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#WE DESERVED BETTER
queerfandomtrifecta · 5 months
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How Izzy’s Death Could’ve Made Basic Storytelling Sense
Just to be clear, Izzy is my favorite and I wanted him to live more than anything. This isn’t about that, and that is NOT why I hated his death. Had it served the narrative in a way that made even the most basic storytelling sense, while I’d admittedly have been devastated in a different way (i.e. the character whose queerness was relegated to the subtext in s1 and as soon as it’s textual and his whole arc is that he’s killed, but that’s a whole separate post…), but at least there would’ve been a correctly crafted arc from a surface level narrative standpoint that ended in the death of my favorite character. But that’s not what this is about. It’s is about how the show could’ve actually made the death actually make sense and work effectively. (Also, if you want my unasked for thoughts on how most of the existing plot of s2 (minus 7-8) could’ve easily been adjusted to fix the narrative as a whole and keep Izzy alive, I wrote this)
But. For those in the fandom insisting that Izzy HAD to die, including DJenks who has said as such in interviews (for reasons I do not understand), from an objective developmental editor standpoint, this is what I think needed to change to make Izzy’s death serve the narrative, character arcs and dynamics, pacing, structure, and thematic elements correctly.
It’s about 2K words just so you know what you’re gonna get into. Spoilers under the cut.
Issue 1. Izzy’s relationship with the crew and how they truly became his family this season totally vanished during his death scene. The same crew who he protected from Ed during the later, worse parts of the Kraken phase. The crew who banded together to save his life by hiding him from/lying to Ed about it, and amputating his leg to save him. The crew he saved by crawling up those stairs during the storm, hobbling out into the rain with one leg and shooting Ed before he could shoot a cannon ball through the mast and kill them all. The crew who called him “our dick”. The crew that then banded together with Stede’s half of the crew to him the leg and the new unicorn (aka the figurehead of the ship). That crew didn’t cry a SINGLE tear when he died. What?? Fang sobbed most of episode one and really lost it when Izzy got shot. Where was that when he died?? Izzy’s last speech to Ricky had something along the lines of: piracy is about belonging/family. We are Good. (Forgive me, I’m paraphrasing, but that’s the gist). Izzy truly did find his family in the crew outside of Ed. That was absolutely fantastic, especially in the first four episodes and episode six. It VANISHED when he was dying and dead.
The fix: To make the death impactful, effective, or even to make it make sense on a very basic acting and writing level, the crew should’ve been utterly DEVASTATED. At least heartbreaking music and like 30 seconds of everyone breaking down and holding each other. At least some of them crying and holding each other in the background when he was dying. Come on.
Issue 2. Thematically speaking, is piracy Good or Bad? Again, Izzy tells Ricky that they (the pirates/his crew) are capital G Good. Yet Ed has spent a lot of time maintaining piracy is capital B Bad. He tells the urchins as such. Here’s some money that I never had, now you don’t have to be pirates. Don’t be pirates. He doesn’t want Stede to kill Ned Low in cold blood. Ed just doesn’t want to be a pirate. Even at the end AFTER Izzy dies telling Ed he’s with his family (implied that this is the crew) and they love Ed, Ed LEAVES THAT FAMILY AND LEAVES PIRACY IMMEDIATELY. We’re left with him and Stede watching the family Izzy swore was Good and loved Ed sail away because Ed thinks piracy is Bad. Which is it?? The death served nothing in convincing Ed he could be happy with his found family on the sea as Ed, not Blackbeard, so the dying words were pointless. The thematic elements are all over the place (for the whole season but that’s another post) and that needs changing to make the death scene make sense.
The fix: Izzy should’ve told him he sees he doesn’t want to pirate anymore, he’s glad he’s found love with Stede because Izzy isn’t going to make it, go run your fokkin’ inn, you twat (affectionate).
Issue 3. Izzy died of bad planning and bad luck. Why didn’t they take the gun from Ricky? Between Spanish Jackie, Izzy, and Jim, SOMEONE would’ve thought about it. If not those three, someone else would’ve, but come one. One if not all of those three would’ve known better. Yeah, Izzy happened to be standing in front of Ed and he got shot instead of him, but you’ve gotta be REALLY looking for that to even be aware it’s what happened. It wasn’t even on purpose unless Ed strategically placed himself behind Izzy (which I doubt was the intent). Izzy didn’t position himself protectively/take the bullet for anyone on purpose. It was just happenstance and you only notice it if you’re rewatching and hyper-analyzing everything (which a lot of us, me included, in the fandom do, but casual watchers don’t. It’s totally unclear as far as the surface level narrative goes) Any sort of “heroism” is not acknowledged, it’s barely even noticeable in the shot. If that was the intent, it HAD to be clearer and acknowledged by the characters so the audience would realize the stakes and repercussions of clear choices. As it is, I don’t think it was intentional. If Izzy HAS to die, it should truly have rounded out his arc in a way that CLEARLY changed the course of the scene, leaving him to protect people he’d put in danger at the end of s1. It didn’t. It just read as terrible planning to the point of it being out of character for more than one character, and bad luck.
