#like literally thats what the narrative does to archie. crazy

[garbagequeer]

archie riverdale

[xgraavyx]

The Three Students Pt 2

I made my brother watch this episode with me and we both liked it alot. He hadn't seen part one but was still able to follow along without it.

He said it was "an exquisite yap session" for what thats worth. Sherlock literally publicly shaming these students is very funny I think. Him making Oliver admit to roleplaying for his alibi but not making any of the other students admit to what they were doing was so dirty. Like then he literally calls him out as being embarassing thats crazy lol.

I love how we were able to get the important clues througout the story. Upon my second listen I was able to hear every important clue as it was given to us (and given to sherlock) and it was very nice. The twist of it being Kaylie was nicely done as well. It make sense and honestly shes so real for that. I commented on my previous post about how Watson's alcoholism should be taken note of. We haven't heard much of Sherlock's drug usage and im sure Watson would want to cut those parts out of the podcast but he didn't cut anything related to it in the earlier episodes. We know Watson rarely cuts anything out of the podcast so it makes no sense why he would start cutting the drug usage out whenever he left it in on previous episodes. How much of Watson's alcoholism is going undocumented? Either way I would like to see more of it. Seeing character flaws and like issues (like his ptsd and drinking) would be very interesting to see. Sherlock's improv speech was very nice. My brother thought it was a nice thing to see him solve a case and explain it in such a way that captivates audiences while teaching his methods. Seeing him get into his zone and regain his confidence was thrilling. During and after the speech he acts as though he is being only entertaining and not teaching and that is so sad. Like the entire time he interjects with comments like "if you gain anything from this" and stuff of that nature. Like how can he truly not believe he is teaching? Does he not see how this narrative style is enlightening? Is it because he sees these things as interesting and not teaching? Idk how to word this properly but he naturally is able to explain and teach in such a way that he himself is not even aware that he is teaching. It reminds me of the og books, the audience learns of how to deduce (like how to tell someone's height by the length of their stride and their shoe size and how too estimate height by seeing where they naturally write on a surface). The stories use narrative to teach in ways that you don't even notice you are learning until you see yourself viewing the world differently.

Like in the beginning of the first part Watson attempts to use Sherlock's methods on Archie. Sherlock unknowingly has taught Watson to be more perceptive and has done so by just explaining his reasonings whenever asked. Sherlock did not intentionally do so to teach Watson to emulate his methods but it is done naturally. Sherlock has a natural teaching ablility. He does so in a way that even himself is not aware he is teaching. He is simply being himself and others are learning from that.

[veronicadvalle]

Jasmin’s official predictions for 2.08

**until new information gets released. this is all subject to future change!

👏 The promo doesn’t follow the same sequential order as the episode! 

Guys, I’ve seen many theories who put the same order of the promo as the same order of events of the episode. That’s just naive. We know better than that. The promo is often misleading for that very same reason. The trailer is just suppose to shed a tiny tiny light on the events of the episode, almost like grasping the overall ~vibe~ of the episode without giving much  - if anything -away. So yeah, the promo doesn’t follow the order of events of the actual episode, so keep that in mind. 

“I want to be with you. Can’t that be enough for now?” 

Veronica, baby girl. That boy is crazy about you. I think I might be in the minority about this but I think this is going to be toward the start of the episode, and I think this has nothing to do with the ily. Before, Veronica mentioned that she ‘bolts’, that ‘Old Veronica’ would be out the door by now. Furthermore, we also know Veronica only had loads of flings and hook-ups. Whether that was because thats just how they do it amongst her group of friends in NYC or because of personal choice, I don’t know but we do know that Veronica never had a boyfriend™. She never had that intimacy with someone (as a lot, if not most, teens haven’t) and she’s trying to “bolt” a lá typical old Veronica Lodge fashion. 

So i think something comes up that makes Veronica overwhelmed. Something that puts Archie and Veronica on two different pages. The metaphor I like to use is that Archie wants to put his facebook status as “In a relationship with: Veronica Lodge” meanwhile Veronica saw the notification and left him hanging. 

