#presumed innocent spoilers

[jakegyllenbaalz]

jake gyllenhaal as rusty sabich (presumed innocent, 2024)

[det-loki]

hi hello, these are my thoughts from episode one of presumed innocent

!!!!spoilers below!!!!

• jake loml

• Jesus fucking christ that was a violent death

• Peter!

• ...what was this filmed on? there's a haze that I don't like, maybe it's me, wtf do I know

• you will TRY and be here for him ???

• oops nvm I should listen

• I love dad!jake

• the office politics here is so gross

• "Sounds like something I'd do. Sounds like something I'd enjoy." is a fucking INSANE thing to say oh my god

• this is that jake acting that I've been missing

• the jake gyllenhaal shower scene cinematic universe evolves

• tommy and nico are currently irritating

• michael, I'm a little worried about you bud

• I'm getting prisoners flashbacks with his pinky ring (I'm sorry)

• hey so I need jake and peter to keep working together again

• is he gonna break another mirror

• oh my god Barbara KNOWS?!

• lily! lily rabe! lily I love you!

• this is crazy, pun intended with patsy cline

• I am not gonna say a word (FUCK)

• *Trina Vega* Chicagooo Chicagoooooo

• I really don't like nico, I'm sorry

• I have those kitchen chairs lol

• Barbara is a saint, this is so difficult

• DONT STAY IN AN UNHAPPY MARRIAGE FOR YOUR KIDS, SINCERELY A CHILD OF DIVORCED PARENTS

• but Barbara and rusty seem like they can get through this? its only ep one, so much time to crumble

• jake filmed this after roadhouse and it shows :)

• tweddle dumb and tweedle dumber, iconic

• oh fuck

• oh fuck the fingerprints

• It's like I forgot the entire trailer lol

• Peter's line delivery on 'involved' is so good

• Pregnant!!

• Oh my god

• OH MY GOD

[toxicanonymity]

Presumed Innocent finale

I don't like this at all. I'm actually offended lol

I hate when a twist hinges on the main character having been using Hollywood level acting skills all along

[hollywoodalreadydidit]

Presumed Innocent Episode 8 - The Verdict Review *Spoilers* The season finale of #PresumedInnocent manages to both honor the original book/film ending and create its own lane to perfectly stick the landing.  Bravo. #TVTime #PresumedInnocentSpoilers

[icedteaandoldlace]

The funny thing about Presumed Innocent is,

if it had been an episode of Murder She Wrote, I would've clocked the wife as the killer IMMEDIATELY. But because of the type of movie that it is and because there's so much corruption being uncovered all throughout the film, I was expecting the outcome of the case to be much bigger and more convoluted. You're expecting there to be a big moment where all the dots finally connect and everything fits together in a big tangled web, and instead it's just a bunch of awful people being awful in their own ways, and the killer isn't mixed up in any of their nonsense, she's just a jealous wife who went way off the deep end, and she gets away with it because everyone's so hellbent on convicting a killer fast for political reasons,—and on covering their own asses—that no one even thinks to look into the partners of any of the men the victim was sleeping with.

[charliehoennam]

Yes girl preach!

I think Carolyn made many enemies within her circle so the possibilities are endless here. But I would like to add to the first theory though (unsolicited I know but forgive me 🙏🏽) spoilers ahead!

I personally think it would be far more interesting if Barbara is the one. Im low-key hoping she is and that the only reason she's sticking by Rusty's side is to have a front row seat to his demise. She's stuck the knife in and now she's watching it twist slowly during the trial. If she is guilty, however, I think they might probably build it up in the last episode of the first season and end it with all eyes turning to her in the end of the episode to have that cliff hanger for the second season (if there really is one).

As for tommy, I initially thought the same thing at first but when the fire poker ended up in his place, it kinda doesn't fit? Unless it's someone who found it and is trying to intimidate him with it? Idk but it would be interesting to see the case towards to him as a possible suspect!

As for watching it again, I don't think I would want to. I mean, I barely wanna watch it now because Rusty's cheating ass slightly triggers my daddy issues 😂 and every episode makes my blood boil with rage

So I HAVE to ask!!! What's your thoughts on presumed innocent?!?

HI!!! my thoughts are i love this show because it's so good and i hate this show because it's so good. it's so stressful, i don't even know how i'll survive the finale! but it's so good. my favourite part has to be the way the trailers told us so much yet so little and how most of the more important scenes came up in the first 2-3 episodes so we've had a lot more to discover with the rest of the episodes! so much is intertwined too and the editing is really good. how they transition and/or focus on different characters after important scenes and dialogues is so! wow! i mean, how was i going to hate this? we've seen jake's ass more in this one series than in the last decade. we have been BLESSED. i would have been satisfied with just jake standing there and looking hot with his glasses but the show is really good. the cast is so strong! the story too. i really love it! i don't think it's something i will gravitate towards after it ends, i don't see myself wanting to binge watch this heavy and stressful show on a random tuesday, but there are certain scenes i'll enjoy watching just for the fun of it. i do want to watch it again, but it's certainly not an easy watch. i will definitely miss having new jake content every week and having something to haunt my thoughts in between episodes!

