#the unit tv series

[daydreamwhumpinc]

My Favorite Whump Scenes- Part 1

Although I am happy to consume almost any whump there is, I find myself coming back to some scenes in particular. Here is a list of some of my favorite whump scenes so far, hope you like it and maybe you'll find some new shows out of it (Most of the series will have more whump, but I will just include scenes that I found particularly intriguing :0 ). I will also try to not discuss any spoilers aside form whump and will not include whump that lead to death until otherwise noted (I like my comfort too afterwards soooo…..)

1)Series name: The Unit -Episode: Season 3 episode 7 (“Five Brothers”) -Whumpee: Charles Grey -Type of whump: Oh my, what does it not have? Gunshot wounds, the whumpee getting weaker, field surgery, being in a dangerous situation without access to hospital and medical equipment, passing out, asking the worried friends to leave him, CPR, carrying the whumpee, blood loss… Check, check, and check! Also there is a comfort and hospital scenes afterwards :) TW: This episode is pretty heavy in its setting, with recent events, please be careful in watching since one of the characters is forced to shoot a young adult. It also depicts war and how civilians are greatly affected by the fighting and other countries’ involvement. -Whump list availability: You can find most of the whump on ---Whumpapedia and the main Google Whump spreadsheet. There is a bit more, but most of it probably can be find online or just by watching the show. -More: This show is my guilty pleasure and surprisingly pretty good. Sure it can be cheesy sometimes and the last season is a bit wonky, but I fell in love with the main team. What I also like is that the morality is not black and white all the time, sure we know who we are rooting for, but some episodes are quite heavy if you think about it. Otherwise, there are many good whump episodes for almost all of the characters and I find the bromance and the plot of the show to be enjoyable. Also, for some reason it also focuses on the wives of the characters- Just skip all of their segments, half of them are so annoying and really unnecessary for the plot.

-Series name: Sea patrol -Episode: Season 1 episode 4 (“Irukandji”) -Whumpee: Toby “Chefo” Jones (and one more) -Types of Whump: Bad reaction to jellyfish sting, screaming from pain, delirious, concerned friends, CPR, morphine, sweating, far away from Hospital and any medical professionals. -Whump list availability: You can find most of the whump on Whumpapedia and the main Google Whump spreadsheet and a beautiful tumblr list by @what-the-whump -More: Another of my guilty pleasure shows, the plot is a bit wonky and cheesy at times (plus they really have dropped the ball on character development for half of the characters who really had such a bright future and that, unfortunately, makes them look like stale crackers at best and borderline racists at worst. I mean they try, but they made some characters dirty :( ) there is a decent amount of whup and the premise and setting of the show is unique. At least I haven't seen a lot of shows like that.

-Series name: The Doctor Blake Mysteries -Episode: Season 4 episode 1 (The Open Road) -Whumpree: Matthew Lawson -Types of Whump: Pushes his subordinate out of the way of a car, hit by said car, resetting the bone without anesthesia, worried friends and aftercare. Plus his friend got so pissed at the perpetrator that he threatened to blow the henchmen away with dynamite…. Idk, I found that really neat. Later returns with a cane. Whump list availability:You can find most of the whump on Whumpapedia and the main Google Whump spreadsheet. -More: I like these kind of British, timey, police procedural shows, so I watch them just for the funsies and whump is just a cherry on top of a metaphorical ice cream. The plot is pretty good, but this is not going to be everyone's type of show.

