#tearing down another ship or character to defend your shipping preferences is weak

[buffysummers]

I've been thinking about how when ppl try to defend Spike and talk about him they ALWAYS bring up Angel/Angelus and yet it never happens the other way around 👀 it's almost like trying to gas a character up by shitting on another one isn't a good argument...Almost

I think u might be onto something there... also Bangels don’t even ship Buffy with Angelus that’s an entirely separate dynamic so their argument collapses on that front as well jsjsjs

[poeticallyunkind]

The Art of Drowning (A Falsettos Oneshot)

Word Count: 4702

Pairing: Whizzer & Marvin

AU Details: Pirate!Marvin & Mermaid!Whizzer

Warnings: a few homophobic slurs, mentions of alcohol, mentions of death (no major character death actually occurs), depictions of drowning

Author’s note: THIS TOOK FOREVER LMAO ENJOY

From the moment the amber liquid touches his lips, the captain knows he’s in trouble. He’s never been particularly skilled with keeping down his liquor on dry land, much less on a churning ship crowded with dozens of foul-stenched pirates. His mind is swamped with the wounds of both intoxication and nausea, enough so that he’s having some difficulty with thinking. Marvin’s crew surrounds the lower deck, laughing heartily as the accordion plays a merry tune. Beer sloshes messily upon the wooden floor. He frowns. If he’s honest, he doesn’t remember what they’re supposed to be celebrating. Perhaps they’d pillaged a fearsome ship in the early afternoon, and the celebration of their newly-found riches had extended well into the evening.

Despite the sense of warmth that surrounds the festivities, the last thing Marvin feels is joy. Instead, he’s nervous. And perhaps more than a little tipsy. He taps absentmindedly on the chipped table, trying to avoid the thoughts which continue to poke holes in his calm facade. Quite frankly, he’d rather be eaten by a shark than allow these odd feelings to persist. He doesn’t understand them, nor does he want to. He wishes he could live without them, without this strange desire for--

“Shit,” a voice mutters, shaking Marvin from his stupor.

His first mate appears at the table, spilling much of his beer as he sits in a creaking chair. His expression is a little hard to read; something between a scowl and a smirk. He eyes Marvin cautiously before speaking, as if assessing the mood of his superior. “You’re lookin’ pretty pissed off, captain.”

“I’m not,” Marvin shrugs, raising his empty mug. He ignores a fresh wave of nausea, focusing instead on the somewhat annoyed face of his friend.

His first mate scoffs. “Not sure if I believe that.”

“Seasickness,” Marvin mumbles, mentally slapping himself for the weak excuse. A seasick pirate? Still, he prefers the anticlimactic lie over the truth behind his mood. How does he tell someone that drinking has become a gateway to a series of feelings he’s never felt before? That when intoxicated, his most intimate thoughts wander not to his wife, but to his odd attraction towards men? How can he say that these thoughts have started to migrate into sobriety, too? How can he say these things, knowing damn well that nobody on this ship would listen to a word of it without feeling positively disgusted?

There’s a brief pause, and Marvin can tell that his shipmate doesn’t quite believe the lie.  “In my six years on this ship, not once have I seen you get sick.”

“What, got something to say, John?” Marvin barks, daring the man to challenge his word. His tone must come off as offensive, because John’s expression suddenly hardens.

He sighs, handing the captain his mug. “Yeah, you need another drink.”

---

The night passes in a haze of liquor, salty air, and laughter. Surprisingly, the wave of nausea passes through Marvin without a struggle, and he’s managed to keep nearly every drop of alcohol in his system. His buzz is strong enough to send even the most hardened of drinkers into a state of incoherency. The music has gotten notably worse and the stench of sweat and booze has drifted well-beyond the deck, yet Marvin refuses to let it affect his mood. It’s such a sharp contrast to how uncouth he felt just hours ago, he’s unsure of whether or not time is passing properly-- it feels like it’s been years since he last felt low. He’s swaying comfortably in his chair, grinning from ear-to-ear as John recalls the time he pillaged eight ships in one week. Truthfully, Marvin’s mind is already occupied. The strange feelings continue to blur his thoughts, but… fuck it. For once in his life, he embraces them. Nothing could kill the unfiltered sense of freedom that fills his chest.

“—And the captain wept! Kinda funny, actually, how such a brave man crumpled over losing a pathetic ship,” John relays, emphasizing his words with a tone of mock sympathy. “I had to put a bullet through his skull to shut him up!”

Marvin laughs, leaning in to catch a better glimpse of his friend. His words tangle like fishing hooks as he speaks. “C-Christ, John! You’re… pretty fuckin’ r-ruthless…”

John smirks, which makes Marvin’s heart pound as if it’s a drum. “And yet somehow, I still ain’t the captain.”

“What’s that s’posed to m-mean?” Marvin shoots, slurring. Ordinarily, he feels nothing but respect for his first mate. Yet here he is, sitting beneath the moonlight, scarily aware of how spiteful John has been recently. It makes him rethink his choice of first mate.

“Oh, nothin’.” John’s expression reverts back to annoyance. “Anythin’ from your wife?”

Marvin grimances. “God, no. I’d rather d-die than write to Trina.”

Six months at sea, and he hasn’t thought of his family once. It’s not that he hates his wife, quite unlike the majority of his crew, but he supposes that a small part of him has always known that he doesn’t love Trina the way that most men would. He’d done everything right-- gave her everything she could possibly want, held her close, listened to what she had to say-- yet one thing was missing: passion. Simply put, he had no complex feelings for his wife. There was never a spark, never a source of passion in their marriage. Even when she’d given birth to Jason, the culmination of his pride and joy, he’d felt nothing.

Marvin sighs, sipping his beer. Even drunk, he knows that this is worthless. Perhaps if Trina were a man, his marriage wouldn’t be so affectionless, so devoid of emotion. All he wants is to love something, to feel his heart leap with joy at the very mention of someone’s name.

“I thought you two were doin’ well,” John hums, accusation in his eyes.

“Guess not,” Marvin laughs. He then pauses, thinking. His next sentence comes out as an airy stutter, but it might as well be a scream, based on the reaction it receives. “Honestly, she’s… not exactly what I want, if y’know what I mean.”

“I don’t. What the hell are you talkin’ about?”

In his mind, execution bells start to ring. All at once, Marvin realizes three things about himself: he’s gay, he drank too much, and he’s fucked. He knows he shouldn’t say this, knows that he’s signing his own death certificate, but Marvin can’t stop himself from blurting out  “She’s a woman, John.” He drops his mug, clamping a shaking hand to his lips.

For a few seconds, it’s as if the world falls still. John gapes at him. His eyes bore holes into Marvin’s, his expression brimming with disgust. Marvin can no longer hear the surrounding chatter; all that exists in this moment is the hatred in his first mate’s eyes and the quickened thrum of his own heartbeat. After a moment, John’s mood seems to change instantly. The same malicious smirk from the beginning of the night reappears.

John stands up, feigning shock. His shout echoes throughout the deck. “What’s that, captain? Did you just tell me you’re a faggot?”

The celebration comes to an instant halt. Every man stops, mug half-raised to his lips. Dozens of eyes fall upon him, and Marvin lets out a choked gasp. He stands up slowly, afraid that if he makes any sudden movements, he’ll have a sword in his throat in a matter of seconds. “T-that’s bullshit!” he stutters, trying to defend himself.

