#but edward still steps up and in the wake of francis's seclusion; for once; things actually go somewhat smoothly! | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

maedhrus · 6 months ago

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#the closest correlation between fanon!ned and actual canon!ned is his prolonged misery and level of worry-induced distress#he's more than competent - we see it time and again throughout the first half of the show#but the biggest indication of this is crozier himself handing little his pistol when he goes into self-imposed rehab#HE WOULDN'T DO THAT IF HE DIDN'T THINK EDWARD WAS CAPABLE OF HANDLING THE SITUATION.#crozier's not a man to mince words or spare feelings - if he thought little unequal to the task he would've handed his pistol to fitzjames#instead; but no. he chooses edward precisely bc he knows edward is loyal and steadfast and capable of doing what needs to be done#edward is the one who falters in that scene; not bc he's too overwhelmed to cope but because he knows exactly what is at stake if#anything goes wrong during crozier's convalescence; the lives of a hundred+ men turning on a dime should crozier not survive his withdrawal#and he's not wrong to feel daunted by the task! it's an immense amount of responsibility -#one crozier himself bowed and buckled under the second leadership of the expedition was thrust upon him! it's a terrifying situation;#but edward still steps up and in the wake of francis's seclusion; for once; things actually go somewhat smoothly!#the men are faring better without the black cloud of crozier's alcoholism and negativity hanging over them like a shroud;#he's gotten fitzjames off his back for the most part; other than for carnivale. and even here we see edward's diligence and commitment#to his position as first lieutenant of the expedition bc he's the one questioning using vital supplies for a party! he's the one#who agrees that the men need the distraction; but worries if they can afford to foot the bill later;#when things will be more difficult! that is the kind of mindset francis himself displays at the beginning#of the show when he's questioning sir john's decision to press forward despite every sign imaginable telling them not to!#EDWARD WORRIES FOR THE MEN THE SAME WAY CROZIER DOES#what trips him up; what ends up driving a wedge between him and crozier; what causes little to fuck up the armory situation; is this:#crozier himself. bc francis was a mean drunk. and while in his cups he treated little as no better than a ship's boy; running menial errand#and very literally risking life and limb to indulge the vices of a man who treats him with open contempt (and let's be clear;#that man isn't the captain edward has come to know and respect since they set out from greenhithe - no; that is a stranger wearing#his captain's face; making choices that leave edward feeling frustrated and helpless and enraged)#what crozier's belittling of little's station and rank does during this time is make him deeply insecure of his own purpose and competence; @boogiewoogieweeb

listen i don't think edward little was actually a bad first lieutenant. when we see him in the first episode he's calm and confident. he does not say much but he's amiable enough. crozier likes him, and i don't think crozier would like anyone he doesn't think capable in some way. generally he's dependable and knows what he's doing. however unfortunately for edward he has these qualities because he has a major case of eldest daughter syndrome, which means he both wants to please his mum (crozier) and has an overdeveloped sense of responsibility for his younger siblings (crew), so when they get stuck in the ice and crozier starts going (more) alcoholic, he enables his mum bc he doesn't want to disappoint her even if he doesn't agree with her, and he has to pick up the tasks and care for his siblings she's not doing, but he can't let his siblings know about their mum's situation because they'll get worried and restless. and like a true eldest daughter he has to bear the brunt of mummy's anger for being a disappointment but he also doesn't want to seek refuge with the man she divorced (fitzjames) because that feels like a betrayal. also while this is going on there is a giant bear who hunts his siblings for sport so they're dying left and right and also a changeling master manipulator who's making his siblings mad at their mum and who wants to fuck said mum before eating her like some sort of praying mantis. anyway i think i would start being miserable and anxious too.

#PREV TAGS!!#yes YES all of this #edward and crozier are actually so similar and i think that they hate that recognition in the other #and that change that crozier undergoes from greenhithe to beechley as he falls further into alcoholism #growing more and more depressed and mean #is sure to knock anyone’s confidence #but they still trust each other implicitly!#capable leaders who have fostered self-doubts which weaken them #insane relationship #edward confident in his abilities as a result of crozier’s support is a beast that many should fear #he’s creating leads single-handedly #the terror

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abrahamvanhelsings · 6 months ago

