#being excited for him in 3x17?

[letsjustwatchthesunrise]

non toxic/ respectful response I swear!!

this was a super interesting read as someone who’s always been pro-fitzsimmons. I definitely agree with more than I thought I would and I definitely see where you’re coming from.

that being said I do think some of what you’ve said here is a misinterpretation of what happens in the show. for one thing, that scene (where they kiss for the first time) is the only time that fitz expresses jealousy over this situation up to that point. and only then because she gets angry at him for not being more jealous and for being so supportive and understanding. she actually asks him to get angry. which he does, but even then he explicitly states he’s not angry at her, just at their situation. It’s also meant to be a tense scene just because there’s a lot of conflicting emotion going on and they clearly do like each other in a romantic way.

anyway there’s loads more evidence of fitz being very understanding and patient in early season 3 about the situation than any anger or resentment, I feel it’s unfair to look at that one scene as representative of all his behaviour up til then.

for instance this dialogue:

simmons: “I promise if you knew Will you’d understand.”

fitz: “that’s the thing, I am going to know him. It’s not even a question.”

this also can be related to your point about fitz thinking about not saving Will. The show clearly shows us he never considers that. His immediate reaction to Jemma telling him about Will is “we’re going to get him back.” He never once backtracks on that. Even while with Hydra in 3x10, he risks his life to go and save Will and treats him with respect and kindness.

He finds the whole situation difficult, but he was always going to save him. Hunter makes a suggestion, about not saving him, a rather jokey one at that, which Fitz dismisses and tells him to go away.

You also point to the date scene as insensitive on Fitz’s part. But this is just after and because of his talk with Bobbie, where he’s worried/upset that she can’t seem to find joy in the old things she loved. Bobbie suggests he give her something to look forward to. At that point, it feels fair for anyone to assume that the dinner date would count as one. It’s not like Fitz is asking anything of Jemma. It’s just a date. A new, nice thing, which isn’t stressful, he deliberately went and booked it empty so she wouldn’t be overwhelmed, and it’s something they’d both wanted to do. (She spends a lot of her time alone in Maveth talking about it as a coping mechanism, indicating how comforting/exciting she thought of it). And he spends most of the date comforting Jemma.

If anything Fitz throughout season 3 is the one constantly checking up on her and slowing their relationship down. In 3x6 she asks what they should do about their feelings about it, he replies “let’s just watch the sunrise”. In 3x12 she is the one to admit to missing him and rekindles the relationship, as he’s remained at a (friendly) distance. In 3x17 he pulls away from her to apologise and say he doesn’t want to push her too fast.

Also their falling out during season 2, which you seem to view as just on Fitz’s side, and only due to Jemma not confessing her feelings back to him, feels like another misunderstanding of the plot to me? It’s more complicated than that, surely. Not to say that his hurt over that doesn’t contribue at all, but actually that she left him when he was still quite unwell (which I don’t blame her for, but I can understand where Fitz is coming from) seems the much bigger issue. Plus then Jemma’s reaction to inhumans (again totally understandable, due to trauma, but still a mistaken reaction/worldview which she quickly begins to change). It just feels like boiling it down just to that feels unfair.

Another point is I do think her “Maybe there is” was pretty clearly a confession in the show. The way she’s says it, her grabbing his hand etc. for one thing but mainly because you forget that at that point they WERE back to being friends again and the show basically make it seem that both have moved on from Fitz’s confession in season 1. Fitz clearly has assumed so. He isn’t holding onto it in an insecure, incel way, as you seem to suggest, he’s taken that she’s not interested, they’ve worked out their other issues (her leaving, him lying, the inhuman stuff etc.) and they’re now back to being friends, as she herself says at the start of the scene in 2x22. His response to her bringing up his confession is “there’s nothing to talk about”. He doesn’t expect anything, he’s not asking her for anything. SHE is the one who brings it up out of nowhere (I was surprised when she did when watching the show for the first time.) and she doesn’t have to at ALL. there’s nothing to suggest she was somehow guilted into the relationship. As I said before, they had gone back to being friends again! I don’t know I just feel so confused about your interpretation of season 2, especially, as similar with season 3, it seems to be based off things that didn’t happen?

And then you have the season 6 scene. Which is meant to be a funny, cathartic scene where they air out their grievances and recap their trauma. Part of the humour is that they deliberately fabricate parts of these events. Jemma says “you built yourself a robot girlfriend!” for example. I do agree the hive comment was a stupid comment, but then, I think that’s the point. And I don’t think the writer’s were saying it means Fitz is still resentful, angry and blames Jemma for Will, (again he was actually always very respectful and understanding about Will!) it was meant to be an overall funny recap of all the major events in each season with them, and that one still registers as a horrible time for them.

I doubt I’ve convinced you, in fact, I feel like I know I haven’t. I respect your opinion, and whole heartedly acknowledge there are problems in the writing in their relationship, and also Fitz’s character (I would argue there’s way more misogyny in Season 5 surrounding Fitz’s character personally, than anything to do with season 2 or 3. In season 2, 3 he’s just a bit of flawed person, as they all are.) I’m not trying to say there wasn’t. But as someone who’s critical of many, many relationships and male characters in tv and film that people love due to misogyny, I genuinely think, with a rather major step around season 5, Fitzsimmons get out pretty unscathed/untainted for the most part. They’ve got real, written in flaws which can make them frustrating. But that’s part of what makes great character writing in my opinion, making your characters unlikeable sometimes.

And I don’t want you to think I’m some huge Fitz stan. As funny as it may sound after reading that but I’m not. (I would actually consider myself a Fitz anti in season 5 but that’s a whole other story lol).

But I have always really loved Fitz in season 3 specifically and how that relationship is developed. And I did feel that some of your assertions can’t really be found in the show, and more seem to stem from your own projection and perspective/interpretation on Fitz.

Anyway don’t hate me, I just wanted to respond to this.

original post here (also no hate to the content creators, just criticizing the show!)

That first scene is only a few weeks after she was a on a dead planet for SIX months…

The thing is, Jemma was confused and unsure how she was supposed to feel during the beginning of s3 so it makes sense for Fitz to also be frustrated. That’s not the issue. The issue is how much blame is going on. 

The following part is a summary of the things they say and feel. Some of it is direct lines from the show:

jemma: I don’t want anyone I care about to get hurt and I can’t help feeling upset and crying because the man I care about is currently on a death planet and the best friend i had for years who decided he had feelings for me in the worst possible time will be hurt if he sees me with the man I have feelings for IF we manage to save him in the first place. And is it even fair for me to ask my friend to help me save him? Even though the man I care about might be dying this very second?

fitz: we’re cursed. we’ll never be together. The universe wants us apart. You got swept to another planet and fell in love with someone else. And he’s so much better than me. Should I even help save him? I won’t be with you then? I’m bloody angry and sick to my stomach. It’s not fair you fell for someone else and it’s the act of the bloody cosmos to keep us apart. 

Do you see how utterly insensitive he is? She went through something AWFUL and ended up seeking comfort and refuge with someone else. Ended up forming a relationship with someone else, and he seriously sits contemplating whether he should save an innocent man’s life or not. 

Him being jealous IS understandable but keep that shit to yourself or to your other friend who gave you advice to let Will stay trapped and deserted. 

And it’s not like they had a romantic relationship prior to this. The words he uses and the things he says makes it seem as if they are in fact, star crossed lovers who’ve been in a relationship for a long time but haven’t been able to spend time together due to a curse. But that’s not the reality of their situation. This isn’t snow white and prince charming from ouat. 

HE, Fitz, despite multiple trials and life-death situations of the first season, spent the whole time crushing on Skye and getting annoyingly jealous in a judgmental misogynistic sort of way. HE is the one who had feelings for Simmons and waited until the bottom of the ocean. 

Jemma herself in s2 has stated that she’s only ever seen him as a friend. And that his confession during the worst time was a shock and she didn’t know how to take it or how to react. We see throughout the season how much she misses him as her best friend and it’s only towards the end when they might die and Fitz still refuses to talk or acknowledge her because she hasn’t replied to a confession that might forever ruin any type of relationship between them, that she says: ‘maybe there is’

As in, maybe we can see where we could go. Maybe a relationship could work. Maybe we can be friends again. Maybe maybe maybe. That’s the key word. Maybe we can have a proper discussion without you getting angry and jealous and we can deal with this because you’re my best friend and I don’t want to lose you. 

He asks her out to dinner in an awkward way and she says yes even more awkwardly while she’s busy and working. One date could work and they’ll see what that means, right?

Except that’s when she gets swept away and we know what happens, but doesn’t that inform us that unlike Fitz, Jemma herself never figured out her feelings for him? That she still wants him as a friend because that’s what she knows and that’s been their relationship for TEN years. 

And when she comes back after months? Fitz takes her out to a surprise date with no regards to how she must be feeling. Oh Simmons is back? Time to get on that date and be together!!!! Even if it’s only a few days later and she’s still having nightmares every night. And the date wasn’t something she was aware of. She didn’t owe Fitz anything. 

So for him to turn that on her, to act like the victim of the situation, to go on about how the universe wants them apart, as if there even was a ‘them’ in that sense in the first place, it’s laughable and insensitive. 

And he kisses her in that scene. Right after she admits she loves Will. 

Jemma is standing there crying and looking awful and ill and Fitz says: “Yeah of course you do. of course you do. He’s strong and smart and you gave each other hope in the edge of no where.”

And then he says ‘we’re cursed’ and leaves. 

He interrupts her multiple times. She looks like she’s seconds away from completely falling apart and crying and he goes on and on about his issues, how much this affects him. Even in the image above. Jemma is so tired

Jemma: I would do ANYTHING-

but he never lets her finish. The entire scene you can see her become more and more upset and feel GUILTY for daring to be with someone else. You can tell how much she unfairly blames herself for everything that’s entirely out of her control and Fitz only reinforces that with every word he says.

And afterwards, when Will dies and Fitz was the one to destroy his body reluctantly, what happens? They get together. When Hive tries to manipulate her by telling her of Will’s pain what happens? They sleep together for the first time. And they’re ‘the best ship ever’ after that. 

And the next scene. The one in 6x06 is proof that despite it working out for HIM. Despite everything ending up HURTING her, and killing someone SHE loves and the nightmares and trauma SHE faces, he still holds a grudge against her. He’s still deep down upset and angry WITH HER for being with someone else. And his comment is flippant and disgusting. And he alludes to her maybe actually being seduced and violated by Hive with jealousy. 

“Are you sure he wasn’t Hive when you slept with him?” (paraphrased) As if that’s a mistake by her. As if a monster using her that way is a personal failing on her part. As if her relationship by Will was a silly little mistake that was meant to cost HIM. To hurt HIM. 

It’s scenes like this, and their actual relationship throughout the show that makes me dislike their relationship and Fitz as a character. It’s the way their actual relationship was written in the show and how much we get the feeling that Jemma was guilted into it, that makes me dislike it. It’s the misogyny both in the writing and the fandom. 

[bi-leigh-bi]

me?

not... hating... parabatai content???

shadowhunters has really done that, huh? the power of a good queer love story I guess. damn.