“Is that so?” John laughs, turning to face the crew. “Tell me, men. For a captain, would you rather have a sniveling queer who continues to lie to your faces, or an honest man who’s willing to rid the ship of such a nuisance?”

Marvin freezes. “Rid?”

John’s grotesque smirk widens. “Yes, rid. I, for one, say that we reclaim this vessel from it’s disgusting owner through force. I say that we make our dear captain walk the plank!”

To say that all hell breaks loose would be an understatement. As John makes his announcement, the atmosphere of the ship becomes pure, unfiltered rage towards Marvin. Several cheers fill the air. A legion of drunken, homophobic men, his crew-- is pitted against him in a matter of seconds. He feels a pair of arms yank him towards the railing, many other men trailing close behind. Marvin’s mind begins to shut down. He doesn’t think about his sexuality, or the contempt he feels for his wife. Instead, he’s momentarily bludgeoned with thoughts of betrayal. Sure, he’s always known John to be a bit jealous of his title, but to completely break his trust and do something like this? He never thought he’d see the day.

As he’s led to the spot where he’ll soon die, his mind reverts back to it’s typical, anxious self. It occurs to him that he’ll never see his family again. Though Marvin’s never been the particularly religious type, he silently mumbles a prayer, the words catching in his throat before they can reach his tongue. He hopes that Trina finds another husband, one that supports her in the ways that Marvin cannot. He hopes that Jason lives his life to the fullest. He hopes that neither will remember his bad qualities over his good, and that his memory will be carried through their love, not their stoic regrets.

“Move!” his first mate shouts, shoving Marvin haphazardly towards the plank. The thin wood buckles under his weight, as if threatening to end it all at any moment. Though he’s facing the ship’s interior, he can feel the waves churning wrathfully beneath it, and with every few seconds comes a new threat to keeping his balance. One wrong move, and he’ll fall into the ocean’s unforgiving embrace without so much as a final word.  Marvin shudders, tears of anger filling his vision.  He hates the lack of guilt that shines so evidently on his first mate’s face. He’s on his knees. A sword is soon pinned against his throat, lest he try to escape.

His crew leers at him, relentless laughter filling the deck. He closes his eyes, inhaling the salty breeze. Any ounce of respect they once held for their captain is gone, replaced suddenly with a bigoted haze. They care not for the cunning leadership he’s shown in the past, but rather which gender he finds himself drawn to. They spit in the name of equality, considering themselves above the likes of such lowly attraction. Even his first mate, the man he’d chosen to support the crew through thick and thin, approaches him with newly-found betrayal. By targeting their captain-- the one man aboard who isn’t enveloped by his own hatred-- they ultimately validate their own, meaningless lives. Marvin finds himself contemplating this as the sword digs uncomfortably into his neck, not quite drawing blood.

John can hardly contain his glee. “Any last words, faggot?”

Marvin opens his eyes, focusing on the man in front of him. His expression is nothing short of joyous, as if he simply can’t wait to murder the man who had trusted him most. Inexplicably, his heartbreak dissipates. Anger floods his veins. Marvin is overcome with such an overwhelming sense of spite, he knows exactly what he wants to say to his first mate.

Marvin shivers, exhaling the salty air he’s grown to love throughout past voyages for the last time. “Suck a dick, John.”

“Bad choice,” John sneers, throwing the sword behind him with a sad clang.

And with that, Marvin is pushed. The plank gives one final, depressing shake as his weight is removed, the sensation of falling soon coursing through his body. His hint of bravery dies as suddenly as it was spawned. If he were to say that his fall is graceful, that he laughs in the face of death as he resigns himself to fate, he would be lying. Mostly, his plummet consists of screaming. The air from his lungs is stolen as he crashes unceremoniously into the murky waves.

His vision quickly declines into a blurred streak as he fights for air. His limbs flail uselessly around him, desperately trying to grab hold of something that simply doesn’t exist. He’s sinking, sinking into the unknown legions of blue. His lungs seem to crush themselves; he can’t breathe. Black dots begin to invade his sight. His heart clamors in his chest as if to take a final bow, to remind him that he indeed once lived and breathed without the weight that’s crashing into his lungs. This goes on for what feels like decades, the ocean laughing airily at his struggle for breath. Eventually, his limbs tire and he’s unable to continue fighting. He falls eerily still, oxygen-deprived brain unable to process his actions. The pain that grips his throat lessens, and the last thing he sees before his vision goes blank is what appears to be a stunning flash of blue scales.

—

When Marvin drifts back into consciousness, he’s rather surprised to discover that he’s still alive. Broken, admittedly, but somehow breathing. A headache sweeps incessantly through his skull. His lungs inhale almost greedily, as if to make up for the oxygen he lost. He tries to assess what he’s capable of doing. His fingers curl without issue when he attempts to move them, and he’s able to let out a choked cough. There's a moment of difficulty that comes with opening his eyes, which feel like lead atop his already-throbbing features. Slowly, fragmented pieces of the world begin to blend together, and Marvin is made uncomfortably aware of his surroundings.

He’s on a beach, for starters. Based on the sky’s warm, citrus hue, he assumes that several hours have passed since his midnight drowning. He frowns. The ship was miles away from the nearest shore when he was pushed. How did he get here? More importantly, where the hell is ‘here’? Despite the startling thought, he continues to observe. The sand beneath him is cold; the rising sun hasn’t quite crossed the land. Other than the gentle lapping of waves, the water’s edge is eerily silent. He’s facing opposite of the waterfront, staring instead into what appears to be a forest. He watches a grove of palm trees, emerald leaves swaying in the early morning wind. Admittedly, the scene is gorgeous. If he weren’t so terrified, perhaps he’d be in awe. With a huff, Marvin steadily eases himself into a sitting position.

From behind him, a warm voice interrupts his movement. “Finally! I was starting to think that you wouldn’t wake up, sailor.”

The scream that escapes Marvin’s lips is admittedly priceless. The shrill sound echoes beyond the water’s edge, becoming jagged as he forces his aching body to face the voice. Immediately, his gaze his held by a man in the water, who smirks Marvin with a raised brow. His brown eyes light up with humor as he absentmindedly combs a set of tanned fingers through his hair. He waits for the pirate’s outburst to come to an end, but that moment doesn’t happen naturally. Eventually, he rolls his eyes.

“Are you done yet?”

“Who the fuck are you?!” Marvin shouts, tone nothing short of panicked as a multitude of thoughts race through his head. Why is there a hot stranger in the water? Where the hell is he? Why does he have an urge to touch his hair?

The stranger scoffs. “Well, if you could shut up for a few seconds, I’d probably tell you.”

Abruptly, Marvin stops screaming. He clenches his fists, fear still in his eyes. Once he’s standing, he shuffles several feet back from the shore.

“Thank you. Anyway, I’m Whizzer. Also known as the man who saved your ass from drowning,” the man states, making no attempt to move from his spot in the water.

“W-wait, what? That was you?”

Whizzer hums in confirmation. “Mhm. So, sailor, can I ask what were you doing in the middle of the ocean? Something tells me it wasn’t your choice.”

