#the way I need Abby is concerning to feminism

[sevsprettyslut]

The first picture is so Abby Anderson coded.

[seattlesellie]

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8Jo1SMp/

ABBY ABBY ABBY ABBY

i need her biblically. i need her in a way that is concerning to feminism

[truthbeetoldmedia]

The 100 6x12 "Adjustment Protocol" Review

Hello friends, it’s good to see you all again! I’m happy to be sharing my thoughts with you in this form again. Tonight I’m reviewing episode 6x12 of The 100 “Adjustment Protocol”, written by Kim Shumway and directed by Antonio Negret. I found myself underwhelmed by the season’s lead-in to the finale episode and I’m detailing why below! 

The Good

1. Eliza’s Exceptional Encore

Eliza Taylor has been on it this season. She’s been given extremely meaty scenes and she keeps blowing them out of the water. Clarke has been through so much lately and I am always excited to see what Eliza brings to the material she’s been given. The last few episodes have perhaps been some of the most challenging in her career and she’s been phenomenal in each of them. This episode was particularly tough for her, having to vacillate between Clarke playing Josephine, to Clarke listening to her daughter’s crazed rants and having to hide her tears, to Clarke experiencing the grief of realizing that her mother is dead and having to camouflage it so that her Josephine cover remains intact — and her friends remain alive. I wanted to reach through the screen and hug her when she broke down, because the girl has been through it!

For several seasons it’s been easy to debate about Clarke being a “worthy” hero because her actions don’t often line up with what we’ve been trained to expect of heroes. She is always ready and willing to make the tough choices, to kill whoever needs to be killed to save her people, to reach into the darkest parts of her own soul to make sure that other people don’t have to. This season Clarke has been unwilling to compromise on the promise she made to Monty’s memory. The promise to “do better” is layered in everything that she does and everything that she says. If last season was about the development of Bellamy into a “fully realized” leader, this has been that season for Clarke and she is extraordinary. 

I do find myself concerned about what Abby’s death will mean for Clarke’s determination to be different. It would be so easy to fall back into her old patterns, to lash out and turn her rage to all of the inhabitants of Sanctum (including innocents) instead of just on Russell who rightly deserves it. I’m hoping that she turns to her friends for support in this moment (and in the future) because heaven only knows that she’ll need them to get through this and I believe that perhaps that will be one of the biggest pluses of this season. With all of the crimes her friends laid at her feet this season, after watching Clarke go through so much and consciously continue to “do better”, I hope that we come through this with them realizing how much Clarke has done for everyone, often at her own expense. She’s a hero and she deserves to be treated as such. 

The Bad

1. Men Ruin Everything (Especially Female Television Characters)

In a rather shocking (not!) development, Dr. Abigail Griffin has joined the ranks of deceased characters even as her body continues to walk among the living. It’s been clear to me since Season 4 that Abby and Kane didn’t have long for this world, with Kane’s Season 4 quote, ”The youth will inherit the Earth”, playing a huge part in my thought process. I expected Abby to die that season, due to the problems she was suffering post A.L.I.E., but thanks to Raven’s genius (and Kane’s unwillingness to let her walk out of the bunker) she lived to fight another season. I expected Kane to die in Season 5 after he was attacked mercilessly by the cannibal Vinson and yet he survived those wounds as well. For some, that was a relief but I personally found myself confused and after tonight’s episode (and, in all honesty, their treatment all season) that confusion continues. Instead of being treated with the gravity that main character deaths deserve, both felt unceremonious and rather rushed, but at least Kane received a hero’s death. 

Abby’s story has grated on my nerves from the moment she first appeared in Season 5 with a drug addiction that was second only to her addictive obsession to Kane. Prior to Season 5, Abby’s story involved Kane but did not revolve around him. After that, all bets were off and Abby was only capable of caring about one person and that person was Kane. Everything she did in Season 5 and Season 6 up to and until Kane’s death served one person: Marcus Kane. Abby, a mother, a grandmother and one of only two qualified doctors for all of the people aboard the Eligius ship, became nothing more than a pawn on a romantic chessboard. She, like so many women on this show once they become romantically involved, became nothing more than a support for the man in her life. Even her death, which should be a hugely pivotal moment for this season, as Abby is the only mother of the original 100 we have any connection with, became wrapped up in the irony of what she’d done only three episode prior to save Kane. 

I believe that it also says quite a bit about how this show (which features women quite heavily) understands feminism. It is tragically horrific to kill a woman only a few episodes after killing her male love interest. It sends a message, even if unintentional, that she is only worth keeping around as long as her man is there, too. Abby’s arc could have been finished well in the closing scenes of Season 4, it could even have worked in the mid-season finale of Season 5, but after giving her a drug addiction (which she had not completely conquered), showcasing the absolutely insane lengths she was willing to go to save Kane (which she was not given time to properly “learn” from), it was clear that Abby still had some growth left in her. Unfortunately, it’s a story we’ll never get to see. 

