#post-reveal pre-relationship has the most room for interesting chaos

[steelblaidd]

I want to pick them all😓

[fire-of-the-sun]

Kane & Abby: Love Making

My thoughts on the upcoming Kabby love scene. (Pre-Season 4 Speculation)

Similar to last year’s trailer revealing their first kiss, this year we’re also shown a snippet of another iconic moment between them - their first love scene. Hopefully, what brief seconds we’ve seen is only a taste of what we’ll actually get and nothing too major has been spoiled except for the fact that it is happening. Additionally, we will hopefully be blessed with a wealth of other Kabby moments this season we’re not expecting. Just like last year, revealing their kiss is a way to further affirm to audiences that the nature of their relationship has evolved into something romantic. A small snippet of their love scene has been shown, but there is still much more to see. Hopefully this is just the tip of the iceberg for them this season…

SCENE ANALYSIS:

Below are two shots of the same scene from two different trailers. These shots are definitely from the same scene as they’re far too similar to be separate. The lighting comes from the same sources (candlelight on one side and daylight perhaps on the other) and they’re in the same position (her slightly above him, supposedly sitting in his lap while he reclines on something). I can’t wait to find out the context of the scene. How they got there, why they’re in a room alone, how this started and how it ended up there.

I definitely think this could be a post-love making moment. Their hair is already fairly messy and their clothes are already largely removed (I’m assuming Kane is shirtless and Abby has on a tank top/bra). That being said, I hope we do get to see the ‘before’. This scene will be a huge step for them and deserves its due spotlight. They are a major canon relationship and pretty much every other couple on this show has had a love scene (with far less development beforehand), so they are deserving of the same treatment, if not more so. I suppose we might not get to see them in the middle of the action but perhaps the start and end of it e.g. the first moments of kissing and removal of clothing and then later cut to them afterwards as we see them in these trailer shots. I’d certainly rather have that than just an implied love scene with the aftermath being the only thing we get to witness.

I think the second shot is right after the kiss in the first shot. Abby looks to be leaning away slightly, watching him adoringly while he’s still reveling in the wake of the kiss which, I believe, is the reason behind his blissful expression. He’s so wrapped up in her - so overwhelmed by her love and affection and their emotions are completely laid bare to each other. He’s not accustomed to reciprocated affection and this is all going to be largely new to him as they try to give each other the love they know the other deserves.

At the very bottom of the second shot - eclipsing the bottom of Abby’s hand - we can just barely see the blurred, rounded edge of what I believe is Kane’s bare shoulder which bobs out of the frame as he moves. The shot doesn’t allow us to see if Abby’s still wearing the ring on her finger, but we can see the chain around her neck. The rings could be addressed in this scene or, perhaps, take place later in the season as the potential removal of them doesn’t seem to be a pre-requisite for their love scene. That is, unless they have talked about it at this point and the choice is not to remove them at all. I have high hopes that the rings will be addressed in some capacity this season as their relationship and the resurgence of Jake’s memory will demand some kind of conversation about it.

WHERE:

It’s difficult to decipher much of the background in these shots, but what little we can see looks most indicative of Polis. There is clearly candlelight accentuating them in this scene. It’s an iconic feature of Polis as well as a staple of love scenes on this show as almost all have taken place in the fittingly romantic light. In the second shot we see a more simplistic grey background with what looks to be four square black alcoves behind Kane’s head which, again, seems more like an architectural feature found exclusively in Polis. I hope we can see more romantic moments between them back in Arkadia and Kane’s room specifically, but, for this scene, they are definitely in some room in the Polis tower.

WHEN:

I’ve been confused about the potential timeline for this scene as I always assumed they’d be heading back to Arkadia by the end of 4x01, but it doesn’t look like that’s the case. I’m assuming it’ll take place sometime within the first three episodes or, at most, within the first five. We’ll see how everything plays out…

My previous theory - long before the trailer came out - was that it could possibly take place in 4x11, aka the episode Ian directed. It’d be a unique opportunity for him to helm it and potentially one of the reasons that episode was selected for him. Although that’s unlikely now, there’s a chance Ian could still have directed another powerful, romantic scene between him and Paige in his episode.

