Lo ep 231// spoilers
Sighs buckle up buttercup bc this is gonna be looong
I knew about the proposal well before this episode, gonna say a week or two in advance.
Now I knew this chapter would be bad, nay— terrible
But I didn’t think it’d be as terrible if not worse than I thought it was. This is far far worse than the previous ep retconning Demeter’s character as a whole. While writing in going back and forth through the ep to break it all down , so I can gather my thoughts properly, stay on topic and not derail from the subject matter
Okay
Here we go:
The chapter starts off with an ominous logo change (eye roll) indicating it’s gonna “ different from past chapters. Spoiler alert it’s not. just a repeat of what our two protagonists have been doing from the get go
-Persephone laments about how she thought she was special bc of how overprotective her mother was of her, that she did her best ruling the mortal realm, making her own choices and that she’ll never be able to fulfill the expectations or live the life her mother wanted for her.
(Something we didn’t see her show any concern for while on Olympus)
She goes on to say she knows how her mother is treating her isn’t right, yet all she wanted to do is please her, to have that constant praise, and that had this been anyone else she would’ve put them in their place.
-I don’t like the chains used in this panel as symbolism bc it’s far from what we’ve seen of Demeter in previous eps. It’s stated from the beginning Demeter is overprotective, her controlling paranoid behavior clearly stems from generational trauma, seeing her mother eaten, her sister cut in half. Her explaining her theory of fertility goddesses, which was later proved CORRECT! Btw! Her putting Persephone into the TGoEM to keep her safe from gods that could use her for their own personal gain. This holds no weight, only to persuade the audience how bad mother Demeter is from Persephone’s perspective it doesn’t hold up
Second, Persephone had no problem turning minthe into plant for rightfully ratting her out about mass genocide. She had no problem bullying an ex classmate from college, who had no choice but be nice to her bc of his job as a customer service representative.
The only ppl Persephone “puts in their place” are ones that can’t fight back, no Kronos doesn’t count.
-Now I just wanna say standing up to an overprotective, controlling parent isn’t easy. I have two myself it’s hard setting boundaries I’m not dismissing that. It’s a struggle. Especially when it’s someone who raised and cared for you, yet constantly told you they know what’s best for you instead of you yourself.
But Persephone is a 30 yr old woman, who’s had next to no character development. So why should we expect that? Before and After the trial arc she’s done nothing but act like a spoiled brat. Helplessly running to hades to solve her problems and shield her from the consequences of her own actions.
Not once thinking of her mother, forgetting her completely after the big fight with Kronos and not bothering to ask about her further when Zeus tells her she’s fine.
Persephone is nothing more than a selfish brat who cares only for herself, bullying others and seeking entitlement she hasn’t earned.
-she goes on to say how could someone she holds in such high reguard hold contempt for her choices.
In context, mind you, Demeter is against her relationship with Hades. A man she knew only for four fucking weeks, didn’t see for 10yrs who she’s living with! Four weeks! She’s known this guy! They had one date. Only one! Not even rebuilding their friendship or catching up they just jump into being a couple.
It’s valid that her mother wouldn’t approve this! And just makes Persephone look like a delusional idiot. Honey you don’t know this guy. He tricked and manipulated you into a relationship. You were the other woman. You were the home wrecker. You knew he was in a relationship and pursued him anyway. And he pursued you! You’re mother is concerned for your well being.
-We’re supposed to see Demeter as this controlling evil parent when in reality she’s a concerned mother. Those of us who are critical with this comic see right through the shallow narrative and attempt to get the audience to side with our protagonist and see Demeter as a manipulative hag who only wants full and total control of her daughter. But this is flawed this is a retcon. This backfired.
The only reason we see the emotional manipulation is bc it was thrown in as a plot device and excuse for rs to use for her poor writing and mislead us into thinking this is how Demeter’s always been. When it came out Of nowhere. We’ve never seen her this way up until now. This trauma is used as a connivence. Like the SA was used to make hades look better, the emotional manipulation was used to make Demeter look bad.
