#something something joan became the meek mouse with a bite and vera became the cold woman wearing the shiny crowns (metaphorically)

[secretsofthewilde]

Thinking about how after the ending of Wentworth Vera is the only person to know that Joan not only escaped but also saved her life as she did so. How this final moment must have reframed their recent interactions for Vera, making her realize that the two of them had changed one another in more ways than they had realized. Even if they never see each other again from now on, they will be changed irrevocably because of their time together.

Throughout each one of their interactions that season, Vera was aggressive and lashing out at Joan even when it was cruel and went against who she was to do so. If Joan wouldn't be the cruel woman Vera once knew her to be, then she would try to provoke her into becoming that woman again, but in doing so it really just showed that Vera had become the thing she said she'd never be - like Governor Ferguson. Her actions towards Joan/Kath in the final season are emotionally charged in a similar way to when Joan believed that Vera had betrayed her in season 3 and had become paranoid and acted rashly with little concern to others, with the justification that it was all for the "greater good" and that she knew best.

Despite everyone around her and all the evidence suggesting that Joan really was harmless as Kath at the start of season 8, Vera refuses to believe that the woman who had such an impact on her life has gone and is paranoid that she will end up hurt/betrayed if she believes in Kath. This paranoia and stubbornness then leads her to act cruelly towards Kath because she justifies how she is acting as being for the "greater good" of everyone by punishing Joan for her past actions - despite the fact that it's not really Joan she's punishing in those moments. And it's these actions (ordering the spitbag in particular) that cause Joan's memories to return and therefore unleash the monster back into her life.

Vera had taken over the antagonistic role that was once Joan's in their relationship, emulating the authoritative and self-righteous character of her past mentor-and-friend-turned-enemy. And as she took on that role, Joan became the one with little power or control in their relationship, deferring meekly to Vera as her superior in the prison hierarchy. Someone raised to believe that emotions are a weakness was having to recognise and process that not only did she have strong emotions, but that these emotions were brought on because of Vera. Throughout their interactions in the season, Joan is incredibly earnest towards Vera and shows a great level of concern and care for her even if at first she doesn't understand it herself. It is through seeing and talking to Vera again that Joan learns to put others before herself - something that was once Vera's biggest weakness (before she met Joan), has now become a sign of positive growth for Joan.

That's not to say that Vera wasn't still the caring and loving woman we've seen throughout the show or that Joan didn't still engage and desire cruel/violent behaviours , but rather that over the course of their relationship they drew strength from the others weaknesses. Despite any claim of hatred for one another by the final episode, it's impossible to hide just how much the two have changed through knowing one another.

As Joan walks away from Vera and into the distance at the end of the final episode, the symbiotic nature of their relationship comes to an end, but the two of them will be forever changed from knowing one another.