[reachgirl]

What we know about 9-1-1 3x16 “The One That Got Away”

The storylines that we know about so far are:

- Athena will find out something that points to a sinister crime when she’s out on a routine call, this most likely being the serial rapist case the 3x17 synposis talks about

- The 118 has a big fire rescue in an apartment building and tries to save a blind woman

- Hen will try to save somebody in the ambulance after an accident at a televised cooking show, but he will most likely end up dying

- Buck will meet a retired fire captain and try to reconnect the fire captain with his long lost love

____________________

- So “The One that got Away” will be the theme of the episode, most likely referring to the two big storylines, if not all three (The lost love of the fire captain, the guy that Hen tries to save, the criminal that Athena deals with)

- Apparently this is the episode that Oliver Stark was excited for us to see and despite the lack of Buck in the promo it’s supposed to be pretty Buck-centric - I am so excited for this storyline because Ollie’s acting has been incredible in 3b (I mean it always has but wow), and Buck is such a romantic at heart and he is so thoughtful and respectful and always trying to learn about other people’s experiences (like he even made sure the guy that stole his identity had dignity in death, and anytime we see him thoughtful during calls like with the older gay couple, it’s a gem) so this will definitely set some kind of realization/action up for him, even if it’s just that he needs closure (which I thought he had already but ok), obviously we hope that it’s for him to confront how much Eddie and Chris have come to mean to him and that he can’t imagine his life without them anymore. Maybe the retired fire captain had somebody in his team when he was young that he used to be really close with but they stopped talking, and Buck finds that person for them? 

- It looks like Hen is going overboard in the ambulance and Chim tries to stop her from performing the risky procedure - I hope this doesn’t lead to a suspension or anything like that.. but I’m happy we get more Chim/Hen friendship out of this.. just worried about Hen because she took the car accident so hard and I don’t want her to lose another patient..

- Okay I keep saying I want more actual fire content and it looks like we’re getting it and AHHH Bobby, Buck and Eddie are so badass in the full get up. The promo looks like maybe Buck will do the jump through the window again, which is always hot. But I also love seeing Bobby in full fire captain action!!

- Since this is 9-1-1, we probably won’t get a lot of time, if any at all, spent on the trauma of the last episode because what is trauma and why dwell on it, apparently. I’m hoping we still get at least some kind of acknowledgement of what Eddie (and Buck) went through, and a follow up about Eddie thinking of the 118 (and Chris and Buck) as the family he will always fight to get back to. Ryan did say “The new problem in Eddie’s life is he has this family he’s created that is asking him to open up as much as they’re opening up to him. There’s a lot of trauma in his life [and] the 118 is something that’s trying to support him and love him through all these situations” soooo like, open up to Buck, Eddie!!

- Athena’s storyline sounds intense, the 3x17 synopsis says that it will put her life in jeopardy if this is the same case, I’m super hesitant to speculate on what will happen here, we’ll just have to wait and worry.. Athena can handle herself so hopefully all will be well for her, and I’m glad it’s not 3x18 that puts her in danger because I could not deal with a cliffhanger about this

- I think it’s been confirmed Abby will be in 3x17 and 3x18, not in this one. My theory is that the retired fire captain reuniting with his lost love makes Buck take action in seeking her out (maybe she’s been back in LA for a while and hasn’t reached out?) because it’s about getting closure and saying things that need to be said - I think he still needs to hear from Abby why she left him like that, and why it wasn’t her that “made him” into Buck 2.0 but himself, and I can see this having to do with his self-esteem issues and why he still feels unsure about what he has in his life beyond the job, so he needs to get some closure for sure. I don’t think it will be more than that really.

- When Abby does come back I can’t wait to see her interact with Eddie and Maddie, the two big people in Buck’s life that weren’t there when she left. Things have changed!

- Truly have no idea really what this episode will do to us but I do know that they will 100% do something that will lead to a cliffhanger either in 3x17 (like Buck realizing what he feels for Eddie????) and then no focus on that person in 3x18 or a cliffhanger that somebody’s in danger in 3x18 and then we have to wait probably more than a year for more because of CoVid and I’m honestly having a panic attack thinking about it already.

DO WE KNOW ANYTHING ELSE?

[peetaparkker]

Do you not think Kurt did anything wrong in the season 4 break-up?

~sigh~ i have had plenty of arguments with genuine friends about this (lmao @kurtstinypurse❤️❤️❤️)

and i’m gonna be honest like i always am when I get an ask. In my opinion - no. And I’m not saying that he was being perfect or being a “great boyfriend” but I don’t think he did anything dramatically enough to be partly responsible for anything that happened in the season 4 break up.

he was busy with a new job, he was excited about his new life. he wasn’t leaving Blaine behind, he was striving towards his dreams and i find it, personally (again, just my opinion) really lame that blaine couldn’t see that. Kurt still tried, they Skyped, he called Blaine - even if that phone call was short lived and maybe left a bitter taste in some peoples mouths - and he obviously was still quite happily in love and quite happy to be with him - we see this the moment blaine rocks up at his door, he is just thrilled about it. when they’re at the bar, kurt overtly expresses how happy he is blaine is there and they finally get a night in New York.

blaines decision to boink (or whatever it is the hell he and Eli even did) someone else after kurt doesn’t answer a call bc he’s at work or in an important meeting with colleagues and his boss (honestly, I’d ignore that call, too), or because Kurt, what??? changes the subject back to himself even tho blaine is asking for an opinion on a bow tie during that skype call (again, this is a little selfish of Kurt, but it doesn’t warrant any reasoning behind breaking up tbh) is literally so insane to me, and im sorry but I don’t see how anything Kurt did lead blaine to do that. simply all blaine needed to do was text (he did not even need to try and call him bc he knows that he’s busy???) Kurt and say “hey I’m feeling a little sad, can we talk?” simple as that.

I’ve heard reasons to possibly explain blaines choice, about how he he has a tendency to insecurity and irrationalism but it still doesn’t sit right or make sense to me when he was the one pushing people away when he felt them slipping (refer to episode 3x17) ???? idk man. obviously i could do a full in-depth analysis on klaine as a relationship throughout their moments and maybe one day i will but the season 4 break up is entirely on blaine imo. Do I still love his ass and love klaine to death????? yes

[inawickedlittletown]

317/318 - Some Thoughts

Gonna put it under a cut for both spoilers and length. This is 4,700 words so you know, at it again with the rambling. 

I’ll start off by saying that I really enjoyed this episode. This and last episode are called a two part finale and I definitely buy that as 3x17 sets up 3x18. In particular it sets up the return of Abby, something that everyone has known was coming and concerned about. And I think when it came down to it, it went down like I expected it to. 

The episode opens on Abby and we get to have a glimpse of her fiance and the other people on the train and we learn that Abby lives in Phoenix. She also seems happy. And as someone that liked Abby, it was nice to see her again but even then it had me dreading seeing what it would do to Buck. 

We move on to the station where Hen is doing a practice exam. Eddie is showing Buck a brochure for Summer Camp because Christopher wants to go. Immediately, Buck goes into protective dad mode because Christopher at a sleep away camp for two weeks? What if something happens? What if he gets homesick? Buck is definitely not on board with that and Eddie admits that he isn’t too thrilled either and that he was hoping for assurance from the team. Bobby is the one to offer it. Even Chim seems skeptical about Christopher (a city kid) going to summer camp and points out that Eddie’s plan to get reassurance clearly wasn’t well thought out. 

This scene was adorable from how much Eddie just isn’t sure at all about his kid going to summer camp to Buck’s overprotective reaction and just the fact that Eddie was showing the brochure to Buck in hopes that Buck would make him feel better about the whole thing and give him a different perspective. Perhaps Eddie expected Buck to be more open to the idea of Christopher taking chances and becoming even more independent (as much as a kid can) and expected Buck to push for the fun rather than have Buck be more cautious and concerned. And while the rest of the 118 do get involved in the conversation, it is clear that Eddie was looking for Buck’s opinion. It is in the end Bobby who supports the camp idea because of course Bobby did Summer Camp as a kid in between the figure skating, hockey, and probably being a boy scout. And while I love knowing so much about Bobby as a kid, when do we get to find out more about Buck’s childhood? Hen speaks up then and she mentions how Denny would not be into the whole camping thing which makes Eddie bring up how excited Christopher is and how the camp will have the kids garden their own vegetables and cook and Buck immediately calls it “child labor” which I just love because he’s so clearly against the camp idea. 

We then find out what’s happened with Athena’s fireplace — you know the one that Bobby and Michael decided would be a great idea to destroy simply because Athena was in the hospital and they were both having feelings. Of course, Athena is out of the hospital now and she is not happy about it. May’s graduation party is in two weeks and Athena couldn’t possibly hold a party with that mess in the middle of her living room. It’s a light moment that I love because we get to see fierce Athena and also May. We also find out that Michael will be getting his test results back finally (and it’s good results...but even better, Michael sees the doctor again in an elevator and by the end of the episode they’re on a date) and it’s the start of seeing that Athena is not doing well after what she went through in the last episode. 

Athena is such a strong character. She’s not meek, she’s not someone that comes off as a victim or that appears vulnerable often and we’re seeing someone that hasn’t lost their fire but that is clearly shaken by what she’s gone through and I love that it’s not something shoved off to the side and that instead we get to see the repercussions of what she went through. And what I love the most about this is that Athena has such support from her family and from her friends and that they’re all there for whatever Athena needs to do even if that means stepping back from being a police officer. And it opens us up for an interesting storyline for her in S4. 

We get a glimpse at Josh and Maddie at the call center next and Josh is preparing for his testimony for court and I really appreciate that Josh is getting that closure he needs by doing this and that we actually do get a glimpse of him later saying his piece. I think he absolutely deserves that and that hopefully next season he does get to find his footing and find a boyfriend because he deserves it so much. He’s suffered more than enough already. 

And then we finally get to the main emergency of the episode. The train derailment and crash. This is one of those calls that is clearly huge and time consuming and that the show could have easily dragged out for two episodes. Indeed, it takes up a huge chunk of the episode’s screen time and while I think it was a great choice of an emergency I do wish that some of this had happened in the previous episode where all of the emergencies seemed routine and could have been taken out to really give the train a bigger spotlight. 

The 118 arrive on the scene and Buck and Eddie are sent to check out the train car that’s practically on a 90 degree angle. Abby is out there trying to get back on the train to look for her fiance and Eddie goes to tell her no and Abby suddenly realizes he’s from the 118 which immediately means that she realizes Buck has to be around there somewhere. 

I appreciated so much the way that Abby is desperate to go in and help because that’s just who she is. It’s the reason that in S1 she made sense with Buck — their need to help people brought them together and this is important because of the parallel that can be seen later when Abby explains why she never returned.

Buck in the meanwhile hangs back and he very clearly has one of those “just saw a ghost” moments when he first sees her and then he approaches and Abby says his name and there is a split second where the camera is on Eddie and Eddie’s expression just says “you’re Abby” because this is someone he’s heard about...this is someone that hurt Buck and in this scene Buck does not make it any easier for Eddie to not dislike Abby because there is just so much pain and confusion and worry mixed in Buck’s face as he gets near them because Buck is of course worried that Abby isn’t okay at first and then he has to come to terms with Abby freaking out because she’s worried about her fiance. Abby’s moved on. She never came back and she moved on. 

The situation isn’t ideal, and Abby has to tell him about her fiance in a place and time where such information can only hurt Buck and looking at his face after she yells that she’s looking for her fiance, it’s clearly a blow. 

In 3x16 we see Buck exploring the idea of what his life might end up being in the future because the job is the only thing he has going for him. And so for Abby to return with a whole other life and having moved on is a blow to Buck who probably didn’t expect to see Abby again and I think it brings back those feelings especially since we know from 3x16 that Buck has abandonment issues that Abby is very much a part of. However, I don’t think that Buck actually believes that he’ll end up like Red anymore. 

Eddie is a bit of a bystander during all of this but when Buck can’t form words, he jumps in to ask Abby to describe the fiance. But after Eddie runs off, Buck turns to walk away but he then turns back to ask for the fiance’s name and this scene is done so so well in that Buck hesitates to say anything else to Abby but he forces himself to and there’s clearly some regret on Abby’s part. Buck is holding himself together and being professional and you can see that it takes absolutely everything in Buck to stop himself from letting his feelings of hurt and anger take over because the situation requires that Buck be a firefighter and be a hero and he can’t stop just because Abby showed up again and with a fiance that Buck has now promised to save. Oliver Stark’s acting in this scene — absolute perfection. 