The overall line just suggests that Veronica wants to keep their relationship casual. Don’t get her wrong, he most definitely is her boyfriend but that’s just a title. “I want to be with you.” She reassures him so why do they have to do all that other stuff?? 

Veronica’s overall view on relationship also seems a bit ... naive. Truthfully and realistically, just wanting to be with someone isn’t always going to be enough. I always say that Veronica sees the world with rose colored glasses and this is no different. She thinks that as long as she wants to be with Archie, they can conquer the world together. But it takes more than that. Archie and Veronica are gonna be on two different pages and its gonna be tense. 

“I love you Ronnie,” he says while not even looking at her. 

Not gonna lie, I was excited to hear that line when the promo came out. But now I’m over it~ That cannot be the official ily. It can’t. I know Archie is a dummy and all but he’s also a romantic. He ... can’t do that to me. I’ll be very disappointed in him if that’s how the ily goes down. The entire positioning just ... seems off. He’s not even looking at her. As much as I appreciate tiny “big” spoon Veronica, she’s not looking at him either. It just seems ~off~ for an ily scene. 

Is it just a camera trick? Is it Archie trying to give Veronica some time to process the information, give her a chance to avoid saying anything if she isn’t ready or .... is it --- which brings me to my next theory: 

Two ‘I love you’s in one episode? A girl can dream. 

I’m riding a lot on this theory and it’s still very flimsy and unlikely, I know. But hear me out guys! I’ll admit this theory comes from the sole fact that I’ll be very unsatisfied if that ily scene from the promo is their official ily moment --- which leads me to think, would they really give that away in the promo? Unless ... its a red herring, unless there are two ily scenes~~~ 

I know I sound like a crazy fangirl (which I am). I think the first will be Archie being impulse af and just saying it (like in the promo). That was always one of my original theories as to how their ilys would go down. i definitely see Archie saying it in the heat of the moment. It could be that ily scene in the promo and Veronica can easily get out of it since they aren’t even looking at each other. I don’t know. Regardless, I demand an ily scene where they are looking at each other and Veronica says it back kthxbye

Y’all really making out at school? 

I think that scene is going to be after they make up. At least I hope, just because it’ll add so much depth to their (very public) moment, almost like an unapologetic “yeah we’re in love and we don’t care who sees it.” Yanno? (not to mention, they both look so happy). 

This is not how it went in HSM | Very awkward  (at a gang bar)

I honestly have no idea what that awkward exchange is gonna be about. What we do know, Archie and Veronica have a very awkward scene where he isn’t even looking at her and Veronica looks near tears and anxious/scared. And they also have a very awkward duet. I can see this potentially being Veronica final try at pushing him away and possibly succeeding. 

As for that duet, I’m not even sure they even sing it. Just because Veronica looked very tense and scared and ... distracted, and Archie was looking at her with so much concern. So yeah, I’m not even sure they make it through the duet. But the duet comes first and then their awkward conversation which might be Veronica “bolting” and pushing Archie away. 

Why is veronica crying and who do i have to shoot? 🔫

That scene where Veronica is sobbing is definitely after she leaves the whyte wyrm, where she probably pushed Archie away (yes, i’m avoiding the words break up and/or “taking a break”, but you catch my drift). She’s sobbing because she possibly might have broken Archie’s heart into a million tiny pieces. 

Why does Veronica push Archie away? 

It could be a myriad of reasons. She doesn’t want to be a corruptive force in his life (aka, she’s a Lodge™ and she’s a “bad person” compared to Archie Andrews who is literally a golden retriever with a hero complex). She wants to shield him from that, keep him away from Hiram maybe? Maybe she thinks Archie’s getting too attached and she doesn’t want to potentially hurt him later on because “thats what love does.” Vulnerability hurts, love hurts, and she wants nothing to do with that. She’s shielding her own heart from future heartbreak. It could be so many reasons. 