In addition, the lead in to Abby’s death was painfully obvious. They needed to make 6 hosts, they only had 5 bodies. After making herself an obvious threat to Russell, Abby made herself a nightblood (“Like mother, like daughter”, says Jackson in the background for additional foreshadowing) and she’s in just the right age range to be suitable to host a 50-year-old man’s wife — unlike Ash (aka: Echo). She makes up with Raven in a rushed moment and conveniently learns that Clarke isn’t as dead as she thought she was — all in an effort to “finish” her storyline. As she dies, we’re treated to Raven and Jackson sobbing through flashbacks of her loved ones. It’s a death and not one particularly suited to a character of Abby’s standing on the show. More, fans of Paige Turco are likely going to have to prepare to watch “Abby” die once more — just as they did with Kane. It’s been a rough season for fans of Kabby. May we meet again Abby Griffin, you deserved more than you were given. 

2. Forced Female Friendships are not Feminist (Say That 3 Times Fast)

This episode felt like a good reminder that most TV writers do not understand female friendships (yes, even if the writers identify as women themselves). In this episode we are treated to a moment that is still confusing me as I write this (after my second viewing of the episode): Clarke and Echo (and Gaia and Miller) are reunited and in a moment of relief, Echo hugs Clarke after realizing she’s managed to kill Josephine and that ...doesn't make sense. This season has felt like a huge attempt to retcon Clarke and Echo’s relationship into a friendship that does not exist; in fact Echo has been kinder to Clarke than people who have known Clarke for longer (albeit only by a few months) and that doesn’t work for me. 

In the Season 5 two-part finale, Echo literally threatens to kill Clarke, because she is enraged that she left Bellamy to die, in the Season 4 premiere she does the same, in Season 3 she is responsible (in part) for killing many of Clarke’s “people”; and yet, the show, in a strange attempt to portray “friendship” between two women who the audience largely believe to be romantic rivals (because that’s how they are written), would have us ignore all of these previous transgressions, pretend the characters don’t need to have at least a conversation about mending their relationship and have jumped onto the bridge of friendship together. Echo and Clarke honestly don’t even know each other. It’s disingenuous and another example of the horrible ways in which a show that primarily features women treats those women. 

Even worse is the fact that, after repeating Monty’s mantra all season long through many characters (but primarily Clarke), we watched Echo murder Ryker last episode in cold blood. (I have yet to come up with a reason his death makes sense. Yes he was going to wipe Echo, but Miller had him at gunpoint and he’d surrendered. It would have been easy enough to force him into the chair, tie the restraints and gag him — leaving him to be found later by the guards, or in this case Josephine.) What about Echo’s actions this season (in the small amount of screen time she’s been given) equate to “doing better”? We watched people castigate Clarke for killing people to save her people, but no one has anything to say to Echo for killing people to save….herself? It’s baffling that this show continues to have Echo act in ways that are antithetical to those of our confirmed heroes (Bellamy and Clarke) and suffer absolutely no negative pushback from anyone. At what point do we see the consequences of her actions? Especially with the messaging for this season? 

3. Plot Holes Big Enough to Sink a Ship In

As per usual, The 100 once again crafts a season that is perhaps too big for its season length. This problem has been consistent since Season 4 and it’s largely because, after Season 3, the show which once prided itself on the fact that “anyone could die” has now become afraid to kill even the most useless character, if at least one fan likes them. This episode attempted to wrap up several character and plot arcs and as a result it felt overcrowded and rushed. Between bringing the Flame into the plot, the nightblood, making new primes, Emori and Murphy becoming Primes and pretending to be Kaylee and Daniel, Gabriel returning to Sanctum, Russell bombing his people and forcing them to kill each other, Priya’s kidnapping, and Abby’s death it’s just too much for one episode to handle!

If they needed all of these things to happen before the end of the season they should have begun the wrap up sooner (and or gotten rid of two characters in Season 4 and 5 respectively as mentioned earlier) and this is one of the prime reasons I support and advocate for smaller casts. Because every character with even an ounce of screen time is given the “main” treatment, all of their storylines must somehow be wrapped up in the final two episodes and it has historically not worked. In fact, this particular episode’s issues are so glaring largely because this season seriously pared down the amount of time it spent with people who weren’t Bellamy and Clarke (much like Season 2), greatly alleviating the audience’s need to care about so many different characters and it worked! Season 6, up until this episode has been one of the best seasons (my current order being 2, 1, 6, 4, 3, 5) because it felt like they were returning to the heart of the show: Bellamy and Clarke and their relationship to one another (however you might describe that). With this disjointed episode I was again reminded that there are too many characters I don’t have enough time to care about and it sapped the joy out of an otherwise excellent season for me. 