Just go back and rewatch that scene. The way that he delivers this line: “No. No. Don’t worry about it” with such restraint like he’s holding back words and like Abby speaking to him is physically hurting him — boy did that hurt to watch. 

Buck and Eddie make their way up the train car and Buck gets to Sam first. Eddie is right there with him and it’s very interesting to me that Eddie and Buck just don’t talk about it at all. Yes, at this point when they’ve made it all the way up to where Sam is they can’t because Sam is the fiance and would overhear and professionalism but before that Eddie elects to let Buck take a moment. And Eddie despite knowing the conflict of interest involved here, doesn’t tell Bobby what happened, instead of that he trusts Buck to do the job and maybe he keeps a close eye on him. 

Bobby sends Hen and Chim to help out on the ground with the rescue dogs and he goes up to help Buck and Eddie with Sam who is trapped by a beam. Things get complicated when they realize someone else is trapped by the beam and not just that but moving the beam off one means that other will likely die. There is no easy choice there and Eddie tells them both victims have an equal chance which does not make any of it easier. 

Buck tells Sam that they don’t choose who lives and who dies and he’s talking to him and finds out that the wedding is in June and that furthermore he is a father. Abby has gone and found herself a whole family and he is just so hurt by it all...but that also means that Buck is even more determined to save him. When he returns to Bobby and Eddie though, they tell him that the other victim (let’s call her Rummer because I don’t think the character was given a name?) has better vitals and protocol says they save the person that is more likely to live. 

This brings us to another perfect moment in this episode. One thing that makes Buck such an effective firefighter is how quickly he can think on his feet and figure out ways to rescue someone. We’ve seen this come up time and time again so it isn’t surprising that Buck has an alternative idea that will save both Sam and Rummer but of course it’s super risky. I think we needed this scene. Not only because it shows Buck once again being so willing to do whatever it takes but because of Buck’s state of mind and how there’s this pressure he’s putting on himself to bring Abby her fiance back because Buck sees Sam’s life as valuable. He says as much to Bobby — Sam is a father, he has a fiance. Buck on the other hand...his ex-girlfriend couldn’t even properly break up with him. 

But this is also about Bobby and Buck. And this is the scene in conjunction with a scene we see later towards the end of the episode, that makes a point of finally bringing back up the way that Bobby worries about Buck and cares about Buck and how much Buck doesn’t see that. How much Buck doesn’t realize that he’s been lucky so far to get out nearly uscathed from everything that’s happened to him. There is risk involved in the job but as Bobby says, “you can’t just rush into any situation and assume it’s going to be okay” because he’s right. And this is especially hard to take right after Buck mentions so casually that the train car falling on him would be so much worse and heavier than the firetruck that crushed him a year prior. 

During all of this, Bobby also finds out about Abby and there’s something about the frustrated way that Eddie growls out her name, his scowl and how he physically has to get away from Buck and we see that Eddie knows what Abby returning has meant for Buck and how hurt Buck is from seeing her and Eddie is the one person that knows what it’s like to see the past return so he knows how Buck must be feeling and he is 100% against Buck risking his life because of her. I also want to point out that Eddie gives Buck the time to tell Bobby that the fiance in question is Abby and that he only tells Bobby after Buck doesn’t say it and because he knows that it’s important information. But before that, Eddie was willing to keep that information to himself because he felt that Buck needed him to. So their friendship is yet again one of the best parts of this show. 

It is Eddie that stops Buck and Bobby from continuing to argue the matter when they don’t have time so we don’t get to see how Buck convinces them to let him go out there and cut into the train car, but that’s what we see him do. And luckily, Buck manages to do it and rescue both Rummer and Sam. We watch both Abby and Bobby watch this all happen. And this would have been an excellent moment to also have an Abby and Bobby scene to add some depth into her return and maybe have her have another perspective on what she did to Buck. So this is where we suffer from having so much shoved into one episode. 

Sam calls out to Buck to thank him as he’s being loaded up into the ambulance and Abby thanks him as well and when Sam hears his name, Sam is shocked to find out that this is Buck. And to me this is interesting because apparently Abby could talk about Buck with the new man in her life, but she couldn’t be bothered to call Buck up to apologize for the way she left him and never returned. 

After Abby and Sam leave in the ambulance, we are left with Buck standing there and Eddie comes over to join him and it’s so clear that he’s worried. He asks Buck if he’s okay, but Buck doesn’t answer. Instead he asks what’s next which is Buck deciding to focus on the work instead of Abby and what just happened. He doesn’t want to deal with it yet, not when he still has work to do. Poor Buck. So he runs back to find something to do and Eddie follows. And one thing I wish we’d gotten is a moment for Eddie to talk to Buck about this and if not Eddie then Bobby. Maddie. Anyone. 

In the meanwhile, Hen and Chim have their own rescue to conduct and we see Hen save a boy’s life and Chimney is reminded how amazing Hen is and I think all of this helps to start to let go of Hen and want her to succeed in her plans of going to med school. Since 3x17, he’s been struggling with it and we even see it earlier on when he doesn’t know how to encourage her. But by the end of the episode he’s helping her study. I do want to say that it is valid to want to keep growing and that I give props to Hen for wanting to be a doctor and that it can be an exciting direction for her character to take. I don’t think it will take her away from the show at all, or even from being a paramedic for a while. After all, can’t she do that and med school all at once? If anyone can, it’s Hen. I just hope it gives us interesting storylines. 

When we next see Buck, he’s sitting on a bench overlooking LA and waiting for Abby and this scene is so heartbreaking. Abby approaches and it’s easy to tell that this isn’t easy for her. It’s even harder for Buck, though. This is closure that I think was absolutely needed, but I don’t know if it did enough for me. This is another place where I wished that we’d had a slightly longer scene to really show the closure effectively. Or that we had gotten to see Buck talk about it with someone else afterwards. 

Abby watches Buck for a moment before he realizes she’s there and then she joins him and Buck asks about Sam because he’s Buck and of course he cares. Abby thanks him, but Buck says he was doing his job. Abby apologizes for how Buck found out about everything and the thing I loved about this moment was seeing Buck immediately turn to look at her taken aback that she’s apologizing and trying to explain herself for that instead of the thing that actually hurt Buck — how she left him. So it’s clear that Abby is well past that, that she might have even expected Buck to not be hung up on that anymore. She’s read his reaction to seeing her again completely wrong and I am glad that Buck says, “that’s what you’re apologizing for” and doesn’t just let her bypass the past like that. 

The body language in this entire scene is just perfect. There’s awkwardness and a stiffness in Buck that we don’t usually see. He doesn’t quite look at Abby and instead he keeps looking away from her and looking down. This is Buck with less confidence than we ever really see him and it’s painful to watch. I’m also fascinated by the way it’s shot because it’s from behind them so that we are seeing their backs more often than not and profile views of their faces but not their front. Even when the scene first begins Buck is completely turned away from us. 

Buck nervously asks when she knew that she was leaving him and the courage that it took Buck to ask that and not just bury that question — I am here for it. The fact that he even goes as far as to describe what the last time they saw each other was like and he’s pushing for an answer is exactly what I wanted for him. And Abby answers him and I like her answer a lot because it gives us a view into the complicated state of mind that she was in when she left. 

I still hate how Abby picked up and left and then gave Buck no explanation and just stopped responding — there are no excuses for her not breaking up with him.  

Abby explains that her identity was lost to her because she identified herself by everyone she was helping — her mother and the 9-1-1 calls and that she needed to leave to find herself again. I think all of this is valid and even Buck seems to understand this. I think it hits close to home for him not just because of his connection to Abby, but because Buck’s identity is his job. It’s something that Buck has said a lot this season and something that he came to realize even before Abby returned. And I think this is why it was important for Buck to already realize that with Red and to have had that convo with Maddie and know he isn’t alone. 

Buck still presses on about how Abby didn’t come home after finding herself. Abby explains her fear of becoming that person again if she returned and that is a valid answer too. It still doesn’t make it okay that she didn’t try to reach out to Buck to break up properly. She says she missed him and wanted to see him but that doesn’t make her behavior towards Buck back then any better. She didn’t need to see him to write him a letter or to reach out in any way to end what they had. And it also annoyed me that somehow in her mind leaving Buck like she did wasn’t something she didn’t need to apologize upon seeing Buck again because hurting Buck didn’t affect her as long as she was able to move forward with her life which clearly she did. 

Buck says, “I’m glad to see you happy. You deserve it” and because it’s Buck and he’s the biggest puppy in the world he means it. Of course he does, but I don’t think that Buck is any less hurt. I do think that knowing the reason she never came back helps and that it gives him answers to things he never got answers to, but Abby doesn’t know about Buck’s abandonment issues and she doesn’t know the damage she did on him and she doesn’t know that Buck can relate to how Abby felt back then. And I don’t think that any of this was about making Buck feel better about what happened with Abby. I think it was about him no longer having that question of “why” in his mind anymore. 

I think they should have talked more and we should have gotten more from this scene but I also appreciate that it ends with them not quite friends again and that there is some closure there for Buck so that he can put Abby behind him officially and know that she’s somewhere happy. 

The last few five minutes of the episode is May’s graduation party and everybody is there. We have a montage of the party with some photo booth moments. Lots of Buck and Eddie goofing around with and without Christopher and everyone else taking their turns too. It’s clear the cast had a blast filming those bits. One particularly good moment is Buck trusting his chest forward and hitting Eddie with one of the twenty or so bead necklaces he has around his neck. I wonder how intentional that was on the part of Oli. 

We see Buck helping Christopher write a message for May and those two together will never not be cute. May asks Maddie if they can talk once Maddie asks about school which makes me curious about what May might be planning on studying (maybe nursing?). We also get a scene with Karen, Hen, and Michael discussing the firepit that the fireplace has now become and the shade that Karen throws at it with her quiet “No” when Hen asks if she sees the greatness...not that Hen isn’t judging either. Athena and Bobby get a moment and he comments on how she’ll be glad to be back at work in 30 days clearly not knowing that Athena doesn’t think she’ll be ready to go back at all so that opens up potential for interesting conflict regarding that even though I think that Bobby will stand by any of Athena’s decisions. 

During the party montage we also see other things to give us some ideas about what else is going on with everyone’s lives. First is Chimney showing up to help Hen study at the firehouse which I loved because I think Hen needed him to give her his support. Later we see Hen doing another practice test at home with Karen and Denny grading her and she gets the scores that she’s been aiming for. Doctor Hen, here she comes. 

We also see Michael sitting outside a restaurant waiting for his date and I am so happy for him. I want Michael dating again and that doctor seemed perfect for him. Marry the doctor, Michael. I also really appreciate how this parallels to the way S1 ended with Bobby and Athena meeting up for a date.  

We see Christopher leaving for Summer camp and Eddie is watching him go (so I guess Christopher won out on going on that trip) and then we see Eddie look at a card that Christopher made him that reads: “You are going to have a great time, Love, Christopher”. This is an interesting scene to me because the note is cute and it’s obviously Christopher wanting to make his dad feel better about him going away for two weeks, but the camera work and the way that Eddie looks away from the bus as it leaves implies that Eddie was supposed to be looking at something at the end of the scene or someone...whatever way he was going to spend the two weeks without Christopher perhaps? (insert eyebrow wiggle). Instead he’s looking at nothing. Now we can’t be sure, but I can’t help but wonder if this was edited to not include someone that was supposed to be Eddie’s love interest. Ana. Otherwise, why shoot it that way? (And why introduce her to then not do anything with her in this season?) I guess Eddie could be looking at the bus driving away, but it’s just a little bit odd because while watching the episode the first time I expected her to be standing there and we probably will never know. 

