#layla was ALWAYS on his life bc of olivia

[ricochetingtears]

i’m at work but the fact jordayla said i love you in the most perfect way, i’m trying not burst in tears and i cannot wait to arrive home to watch it

[consoledacup]

I’ve just finished s5 of AA and I noticed something about Jordan specifically in regards to Layla. It’s almost like he quickly snaps,spirals or worries when he thinks she doesn’t take things seriously. Can you please weigh in on this because I truly don’t understand what that’s about?

Love this question. Astute observation, and I completely agree.

That floods back to his character journey from the beginning. He wants to be this badass leader that people look up to, just like his dad. But he's goofy and playful, and his dad has a hard time taking him seriously. He calls his dad out in 402 about that. His dad expected him to be a screwup, so he wasn't as mad as he was at the perfect son, Spencer James.

With his girlfriends in the past, they kinda ran the show. He became a stoner with Ripley, the stuff with Simone was pretty much always her call... as JJ points out crudely in 506. The minute he challenged either of them, problems arose.

Even this season, when he got Kenny his job, the team still wouldn't take him seriously as a leader.

With Layla, you're absolutely right. Pretty much all their fights happen when he doesn't think she takes him seriously. Layla gave him a wakeup call in 416. She saw leadership in him and didn't understand why he was hiding behind his affable nature. It made him reconsider how he viewed himself, and he finally started to look inward.

So we got that piece. He has a history of people not taking him seriously in the past. And he's not innocent in that and has very much contributed to that ideal.

But Layla has also been in his life most of his own. And he has seen her commitment to other guys. So when she's super cautious about committing to him, he's like, what, does she not take me seriously either?

He knows that she's cautious bc of what happened to her, and he's trying to respect that and is super understanding. But he confesses his feelings, and she's like, "uhhhh the Vortex, uhhhh you're my best friend, uhhhhh" and it kills him because he's never felt so seen or understood or as connected as he has with Layla.

Then in 505, when she's joking about his speed dating, it's clear to us, and probably him, that she's trying to play it off. But he's just so all in with her, and here she is saying she wouldn't want to stop him if he found someone better. And he's like, excuse me??? What about the heat she had for Spencer when he fell in love with Olivia or Asher when he cheated on her? Who is he, chopped liver?

Okay, and again, I love this ask because this is exactly what escalated the fight in 508. He was upset Layla brought Simone into their relationship, but he was more upset she didn't consult him about it. He saw them as this fortified team, and he saw her as someone who took his ideas and opinions and past seriously. And when she acted on her own accord, it upset him.

With 510, he wanted to defend her honor and she very clearly did not need it. And who is he if not a romantic who solves problems by punching? She was kinda challenging his identity, and it made him wonder if she really needed him as much as he needed her.

Then in 517, we don't see much, but he's clearly upset she's not prioritizing him in her life.

And in 520, he flat out says, "If you're not gonna take this seriously..." about the game, but obv about the proposal... he knew most people in his life wouldn't take him seriously at first once they found out he proposed to Layla. They'd bring up his past with Simone and his impulsivity, and he expected that. What he feared was Layla saw him the same way. She says, "Marriage is a big deal." And it gets to him because what is she implying there?? Just because he got married before means he didn't know how to take commitment seriously?

They function beautifully as a team, so his concern and worries are quickly assuaged each time. It's funny because their connection has prompted him to become much more mature and serious about things. But it's also prompted her to not take things so seriously and loosen up. So while they help each other develop these otherwise dormant sides of their personalities, it lends room for some growing pains because of it.

[pinkbarefacedbeauty]

Jealousy?

IF The Last had actually been canon......

You could argue that EVERYONE knows that Hinata likes Naruto. But why would Sakura be so worried about Hinata’s feelings? Why would she be so overly conscious of it? 

This is pretty typical of jealousy. When you have a love rival, and you are self deprecating, not only do you notice the feelings of your rival but you start to push your feelings back. And YOU start backing away or pushing the other person closer and start to list all the way in which YOU think the other person would be a better fit. 