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#i can and will die on the hill that ned little - the actual lt. little of the show - is as far removed from the sad wet doormat of a man#that fanon likes to portray him as; as humanly possible#the closest correlation between fanon!ned and actual canon!ned is his prolonged misery and level of worry-induced distress#he's more than competent - we see it time and again throughout the first half of the show#but the biggest indication of this is crozier himself handing little his pistol when he goes into self-imposed rehab#HE WOULDN'T DO THAT IF HE DIDN'T THINK EDWARD WAS CAPABLE OF HANDLING THE SITUATION.#crozier's not a man to mince words or spare feelings - if he thought little unequal to the task he would've handed his pistol to fitzjames#instead; but no. he chooses edward precisely bc he knows edward is loyal and steadfast and capable of doing what needs to be done

#edward is the one who falters in that scene; not bc he's too overwhelmed to cope but because he knows exactly what is at stake if#anything goes wrong during crozier's convalescence; the lives of a hundred+ men turning on a dime should crozier not survive his withdrawal#and he's not wrong to feel daunted by the task! it's an immense amount of responsibility -#one crozier himself bowed and buckled under the second leadership of the expedition was thrust upon him! it's a terrifying situation;#but edward still steps up and in the wake of francis's seclusion; for once; things actually go somewhat smoothly!#the men are faring better without the black cloud of crozier's alcoholism and negativity hanging over them like a shroud;#he's gotten fitzjames off his back for the most part; other than for carnivale. and even here we see edward's diligence and commitment#to his position as first lieutenant of the expedition bc he's the one questioning using vital supplies for a party! he's the one#who agrees that the men need the distraction; but worries if they can afford to foot the bill later;#when things will be more difficult! that is the kind of mindset francis himself displays at the beginning#of the show when he's questioning sir john's decision to press forward despite every sign imaginable telling them not to!#EDWARD WORRIES FOR THE MEN THE SAME WAY CROZIER DOES

#what trips him up; what ends up driving a wedge between him and crozier; what causes little to fuck up the armory situation; is this:#crozier himself. bc francis was a mean drunk. and while in his cups he treated little as no better than a ship's boy; running menial errand#and very literally risking life and limb to indulge the vices of a man who treats him with open contempt (and let's be clear; that man isn'#the captain edward has come to know and respect since they set out from greenhithe - no; that is a stranger wearing his captain's face;#making choices that leave edward feeling frustrated and helpless and enraged)#what crozier's belittling of little's station and rank does during this time is make him deeply insecure of his own purpose and competence;via @boogiewoogieweeb

#i think you hit the tag limit or something bc your last tag cut off halfway through but THESE TAGS ARE SO IMPORTANT TO ME #it's like i love crozier as much as the next person #but also the way sometimes he's talked abt in fandom as if he's never done anything wrong while HE is for a large part responsible #for the ill will that a considerable part of the crew starts to bear against him and command in general #bc he's a mean drunk who makes bad unjust decisions #hickey should've been flogged. but the exact sentence and the execution of it? an unfairness that everyone on that ship would've felt #and who has to deal with the consequences while crozier is shutting himself off? his lieutenants. and edward first and foremost.#of course crozier has his redemption arc and when he does he becomes the best captain they could've asked for.#but he's lost respect from part of the crew forever already by that point.#and i always question to what extent crozier actually told edward abt his suspicions of a mutiny. bc he vagues abt it to him.#but we never see him lay it out specifically. and idk man. crozier counts on edward's loyalty but sometimes i wonder #if he ever confided in him in full. and if edward felt that. and if that made him feel inadequate to the task before him (i.e. to lead)#especially in crozier's absences when the camp becomes a powder keg.#i keep thinking about that armoury moment bc i remember someone saying that crozier told ned not to act unless the situation changes #or something. and then the fog comes in and the situation changes. and everyone is on edge #and they corner edward and they manipulate him. and i always feel like edward knows very well they're doing that #they're not being particularly non-threatening about it either - he's alone and there's more of them #but also. HE is in that moment responsible for all men in the camp. he has no time to go look for jfj.#they may be lying to him; they may be right and if he doesn't give out the guns men may die #and crozier will come back to his failure to protect the men.#again. it's ned being torn between loyalty to crozier - duty to the men in the most stressful situation ever #irks me that he's called in and treated like a scolded child by three men who were not there?#of course he needs a reprimand bc in the end he made the wrong decision. and he shouldn't have let the mutineers manipulate him #but it's the way they go abt it. the humiliation of it.#need to rewatch to say more abt it but i have a lot of thoughts on the whole situation

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