-Series name: Suspicious partner (kdrama) -Episode: Season 1 episode 25 (Attributable Reasons) -Whumpee: Officer Bang -Types of Whump: For real, one of my favorite whump scenes that I found in kdrama, the characters’ reactions are so juicy :) First we have a fight, stabbing, friends finding the whumpee, guilt, hospital, kinda coma for a few episodes, and so much emotional whump. -Whump list availability: Almost nothing, besides dome post for ML on tumblr :( I myself stumbled on this due to a complete, but happy, accident. -More: The acting is from the ML towards the whumpee was top notch, but it is a bit too long. It has a nice central romance, but since I am not too interested in romance I honestly can't talk too much about it. Although I know people enjoy it, it is worth the watch from the beginning to see how it develops. To be honest, I found this drama accidentally by searching the Whumpee's actor on tumblr since he is one of the main characters from Taxi driver kdrama and I saw this one Whump post…. I couldn't pass up on that opportunity…. Anyways, the actors, plot, and acting is pretty good, so I think most people would enjoy the watch (except for that random kind they found for a case (?) at the end- he is sooooo annoying to me ). By the way, not the only whump in the series, but in my opinion it's the best and its pretty light on whump otherwise.

[expelliarmus]

[sematarygirls]

no bc i fr want to give this man the nastiest, sloppiest, most unholy, sheet gripping, toe curling, eye rolling, jaw clenching, mouth watering, breathtaking, leg trembling, heart attack inducing, exorcism causing, sweat pouring, mortifying, paralyzing, beastly, foul, electrifying, earth shattering head known to mankind

[renegadesstuff]

TV SHOWS' (SHIP) WEDDINGS 🤍

LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT (1999 - present)

AMANDA ROLLINS & DOMINICK “SONNY”CARISI JR. (ROLLISI)

[vertigoartgore]

Neon Genesis Evangelion's Eva - 01 by artist Dike Ruan (2020).

[pedroam-bang]

Nora Inu - Altered Carbon (2018)

[loislaina]

Data says trans rights

[olderwomenenthusiast]

too late (calex)

PAIRING: casey novak & alex cabot DESCRIPTION: casey wants alex but she's too late CAUTION: emotional turmoil, unrequited love, jealousy, personal conflict, rejection & heartache WORD COUNT: 3.5k AUTHOR'S NOTE: ANGSTY ANGST, I'M SORRY MASTERLIST

The weight of the wine bottle in Casey’s hand felt heavier with every step she took toward Alex’s apartment, as if it somehow knew the enormity of what she was about to do. It had been sitting on her desk all day, a silent witness to her unraveling. A symbol of her decision. A risk she had finally gathered the courage to take.

She had bought it that morning, slipping into the liquor store with the kind of nervous energy she usually reserved for trial days. She had stood there longer than necessary, running her fingers over different labels, reading descriptions she barely absorbed. A bold red? Or something lighter, something smoother or something Alex would actually like? She had no idea why she was overthinking it. Alex probably wouldn’t even care what kind of wine it was.

Or maybe she would.

Maybe it would be the first thing she commented on, an amused smile curving at the edge of her lips as she took the bottle from Casey’s hands. Maybe she would tilt her head, blue eyes gleaming with curiosity, and tease, This is your grand romantic gesture? Wine? And maybe Casey would fumble for a response, or maybe she would just tell her the truth.

That she wanted her.

That she had always wanted her.

But that was later. That was the part of the night she still had control over. Right now, she just had to get through the day without completely losing her mind.

The hours at work had stretched endlessly, each one longer than the last. She had tried to focus, tried to drown herself in case files and legal briefs, but her mind refused to stay on task. Meetings blurred together, conversations became background noise.

When Donnelly had stopped by her office with notes on a motion, Casey had nodded along, pretending to listen, but all she could think about was tonight.

How would it go?

Would Alex be surprised? Amused? Would she laugh? The idea sent a wave of nausea through her.

But she had to believe it would go well. It had to.

The alternative was too painful to consider.

By the time she left the office, her nerves had settled into something steadier - less frantic, more determined. She took a cab across the city, gripping the bottle so tightly that the ridges of the label pressed into her palm. She watched the lights blur past the window, the hum of traffic filling the silence, and told herself over and over again: This is the right thing to do. You’re done hiding. You’re done pretending.

And for once, she believed it.

By the time she reached Alex’s building, the city had softened into evening. The air was crisp, the distant sounds of honking horns and chatter blending into a familiar symphony of New York nightlife. The glow of streetlights cast long shadows on the pavement, the kind that made everything feel more intimate, more significant.