Premiere Theory This may already be the accepted mentality, but I’ll address it once more: I don’t think this scene will take place in the premiere, nor do I think it’d be an ideal time for it. I think a potential bandaging scene (which I go into more detail here) is much more likely to occur and is a more plausible choice as an opening scene for their relationship. I think there is plenty of possibility for some more necessary development between them and build up towards this scene that the premiere episode would not allow. I actually think it’d be a fairly disappointing decision, as the scene wouldn’t be given the time and spotlight it deserves. Here are some other reasons:

Both Abby and Kane have cuts/bruises in 3x16. Abby has cuts over her right eyebrow, cheek, lips and bruises around her neck and Kane has a cut above his left eyebrow and right cheek. These wounds can be plainly seen in the 4x01 promo pics. In the footage for their love scene however, their faces are completely clear. They may fade quickly, but certainly not in the span of one episode. Seeing how those fade should be indicative of when this scene might take place. 

A lot of Ian’s comments at SDCC seemed very suggestive of this event based on teases such as: “do I take my clothes off?”, “Jason did say I should start working out” and more, but I don’t think it’s from reading the premiere script but, rather, just from knowing that a love scene will take place this season, as it wouldn’t be hard to assume that kind of scene is imminent for him and Paige on top of already being hinted to him by Jason. He’s expecting it and looking out for it as he reads each new script not because he had already read it.

Ian also teased that 4x01 will be very busy and without respite, and, if that’s the case, I don’t see a slow, romantic love scene fitting in well with the initial chaos that will no doubt be an immediate matter to handle. Also, if there are truly important things to be done, I can’t see them putting themselves above their people and spending their time alone if there are more pressing matters.

INTERACTION:

Kane and Abby have always been careful and thoughtful with their interaction, displaying gentle, affectionate touches to show comfort and support. I’d like their love scene to continue to exemplify this as it’s who they truly are and it’s what their love looks like. I want to spotlight the very essence of who they are individually and what they are together. This definitely seems to remain true for these shots. They look very peaceful, relaxed and happy as they’re enjoying their time together. Given the circumstances, they should be seeking and relishing every moment they can with each other, not wasting any time to say and do everything they want to and enjoy each other’s company before it potentially ends. They’ll have to fill a lifetime’s worth of love into a matter of months - which gives us fans the opportunity to witness some amazing scenes under these unique circumstances. 

It’s easy to assume we’ll see the continuation of their established habits in this scene, such as Abby touching his hair and beard and Kane probably touching her in many ways throughout the scene, his hands never disconnected from her. He could caress her face and hair, they could touch foreheads, kiss each other without interruption and more - whatever happens it’s going to be amazing! We could also see the emergence of some new physical gestures as well, as they evolve into an even closer relationship. I would like to see Kane get a little more physical here now that has clear permission from her to do so to show growth on his part as he becomes bolder in love. It’s not something he’s accustomed to of course (he is very affectionate with other people but is always surprised whenever someone shows him affection) so I think Abby will probably lead the way at first or at least the beginning of the scene before he eases into it. They’re an extremely equal, mutual couple and I’d like to see that shown as they share equal amounts of affection. Not that they’ve ever been lacking before of course, but it would be nice to see him become more confident in himself and her love for him. Kane did take the lead when he kissed her in 3x09, but he had permission to, as she all but revealed her true feelings for him in their farewell scene. He never would have done that unless he was sure it was okay. Her feelings always come before his own. The tense circumstances at that time also bolstered his actions. The potential for the end of the world - though a distant threat in the moment - does act as an interesting catalyst for their relationship (as well as all the others) to evolve in large ways this season.