i have so many thoughts about who could have done it, i'll put them under the read more. but i'm curious to hear your thoughts, anon!!! have you watched the show or did you wait to binge all of it before/after the finale? do you have theories??? let me know!!! 🥰💖

i don't know if you're asking about who i think is responsible for carolyn's murder, but i'll just keep on rambling about it. i've stated multiple times how i fall into every single trap they set up before me. i hope it's barbara. she would be the most logical choice although i have no idea how they will target her since she's been so meticulously kept out of people's minds. not a single person accuses the wife who was cheated on for months perhaps longer? who's husband would not hesitate to dump their family to start one with the woman he loves (who CLEARLY does not love him back)? like why? if it was the other way around, with the wife having an affair and killing the other person the husband would be the FIRST SUSPECT. i don't know. it's like the way the show is edited points at barbara yet no one in the room dares to even consider her as an option. it's giving fake feminism as in "women are all fragile and tiny and weak they can't commit bad things". is she going to call herself up to the witness stand like "the people call me hehe" and just go "i kill that woman because my husband fucked her and i want to ruin my husband's life too with this gruesome murder". if she did... absolute boss. i love barbara.

my second theory is tommy. something something he was in love with carolyn she hated him he knew rusty was having an affair with her AND rusty had the job he wanted (and that carolyn wanted as well, sorry for not believing you right away rusty but you were right about that xoxo). easy peasy lemon squeezy. he could have killed two birds with one stone (or well, one fire poker). it would not be as satisfying as barbara, but satisfying nonetheless. this man who is going mad trying to accuse rusty being the one who did it all along? nico would lose his shit eating grin. and they have initiated that possibility with eugenia explaining how the only complaint ever made by barbara was towards him. the door is slightly more open for tommy than it is for barbara.

any other option, to me, sounds less exciting. rusty? pointless. 8 pointless episodes just for him to go "teehee i killed her bc i got angry snap snap <3 but if i had known she was pregnant with my baby i would have hit her with a proposal not a fire poker :(". carolyn's ex-husband? boring. it would be less boring if SOMEONE OTHER THAN RUSTY had started to dig around on carolyn like hello? her son's messed up and she's got no contact with him, the husband looks depressed as fuck. someone! should! have! pushed! this! i'm not just saying this because i disliked carolyn from the start and i made it very clear she was creeping me out, but also because it's so strange how no one is digging deeper about this (the same way no one is thinking of the possibility of barbara doing it). liam reynolds or brian ratzer? so boring. the kids??? hmm. creepy. michael is a strange one, looking up sketchy crime websites to keep up with his mother and THE bunny davis case in particular is... interesting... could the dad have killed her in a fit of rage (he is also capable of snapping! like rusty! carolyn had a type apparently) and the son visited the scene quickly after to finish the job and make her look like the bunny davis case he studied with such interest? hmm. disturbing. but. kyle and jaden are also interesting, kyle has his father's temper and he's a mama's boy. jaden cares so much for her father who's she's really close to. but i don't really think jaden would do this. the kids would be interesting but again, very disturbing.

SO MANY THEORIES AND POSSIBILITIES. i hope it's barbara i want it to be barbara. raymond can give her his title. barbara "the slay" sabich. it has a ring to it.

[when-did-this-become-difficult]

shoutout to jake gyllenhaal getting choked and loving it

[watatsumiis]

wow the justice system in fontaine really rubs me the wrong way what the fuck

edit: FREE MY MAN BAPTISTE HE DID NO WRONG

[muninnhuginn]

ngl mix of annoyed at myself and at the show for that doorway shot that made it look like tianxi was the one to pass on the photo because I knew that clothes-wise tianxi didn't fit at all but I really thought they wouldn't mislead so drastically with such a crucial shot. it would have been so so easy to just either not show a close-up of the face or to just have the reddish eyes showing through the shadow if they wanted to be ambiguous but instead they actively drew it to be tianxi with the fringe and the eyelashes that male characters pretty much never get. but like. at the same time, once it was confirmed that tianxi is mentally much younger than she seems her justification for taking liu min's phone dries up somewhat. if she's older 'mentally' it makes sense as blackmail or a get out of jail card, but we've actively seen tianxi *at* the age she's stuck at and she was in no way manipulative enough to even think of that kinda thing

[anunusers]

Sort of not really but still SPOILER ALERT - Presumed Innocent

you know that part where Barbara asks Rusty if that how sex was with Carolyn and Rusty seems to get almost irritated with the question??? That shit got to me that’s really how it is when you get cheated on.

I remember when my partner cheated and everything little thing would trigger me into asking if that’s how it was with the girl. Anything new that he was doing or when we were first intimate after the whole thing, I wasn’t 100% there because all you can thing about is if this what the other girl was getting from him.

Idk it was a random thought lmao show has me feeling some type of way

obsessed with Jake in this role 😮‍💨

[familyabolisher]

I've walked past the Barbie branded selfie booth, sat through the reel of old commercials that precede the previews, and watched Margot Robbie learn to cry, and I’m still not sure what “doing the thing and subverting the thing,” which Greta Gerwig claimed as the achievement of Barbie in a recent New York Times Magazine profile, could possibly mean. This was the second Gerwig profile the magazine has run. I wrote the first one, in 2017, which in hindsight appears like a warning shot in a publicity campaign that has cemented Gerwig’s reputation as so charming and pure of heart that any choice (we used to call them compromises) she makes is justified, a priori, by her innocence. This is a strange position for an adult to occupy, especially when the two-hour piece of branded content she is currently promoting hinges on a character who discovers that her own innocence is the false product of a fallen world. But—spoiler alert!—the point of Barbie’s “hero’s journey” is less to reconcile Barbie to death than to reconcile the viewer to culture in the age of IP.