Casey climbed the steps, her pulse thudding in her ears.

She paused in front of the door, inhaling sharply. Just knock. Three simple taps. That was all it would take to change everything.

But just as she lifted her hand, movement from the window caught her eye.

And the world stopped turning.

Inside, bathed in the soft golden light of the apartment, Alex sat curled on her couch, laughter spilling from her lips like something effortless. She looked… happy. Unburdened.

Casey felt the warmth of that smile like a punch to the gut.

And then she saw her.

Another woman sat close - closer than Casey had ever dared to sit - her body angled toward Alex, a wine glass resting between her fingers. She was leaning in, murmuring something, and Alex—Alex—tilted her head, smiling in a way that was soft. Intimate.

It was the kind of smile Casey had spent years secretly craving. The kind of ease and familiarity she had wanted, but had never quite been allowed.

Casey’s fingers tightened around the bottle, the glass cool against her skin, grounding her even as the rest of her body went numb.

For a few agonizing seconds, she told herself she was misreading the situation. Maybe this was nothing. Maybe it wasn’t what it looked like.

But then Alex reached out. Just a small gesture, barely anything at all and tucked a strand of hair behind the woman’s ear.

And that... that was the moment Casey felt something inside her crack.

The air in her lungs went thin, her stomach twisted into a painful knot, and suddenly, she was cold.

She had spent all day—all damn day—working up the courage to tell Alex how she felt.

And for what?

To stand outside in the freezing night air like some idiot with a bottle of wine in her hands, watching as someone else took the moment that should have been hers?

The weight of it was unbearable.

Her grip on the bottle tightened for a second, and for the briefest, most irrational moment, she considered knocking anyway. Stepping inside, interrupting, saying something before it was too late.

But it was too late.

It had always been too late. She had just been too blind - too cowardly - to see it.

Her chest ached, a slow, deep throb that settled into her bones.

She took a step back. Then another.

The city stretched out behind her, still alive, still moving, as if nothing had changed. As if her world hadn’t just cracked down the middle.

Alex was happy.

And Casey… Casey had missed her chance.

She exhaled shakily, turning away from the apartment, her fingers still wrapped around the bottle like it was the only thing keeping her together.

She should have told her sooner.

She should have told her before it was too late.

But she hadn’t.

And now, she never would.

Casey’s fingers tightened instinctively around the bottle of wine, its cool glass biting into her skin as she forced herself to keep walking away from Alex’s apartment. Each step felt like a weight dragging her down, the sounds of the city growing more distant as the chill in the evening air seemed to press against her chest. Her heart thudded in her ears, loud and frantic, a constant reminder that she had just watched something she could never have. The laughter. The warmth. The connection Alex had with someone else.

It was foolish to think she could just walk in there, tell her how she felt, and everything would change, Casey told herself. You were stupid to think you could have her.

Her thoughts spiraled as she moved through the streets, the hum of late-night traffic blending with the soft tap of her heels against the sidewalk. She pulled her coat tighter, trying to block out the cold, but nothing could block the ice that had settled in her chest. She couldn’t escape the heaviness in her heart.

She tried to drown it out.

Work. Work was supposed to help.

For the next few days, she threw herself into her cases, burying herself in the mountain of legal briefs and motions that awaited her. The pages became her refuge, the hum of the office her only company. It was easier to focus on the black-and-white clarity of the law than to wrestle with the mess inside her. The distant hum of the fluorescent lights overhead became a constant backdrop as she lost herself in the rhythm of typing and filing.

But it wasn’t enough to mask the distance growing between her and Alex.

The sound of laughter from coworkers became her second skin - something that let her breathe, but never let her truly feel. The nights were long, fueled by too much alcohol and the uncomfortable, hollow camaraderie of people who would never know her.

When she got back to the office late one evening, she passed Alex in the hallway. Alex flashed her that easy smile, the one that always made Casey’s chest tighten in an entirely different way. It was warm, genuine, but tonight it felt distant, like it belonged to someone else.