Also, as it will take place earlier in the season, it could also help usher in the idea of living together (I wrote about that here) which they can adopt from here on out. This will help solidify their relationship and make it easier for them to transition into regularly sharing a bed and quarters together. This consummation scene will fully establish them as a couple and usher in a new living arrangement they probably wouldn’t enter into before they’d already shared a bed.

We could also see their relationship become a little more public after this point as well - not that they’d ever draw attention to themselves, but I don’t think they’d take extra effort to constantly restrain themselves either. There’s no need to hide anything or pretend nothing is happening between them. As their relationship grows it will likely be displayed more, especially when they get further approval from Clarke. If the nature of their relationship wasn’t evident enough to people before, this will definitely be the season where everyone finds out.

I’m also very eager to know what dialogue is featured in this scene. It could be some of the most impactful, beautiful and love affirming declarations they’ve ever shared. If they truly have the luxury of quiet, alone time together, it certainly is a desirable opportunity for them to be verbal about their relationship. This scene could potentially be where they say their first “I love you’s” which would be amazing! Most other couples on this show have said this to each other already and after much shorter periods of time. Kane and Abby have definitely earned that. It’s an undeniable truth for them. Nothing could be more true than their love for each other and having it said out loud - both for them and the audience - would be incredibly satisfying and beautiful to hear, once again cementing the depth and evolution of their relationship.

As this huge step will take place near the beginning of the season, we can expect more amazing progress between them punctuated by multiple scenes - hopefully even more than we got last season. This is just the beginning for them. One of the first big, defining moments of their newfound relationship - one of the first chapters of their new lives together…

Anyway, these are just some of my thoughts regarding the upcoming love scene and addressing some theories - they will certainly grow and change once the season begins and we can see how the story is unfolding. I can’t wait to experience the actual scene with you all and hope for many more wonderful Kabby scenes this season!

You can read more of my The 100 and Kabby related meta HERE

[aion-rsa]

Jordan and Moustafa’s Savage Things Makes Murderers Out of Children

When Justin Jordan was a psych major at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania nearly 20 years ago, the aspiring comic book creator interviewed former FBI special agent John Douglas for a project on serial killers. Douglas was one of the first-ever criminal profilers, and was actually the inspiration for FBI agent Jack Crawford, a major character in the Thomas Harris novels and films “Red Dragon” and “The Silence of the Lambs.”

Ever since the encounter, Jordan has been developing an idea about a covert government organization tasked with kidnapping young children with pre-existing homicidal tendencies and turning them into terrorists or ‘chaos agents’ for fomenting unrest and executing enemies of the state around the world.

Teamed with artist Ibrahim Moustafa, the high concept is now a reality, as Vertigo released “Savage Things” #1 this week.

CBR connected with Jordan and Moustafa to discuss the eight-issue series, and the pair shared important details about how you make a murderer, why we need to rethink the Cain and Abel dynamic and the reason that violent acts are sometimes even more frightening when then happen off-panel.

CBR: “Making a Murderer” was a huge success for Netflix, and “Serial” really captured the zeitgeist, making a podcast a pop culture touchstone for many people. Why are we obsessed with killers — or, I guess, alleged killers?

Justin Jordan: It’s a good question. I think people who are abhorrent fascinate us. There are, I suspect, and this may reveal some sort of incipient sociopathy in me, but I think there are certain situations where we are all like: “Yeah, I wouldn’t kill somebody but I get it.” [Laughs] Someone breaks into your house and you stab him. I get it. But I think with murder, there is a gap at least for me. At some point, they went: “I should just kill this mother fucker.” And that seemed like a reasonable thing to do.

