sunnyboyxuxi

[sunnyboyxuxi]

Even the shift in power dynamics between Wilhelm and Simon is so well done that I can't help but talk about it.

At first Simon is the confident one. He is out and proud guy and knows who he is. So he is the one to ask Wilhelm to come to Rosh's soccer match and he is the one who initiates their first kiss. Whereas Wilhelm is shy and stammering and he literally trips over is own feet because he is busy watching Simon.

But after they have sex their relationship dynamics changes and Wilhelm becomes the more confident one because now he knows what he wants or rather who he wants (Simon). Now he is the one pulling Simon back in the woods to share a sneaky kiss. While Simon can't even name his fishes without stuttering.

The shift is masterfully done that it makes me want to scream in elation. I love that I can pull out any scene from Young Royals and find a deeper meaning.

[sunnyboyxuxi]

no because their soft smiles while playing the piano are everything-

[sunnyboyxuxi]

the way i would commit literal felonies to see wilhelm in THE purple hoodie at least once

[sunnyboyxuxi]

“are you okay?” no bitch i’ll never experience a passionate romance like the ones you read in books

[sunnyboyxuxi]

I’m so grateful that Simon exists. He is such an incredible character with so much depth, so many layers, and he just feels so complete in a way that most “love interests” don’t in stories like this. Although Wille is very much the protagonist and the series is called Young Royals, Simon feels very much like the deutoragonist in a way that love interests often don’t.

I love the way his Latinx heritage is so seemlessly incorporated into his character. A lot of the times when you see diversity in media, it can feel tacked on and like they’re trying to meet a diversity quota, but Simon’s Latinx identity is so beautifully an integral part of who he is without it being the only part of him. I adored the way he and his mother would alternate between speaking Spanish and Swedish to each other; it felt so seamless and natural. You rarely see so much care and nuance put into a minority character like this.

I also love how complex he is. He’s not just one thing all the time. He’s a loving son and brother, he cares about his family more than anything. We establish that he tends to put other people above himself, but we also see that in his actions; he goes out of his way to get the booze and go to Wille’s initiation party because he wants Sara to have some fun. He doesn’t drink and he doesn’t care to associate with the people at Hillerksa, but he does it for her. He engages with Wille and tries to push the shy prince to get out of his comfort zone, but at the same time he’s patient with him and often allows Wille to take the lead when things become overwhelming for him, such as in their first kiss when Simon makes the first move but senses that Wille is struggling with it so he gives him the time and space to navigate the situation. When Wille continues to be hot and cold with him, even though you can tell Simon is very infatuated with Wille and is hurt by his action, Simon gives him the time he needs to figure his shit out. He doesn’t force himself on Wille or force Wille to make up his mind; he lets Wille come to him when he’s ready and takes him back with open arms. I hate when the writers tell us that the character is a certain way and there actions say otherwise (so many shows are guilty of this), but the traits we are told Simon has are actually shown in his actions. This makes it even more powerful when at the end of the season, he finally puts his own feelings first and tells Wille he needs to figure out his shit on his own. Simon is a character with so much love yet so much integrity.

I also love that, although he is very much a no-bullshit, confident guy and is pretty sure of himself and who he is, he is still very much a teenager. He gets nervous, he gets flustered, he gets overwhelmed. He flirts with Wille pretty openly, like texting him “tag along if you dare,” but he’s still a little nervous around him, because he’s a cute boy who he likes, he’s 16, of course he’s a little bit nervous. There are just so many sides to him but he always feels like a cohesive character; it never feels like he’s only acting a certain way because the plot needs him to.

I’m just so fucking thankful that Simon exists and that Omar did such an incredible job infusing him with so much likability, charisma, and vulnerability.

[sunnyboyxuxi]

being in your early twenties is like [grocery shopping alone] [having instant noodles for dinner] [remembering random details about that one friend you haven't spoken to in five years] [feeling overwhelming guilt for every purchase that isn't strictly "necessary"] [having midday naps] [finding out through facebook that the girl who was mean to you in high school has a husband and a baby] [falling a little in love with every stranger on public transport] [pretending you're not afraid of being alone] [wondering when you'll feel like a fully realized person] [listening to bands you liked in middle school] [blinking and it's suddenly december] [failing to imagine yourself ten years from now] [feeling like you're running out of time]

[sunnyboyxuxi]

i don't think i'll ever be able to listen to revolution without thinking of the football field scene and the "but i like you. and that is not—it's not fake"