We get to see other moments of the party. Buck and Bobby get a small scene where Bobby asks how Buck is doing and Buck says he thinks he’s good and I think he means it and believes it. I don’t think that seeing Abby damaged anything for Buck, but I do think that it left him in a place to move on from the memory of her without any more questions. Buck is in a good place in a lot of ways by the end and we can only look forward to whatever may come next for him and I think he’s ready to that to be anything. This scene is also a call back to the last time we saw Buck and Bobby at Athena’s house when Buck wasn’t okay and instead collapsed due to the blood clots. But now Buck is actually okay. 

This is all of course being shown while we get a voice over from Maddie. We’ve had a few signs up until now with the feeling tired earlier in the episode and then Chim asks her if she’s seen a doctor yet since she hasn’t been feeling well and Maddie immediately knows what’s up and rushes them out of Athena and Bobby’s house. Because she’s pregnant. And the scene when she comes out of the bathroom with one and then a second stick. I loved that moment so much because they have come to freaking far and that is where the episode ends. 

I really appreciate shows that end their seasons on good notes and that leave a season in an uplifting way especially this one because of how long the hiatus looks to be due to real world problems. We also have a lot to look forward to of course. Athena’s storyline is bound to be complex and interesting, Hen and med school, something is up with May, we don’t know where Buck’s headspace when it comes to dating and such will be after that closure with Abby, Michael still doesn’t have a full clean bill of health but things are looking up for him, Maddie and Chim being pregnant, we don’t know what’s next for Christopher and Eddie, and we are of course still just looking a crumbs of Buddie and nothing concrete to go on but also nothing hugely negative to hold against the possibility of it happening so who knows. Overall, just a good and enjoyable season finale. 

--

Other Meta/Reviews

[lovevalley45]

Top 5 nate being a himbo moments?

this is an impossible list but uh

1. 3x04 - him trying to seduce ray’s mom. god why is that at the top of my list but yes. what a moment

2. 3x17 - this is more going to be a list of my favorite nate moments in general but him like. okay we’re going to talk amaya out of it and immediately being too lovesick to not help her out. it’s very good (and btw i love the entire team like ‘we’d rather break history than break amaya’s heart’ and god that was good) 

3. 4x13 - the entirety of this episode. every steelhacker moment, the show off when ray was possessed by neron, but also him being so excited about the adventurer’s society still gets to me

4. 3x05 - okay this is a himbo moment but when he acts as vampire bait n gets kidnapped. peak himbo

5. 2x11 - that fucking scene in turncoat when everyone else is like. Dying but he n amaya fuck bc he fell in a river n got hypothermia? like my dude Please

[piracytheorist]

Do you think the show got worse when Hook became a main character?

That makes for a complex answer, and it depends on when you consider Hook becoming a main character. Wikipedia lists him as main for all seasons he was in, including s2. But personally I consider him more of a recurring one for s2, same way Zelena is considered one for s3 on the same article.

So with my logic, Hook became a main character in s3. Coincidentally, I started feeling the plot, dialogue and setting to become a bit cheesy during s3 - and I can guarantee I’m a minority in this, as many people, Hookers or not, list s3 as the best season of the show.

But for me it didn’t have the effect implied by your ask. I wasn’t “pushed away” by Hook becoming a main character - for me, it saved the show. I always say that 3x17 was the episode that solidified my love for Hook, but in truth, 3x12 was the first premiere I was actually excited about. Because I was curious to see Hook grow and become better and all that. It’s just that I was sure I loved him by 3x17. And I can 100% guarantee you I wouldn’t have gone on watching s4 if Hook hadn’t been a part of it.

In fact, I endured everything - s4′s plot being poor, s5 establishing plots and situations and never completing them, s6 being the despicable garbage it was, and the lack of character balance in s7 - because I felt that Hook’s journey was worth it.

And I may joke about it, but honestly? I would do it all over again. I’d probably stay a bit further from fandom and be less dramatic myself, but yeah, the show did get worse for me, coincidentally at the time when and not because Hook became a main character, but Hook becoming that saved the show for me.

[multimetaverse]

Quick Thoughts on the July Ep Titles

3x17: Arts and Inhumanities

I’ll stick with production order to keep things easier to understand. A clear reference to Andi displaying her art piece at the Middle School which leads to her touring an art High School with at least Jonah and Cyrus accompanying her. I’m curious to see what the inhumanities pun is all about. 

One thing I wonder after seeing the Muffy bowling alley plot being included in the June eps promo is if it was moved from 3x17 to 3x16. If so, there’s a decent chance that the new Muffy plot with pro basketball players visiting the school that they filmed to replace the Muffy plot at the original wedding in 3x18 will be slotted in to 3x17. I don’t think there was going to be any long gap in universe between the bowling alley and the original wedding; the dramatic way they’re sinking Machel seems primed to lead to a fairly quick resolution. 

The working title for 3x17 was I Do Over and was obviously where Bex decided the wedding was back on and Ham almost certainly helped with that. Bexie will still get married it’s just a question of whether it’s a small Mack family only affair or they re-wrote the Jandi get back together in 3x20 to also be a wedding. If they went with a Mack family only low key wedding which Bex always wanted anyways, then this is a good ep to slot it in. Since all the Bexie scenes in 3x19-21 were written and acted with the knowledge that they were married it may be hard for the show to try and shift the new wedding into a later ep. 

3x19: Something to Talk A-Boot

A clear reference to Buffy injuring her foot which presumably happens during the Spikes final game which partly explains why they only filmed basketball scenes for part of one day. There’s not much difference between introducing a sport injury plot line with just two eps left in the series and never introducing it all so I’m side eyeing Terri for shoving this in so late. It reads like something she had wanted to explore in a potential S4 and just decided to throw in before they ran out of time. The Spikes plot has been pretty poorly written and paced but I hope they at least get the cliched underdogs triumph at the big game plot. 

I made what turned out to be a very well timed post last night talking about how the original wedding in 3x18 was the cut ep and that TJ would return 3 eps later instead of 4 and that TJ and Cyrus would be the big winners of the cuts and now we have confirmation of that. Losing an ep drags all the other story lines down a bit which makes Tyrus more equal and now the gap between TJ’s appearances is in line with the straight recurring characters and will feel more balanced overall. And the big difference is we won’t have to see Cyrus with Amber at the wedding while Andi is with Jonah and Buffy with Marty; no matter the in universe justification it would have been a stark reminder of how censored Cyrus’ story line has been and it would have tarnished the show’s legacy. It’s sad that it took such horrible circumstances to make this happen but at least Cyrus and TJ got to benefit from the FBI’s good work. 

A common thread in a lot of the 3c ep titles is that they reference a literal thing that happens in one plot line but also works on a thematic level as a reference to the other plots. Will Cyrus’ screen play give people something to talk about? Will whatever happens between Tyrus at the theatre? We’ll definitely  see Cyrus and TJ talking and moving past their conflict but we also have Jandi/Tyrus having scenes together for only the third time in the entire series (if we count them all being at the game in 2x18) and if Andi talks to TJ in 3x19 it will also be only the third time she’s ever talked to him. It’s very significant that these four have scenes together especially since in otl it was only Muffy who were together by this point and with them having written the Tyrus plot in 3x15 in a way designed to completely wall it off from the other main characters. Not to mention that before the re-shoots 3x19 was the last time they ever filmed at the school. This is likely when the show starts bringing some of the Tyrus subtext into text and is allowed to clue the casual audience in to the fact that Tyrus is not a crack ship or queerbait.

3x20: A Moving Day

Another title that works on multiple levels: a reference to Celia announcing that she’s selling the house and an emotionally moving day as the Mack family has a last hurrah and Jonah sings You Girl to Andi. I also wouldn’t be shocked if this is the ep where Bex and Bowie announce they’re having another child. I don’t think the title is in reference to it but the best case ending for Jonah’s story line is his family moving into an apartment of his own and I wonder if we’ll hear about that or if we end the series with him still living with relatives. 

The logical endgame for Celia and Ham was always them leaving to travel the world and the only question is whether Celia is giving the house to Bex and Bowie and they move in before the party in 3x21 or if she’s selling the house to someone else. They may have re-worked the Mack family outing/Jandi get together to also be a Bexie wedding. Either way I think Celia decides to travel because her work is done: Bex is now living the kind of life Celia had always hoped for after a 14 year detour, Bex and Bowie are married and likely have an in wedlock baby on the way, and Andi has the nuclear family she always wanted with her biological parents. Celia is likely the character who suffered the most from Ham being cut and I hope her arc was salvaged. 

3x21: We Were Here

I think I’ll likely make it through the ep itself without getting too emotional but if they do a photo montage of the cast during the end credits like they did for the S1 and S2 finales that will break even my cold, black heart. We’re sure to have lots of lovely moments in this ep: Mack family moments, GHC + Jonah moments, Tyrus getting together, likely a Muffy kiss, Jandi moments, Kira’s redemption, and whatever else Terri wants to touch on one last time. Lot’s of callbacks I’m sure to the party way back in 1x04 for the characters who were there like Andi and Buffy and Cyrus and Jonah and Bex and Amber and Marty.

I wonder if they were able to salvage any Celia scenes from the 4 scenes they cut from the top of the ep after Ham was cut. If they did then I’d expect her to say goodbye and leave within the first five minutes. If they did have Celia sell the house to someone else then that means Terri was slamming the door shut on S4; the show would find it difficult to lose that set and almost impossible to lose Andi Shack which is so important to the show and is prominently featured in the opening credits. It would certainly lend a sombre atmosphere to the finale if this was a good bye party for the Mack house.

On the other hand it does make a lot of sense for Celia to give Bex and Bowie the house especially  if they have a kid on the way and it would bring the Bex and Celia relationship full circle in many ways. If the baby announcement didn’t come in 3x20 then it will come here, I think that’s why Bowie is wearing his dad’s tuxedo, because he’s becoming a father again and this time he’ll be in the baby’s life from the very beginning. Another winner of 3x18 being cut is the finale itself. If the original farm wedding was still happening then the finale would just look like a more crowded and lamer version of what we had already seen. It’s going to be a wild few weeks and I’m excited to see how things wrap up even though each ep will bring us closer to the end. To think that this is the last time we’ll ever discuss new ep titles.

[austencello]

Leap of Faith - Arrow Music Notes 8x03

This episode is about family as Oliver and Thea go on a quest to find more about the Monitor (amidst a scavenger hunt with Talia and the Thanatos Guild), Lyla and Diggle rescue their future adopted son, and Mia tries to protect William in her decision to attack the JJ and Deathstroke gang.    

Oliver, Thea, and Nanda Parbat

Oliver arrives in Nanda Parbat to ask Nyssa what she knows in League legend about the Monitor and finds Thea alone.  Much of the music for Nanda Parbat, the League of Assassins, and Talia in this episode is represented by the duduk, an Armenian wind instrument first used with Nyssa in 2x13 “Heir to the Demon” and percussion, particularly wooden and drums. The duduk starts the episode as the audience is shown that Oliver is in Nanda Parbat and the percussion plays as he fights with someone who is revealed to be Thea.

Oliver and Thea catch up on what has happened over the past year or two as a guitar harmonics and harp version of “I forgot who I was” (1x05) plays in the background.  This is a quiet subtle version, using an instrumentation which is rare for this melody but been a part of Oliver’s instruments from the beginning.  It harkens to the deep bond they have as siblings with a melody that has been used for their family in both good and painful times.  They have had to overcome lies and change with this theme from 1x07 when Moira tells Thea that they have to accept Oliver as he is instead of who he used to be, to 3x03 “Lose you forever” when Oliver tells the truth about their Father killing himself and how much he needs her, to 6x16 when he says goodbye to Thea as she leaves on her quest “Take Good Care of Her.”  It is fitting that the same theme that was used for the last time they saw each other should be used as they reconnect.  It plays again in cellos with a harp accompaniment as he tells her about his upcoming death.  Thea is unfazed since he has cheated death several times but Oliver tries to convince her that this is different.  This theme has been used several times with goodbyes: to William, to Thea, to Moira (both in dream and real worlds).  Oliver is preparing to say goodbye again.