“Doing the thing and subverting the thing”: I haven’t finished working out the details, but I think the rough translation would be Getting rich and not feeling feel bad about it. (Or, for the viewer: Having a good time and not feeling bad about it.) One must labor under a rather reduced sense of the word “subvert” to be impressed with poking loving fun at product misfires such as Midge (the pregnant Barbie), Tanner (the dog who poops), and the Ken with the earring, especially given that the value of all these collectors’ items has, presumably, not decreased since the film opened. Barbie may feature a sassy tween sternly informing Robbie’s Stereotypical Barbie that the tiny-waisted top-heavy billion-dollar business she represents has made girls “feel bad” about themselves, but if anyone uttered the word “anorexia,” I missed it. (There was a reason Todd Haynes told the story of Karen Carpenter’s life and death with Barbies, and it wasn’t because an uncanny piece of molded plastic has the magical power to resolve the contradictions of girlhood and global capitalism.) There’s a bit about Robbie going back into a box in the Mattel boardroom, but Barbies aren’t made in an executive suite; they come from factories in China. On the one hand, it’s weird for a film about a real-world commodity to unfold wholly in the realm of ideas and feelings, but then again, that’s pretty much the definition of branding. Mattel doesn’t care if we buy Barbie dolls—they’re happy to put the word “Barbie” on sunglasses and T-shirts, or license clips from the movie for an ad for Google. OK, here’s my review: When Gerwig first visited Mattel HQ in October 2019, the company’s stock was trading at less than twelve dollars a share. Today the price is $21.40. 

Christine Smallwood, Who Was Barbie?

[darkeralmond]

cam cameron and the readers first time?

THANK YOU FOR THE REQUEST I LOVE U BAE!!

First Time

Cam Cameron x fem! Reader

synopsis: after your date with cam, things escalate when he decides to stay with you at your house

warnings: 18+, smut, first time sex, fingering

word count: 1.3k

a/n: I LOVE CAM SO MUCH!! i’m gonna need AE to come out with team cam shirts ASAP!! also spoiler alert for season 2 episode 4 BUT HAVE U SEEN JEREMIAH AND BELLY OH MY GOD THE HAND HOLDING CAUSED ME TO SCREAMMMM. TEAM JEREMIAH!! mark smut coming out soon!! (i hope)

masterlist | request info

“I can’t believe you beat me in ski ball,” you giggled as you looked over at Cam. “I’m like the reigning champion.”

He shrugged. “Turns out working at an arcade does come in hand sometimes.” You cracked a smile before letting out a snicker.

You were a debutante last year which is where you met Cameron. Both your guys' moms worked at the country club that hosted the ball. You would run into him often because of this. After a while, you developed a little crush on him and had asked him to be your escort since you didn’t have one.

It wasn’t until this year you actually decided to pursue something with him. You finally asked him out on a date and he picked the location, which was the arcade he worked at since he got a discount.

Cam had just dropped you off at your house and refused to let you walk up to your front door alone. He was truly a gentleman who was adorable and he knew it.

You grabbed your key out of your pocket and unlocked the door. “Can I come in and say hi to your mom?” he asked, peeking his head through the open door.

You giggled and looked back at him again. “No, my parents aren’t home.”

“Oh.” He then looked down at his phone, presumably checking the time before tucking it back into his pocket. “You sure you don’t want to come back to my house? I don’t want you to be here alone.”

You shook your head. “No, my dad wouldn’t like me going over to a boy’s house at night.” He nodded his head and flashed a quick smile, agreeing with you. “But you can stay here and keep me company!”

You didn’t even think twice about the offer, you just said it. His eyebrows raised slightly as his cheeks dusted a red tint. “Okay,” he gushed.

You let him into the house before shutting the door behind you two and locking the door. You watched as he admired the interior of the house, his mouth slightly hung open. “What?” you laughed.

“Nothing!” he said as he looked back at you. “Your house just looks like a beach house.”

“Well it is on the beach.” This won a chuckle out of him as he continued looking around. “You want a tour?” you asked as you walked up to him.

“Sure!” he answered as he nodded his head.

You grabbed his hand and led him around the entire downstairs. According to him, his favorite room was the living room due to the fireplace. You then led him upstairs and showed him every other room before leading him to your own room.

You opened the door and led him in. “Here’s my room. Sorry, it’s a little messy.” There was a t-shirt and a pair of socks lying on your unmade bed. You quickly took those off and threw them in your laundry basket.

At least your room smelled good because of the essential oils you had just purchased. “I like the vines on the wall,” he commented as he pointed at them.

You giggled, “Put them up myself.” You then plopped down on the bed and looked at him as he took in every corner of your room. “You wanna watch something? I can pull something up on my Mac.”

He nodded his head and sat down on the bed next to you.

…

You weren’t sure how it happened, but one thing led to another and now you were on top of him making out. You pulled away and looked down at him as his chest rose and fell with his heavy breaths.

“Have you done this before?” he asked. His eyes reminded you of a puppy. There was so much innocence in them and his lashes gave his eyes a more doe look.

You were tempted to lie and said you had, but staring into his eyes just poured the truth out of you. “Uh… no,” you answered. “Have you?”

“Nuh uh,” he said. You licked your lips and looked off to the side. “Do you… uh… want to?”

You looked back at him and hesitantly nodded your head. You could hear the beating of your heart in your ear, the silence between you two was deafening.

“Okay,” he breathed out. His hand met the side of your face before tucking loose strands of your hair behind your ear.

He smiled at you and gently leaned forward to capture your lips in his once more. You sighed against his lips, his touch sending chills down your spine.

Your hands slid up his shirt causing a groan to escape from his lips. He kissed you harder and deeper this time. You could feel his tongue poking at your bottom lip, hoping to meet yours. You let him do so, his tongue danced with his.

You felt his hands run up your shirt, his hands felt cold against your heated skin. It made you shiver a bit but you enjoyed every second of it.

You pulled away again and let him take off your shirt. He stared at your topless body, drooling over your figure.

You gasped softly, your breath hitching when his fingers brushed across your breasts. Your hips jolted as your nipples hardened beneath your bra.

“Fuck,” you whispered.

