#it's unfair that he'd foist responsibilities that he himself holds resentment for onto benedict

[dollypopup]

Eloise was definitely spared because Daphne was the shield, but I fully disagree with you about Benedict. Benedict and Anthony are friends, and that's pretty evident in almost all of their interactions. Anthony hugs Benedict, he compliments him. Sure, Anthony doesn't think too hard about what asking Benny to be his second would force upon him, but at the same time, he trusts Benedict to take over his duties for the family. He believes in Benedict and thus wants to ensure his success in any way he can.

Anthony doesn't disrespect Benedict the way he does Colin or his sisters. He and Benedict are in similar age brackets, and they were both raised to have similar expectations. Anthony was raised from birth to be the viscount one day, and Benedict in a similar vein would have to receive an applicable level of care. Benedict was the one left in charge when Anthony left for his honeymoon. By and large, the respect Anthony shows Benedict doesn't contribute to the trauma that Benedict faced when his father died. A and B have each other's backs in a way that isn't extended to the rest of the family. Benedict is even given the grace to question and push back against Anthony, able to step up to bat for Colin in Season 2 with a 'He is only one and twenty, brother' comment.

It's not really a 'who had it worse' in the aftermath of grief, but when it comes to comparing how Anthony treats his siblings, there's definitely a hierarchy. Fran and Eloise are largely ignored, Hyacinth and Gregory are taken care of as though they're Anthony's children, Benedict is considered Anthony's equal and they share responsibilities, and Daphne and Colin are largely treated as burdens Anthony has to take care of. We've talked a lot about how there absolutely should be more shown with familial dynamics! And whilst I won't say that any of them had an easy ride, I can't agree that Benedict has been given even a fraction of the disrespect Anthony has shown Daphne and Colin.

Colin was literally virgin shamed by his brother, and when he apologized at the end of Season 1, Colin was astonished. Demonstrating that it is an incredibly rare event. Anthony is short with him, always upset with what Colin does , and in the aftermath of his engagement, insists on cleaning up Colin's messes because his bar is that low for him. When Anthony found out Benedict was seeing Gen, he said 'Good for you!'. When Anthony found out Colin was courting Marina, he said 'Obvs you're just doing it to wet your wick.' He has just about 0 faith in him. He doesn't even want Colin to invest what is the family's money, thus also belonging to him, into a family friend's business. He looks down on him for courting Marina and for being softhearted. He snaps at him at doesn't respond to his letters. How he treated Daphne was similarly egregious: forcing away her suitors because he thought he knew best, showing he has a similar low standard for her, challenging someone he considered a friend who she clearly liked to a duel, dictating the outcome of her life. He doesn't believe in either of them.

I will say that him paying for Benedict's art school behind his back was the biggest disrespect he delivered him, but even that doesn't hold a candle to trying to force Daphne to marry Berbrooke, or encouraging Colin's insecurities, making him feel like less of a man because Colin was different than he was. Anthony believes Benedict is capable, but he thinks Colin is a foolish child. The unfairness he foists onto them both is different, but very far from equal.

unpopular opinion. . .but I do NOT want Anthony to walk Penelope down the aisle. Not only because they don't really have much of a relationship, the two of them really haven't interacted at all, but also because Anthony has really been. . .pretty damn hard on Colin. Like of all the siblings, Anthony has been the most stern and displeased with Colin. There's just something about the idea of him walking Pen down the aisle to Colin that doesn't sit right with me when Anthony was also the one of the linchpins who encouraged and pushed Colin to put on his mask. S1 he made fun of him for being a virgin, S2 he yelled at him in full view of the entire family for investing money in Pen's family to the point where Benedict and Eloise called him out for it, and S3, the only praise he gave him was for the attention he got from others after putting on a persona

No, I want someone else to walk Penelope down the aisle. A man who is also a wife guy, completely besotted, and would completely get Colin's feelings toward Pen. A man who already has a good relationship with Penelope, to the point where he was absolutely delighted to see her looking beautiful in a new dress. A man who has taken up the mantle as the OG Featherington Husband and would be nothing but excited for the honor of walking his Sister in Law down the aisle

and the man for this job?

None other than

Albion Finch