Misc Details

Veronica wears like 10 different outfits in the promo alone while Archie wears the same 3 lolz

I don’t know when or why they are making out in his bedroom. that could be a quick montage/intro sequence maybe? Just because I don’t see how it would fit in the narrative. (he’s wearing the varsity jacket but he’s always wearing the varsity jacket so thats not helpful)

They make up at the end of the episode. I won’t  take it any other way.

In riverdale #8, we know that Veronica says ily so she definitely does say it, whether on camera or not. But I’ll definitely be writing a letter to ras if she doesn’t say it on camera. 

In 2.04, she told her father “one of the things i love about archie...” so she definitely loves him, thats undoubtedly true. I just need to hear her say the three words to archie and Ill be happy. 

[openemptysummer]

Hi i like Leverage and i like analyzing narratives. i'm really interested in hearing your thoughts regarding 'Parker as the Chosen One of Leverage' if you have the time to expand on that

I wasn’t sleeping tonight anyway so here we go-

This got super long and waaaay out of control so meta under the cut. 1.5k of sleep deprived leverage meta below. sorry not sorry

I’ll start here, with why the rest of the team isn’t and then move to Parker- 

Eliot Spencer is the character who externally changes the least over the course of the show. He starts off a tiny shouty man who is there to protect these people and ends up a tiny shouty man who is there to protect his family (also the subbiest sub to ever sub). Which is not to say he lacks characterization- in five seasons, he gets closure on the things he’s left behind- Amie, Damien Moreau, his Dad after the Low Low Price Job (which is v important because it talks about an everyday kind of evil thats pervasive  and petty)- and opens himself up to these random people who he took a job with once. He’s got inside jokes and taught Parker how to fight, and we all know damn good and well that when he said ‘til my dying day he meant it.

Eliot changes the least because out of the team he knows himself the best. He’s come to terms with who he is as a person before Victor Dubenich ever contacts him.  He’s got blood on his hands and the worst thing he ever did he did for Damien Moreau but he is resigned to who he is and what he’s done. He doesn’t expect anything more from his life but now that he’s got this family he won’t ever let go. Eliot doesn’t so much change over the course of the show as he does loosen up. He’s there on the field but the Narrative is never really about him. Not even when maybe it should be. (I.e. the Underground Job)

Hardison starts out as the guy who is perpetually the smartest guy in the room and shows it.  I’d kinda forgotten how blatant and uncomfortable his hitting on Parker in the first few episodes was and how grateful I am that they tuned that wayyy down. He gets easier with himself and his skin, more self confident, more willing to put himself out there. He learns how to grift, then pickpocket, and then he approaches Nate about running his own team. And Nate tells him he isn’t ruthless enough- Nate who in the first episode told Hardison about how he dies in Plan M. Hardison is soft in ways that no other team member is and it’s presented as a strength. Hardison is the one who is unashamedly kind and you see it more and more through his interactions with the team and their clients. Particularly with Parker. He’s the one who teaches her about human interaction- who explains the things she misses and holds her up when she falters.  

Hardison is the Token Good Teammate. He’s too nice to have the Narrative on his side. 

Sophie is a mentor. The teacher and protecter to the crew and her issues are all about identity in a way that dovetails nicely with both Nate and Parker. She doesn’t know who she is, but she knows what she’s not- that’s a great long list that starts with honest. Sophie is the character who is served least by the show I think because beginning to end she’s all tied up in Nate. She grows as a person, gives up her secrets slowly, like she’s not certain about the choices she’s making. Sophie who terrifies Chaos, Sophie who can call in a favors that will bring a helicopter down on an active crime scene that is literally crawling with feds, Sophie who never explains how she managed to hold on to her title if she truly ran off on some Duke. 

Sophie is ruthless and Sophie is dangerous and Leverage very rarely lets her be either. Mentors don’t get arcs the way main characters do. 

