#dndads s2 ep 25

[babacontainsmultitudes]

Now for a long, disorganized ramble about Scary and Lark, feat. Sparrow and Normal

I really wanted to talk about this in way that was more logically organized, but after today’s episode (25) I *need* to talk about Scary and Lark. I’m certainly not breaking new ground in stating that there are parallels between the two of them, but still it’s just-

It’s just- they’re so similar. It’s the way Scary is so unnecessarily cruel in a way that feels so reminiscent of how Lark was with Henry post-rogue in season 1. Scary doesn’t know why she feels how she feels, so she tries to justify it, tries to find explanations for her feelings at every chance she can get. Surely Lark would have had things to work out with Henry either way but, the rogue card no doubt worsened and solidified things on that front and, at the risk of straying a bit farther into speculation, I have to imagine he was very confused by these feelings. He suddenly hates his father so much, and knows nothing of the rogue card’s effect on him, so it’s only natural that he’d try to make sense of these feelings. Then Walter gets seriously injured, and Lark can mostly tie his anger to that for a while (I do think Lark was genuinely very upset by what happened to Walter, but the degree to which he blames Henry for it is irrational, and deep down I think Lark understands this too, but I digress). Walter didn’t have to get hurt for Lark to become so deeply resentful of Henry, that just gave Lark a false pretense for where those feelings came from (as for the reasons I think Lark actually resents Henry- that’ll be for another post another time).

So Scary and Lark are both confused by their own feelings and internally try to justify them. They lash out, they lie, they’re cruel, and they push everyone away. They confuse their coldness with strength, or “doing what has to be done” (a bit more on this later). Their behavior distances them from the rest of the group, either of their own volition, or as punishment (like in the end of today’s ep.).

Enter Willy, who correctly identifies the weakest link twice in a row. Willy, who knows he can use Lark and Scary’s isolation and resentment to his advantage, and does so without them realizing they’re being manipulated. Lark stabs Henry. Scary doesn’t stab Tony, but she might as well have. Willy has successfully led them to the tipping point, people get hurt, and everything is worse now.

Enter Sparrow and Normal. I see the world through Oak-tinted glasses, so yes we have to talk about them. I really wanted to talk about this after episode 24, so I’m scolding myself for only getting to it now, but I’ve become increasingly convinced that Scary and Normal’s relationship parallels Lark and Sparrow’s. Honestly, I think the whole exploration of that is still gonna have to be a separate post, but let’s talk about Sparrow for a bit, shall we?

For starters, I think it’s fairly easy to understand even without specific examples on hand that Sparrow tries desperately to stay by Lark’s side, largely at his own expense. Lark literally slept with his wife and that wasn’t enough for Sparrow to cut him out (or at least distance himself). In ep. 24 Lark is particularly abrasive with his brother, who seems to be so used to putting up with it at this point that he’s completely unfazed by it. I think Sparrow is no doubt angry with Lark, his performance in ep. 23 makes this pretty clear (even if there’s still so much left up to speculation from that scene). But I also think Sparrow still cares deeply for his brother, feels responsible for Lark to some degree, and will enable him so long as it means being able to keep Lark in his life and not let his brother slip any further into isolation than he already has.

And I think Sparrow deeply understands how big of a hand Willy had in his brother’s undoing. I dare say Sparrow blames Willy for Lark’s actions more than Lark blames Willy for them. So when he sees history repeating itself with Scary, he loses it. This is the most direct attempt anyone makes to stop Scary from being manipulated by Willy, and unfortunately, it is largely in vain.

Normal, on his end, bends over backwards to be empathetic with Scary, even when she really doesn’t deserve it. Normal has so much on his plate, so much to be upset about, but repeatedly ignores or understates his own feelings to validate Scary’s. Even when her cruelty is directed at him, he tries so hard to be receptive of her emotions. I’ll try to collect some concrete examples of this in a follow-up post, I think, because they really are plentiful. And like his dad with Lark, even though he means well, Normal unintentionally enables Scary every time that he does this.

So, admittedly without a very smooth segway, when Normal says they’re not going to kill the Doodler, and Lark reprimands Sparrow for being too soft with Norm, and just a bit later this exchange happens:

Lark: Yes, not trusting us. That's a very smart move. Scary, you're learning. Good job, Scary. 

Scary: Heh-heh-heh! 

Lark: You can learn something from Scary, Normal.

Scary: Yeah, you could, Normal!

It says so much, but it also just kind of makes sense. Lark and Scary both progressively learn to keep those around them at arm’s length. What’s more, they are both convinced that sometimes you really do just need to be cruel to get things done, as evidenced in Scary’s case by her decision at the end of today’s episode.