He noticed your reaction and stopped what he was doing. “Is this okay?” he asked. You nodded your head, leading him to cup your breasts again.

Him touching you felt nice, but you wanted to do more than that. You were just too nervous to ask. You didn’t want to obviously have full on sex, but you at least wanted him to do more.

Your face must’ve given that away because he asked, “What do you want me to do?”

“Uh,” you thought about it for a minute. “Can you… uh…” Your face turned bright red as embarrassment washed over you. “Finger me?”

His cheeks flushed crimson and his eyes widened. He pulled his finger away as he nodded. “Yeah,” he answered. You hopped off of him and laid down on the bed next to him.

His gaze softened and you gave him an encouraging grin. He swallowed hard before he slid his hand down your shorts.

Your breaths hitched as your eyes fluttered close. His fingers moved in a circular motion around your clit. You opened your eyes as you held back any sounds that may escape your lips.

He pulled you back into a kiss, it tasted like vanilla ice cream and mint toothpaste. He moved a little faster, rubbing your clit with his ring and middle fingers until you let a moan slip in his mouth.

He then inserted his fingers inside you, your wetness made it easier for him. Your back arched as you let out a louder moan.

His kisses became more frantic, almost desperate. Every time he moved his fingers or thrust into your depths you would squirm. A small whine left your mouth as your hips bucked upwards.

You finally pulled away since you needed to catch your breath. His fingers sent a wave of pleasure through you. “Cam,” you whimpered. His wet fingers pulled out of you and continued to massage your clit until you finally came undone.

Your whole body felt drowsy but still buzzing with excitement. When your orgasm had passed and your breathing returned to normal you rolled onto your side. “Do you want to do it again?” you asked him with a grin.

He nodded and crawled back on top of you, but before anything could escalate, the sound of jingling keys and the front door opened echoed through the house

“Fuck,” you mumbled. “My parents.” You rolled your eyes.

He chuckled, “Now I can say hi to your mom.” You rolled your eyes and pushed him off you.

[det-loki]

Rusty might have done this!!! But hear me out!!! What about the wife??? Ehhh maybe!! But Tommy is also so suspicious acting for some reason 😮

My mind tonight!!

Rusty 60%

Barbara 40%

Tammy 60%

agree agree agreeee!!! but I'm not so sure on tommy having anything to do with it, but!!! he could definitely have motive for wanting to take rusty out. barbara as well! we shall see!

[raayllum]

Trailer Breakdown time

Important notice: There will be spoilers from 7x01 mentioned as well from NYCC as well as screencaps that were previously released. Read ahead at your own risk!

So what a trailer am I right?

For this meta I'm gonna divide into sections in terms of episode order (largely 7x01, 7x02, and speculation to the mid season point) and then also talk about voice overs / clip placement from previous seasons when I think it's relevant. Let's go!

What we know

These shots of Callum and then Ezran and co. touching down in Katolis, as well as the vision Ezran has of his parents (which the fact he's seeing like that rather than how they actually were, sitting on the thrones side by side, is life ruining let me tell you) are all from 7x01, "Death Alive".

We know thanks to 7x01 that Runaan is arrested and everyone goes to the Banther Lodge to set up a temporary camp / plan their next moves, hence a makeshift council meeting (which Ezran having the throne brought with him... baby boy really isn't doing well). So it seems the following screencaps are all from 7x02.

We can also place this Callum and Rayla handhold at the Banther Lodge by the bridge outside.

They are probably (for whatever reason) conspiring/deciding to free Runaan and leave, leading to this scene with matching sky / colours - Soren and Rayla squaring off before Ezran arrives with more guards.

He might let them go or try to hold on, but they successfully flee / get away. I could also see Rayla and/or Runaan stepping in like "I'll stay behind, you go to the Silvergrove" (and if Rayla offers, that might melt Ezran enough to let them leave). Either way, I think Ezran's conversation with Aanya on the Banther Lodge bridge will either influence the choice(s) he makes here if it's before, or reference this crossroads if it comes after before we leave the Banther Lodge for the season.

We also know from 7x01 that Aaravos wants a Moon primal stone and to likely corrupt the Moon Nexus in order to invert life and death, destroy the Cosmic Order, and bring about eternal night. It seems likely Claudia and human Aaravos will achieve these aims by the mid-season point-ish. After 7x01 they have to go to the Puzzle House to get the map to the Garden of Innocence with unicorns, and they will likely require Terry's Pure Heart (my interview with Aaron Ehasz) to read the map to get them there. If 7x02 is "pure heart" that could be a nice parallel between Callum-Rayla and Terry-Claudia about a willingness (or lack of) to help and why.

From there, it's all speculation, so let's get into it.

What we can speculate

So first things first, we get Claudia and Human Aaravos at the Moon Nexus doing the Nexus inversion, presumably, and bringing people / creatures back from the dead. One looks rather like Ziard and brings up a staff, which Aaravos takes.

We also know this is earlier on in the season because Claudia's har is more white. During the spell, we also see Soren, Terry, Allen, and what seems to be Aanya holding a dead / unconcious Lujanne on the ground. It seems both Soren and Terry are running to stop her, though I don't know what Allen is doing (maybe holding back Ezran for some reason, if Ez is there).

Then we have more of the dead coming out, including a dragon that almost squashes Soren but does not have a rider, so it's not the same (assumedly) as before.

Later on, we see more creatures crawling out of the water at what seems to be the Nexus, since it's bordered by the same walls as the lake.

We also see Aanya and Ezran surrounded by the dead at the Valley of Graves (hi Sol Regem skeleton), but the moon doesn't look as... corrupted / taken as it does at the Nexus shot, so this could be happening in the early stages of the spell. Then Ezran could send Soren, who gets there too late, and who knows how fast Aaravos can travel on his own.

