#don't even get me started on nessarose - i'm trying to do her right too i promise

[galindathegay]

The problem with writing Boq is that he's a character with so many layers.

From what I see, Boq is a hopeless romantic whose heart has a stronger beat than he is capable of containing. He falls in love with Galinda, who does not care to acknowledge him for longer than a fleeting moment - but he is so blinded by his own passionate feelings for her that she is able to persuade him into dating a girl he isn't even sure he likes.

And because Nessarose needs someone - needs someone - especially after her sister flees the Emerald City - Boq becomes shackled to her. He does not love her. He does not want anything to do with her. But he cannot leave her, whether out of pity or obligation, he isn't sure.

Then Nessarose cuts Munchkinland off from the rest of Oz.

For at least two years, he is trapped with a woman who makes demands of him that he cannot fulfill, requires promises he cannot keep. Every trace of hope becomes replaced with longing for a time when everything still made sense. He still dreams of Galinda's smile, her laugh, her eyes... But those dreams eventually become nightmares, reminders of how when he wakes the visage before him will fade to that of his captor.

And that's during the intermission!

To recap Act II: Boq is revealed to the audience as a servant for Nessarose, who believes the false pretense that they are both in a committed relationship. When Elphaba appears in Nessa's chambers, Boq attempts to flee - only for Nessarose's fear of abandonment to ensnare him once again, this time in the form of a spell. Which backfires. Badly.

Elphaba's attempt to save him does not spare his heart. But what is really left of a heart to save if it's already been bled dry?

So. He goes through all of that; teams up with the girl who murdered his ex-girlfriend/former-abuser; receives validation from the Wizard of fucking Oz that Elphaba must die; and in the end stands before Glinda the Good with nothing gained from any of it.

Boq blames Nessa for enslaving him and for his heart disappearing; and he hates Elphaba for turning him into the Tin Man.

But really, his heart was ground to dust from the words "Oh, that's so kind."

By the same token - and the most crucial part about all of this - is that G(a)linda isn't aware of any of this at all. She isn't even someone we can blame. While it was awful of her to play Boq like a fiddle and point him in Nessarose's direction instead of being honest with him, Galinda has no other part to play in any of his story. She's got her own shit to deal with.

So writing Boq into THPOLY and doing all of this justice is gonna be a feat.