#dff tee

[tbhimnoteasyonmyself]

On Tee's Lonely Grief

I've seen people talk about New's and Phee's grief, Pimpa's grief but the gang has never been considered that much on account of their guilt. This episode, however, brings attention to that. Especially in Tee's case. Especially in the scene when he finds Non dead.

And I have to say, I fucking love this scene. So I'm here to tell you why.

PS: For the sake of this post, unlike what's normally my policy, the pictures used will not be edited in any way, shape or form unless stated otherwise. I think it would be taking creative liberties with the photography and it would diminish the validity of my analysis.

So:

Tee finds Non's body upstairs with his uncle's goons (dressed in entirely black outfits which obviously invoke death) very suspiciously looming over it.

So he does what capable and strong Tee, who has to support himself and his father and his uncle's business and now Non (as we saw very clearly this episode) would do: He lashes out. He demands answers. He threatens people. Because that's how he learned to solve his issues.

Yet he gets mostly silence. Arguably, the same exact silence he initially offers the 2 other people grieving Non this episode: New & Phee.

And so he argues with his uncle, makes accusations, mirrors New in the present moment so well it's uncanny.

And then he's alone. Everyone leaves, including Non's body. And now there's no one to perform that idea of a strong ruthless guy to. Now it's just Tee. And the contrast between the act of Tee and Tee is remarkable: one moment he's cold, and the other moment he's completely broken.

So he screams, at the top of his lungs, which is interesting. Because we do see Tee cry but not much. Tee's just not a person who cries. Which, besides being very relatable, is also terrible. Why? Because crying relieves you. It helps you cope, it releases the tension from you, at least a bit. Tee not crying here means this (Non dying), unlike the guilt of what happened before with him and the gang bullying Non

(something he is allowed to shed at least a single poetic tear about) Is a burden he can't be relieved of. At least, not at that moment.

So we watch as Tee screams helplessly. And the environment is so telling. GOD, I FUCKING LOVE THIS SHOW

There's an empty space. Virtually nothing is there with Tee. Because, of course, he's alone in the room, we know this, but he's also alone.

No one else knows this story like Tee does. No one else has been with Non when he was a creative student trying to make a film, when there was life to him in all senses of the word and also saw his dead, lifeless body. No one else has been the cause for both Non's problems and Non's death. No one has liked Non as a friend and cared for him and watched him die without being able to do anything about it. No one in Tee's life knows what he's going through, what it feels like. No one in Tee's life is able to share his grief. And he can't escape it either.

You see that weird ass mirror there? Why is it there? There are curtains around it. But it's not a window. That's odd. But while it makes no sense decoration/architectural-wise, it makes so much sense from the point of view of symbolism.

There's no escape. Even when it really feels like there should be. Because Tee, the guy with all the solutions, should be able to find a solution, shouldn't he? Besides... We come to care so much for him and for Non... So how come there's no solution? Because, we, like these teens do to adults, naively trust the narrative. Of course, there's no solution. We all knew this from the start. We're only here because of this: Non is dead.

So, instead of a way out, a hope for something better than what's going on in that room, we get just more of it. Tee and we alike, have no escape. We're both forced to face that scene, forced to accept it. And Tee, if he dares look for that way out, will only have to face himself.

But interestingly, he never does. Tee never looks at the mirror on the wall. He doesn't even acknowledge it. Which, of course, might be a reflection (pun intended) of how he tries to pass the blame of Non's death to his uncle.

He repeatedly claims he didn't know what would happen, that he wouldn't have brought Non back if he did but... Is that true? As Perth's character (BOMBASTIC SIDE EYE, btw) says:

"You already knew, right?" Because, let's face it, it was obvious. Things could only go poorly for Non if Uncle Joe got his claws on him. Tee had to know that wouldn't end well.

So this scene also tells us that, despite deep down his immense amount of guilt telling him he is guilty of Non's death, Tee doesn't want to acknowledge it. He maintains that position, in fact, nearly all the way until the end of episode Ep.11. where he slightly changes his narrative.