Casey smiled back, but it didn’t reach her eyes. Her stomach twisted as she watched Alex walk past her, but she didn’t stop. She couldn’t. She couldn’t let Alex see how much it hurt.

The next day, the tension between them was palpable, like a wire stretched so tight it was ready to snap. Small things. Tiny moments.

Casey avoiding her gaze when their eyes met across the room.

The way Alex seemed to linger, as though waiting for something from her, but never quite saying it.

The silence between them was a constant, a low hum that colored every conversation, every exchange.

And Alex noticed. Of course, Alex noticed.

The courthouse was a maze of paperwork and final motions, the usual rhythm of the day wearing on Casey’s nerves like sandpaper. The click of her heels against the polished tile echoed through the empty hallway, the only sound filling the otherwise quiet space. The hum of fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, the sterile brightness of the hallway blinding in its harshness. She walked with purpose, keeping her head down, eager to get out of there and into the silence of her apartment, where she could close her eyes and pretend none of it was happening.

But the sharp sound of footsteps behind her broke through the hum of the building, drawing her attention.

She didn’t need to look to know who it was.

Her breath caught in her throat, and she tried to keep her steps steady, but her heart had begun to race.

“Casey.”

The voice was low, cutting through the air like a whip. It stopped her in her tracks, and she felt the sudden weight of it, a pressure that made her throat tighten. She didn’t turn immediately, keeping her face towards the wall as though that would somehow shield her from the inevitable confrontation.

“Alex,” she said, her voice too casual, too cold. She couldn’t keep the tremor from her hands, but she didn’t let it show.

“Why are you acting like this?” Alex’s voice was quieter now, but the frustration in it was unmistakable. “You’re distant. You don’t laugh at my jokes anymore. You avoid me when we’re in the same room. And don’t tell me it’s just work. I can see it. I’ve seen the way you’ve been pulling away.”

The sound of Alex’s footsteps drew closer, and Casey’s pulse quickened. The sound of the building - its hum, its sterile buzz - suddenly felt suffocating. The cold air from the open windows nearby hit her face, but it did nothing to cool the heat rising in her chest.

Just walk away. Don’t let her see it. Don’t let her see you break.

But she couldn’t. She felt rooted to the spot, like the weight of Alex’s gaze was a force she couldn’t escape.

“I’m fine,” Casey said, her voice strained as she finally turned to face her. She tried to smile, but it felt forced, a mask that wouldn’t stay in place. She could feel her chest tightening, the words coming out like sandpaper. “It’s nothing, really.”

Alex stood there for a moment, her eyes narrowing, trying to read her, and Casey could see the hurt flicker across her face. God, how long had Alex been waiting for her to just say something?

Alex didn’t let up. “You’re lying, Casey.” Her voice was barely above a whisper now, but it was insistent. She stepped closer, and the space between them seemed to shrink until the weight of the moment pressed in on both of them. “I know you. You’re not okay. What’s going on? Why are you pulling away?”

Casey’s breath hitched in her chest. Her throat tightened, and she fought to keep the tears at bay. The truth was there, right at the edge of her tongue, begging to be set free, but it felt like a chasm between them - too wide to cross, too dangerous to even try.

“Nothing’s going on, Alex,” she said again, her voice hoarse, more desperate this time. She turned away from her, willing herself to keep it together, to push the words back down. “I just need space. It’s nothing.”

But Alex didn’t let her go. She reached out, her fingers brushing against Casey’s arm, a tentative touch that sent a shock of warmth through her.

“Don’t lie to me. You’re shutting me out, Casey. And I don’t know why, but I can’t… I can’t keep pretending like everything’s fine.” Alex’s voice trembled slightly, and Casey could see the edge of something raw in her eyes. “You’re pulling away, and it’s hurting.”

Casey’s chest ached, and she fought back the tears that burned at the corners of her eyes. She wanted to turn around and tell Alex everything - tell her how she had always felt, how she had spent years hiding it, how she had convinced herself that the timing was wrong, that Alex was never going to feel the same.