But perhaps that’s my own fault. Perhaps I’m expecting too much from this show in its sixth season and of course I’ll wait to pass final judgement until the finale airs next week. I’ll be writing that review as well! I can’t wait to close out the season with you guys. See you soon!!!

April’s episode rating: 🐝🐝.5

The Season 6 finale of The 100 airs Tuesday, August 6 at 9/8c on the CW.

[thecomicsnexus]

The Curse

SWAMP THING #40 SEPTEMBER 1985 BY ALAN MOORE, STEVE BISSETTE, JOHN TOTLEBEN AND TATJANA WOOD

SYNOPSIS (FROM DC DATABASE)

In Kennescook, Maine, a woman named Phoebe lives in a house that was built over the former location of a lodge in which menstruating Pennamaquot Indian women were forced to stay, because their menstruation was considered unclean. She has much sympathy for the women who were forced to stay there, sensing their accumulated anger with being confined.

In the Louisiana swamp, Abby Holland is happy to have Swamp Thing back, after his trip to Illinois. His new-found ability to regenerate his body anywhere in the world has made it easier to travel, and to be just a step away from Abby. She comments that, due to his strange nature, he is much like the man she dreamed of marrying - except green and covered in fungus.

Back in Maine, Phoebe has some guests over for coffee, and quietly allows her husband Roy's backhanded remarks to go unquestioned as the accumulated anger of the Pennamaquot women builds further within her. After the guests have gone, her husband makes further insensitive remarks, and the rage becomes uncontrollable.

At John Constantine's urging, Swamp Thing arrives in Kennescook, immediately sensing an old, primal power there. Meanwhile, a full moon glows in the sky, and Phoebe stares out into the night. Her husband makes one final remark that sends her over the edge. The rage becomes so powerful that a huge wolf escapes from her mouth, leaving an empty husk of her skin on the ground. The wolf chases Roy around the house, and in his frantic run, he bumps into the Swamp Thing - the sight of whom causes him to faint. What appears to be some kind of telepathic link allows the two to communicate. Swamp Thing reaches out to the wolf, stating that he is of the earth, and asks what she is. The wolf responds that she is woman, and that he should not stand between her and her wrath. After staring at each other for a time, Swamp Thing realizes that he hasn't got the right or the authority to stop her - just the necessity. Unfortunately, he is not strong enough.

Even as she nearly kills her husband, Phoebe, the wolf, cannot bring herself to do it. In frustration, she goes on a rampage, and destroys anything that – to her – reflects the conservative gender role constraints society has placed upon women. She destroys an adult book store, and encounters Swamp Thing again. He begs her to let him help her. She responds that unless he can release her from the world that has made women subservient, he should kill her. With no response or resistance, the wolf runs into a supermarket, and destroys much of its stock. Finally, she sees a knife display, advertising "Here's good news for housewives!", and throws herself onto the exposed blades. Impaled there, her form reverts to that of Phoebe's human body. She asks that Swamp Thing take her to die outdoors, and he complies. She asks whether her husband is alright, and when Swamp Thing confirms that he is alive, she is thankful, and dies.

Afterwards, Swamp Thing encounters Constantine in the woods. The Englishman gives him a small sheet of paper with new travel instructions, and angrily Swamp Thing refuses to carry on, stating that he will be returning to Louisiana rather than follow Constantine on a wild goose-chase. Constantine seems unconcerned and walks away. When Swamp Thing looks at the paper in his hand, he realizes that his next destination is Louisiana.

ALAN MOORE SAYS

This story was about the difficulties endured by women in masculine societies, using the common taboo of menstruation as the central motif. The plot concerned a young married woman moving into a new home built upon the site of an old Indian lodge and finding herself possessed by the dominating spirit that still resided there, turning her into a werewolf (Moore, Alan Moore's Writing for Comics 6-7).

REVIEW

To understand the full background of the feminism movement in 1985, I encourage you to read this paper. It is about this story, but it explains some misconceptions of the time about native american women and how the first feminists used racism to help their cause. This clashed with the second wave of feminists.

But I am not really affected by the historical accuracy or not of the folk tale about women being isolated during menstruation, because this happened everywhere. You just need to go to the bible to find out that woman weren’t supposed to be in the house during menstruation. This problem existed since... well, since patriarchy was created. The fact that there is an extra layer of racism in the american culture, is beyond the main point of the story.

Moore does an amazing job of putting his ideas on the page. Sometimes with iconography, other times with things that would normally feel harmless. Woman are still isolated during their periods. But it goes also beyond that, the story explores how women have been relegated in society and they are sometimes accomplices of that view. There is a point in this story when Phoebe is trashing images of wedding dresses. The imagery of what patriarchy considers women to be. She is then killed by housewives silverware, just to make a point.