“As if I’d tell you,” Marvin exhales, looking Whizzer up and down. He has to admit, there’s something interesting about the man, and it’s not just how attractive he is. Despite his distrust, Marvin can’t help but yearn to know more about him.

He pouts mockingly. “Aw, what’s wrong with telling me?”

“I don’t even know you!”

“Actually, you kinda do,” Whizzer begins, a devious smile tracing his lips. “I told you my name. Which is more than I can say for you, speaking of which.”

Marvin groans. “Why do you care?”

“Shit, I wasn’t aware that first names were too intimate to share with others.”

Marvin hesitates. Sarcastic as he is, Whizzer has a point. Why does Marvin feel so terrified about the prospect of opening up? The man saved him, for Christ’s sake! After a moment of silence, his voice fills the empty air. “I’m Marvin.”

Whizzer laughs, which makes Marvin’s heart pound once more. “That’s a nice name, Marvin,” he says, genuine warmth in his tone.

Slightly flustered by the compliment, Marvin changes the topic. “Where am I?”

“A beach,” Whizzer deadpans, as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

“Fucking hilarious. Seriously, where the hell did you bring me?”

“Sorry that this shore doesn’t meet your standards, Mr. I-don’t-care-that-I-could’ve-died, but I was a little busy dragging you to dry land to take note of the exact location.”

“So what you’re saying,” Marvin hisses, “is that we’re lost?”

Whizzer shrugs, uncaring. “Better than being dead, sailor.”

A sound of contempt escapes Marvin’s throat. “You’re unbelievable.”

“You’re not the first person to say that, y’know,” Whizzer replies, splashing contently at an oncoming wave. It then occurs to Marvin that Whizzer hasn’t moved from the sea since this conversation started. It’s a bit odd, to say the least.

“You don’t have to stay in the water all day,” he huffs, noting the shocked expression that his words leave.

“I, uh-- I like it here,” Whizzer laughs nervously, speaking too quickly.

Marvin narrows his eyes. “Seriously, just come ashore.”

Whizzer’s tone is now notably panicked. “No, thank you.”

“Why not?”

Whizzer doesn’t reply, and Marvin’s curiosity begins to swell. Before the conversation turned towards the water, the man was the epitome of confidence. Now, he’s practically quivering. He continues to stare, silently pleading with Marvin. For a split second, he almost feels bad for what he’s about to do. He doesn’t want to break his trust, but his interest is at a maximum. He needs to know what’s stopping Whizzer. What if it’s something dangerous? With the thought of his new friend being harmed, any hesitance within him disappears, and Marvin starts to walk towards the shore.

Whizzer’s eyes widen, a petrified stare inhabiting his features. “Sailor, don’t--”

Before he can finish his sentence, Marvin’s feet touch the water. He raises an eyebrow towards Whizzer, who responds only with an anxious gulp. Without thinking, he extends an arm to the brown-eyed man. “C’mon, it’s not so hard. Just follow me out.”

Whizzer takes his hand, but still doesn’t move. The look on his face becomes notably sadder as his lips fall into a frown, soon followed by the darkening of his eyes. “I-I can’t.”

Ignoring the fact that his heartbeat pounds yet again at the feeling of Whizzer’s hand in his own, Marvin repeats his question from only minutes ago. “Why not?”

“You’ll be scared if I tell you,” Whizzer exhales, voice trailing off.

A knot begins to tug at Marvin’s stomach. “Whizzer, what the hell are you talking about? Obviously, I was pretty apprehensive at first, but from what you’ve said, you’re not anything to be afraid of!” he says, wanting desperately to know what’s plaguing his attractive stranger. “I know we just met, but you can trust me.” As the words leave his mouth, he realizes how much has changed throughout the course of this conversation. What started as a relatively annoyed exchange between the two has quickly become something else, something softer. It scares him, just how fast he’s started to trust a man he knows almost nothing about. Even more so, he hopes that Whizzer trusts him in return.

“People have run off in the past,” Whizzer counters, though his discomfort seems to be easing. He holds Marvin’s hand as if it’s his saving grace. “I-I don’t wanna freak you out, sailor.”

Marvin sighs. “I’m not those people! I swear wouldn’t run away. If there’s something wrong, I need to know now.”

“No, no,” his friend shakes his head. “There’s nothing wrong, exactly, but… it can be a little surprising, I guess.”

“What does that mean?” Marvin queries, gently folding his other hand atop Whizzer’s palm.

“Are you sure you want to know?”

“Positive,” Marvin confirms.

Whizzer hesitantly takes back his hand, frowning as he gestures to the waves churning beneath him. “I don’t— please don’t get scared,” he pleads, eyes brimming with anxiety.

Marvin offers him a smile. “I swear that I won’t.”

There’s a shaky, somewhat collective inhale as Whizzer leans backwards, submerging his face in the sea. Before Marvin can question the strange action, he raises the lower half of his body. Words die in Marvin’s throat as he stares not at a pair of legs, but the most magnificent tail he’s ever seen. A kaleidoscope of purples and blues glisten in the haze of the morning sun, outshining the countless illustrations he’d seen in books as a child. He’s reminded of the fascination with fantasy he’d lost over the hardening years, and the thrill that clouds his thoughts is undeniable. A mermaid!

After a few moments, he watches the tail fall back into the waves. Whizzer’s face resurfaces. His expression is visibly flustered, though indeed no longer terrified. He gives Marvin an uneasy smile, which is immediately returned with a grin of his own.

“Whizzer, that was-- holy shit, I just...” Marvin starts, stumbling over his words as he tries to accurately convey how wonderful that was. His new friend is a mermaid. A mermaid saved him from drowning! He doesn’t know where to begin, how to express his intrigue.

The thought of leaving exits his mind completely.

Whizzer laughs, the stress in his shoulders disappearing. “Thank you, sailor.”

Fragmented sentences fire from Marvin’s mouth like bullets, excitement filling his tone. “You gotta-- well, it’d be great if you could-- would you please--”

“Slow down, Marv,” Whizzer says, playfully splashing the pirate with an oncoming wave. “You’re talking so fast, the speed of light is a little jealous.”

Blushing, Marvin takes a step back. His words become slower. “Yeah, sorry. Would you, uh, tell me what it’s like?”

There’s a brief pause before Whizzer speaks, though his voice is notably softer when he does so. “Absolutely, sailor.”

---

The unlikely pair talks for hours. The morning soon stretches into a muggy afternoon, and the afternoon gives way to a magnificent evening. Before they know it, the sky is filled with a legion of stars, pale moonlight drifting through the quiet beach. Marvin sits centimeters away from the waterfront, cross-legged and holding Whizzer’s hand in his own once more. Hours upon hours of conversation, he muses to himself, and he’s still enamored by the man in front of him, completely intrigued by everything he has to say. He’d like nothing more than to sit here for the rest of his days, exchanging stories and laughing with his new friend.

Based on the spark in his eyes, he assumes that Whizzer feels something similar. He tells Marvin everything he can think of, sharing stories about the underwater society that even Marvin’s most intricate fantasies couldn’t compare to. He talks of humans who’ve run away in fear after being saved from similar drownings, and how Marvin is the first to stay. There are mentions of domestic lifestyle, of coral homes with pleasant neighbors and kingdoms lined by seashell streets, all of which amaze the sailor to no end. Once Whizzer runs out of things to say, a comfortable silence comes and goes, which leads into a question that startles the pirate.

