohave them do… basically the same meh they have been doing in ages when it comesto their incestuous relationship that neither one is actually happy with ifthey were being honest with themselves.

And if one took that toheart for predictions regarding season 6 which had not aired by the time, thislikely led to wrong assumptions about Jaime’s and Cersei’s arc.

So, the point is, the rule of thumbwith those interviews particularly aimed towards content not yet aired… pour ashitload of salt over it, just to be sure.

Nevertheless, what Gwensays is one of those things I would not necessarily disregard as misdirectionor being completely out of the context of the new season. After all, it’s nottoo spoilery to get the snipers out, but at the same time, it tells ussomething about Brienne’s arc that we can obviously obsesses and interpret,based on the information we have thus far, and now somehow triangulating thatwith what she’s said.

Why I think this relates toJaime specifically is the wording Gwen’s using. @bearsofair over at JBO haspointed out that Gwen has been repeatedly using just those phrases about “begrudgingmutual respect” to describe Brienne’s and Jaime’s relationship in particular.On multiple occasions. Gwen’s not referred to Brienne’s relationship with Podin that way for all I know (though again, correct me if I am wrong, please). Thatwas a phrase she repeatedly used for Jaime – fittingly so, because JB is one ofthose embodiments of enemies-to-lovers and begrudging respect to something *more*(see chin wobbles in season 6 – those were about as platonic as was Jaime’shairection and “yes, Lady Brienne” – the flirt).

What would also speakagainst Pod being the one is that the two have been forming a union sinceseason 4 now. Pod already grew to the point that she *begrudgingly* started totrain him and make him her squire truly. We have seen the first fruits of thatteaching when he and Brienne got Sansa and Theon at Winterfell. We are going tosee more of that in the upcoming season, too, but the point is – this isbasically established. To now speak about how Brienne would form an alliancewith Pod at this stage would assume that they haven’t been a union before, andthey have been already. 

As Gwen also points to inher interview, it’s about forming alliances with people of opposite camps. Podhas only ever expressed and stressed his relation to Tyrion, but it’s not likehe is a Lannister-hyper or so. Like Brienne, he has an understanding of tying loyalty to individual people (see Brienne-Renly, Brienne-Cat, Brienne-Sansa, Brienne-Jaime) instead of political parties or greater Houses. He told her that he prides himself being hersquire. He told that again to Bronn - so he is on her side. That already happened in canon. So they are on the same page already.

Jaime, however, *for theoutside* (i.e. for the characters to see) stands on opposite sides with Brienne. That is already exemplifiedwith him letting her go at Riverrun. They are *enemies* for the public. As Brienne saidunder much chin wobbles: “Honor compels me to fight for Sansa’s kin. […] Tofight you.”

While both don’t want tofight one another, and despite the fact that they form an interpersonal unionof mutual respect (and love and chin wobbles and swordheartpenises), they areconstantly put on opposite sides by outside forces, further complicating their relationship from entering the next stage - because duty and other responsibilities always pull them away from one another at the last moment… and they are big in denial.

Jaime stresses it during the tent scene –Cersei wants Sansa dead, yet, he supported Brienne in finding her by giving herthe wedding armor and Valyrian Steel to top all that.They are on opposite sides in that way, but Jaime keeps playing both sides in his support for Brienne and Sansa by extension despite the fact that Cersei would likely combust in a wine explosion if/when she is to know of that.

Therefore, later on, Jaime *technically*would have been forced to take Brienne captive because she aligned with *theenemy* of the Tullys. Jaime didn’t, because of his connection to Brienne, acting against the paradigm of “we are enemies/on opposite sides.”

To further broaden the gap between finding a common ground of aligning their personal interests (of forming a union - because they do not want to fight each other… and love each other… and want to bone), they are even further removed via their alliances, which I think will play up big next season.