The fix: Izzy should’ve saved someone. I personally don’t like the idea of it being Ed. I’s have rather he save Stede (Not really, but it’s better than Ed I guess) But really Izzy should’ve died saving the crew. The crew makes the most sense to me, narratively speaking. He’s their figurehead, he’s protected the Kraken Crew for months and they should’ve been fiercely loyal to him, he blames himself for what Ed did to them (more on this later) so it makes sense for him to fiercely protect his crew. His family. Who should’ve been devastated that it happened because Izzy is the one character of the main three who’s managed to earn that status this season.
Issue 4. The death did not serve to move the plot along. There are literally zero things that would’ve been different for the end of the episode, save Izzy being alive and on the Revenge in his rightful role he earned with his crew as the captain, if he’d have lived. Ed and Stede aren’t partnering with Zheng to go after the guy who killed him in the next season. Nope. They got the offer but nah. They’re running an Inn. Which Izzy would’ve supported based on literally everything we’ve seen from him in episodes 5-8. The crew who Izzy protected fiercely and who viewed him as their leader? Not one tear during his death or the the funeral. Happily sailing away to do presumably more Muppet Treasure Island hijinks. No character development happened. No plot development happened. The season could’ve ended literally the EXACT SAME WAY with Izzy alive aboard the Revenge!!! No stakes were changed at all. No one was impacted enough for it to seem like it was even going to be a plot obstacle next season. It just happened, Izzy’s toxic situationship who maimed him multiple times over the course of months to the point of his leg needing to be amputated was sad for one (1) scene, then we moved on and did not seem sad at all at the funeral. What.
The fix: The plot should’ve been driven by the death. Ed and Stede (but especially Ed), and DEFINITELY the crew should’ve been sailing off plotting to avenge the death and defend piracy against Ricky and the British, especially with Zheng who lost her whole fleet. Ricky and the British are clearly (or so I hope, nothing’s clear here anymore tbh) the primary antagonist for the theoretical third season. No one should be running an whim-based inn for fun or sailing off happily into the sunset after the death of the most major character aside from Ed and Stede, who beyond proved himself a major part of something every character (his family) should’ve cared about this season. If he HAD to die, that death should have furthered the plot. But instead, it seems everyone shrugged it off with tears exclusively from Ed.
Issue 5. Izzy got shot in the left side. The side in which canonically NO ONE DOES FROM BEING INJURED ON IN THE OFMD UNIVERSE.
The fix: Yeah I know this is just too nit-picky but it was also just SO sloppy. Like just shoot him on the other side if he has to die, because this was a very memorable plot point more than once in s1. Like, come on y’all.
Disclaimer: Issues/fixes 1-5 would all need to happen together to truly fix it and make the death serve the narrative correctly. Issue/fix 6 is a totally separate route, which I personally hate, but at least the narrative would’ve made sense this way.
Issue 6. The idea that Izzy had to die so that Ed could be free of Blackbeard makes no sense at this point in the story. Ed already threw away his leathers and gave away his treasure to symbolically get rid of Blackbeard, and Izzy very sweetly encouraged him to follow the feeling that throwing out the leathers gave him. Izzy told Stede that he and Ed were good for each other. They balance each other out. Izzy is on good terms with both of them and their relationship, so Izzy “having to die” so Ed could flourish as Ed genuinely makes no sense and came totally out of left field.
The fix for 6: This one stands alone and is my absolute least favorite option, but if it HAD to happen without the 1-5 fixes, here’s how it could’ve made sense. If THIS is truly the way it was going to end, Izzy needed to be continuously antagonistic or avoidant to at least Ed and actually be shown holding Ed back from happiness until that last second. He wasn’t. He was so much better. Izzy clearly does blame himself (that’s for a separate post because I have lots of thoughts there) but to be fair they were both abusive in that relationship, for years it seems. Although I think by the beginning of s2, the power dynamic has clearly flipped and it was Ed who was doing most of it and Izzy was exhausted and knowingly “reaping what he’d sewed” (I don’t Blame Izzy for his abuse but I think this was his mindset) so the crew wouldn’t get the brunt of it.