You can feel Phoebe’s anger even before she transforms and I think that, no matter which wave of feminism this story sides with, it can help men understand the feminist cause. Have in mind that at the time, comic book readers were mostly male (an absurd high percentage of men). And this was distributed to newsstands, not just comic shops. It was a bold move from DC. It also helps that the editor is a woman (Karen Berger), Swamp Thing’s colorist has almost always up to this point been a woman (Tatjana Wood), and the president of DC at the time was also a woman (Jennette Kahn, my favourite of all-time DC presidents). Yet, it was written by a man. Which makes this even more interesting.

And Swamp Thing in this story represents the other side. Swampy can reproduce by himself, he is beyond male or female representation (although it is easy to see him as a male, considering his memories). This is when having this elemental Swamp Thing really helps the stories. If it was Alec Holland instead of this Swampy, the context would have been different. Swamp Thing is not a man in this story. He can relate to her problems the same way he could relate to Superman’s problems in DC Comics Presents.

There are a lot of Swamp Thing stories to like. But this one is amazing. It really makes you feel a lot. I grew up surrounded by women, so I am familiarized with menstruation. But of course, I never had to go through that ordeal and I also didn’t have to live with it as a taboo.

What do the female readers think of this issue?

I give this issue a score of 10

[cwnerd12]

The Newcomer

The Newcomer Laura talks to a video conference with David, Lawrence, Anthony, John, and Michael, “I have tried calling for Council, and Wayne has refused me! Even if he accepted, I don’t have time! The Christian Wolves of Mizpah are attacking my military headquarters as we speak! If I don’t get additional support, and get it now, I am going to be overthrown!” Lawrence, “I commend the job you have done bringing order to Moab, Laura, but given your country’s history, perhaps this is inevitable.” Laura, “It will not be inevitable if I get the support I need!" Lawrence, "Yes, but how much more support are you going to need?" John, "Samaria is sending support." David, "As is Gilboa.” Michael, “And Gath." Lawrence, “I’m not sending Edomians to die for a lost cause.” Laura, “Moab is not a lost cause! It will be a stable country! Damian Meyer could have been a great king, if he'd have gotten an ounce of military support, but you let him fall!” David speaks up, “I believe that the CWM is currently being supported by Ammon, just as it was in the past. Princess Grace agrees with my assessment that King Wayne is trying to push his father’s beliefs and agenda into other countries. If Moab falls, Edom could be next.” Lawrence, “Edom can stand on its own, without outside support!” Anthony, speaking up nervously, “I agree with Lawrence. It isn’t worth sending Aramian soldiers.” Laura, "You are siding with these terrorists! Your failure to act will forever be a part of your legacy-” There's a sudden loud noise outside Laura’s door. A swarm of security guys hurry in, one says, “Ma'am, we have to get you to a secure location!" David, "Laura?" Her feed goes blank. Lawrence sighs, “That'll be the last time we hear from her." David stands up.

David bursts into Abby and Michelle’s new residence at the palace. Abby, usually dressed and very heavily pregnant, and she, Jack Jessie are putting the last touches on the baby-proofing. David bursts in, “Abby!” Abby, “You’re the king, but you’re still supposed to knock.” David, “Abby, Laura’s about to be overthrown, and I have to go to Moab to stop it.” Abby grows more serious, “They know you’re coming, right?” David, “Yes!” Jack, “CWM again?” David, “Yes.” Jack, “Is Wayne behind it?” David, “Probably, but he’s not saying anything!” Jessie, “David, you can’t leave, the baby’s almost here.” David, “The due date is two weeks away!” Jessie, “Babies arrive on their own schedule! You came a week early!” David, “It’s kind of an emergency, Mom!” Abby, “What do I need to do?” David, “Lawrence and Anthony are still denying support, do you think you can work on them?” Abby, “I can try. I honestly don't know what I can do.” Jack, “Lawrence will never budge, and Anthony will do whatever Lawrence dies.” Abby, “What about the CWM themselves, are they saying anything? Are there any hostages?” Jessie, “You need to be relaxing!” Abby, “David’s right, this is kind of an emergency. We have to deal with it.” Jessie sighs and knits her eyebrows in concern, “I don’t like it when you just run into these things.” David, “Laura is our closest ally, and if she gets overthrown, we are beyond fucked!” Jessie, “Language!” David, “If we don’t deal with this now, it’s gonna make it a lot harder for me and Abby to be parents!” Abby, “David, you go get on a plane. I’ll get everything set up we we can talk when you’re on the way.” David, “Jack can look after Abby while I’m gone, okay?” Jack, “Yeah, I’ll be here.” Jessie nods, “You do what you have to do.”