But she couldn’t.

“I’m just tired,” Casey whispered, unable to look at her, unable to face the truth that was breaking her inside. “I just need some space, Alex. Please.”

There was a long silence between them. The soft hum of the courthouse, the distant echo of footsteps, the ticking of a clock somewhere down the hall—all of it blurred into white noise as Casey stood there, a fractured mess of emotions that she couldn’t let Alex see.

Finally, Alex took a step back, her gaze softening, though the hurt remained. She nodded slowly, as if accepting the wall Casey had put up between them.

“Alright,” Alex said quietly. “But don’t take too long. I’m not going anywhere. I'm your friend.”

Casey didn’t respond. She couldn’t. Instead, she turned and walked away, her steps measured, slow, as the space between them widened with each passing moment. She could still feel the weight of Alex’s gaze on her back, and it only made the emptiness inside her grow.

But she couldn’t turn around. Not now. Not when the truth felt like it might break everything she had ever known.

The message is short. Too short. A simple: "Drinks tonight? We need to talk."

Casey stares at her phone, her pulse quickening as the words blur on the screen. We need to talk. What the hell does that even mean? For days she has replayed the moment she saw Alex through the window—the laugh, the touch, the way that woman had leaned in just a little too close. And now this, an invitation to talk.

Talk? About what?

A part of her wants to ignore it, to pretend she didn’t see it, to bury the memory deep and keep pretending like she’s fine. But she knows she’s not fine. She hasn’t been fine for years. And so she types a response, fingers shaking. “Sure. What time?” She doesn’t know why she says yes, why she’s walking into this again, but she knows she can’t stay away.

The bar is too familiar. Dimly lit, heavy with the smell of whiskey and stale beer, the hum of voices surrounding them like a storm just waiting to break. Casey steps through the door, her legs unsteady, her heart pounding so loud it’s all she can hear. Every step feels like a mile, every inch closer to Alex feels like she’s walking to her own doom.

Alex is sitting at their usual corner table, wine glass in hand, looking more at ease than Casey feels. Her eyes flick up from the glass as Casey approaches, but they don’t linger. They never linger anymore.

Casey sits down, the weight of the chair feeling like a thousand pounds. Her hands are shaking, her fingers gripping her drink so tightly it might crack. She wants to speak, to say something - anything - to break the silence, but the words feel trapped, lost somewhere between fear and regret. The tension between them is suffocating, and she can’t breathe.

Alex doesn’t wait. She speaks, her voice too casual, too sharp. “I saw you,” she says, eyes flickering up to meet Casey’s. “Outside my place, that night. You didn’t look happy.”

Casey feels her stomach churn. You didn’t look happy. The words echo in her mind like a cruel taunt. She tries to keep her face neutral, but she knows it’s useless. Alex sees through her. She always has.

“I wasn’t expecting anything,” Casey says, her voice strained, her words brittle as they leave her mouth. She forces a smile, though it feels like it’s breaking her from the inside. “It’s nothing. I don’t care.”

Alex doesn’t seem convinced. She leans in just slightly, her gaze never wavering. “You were looking for something,” she presses, the words like a sharp blade. “I can tell.”

Casey feels the walls start to crack. She’s drowning in this conversation, in the way Alex’s eyes are searching her like she’s the answer to some puzzle she doesn’t want to solve. But she can’t give in. She can’t let her see the broken pieces inside.

“I was just trying to move on,” Casey mutters, her voice coming out tight, almost desperate. “From everything. From us.” She barely even recognizes her own words. The lie tastes bitter in her mouth, but it’s all she has left.

Alex stares at her, a flicker of something passing across her face - disappointment? Pity? Casey can’t tell. “You’re lying,” Alex says, her voice soft but cutting. “I know you, Casey. I know when you’re lying.”

Casey looks down at the table, unable to meet Alex’s eyes. She wants to run. She wants to escape the weight of Alex’s words, the suffocating truth that she’s been lying to herself for so long.