And as someone who’s experienced this with their own parents I am disgusted with the way it was used in this story. I hate it. When the fast pass first came out there was no trigger warning at the beginning of the previous episode! That was only added AFTER it became public bc so many readers told Rachel under instagram post. This is something she shouldn’t need to be told! And the fact that it triggered so many ppl is infuriating! I myself had a hard time reading it, and had to control my breathing bc I was getting g so worked up and that was AFTER the public post of the comic!
RS only uses trauma as plot devices with no resolution. Only to demonize and up lift characters.Point blank period.
Demeter says ruling the underworld would be too much for Persephone and points out the tree she grew there, the same tree that awakened frigging Kronos.
She’s right. Ruling the mortal realm was too much for her. So much so Persephone was struggling, draining herself with her powers just to keep up with her moms work. But she did work and work hard. Not as hard as she thought she was as confirmed in previous episodes with Zeus failing her and the previous one her mother pointing out all the unfinished work and damage.
Hades called that tree a gift, but it was that very tree that led to his and many other gods laying dormant for 10yrs!! Peres wasn’t responsible with her powers on Olympus and in the underworld coddled by hades. Since her return, he doesn’t want her to work! It seems as well intentioned bc she “worked SO hard in the mortal realm” but it’s not. This is a man who wants to keep a woman under his thumb. She was supposed to work! That was the point of her punishment and she couldn’t even do that right.
She isn’t fit to rule a kingdom, shes bullying lower class citizens and is okay staying at home without questioning her partner!
Okay I don’t wanna derail too much so now I’ll talk about the proposal. My god the proposal!!!
This was god awful! So awful.
Nothing about this was empowering, uplifting or romantic. It was manipulative, shallow, self indulgent, conceited and self absorbed. It’s safe to say Hades has become one of my least favorite characters. And it’s not hard to see why.
He goes on to say being from the beginning of time and space deem Persephone worthy of ruling the underworld, a clear jab at Demeter (what a prick that Hades).
-he goes on this long annoying self absorbed tangent. Putting Persephone on this ridiculously high pedestal while lamenting about himself. Me me me! You did this for ME. You made ME feel this way, IM so lucky to have you. It’s all about him. Persephone isn’t her own person in his eyes. It’s all about how she is WITH HIM!. She’s HIS savior, shes nothing more than HIS queen, not a queen HIS queen.
It’s so possessive and demeaning and gross.
This is right after/during her emotional roller coster with her mom!!! Who just emotionally manipulated her not one episode ago! And he’s doing it with this proposal! In front of dozens of ppl and her mother!
But bc he’s her partner and he “loves” her it’s okay. It’s framed as sentimental when it’s no different from the emotional manipulation we just saw! He’s scumbag, talking advantage of an emotionally vulnerable person abs it’s framed as good! Its terrible.
And finally we see her hands turn pink again from the wedding ring. Another jab at Demeter. I guess to symbolize her freedom?? But to me ? It undoes all the hard work that came with them. Persephone’s green hands I guess were meant to symbolize her trying to be like her mother, but to me it showed the one good thing about her character. It showed she had to WORK for her powers. She had to work hard to maintain them. She had to get off her butt and figure out her way of doing things.
Her hands turning pink isn’t a flex it’s a representation that she’d rather be pampered and coddled by a partner. Reaping the benefits of slave labor and live a life of luxury instead of nature.
It’s not romantic running from an overprotective parent only thrust yourself into a marriage To a person you’ve barely known. This wasn’t sweet or sentimental. This was rushed, sloppy, shallow and manipulative.
What I wanted out of this chapter?
Persephone to stand up to her mother even if they didn’t meet a middle ground, for her to voice her opinion, put her foot down and say her choices were her own.
Instead? We once again get white knight Hades making this whole thing about himself. And Persephone letting him. Demeter is jabbed at, demonized and made a villain. Hades is praised despite doing the same emotionally abusive tactic.
This was absolute garbage. And we’re well past disappointment. No depth. No substance just trash.
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