David, Shay, and Joel sit in the cabin of David’s royal plane, while Jack, Asher, and Abby join in on video. They all watch a video of Duncan Penzak, the young, blonde, and handsome man calling himself the leader of the Christian Wolves of Mizpah. Penzak, “I call on the Christian men of the world to join me. The time has come to overthrow Queen Laura Wall. The Christian Wolves of Mizpah takes responsibility for the recent bombing attacks…” Jack, “He looks like you.” David, “What? He’s blonde, but I don’t see anything else.” Jack, “More than that.” David, "What's his name, again?” Abby, "Duncan Penzak.” David, "And what's his deal? Has he like… done anything heroic?” Abby, “Robbed some banks, made a big show of it.” David rolls his eyes, “It’s not heroic if you’re the only person with a gun.” Penzak, “As Christians, we ask, what must be done? Queen Laura has perverted God’s perfect, natural order by leading a country. She misleads us with the lies of feminism, humanism, and progressivism.” Asher, “Huh. They’re appealing to their base, not going for popularism.” David, “Yeah, so?” Asher, “When Warner and the Christian Front were fighting for control of Ammon, they gained support from the public by basing much of their rhetoric on the fact that Allen White was a terrible king. People supported the heroes who were fighting for a better future. Once you agree to that, the fundamentalism becomes much more palatable. People will put up with authoritarianism if it means they have a job and a government that looks after their needs. CWM is skipping all that and going straight for the fringe.” David, “So what does that mean?” Asher shrugs, “Probably that they don’t need popular support in Moab. Their support is coming in from elsewhere.” Joel, “They’re sending their propaganda outside of Moab. They’re seeking, bored, disaffected, and insecure men looking for meaning in their lives and something to fight for.” David, “That’s what Amal did.” Joel, “Same shit, different asshole.” Asher, “Extremists are all the same, no matter their religion.” Penzak, “We must resist! We must demand that our leaders honor God! We must demand our authority as men! The time has come for Queen Laura to be removed!” Jack, “He’s copying you! Ashdod! W-when you interrupted Dad!” He pulls up a video of David on his phone, “We must resist! We must demand honesty from our leaders…” Abby, “I wrote that fucking speech. Do they know they’re plagiarizing a woman?”

The plane lands in Moab. David, Joel, and Shay get led through a building on an army base. An army officer leads them into a room where Laura waits for them, “Your Majesty, King David is here to see you.” Laura gets up and greets David with a tight hug, “Oh my god, David.” As she hugs him, she’s overcome for a moment, and she wipes her eyes as she steps back, “They’ve taken the palace. I just barely made it out alive.” David, “We will drive them out, okay?” Laura shakes her head, “I know my country. I know its history. I’m lucky to have made it this long.” David, “Don’t talk like that!” Laura, “If it comes down to it, I want Steven to go back to Gilboa with you.” David, “What?” Laura, “Steven will go to Gilboa where he can live out the rest of his life in safety, but I’m not going into exile. I will die before I let Moab fall.” David, “Laura, that’s not going to happen, do you hear me? I can’t lose you as an ally, and I’m staying here with you, okay?” Laura, “Don’t be stupid, David.” Joel speaks up, “Hey, we took care of the Amalekites, we can handle the CWM. The big thing is gonna be getting Penzak.” Shay, “You were smart, calling us. CWM took over your palace. We spent a long time trying to do the same thing.

Jack sits in Abby's office, Abby waits on the phone, “King David is in Moab right now. It’s vital that King Lawrence grant immediate aide… Yes… Yes... I understand, but…” she sighs heavily, "Okay thank you.” She slams the phone down, "What the fuck is Lawrence even up to, playing golf?” Jack, “You know it’s just a dead end, right?" Abby, “Yes, but I need to keep trying." Jack, "Abby, seriously, you’ve been at it for hours, there's nothing you can do." Abby, "I have to do something.” Jack, “No you don’t. Not to sound like too much of a bitch, but Jessie’s kind right. If there’s nothing for you to do, you should be relaxing.” Abby gives him a dirty look. Jack, "How the fuck are you going to survive three months of maternity leave?” Abby, “It’s hard to relax when there’s shit happening! How the fuck do you relax?” Jack, “My good friend, reality TV.” Abby, “You had a traumatic brain injury, and you still rot what’s left of your brain with that?” Jack, “Helped me survive the hospital. I get a migraine, it distracts me. I watch someone else's problems.”