Cersei will have Jaime back byher side (because he will likely be kept in suspense about what was going onwith the Sept – best guess remains that Cersei is going to blame shit on SandSnatches and their Momma etc., which Jaime could *more or less reasonably*believe in because they killed Myrcella, so for him, they are enemies anyway).That automatically, and much more prominently, puts him on a side *definitely*opposing Sansa Stark as the newly refound Lady of Winterfell. Cersei is notgoing to sit idly by and be like “oh yay for her” because she still thinks thatshe murdered Joffrey (or even if she went away from that idea… she does notlike Sansa, okay? That is enough for Cersei to consider her an enemy… Cersei isnot that picky. Basically, anyone not Cersei Lannister is an ememy, let’s be real).

Hence, Brienne being onSansa’s side while Jaime is in some capacity (whatever it may be) on Cersei’sside, puts them on opposite ends of the scale.

That does not apply to Pod,that does not apply to most other characters that she can form alliances with*as herself*.

Similarly, that is true for*anyone* of the Northern Enterprise. She doesn’t have to form alliances withNortherners, let alone Wildlings, that is established by now via Jonny Boy.

The Hound and the Brotherhood are likely to join the same cause… so… no reason for those two to develop begrudging respect… and… who the fuck cares if they have respect for one another or not? It was also already established last season that the Hound has some appreciation for her fighting prowess when he talked to Ray. So… not much character development potential there either, particularly because even if they get put together in a team to fulfill some common cause… they won’t be alone. They will be in a group dynamic, that means the *mission* will be more central to the plot than character development of that sort will be. I suppose at least.

But the central point is this: You seek alliance withopposite forces - not with those already on your side.

As Tyrion said during his Lame Adventures of Lameness in theLand of Lameness and Withholding Patterns Named Meereen:

“We makepeace with our enemies, not our friends.”

Because here is the otherthing to consider: If we were now hypothetically speaking about Dany andFriends, Brienne is most likely not the candidate who’d unite the forces. Forthat we have Jesus I mean Jon. Just like there are no people she can find analliance of begrudging respect to mutual love with in that camp. Let’s be real.

Save-my-ugly-driftwood-crown-Euron is likely also out of the picture as someone she would develop respectfor, eh?

Same for Littlefinger… no way Brienne’s ever having respect for Pedo Pedro.

That means, Brienne’slogical alliance partner would be either a party we do not at all know… but whywould that be…? Or it’s someone who is established as a political, meta-enemy (i.e. enemy via affiliation and not out of personal interests).And that is where Cersei comes into the picture, that is where Jaime comes intothe picture, as the Lannisters who are not Tyrion. 

My best guess at this pointremains that Jon and Co. will want to rally troops for the upcoming war againstthe Others and be like “guys, let’s stop that shit with the Iron Throne andfocus on what’s really important here! Guys?! ANYONE! LOOK AT THE ZOMBIES!!!”

That means alliance forgingwill certainly extend to Dany and Friends, but would likely also involve theCrown.

I can very well imagine ascene where, up in the North, they discuss where to rally troops and Brienne goes like somethingalong the lines of: “I can certainly convince Ser Jaime of joining our cause. Letme ride to King’s Landing to talk to him. He is a man of honor. He let me go atRiverrun and would have let the Tullymen go, too, had I managed to convince theBlackfish sooner. He helped me with finding Sansa. He will help us again for sure.”

And off to the South shegoes to talk to Jaime. Well, and that can get her right into the wine’s glass,I mean the hornet’s nest, with regards to Cersei. Because, while Brienne is likely steadfastin her faith in Jaime, she will likely find that faith disappointed in thelikes of Cersei Lannister, particularly if/once news reach the Walking Ale House I Mean Wine House that a) Sansa isalive, b) Sansa holds Winterfell, c) Brienne helped Sansa at Winterfell, andpotentially d) Jaime helped Brienne help Sansa… and now she wants to formalliances??? How dare she???

Now I don’t want to digresstoo far on that headcanon right there (it goes further than that), but sufficeto say that from this phrasing Gwen uses in the interview, Jaime is the most fitting candidateto my understanding. If this is *really* what is going to happen in theupcoming season (which we will only ever know once the new season airs), thenthat is what makes most sense to me.

But oh well, that is justmy opinion on the matter.

I am just feeling the hyperight now.

Less than a week until weget some answers!!!

Thanks for the question!