However, they have a quest to complete first as they find Talia (with ney flute and the duduk) and then they look for the tomb of the first Ra’s.  Interesting enough, Talia’s theme was not used in this episode at all.  However, one theme that did return was the Ra’s al Ghul theme in the crutales (tuned cymbals) just as it was in Season 3 “Ra’s al Ghul.”  This appeared as they found, read, and burned his scroll revealing the ball with the map on it.

After a run-in with the Thanatos Guild, Oliver asks Thea to stay behind which she doesn’t understand.  A version of the Arrow theme plays in the piano (Oliver’s instrument) as he tells he that he cares and he is trying to protect her.  Piano is used for key emotional moments and reflects both his heroic and depth of concern for anything to happen to Thea.  The Arrow theme is heard again, this time in the female voice reflecting back to “The Climb” 3x09 and “Merlyn Brings News” (3x10) as he approaches the mountain where he had been stabbed by Ra’s.  The piano Arrow variation plays again as Thea finds Oliver after being knocked out and betrayed by Talia.

Oliver and Thea have another heart-to-heart while climbing up the mountain. This time, “Not Black and White” (4x23) accompanies them as Oliver admits that he questions his decision about leaving his family and that his over-protectiveness was activated by seeing a world destroyed where Thea died because Oliver wasn’t there to help her.  His current driving force is to have all the members of his family safe. Thea responds that she had been thinking a lot about their parents and how their decisions in trying to protect their children for the most part failed but yet turned them into the heroes that they are today.  Love and family is complicated, accentuated by “Not Black and White” which often plays as Oliver recognizes the schism between darkness and light most frequently in himself, trying to be a hero for others both when he was a mayor and the Green Arrow. It played when he gave a press conference in 5x21 where he shared the truth about his father “Truth about my father” and in Felicity’s speech to William about what it means to watch Oliver being a hero “What your Dad is.” (6x11). Even though their parents were trying to act out of love to protect them, they were also acting out of fear and let darkness take over.  However, Oliver and Thea have turned those struggles through darkness into light to protect others throughout the world. 

Ra’s theme returns in the crutales as they enter the tomb, low choir sings (also used for the League in more mystical elements) as they open the coffin/crypt and the duduk theme for “The Black Wedding” (3x22) plays as they head toward the Phoenix trying to avoid being burnt up.  The duduk (Talia) and harp (Thea) play as Thea challenges Talia to a duel as the Heir of the Demon for the original sword of Ra’s. The duduk plays one last time in the end after Thea defeats Talia as Talia tells her that the sword and what it means is Thea’s destiny.  Thea rejects that however to create a League of Heroes as brass and string patterns play, inviting Talia to help her.

Oliver and Thea say goodbye again as Oliver plans to stop the Monitor and Thea goes to create the League of Heroes. As they hug, “Purest Heart” (2x21) plays in the piano and violin. This theme is primarily how Oliver views and loves his sister since Walter told Thea “your brother loves you more than life itself” in 2x21.  This is a love reinforced from Oliver himself and reciprocated by Thea: “There has not been a day that I did not cherish you as a sister” (2x21), “I will always see you as my big brother” (Thea to Oliver, 3x03), “I love you.  Don’t ever forget that, ok?” (Oliver saying goodbye to Thea in 3x20), and as Oliver visits Thea in the hospital both in 4x12 and 6x01. In this scene, neither one wants to let go from their hug as Oliver believes this is the last time he will see her and while Thea doesn’t want to believe it, she does miss her brother every day. The slow version of the Arrow theme plays in the violins as Oliver and Thea say goodbye possibly for the last time.

Diggle and Lyla

Diggle and Lyla end up on a mission to rescue Connor Turner and his mom.  They have a few moments to reflect both on the past and the present. Part-way through the episode, Diggle doesn’t want Lyla to put herself in harm’s way which confuses her since he isn’t usually this cautious. He admits that seeing a universe disappear changed him and that he couldn’t risk losing her.  This moment is accompanied by their main love theme in the piano and hammered dulcimer since 3x01 when Sara was born.  It played during their proposal in 3x08, Oliver telling them to go on their honeymoon in 3x17, and talking about going on a mission as a second honeymoon in 7x03.  This couple has been through many high risk moments from the army to ARGUS but their love still shines through.  This theme then returns at the end after they rescued Connor as Lyla asks John to always hold onto the good memories and John responds that he won’t have to because he’s not going anywhere and neither is she. 

Future Team Arrow

Meanwhile, Mia decided that the best way to stop JJ and his Deathstroke gang is to attack their lair and go on the offensive.  The rest of the team think this is a reckless move but follow her lead.  The harp/guitar harmonic combination returns for Mia and William which is a lovely move to use for both generations of Queen siblings.  Harp for William and guitar harmonics for Mia. William echoes what Zoe had mentioned earlier in the episode: Mia shouldn’t make her strategy based on the fear of losing her brother.  The instrumentation may be familiar but the theme is new as Mia tells him that she can’t lose the only family she has left. 

Unfortunately, things end up poorly as Mia gets cut in the neck by JJ and Zoe pushes him out of the way only to be stabbed herself. As she dies in Mia’s arms, she tells Mia to tell her Dad that she loves him.  The theme in the piano is “Rene’s Loss” from 5x13, first heard in the flashbacks when Rene discovered his wife was using drugs which led to Rene losing his wife and Zoe put into foster care.  It played a few times in Rene and Zoe scenes especially when he was struggling with trying to bring her home in Season 5.  The use of the music of what tragically changed their life when the audience first sees Zoe to be used in her death scene is heartbreaking.  She went through some bumpy patches with Rene but she always loved her Dad.  Not only is it Rene’s loss but a loss to the whole team as they grieve her death.

Harp and future-like high electronics (glissandos up and down) play as Oliver and the Future Team gets beamed into the bunker in 2019, giving it an other world or time sound.  The music continues with a version of the Arrow hero theme but mostly filled with string patterns and atmospheric fluid sounds as it leads to a climatic moment as William, Mia and Oliver look at each other in shock.

Extra Notes:

I am so excited for the reunion in the next episode between Mia, William and Oliver!  

You can tell this is the end of the series because the lack of accessible gifs is staggering.

@dust2dust34 @dmichellewrites @academyofshipping @herskirtsarentthatshort @smoakmonster @withgraceandlight99 @almondblossomme @jorahandal @green-arrows-of-karamel @ah-maa-zing

[thestupidhelmet]

I’m trying and failing to write T7S fanfic :(( I feel like I don’t capture the characters voices, you know? Imo you capture them spot on, do you have any tips to do so? Especially for JH, but tips for the other main characters would also be nice...

First, thank you for the compliment! It’s one of the best a fanfic writer can receive. 😊

On your own, you can watch some significant, character-developing episodes for each character and take notes about the kind of language they use when they’re under stress (e.g., angry, sad, frustrated, etc.) or happy. But I’ll give you insight into how I approach each character’s voice.

Hyde

He rarely expresses his emotions verbally without some kind of deflection, misdirection, or concealment. In “Eric’s False Alarm” (4x25), for example, Eric calls Hyde on being the one who stopped Donna and Casey from potentially having sex. He also calls Hyde on one of his true motives. Hyde claims, however, that he “didn’t do it to be nice. I did it because I always wanted to commit a felony. Misdemeanors just ain’t the rush they used to be.”

Eric’s responds, “Well, all I hear is, ‘I love you, I love you, I love you.’”

Hyde is almost all subtext. That is the key to his character. If he does express his feelings directly, it’s very hard for him. It’s like being constipated but emotionally (sorry for the gross analogy, but it’s apt). He’ll have trouble looking the person in the eye or scratch the back of his neck. Or he’ll stick a curse or two while being sincere.

Hyde doesn’t tend to give long speeches. Usually, he’ll say a sentence or two before another character talks or he does some action to break up his dialogue.

He often uses humor, often sarcastic and sometimes cruel, to defuse a tense situation.

He uses the word, “man” at the beginning or end of certain sentences. Don’t do it too much, though, or it’ll feel forced.

Speaking of word choice, this is a key to capturing a character’s voice. For instance, Hyde has never – and would never – say, “Anyways,” with an S. Whenever I read a fic where Hyde says that, I hear the author’s voice, not Hyde’s.

Hyde-specific words include swell and super (when he’s being sarcastic), freakin’ and damn it when he’s pissed or frustrated. He’ll say ain’t instead of isn’t sometimes. He’s called testicles both ‘nads and stones.

Jackie

Jackie is the opposite to Hyde in terms of expressing her emotions verbally. When she feels something, she’s vocal about it. That’s not to say she can’t keep her feelings to herself. She does so when she’s significantly afraid of rejection.

I interpret Jackie’s character as being really insightful beneath her superficiality. Enough episodes depict her this way to support that interpretation, but other episodes depict her superficiality as being more than skin-deep. That’s up to the individual fanfic writer to decide which characterization to go with.

But with mine, I intersperse her insight with moments of egoism and vanity. A prime example of this on the show is from “Jackie Bags Hyde” (3x08). In the midst of offering Hyde a compassionate, accurate analysis of his childhood wounding, she compliments her own beauty.

She often makes analogies when giving advice (to Hyde, to Donna, to whomever). These analogies are created from her own experiences and interests (e.g., styling her hair, having a pet rat, etc.), but they’re apt, nevertheless.

She has a generally romantic view of life, which influences her language, but she also has a more down-to-earth side. So she’ll say both, “Make love,” and, “Doing it,” when describing sex, for example. 

Unlike Hyde, Jackie has said, “Anyways,” with an S, but she mostly says, “Anyway” without the S. She doesn’t curse all that much. When she does curse, she really means it.

Unfortunately, she uses a lot of slut-shaming language. Most of the characters on T7S do. That’s a consequence of T7S’s writers finding that humor funny. I try not to have the characters speak that way unless it’s going to be called out by another character or in a character’s thoughts.

Jackie probably thinks a mile a minute, which sometimes leads her to digress from her main topic while speaking.

Eric

Eric expresses his feelings pretty easily, but he can be hyperbolic. Examples: “This is the worst day ever.” “This is the [FILL IN THE BLANK] in the history of time.”

Like Hyde, he’s sarcastic. According to Red, he’s a smart mouth. Kitty has called him a porky mouth on more than one occasion. In “Burning Down the House” (2x15), for instance, he says about Jackie’s party, “You know what might make this party a little more fun? Sweet death.”

Depending on his mood and whom he’s with, his dialogue can either be compassionate or insensitive and sometimes a bit cruel. Sometimes his wit his biting. Others, it’s corny. E.g., he doesn’t like and resents Hyde’s girlfriend, Jill, in “The Third Wheel” (4x11) and calls her both Terri Tube Top and Yoko.

But he can also be nervous and lack confidence, which will make him hem and haw while talking. He’ll interrupt his speech using, “You know,” several times in one sentence or pauses. E.g., “We … barely knew.”

He sometimes uses antiquated language like m’lady and ‘tis I.

He makes quite a few Star Wars and comic book references.

Topher Grace’s comedic timing and line delivery adds a lot to his dialogue, and it’s possible to emulate that in prose. Again, watch some significant episodes for Eric and take note of his speech patterns and word choices.

Donna

Donna has a quick temper, but she also usually recognizes and owns her mistakes quickly. She has an easy time expressing her anger and frustration, as well as more loving and affectionate feelings. But she’s not a crier. She often expresses her sadness through frustration or anger. Not always, though.

She has a very playful and silly side. She can be as witty as Eric, but in anger she can make some odd metaphors. E.g., “He’s an ass, and you’re an ass – ‘cause the ass doesn’t fall far from the ass tree!” (From “Jackie Bags Hyde”.)

Dillhole and get bent are part of her idiolect. She also peppers her sentences with the filler word like (which should be set off by commas).