David, Shay, Joel, Laura, Steven (who is an officer in the army now and wearing army fatigues), and Laura’s military advisors watch a team of Queens of Gilboa fighting in a wing of the palace. David scrutinizes the image of a CWM fighter, “Are- are they wearing fucking jackets?” Shay squints and looks closer, “Yeah. It looks like they are.” Laura, “Good God, where are they getting jackets?” David, "They're copying the AFG." Shay, “They can't even be original. How fucking lame." David, to Laura, “Do you have any long-term plans? How are you going to deal with these guys after this?” Laura, “I’m just trying to survive this.” David, “How were they operating before? Did they always have a leader?" Laura sighs, “They've always been loose, but organized. They’ve had a few generals that we’ve managed to take care of, but none of them seemed to love the spotlight the way Penzak does.” Joel, "Are you trying to take him alive?" Laura, “These men make martyrs of themselves so well. I’m sure he wants to die. I hate to give him what he wants.” David, "What would you do, if you caught him alive?” Laura, "Put him on trial. Show the world he's a criminal, not some brilliant leader." Shay, “He’s not a brilliant leader. He’s copying David. Do you know how dumb David is most of the time?” David, “I think we can catch him, but… it's gonna take some risks.” Laura, "What kind of risks?" David, “Penzak is going to want to do something glorious, something that makes him famous.” Shay, “So what, do we send a tank in there?” David, “Something close,” he glances over at Steven, “If we send Steven, he won’t be able to resist it.” Laura, “I am not doing that!" David, “We don’t send him in alone!” he turns to David, "You're an officer now, right?” Steven, “Yeah.” David, “Send him in as the leader of a unit, like he's just there to fight. Say his name over the radio a few times, make sure it’s clear he’s there.”  Everyone exchanges nervous looks. Laura shudders, “I don't like this idea." David goes on, “The tank thing, I did that by myself, and I was fucking lucky, but my luck definitely ran out. I made it out alive because I had Shay with me. We send in Steven and keep him well-covered, we can take Penzak alive.” Laura, "David, I know you rely on heroics-” David, “These guys are trying to be heroes. Sometimes you gotta remind people who they're dealing with." Steven, “I can do it." Laura shakes her head, “No. No, I can’t do that," she goes over to David and puts her hands on his shoulders, "David, you're going to be a parent very soon. I was a mother long before I was a queen. Steven is the one thing I care about more than my country. This is why I want him going back to Gilboa with you!” David, "He won't be going in alone I have been burned, shot, stabbed, poisoned, and hit with a car, and I'm standing here today because I’ve always had someone covering me. Penzak seems to think he can be a hero all by himself. That's how we're gonna take him down.” Steven approaches Laura, “Mom, if there’s anyone who can get me through this safely, it’s David.” David, “Actually, it’s Shay. And he’s going to have both of us." Laura shudders, "I- I can’t watch it. I can't be in the room with you. But I trust you.” Steven, "I know the layout of the palace, where all the hiding places and potential traps are. I know where we can lure Penzak.”

Jack and Abby sit watching TV and eating ice cream. Abby, "I don't get it, why are they all trying to marry him?” Jack, "He's a millionaire." Abby, "So? No amount of money is worth a lifetime of bad dick." Jack, "You're a lesbian. What do you know about dick?" Abby, "I know what your sister does with a strap-on." Jack, "Oh my god, I’m traumatized! Already traumatized!” Abby, "Besides, I was married once, remember?" Jack, “Yeah. Norman. Why the fuck did you marry him?” Abby, "Why the fuck were you dating Katrina Ghent? It's what my parents wanted. He didn't seem that bad at first. Ha came from a rich family, and my dad said he had a good career in front of him. Turns out he didn't like having a wife wanted a good career, too." She makes a face, “So many men just want a mommy they can fuck on demand,” she pats her baby, "Not this baby, though. He's gonna know how to do his own damn laundry.” Jack, "Michelle doesn't know laundry." Abby, “Exactly, why do you think I’m making sure my kid knows how to do it?” Jack, "You know, maybe I went wrong in looking in the wrong direction. I should have married you." Abby, “What?!” Jack, “We get along. We’re parents. I go fuck David, you go fuck Michelle. Easy.” Abby laughs, "No way. I’m not nearly pretty enough. Rose would never let me marry you.” Jack, “Mom was very desperate. Would you say no?” Abby, “Probably not.” Jack, “I’m better than most straight guys. I know where the clitoris is.” Abby grimaces and puts a hand on her belly. Jack, "You okay?” Abby, “Yeah, I just-” her expression falls, “Oh, fuck. Fuck me." Jack, "What?" Abby, “Goddamnit! Of course it's gonna happen right now!” Jack, “Oh my god, are you in labor?" Abby, "You're gonna need someone to clean your couch."  