“Tell me,” he starts, tracing a finger over Marvin’s hand. “Do you like it up there?”

“Up where?”

Whizzer scoffs. “Above the water, sailor.”

Marvin falters, contemplating the existence that he’s lived thus far. He’s married a woman he doesn’t love, raised a son who resents him, made a dishonest living as a pirate, and found himself betrayed by his first mate after discovering a part of himself he hadn't known existed. Perhaps not the greatest life ever lived. “I guess not.”

He soon opens up about everything, from the way he trusted his first mate to how he felt nothing at his wedding, to which Whizzer gives his full attention. He doesn’t judge Marvin’s past or laugh at his mistakes, but instead listens to his tired stories with respect. He comforts, makes the sailor laugh whenever needed, and continues to hold his hand in a gesture of support. By the end of his rant, Marvin’s heart is beating so forcefully, he’s once again sure he’ll faint. It’s only the steadiness of Whizzer’s voice that manages to calm him.

“I grew up on fairytales where everyone is given an ending, where good triumphs over evil and ‘happily ever after’ is real, y’know? And I suppose a part of me always thought that it’d all work out that way in the real world, too. But it just… didn’t, and now I’m realizing how stupid those thoughts were,” he finishes his final thoughts, a sad smile on his lips.

Whizzer lowers his gaze. “Don’t say that, sailor. You deserve a happy ending, and you still have plenty of time to find one.”

Another sad laugh. “Let’s face it, I’m out of time. How do I find an ending when there’s nowhere else to look? Life on land brought me nowhere, and it’s not like I can start over.”

The mermaid inches closer, practically falling into the sailor’s lap. “It’s not nowhere. Life on land brought you here, Marvin.”

“And what’s so great about here?” Marvin scoffs.

Whizzer offers him another smile, a quick squeeze of his hand. “You don’t have to be alone anymore, sailor. You have me.”

His pulse races once more. “Whizzer, I don’t--”

“Listen, I know it seems hopeless, but it doesn’t have to be that way.”

“I can’t stay here forever, Whizzer! This island is abandoned, not to mention the fact that you can’t actually visit dry land,” Marvin argues.

Another spout of silence. “It wouldn’t be here, sailor.”

Marvin’s eyes widen as he begins to realize what the mermaid is implying. A life under the sea with a person he’s grown to care about, an escape from the cards he’d be dealt by fate. A chance to explore the kind of love he’d never had on land, to spend the rest of his days in happiness. A future that seems too good to be true. “Jesus, don’t make jokes like that.”

Whizzer holds Marvin’s face in his palms, tucking a stray strand of hair behind the pirate’s ear. His words come out as a gentle whisper. “I’m not kidding, Marv! Screw the surface, we can find a happy ending together.”

“I couldn’t survive underwater,” Marvin points out, voice trailing off as his heart thuds in his chest. He’s now nose-to-nose with Whizzer, his vision filled by the mermaid’s brown eyes.

He can’t imagine this new life. The thrill of waking up next to the epitome of love each morning is a fate he’s never so much as considered, much less indulged in. Despite his disbelief, however, he realizes just how badly he wants this. He craves the feeling of caring for someone, of living on a lover’s shoulder, of forgetting all the times he’s been wronged and focusing on what’s right in the world. And as far as he can tell, the only right he sees is an easygoing future with a certain mermaid.

A shallow breath. “Did your fairytales explain what happens when a mermaid kisses a human, sailor?”

“Show me,” Marvin says simply, breath hitching as his eyes close and their lips finally meet.

[orpelia]

Air: “Endgame”

Eleven episodes and a two-week hiatus later (oops!)~~

My praise, my wishes, and my feelings of the season finale of Book I. 

[Heart eyes.]

Oh, Bo. What would we do without you.

As always, he gifted us with his silly and endearing humor,

but he also starred in some fantastic collabs.

Bolin x Naga

Bolin x General Iroh

Honestly, Bolin x Any Character <--- now that’s my kind of ship.

General Iroh is just as stupidly fearsome and heroic as his grandfather.

This is fact. 

His stunt with the planes?

Cray.

I’m looking forward to seeing more of him in the future, preferably in the same scene(s) as Zuko because that’s something I desperately need in my life.

My favorite Mako: protective and powerful.

Let’s not forget, he can break free of Noatak’s bloodbending!!!

Korra---the freakin’ Avatar---couldn’t even do that! At least, not at first.

Amon admits it himself: “I'm impressed. No one has ever gotten the better of me like that. It is almost a shame to take the bending of someone so talented.”

I hope Mako’s talents become focal points in the next books. Please, oh please don’t revert him back to a frustrating, lovesick puppy who can’t make up his damn mind. It really doesn’t do his character justice.

Speaking of lovesick puppies...

Without a doubt, Mako and Korra had the most compelling scenes of the entire episode (and not because they were fighting Noatak).

Canon couple or not, these two make a great team. They obviously care about each other, but they’re fiercely protective of one another as well, and that’s what makes their chemistry so palpable.

Although I wasn’t over the moon about dropping the love bombs, even I recognize how heartwarming their moments were.

Take, for example, the penultimate scene of the finale:

Recap: Mako tells Korra he loves her, Korra dramatically runs away with Naga, and Tenzin tells Mako they have to be patient with her, which is old people code for “give her some space.”

If you ask me, that’s shitty advice.

In real life, I want someone to go after me, even if I say I want to be alone or I tell people to go away. 

Yes, I am that person.

So you best believe my heart SOARED when the boy chased after the girl:

At first, Mako’s shocked.

No surprise there. 

He just witnessed Korra in the Avatar State, which means 1) her bending is back and 2) the Avatar State is no joke!! The glowing eyes!! The command of the four elements at your fingertips!! That’s hardcore, bro!!

But then he fondly smiles at her, which I wholeheartedly interpret as “Ah, yes. That’s my girl.”

And look at her face!!

These two aren’t endgame, so I’m allowing myself to savor in the swoon.

FYI: If there’s anything you should know about me, it’s that I’m a sucker for cheek caresses.

Twirling hugs also make me a lil weak in the knees.

Running to someone and barreling into their arms is just stupid cute.

[Heavy sigh.]

I was really rooting for Asami. 

After Chapter 7, I thought we were going to see how Asami was coping with the reveal of her father’s conspiring nature. Instead, her character seemed to revolve more around the love triangle (or whatever shape you want to call the ridiculous Asami x Mako x Korra situation). When Asami does mention her father, it’s only a sparse comment every other episode or so.

Thus, the showdown between father and daughter lacks an emotional weight, and it’s partly because we haven’t explored enough of their relationship to truly feel for these characters.

That isn’t to say their sequence doesn’t have powerful moments. 

I just want to take a moment to holla at ma boy @Jeremy Zuckerman, sole music composer. 

Your music is always stunning, but the accompanying track in Asami and Hiroshi’s showdown (plus the music in the boat scene and everything in the third act) is what carries the entire segment. 

Your melodies tugged at my heartstrings in ways the story couldn’t.

Their final fight, for instance:

Asami is so caught up in the battle---defending herself against her father, no less---that you think she might actually do it, she might actually hurt him. 