Kelso

Kelso’s language is dictated by his impulses, what he’s interested in at that very moment, and his unique POV about the world. He’s very excitable, which leads him to expressing himself as efficiently as possible – in terms of language, not ideas. . E.g., “You gotta see this!” not “You’ve got to see this!”

He comes up with bizarre scenarios and ideas, which is usually adds humor to an episode.

His egoism and narcissism color his dialogue. E.g., “You know what your problem is? I’m too good-looking.”

He’s emotionally immature for his age, and he often speaks like he’s thirteen, not eighteen. (Sorry to the mature thirteen-year-olds out there; I know there’s plenty of you.)

Fez

Fez alternates between using contractions and not using them. E.g., “I do not think you should do that,” vs. “I don’t think you should do that.”

He’ll express his emotions melodramatically. Even when he’s trying to “keep it all inside,” he’s over the top while explaining that this is what he’s doing.

He’ll say, “Ai,” when he’s upset or hurt or worried. I chose the Ai spelling instead of Ay because Fez’s native language isn’t Spanish, despite Wilmer Valderrama being the one portraying him. Just like Jackie’s eyes are brown, despite Mila Kunis’s eyes – at the time of T7S – being two different colors.

On the show, Fez’s dialogue is often used to break the tension with humor.

“You sonuvabitch!” and “Good day. I said good day!” are two of his catchphrases.

He’ll talk about his country, and what it’s like there, without every saying where he’s actually from.

His characterization varies, depending on the season. I’m not a fan of his post-Rhonda personality. In the early seasons, he isn’t a perv so much as someone who doesn’t know how far to push a joke. He’s trying to fit in with his friends, and the cultural differences cause him confusion.  

He can be poetic and romantic.

Red

Red is similar to Hyde and Donna. He doesn’t express his feelings easily, save anger and frustration. To Kitty, however, he can be very sweet. To Hyde, he’ll dispense wisdom (and he practically cried in “Hyde’s Father” [3x03] when telling Hyde he’ll always have a place in his house, etc.). To Eric – well, that is one contentious relationship. 

He was in the navy during World War II and the Korean War, and that colors his POV. He’s not politically correct, but writing that aspect of him … it’s a fine line. He’s not racist so much as xenophobic, which stems from his experiences in the navy and his somewhat extreme patriotism.

Honestly, watch pretty much any episode of his from seasons 2-4, and you’ll understand his voice quickly. The Red of season 1 is quite different, more nuanced  – and I actually prefer it, but alas. That Red makes a guest appearance in “Hyde’s Birthday” (4x23), but he’s more of a hardass post-S1. After season 4, his character begins to become even less nuanced. And during season 7, he’s sometimes very OOC.

Kitty

She’s compassionate and a little cartoony. She’s wise in certain areas and naive in others. She’s smart and savvy – until the show devolves her in the later seasons.

To get her speech pattern and idiolect, “Vanstock” (2x06), “Kitty and Eric’s Night Out” (2x18), ,“Red Sees Red” (3x01), and “Kitty’s Birthday” (3x17) are good episodes to watch.

I hope this helps! :D

[sugarandspace]

It feels right

Contains 3x16 (and 3x17) spoilers

AO3

His hand finds its way to the top drawer of his desk. It’s not the first time it has happened since his mother stopped by earlier that day, and it’s not even the first time it has happened in the past fifteen minutes. It’s the only thing he seems to be able to focus on.

He holds the small box and it feels too light when it’s holding so much meaning. Alec is nervous, but even more than that he’s excited. He can’t wait to see the ring on Magnus’ finger, one of the many that he wears but the one given to him by Alec.

His family ring.

When Alec was younger, the thought of using the ring one day had felt daunting, something he would have to do and that would bind him to an unhappy life for the rest of his life. Forever had felt like a curse.

But now, it holds a different meaning - the meaning Alec assumes it’s supposed to carry. He can’t imagine anything better than a forever with Magnus, whatever it might end up meaning for them. The idea of spending the rest of his life with Magnus fills Alec with nothing but joy.  

He knows that the situation might not be the best, and he knows that he might be acting too fast. But he also knows how he feels, and he knows that it’s not going to change. He knows it feels right.

He was being honest in the back alley of Hunter’s Moon, when he said that he can’t live without Magnus. He was being honest earlier when he told Lorenzo that Magnus is his world. He was being honest when he said that he can’t lose Magnus.

Nephilim fall in love once, and Magnus is it for him.

Alec smiles and closes the box, putting it back to the safety of his drawer - only to take it out a few minutes later.

[couragehopelovefaith]

Bravo, “Shadowhunters”-crew! Not even five seconds for 3x16 and I was already crying my eyes out. That must be a new record for me. That first scene.. oh, dear. My heart was shattered. I loved the domestic they were. Alec having learned about cooking and dancing by the influence of Magnus.. perfecto. Knowing how nervous Matt was about dancing, he did a great job. Alec’s speech and honesty next to Magnus’ hospital bed and to Lorenzo are one of the most heartfelt moments from this series, to me. I liked that we, perhaps for a split of a second, could see the more humane side of Lorenzo, but it didn’t make me feel sorry for him, even for a one bit. When he said that Magnus was born priviledged, I seriously wanted to throw something at him. That asshole is so full of himself it makes me wanna barf! The only decent thing he ever did in this show was removing the magic. Matt’s acting was amazing, you could see that he was trying so hard to follow Catarina’s advice and be polite. When Magnus woke up, I literally screamed. You know it's going to be somewhat okay (even we sadly know that it will last only for a minute), when the first thing Magnus worries about are his clothes. But you also know from the scene where they argue that this is the lowest and most in denial that Magnus has ever been (beside that off-screen moment when he was ready and tried to kill himself). Even though Alec is absolutely honest about Magnus being his only chance for true love, about the strengths of his mate...we can just clearly see that Magnus doesn’t believe that. “I have everything I need right here” is making my heart beam and surely partly sincere, but it’s plain to see that he is heartbroken because of losing his magic. The way he leans on Alec for support and is afraid of Alec leaving him.. all of this breaks my heart. 

I was so excited about meeting the Seelie Queen and Kain again. I didn’t see her new form coming, but the actress was actually really good fit. Am I losing my mind or did you guys see the special connection between her and Jonathan? Has there been something between them? Kain’s actor is marvelous in my eyes. I just feel so sorry for him. The scene and connections and similarities between him and Simon are great and inspirational.

Clary… I know you’ve been through a rough time and the mark is effecting you, but could you see other people around you as well? We haven’t seen you talking to Magnus even for ONCE after you escaped from Jonathan. Not even an apologize for Simon, your best friend? At least you showed some compassion for Kain and Simon stood up for Jace. Did you see Izzie’s proud smile after that, by the way? It makes sense that it’s Jace who can keep Clary out of darkness. Anyway, I was all in for Morgernsterns to face Lilith. The one fact about Jonathan - the fact that I love - is you never quite know where he stands. How much he actually cares and where his loyalties lie. I love that their mother-son-moment was both creepy and yet so casual. Like mother, like son, it would seem. It would be the bomb to see Lilith and Asmodeus meeting. So exciting to finally hear more about the story between Lucifer and Michael and Heavenly fire.

I love the fact that Maryse got that shop for herself, finally visited Luke and refused to leave him behind. The man who is actually one of the strongest ones in this show. I just hope that he won’t push everyone away while trying to protect his loved ones. It might be hard at this point, but I really wish we got to see more of their past. 

Sizzy.. really conflicted about them right now. On the other hand I love their connection: how they are real with each other, how Simon makes her smile and teaches her all the mundane stuff (how has Izzie been able not to hear about pinky-swear, though? *haha*). But other side of me crosses her fingers for them to stay single for a while. But since the show is ending (*fighting back the weep*), if they won’t get together now, it will feel very rushed in some people’s eyes. So I don’t know. I wanna know how things would’ve turned out if this show got yet another season. This is so unfair.

The ending was surprises after another. I never thought Kain would agree to help Lilith, but I understand why he did. Luke getting out, Simon biting Jonathan, and Clary imprisoning him were not what I expected, at least yet at this point. Alec meeting her mother about proposing and the fact how genuinely happy she was for both of them showed how far they have come and it made me beam - and cry. But as we all know, things will get messier soon. 

This season just keeps getting even better and better. I refuse to see 3x17 promo on purpose, since I want no expectations for the next week. But it will sure as hell (no pun intended) be awesome.

(+ I forgot to add the fact that it is heartbreaking that Alec is scratching his hand because it shows that his tendencies of harming himself are still underneath..)

[sunjaesol]

i mean, it kind of makes sense how we sometimes feel there’s no character progression because I just realised they don’t air the episodes in the correct order. In Backwarder and Stormy Weather 2, Marinette seemed to have more confidence in herself regarding Adrien whilst that immediately got reversed with Animaestro. That’s because the first two are after Animaestro. Animaestro is actually episode 2, which makes more sense (Mari first jealous of Lila, then Kagami, to get both other love interests in the mix in season 3). Backwarder is two episodes later, and two after that is Weredad. Marinette’s a lot more sure of herself in those, so we can expect that she does indeed grow and become more mature (as mature as a 14 year old can get, that is). Stormy Weather 2 is more at the end of the season, actually, being 3x17! That might seem discouraging, but seeing Mari dare to write that note and Adrien’s slight disappointment when he felt that there’s no way a girl like Marinette could like him, is progression!  I’m most excited for  Silencer, which is episode 7, where they’re challenged with an akumatised Luka. Onichan, which is episode 8, where Kagami is akumatized due to being treathened by Lila (seems like Lila is an actual challenge for Kagami!) And especially Oblivio, which is episode 10. LB and CN have lost their memories and now Marinette and Adrien have to work together to fix it! (Reversable plot progression but progression nonetheless! I guess!)

tl;dr Miraculous Ladybug would’ve made more sense if they aired it in the correct order + if they made us wait longer so that they had all the episodes and then they could air one every week which would keep the ball and hype going.    

[sanoiro]

4x05 - Expire Erect - Spoilers and Speculation

Warning! There is always a possibility that certain scenes might have been mixed up under their non-respective episodes.

Written By: Mike Costa

Directed By: Viet Nguyen

Mike Costa has written/co-written the episodes:

1x10 Pops

2x09 Homewrecker

2x15 Deceptive Little Parasite

3x07 Off the Record (Teleplay)

3x13 Til Death Do Us Part

3x18 The Last Heartbreak

4x05 Expire Erect

Cast: Tom Ellis as Lucifer, Lauren German as Chloe, DB Woodside as Amenadiel, Lesley-Ann Brandt as Maze, Kevin Alejandro as Dan, Scarlett Estevez as Trixie, Rachael Harris as Linda Martin and Aimee Garcia as Ella.

Season 4 Recurring Characters: Inbar Lavi as Eve and Graham McTavish as Father Kinley

Guest Cast:

Paul Edney...Museum Visitor Rigo Sanchez...Marco

Behind The Scenes:

If there is one episode I’m excited about is this one. I’m dying to watch it!

In a conversation I had a few days ago I was discussing with @boristheelder about Chloe’s Arc in this season and surprisingly we both expressed the same thought. 

Chloe in this season has three stages in her arc. The first is disbelief, she is cautious and hurt. Chloe cannot comprehend what is going on and how to react to Lucifer’s nature. 

^ A Halloween wreath outside Chloe’s door. 

As far as we can speculate with the new information of the month gap between 3x24 and 4x01 what we are going to find in 4x01 is two broken souls who miraculously love each other and try to cope. 

Lucifer is almost certain he will use sex I mentioned before in 4x01, hence his new project but not necessarily sexual partner Eve. In Chloe’s case, she put her trust in the wrong person when she was on her lowest point. Father Kinley. 

Graham McTavish who plays Father Kinley during most if not all the 4x05 episode was in New Zealand so his involvement on the events of this episode is heavily induced with a good dose of speculation. 