If he seriously HAD to die because the writers just had to have it that way, those are the changes I think would’ve made the narrative work/make sense, served all the character arcs and dynamics correctly, and actually driven the plot as fictional deaths are supposed to, compelling things into a third season. Seriously, this season finale was a mess of baffling choices the most series finale season finale I’ve ever seen.
Anyway. There’s my unsolicited two-cents. Now back to hoping Izzy’s in the gravy basket waiting to be sea witch necromancied back by seagull Buttons in season 3. I love this show and I hate hating what I hate hating about it because it’s my absolute favorite and I can’t stand it because it’s fantastic and the worst thing I’ve ever seen. (Also, Izzy should’ve lived).
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issaxcharlie · 6 months
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I miss jatp so much, such a wonderful show that could have been something even greater
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ygsunflower · 1 year
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What we mean when we say Avatrice has one of the healthiest on-screen relationships… Mind you, they established this in two short seasons while relationships weren’t the main plot of Warrior Nun.
Beatrice and Ava might be young and had their shares of past trauma (hint they might not the most experienced ones dealing with people and relationships), but they acted so maturely in building this relationship. They were always communicating with each other. Since the beginning, when they were just learning to open up to each other, they never hesitated to apologize. Later on, when they were in disagreements, they fought just like any of us would, but they knew better than to walk away from hard conversations. They were patient with each other and they always showed respects to the other person. Instead of storming out, they chose to stay and talk through their issues. Regardless of the situation, they always let the other person who was in distress talk, and they would listen intently free of judgements.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve shipped many ships before, and as much as I understand the need to showcase how past dramas can affect a person’s relationship with others negatively, it feels so good to see characters who despite their hard pasts were still able to build a healthy relationship. Yes, they had difficult upbringings, but that doesn’t take away their ability to love and be loved.
Thank you uncle Simon and the WN team for giving us this precious and tender ship. 💙
SAVE WARRIOR NUN.
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aroaceteagirl · 1 year
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I'm still mad about how Merlin ended. honestly, it could have been so much more satisfying than what we got. Arthur should have found out about Merlin's magic at the end of season 4. Then in season 5, we could have seen how that affects their relationship. In the ep where Uther comes back as a ghost, their relationship would still have been strained but then when Uther tries to kill Merlin, Arthur realises that he still cares about him and they slowly start to mend their relationship and Arthur starts learning the truth about magic. And Arthur starting to take steps to legalise magic. And uniting the kingdoms by creating alliances in the war against Morgana. Up until the end, we could have had hope for a happy ending, and then they could have crushed our hearts by killing Arthur. And like instead of Merlin only becoming more and more depressed and cynical, we could have seen him become optimistic again, only for Arthur to die.
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our-king-bree · 8 months
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the dream thieves au where everything is the same but Kavinsky fucking lives!!
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quinnslogan · 8 months
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This movie feels so surreal, the quogan content we got after decades!!! But we were robbed of so much when it easily could’ve happened.
1.) I hate how we didn’t even get to see the ceremony?? They could have easily fit in the vows, the movie is based off of THEIR wedding. Give us more insight on their feelings for one another. To tease Micheal giving a great ceremony and not show it is cruel LOL.
2.) how the rehearsal dinner speeches about them were cut off / zoeys ruined because of her reality tv show dude. would have been a perfect moment to get some history about quogan. how their friends felt when they found out, etc.
3.) Quinn and Logan’s parent basically being furniture, again could have been good background to some history.
4.) the lack of any alone moments of them, besides the cute but quick makeup scene.
5.) Logan’s second little proposal was so short (sweet) but short. I needed a “we fell in love here” kind of thing. There was 0 mention of PCA being significant to their story and why Quinn loved the set up so much.
6.) chase and Zoey telling their stories to the jewelry store workers should’ve been quogan
I guess you can relate all this to being a movie with Zoey as main compared to the series where everyone had subplots. After years I can’t complain too hard but we did get the absolute BARE MINIMUM. It’s sorta sad.
Yeah I def agree ESPECIALLY about the ceremony. I can get over the lack of Quogan alone scenes because I got more than I expected but tell me how you make a movie about a wedding and don’t show the actual ceremony. It becomes especially frustrating when you realize Micheal’s role in the movie was basically he’s their officiate and they didn’t even let him do that??