David, Shay, Joel, Laura, and her generals sit tensely watching a firefight on their TVs. Steven’s voice, “We’ve got pretty heavy resistance!” Shay, “Do you need reinforcements?” On screen, Steven shoots down a CWM fighter. Steven, “I think we’ve got it.” Shay nods, “Hang in there, Lieutenant Fletcher.” David’s phone buzzes. He takes it out, looks at it: MICHELLE. David, “Shit.” He stands up, “I have to take this.” Shay, “Make it short. We’re almost in position.” David steps into an isolated spot and speaks quietly, “Hey, what's up?” Michelle answers, standing on the outside of hospital room, “Hey, uh, Abby's kind of in labor." David, "What?" Michelle, "She's dilated at only one centimeter.” David, “What does that mean?" Michelle, “It means that the cervix usually expands at once centimeter per hour. It takes six hours for you to get from Mizpah to Shiloh. If you leave right now, you might make it in time.” David, “I….” He struggles to think of the right words. Michelle, “Can you leave?” David, “I can’t discuss it over the phone.” Michelle, “Okay.” David, "Tell Abby-” Michelle, "David, you do what you need to do. Whatever happens, happens.” David, “I want to be there." Michelle, "I know you do." David, “I- I…” he falters, “I have to go.” Michelle, “I’ll call you if anything happens.” David, “Yeah. Okay.” Michelle, “Bye.” David, “Bye.” His hand drops to his side. Behind him, Shay appears, “David?” He glances back at her, as if snapping out of a trance. Shay, “Everything okay?” David, “Let’s get Penzak.”

Abby lays in the hospital bed, groaning, gritting her teeth, and squeezing Jack’s hand, “Oh my god, where is the fucking epidural?!” Michelle, “They’re getting the medicine and the anesthesiologist. It’s going to take a little while.” Abby, “I’m about to deliver the anesthesiologist’s future king!” Michelle, “And you’re in here earlier than we expected. It usually takes a half hour for the medicine to arrive, and then another half hour for the anesthesiologist to arrive after that.” Abby, “Motherfucker!” She clenches down on Jack’s hand, and Jack cries out with pain, “Aaah!” Abby, panting, “Michelle, call Lawrence.” Michelle, “What?” Abby, “Take my phone and call King Lawrence.” Michelle, “Why?” Abby, “So help me God, I am going to get Edomian aid to Moab!” Cut to: Lawrence’s POV on a tablet screen: Abby in a hospital gown, sitting on the edge of her bed, with an anesthesiologist swabbing her back down, “I’m sterilizing the area to prevent any infection.” In his office, Lawrence watches it all on a tablet, “Good god, I was told you were at the hospital, I didn’t believe you were actually in labor!” Abby, “Yeah, and David’s not here because he’s in Moab, stopping a coup without your fucking help!” Anesthesiologist, “You’re gonna feel a little pinch, that’s the local anesthetic numbing you up before I insert the big needle.” Lawrence, “This is obscene!” Abby, “Yeah, it’s obscene that you’re actively fucking up this child’s future!” Lawrence, “It’s too late. It’s too far into the crisis, any support I send now will be completely useless.” Abby, “Even if the crisis is fully averted, long-term support is going to be critical! Laura’s position as queen has to be secured and made safe, and any remaining CWM cells and operatives eliminated!” Lawrence, “I am not sending my troops to stay in Moab indefinitely!” Abby, “Motherfucker! Aaaaagh!” She grimaces with another contraction. Lawrence, “Are you all right, Minister Benjamin-Hatch?” Anesthesiologist, “Okay, I think I can stick the epidural needle in, now.” Abby re-gains control of herself with a loud moan, “Sending support now ensures that there will be no further need in the future! Moab is unstable because it has never been given stability! Stability in Moab means stability is Gilboa, which means this baby won’t miss the glorious birth of his first child because he’s still fighting the Christian fucking Wolves of Mizpah! Stability in Moab can only benefit Edom politically and economically!” Anesthesiologist, “You’re gonna have to be still so I get get the needle in the right way.” Lawrence, “You are in no condition to be negotiating right now.” Abby, “I’m not negotiating shit, I am stating facts! Laura is the most successful and beloved monarch that Moab has had in its existence, and she’s still not as popular has fatherhood has made David! If David misses the birth of his heir, and Laura still gets overthrown, he will go to every major news outlet in North America and spell it out explicitly, this is all Lawrence Merritt’s fucking fault! King Lawrence does not give a shit! He sits in his palace signing let them eat cake while the world crumbles around him! David will speak to the people of Edom, and the people of Edom will be fucking pissed!” Lawrence, trying to hide the fact that he’s shook, “David can’t possibly inspire a revolt in Edom.” Abby, “Wanna bet?” She doubles over and cries out in pain, “Mother fucker, put the fucking needle in!” Anesthesiologist, “Hold still!” The anesthesiologist jams the needle into Abby’s spine, and pushes the plunger on the syringe. Lawrence sighs and looks away awkwardly. Anesthesiologist, “You should be feeling it now, but it’ll take about fifteen minutes for the full effect. If you still feel pain, we can give you more.” Abby, sighing with relief, “Thank you.” Lawrence, “If David succeeds in defending Laura… IF he succeeds… I will consider sending Edomian troops to help secure stability in Moab.” Abby, “I’m not considering anything, either you will or you won’t.” Lawrence, “If David succeeds.” Abby, “You’ll send support!” Lawrence, “I will send support!” Abby, “So now I can give birth knowing that this isn’t a problem my child will have to be dealing with.” Lawrence, “Yes. I’m going to leave you now to deliver your child. You have my warmest congratulations.” He shuts the stream off. Jack, “Holy shit!” Abby falls back into he bed, smiling and panting with relief, “Okay. Now let’s get this baby out of me.” Michelle, “Probably still gonna be a while.” Abby, “Fuck!”