But then he’s looking at her like this, 

and she starts to hesitate (this is her father after all),

which is the exact moment Hiroshi strikes.

In the end, Asami captures her father, but not without remorse: “You really are a horrible father.”

Dear Creators, 

Please give your characters the emotional depth they deserve and explore the nuances of their relationships. 

Trust me: they can lift the weight of their stories just fine.

I am unbelievably disappointed in Noatak’s arc. 

I just---

I mean---

How?

How are you going to build the foundation of a character on a lie?

How are you going to develop that character’s arc for ten episodes, then discredit almost everything with deceit?? 

How are you going to completely undermine your character like that???

And to add insult to injury, Noatak keeps lying, going so far as to reveal a fake, painted scar: 

Here’s the thing: Zuko is my world. 

Of all the characters from Avatar: The Last Airbender, I found pieces of myself in his story the most. Scars, then, are sore subjects for me; sometimes, I feel like I’m as sensitive about his scar as he was.

Yes, I jumped in my seat upon first seeing Noatak’s “scar,” but make no mistake---I’d rip that lie off his face in a heartbeat.

Undermining your character with lies is bad enough, but this shit felt like mockery, and while I’m certain that wasn’t the creators’ intents, I’m taking it personally anyway.

However, attention should be paid to Noatak’s last scene:

Again, the music is so beautifully somber, but the dialogue here is probably some of the episode’s best.

From Noatak’s “I had almost forgotten the sound of my own name,” to Tarrlok’s "It will be just like the good old days.”

From the tear that rolls down Noatak’s cheek,

to Tarrlok's decision to sacrifice them both.  

It doesn’t make up for butchering Noatak’s arc, but this was, quite simply, a beautiful ending to a sad story.

Dear Creators, 

Please don’t make the same mistake twice.

You compromised the integrity of your character the moment you sacrificed a fleshed out plot for woaw!shock factor.

Villain or not, he deserved better.

Also, I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU.

It was at this moment that I wanted to jump into the screen and rescue Tenzin and his beautiful children myself.

LOOK AT THEIR FACES.

I WAS SO MAD. 

LIKE:

HOW COULD YOU.

It should be said: I loved Korra in this episode.

I mean, she was pretty daft to think that hiding under a table would keep her safe from a bloodbender. A bloodbender (a psychic one at that) can feel your blood, Korra, of course he knows you’re under there.

So just for that:

Yeah, don’t you look all silly and fuzzy.

Aside from this idiotic little slip, she was pretty badass, unlocking her airbending and fighting against Noatak’s bloodbending:

What a crappy screenshot of her airbending, haha. Would you believe me if I said this was genuinely the best I could do?

And unlike Asami and her father, I actually felt for Korra. I was devastated when Katara couldn’t repair her severed connection to the other three elements.

Though I wonder if I felt more for Korra because she acted just as I would. That is, she’s clearly distraught over losing her bending, but she wants to spare her friends and family the trouble of making a scene:

So she waits until she’s alone to let it all go:

:’-(

As I said, I loved and felt for Korra in the finale, and I don’t have a problem with her...

I have a problem with the writing.

Korra’s airbending was very badass, but I completely forgot about her airbending struggles. 

The first four episodes show Korra’s conflict with the element (i.e., it’s literally the plot line of Chapter 2). If anything, these episodes have small moments that remind us of Korra’s airbending training---practicing in the temple’s courtyard or doing exercises with the kids, to name a few examples.

Then, in Chapter 8, Tarrlok insults her with the “half-baked Avatar” comment, snidely remarking on her less than satisfactory airbending. It’s in this same episode that Korra reminds Tenzin---and the audience---that she’s never been able to connect with her spiritual side. (More on this later!)

And... that’s it. 

After the eighth episode, she’s kidnapped by Tarrlok, who reveals himself as a bloodbender; she’s rescued but then Amon and Hiroshi attack Republic City, separating Korra and the teens from Tenzin, his family, and Lin; Korra decides to take Amon on her own (but not really because Mako decides to tag along) and the two of them bump into Tarrlok, who reveals that Amon is actually his long-lost, waterbending, psychic bloodbending brother, Noatak. 

It’s not necessarily a bad thing. If the creators were prioritizing awe! and shock! and woaw!, then unlocking Korra’s airbending this way definitely did the job. But it felt a little too... convenient? Plus, there was no explanation for why her airbending worked when it did. 

I mean, saving Mako obviously had something to do with it, and they didn’t have time to get into the details because, duh, they were trying to restore Korra’s bending. 

Still, the audience shouldn’t have to interpret everything.

(Or perhaps I’m just being petty, lol.)

For a book titled after the element, I guess I just expected more. 

Ultimately, I wish we saw Korra practicing more airbending; I wish we got an explanation for how and why she airbended when she did; I wish her success in unlocking her final element had not been overshadowed by the loss of her water-, earth-, and firebending.

Which brings me here, to this special moment:

I cried.

100%. 

And the gentle, yet all too familiar Avatar theme playing in the background? Yeah, I was a puddle of tears.

However, as nostalgic as this was, I wasn’t too pleased at how quickly Korra’s bending was restored because it felt like the creators were taking shortcuts again.

For the record, I like that Noatak took Korra’s bending away (though I would have liked a more epic battle?), as it debunked the whole “the Avatar is invincible” concept. But, really? A quick touch of Aang’s fingers and her bending is restored, just like that?

Maybe it’s just me, but I would’ve loved to see Korra struggling to get her bending back. Perhaps we could’ve seen her retraining and relearning the other elements, which is something I still feel we were robbed of. 

Furthermore, as much as I enjoyed seeing Aang and all the former Avatar reincarnations, I didn’t like that this was also the moment Korra connected with her spiritual side. Similar to her airbending moment, I forgot about her spiritual struggles; the issue is last mentioned in Chapter 8 and, before that, all the way back in Chapter 1. But, honestly, I think the ease and convenience of this moment lends to the problematic pacing of Book I as a whole.

Dear Creators, 

While I thank you for restoring Korra and Lin’s bending, please don’t resort to convenient endings. I recognize that you only had twelve episodes, but please, no more shortcuts.

Your story will suffer.

Your characters will suffer, too.

p.s., I’m sorry for being so mean to you. I have a lot of feelings, is all. 

Cheers to Book II, though!

Parting Thoughts

Before sitting down to write the finale’s review, I took a two-week break.

In that time, I rewatched (and re-rewatched) the entire first book.

I even had time to indulge in the fifth season of The Great British Baking Show.

Shameless Plug: 

I absolutely recommend this charming baking competition. 

You learn quite a lot about the science and precision of baking, endure (but also adore) countless baking puns, and witness what true competition looks like. That is, genuine camaraderie, rooting for your fellow bakers to succeed, and sometimes, lending them a hand if they’re pressed for time.

Warning: do not watch late at night. You will reach for a baguette. 

And yet, I still feel meh about Book I.

The season has its share of success: the music is as impeccable as ever and the technological and industrial components of the Avatar-Korra universe are developing and expanding nicely. 

However, it will always come down to the story, and the writing just wasn’t up to par. 

Truthfully, the real triumphs are the characters, who---after only twelve episodes---have built a home for themselves in my heart:

Although, our bright, blue-eyed Avatar still has much to learn.