We know there are deleted scenes I would bet good money they did film their actual wedding/Chase’s full speech but cut it for time reasons. It’s annoying bc literally who’s watching this movie for anything other than quinn and logan but alright. I will say though I am a quality > quantity person and I absolutely LOVE the scenes we did get so I’m not super disappointed just kinda annoyed personally but I do get where you’re coming from
ALSO THE JEWELRY THING! When that happened I wanted so badly for Zoey and Chase to continue pretending to be Quinn and Logan and tell the jewelry lady their love story but instead they told their own lame one 🙄
FOR THE REPROPOSAL I HAD SO MANY EXPECTATIONS but also I don’t think anything Logan said would’ve beat I love Quinn Penksy I love Logan Reese so again I could live with it 😭
The parents annoyed me so bad the number of scenes Logan’s dad was just standing there and didn’t say a single word was hilarious tbh😭 like he was basically just an extra they could’ve had their parents not there wouldn’t have made a difference. I do think again they did have lines but they were cut probably
But yeah overall a few more lines AND A TWO MINUTE CEREMONY would’ve made such a difference and I too am annoyed and blame j*mie tbh. ALSO CAN WE TALK ABOUT ZOEY AND CHASE GETTING BACK TOGETHER AT THEIR SECOND WEDDING LIKE WAY TO STEAL THE SPOTLIGHT?? I hated both of them this movie like sorry
But I’ll make my peace because this scene I never expected and i’m irrationally obsessed with it
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bittersweet-nothingss · 9 months
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The eyes really do never lieee, they were soo in love it hurts 😭💔
Just look at the different between the look on their faces from the first time they see each other to the last :(
(I may or may not have had some tears in my eyes whilst making this 🥲)
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lowquailityphotos · 7 hours
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The reason we've never seen an on page wedding or mating ceremony in Sarah's book is because she lacks the ability to write the emotional intamcy or creativity needed to make a scene like that truly meaningful without relying on long sob stories about a characters past and massive amounts of monologue.
Argue with a brick.
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raekensluver · 4 months
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i will forever be pissed off that the mutts in the first hunger games didn't look like the deceased tributes like in the books and that they just looked like a black panther/hyena/rottweiler mix.
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Denton: What do you say when you answer the phone?
Davey: Jacobs’ residence.
Race: What up?
Crutchie: Who this be?
Jack: No, he’s in prison, this is his son.
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younglimbs · 11 months
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the real eurovision winner is the last place we made along the way
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ravenalla · 1 year
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Since it’s becoming increasingly more likely they’re gonna make Din and Bo a couple and have his helmet-less scene be some heterosexual kiss nonsense, I have to ask. Even if you do ship Din and Bo, what have they done this season that warrants a romantic relationship? What actual meaningful moments have they shared? They’ve had one conversation about Bo-Katan’s past and Din supported her as leader, that’s it, nothing else connecting them as people, no hint at any sort of attraction. Literally all they have done is work as partners on missions, like Din has done with a million other characters in this series. Ship what you want, but if they mean to tell us that them putting random couples in the latest episode is suppose to be an indication that Bo and Din were gonna get together? Fuck off Favreau and Filoni, that’s not how characters work and if we go that route I’m shocked you guys were ever allowed to write anything.
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beyond-far-horizons · 6 months
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Who at Netherrealm Studios hates Sonya?
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shellii-c · 1 year
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TEEN WOLF MOVIE SPOILERS.
Are you seriously telling me that THAT was the best option they could come up with for Stiles to be missing....him and Lydia broke up because of a recurring dream.....
Talk about doing the fandom dirty.
Like here's a thought....Stiles on discovering the possibility of the nogitsune being back, (and it being traumatic for him) thought it was best for Lydia to go back to Scott and the pack to help...while he had important things to do at home....say looking after there young Daughter (called a variation of Alison or Claudia (after his mom)) and it best for him to stay away from the situation.
There was so many things they could of used a storyline like that for....the sherrif talking about his granddaughter...Scott talking about his sudo-niece and godchild.....endless possibilities.
RIDICULOUS .
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can we have a blanket ban on any characters from Raya and the Last Dragon? its such a mediocre movie and like, the barest amount of se asian disney couldve put into something marketed as being se asian
(theres a great 3-part video series on youtube with various se asians going over the movie's issues, hosted on Xiran Jay Zhao's channel. the first part is called "How Disney Commodifies Culture - Southeast Asians Roast Raya and the Last Dragon")
tbh I was planning on putting Raya in just to see her mediocre ass lose in round 1 lol
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annieanimation · 1 year
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I did a quick redesign of Prince Adam! We deserve a big beefy boy!!
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