There seems to be some kind of confrontation between Ez, Aanya (hi exploding fire arrows), and Aaravos at the Valley of the Graves either way.

Since like I said the Moon isn't in the right spot, I'd wager the Ez-Aanya fight here is from 7x03 or 7x04, with the Moon Nexus inversion in 7x04 or 7x05. In the same timeframe, Rayla (and Runaan + Callum?) is going back to the Silvergrove and being put on trial.

The little tiny mushrooms here and in the section with her and one of the fallen assassins makes me think that rather than just standing around and talking, there could be an underwater dream-like portion to the trial as well. Something like "You touch the assassin and get blood on your hands (literally)" because they love their on-the-nose symbolism.

So I don't think the screenshots here are Rayla getting injured... Yet.

Now onto the harder to speculate sections, or what I like to call

What the Fuck is Going On

It seems, since Callum and Ezran learn that, "Aaravos is back. He wants to bring about eternal night. He's unleashed the spirits of the dead" (Callum) that the kids regroup and plan for what to do next. This could be 7x05 or 7x06. The trio (broyals / Rayla and Ezran) reconcile maybe from the Runaan fall out, with Ezran asserting that, "We have to be ready. We have to build our defences." (This could also be where Callum's line as a "the three of us have been through a lot together. We'll get through this, too" comes in as a parting goodbye before the group splits, as well as Callum's heroic rallying speech that is very reminiscent of 3x08: "There is a way out of this. With good people doing courageous things. Doing what's right!").

This "building our defences" could mean that the trio splits up to go get allies from prior seasons, like Rex Igneous (Ezran and co. shot) and Akiyu. They could also be fetching sun crystals for Aanya's arrows.

We see Callum defending an unconscious Akiyu (by the water) and Runaan (just under his tunic flare). His ice spell seemingly responds to Claudia's fire spell, and she has more white hair and is standing likewise near water. So it seems we'll get a Callum Claudia duel face off sometime in the mid to late season!

It also seems that Claudia's Laurelion dragon-scale necklace is just a dragon-scale, but gives her the super armour / fire power-up.

At some point we also meet up with the Sunfire elves, not just at their ruins / make-shift camp, but at the Sunforge palace itself, since Khessa's throne is in the background in these shots with Rayla. The purple background and Phyrrah also indicates that Soren and Corvus are in the same area.

Presumably, they've gathered all their allies (end of 7x08?) and are preparing for their final attempt to defeat Aaravos (and free Callum?). And Callum is going to get possessed, so when do we think it's happening?

Well, if the gang is travelling to get allies, Callum (and Rayla - and maybe Ezran or others?) have gone to get Zubeia perhaps from the mushroom mage. While there, shit goes down, and we get this shot of Callum (presumably from 7x06-7x07):

While the cube is angled the way it was in Callum's dark magic dreams, I don't think this is a dream. The background doesn't match up with previous, we've never seen this form of corrupted face for him with his eyes not black, and he has a white streak, which was never present when dreaming of himself as Aaravos' puppet last season.

I also don't think Callum is going to do dark magic to coin Aaravos (at least not for the initial corruption). Not only is it a little wonky pacing wise, it's a bit too clean, as it takes away the #1 threat Callum is scared of when it comes to doing dark magic. While he of course doesn't want to be corrupted at all, it was primarily the fact the corruption would make him Aaravos' puppet that scared him. It's also a bit too thematically contradictory for Aaravos to be successfully defeated in a 'bad way' rather than in a good way (teamwork, etc) nor does it work with the 6x03 set up for him and Rayla, but that's just me.

That all said, the fact that the trailer highlights his parallels to Viren and Claudia not just once, but twice (god bless that "however dangerous, however vile" and another "I would do anything for you") and through Kosmo's 6x06 voice over ("If you ever do dark magic again, the darkness and corruption will overwhelm you") makes it pretty clear that even if it hasn't happened here, it will happen in the season eventually. I don't think i have much to say on this plot beat / characterization that I haven't been saying for, well, the past 4 years, cause if you know, you know! (And I'll probably do a post just screaming about this + the cube later anyway.)

We also have some misc screencaps that could go about anywhere (Terry running, him + Aaravos and Claudia in the woods with the flying primal stone? Seeker or guider?) even if I do think they continually point towards Terry defecting this season.

Conclusion

If I missed any screencaps or you have any questions feel free to send them my way in my askbox! What do you think is going to happen and what are you most excited for this season?

[hollywoodalreadydidit]

Presumed Innocent Episode 4 - The Burden Review *Spoilers* Rusty's explosive anger takes front stage, as Tommy and Nico share some very damning new evidence.

[fallloverfic]

I always come back to this ENNEAD panel in S1E40 because it's so painful in so many ways: Seth being brutally honest and embarrassed, and you can tell how hurt he is by what he's learned about Anubis, Nephthys, and Osiris, and it comes back to this thing I love exploring in fiction, which is the idea that you can want better for the people you care about, and also know that their choice will hurt you, and be afraid for yourself/of that moment they make the inevitable choice, but also kind of want them to make that choice anyway because you really care about them and want what's best for them and want them to follow their hearts. This kind of... supportive, self-sacrificing thing mixed with self-esteem issues and/or self-loathing.

CW: references to child abuse, cannibalism, and late series spoilers

In S1E1, we're told a story about how Seth was made jealous of Osiris due to Sekhmet, then butchered Osiris, demanded Isis sleep with him, imprisoned her in a labyrinth when she refused, and then terrorized Egypt for hundreds of years. He's shown to be obnoxious and arrogant and thinks little of the other gods who don't stand up to him, "This is what gods are like after all, hmph."