Sakura was self-deprecating as a child (when SHE was bullied *cough* stolen origin. Calling you out Hinata *cough* ) and still kind of doubts her self every now and then when seeing how Naruto and Sasuke are leagues beyond the rest of K11. 

(Reply 1988): This kind of reminds me of Junghwan v. Taek who both loved Deoksun. In which Junghwan is Sakura. (The only difference is Taek actually interacted with Deoksun unlike Hinata with Naruto). When Taek and Junghwan noticed how hard the other is laughing at Deoksun’s dance, you see they both start to realize the other’s feelings for Deoksun. And Junghwan in his self-deprecating ways and having no desire to hurt Taek starts to back away. Taek on the other hand unflinchingly chooses love, not because he doesn’t care for Junghwan but that he is just that in love with Deoksun. I, myself was team Junghwan all the way (I. am so similar to him), but TaekSun grew on me.

Taek was so forward in his own way. Like when they were left alone on the beach, like when he followed her to the bathroom when they heard there was a flasher on the loose. Like when he carried her when she twisted her ankle. When he deeply hugged her but only smiled at his other friends when they visited. There were so many little things here and there.

Junghwan was forward in his brusque tsundere way. If he would have made it to the movie theater before Taek, I am certain she would have ended up with him. Junghwan gains courage too late.

That’s how I feel with Sakura. In that scene when she is lying on the floor. It’s so self-deprecating and a guilt trip to Naruto...

I don’t think that she felt that she deserved Naruto’s love (cut to her breaking down when Sai told her). I don’t think she even believes she deserves Sasuke’s even now, It’s just she spent so long pining after him and now she has him as a consolation prize....but what was she really chasing?? Looking at SS and NH, it feels so empty bc they settled for who they didn’t truly love in fear of being alone. And that actually happens in real life tbh too. 

It’s basically a “no way you could have actually loved me. Me? of all people? are you sure?? What about Hinata? She liked you all this time. Could really love someone like me?? Do you not think of her? How could you not have??”.....Why would Sakura of all people be pushing Hinata so heavily??? (I think this was the studio’s attempt at showing->hey look NS fans, Sakura supports Hinata!!! Like that’ll make us forget the tons of evidence) Hinata could have had literally anyone else talk to her about her love. Like Kurenai, her sensei ,who promised to look after her. Even Ino wouldn’t be too far fetched becasue Ino would like to gossip on things like that imo at the flower shop. And again EVERYONE is aware of her feelings (Just like EVERYONE is aware of Naruto’s for Sakura) Or even have her have a sisterly conversation with Hanabi (show their repaired/repairing relationship).....why Sakura out of all people??

Sakura must have been sleeping on this/thinking of this for so long. 

I felt like that part while so stupid (as why would Naruto whose nindo is to never give up, give up immediately??) could also be Sakura’s way of trying again. With Sakura saying all of that, if he went “no I know my feelings, I am not an idiot, of course I knew of Hinata’s feelings since pain but I love you. It’s always been you”, I feel that they would have gotten together. STILL. In NH’s own movie. STILL, the chemistry between Naruto and Sakura was overpowering. That one scene alone where he jumps from the bird jutsu thingy to catch her trumps ALL of NH scenes not only in series/manga but in their own movie as well. 

(All American) I’m watching All American on The CW lately, and to debunk Spelivia alot of people like to use “they’re like brother and sister” as an excuse of why they don’t support them as well. And i’m like I know plenty of females/males who claims that someone that they later end up messing with is just like a sibling to them. I felt the chemistry between Olivia and Spencer since day 1. I like Layla and Asher, but Olivia and Spencer just have that bomb chemistry. 

I could make another comparison in how Naruto jumping from the bird is evident of how he loves her. He jumps, falls (fall-ing in love anyone??) and reaches towards her. This reminds me of Into the Spiderverse, with that iconic scene in which Miles does a trust fall/leap off a building going towards the ground/ the city he loves and wants to save. (I LOVED THIS MOVIE. YAY PT.2) 

Everybody and their mama know I could ramble for days about this. For now, I’ll think of a pt.2 later.