That’s alien to us. It fascinates us the way that most alien stuff does. It is outside of our own experience to the point that it’s hard to even get into that kind of headspace. Even me and my work, which in general hasn’t been non-violent, it is difficult me to understand that level of violence as anything more than an abstract thing. I understand that sorts of processes exist but I can’t make myself think that way. Where if someone falls in love or is having a bad day, you get that. You can understand it. There is inherent empathy for it. But I think it’s the strangeness and alien-ness of killers that interests us. It’s probably not coincidental that psychologists and psychiatrists were called alienists back in the day. That was the term for them. That’s probably echoed in our fascination today for things like “Making a Murderer” and “Serial.”

Ibrahim Moustafa: As humans, one of our most basic instincts is to try evade violence. When we look at something like “Savage Things” where violence is very much this sort of pervasive force that has to be dealt with, I think that really creates some space for some interesting storytelling and some interesting hypothesizing on how would this type of situation be handled, especially when it is a situation that you create yourself in a way. To Justin’s point, I think there is a general interest in the ‘what would I do in this situation’ type of thing too. Even though our main character is a sociopath who is bread to be this killer, we’re still able to follow the story through his lens because we get to see what he does do in this situation.

Let’s talk about these sociopaths who are bred to be killers, which is the central conceit of “Savage Things.” We see the students on their first day in the Black Forest program, the training ground for the killers, and we learn about the homicidal triad, which is cruelty to animals, obsession with fire setting, and persistent bedwetting past a certain age. Did one of you study psychology, or did you research serial killers for this series to learn about these behavioral characteristics?

Jordan: I’m almost 40, I just turned, and that’s relevant because one of the things that inspired this series was years ago, back in the late-’90s, I was able to do a small discussion with John Douglas, who is famously the FBI profiler guy that built the serial crime division and wrote the book, “Mindhunter.” He’s written many books, actually, but “Mindhunter” was the big one. He was actually the basis for one of the main characters in “Silence of the Lambs.” Back when I did that discussion, I was a psych major, so I read all of his books because I was interested in that kind of psychology.

One of the things about having been interested in that for a long time and having looked at it again is that our viewpoint on sociopathy has changed over the years, which makes doing research worthwhile. Especially in the case of this book, since part of it takes place literally 25 years ago. This becomes relevant to the plot as the series goes on. When you think about what these children are and what they can become has changed since that program started and the present day. I felt research was necessary to do that type of thing. I will happily sacrifice realism for drama, but I like to know what I am sacrificing. I will write when a gun clicks on an empty chamber, even though semi-autos don’t naturally do that, if it’s dramatic, but I want know if I am getting stuff wrong. It’s the same thing here. I am willing to play fast and loose with the psychological underpinnings of this series and how the world actually is but I want to know what the world is actually like before I do that. [Laughs]

Ibrahim, can you please talk about your art style for this series? Specifically, how you change what you are doing to differentiate between the two eras.

Moustafa: I almost look at the two different parts not as a different story, but certainly, I need to think about the technology and the equipment of the time. It’s easy to get lost in present day, but I need to think back to the ’90s and remember what a TV looked like back then. In the first couple of pages, we see Abel’s living room, and I had to think about what his parents would be wearing. [Laughs] What does a mom wear in the ’90s? What does a kid wear? That takes a lot of concentration, in terms of drawing stuff from the past.

Fortunately, when we get to the Black Forest site, they are kind of secluded in a bubble environment so the look is kind of whatever we want it to be but I wanted that part to feel a little bit more timeless. The kids are all wearing uniforms but they’re not necessarily indicative of post-Cold War or the tail end of the Cold War. When you think about government funding and what’s going to be a priority, maybe their desks are going to be a little bit older and the tech isn’t quite as new. That’s the thought process for that kind of stuff. And Jordan [Boyd] with his colors did a really nice, washed out, almost sort of film feel to it to help denote the past from the present, which I think worked out really well.

For those not lucky enough to have read the first issue yet, what is the Black Forest program?