In S1E2, we see an unknown boy (well if you read online you can see the family tree with Anubis' picture but if you read in the physical release or just skipped the tree, you don't know who he is) talking to Nephthys in a prison cell, begging her to leave Heliopolis, and eventually learn this is Anubis, son of Nephthys and Seth, and Anubis has a plan in mind. And he says, "Mother, I'm begging you!! Rid yourself of these lingering affections!! I'm telling you, the father we used to know no longer exists!!"

Nephthys insists otherwise.

There are hints here that Seth was, at least once and perhaps still, loved, deeply. That he was someone who wasn't as cruel as the weary butcher watching humans fight to death for entertainment that we're introduced to.

In S1E3, it's kind of unclear what Seth turns back to look at in the second to last panel, but we see him gazing behind him, and then a shot of Anubis' back as he gazes down at his spear, clearly not keeping Horus busy while Seth confronts Isis. It seems like Seth is seeing Anubis betray him (he thanks Anubis in S1E5).

In S1E4 we see Anubis looking upset about what he's done, which continues into S1E5, where we get a flashback of Seth hunting with a very small Anubis in his arms. This is presumably pre-the night of usurpation. Seth says to Anubis, "You want to become a god like me? What gave you that thought? The god of war is not a particularly respectable position to be in."

Anubis: "But Father, they told me that Egypt is a peaceful place because you protect Mother. Isn't that more than enough to be respected for?"

Seth: "...Sure. War is sometimes necessary when you need to protect your family, your land. However, you must not turn a blind eye to the manslaughter that happens within war. Only the water flowing through the lands of chaos has the right to deliver "death." Though if you escape the current and row yourself towards greed, in the end, the curse of those that have died innocent deaths will gather, and it will become your sword, destined to bestow death upon others. That's why my sword is the strongest of them all. Although that's also why it's the heaviest. You have no need to take upon yourself this burden. When you have your coming-of-age ceremony, this father of yours... ...hopes that you will become a god just like your mother."

His responsibility is a heavy one. One he doesn't want Anubis to bear. He's strong, but at a cost.

In S2E89, Horus, after learning about some of the difficulties Seth faced at war - watching human soldiers struggle and die, and the hard choices Seth had to make to help them (e.g., let them turn to cannibalism to survive, and sometimes cannibalizing their own troops) - and how that affected his own psyche - making him, for a time, not into eating food, and later simply being disinterested in it - asks, "Did you... ...actually not want to go to war?"

And Seth stares at him, and then looks like this:

Seth: "I didn't have a choice. It was just my duty... I had to protect Egypt, so I did."

When Horus asks about jealousy, about Seth's siblings living at home in luxury while Seth suffered, Seth notes, "We all had so many of our own things to do." He calls Osiris' job the most important, because humans needed a stable food supply. He even jokingly notes what Osiris was doing might be considered harder, at least in comparison to fighting a war.

And he seemingly thought of leaving Egypt, but didn't feel like he could.

What we also generally get from the story is Seth is very proud of his abilities, and doesn't like being protected or at least seen as weak. The doubt Osiris put in him was about his own abilities: in S1E35, Sekhmet notes that, "Seth unconsciously believed that he himself was weak . . . Osiris imprinted a sense of weakness upon Egypt's most formidable soldier." Seth frequently grows furious whenever his competence is thrown into question, whether it's other people protecting him, or other people beating him, because it makes him feel like he's weak.

Seth believes his role as a god of war is necessary, and that he is, in a lot of ways, good at it, and people who harm Egypt's peace should live in fear of him... but he doesn't respect it. He doesn't think it's noble or good, and even thinks it's repulsive (and as Seth explains, that's kind of the point of it, because the horror makes it more powerful). He tells Anubis not to emulate him or try to become like him: Anubis should become a god of peace like Nephthys. An actually respectable position. Seth spent thousands of years protecting Egypt this way, and he thinks it's not something anyone should strive for (S1E40).

In S01E38, he even tells Anubis to kill Seth if he wants Seth dead.

In S01E05, Seth beats up Anubis, badly, in front of Nephthys' cell, allegedly because of Anubis' betrayal. It's not clear how Anubis got there: if Seth brought him there so Nephthys would see it, if Anubis fled to Nephthys after the other gods confronted Seth, and Seth found him there, or what. All we know is Seth beat up Anubis while Nephthys (in an unlocked cell) watched, and she was visibly distressed by it, to the point of tears.

Whether Seth meant for her to see it or didn't plan it through or what is unclear.

In S1E69, Nephthys states, "Seth never imprisoned me, not once. The door of the prison cell was always kept open. I was the one who went into the prison of my own free will. All Seth did was neglect and ignore me. He never once committed any direct violence towards me."

She views this as punishment for her own acts. It seems like Seth avoided her through most of the time since he discovered parts of the truth of her actions from Sekhmet and Nephthys herself before Osiris killed himself. It's entirely possible Seth didn't even appear before her until just before the trial, when he attacked Anubis in front of her. He might have visited her more often, but the possibility he just stayed away from her is also there, if only out of his own pain at her apparent rejection of him in favor of Osiris. Perhaps the last time he even touched her was in the flashback in S1E35, after she walks in on Sekhmet talking with Seth, and he seems to grab her briefly - when she admits Anubis is Osiris' son (S1E40) - before turning away and going after Osiris (S1E35).

In S1E40, Seth accuses Osiris of coveting Nephthys, and going behind Seth's back to steal her. He insists Osiris is to blame, not Nephthys.

Until Osiris states that Nephthys had the idea to come to Osiris and ask for help having a baby with Seth, because she and Seth had trouble conceiving, and (Nephthys claimed) Seth wanted a child.