(i.e., how to stop being an impatient little dumdum)

But take heart...

Her story’s only just begun.

From Beginning to End:

“Thanks for looking out for me, Aang.”

credits

[reign-of-the-wolves]

THEM:

Hi Reading one of your recent comments on Soo It seems to be that you actually don't like her as a character not just the way she was written I think, it's just my assumption consider her as weak and a bit stupid Maybe I'm wrong

ME: It's both how she was written as a character and the character herself. Lol I've watched this series over 6 times now (partly to enjoy it with friends but also to analyze the story and characters for my own writing.) It may be the editing departments fault too with how they edited the final video

THEM: I think that the writing has a couple of flaws as every script has and it's ok but I put all blame on director and editor team.

Also, I think you really underestimate her and putting definition of a strong female lead in a very classic dimension when it comes to judging Soo, idk about others.

She was pretty much silly in the first eps and I didn't like her either. But there so much development that made me grow to like her more and more.

After all, of it wasn't her nothing would have happened. Even Eun's death supposed to happen because she meant to be there to story that we know in modern days could happen.

She's not even a bit weak. Just out yourself a modern day girl into her condition. Time travel, deaths of people that important to you and not most of them aren't natural. Tortures, a year of hard work of a water maid, ruined health, always aching knees and problem with heart. Const fear of hurting and affecting somebody's life, holding back with a person you falling in love with, then watching how his marrying other woman and suffering because of it, then leaving him not because you don't love him but because you have to and there's no other choice.

She's relatable in so many aspects even in Goryeo era. She's not super smart or strong or anything else, that what makes her so human. But she is so compassionate, hardworking.

ME: But it's not just my opinion 4 other of my friends (one of them having never seen Kdramas before) kinda of the same opinion. Her early eps were basically what kinda killed it.

Honestly my biggest thing is that there was no excuse for her behavior in the early episodes. (I didn't mind her too much after Court Lady Oh's death, but everything before that point she just didn't make sense to me... she would've realistically been executed) Even her being from another time can be a valid reason up to a point... before it becomes a writers scapegoat.

To me, if I had to pick a character from that show that was the most relateable and believably written, It would be Court Lady oh.

ME: it's just there's things that are common sense and common knowledge that anyone of any social class (modern or ancient) would know, and she somehow... didn't?? how to speak to royalty, and not get in a fight with them being for starters LOL

ME: the other things I can kinda loosely overlook as pure modern ignorance but there are some things that are just painfully jarring that make 0 sense for anyone in Korea or SE-Asia

ME: the more I watch and try to find reasons to sympathize with her or justify her behavior the more I can't-- especially when my friends are also asking me questions about why she's behaving a certain way. LOL I do try... I genuinelly do try (especially cause I want me friends to love this show as much as me) but I can't. xD I can't even objectively try to defend her character until after Court Lady Oh's death. and by that point when it comes to hr and wang So's relationship I can feel even less empathy for it aside from his character... XD

ME: I love wang So very very much, extremely deeply but their pairing made so little sense to me... that I couldn't even try to explain it to my friends xD Maybe the original book was different, but, this show didn't make work... this could be the fault of the editors and writers of the show

ME: 5 other friends of mine (my miscount I forgot how many I have seen this series with) Today at 10:06 AM

THEM: She was fearless and didn't want to let people humiliate her. Don't forget that she was a part of powerful Wook's household and people tear her as she is a mere child so I doubt that something would have happened to her. The only stupid thing that she did back then was beating Eun. She just couldn't stand his pervertism and decided to teach him a lesson.

I doubt that you know how to speak to medieval royalty as I have no clue how to speak to royalty from medieval Rus. Everything what I know is based on history books and tv series. I'm pretty sure it's far from accurate Also, Ha Jin's history knowledge was awfully poor. She couldn't even figure out that Gwangjong wasn't the second Goryeo king nor she didn't know that he actually didn't killed all his brothers. Her history knowledge was on a level of girl just appearing in history class auditorium without paying much attention.

For example? (What doesn't make sense for people in Kore and Asia)

Girl in original book is absolutely different just as 4th prince, they just took some main plot lines, everything else is different.

Their relationship was built on friendship, complete understanding of each other, they could see real nature of each other. Also, they're both idealistic and fight for truth, they're romantic and cherish freedom. They're really similar and I already told you about it.

ME: you sound mad? O-o are you mad at me or something? cause again this is just my own view point. LOL

THEM: Ahahah, no 😄

ME: okay LOL

ME: good XD

THEM: Sorry if I offend you

ME: nah you didn't I was worried of the reverse

THEM: I'm just giving you my point of view

ME: ^_^ ok

THEM: Because I'm just upset that you would rather erase Hae Soo from the story when she's basically the core of this narration

ME: LOL If I had to have a time traveling character beign the narration I'd persoanlly prefer a different character in her place. or even just have the narration from So's POV entirely or the original Hae Soo. :/  Sorry if I upset you it's just my oppinion and I'm not trying to like force it on ya LOL Today at 12:47 PM

THEM: But was hwarang female lead brilliantly written and was their romance developed? Like just to compare historical dramas that you watched.

It's not just So's story, initially it is a girls story, Koreans decided to share the focus with male lead as well.

It's fine, I get it. And you wouldn't be able to do it anyway 😄

ME: I liked the girl in the very very first episode. But after that first episode. THE VERY INSTANT SHE MET THE MALE LEAD... I ended up disliking her too the romance in Hwarang was just as bad as SHR

THEM: I'm afraid that you end up disliking all female leads in sageuk

ME: after that point TBH I kinda realized maybe it was Korean's media where they're so focused on shoehorning and shoving poorly developed romance down people's throats.... yeahhhh probably

THEM: But SoSoo wasn't poorly developed Can't agree with you It one of the most amazingly developed relationship in kdrama world In fiction I've run into And I love romance but only a good believable romance

ME: if that's the case then I am absolutely mortified to see other shows in Korea if that was considered the best in Kdrama world

THEM: Have you thought that it's a western mindset that makes you think that Soo and other female leads are weak

ME: my friend found the way he acted after she said she understood him absolutely jarring today ROFL

THEM: Ofc there are some one dimensional poorly written characters But I honestly saw many great girls

ME: Honestly I hate how a lot of media writes women in the West too I do think it could be a culture thing for me too, that maybe Korea and Japan idiolize these meek weak kinda "dense and quirky" women that NEED a man to function or at least the trope of it

THEM: Why it's so understandable

ME: in SE-Asian media

THEM: There's a parallel between his conversation with mother and this moment with Soo

ME: I know these countries are very sexist and women don't get a lot of respect over there.