Father Kinley is imprisoned either in 4x04 or most probably according to my belief in 4x05. After all, he makes a spectacular escape in 4x09 so… 

But let’s take things first. The case of the week is a bit obscure on all possible levels as we only have some bits and pieces to put together a blurry picture��� 

The murder seems to be happening at a car exhibition or as the L.A. residents know it as the Petersen Automobile Museum. According to some sources, there was a commotion and everyone present had to act a panic mode scene after an ‘unfortunate’ (read murder) event. 

^ You can see Ellis’ and Lauren’s, stand-ins

hat murder leads our gang to a house in the suburbs of L.A. with a beautiful and expensive silver Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing Coupe! A GORGEOUS car if you ask me… 

Anyways… Inquiries are made and things take their way towards solving the case but that’s all we know as another scene took the majority of the shooting days to be shot. 

Before I start writing about *that* scene I want to mention that Lucifer in this episode has a session with Linda and wears the same shirt he will use until the end of the episode. 

A very unique in texture light blue shirt. This session is one of the reasons that make me wonder if Linda gives birth later on in the season or if she just returns at her job after only just one episode between the birth and a session with Lucifer. 

The fact that Linda wears a red dress and the photo does not show her midsection has me wondering as well as her wearing PJs at the last episode… We shall see…

^You can see Rachael next to Ellis as they are prepped, 

The scene I cannot wait to see is the LUX scene of this episode. It almost 50 hours of shooting to be done at the stage and some more so outside the Cicada Restaurant, as I have mentioned before, also known as LUX’s entrance. 

^We had two LUX patrons stating this so I have no idea if Eve has a power, Lucifer’s are growing or it is just a coincidence... Perhaps someone is brooding and sees the couples making out? 

At LUX we have first of all Ella and Eve who seem to hit it off quite well as Ella has some drinks at LUX. They talk to have some fun probably but do remember that Ella is now questioning her faith something that I believe that the events of 4x05 might help her. 

Ella also is a HUGE supporter of Deckerstar despite what has happened between Lucifer and Chloe which Ella might attribute to Marcus’ betrayal and eventual death if Lucifer was accused of it…

I mean it is a probability that Lucifer was arrested hence the one month jump and lack of communication but that’s in my head has something like a 15-20% probability of happening. 

So we are at LUX and guess what… LUX’s patrons and everyone inside are held hostages as far as I can tell. The SWAT (Special Weapons Attack Team) team is also there as you can see from the black van. 

Now we do know that inside are Ella, Eve and Lucifer. Outside LUX we have Dan and Maze.  Yet where is Chloe? Well someone did mention that there was a “hidden” entrance to LUX so I would assume that Chloe did eventually did sneak in or was already in although I believe it’s the first. 

Yet why Chloe and not Maze? That’s a good question I cannot answer. All I know is that Chloe’s presence at LUX is something that will happen whether she was in there as the place was taken over or afterwards. 

What we also have there is a rather “demonic” bartender. Although the description says nothing about the bartender being a Demon the abilities she has are great and has some core scenes and even a stuntwoman I believe in that episode so I would assume that LUX’s bartenders were selected really carefully. 

You can see the heavily armoured men of the SWAT team in some of the photos by the way. 

Now comes the most important part of the episode. There is a video which was deleted and which you can find in this post. I’ll not say where if you haven’t noticed it. If you are no keen into to really big spoilers please stop reading. 

Thank you in advance!

*Interlude Over*

In this episode, Lucifer gets stubbed and we almost lose him. 

Before I explain what I believe has happened I would like to conclude what I was discussing with @boristheelder Chloe in this season has an Arc of 3 levels. Turmoil, Realization and Action towards getting Lucifer back or at least at first mending their relationship up to 4x09 where I believe she opens up again to a robe dressed Lucifer. 

Episode 4x05 is the episode where Chloe realizes that you cannot dismiss love so easily, what she needed was again to trust him and she does that in this episode so the damn breaks and everything that held her back is released but much to Lucifer’s bad luck so does his vulnerability around her. 

If you remember 4x02 where I believe that Lucifer is back being invulnerable around Chloe and thus extremely hurt and confused, in 4x05 he makes some very bad choices that lead to him being severely hurt and I do not mean 3x17 hurt… I mean 1x13 hurt!

We cannot be sure who Lucifer is set to protect and perhaps the stabbing happens early in LUX’s take over and at the end. Meaning that Father Kinley may himself or may have had someone else trying to kill the Devil. Who knows really but that’s my hunch. Especially since we have a guy with a tonsure in the episode... Tonsure is the circular shave Christian monks have since the middle ages... 

Call me whatever you like but do you remember how Lucifer investigated Marcus’ mark through the Code Da Vinci movies? Well, do you remember Silas? The misguided albino assassin in Code Da Vinci? Just saying...  

Whether Lucifer is trying to protect someone like Chloe or Eve or even Ella. Whether he was the main target or not Chloe’s proximity makes him lose a huge amount of blood that makes him in many photos look ashen and then taken away by an ambulance with only Eve by his side as Chloe can be rarely seen further away in some cases but not often (like one time or two). 

Examining the scenarios Lucifer either 

Gets hurt early on and they have to get Chloe outside LUX but that does not happen quickly enough so Lucifer starts to bleed out and Chloe finally realizes what Lucifer has sacrificed by being around her. 

Lucifer believing like in scenario A that he is invulnerable with or without Chloe’s proximity he is stubbed by what it seems to be a military/hunting knife (missionary?). That leads to a chain of events for everyone not only trying to get to Lucifer who is inside LUX but also defuses the situation at the bar.

^The little amount of blood is either for the ambulance scene or someone else is also hurt. If you were praying for Azrael to be back, do pray to be in this episode although the chances are slim and none of the BTS supports it. :(

No matter what happens and although I would have loved for Lucifer to protect Chloe again only to fail, we have some very important things going into motion after this episode. 

First, Chloe realises that Lucifer is capable of dying as well as what he has gone through for her. 

Second, this opens a window for past events to come to the light 1x13, 2x13, 2x05 etc. 

Third, Chloe is finally passing from the state of turmoil and by having lost faith to Father Kinley she starts to see Lucifer under a new light she was not able to do so before. Everything now counts more than before, have a different meaning if you like. 

Fourth, Chloe seems to be held away from Lucifer as he is rushed to the ambulance. Probably Eve or Maze (or both) make sure she stays away in order for Lucifer to start healing undisturbed. Imagine seeing the man you love, the Devil getting hurt and you are the one who is causing all that pain. An allegory here I believe with what happened between 3x24 to 4x01. 

Moreover, she is powerless as she cannot follow and if Chloe knows what causes Lucifer’s vulnerability according to my theory that is, then she has an answer she was finding very hard to admit. Can you Love the Devil? Yes, because he is Lucifer. Just Lucifer. 

 I could spend a lot of time writing about what that scene means for the episode and the season as a whole but I think that the proper meta can wait….

You may ask how will the situation be resolved? Well, the combination between Dan, Maze and the Bartender will certainly help to keep an eye on them as well as Chloe. 

^The LUX extras were exhausted so imagine the actors and the crew!

In the last parts of this post, I would like to mention the writer’s IG post that was captured by me in its full glory but @lucks-eterna managed to capture it in the first 5 minutes while I missed my chance… Good work by the way @lucks-eterna !

The post from the writer had the summary for each character behind his lament over his PC’s autocorrect. More clearly we can see Amenadiel’s who is apparently in a difficult situation of trying to find a job, any job, while weighing the new sense of responsibility fatherhood bring along in his life. Whether born or not that child is already causing some havoc and even more in the next episodes.  In 4x05 we also have Amenadiel’s stuntman at the stage meaning that Amenadiel may have had an active role in the LUX situation or a new character appears a bit early... 

The other two summaries are a bit more difficult to decipher. The second is Maze’s and you can even make out the name as many have pointed out on Tumblr.

when Maze gives *** some -

he’s only recruiting her, an -

do the kind of rule-breaking

with the fact that, maybe, he

Lesley, Ann did post that she had another scene with Dan in that episode (aside from the ones with Ella outside LUX?) and although Lesley-Ann did reveal that Maze will really all in love in this season I wonder if it’s with the baby and not with a man or woman. Yes she lives with Linda and it would have been fun to see them together but there is a prickling at the back of my head that whispers “Dan”. We shall see but let’s keep this as an afterthought. 

^Dan at what it seems to be Chloe’s house or LUX, I would bet Chloe’s house which is behind the LUX set. Who knows... perhaps it’s at LUX and part of the ending of the episode where Dan realises where he is heading and Maze had enough.

In 3x26 Dan was shown that he had a dark side that never really grew in size and in S4 it seems like it's out of control. All the fighting he gets into with Maze makes me wonder whether he joins her in bounty hunting as a way to redeem himself of what happened to Charlotte but also as Joe has said jokingly once, Dan got a taste of blood in S2 so whenever you do not see him he is out there killing people. 

Of course, Joe’s words were meant as a joke but what if bounty hunting or taking part to fights with Maze is what helps him cope? Is it here in episode 4x05 that Maze realists how far Dan has gone? Is Dan the one who “recruits” her for a semi-controlled rule-breaking? I believe he is…

The first summary is the most baffling and heart-wrenching one. 

a hard time doing while SOB(BING?)

realize just how close she 

She realizes what’s missing

Call me a Hallmark season special fanatic but after considering what has happened to Lucifer and how Chloe cannot approach him, the woman who run to his side and cradled him in 2x12… Sigh… 

Do tell me if you were that woman what you would have done seeing the man you love, the Devil or not (who cares anymore at that point?), been taken away, bleeding to death, wasting away partly because of you is taken away what would you do? What would you do if another woman was above him offering him comfort as he was looking ashen and out of it, what you would have done? 

I’ll take a wild chance and say what the writer of this episode has summarized… Just saying… 

Concluding as you have guessed this is a very hard episode which I believe you will all love as much I will and do remember the other scripts of the Scriptwriter…

Pops gave us Lucifer saving Chloe, being burned and of course a drunk Chloe passing out on him. Homewrecker analyzed the matter of trust between Lucifer and Chloe as well as Dan’s dark side, the Deceptive Little Parasite… 

Who can forget Lucifer crying over the pain of Chloe and his Mother to ignite the sword? Off the Record was partly his work while Til Death Do us Part again dealt with the matter of trust. The Last Heartbreak gave us a tender moment between Lucifer and an unconscious Chloe while we learned more about Marcus without losing touch with the series and finally 4x05… 

Lucifer will Expire Erect but not in bed in the middle of an orgy…  

Quick Directory:

Spoilers and Speculations Posts Per Episode:

4x01 - Everything’s Okay

4x02 - Somebody’s Been Reading Dante’s Inferno

4x03 - O, Ye Of Little Faith, Father

4x04 - All About Eve

4x05 - Expire Erect

4x06 - Orgy Pants To Work

4x07 - Devil Is As Devil Does

4x08 - Super Bad Boyfriend

4x09 - Save Lucifer

4x10 - (?????) King of Hell?

Lucifan 1

This episode had really intrigued me since the title was released. Expire Erect fits perfectly with the show. And again it promises angst and emotions.

There are so many hints and situations to discuss that it is difficult to start.The night al Lux seems pretty hot: it is just a case or is it related to a plan? If we consider Eve having such a kind of "mojo" is it an attempt to use it or to control at least? Is Lucifer using it for his own purpose?

I still think Eve will bring back the old Devil,  so if he now feels at ease just with Eve at his side, no surprise if he is back to the old habits of multiple one night partners. Curious to know more about the session with Linda: is it about Eve or about Linda's pregnancy/ baby? For sure, she will offer good advice that Lucifer will take  in his own way and maybe focus just on his partner in crime and not on his former partner anymore

I'm glad we can see also more about Amenadiel and his struggle to live as a human being. This character and Woodside deserve a lot and I wait for a meaningful arc for them, including the realisation that actions have consequences. The same realisation that everyone needs to reach.