He never planned to.

Right now, he's a new person. One that would not make the same mistakes as in the past but that, despite the changes, is inevitably the one who somewhere in the past did make them.

But back to the scene.

Tee is framed right in front of the blueish-grey curtains and we all know what that means, I do not need to cite the ancient scrolls. But I wanna add that grey is also:

a colour associated with sadness;

seen as a colour of death, as it is literally in greyscale, hence colourless, lifeless AND because it can also be interpreted as a mix of white and black, both of which are mourning clothes colours, depending on the culture;

a reflection of Tee's grey morality because, naturally, while we understand Tee's motivations and background, he did some pretty fucked up things that his good intentions and unhelpful help attempts cannot erase.

And then Tee finds a small paper, written by Non (in vivid blue, properly highlighting not only Non's depression but also Tee's).

And the paper reads: "I'm gonna get out of this place. I'm not a loser." And it hits him even further because Non (at least in Tee's vision, I'll leave Non's death up for debate, I'm sure people will have theories) wanted so bad to be victorious once, to succeed just once. He wanted to get a chance to live normally and it didn't happen.

This, of course, ends up shaping Tee's own path, as he meets White and gets a chance to do things "right" and as he becomes this "new person" and gets away from his uncle. But, in that moment, none of that is relevant because it hasn't happened and Tee cannot know it will, he can only know, with written proof, that he failed. And now Non's dead.

And so, in the last part of this scene, we see a more zoomed-out shot. And Tee's still alone but now we have a more clear vision of just how tiny that space is. And how he's nearly taller than the frame. How his grief is bigger than the space in which it was brought to him. But also how the weight of it, represented by the walls, is nearly crushing him. Another gigantic, and perhaps the biggest of all, responsibility on Tee's shoulders.

Furthermore, as @shannankle has marvellously described and explained in this post about sex scene framing, the framing gives us a level 3 visual gaze which is used to remind us as the audience of just how intimate and profoundly shaping of Tee this moment is: we are not supposed to be here, this moment is Tee's and Tee's alone. Because, of course, he is alone. In all senses. The access we're getting is nearly forbidden. Even to the other characters. Because they don't get to see it, they only hear about it (or we assume they do).

And, to top it all off, the cherry on top of this great scene: all of this happens while Tee is wearing his school uniform. Because, of course, it had to. Because we need to be reminded: this is a teenager. Tee, who's mourning his dead friend whose corpse he just saw and whose death is largely his fault is just a teenager.

#So yes #I might hate that Phee is apparently omniscient #but BY THE UNIVERSE AND ALL OF US IN IT #do I LOVE the care and thought put into the details of this story!!! #it's so good!! #dff #dff the series #dead friend forever the series #dead friend forever #dff meta #dead friend forever meta #dead friend forever ther series meta #dff the series meta #dff tee #tee dff #dead friend forever tee #tee dead friend forever #dff the series tee #tee dff the series

[syrena-del-mar]

Echoes of Guilt: Exploring the Thin Line Between Tee's Redemption and Salvation in Dead Friend Forever, Episode 11

This week, I'm really enjoying what DFF is trying to say about the humanity in making shitty choices and having to live with the outcome. The framing of Tee's journey, about how in trying to survive the hell he's in with his father, he inadvertently causes Non's death, gives a reason to why he makes the decisions that he does, rather than excusing them. Arguably, this was never supposed to be Tee's redemption arc, rather it's the story of his salvation and reformation.

Non isn't meant to be an ingénue in this story. He's flawed and he makes some bad decisions, but he's still a victim. Yes, Non has, to a degree, had his own autonomy digging himself further into the shithole, but in the end, his actions were all reactions to an already existing shithole that he was forced into. While the bullying may have not started with Tee, man, did the kid know exactly how to lay a trap and let others burn in it. He was calculating, so much more than his peers, likely because he has been dealing with shitty adults in his own personal life. Before White, Tee was turning into the terrible adults that he was surrounded by. This episode is explicitly showing the journey of Tee's realization of the consequences of his actions and his attempt to change while still dealing with a dirty past.