THEM: Actually I feel like less sexist in historical way that Europe In Japan there were women samurais

ME: Oh I know in history it was fine till we came and shoved our noses in it

THEM: And I'm Goryeo women could divorce without damaging their honor

ME: or with confusnism

THEM: And all the property still belonged to them

ME: I'm not completely naive about Japan XD I did do research on the Samurai and the Minamoto family I also know in the Three Kingdoms era women were of equal

THEM: Japanese are more severe

ME: in fact one of them ruled err wait three of the women ruled Silla

THEM: Not completely equal but almost yeah

ME: What I'm saying is the roles of women changed roughly around the Joseon Dynasty and into the era where Christians started butting in well yeah not perfect but closer

ME: then it all turned to shit

THEM: Agree

ME: And yes maybe my Western upbringing has a lot to do with how I see it, but then again, I loved characters like Court lady Oh, Queen Hwangbo, (Hell I would even say- despite her corruption and being written as a bitch/antagonist-) I enjoyed Yeon Hwa's character and felt she was wonderfully developed. (no I do NOT ship Yeon hwa with WAng So) But I loved ALL these characters way more then I liked Soo because I felt they were better written and developed over all. Or WOo Hee for that mater I adored Woo hee and felt she was incredibly brace and strong

THEM: Ok but all these woman were ready to kill I like only Woo Hee from these three

ME: Court Lady Oh wasn't willing to kill. Also Lady Hae herself was another powerful and strong woman in her own right and she wasn't gunna kill anyone

THEM: But you say you liked these three

ME: both these women would've died (and one of them did) to protect the people they loved I forgot the other two xD well I mentioned Court Lady Oh XD but yeah basically any other woman in that show I found more engaging and compelling

THEM: Even Chae ryung? 😄 But Yeon Hwa was snake as well

ME: Soon Deok, Lady Oh, Lady Hae, Yeon Hwa, (hell even Yoo for being a horrible antagnosist and terible mother) Woo Hee.... all of these girls in my mind were better written and developed. yes even Chae Ryung I felt more emotion to all of these other women

THEM: But she was an evil traitor and liar

ME: in different ways yes but I felt SOMETHING I didn't nessicarily mean positive

THEM: Ok then I can say one thing

ME: or liking the character's decisions XD

THEM: You don't like Hae Soo in general Bc it's impossible to the same writers to write all these women and So itself To be poorly wrote Hae Soo in which I disagree ofc

THEM: You just don't like her for her character Like you found interesting everyone in this show except Hae Soo

ME: XD No I don't her character or how she was written...I felt 0 empathy for her on any level as a viewer, and I felt over all she made no sense as a character and was too unrealistic as a believeable character. I felt and could relate to the other characters in different ways. Yeon hwa for all her treachery I could see she was blindly pursuing her goals to protect her family (even though it was wrong). Lady Oh and Lady Hae and Woo Hee all were amazing and brave women yeah basically XD I did

THEM: Yeon Hwa wasn't protecting her family Like never

ME: It's not that I don't BLINDLY dislike her I have stated many times why I don't like or agree with her. ehh true XD she was just poisoned with greed but even she was interesting as a character

THEM: She just wanted power And So was for her just a beast to be tamed When Soo saw in him a kind hearted human and friend

ME: Well yeah XD I never liked YH and So together either

THEM: You didn't feel any empathy bc you didn't like her as a person, you felt no connection bc maybe you share only few traits with her. Most of the time when I watch dramas and movies, I feel no connection with characters. Especially western ones. I can say same things about beloved by many characters but I know that there are people who are like this particular heroine and they feel connection. Why she's not believable? She was betrayed many time, she fell for the wrong person, right person was always by her side and it took sonmuxh time to realize. She was to kind and to idealistic to realize many things earlier. I think it happened to many people. I felt her extremely relatable bc I would act same in many situations. Who am I kidding I would gone crazy after few days. But she had strength to not give up and accept the reality and live. She was acting so carelessly because she was allowed to, she felt love and protection from all the princes. She relaxed as if she was at home, in friendly atmosphere but after Lady Oh's death she realized that she can't and don't have right to live and behave like that anymore. It was a call that she's in medieval kingdom after all. I'm just saying that you don't feel empathy bc you don't like her as a person. And I feel like you belittle her and her strength

THEM: And I'm saying all of that considering how many times I was extremely mad at her and wanted to shout at her

Still I can't hate her or accuse in anything

She was in huge stress. She managed to survive for 10 in a toxic and suffocating atmosphere where she didn't belong.

ME: Yeah. XD Honestly I've stated many points on why I didn't like how she was written or her character as a character/person XD My friend who watched this series with me kinda pointed out to me too that she felt Hae Soo was "literally there to further the drama and development of the princes and she's a badly done character that was done injustice by baaaaaaaad writing." And my friend is in honors classes full scholarship majoring in developmental psychology. She likes a LOT of fiction, TV and admits she loves almost all types of characters and in her own words "has no standards for writing" xD IDK maybe we just see things differently My friend LOVED Wang so and the royal family and the story as a whole

ME: she just didn't like Soo either

ME: Maybe we should avoid the topic of Hae Soo when it comes to this show and stick to Wang So and the other Princes XD XD Cause yeah we'll never see eye to eye on it. might be safer that way ahahah ^_^;; I don't want to offend ya since you love her so much.

THEM: I don't even love her so much I really like her and I relate to her

ME: Ah Ok LOL xD Well either way I just really don't wanna step on toes XD

THEM: I just don't really get how you skip her in this story

THEM: It's unfair To the whole story and So itself Because neither of it happened without her She's a base of this story

THEM: Like if there's poorly written character - Jung Or he's just eternally stupid

ME: I loved So's development as HIM I just wished Hae Soo's character was different then I might support it more.

THEM: But she was a part of his development He wouldn't have became king without her

ME: I just didn't like him and Soo as a couple nor did I like how she was written nor her character itself.

I think he could've developed that same way were she a different person.

ME: Eh it's kinda like friend said, she was a plot device in that respect. xD

THEM: Fe She wasn't a plot device, she was a center of this story

ME: LOL Like I said, it's probably safer we don't bring up Hae Soo xD I could go on and on about Wang So and the rest of the family with positive praise. LOL

THEM: Ok give me an example of what kind of different female lead should have been there

ME: and deep love... but her... ehhhh character type?

THEM: I'm not the one who avoids uncomfortable topics Yes You also think she's unworthy of this love, right? Because she never showed it so openly as he did?

ME: (strictly character personality types, not ethnicity) Woo Hee, Lady Oh, Rose Tyler, Arwen, I could hoenstly go on

THEM: That's actually really funny that you mentioned lady oh Bc it's an older version of Hae Soo

ME: I mean after Lady Oh got wise to the world yes older and wiser much older and wiser matured

THEM: But nobody gets as older and wiser in such young age Without tough experience

THEM: You get wisdom from experience Fans you compare Woo Hee and Hae Soo/Ha Jin when they were raised ina different atmosphere It's same as people were comparing Wook and So

ME: I'm looking at personality types... not characters and backstory the**

THEM: But their character traits came from their experience

ME: I'm talking technical Like the character breakdown in writing

THEM: Oh, I see

THEM: Idk neither Arwen or Rose I can't see this kind of character in this kind of story

ME: not the characters themselves or their history.

Well no one is an elf from another world of fiction the other is a 21st century girl from London. XD But their character traits and personality/flaws are what I'm talking about. Not who they are or where they're from

THEM: Also, about Woo Hee. Her and Baek Ah and SoSoo are mirroring each other Showing that this type of people have light inside of them but life made them tondo some things that were corrupting them from the inside

ME: ehhhhhh they're different people maybe

THEM: They need someone with the light to help them to return to their natural state To soften their thorns That they forced themselves to grow in order to survive

THEM: Both of them didn't to chose to be who they are, the had to do it The other thing that showing is a Soo and Baek Ah talk in ep 19 Soo talks with Baek Ah possibly having her and So in mind Saying that Woo Hee wasn't selfish enough, she's the one who left and she's a bad guy

ME: hahahahahha yeahhh mental illnesss doesn't work that way... honestly that little comment really ticked me off.