[consoledacup]

I love your takes so I’m just gonna ask this bc you did a breakdown of Layla’s insecurities. Do you think you can highlight Jordan’s insecurities as well,from maybe his past relationships or his relationship with his dad and how it could affect how he views certain things now in comparison to before

Hey, Anon!

Thank you for your kind words. And also, I'm thrilled you asked about Jordan. Layla has gone through so much, and everyone's super happy she has someone as perfect for her as Jordan. But Jordan is just as deserving as love, and Layla's perfect for him, too. They're pretty balanced that way.

Jordan has always wanted to matter to someone. To feel needed and wanted.

He clearly has an Oedipus complex. And I'm not just talking about all the Laura look-alikes he has one night stands with. Honestly, he punches so many people because he can't punch his dad. Like, his relationship with Billy is so heartbreaking. And I'm not sure if he'll ever get what he needs from his father.

He's Jordan Baker, QB1, and his dad is this legend. And it must have dawned on him at some point, that his dad has never seen him as someone to carry on the legacy. When all he's done for years is push himself to make that happen, wearing that number 1 on his jersey with an obscene amount of bravado.

I bet you anything that Jordan wasn't even his dad's guy before Spencer got there. I'm sure it was Asher. He told Spencer he was never his dad's guy. So Asher is the star player and dating the most popular girl in school, and he's supposed to be doing those things, right? And then Spencer moves INTO HIS HOME, becomes the star player, and gets to date that same most popular girl in school. Like, hello?

Not only has he always wanted to feel needed and wanted, but he's also felt like such a screw-up and completely undependable. That was probably amplified the most when he found Olivia in the state she was before the pilot.

So he leans into that, right? He desperately tries to base his self-worth on being handsome and charming and popular. He was never gonna be the perfect son or captain or student or brother or boyfriend, so whatever. And then after his parents' separation, he leans into the charming and the handsome even more.

Until Simone.

Because this fiercely independent girl needs him. She was so desperate in her situation, that she lied about the father of her baby and demanded he be in her life and handle his responsibilities. It causes him to step up in a huge way. Of course he's gonna fall in love with her even after he finds out the truth. She saw him as someone who would step up and help. For the first time, here's someone who says, "He can take care of me. He can help me with this."

Then when Billy and Spencer leave Beverly for Crenshaw, he holds on tighter to Simone and the baby and thinks that maybe he has a new family. Because it kills him that Simone's having a kid with someone else, and he'll never share that connection. So maybe if they got married, she'd need him still. But it doesn't work. Aside from the fact that they're super young, they're both clinging to the idea that their marriage will fix all other aspects of their lives.

So they annul the marriage. And then Layla shows up at his door. And again, he wasn't there. This fiercely independent person, who was sort of an extension of his sister for years, shows up. And he wonders where the hell he's been and what the hell he's been doing. And why he wasn't paying more attention to her all along.

It doesn't take much for her to open up to him about her experience. He slowly catches onto the fact that she needs him. And he falls naturally into this role with her. Because he begins to realize how much he needs her, too. In his beautiful words to her in 4x20, he wants nothing more than for them to be "laughing, connecting, pushing each other to find the very best part of [them]selves."

And it's different from his relationship with Simone. Simone needed him to save her from her situation. And he needed her to save him from everything else going on his life. And by the way, he punched Damon, and Simone came for Layla because both of those individuals represent their own failure in the failed relationship. Both Jordan and Simone had to confront the "victors" of the quadrangle. It sucks, and it's not fair. But that's what happened.

After the fallout from Simone, and facing his feelings for Layla head on (by reverting to old patterns), he realizes that he finally found that feeling of truly mattering to someone. And it was with Layla of all people. So he's not gonna let her go without a fight. Not until she signals to him that he's not what she wants.

Or who she needs.