And then, Alex speaks again, quieter this time. “I don’t want you to move on but you have to.” The words hang in the air like a confession, soft and full of something Casey can’t quite grasp. But they don’t soothe her. Instead, they twist the knife deeper, because it’s not enough. It’s never enough.

Casey swallows, her throat dry, her heart breaking in her chest. She opens her mouth to say something, anything, but the words stick in her throat. She’s out of time. Out of space.

“I don’t want to move on either,” Casey admits before she can stop herself. The words spill out, raw and shaking. “I just... I’ve spent so long pretending it didn’t matter. Pretending that I didn’t care.” Her voice cracks, but she pushes forward, trying to push down the flood of emotion threatening to consume her. “I thought maybe... maybe it could be different. Maybe you felt it too.”

But Alex isn’t looking at her anymore. She’s staring down at her glass, a dark silence falling over them. Casey feels her breath catch in her throat.

“I’ve already moved on, Casey,” Alex says, her voice distant, colder now. “I don’t know what you thought was going to happen, but it’s too late.”

Too late. The words hit her like a punch to the gut. Too late.

Casey’s world seems to tilt, her chest tightening with every heartbeat. She opens her mouth, but no sound comes out. She doesn’t know what to say. She doesn’t know if she can handle the finality of it. Too late. It’s the one thing that stings the most, the truth that shatters her.

And then, just as she’s about to crumble into the space between them, she sees her.

The woman.

She walks in, head held high, laughing at something someone said as she enters the bar. It’s the same woman Casey saw with Alex that night - the woman who had made Casey’s stomach drop, the one who had made the world feel small and suffocating when she saw them together.

She’s holding Alex’s gaze as she approaches the table, her smile wide, unbothered. It’s effortless. The easy way she slides into the booth next to Alex, the way she touches her arm, just a little too intimate. The thing that Casey has been avoiding - the thing that stabs at her heart.

It’s too much.

Casey’s breath hitches, her vision blurring. She can’t breathe, can’t think, can’t move. So this is it. She thought there was still a chance, still a thread she could hold onto, but now, it’s gone.

Alex looks at her, that familiar softness in her eyes, but it’s not for Casey anymore. Not now. Not ever again.

“Casey,” Alex says, her voice distant, apologetic. “This is Lara. I’ve been seeing her for a while now.”

Lara looks at Casey, eyes flicking over her briefly, a flicker of curiosity, maybe pity. But Casey doesn’t care. The words are nothing. The truth is clear.

Too late.

Casey stands up, the world spinning around her, but she doesn’t care. She doesn’t care about the soft touch Alex places on her arm, doesn’t care about the whispered apology or the regret in Alex’s eyes. None of it matters. Nothing matters anymore.

She turns and walks out of the bar, the door slamming behind her, but even that can’t drown out the words that echo in her mind.

Too late.

[fanofspooky]

Scream Queen - Hayden Panettiere

[makkimelafattofare]

Abish Pratt 🍁

.

Just watched "American Primeval" and LOVED it.

[cyberneticfallout]

“I am NOT falling in love with another ghoul.”

My remaining two braincells the millisecond The Ghoul shows up:

[ananke-xiii]

[haveyouseenthisseries-poll]

Original title: Rejseholdet.

[ghouly-boiiiii]

THE GHOUL: WHY HE'S HOT - (A SCIENCE!)

࣪⊹°˖✧ Welcome to a Powerpoint Presentation by Some Ghoul-Loving Freak ✧˖° ⊹

Why is The Ghoul hot? I think many of us who find ourselves swooning over this necrotic, murdering cowboy have been asking ourselves that very question lately. Is there something wrong with me? Do I need therapy? Will my friends ever look at me the same way again? Well my fellow ghoul lovers, you are not alone. And I am here to explain to you the exact reasons why this gun-slingin’, ass bitin’ baked potato with teeth has captured the hearts of so many... with science! (sort of) 🤠

------(Spoiler warning... lots and lots of spoilers below the cut!)------

1. Walton Goggins… just Walton Goggins

I think we can all agree that the man behind the makeup and prosthetics is a large reason as to what makes The Ghoul so attractive. Walton himself is a very nice looking fellow, and he absolutely oozes charisma, both on the set and off. And for some reason decided to amp that up to 100 while playing The Ghoul. He managed to make Ghouly Boi likable and endearing, even when he's doing murdery things. So yeah, the dude's mad talented.

