yes i'm rooting for m*leven breakup because byler is neat but mostly? i'm rooting for m*leven breakup for the sake of el and mike.
to me, their romance was always a puppy love born out of a combination of social pressures, naïve curiosity, and a lack of true understanding regarding intimacy and romantic love and what it really is. it was real in that they do truly, deeply care about each other and they are close friends, maybe even shared an attraction, but a maturing romance is so much more than that. they've grown up and out of being boyfriend/girlfriend, and that's okay! i think television/film needs to show more often that most of us don't have definite "soulmates" or first childhood loves that we spend our whole lives with. it doesn't mean these relationships meant nothing and didn't impact us, it just means they've run their course and that something else is in the cards, and this is part of life!
i've always felt el was at her best and most confident self when broken up with mike, discovering who she was and what she liked alongside another girl her age instead of just relying on mike for mentorship on how to live in the real world. she deserves more of an opportunity to find herself, her autonomy, and her independence, and to love who she is, and she's made it clear she's felt insecure in the relationship with mike because she isn't being loved and understood the way she wants, needs, and deserves from someone who is her partner.
also, it's okay if mike doesn't love her in "the way he should". he is not obligated to love her romantically and stay in a relationship with her just because she's a girl, because she "needed someone", or because he cares about her a lot. he shouldn't be pressured into a romance if it's not truly coming from his heart. he deserves freedom to find out and honour who he is, too, instead of just staying in his non-functional first relationship — one he got into as a child, essentially — and defining himself that way because it's what's expected when a boy and a girl are close. he loves her in some way, yes, but it's okay if he doesn't feel comfortable or secure being her boyfriend anymore, for whatever reason that is. he's felt insecure too, and that's valid and it matters.
they are their own people and are steadily growing and changing every day. they need time to figure out who those people are, and it's become clear (at least in my opinion) that those people aren't meant to be a couple at this stage.
they deserve freedom. they deserve to grow up and be authentic to themselves and not feel like they need to lie for the sake of a relationship. they deserve to move on from this version of their relationship that isn't making them happy and rekindle the best part of their bond: their strong, beautiful friendship. they don't have to be a couple if it doesn't make them stronger and better and happier people.
i think it would be healthy and wonderful for a show, especially one consumed frequently by young adults, to show a relationship starting, progressing, and ending on good terms in this way. sometimes things don't work out, and that is okay.
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People still being convinced that the Alicent-Rhaenyra feud was because Alicent was jealous/upset that Rhaenyra had sex makes my head hurt, honestly.
Alicent confronted Rhaenyra about the brothel because she was concerned about Rhaenyra and her position. One of their first scenes in Episode 1 was literally a precursor to the Episode 4 scene; Rhaenyra is rather flippant about her political position, not as visibly concerned as Alicent thinks she should be, whilst Alicent is visibly concerned and frustrated that Rhaenyra isn't as engaged or serious about it. It's literally copy-and-paste in terms of the same general mannerisms.
Alicent isn't frustrated or pissed that Rhaenyra had sex. She's aware of the way politics work and the prejudice and consequences that could come from what is rumoured about Rhaenyra. And she goes directly to Rhaenyra to find out the truth and to help her (she even says "I only want to help you").
I also think people forget how the confrontation ended. Rhaenyra and Alicent come to a resolve the problem and Alicent believes Rhaenyra's side of it. Heck, Alicent even verbally emphasises what we were meant to pick up - that it's about the politically ramifications of a princess being seen in a brothel being sexual with her uncle.
And the "green dress moment" is a consequence of several factors.
One, the obvious is that Rhaenyra did not tell Alicent the entire truth and the person she slept with was Criston, not Daemon. Keep in mind that Criston is a member of the Kingsguard, sworn to chastity. Two, the consequences of believing Rhaenyra were pretty steep for Alicent. Her father lost his job inadvertently because of Alicent, meaning that she is pretty much entirely alone at court.
Three, it's a matter of trust and vulnerability. Alicent cared about Rhaenyra enough to go to her and try to get the truth and to help her. She trusted what Rhaenyra said and expressed this to Viserys, taking Rhaenyra's side even when Viserys doubted Rhaenyra. And then it turns out that Rhaenyra was not telling the whole truth and that Viserys also went behind Alicent's back because he believed Rhaenyra did do something.
With her father gone, Alicent is well and truly isolated, especially since she now perceives that she cannot fully trust Rhaenyra or Viserys not to keep things from her or go behind her back.
I think it's also necessary to consider Criston. A member of the Kingsguard who broke his vows with the Princess, showing once again that Rhaenyra is rather unconcerned about the rules and laws of the land and court. I think also the fact that Criston told her the truth but Rhaenyra, someone she trusted and perceived to be a friend, did not.
All of this combined with Otto reminding her of the brutal realities of feudalism no doubt triggered anxieties for Alicent. She has children to think about now and those she thought she could trust are no longer completely trustworthy.
The "green dress" moment is a moment of strength and independence and defiance for Alicent, and a way for her to carve out an identity for herself. Alicent is politically-conscious and she knows she needs support, which is why she turns to the Hightowers in a symbolic and defiant display.
It's not about Alicent being jealous about Rhaenyra having sex or about Alicent being a raving misogynistic "tradwife". It's about trust and politics and Alicent building up a defence to protect herself and her children against any potential threat.
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yknow the veil/kotteri image redraw meme? the one that's been going around on twt? now make it timber. bernard who goes on to be a famous model after grieves and does shoots all over the world. one day he does one for a gotham brand and he ends up plastered all over the city. now tim who has managed to miss all this just by virtue of being too busy being a vigilante and running wayne ent. steps out of his car one day and bam! directly across from wayne tower is this giant electronic billboard, displaying bear's new perfume ad. in it he's wearing a fur coat that's slipped down his shoulders to reveal the muscles rippling across his back. bernard looks over his shoulders and laughs, lips painted a pretty pink. the ad reads "all new scent 14 from beams: the scent of love. it's like burning" bernard winks coyly and tim is burning all right. rock hard in his too tight work pants.
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so i just rewatched honey queen and in it, roman explains how linda is “the sweetest woman in hatchetfield” (the title that comes with winning the title of honey queen) because what she was willing to do in order to win (kill zoey, among other less than nice things) makes her taste the sweetest to nibbly.
now, in nerdy prudes must die, during the summoning, while blinky speaks to grace and tinky taunts pete, nibbly immediately looks to steph and says “stephanie, yum yum!” steph is nothing like linda of course, she’s not callous or selfish. but. she was, in the end, willing to kill pete to save the rest of the town. she would have done it with a heavy heart, but she would have done it nonetheless. so, is the reason nibbly expresses interest in steph above the others that she is capable of things the others aren’t? like linda, she’s willing to go to extreme lengths to achieve her goal (even though her goal is much more selfless than linda’s).
grace is certainly capable of doing crazy shit too but her deal is a whole separate issue of its own
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