Jordan: The idea behind the Black Forest program is that they took children, who had demonstrated sociopathic tendencies and were already presenting the homicidal triad, which we already discussed, but it’s basically three traits that serial killers tend to have. Having them doesn’t mean that you’re going to become a serial killer but most serial killers have them. Again, the homicidal triad is pyromania, cruelty to animals and wetting the bed, oddly enough, at an inappropriate age. The government recruits them by killing their parents and kidnapping them and then bringing them to the school. They’re basically living the life of a special forces soldier from a very young age. They’re trained to infiltrate. They’re trained how to evaluate a target. They’re trained how to psychologically terrorize and basically, channel their nasty, serial impulses in the direction that the government wants them to go.

The point of all of this is not to make soldiers out of them. The point is to be able to insert them into an area and just terrify the shit out of our enemies. Or do false flag operations, where we can do something horrible with no official record and blame it on somebody else. And they’re good at it until the government decides that it’s too dangerous to allow them to live and tries to kill them, which given the nature of the book, didn’t work. [Laughs] Basically, if the government was going to train a bunch of Hannibal Lecters as terrorists, Black Forest is more or less what you would get.

In the first issue, we meet a character named Abel, and it appears that he may actually best another character by the name of Cain in a head-to-head conflict. If that’s the case, it’s the complete opposite scenario of how that same conflict played out in the Bible. Is that relevant to “Savage Things” moving forward?

Jordan: Abel is an extremely capable character. The main subplot of the book is entirely his relationship with Cain and how they defy what the names would make you think what they are. They don’t inhabit the same roles. The names are, and this is mentioned in the book, given to them by the Black Forest program creators specifically because of the inherent symbolism. And it does kind of designate what their roles are. I have gone with the Abel-Cain thing before. I thought it worked in “Luther Strode.” The ultimate bad guy is obviously Cain – he’s the first murderer – so I wanted to play with that symbolism a little more with Abel but go in a different direction with it. His name is not apt as we get into the series in terms of where he’s going and what he’s done by the time “Savage Things” #8 rolls around.

This is solicited as an eight-issue series, but do you have more stories to tell about Abel and the Black Forest program should the opportunity present itself?

Jordan: This story is eight issues. There are certainly things happening in this universe that we’ve created that could go for another series if anybody were interested but within the context of “Savage Things,” if you read these eight issues, you get a complete and satisfying story. That’s what we set out to tell and we get to tell the whole thing. In eight issues so it’s nice.

Is Abel a good guy in this series? And if so, who are the bad guys? Koenig, Proctor and the other men and women running the Black Forest program?

Jordan: There are no good guys. [Laughs] There are bad guys and less bad guys. Arguably, Kira represents the good guys even though she’s working for Proctor and Koenig. Abel is least bad apart from Kira because his goals are not pure mayhem and destruction. He has a beef against Cain, which focuses his mayhem and destruction. He’s on the less bad side of Cain, but yes, you’re mostly looking at various shades of evil. [Laughs]

Finally Ibrahim, we’ve talked a lot about researching sociopaths and serial killers for this series but I wanted to ask you specifically about the art. There are some pretty gruesome things in even the first issue – an exposed spinal cord comes to mind – have you been looking at crime scene photos and images of severed body parts for your prep work?

Moustafa: I wish I could say that it’s cathartic, but a lot of times I am just like, “Yikes, I need to go pet my dog for a while.” [Laughs]

Definitely, this is something that I have never done before so it’s a fun challenge. It is a little worrisome. Sometimes I come up with something and I think, “That’s pretty cool.” And then I am like, “Oh. That was inside of me.” [Laughs] It’s a fine balance in trying to find a way to convey that type of horror but not being gratuitous for gratuity’s sake. I am definitely trying to find ways to imply a lot of the horror almost more of Hitchcockian approach to it. It’s almost what you don’t see is scarier than what you do see. But there are definitely moments when it has to be all-out carnage. There will definitely be some of that coming up.

“Savage Things” #1 is available now.

The post Jordan and Moustafa’s Savage Things Makes Murderers Out of Children appeared first on CBR.com.

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