So let’s talk about that ending. As much as things went from 0 to 100 quick, I think what we got was in actuality a long time coming. Apart from Sparrow’s aforementioned outburst, any attempts to lead Scary away from Willy have been passive at best, and more akin to “do what you want but we don’t want him anywhere near us” at worst. Otherwise, there’s been a lot of tension building up between Norm and Scary, so I think that actually makes it so much more intense and perhaps even shocking when it’s Link who finally puts his foot down and kicks Scary out of the group. But with everything discussed up until now, I would say that this actually makes a lot of sense! Link is much more capable than Norm of setting boundaries (see his interactions with Grant), and even with what happened today I just don’t know if Norm would have had it in him to do that to Scary.

So where do we go from here? Hell if I know! I for one have not given up on Scary (or Lark for that matter), and I feel in my heart that Normal won’t either, but that remains to be seen. I’m so curious about how all the teens are gonna be in the next episode, and what will become of the dynamic from here on out. Who will blame Scary, who will blame Willy, and who will blame them both? How is Scary going to come back from this? Who is going to be the one to help her?*cough* Norm, I’m saying it’ll be Norm There’s just so much to think about.

Gosh I spent way too long on this- and it’s kind of a mess, but hopefully it makes at least a bit of sense!

[randomandofnoregard]

[nebulonous]

Not to be the person constantly bringing up Hermie.. buuuut he was the one guarding the jail door. And we know my mans is putting up a FIGHT.

As much as I want to spend brain space on how the Tony thing turned out, I’m too focused on the well-being of this lil guy. If Willy so much as TOUCHED Hermie, I’m suing Anthony Burch. Immediately. Jail time.

[nolassolace]

Waiting for someone to make this week's ep intro in to an hour loop on YouTube

[bungger]

surprised link hasn’t gone feral yet

[hermanunworthy]

timeline of my milestones in the dndads fandom!!!:

2/24: started listening to the podcast

3/30: drew my first dndads fanart

4/2: finished catching up w the podcast (up to s2 ep30)

4/5: did my first dndads cosplay (henry)

4/11: listened to my first live ep (which happened to be halt and catch fireball. help)

4/28: joined dndads tumblr (under the url oak-worthy)

5/15: wrote my first dndads fanfic

5/23: my fave ep dropped on my bday and ruined my life

8/23: started my first collab fic/fave fic ive worked on (iftga <3)

8/26: went to the la live show of the do or dice tour

8/29: coined the ship name kickworthy

8/30: met the dndads cast (minus anthony) at dnd picketing day

11/21: witnessed my fave characters death.

12/17: anthony found out about my blog 😭

12/25: posted my first collab fic

its been an awesome year and ive spent most of it as a dndads fan!! thanks for helping to make this year so great, dndads fandom <3 cant wait to see what next year brings!

[so-called-clown]

Dndads s2 ep.25 spoilers

I LOVE NARRATIVE PARRALLELS SO MUCH (screaming into my pillow) DNDADS IS SO GOOD, (Kicking my feet) AND SCARY IS SO TRUE AND REAL

[saga-star]

dndads s2 ep 25 spoilers

ik everyone’s feeling Things about the scary betrayal even though we all knew it was inevitable, and while i’m definitely hurting for my boys i’m so very scared for her. like she’s been manipulated by this man for however long it’s been, and she keeps pushing away anyone who remotely cares about her bc that’s what scary does!! except this time she’s in actual danger because the one person she’s decided to let it is willy goddamn stampler! and i’m so scared that the rest of the gang won’t try to go after her or stop her because they’re still pissed which is understandable but the idea of scary being isolated with only WILLY?????

[inkedintothepaper]

i am like 25 eps behind on dndads s2. in my mind everything is fine and nothing is bad. i am thinking of pngs.

[idkipanicked]

DNDADS S2 EP 25 SPOILERS

Im so upset about the ending holy fuck

[dapper-nahrwhale]

Various dndads things I'm working on in no specific order:

2 birds lark and sparrow animatic

Dndads musical

Season 2 animatic of the one thing you cant replace bit

All the characters as animal crossing villagers drawing

S2 teens hanging out drawing

S2 teens dance outfits drawing

S2 teens what's in their bags drawing

Nick jr pov fic

Apocalypse time loop au with sparrow

Generational look at the otmod guys and their kids, the o dads and their kids, to the s1 dads and their kids, to the s1 kids and the s2 kids ect ect

Lark and sparrow and henry after the apocalypse to 25 years later fic

Never love an anchor glenn animatic

S2 they have fun at a convention and defeat a monster fic

Vines/tiktoks animated

Deck of many things tarot cards 9 total

Tarot cards design for them, 2 per pc (total of 8)

Dndads lockscreens/icons set

Color palettes for the characters

Music comic

Ep 41 Glenn's plan animatic

(This is mostly for my benefit to keep track of all my stuff and none of these are set in stone but if you ask me anything abt them I am kissing you so much on your mouth)

[nolassolace]

Y'all I can't stop listening to the fucking opening this episode