[sunnyboyxuxi]

the holy trinity aligned to create this masterpiece

[sunnyboyxuxi]

Nathalie Varli as Madison in Young Royals (2021)

[sunnyboyxuxi]

Important messages in Young Royals that I don’t want overlooked because two boys kiss:

- the difficulty of growing up with ADHD and aspbergers (or other diagnoses that affect you). the fact that you say too much, or too little, and come off as someone not like everyone else. the way kids/teens usually go through life just trying to convince themselves they DON’T want friends and don’t need them when all they want is to be liked and not have to change who they are. something that affects so many kids today and it is shown in such a real, good, honest way in this show

- girls supporting girls in everything. the fact that felice supports sara, that madison tells so many people off for being rude to her girls and also is one hundred percent right and supportive about how august treats felice and doesn’t want that for her girl. we need this and it’s refreshing to see it in such a nice way without any kind of drama to it just for drama’s sake

- GIRLS PLAYING SPORTS. most girls stop playing sports at the age of 14 which is a big, big problem imo. to see here that the one playing football and wanting support is rosh, and that people GIVE it to her and show how fun she’s having is absolutely also an important thing to show. it made me absolutely so happy to see this get attention and i think people overlook the importance of it

- politics when it comes to rich and poor. the way rich people are allowed to accept all kinds of money whereas if poor people get them it’s disgusting and they are awful for accepting money. that the royal family is the one family getting the most money out of all. 

- you are allowed to set boundaries for yourself. you are allowed to not want to be a secret, you are allowed to not wear a dress that your mother wants you to wear. you are allowed to dump someone even if it could give you opportunities.

- girls have a sexuality and it is OKAY and i love to see that girls talk about sex and hookups and all just as much as the guys (even if a different way) because let’s get rid of the way girls are never supposed to explore their sexuality, discuss it or want to let others know (or know about others experiences)

- parents and substance abuse and how it affects your family and the difficultiy of wanting maybe a relationship but knowing it could fuck up everything. the way kids have to deal with it when they should be the ones taken cared of

- that spreading nude videos, photos of any kind is A CRIME and should be treated as a crime and is absolutely never wrong of the one taking part of the video. they didn’t do anything wrong. august was the absolute asshole that should be charged with so many things. and that people were supportive and felt sorry for them was also the best.

[sunnyboyxuxi]

Ok no but listen can we talk about that scene in Young Royals where both boys and girls are slamming the table for one of them to get up there and talk about their hook up and with the boys it's like "it was awesome, 9/10, I think we're in love" but with the girls it's like "eh, I was bored, it wasn't even that good" because that was some funny fucking shit

[sunnyboyxuxi]

it’s the “everything is fake. everything in the world is fake. the grass on the football field isn’t even grass. it’s plastic. and it’s nighttime even though it’s bright. it’s night! i know that now. and all the people are fake. they’re made of metal. but i like you… and that is not fake.” for me

[sunnyboyxuxi]

Things that Young Royals did better than any other tv show - spoilers -

• the teenagers look like actual teenagers not like 26 year old photoshopped models

• the popular girl at school is not the skinny white manipulative mean girl

• an appropriate amount ox realistic sex scenes

• felice and saras friendship is genuine. every other show would've made felice set sara up and humiliate her in front of the whole school but felice really wanted to include sara and wanted her to feel welcome

• the characters actually talk to each other and don't throw a tantrum when someone makes a mistake. they give each other a second chance (wilhelm and simon) (felice and sara)

• actual representation of how being a royal is not a dream at all

• no shock moment that seperates the protagonists... simon and wilhelm go through this together. they talk, they communicate, they listen to each other and share their honest thoughts, damn that was so healthy

At first you would assume this show is just another Gossip Girl or Élite but this is just so real. No toxic Chuck Bass, no manipulative Blair Waldorf, no unrealistic soft p*rn threesomes that do nothing for the plot. No teenagers wearing their sexy ripped school uniform covered in gucci and chanel jewelry

I am glad teenagers nowdays get this kind of representation of actual life, still covered in a fictional world that is interesting to watch.

[sunnyboyxuxi]

one of the things i liked the most about the show was how awkward everything was the first time they kissed, it never felt forced or like a tv show, they showed the exact way teenagers behave in first kiss situations

[sunnyboyxuxi]

First kiss

[sunnyboyxuxi]

the queen that always hated august LOVE YOU MADISON

Nathalie Varli as Madison in Young Royals (2021)

[sunnyboyxuxi]

“na, alles klar?” in Swedish