Moving back to Lux set, we have BTS of Dan and Maze. Their partnership grows and consolidates, but we don't know if it lasts. What if Dan discovers the role she played in all Cain's stuff? It is true they will be together in the hospital at the end of the season, so I want to give them a chance. Will be they a couple?  LesleyAnn has announced a Maze in love. But she had also teased about a potential Maze girlfriend.  Will it be Eve? Just for fun? And Maze's real love will be the baby? We know the feelings she has for Trixie,  so no surprise if she develops a strong bond with the Nephilim

Also, Ella is at Lux and meets Eve. And from the BTS of episodes 6 and 7 they will work together.  Sanoiro states Ella will regain her faith or part of it after this episode: will Eve help her? Ella's open and welcoming attitude can play an important role with a character usually blamed and hated, creating a  special relationship between them. That can plague Chloe or push her to think a lot about herself or the faith restored is more related to anything occurring at Lux? Chloe and Lucifer  trying to protect each other? Chloe coming to protect them all?

Let's see

The last section is for Chloe. Despite all we have (or not have) seen, I strongly believe this season gives her all the room she deserves. I totally agree on the 3 phase arc here suggested. Perhaps realisation of her real feelings starts in episode 4. But it will burst in episode 5. How Chloe join the team at Lux is not clear ae we have just her car outside. She can be there because called on duty or following a criminal (Kinley? Someone working for him? ) And it is unclear if she enters or not. Does she need to be really close to Lucifer to affect him?

Does the secret door at Lux suggest a way in or have another meaning? Assuming she is inside, is her love/ faith already restored to make Lucifer vulnerable or is something she sees to have that effect?  Lucifer trying to protect Ella or Eve, or even Chloe herself. In any case,  Lucifer will almost die. If not aware of her power yet, Chloe will realize it now.

Pushed away from the one she loves she will just look at him and Eve together ( based on Lavi's video with Tom smoking close to an ambulance), realizing what she had and is risking to lose. I agree on all the angst and turmoil Sanoiro described. The only point now is how will Chloe react and also Lucifer. They will work together but at which level of personal relationship is not clear. Probably they will try to be just colleagues. But the reaction of Chloe in episode 7, with Eve touching Lucifer in front of her, speaks volume on her success.

My final question: will Eve try to get between them to win Lucifer back or to test Chloe to be sure she is ready for all the supernatural stuff?

[jules85]

Arrow Rewatch 2018 3x17: Suicidal Tendencies

Dyla are getting married! My ship is getting married! I'm so excited for them.

- Oliver's late, as usual. Dig's going to photoshop him into the photos lol. Make sure you do, John coz our boy looks fine in that tux. As do you.

- as for Felicity? Well she looks stunning as always and Oliver can't keep his eyes off her. He turns into a little schoolboy when she's around. He always looks down and smiles. Like he can't take in all the pretty. Or its because he needs a second to compose himself, because Felicity brought her date, Ray.

I love protective big brother, John. Nobody messes with his lil sis. I wish he'd had this talk with Oliver lol.

- Felicity admiring Oliver in his tux while everyone's distracted. I see you, girl.

- I love how Oliver and John are just sizing Ray up. Of course he's a minister.

- Dyla's vows are so them. They have been through so much together. I'm so happy for them. Plus there is so much Olicity foreshadowing during this episode. I'm getting double the feels.

- Oliver cannot keep his eyes off Felicity.

- I really wish we got to see Oliver's and John's best man speeches.

- Felicity caught the bouquet. Oliver looks interested lol.

- 'Are you happy?'

'Yes, very.'

'Good. That's all I've ever wanted. You deserve a good guy and a normal life.'

Yes she does Oliver. But she wants that with you.

I appreciate the subtle cut to John and Lyla dancing right after he says this. More foreshadowing.

- Can't we have a wedding without interruptions? The city thinks the Arrow is killing again.

- Deadshot crashing the honeymoon.

- Cupid's back and on the team.

- is it a coincidence that Oliver has started training shirtless in front of Felicity again? Just after finding out she has a boyfriend now? ;)

- I forgot we got Deadshot flashbacks. His daughter is the cutest.

- Ray knows Oliver is the Arrow.

'You have no idea what he's been through, what he's lost, how he's grown but I do. I know him better than almost anyone...'

Felicity defending her man.

'You have feelings for him.'

'Yes.' Whoops.

- 'Ray built a supersuit? That's pretty awesome...and reckless.' Love Roy's reaction lol.

- Deadshot saved Cupid. Now she's got a new beau.

- John sees his brother's name tattooed on Floyd's chest when he patches him up. See, this is why I love John so much...this is obviously difficult for him but he helps Floyd anyway. He is such a good man at his core.

- Oliver pays Ray a visit.

'Her perception of you is clearly clouded by her emotional attachment. She's not seeing you for you for what you really are.' Give her some credit, Ray. Guess what? Women can actually form their own opinions based on facts not because of our emotions or attraction. I really dislike Ray in this episode.

- The scene were John and Lyla start panicking about not surviving and leaving Baby Sara an orphan kills me. Seeing Lyla upset made me get all teary dyed. And then Deadshot tells them that he is getting them home to their daughter. Stop making me cry!

- 'You deserve better.'

'What I deserve is to be with someone who isn't afraid of being happy.' I love a woman who knows her worth.

'Ray told me he wanted a true partner, in his work, in his mission, and in his life. Ray wants to be a hero and a human being.'

'That's because he hasn't realised that he can't be. I told you that I couldn't be with you and save the city.'

Yes you can, Oliver. And you will.

- 'Show Felicity the kind of man you really are.'

'I have nothing to prove to her.' Yep, Oliver. She knows exactly who you are, and he knows it. I love that how well she knows him is acknowledged by both of them in this episode.

It's baby steps with them these last two episodes. The writers are edging them back together, reminding the audience of who they are to each other.

- Deadshot sacrificing himself to save John and Lyla and everyone else is probably the best redemption arc the show has done. I cried.

- Diggle wants to quit the team. Lyla won't let him. They're doing good work saving the city. Lyla quits Argus because she wants Sara to be proud of her. Aw the feels. She is proud of you, Lyla.

- Felicity sniffs the bouquet and then kisses Oliver on the cheek. Thanking him for proving her right. His smile. The way he just stands there basking until John comes in makes me squee. Oliver in love is too adorable.

- Oliver and John have a drink. John toasts to Floyd Lawton. And I'm crying again. Who'd have thunk it?

- Maseo, dressed as the Arrow shoots the Mayor* and the episode ends with Felicity in his crosshairs.

(*This is Mayor no.3 who has died on the show plus Moira, a mayoral candidate.)

Rating: ☆☆☆☆ Dyla wedding, Dyla mission, Olicity angst and adorableness...what more could I ask for? Sad that Deadshot had to die. Stupid DCEU.

@hope-for-olicity @blondeeoneexox @it-was-a-red-heeler @memcjo @allimariexf

[nineteenthmay]

Ranking Gossip Girl seasons: my opinion

1. Season 2 - The season when Chuck and Blair became the central couple of the show and it has a lot of memorable Chuck/Blair scenes (I counted that a half of my top 10 Chuck/Blair scenes belong to this season) and a lot of great episodes. We get to learn more about them as characters, and other characters and their storylines are interesting as well. My favourite episode on the entire show, my favourite music moment, season opener and season finale - all come from this season. What not to love?

2. Season 1 - Another great season I love dearly. The plot flows effortlessly, the characters and their stories are interesting and unlike other seasons it doesn't have obvious filler episodes, everything seems relevant and important. It's also the only season where I'm ok with Dan. The only reason I don't put it first is that a lot of Chuck/Blair stuff happen off-screen. I would love to see more of their secret affair between Seventeen Candles and Hi Society (how did they come together and start to sleep together regularly after Seventeen Candles in the first place?), Blair's drunk dialing to Chuck he refers to in 1x17 and how they schemed against Georgina and ended up asleep on Blair's bed.

3. Season 3 - It's less exciting than the first two seasons, I felt that the writers struggled to tie everything together smoothly without the uniting high-school setting and I found Dan/Vanessa and Nate/Serena super random (I rolled my eyes at Dan developing romantic feelings for Vanessa out of blue and Nate suddenly remembering about his feelings for Serena after we had seen no trace of them since the first half of Season 1) and Lily's cancer storyline unconvincing. But it still was a solid season. I appreciate that we finally saw Chuck and Blair together as a couple and demonstrating their deep love, tenderness to each other, acceptance and understanding (all those domestic cuddling scenes in bed, the Thanksgiving kiss etc.). Although their relationship broke down in 3x17 and it was obvious that they still had a lot of growing up to do, to learn to trust each other and honest communication, I love them together, they are the only couple on the show who behaved like married before getting married. I also appreciate that it gave a glimpse of a great man Chuck was capable of being when his emotional issues didn’t obstruct him. In the first half of the season Chuck indeed, as Blair said, carried people.

4. Season 6 - I actually like this season. Its biggest problem is that it has only 10 episodes and therefore it feels rushed. Who knows, maybe the lack of time was a major reason why the showrunners failed to solve some storylines in a believable way. It's really pity that the poorly written Season 5 buried a full Season 6, it would have been great to have more episodes. But even with some reservations (like, the Dan/Serena endgame) I enjoyed this season more than anything I saw on the show since the mid-season 4. It didn't have stupid, drawn out love triangles or over-melodrama, instead it was more reminiscent to the early seasons. Chuck and Blair's individual character arcs were completed resolving their individual issues, we saw them supporting each other, trusting each other and working as a team and their ending was deeply satisfying. Also, "It's Really Complicated" is my second favourite Thanksgiving episode after Season 1.

5. Season 4 - This one is really split in the middle to me. I like the first half of the season, The Witches of Bushwick and Double Identity are among my favourite episodes on the entire show. But after the Juliet thing was resolved everything descended into a boring mess that was making less and less sense and was hard to get through. Dan and Blair's friendship felt forced, the same can be said about Chuck's relationship with Raina, the Bass Industries and Russel Thorpe storyline was very convoluted and confusing, Blair's decision to get engaged at the age of 20 to a man she barely knew forgetting all her career aspirations was nonsensical (tbh, this revival of the fairytale fantasy was regress into childhood and I found it really annoying), Chuck breaking the window in rage seemed ooc, I didn't care about "Charlie Rhodes", I don't even remember what Serena did other than that Ben guy and Nate had become more underused than ever.

6. Season 5 - The worst season, hands down. Blair's pact with God, Dan/Blair romance, Diana as Chuck's fake mother, "maybe Jack is my father" - all were terrible storytelling ideas and should have never materialised. In fact, I would rewrite everything post-car accident. Also, I was never fond of the prince Louis fairytale storyline that dragged on and on, he too should be gone post-5x10. I didn't mind splitting Rufus and Lily and Bart's resurrection but I didn't like how it was executed. The same goes with Blair's pregnancy - they killed her baby and then swept her miscarriage under a rug to never be mentioned again, just what the hell? There had to be a scene, if only a tiny one, of her coming to terms with her loss. The lack of it made Blair look shallow. In many ways this season also was stagnant and probably the darkest for the main characters: Chuck made a considerable progress as a character but he was depressed 24/7 and non-stop suffering for Blair almost the entire season; Blair spent the season being passive, lost, confused and increasingly helpless first playing her fairytale fantasy with Louis, then hiding from her reality in Dan's fiction until 5x22; Serena after a promising start - she had gotten a job and stopped to latch onto guys - was losing everything and everyone bit by bit until she hit rock bottom in the finale; Dan continued his path of moral degradation without noticing it and in process became more insufferable. Only Nate fared relatively well, the newspaper thing finally provided him with something to do. But I wouldn't say that the Nate as a journalist storyline was very convincing either. All in all, I think that the showrunners wasted a lot of screentime that could and should be used better.