#todays grimpop song is First Time Caller by White Lies

[doctorwhowatchesthewatchmen]

okay but i legitimately want to talk about the grimpop love confessions and rejections because—I will reiterate—Ian has been confessing his love for Poppy this season and Poppy has been bending over backwards to Not Hear Him, which is a rejection in its own way. I want to point out, however, that it’s not a rejection because Poppy doesn’t also love Ian. It’s a rejection because Ian has consistently, repeatedly, humiliatingly, publicly rejected Poppy. It’s why Poppy knew that Ian was talking about the shovel and not her in season one. Every little dig and comment about how Ian was definitely, under no circumstances sexually attracted to her because she was abrasive and gross and an all around mess (a mess that he had a hand in creating, but that’s more than Ian is or was willing to admit). He deliberately told her that he didn’t believe in her, to hurt her, to bring her back down into the bucket that Ian created and was happy living in—as long as he was the crab on top.

Ian telling Poppy that he loved her in season 3 was so, so important for him as a character, and it was important that Poppy said it back, but Ian didn’t want to hear her then. Poppy has always loved Ian. I think it’s even reasonable to believe that she had a crush on him even with his terrible ponytail beard, but getting to know Ian, being around him and working with him, took away the shine and veneer of him being Ian Grimm. So Poppy stuffed all of that down, so deep that she can’t really hear him when he says “I’m not in love with you for your body […] I love you for your mind”, so she builds Poppy 2 to give Ian what he wants, her mind, and she doesn’t have to engage further with Ian on a personal level. Keep it professional. She has someone new who is loudly into her and values her not just as a creative but as a person.

Ian has had to go on a Journey about Poppy, and I think that’s part of why he was so stressed out about her blowing off Warrior Within to be with Storm. It’s taken him so long to get to even this barely there level of understanding his feelings for Poppy that he’s already lost her. Add to that the feeling (and framing!) of Poppy “cheating” on him creatively with Storm. He’s afraid of losing Poppy. He’s jealous and envious, and whether he consciously knows it or not, he’s making it everyone else’s problem. Except Poppy, who is the only person he’s been honest with.

I am Unwell