It's not clear what of the many things Osiris is talking about Seth is referencing, but Seth thinks after hearing this, "It was my fault?" It kind of seems like Seth is blaming himself for Nephthys going to Osiris, though.

As Seth begins to accept all this, he grows increasingly visibly upset as he notes she did this without discussing it with him. As Seth grows increasingly honest about his thoughts, he finally says, "I was scared... I was afraid of being forgotten by [Nephthys and Anubis]."

He elaborates in S1E41, "I always just acted angry so that I wouldn't have to hear what she had to say. She was probably afraid of things ending up this way". He imagines she was scared of his reaction. Scared of him. But he had fears about this even before he got confirmation, to the point he was purposefully ruining their relationship to avoid getting that confirmation.

This is on top of Osiris encouraging Seth's self-doubt about Seth's capabilities, insisting that Seth's merits are due to Osiris, "If I hadn't made you the god of war and the desert, she would've never chosen you to be her husband. Peace may only be bestowed upon those that are strong." (S1E35). Seth even wonders if his being properly acknowledged as king of Egypt might make Nephthys finally acknowledge him, and that "Only the strongest one can achieve what I want." (S1E58).

Seth cut himself off from Nephthys, even before he learns about Anubis' biological father, but more so afterward. Part of this is shame, as he thinks in S1E71, "Nephthys must not learn the truth! She won't see me as a man anymore. She'll find me repulsive!" Part of it is the doubt Osiris planted in him. Part of it is seemingly the distaste he imagines other people, including Nephthys, should have over his abilities and position.

In sum, even when Seth hates Osiris the most, he believes Osiris' role is more important to Egypt. He believes Osiris is more powerful. He believes his own role is not respectable. He believes the woman he loves is better off without him and wouldn't want him. And Seth believes his son is better off emulating people who are not Seth. He wants them to do what's best for them, which involves ignoring him completely and moving on. He even tells Anubis to kill Seth if that's what he wants.

And he's terrified of it, too. Because as we see in S1E40 and S1E61, he still loves Anubis. He was so happy when Anubis was born ("The happiness I felt when I first held Anubis in my arms" S1E40). He's okay with Anubis hating him, so long as Anubis still stays his son. He says, "I'm sorry. You must've been in so much pain. You must've been so scared. It's all my fault. . . . You can hate me all you like. You don't need to forgive me. So please don't cast me aside. You're all I need."

This is hearkening back to S1E40, where Seth kept fastening on to the concept that Anubis is Osiris' son, and Osiris even reminds him, "The one who gave Anubis his name, and the one whom Anubis calls his father, is you." No matter what, Seth is Anubis' father.

But the doubt is already there, even before Osiris makes it worse. The shame. Seth already told Anubis not to emulate him by this point. He was already rejecting Nephthys before he learned the truth from Sekhmet and Nephthys, and he still cared about her and her high opinion, even during the sentencing, after he's ignored her for hundreds of years.

In S2E69, Horus claims that the eye of truth showed him something in Seth's soul, in similar words to what Seth said to Horus in Khemmis, and that this is related to Seth's awakening as a god, which he'd forgotten, because that's what happens when you awaken as a god (though Seth, Nephthys, and Isis are unaware of this). The teardrop says repeatedly, "forget our . . . ared what w . . . want to go bac . . . [w]ant him to dis[a] . . . stay by my sid . . . [r]emain as a child . . . he becomes a god . . . [c]an't leave me he can . . . let him become a go[d] . . . he becomes a god . . . [he]'ll forget our past . . . scared what will I d[o] . . . want to go back".

This is actually pretty similar to what he verbalizes to Horus in Khemmis, but I also recall when Anubis says in S2E31, "Just as all gods do, I instinctively know who sired me." It's unclear if Seth knows this is a thing or what, but the sentencing where Anubis learns Osiris is his biological father was after Seth showing his fears to Horus at Khemmis, so Anubis hadn't learned at the time. It seems to me like Seth's specific fear is Anubis learning his true parentage. Whether or not that's instinctive when you become a god isn't even that important, because Anubis might learn just by revealing his powers and changing his body to his godly form, because it seems like gods emulate their parents to some degree (or at least the possibility is there).

To elaborate, Seth didn't know what kind of god Anubis would become when he ascends (as shown in S1E5, he hoped Anubis would emulate his mother). In S2E29-30, he seems a mix of happy, surprised, and angry about Anubis' godly form. He thinks, with a sad smile, "So this is what you look like... . . . This is how you look as a god..." (S2E29) and then gets angry, noting, "Why are you dragging around dead bodies...? . . . You were born so beautiful, so you should have been like your mother! Why... ...are you wearing that silly mask...?"

This is possibly recalling Seth's comments in S01E05 about his own connection with death and his wish that Anubis doesn't have to do something so repulsive, and Seth's wish that, of his parents (Nephthys and Seth), Anubis instead emulates Nephthys, who doesn't do that. His comments about Anubis' mask, "Even your mask looks like mine! It's proof that you subconsciously remember me!" (S2E31) is also pointing out the connection between them, a connection Seth made back in S2E12, when he recalled the similarities in the unknown god's fighting skills and Anubis' abilities, as well as when Seth made Anubis a sand sha mask. He doesn't like the signs of Anubis emulating him at all, even in the slightest.

The general point again being, Seth had no idea what Anubis was going to look like as a god before he saw it in person. But I imagine he was simultaneously hopeful Anubis would emulate Nephthys but also afraid that not only would Anubis not emulate Seth at all - ignoring their connection - but also afraid Anubis would emulate both his biological parents, particularly Osiris. Perhaps that's how he would discover Osiris is his biological father. There's just a lot of ways becoming a god would show him the truth, and then things would be over between Anubis and Seth.