"Strong enough to keep out the rads... and the reds." - Cooper Howard shooting a Vault-Tec commercial in episode 6.

2. The makeup artists knew what they were doing

Attempting to make The Ghoul “kind of hot” was absolutely intentional. There was serious discussion behind the scenes about how they could make The Ghoul attractive to viewers, despite him being… well… a ghoul. (So yeah, it is 100% the creators fault. They did this to us on purpose!) When creating The Ghoul’s design, they deliberately ghoulified features that weren’t that important for attraction and left the rest alone, or made them more accentuated.

For example, when it comes to the attractiveness of a male, specifically in the face, most people focus in on the eyes, lips, jaw and cheekbones, which they emphasized and brought out with the makeup. Things like the nose, hair and even skin can be safely tinkered with, and even with those they went pretty easy on. Many ghouls have cloudy or discolored eyes, but not Ghouly. (in fact, bro’s still got his eyelashes, lol) They also kept his ears, despite most ghouls’ tending to fall off just like the nose. His teeth are still intact, despite being rather discolored. And they even made his skin relatively smooth compared to most ghouls. (I’m willing to bet he gets made fun of in a lot of ghoul circles for being such a baby smooth smoothskin)

If the creators had made him any uglier - messed up his eyes, took away the ears, rotted out some teeth, or made his skin a lot more torn up - we might not be here right now. But the character designers and makeup artists were very intentional in his appearance, making him look rotten enough to be recognized as a ghoul, but not so nasty he’d be hard to look at. By keeping and even accentuating Walton’s eyes and bone structure, while giving the ghoulishness to other features, they managed to balance out the ‘yuk’ with the ‘hmmm… wait what?’ just right.

"Sometimes a fella's gotta eat a fella." - The Ghoul to Lucy while munchin' on Roger in episode 4.

3. His charisma, charm and sense of humor

Look, Ghouly is charming as FUCK, okay? There’s no getting around it, so let’s just get that out of the way right now. He exudes confidence and beats you in the face with his overwhelming swag. He also has these… looks. Which I can only describe as “sexy” looks. I’m not really sure how to explain, but if you’re reading this, you probably know what I mean.

As mentioned before, a lot of this is just Goggins being Goggins, but the writing is brilliant as well. He definitely embodies that sort of hot badboy/outlaw/pirate sort of archetype that is often found in romantic settings/stories, so yeah. And also, who doesn't love a man with a great sense of humor? He's got all the best lines in the show and is just a joy to watch, even if it's just for the funny. Really, whoever wrote for Ghouly was a comedic genius, a gentleman, and a scholar. They should be commended.

"I'd offer you one a' these cherreh tomaydas, but you got a hole on yo neck." - The Ghoul to some guy he just shot in episode 2.

4. He loves dogs

Okay, so yes, we all know he stabs Dogmeat in order to keep her from ripping his face off, which ALMOST ruined his character for me, but then he brought her back with a Stimpak and all was forgiven. I’m willing to bet he probably also tried to stab her in a place that he knew wouldn’t be fatal, and also his choice to stab instead when he could have easily just shot her, letting her get right up on top of him before doing anything to defend himself, shows his hesitation in harming a dog.

It’s clear that Coop has a lot of affection for dogs, especially when we see the flashbacks of him with his OG dog and how pissed he gets about not being able to bring him into the vaults. The way he handles Dogmeat with such loving care, and smiles with genuine joy as she leaps up off the table was one of the first moments to show that, underneath that hardened exterior, he’s still got a soft, squishy, gooey center (other than the rotting flesh, I mean).

"Who decided that there were no dogs in the vault?" - Cooper to his wife upon finding out their dog Roosevelt wouldn't be able to go to the vault with them in episode 6.