Nate is straightforward in his way. Because Nate is our Dumbledore here. He plays chess with people, and is burning with his grief. He has a Cause and it is Right and Justified and True in his mind. He goes from drunk to sober, honest man to thief, hating himself and the world to content and these are all part of his arc and all important to who he is because for a while the Narrative is on his side. 

He can’t lose until he can and that’s when he decides what his final score will and how he’ll pass on his legacy. And when he makes that decision every bit of effort they’ve put into developing Parker pays off.  

Parker for the entire run of the series is the character who figures out who she is and what she wants to be. She’s described in the first episode over and over again as crazy and she is poorly socialized and wild and unthinking about her or others personal safety but even from the first episode she’s adapting. Ten minutes in and she’s already learnt something and assimilated it to herself. (haircuts parker, count the haircuts.) And suddenly Parker has this crew that thinks she can be better and different than what she is. Nobody has ever said that to her before- not even Archie. (Incidentally at the end of the Stork Job when Hardison tells Parker I like how you turned out it is the one of the finest expressions of love on tv, fight me)

So first season thats the Call and the Rejection- Parker is offered a chance to change and be something different with limited degrees of success. Sophie tries to teach her to grift and she stabs a guy, Nate sends her to jury duty and she tries to help but she’s not certain why she should be helping. Parker operates on pretty limited morality to start because she’s never been given a reason to do otherwise. Money->Personal Safety->Everybody Else.

Season Two is about Parker learning. She’s given further roles in the team- she grifts successfully- in small parts first, as an reporter, an heir, then playing a pregnant woman to avoid getting caught. Parker learns how to read other peoples expectations and use them. But you, the viewer are still not certain she gets it. The Zanzibar Marketplace Job is when we figure out that Parker has figured out how to care, when she’s fluttering about Maggie. The Maltese Falcon Job and we’re still not sure about her motives for do-gooding but we understand how she feels about her team when she hold Tara off of a building and considers dropping her. So Money=Team->Everybody Else

In S3 we get the Inside Job and Parker Gets It. (This is what we do she says) 

Same episode- I think Nate looked around that warehouse and thought how can I use this. I think Nate looked at Parker’s plans and thought not how I would have done it. I think Nate was still thinking about the warehouse and those plans when he willingly steps back and says It’s your show. Go for it. Nate does not give up control to people who can’t do his job. Nate goes in after her but the plan and the execution that was all Parker. 

The rest of the season is this and Hardison dancing around something good. She’s come to terms with her past and lets it go. She manages two grifts (the Underground Job and the Morning After Job without stabbing anyone and she is learning. So Money=Team->Good Guys->Bad Guys

S4 Parker has already transformed. She just needs to figure out what to do with it. She sorts out her feelings for Hardison, overcomes the last of her insecurities about people leaving and by the time they hit Portland she ready to run a crew. And she does on the side all season.

The Gimma A K Street Job is about leading a team she’s not confident in. The Real Fake Car Job she plays a role that would have been Sophies if Nate weren’t testing them. In The Broken Wing Job, Parker says people who have to help and she’s being sincere- compare with s1e1 when she talks about money. In both the Rundown Job and The White Rabbit- she runs the con. She sacrifices for both of the jobs. Particularly the Rundown Job when Parker choses the needs of the many over the few and this job requires that too, the willingness to set yourself on fire to save a single soul. 

(Hardison doesn’t ever forgive himself for the impulse of damn the many, not just because Spock would be disappointed. Eliot. I think, understands it perfectly- Parker looked at him first, than Hardison.) 

Then finally the Long Goodbye and here is where Parker fully inhabits the role. She is the character who has traveled the furtherest from where she began and the only one who can do it. So this is simultaneously Passing the Torch and our hero, the Chosen One coming into her destiny as somebody who will provide Leverage- if you want to apply Jungian Archetypes to media that’s not built for it (which i always do)

And she’s the only character ruthless enough to see this through. Nate hands her the job like it’s a gift but it’s really not. The Narrative is on her side.

It had to be her. Somebody else might have gotten it wrong.