Because Anubis would learn Osiris, a god doing something respected like managing agriculture, is his biological father. Osiris, a powerful god who claims to be responsible for Seth's merits, which is a deep part of Seth's doubts about his own abilities (confirming that Seth is indeed lesser). Osiris, whom even Nephthys seemingly fell in love with, and maybe always loved (Seth doesn't know about the mirror, this is his anxiety, self-esteem issues, and Osiris' lies praying on his mind).

Seth in Khemmis is afraid Anubis will learn Osiris is Anubis' biological father or "real" father (at least in accordance with Seth's insistence that Anubis is Osiris' child) and abandon Seth for Osiris. Because, despite everything they had as a loving father and son, Osiris is the "better" choice. Why wouldn't Anubis do that? Even some part of Seth understands it. Seth views himself as so lacking that he thinks Anubis would discard their past together and easily pick the "better" option of Osiris.

He understands the reasoning.

But Seth is terrified, too. He loves Anubis. He loves being Anubis' father. He doesn't want to lose Anubis even as he wants Anubis to be happy and do as Anubis pleases. He's afraid of what that break will do to him. And we see the result: he cries and screams in S2E30, claiming their promise - which Anubis has forgotten - is all Seth has, and Anubis the "the only reason I have to live!". In S2E31 he grows upset about Anubis forgetting him, and cries more. He cries again about Anubis forgetting their promise in S2E64. He cries about Anubis being in Osiris' clutches again in S2E68. This is on top of Seth's fear that if Anubis goes to Osiris, Osiris will hurt Anubis more, after Osiris callously nearly killed Anubis as fodder for the child Osiris planned to have with Seth during the night of usurpation, and again after learning Osiris was using Anubis as a puppet during the trial, allowing Anubis to take Seth's attacks in Osiris' place. In S2E68, Seth screams about his fears of Anubis being hurt by Osiris, "You saw me kiss him! And for that Osiris sewed his lips shut and turned him into an idiot!! . . . What if he gets hurt again because of me?!"

He doesn't want Anubis to emulate him, but he's afraid of Anubis not doing that because it will be Anubis rejecting him. He doesn't want Nephthys to tell him she didn't love him, that Anubis wasn't his (biological) child, but he felt it was inevitable, because how could he have a beautiful child? How could she love someone like him? But also he loves her, so he doesn't want her to reject him, either. Not only because he just loved her, but also because he doesn't want her rejection to show he's unworthy as a man or as a person.

He loves them both, but he started removing himself from their lives long before the night of usurpation. He made himself a monster, in large part to push them away before they rejected him, as a form of self-protection. He never wanted Nephthys to tell him Anubis wasn't his (biological) son (S1E40). He never wanted to have to fully accept the gravity of that statement.

Sometimes the things we have to accept about people are hard, and hurt us. And we have to accept them anyway, but the fear is there, too.

He's so caught between wanting them to do what's best for them, and wanting to remove himself from ruining them both, and his own fears of them leaving him. He does what he has to, not necessarily because he wants to, and this, he feels, he has to. He's full of self-loathing and the capacity for affection that he hides out of shame, pain, and a sense of duty. It's so sad.

On the other hand, I do think there's hope in that. Seth's duty does define him in a lot of ways, many of which are unfortunate, but not all. It's when Seth abandons protecting Egypt and turns to sabotaging it, making its gods cower, killing its people, destroying the land, that he really loses it all. But with how the story is going, he's actively worried about the country's stability: he actually criticizes and instructs Horus about being mindful of managing Egypt and being wary of Ra (and Hathor) in S2E88, not to mention the numerous times he's noted Horus should be helping Isis run the country. FG's offer to fight a war against Egypt for Seth infuriated Seth, and seemingly activated his protective instincts over the country: "How dare you bring up war in front of me, when I spent thousands of years protecting Egypt?" (S2E48). I honestly think FG's presence is largely to make Seth look to protecting Egypt's borders again, and being more aware of other nations and how Egypt will work with and against them. And Horus is there to remind Seth of his being a guardian god (S2E74). Anubis' plight has made him actively care about the state of Duat (S2E68). While being around Horus is making him question his own thoughts about his role and the choices he makes, and uncovering things even he didn't know (e.g., the letters he and Isis exchanged in the flashback in S02E69, or what's up with the Ogdoad). He's learning what he cares about again, rather than drowning in self-pity and hatred, and Horus in particular makes him think about the stuff he enjoys best, including being a guardian and not panicking so much.

A deep part of why Horus/Seth works as a pairing is because Seth believes he is strong but unlovable and perhaps not as strong as he thinks he is due to self-doubt, while the people around him deserve better, while Horus believes Seth is strong, lovable, and worth of protection because of how fragile Seth can be in many ways. They both have different wisdom and can see flaws the other one has, and point them out for future improvement, and, on some level, respect each other (for all Seth's many derogatory comments, he respects Horus, for example, when he tries to impress Horus at the fight at Isis' temple in S2E53). And Horus sees him, in a way other people don't, even if Horus isn't always right about it. But unlike other characters, he's willing to learn. Whereas Horus really does need guidance about being a strong ruler.

I also think that there's hope for reconciliation with Nephthys and Anubis. Certainly Seth is fighting to keep his relationship with Anubis good, and with Nephthys having her feelings changed by the mirror, perhaps with Isis' help, they can restore her, and Nephthys can continue her own healing journey. Perhaps she and Seth will start a new friendship. Even if it never happens, I think they both have developed and will develop enough to maybe meet as siblings again one day, working together peacefully. I doubt it'll be more than that, but it's more than they have now.

Seth's story is still sad and I imagine we're going to learn more as the story progresses, but there's a lot of hope, too.