5. He's a genuinely good person, deep down...

Not only does he save the dog (twice), but Ghouly also did other things that were surprisingly unselfish and not awful. Does that make up for the bad shit he did? Well, no. But again, it shows that he’s at least not ALL bad, and that the man he use to be is still in there somewhere.

For example, he could have easily ratted out Lucy for busting up the Super Duper Mart, but he took the heat for it instead. And despite the fact that he shoots (and eats) Roger, he does seem to have genuine empathy for the turning ghoul. So his choice to kill him wasn’t completely selfish, but also an act of mercy. Roger was essentially dying anyway, and Cooper saved him from an arguably worse fate than death. He even took a moment to remind Roger of a happy memory before doing the deed, a scenario reminiscent of the book Of Mice And Men, when George shoots Lenny at the end after reminding him of their dream in order to save him from a worse fate as well.

And let's not forget that before the bombs dropped, Cooper struggled to even fake kill a man on screen while shooting a film, not wanting his character to go down such a dark path. This shows that he was once a man who lived by a code of morals and principals, so much so that just the idea of stepping outside of that made him deeply uncomfortable, even if it was just pretend. This is why Cooper gives Lucy the line, "Oh, I'm you, sweetie. Just... give it a little time." Because he sees himself in her, or rather the person he used to be.

One of the things I love about how Cooper’s story is told is that we get to see his present and past self right away, juxtaposed against each other. His backstory isn’t revealed as a surprise later on. Instead we really get to see up front the complexities of his character that make him so compelling. He’s not just some heartless killer. He’s like this because he’s been through so much pain, and pushed to the point where he was forced to become something he's not in order to survive and carry on. Because of this, it makes The Ghoul a lot more likable and relatable than he would have been otherwise. It also kinda lets you put yourself in his shoes and ask yourself what you would do if you found yourself in his position. Actually brilliant writing, in my opinion.

"Do I have to kill him?" - Cooper to the director of the film he's shooting in Episode 3.

6. That tragic backstory

This is where the character of Cooper Howard really got me in the feels. Not only does Ghouly love dogs, but he loves his family too. And it’s revealed at the end of the season that even after 200+ years, they are still on his mind. He’s spent over two centuries looking for them, and putting himself through absolute hell, because he loves them that much. And not just his daughter, but his wife as well. Even though they had gotten divorced, presumably because of what he learned at the end of the season. Maybe he’s even hoping his old dog is still alive somehow, although that’s admittedly very unlikely...

So... you know what that means... Although he’s done horrible things, Cooper is a man driven by LOVE. He's stayed alive because of LOVE. He does these bad things because of LOVE. He’s become a monster IN THE NAME OF LOVE!!! It’s all about the power of LOVE, you guys. Call it cliché, but if that isn’t romantic as hell, I donno what the fuck is, ladies.

"Now, I've waited over 200 years to ask somebody one question... Where's my fuckin' family?" - Cooper to Hank in Episode 8

In Conclusion

So yes. He's ugly. He's mean. He's murdery. Kinda toxic AF. But that doesn't mean he can't also be a sexy motherfucker as well. 👍

He's a fictional character. It's a fantasy, and fantasies are allowed to be kinda fucked up. 😃 Hey, don't ask me why humans human the way we do. I didn't make us, so I don't know. It's all in good fun though, so let's just enjoy ourselves and try not to think too hard about it, eh? 😆 (So says the person who literally just wrote a fucking essay on the subject)

Alright, well... I guess that's about it. Thank you for coming to my TEDtalk. I hope this helped anyone who was feeling their sanity slip a little bit (like me 😃). Refreshments and resources are at the back. Exits to your left. Have a lovely evening and please excuse me while I drop my mic and go find myself a fuckin' gin martini. Team Ghoul Forever, baby! 🤠

[aesthetic--mood]

Olivia Benson Aesthetic

[vertigoartgore]

Neon Genesis Evangelion commission by Álvaro Martínez Bueno. Source