THEM: Possibly referring to herself, fully recognizing that she and So weren't selfish and she's the bad guy, she hurts him badly by leaving him But as Woo Hee (here a woman sacrifice parallel) she leaves to protect So and their baby Which comment?

ME: the whole Woo Hee was the bad guy for killing herself kinda thing

ME: the context and situation was just bad for that cosnidering she committed suicide

THEM: She was more talking about herself

THEM: But she committed suicide not bc of mental illness She did that for Baek Ah and her people

ME: LOL Woo hee and soo are nothing alike... especially in that respect.

THEM: They both sacrificed their happiness for their beloved Soo just didn't die

ME: Woo Hee was unhappy from the start

THEM: Bc she was already severely ill and she had to deliver a healthy child

ME: even Baek Ah noticed that

THEM: Ofc she was She was a princess of fallen kingdom And had to become a kisaeng

ME: She probably suffered from depression and that was partially what drove her to suicide.

THEM: I think every single person in this story suffered from depression

ME: Well yeah.... xD in some ways But she was an extreme case

THEM: The other thing that her existence itself gave hope to Baekje people that their kingdom will be restored And So?

ME: So is a whole other can of worms with mental illness probably PTSD just to start

THEM: Let's be honest As a physical illnesses There's no completely mentally healthy person in this world And Soo? You think she wasn't traumatized? She had, in my opinion, the least stable situation

ME: she probably was and should've been...

ME: but the thing is

THEM: Because the huge contracts of upbringing and the reality she was put in The weight of responsibility and fear Fear that consumes

ME: that's even more of a reason why I felt she and So shouldn't have ever gotten together... and that their relationship (on top of the country) was toxic and unhealthy and should have never happened. and probably wouldn't have in reality

THEM: I just really familiar with this feeling when fear just blocks your rationality bc you just don't want to mess up Toxic and unhealthy?

THEM: There weren't any attachment, obsessions Jealousy And other stuff

ME: jealousy lies, possessiveness. For both of them it was an emotionally abusive relationship

THEM: Lies happens in all relationship Jealousy when? Emotional pain was cause not by them but by the circumstances they were put in

ME: she got sulky when he got married to Mu's kid (WHO WAS LIKE 12) she got jealous of YH,

THEM: If they lived in a hut in that village they would have grow old together with a  lot of children It wasn't jealousy

THEM: She thought he might be after throne And it's his ambition When she got jealous of Yeon Hwa?

ME: when she mentioned getting married to him... it wasn't outward but she refused to let go and see that she was not good for him as Queen. it was only when Ji Mong finally shut her down and told her how it is that it finally sunk in anyway this is just going in circles it's perspective and opinion. there's not enough content in the show to properly psycho analyze the characters sadly

ME: sadly**

THEM: Omg She wasn't jealous She simply didn't want the love of her lie to get married to other woman

ME: So was jealous of her though... and possessive

THEM: Bc she knew he didn't want it too He loves her

ME: I love him and I could justify it rationally

THEM: And proposed to her

ME: honestly it shouldve ended after Eun's death if not before then.

THEM: Relationship you're talking about is a complete utopia No lies, no jealousy

ME: LOOOL nah

THEM: Lies that told each other was motivated to protect each other for good Lame motive but still

ME: well yeahhhh it's called an honest and healthy one XD I'm not saying their aren't struggles but you don't lie to the person you claim to love.

THEM: In toxic relationship lies is motivated to manipulate your partner into doing what you want

ME: Lame motive and toxic in reality

THEM: Ofc you don't But you're measuring everyone from a modern mindset not considering that there's a whole empire on a stake besides them

THEM: That's the conflict of a whole story You can't have both a throne and love There's only one thing you can hold It not toxic It's problematic Toxic a strong word

ME: I'm very tempted to actually ask a psychologist this very thing someone who is certified to say what is toxic relationship and not given that period just to see if it's promlematic or genuinely a toxic circumstance

THEM: And when you say emotional pain. Well, in toxic relationship, emotional abuses is an intentional thing, right? They never did that, they never did something to each other to hurt and make them feel worse or unworthy, they did say something things to push each other bc they thought it would be better for them and will keep them safe.

THEM: I saw many discussions on tumblr on that matter Even from a psychologist

ME: uhhh unfortuantely tumblr is an echochamber of biasness

THEM: People who said it's toxic mainly aimed it on So

ME: and nah it's not always intentional

THEM: Other people said it's not And toxic relationship Soo nactually had with Wook

ME: you can be abusive and not realize it

THEM: But it's a natural thing We grow like that

THEM: It makes us stronger and wiser Then Baek Ah and Woo Hee is toxic Seon Deok and Wang Eun is toxic Ten and Rose is toxic Everything single relationship on tv and books is a toxic things

ME: Well asking my friend (who's taking psych) whether Soo and So were toxic... she didn't think so but she did think they weren't good for each other

THEM: Toxic is when relationship brings more pain and discomfort that joy and happiness but you can't quit due to development attachment and feelings

When it destroys your heart and soul

Am I right?

But SoSoo weren't destroyed by their love. They were destroyed by life and time, love was the only thing that brighten their days and kept them alive

ME: I wanted her imput because I feel she'd be more relatlly qualified and I DO sometimes misuse words

THEM: Now tell me, please, what are you favourite romances in fictional world that you think are healthy and perfect. So I could wholly understand your pov.

ME: There aren't any "perfect ones" but offhand Arwen and Aragorn... no not perfect but it was real Beren and Luthien, my friend said : A Court of Thorns and Roses Sarah J Mass Rhys/Freyre

also IMHO Keeping someone "safe" through lying takes away their agency and makes it seem like they're not competent to handle the situation Also jack/Ianto were great. 10/Rose Tyler were great they weren't perfect...

I don't read a lot of fiction I mostly watch TV shows and movies

ME: also katara and Anng from that TV series Avatar aang* PiperxLeo from Charmed

ME: Phoebe/Cupe from Charmed as well

ME: Peggy Carterx Steve Rogers

THEM: But Hae Soo actually couldn't handle the situation, like she couldn't stop the bloodshed in Wang family, only So could.

And when she was leaving him, she actually knew that he can hadnlaw the situation and marry her but it lead to clans rebellion, more blood and it will put him in huge danger

It wasn't a modern word, it's not that simple

Come on, like Ten didn't lie to Rose and didn't hurt her? Can't comment others not familiar

Piper and Leo - jealousy, lies, emotional hurting check check check, they even divorced

I'm mentioning things that you said about SoSoo, that's why I'm so repetitive

Phoebe and Cupe were unrealistically ideal and sugary and plane in my opinion

ME: I have read the comics too

THEM: Peggy and Steve they didn't even have a relationship Even a proper date Oh well

THEM: I'm judging by the movies It's just what you're mentioning appearing everywhere, in my opinion, it's just a context That makes it's toxic or not

ME: it's been years since I saw Charmed so  I'd have to rewatch it the show again.

THEM: Sometimes this checklists with definitions don't work I was obsessed so I remember some things