At the base, David and the others all watch tensely. Steven and two other soldiers stand outside the door of a long hallway. David, "You ready, Captain Fletcher?" Steven, “I’m ready.” David glances over at Laura, who suddens and nods. David, "Okay. Let's secure the next target." Steven, “Moving in." He leads his two men into the hallway. The hallway is long and fancy, with black and white tiles, fountains, plants, high ceilings, and decorative skylights. Slowly, Cautiously, they inch down the hallways, wary of any sudden movement. Suddenly, Two CWM fighters burst in at the end of the hallway, firing away. Steven and his men return fire. One of Steven's men fas wounded, and then the other. Steven dives behind a statue, still firing. The CWM fighters move to corner him, filling the statue with holes, sending shards of marble flying. Eventually, Steven drops his gun and holds his hands up in surrender. At the base, Laura looks over at David, distraught, “David!” David, “Hold on.” The two CWM fighters slowly approach Steven, grinning ear to ear. A door at the other end of the hallway opens, and Duncan Penzak comes strutting in. He approaches Steven, gloating over him, “My, my, my. God certainly is good to us today.” David, “Now.” Suddenly, the glass above their heads shatters, and teams of Queens of Gilboa come rappelling in through the skylights. Steven’s two “wounded” men spring to their feet and disarm the two CWM fighters. While Penzak is distracted, Steven tackles him, takes his gun, and points it at his head. Steven, "I got Penzak!" Laura has to sit down, overcome with relief. David grins, "Good going, Steven. Bring him in.” Shay comes up behind David and pats him on the back, “Good going man.” David, “I'd be dead seven times over if I didn't have you covering me.” Shay, “What was that call earlier?” David, “Uh, it was Michelle. Abby’s in labor.” Shay, “Are you fucking kidding me? What are you still doing here?" David, "Had to make sure the mission is successful.” Shay, “It's fucking successful! Go!” David, "The palace isn't fully secured yet." Shay, "It's just mopping up now, Joel and I can handle that!”  

Abby lies in her hospital bed, Jack and Michelle at her sides, a doctor checking on her dilation. Abby whines, “Uuuugh, can I push yet?” Doctor, “You’re at six centimeters. Two more to go.” Michelle, “You are doing so good.” Jack’s phone dings. He looks at it, “David is on the plane!” Abby, “Is he gonna make it?” Michelle, “Uh, if your labor slows, maybe.” Abby, “Oh, fuck it, I want this baby out of me!” Doctor, “When you’re fully dilated!”

(“Welcome to the World” Kevin Rudolf) Penzak forlornly gets photographed at the military base, now a prisoner in custody. Behind the camera, Shay and Joel laugh and smirk at him. Joel, “Cheer up, bro. You're gonna be famous.”

Laura surveys the damage in the throne room: it’s a mess, but fixable. Most importantly, it's still hers. Steven appears at her side. Laura smiles at him, bursting wit pride, and he grins back at her.

On his airplane, in the dark, his face illuminated by the screen of his phone, David watches with bated breath.

In her hospital room, Michelle and Jack both hold on to Abby’s hands. Doctor, “Just one more push!” Abby takes in a deep breath and lets out a ferocious roar.

David watches. He covers his face with his hand. The sound of a baby dying comes over the phone. The doctor says, “A healthy baby boy!” David throws his head back, overcome with joy and amazement.

Abby looks on in astonishment as the doctor places the baby in her arms. Michelle coos, “Hi, Daniel! Hi!” Jack is too overwhelmed to say anything. Abby gazes down at her new son awe-struck, “Hi! Hi!” Michelle, softly, “Daniel Seth.” Abby laughs, joyous tears in her eyes.

David walks down the hallway of the hospital. Jack comes running up to him, and they embrace each other with a long, tight hug, both of them laughing deliriously.

Jack leads David into the delivery room. Abby sits in bed, holding the baby, Michelle at her side. They both look up as Jack and David enter. Abby beams, “Hi, Dad.” David approaches, completely awe-struck. Abby, "He looks like you!” Gently, David reaches out his arms, and Abby hands the baby over to him. Slowly David backs down into a chair, transfixed by the face of his new son. David, “Abby… Abby, he’s perfect.” Abby laughs and wipes a happy tear from her eye, “Yeah.” David glances back at Jack, and they both share tired smiles. David looks back down at the baby, softly murmuring, “Hi, Daniel, hi…”