The misdirection of the Redemption Arc in Tee's story

First things first, the redemption arc deals with the characterization of a deep internal struggle within the character. A character undergoing a redemption arc deals with personal guilt, remorse and the desire for atonement. The redemption journey is usually initiated by the character themselves after being confronted with their flaws or wrongdoings. Broken down into steps, a redemption arc typically involve: (1) a flaw, (2) acknowledgement of the effect of their actions, (3) seeking atonement, (4) struggles with guilt or remorse, (5) significant growth because of their struggles, (6) tangible manifestations of their acts of redemption, (7) seeking forgiveness. A redemption arc typically resolves when the character achieves some form of personal redemption, whether it be through forgiveness, closure, or inner peace. Redemption arcs emphasize personal responsibility and the inner journey of the character.

The reality is that Tee doesn't redeem himself. He never has the opportunity to because Non dies two weeks after Tee delivered him to Uncle Joe. Non's dead (as far as Tee and we, as an audience,know so far). Sure, Tee was working towards redemption, with his several attempts to save Non from his Uncle's grasp, but he'll never reach redemption because Non is gone. He doesn't even get the chance to seek forgiveness, nor I'm sure that he needs any forgiveness from Non. The guilt that is consuming him, the realization and acceptance of how much pain he has caused a fellow human being is not redemption, it's remorse. And you first have to have remorse to find the road to redemption. So while episode 11 might have shown that Tee was starting on his redemption arc, by the end of the episode, he's still not redeemed. In comparison to all the pain that he has caused, working a second job to help Non get out of the debt he caused doesn't erase the extent of harassments and suffering he subjected Non to. Here, the story was never truly centered on Tee's journey to atone for the pain he caused Non but rather it seems to make it a point to show his guilt. That's not redemption.

Also just from a writing stand point, Non's confrontation, and ultimately, Tee's decision to attempt to get Non out of being his Uncle's slave is part of Tee's progression, but is not the climax of his story. Even if you consider Tee's emerging guilt after realizing that his uncle was planning to sell Non for body parts, it's only serves as a catalyst for Tee to realize and confront the pain he has caused. The true change that we see in Tee comes the moment he meets White. White's presence is the turning point in Tee's life, that makes him want to change.

The initiation of Tee's Salvation Arc

The Salvation arc of a character focuses more on the development on the relationship between the "savior" and the one in need of salvation. Particularly, this arc highlights the external forces that shape a character's transformation, leading to a new direction or purpose in life. The resolution often involves the one in need of salvation finding a sense of change, sometimes without ever fully achieving complete redemption. Both arcs deal with the change and growth in a character, yet while the redemption arc often leads to a cathartic resolution where the character finds peace or closer, the salvation arc focuses more on external influences and the power of compassion. This arc doesn't particularly signify that that the character will fully find true redemption. Instead the character may become reformed having changed into a better person and acknowledged their wrongdoing, but not particularly working to make amends for their past mistakes.

No person exists in isolation and Tee's change is interconnected with White's appearance. Tee frames it himself. "Since I met White, I started knowing what happiness is. I started having my goal. Wanting to start over. I wanted to become a better person." That very moment is the climax in Tee's story, the moment where Tee needed to make a critical choice of who he wanted to be. Every moment that he had to witness Non's suffering and ultimately come to the realization that he is in large part the reason for Non's death is a lesson that he's learned of has shown him who he no longer wants to be. Non is the journey, but it's only assists in Tee's growth, making him ready to be a better person for the moment that he meets White.

Tee was going to stew in the regret and remorse he felt for Non's death, but Tee wasn't making amends FOR him. He was stagnant. He accepted his culpability and thought that being unhappy would be the proper punishment that he deserved. Yet, he didn't seek to right the wrongs, he didn't reach out to Non's family to let them know their baby boy had died in obscurity. That is a far cry from atonement and redemption. Instead, White gave him new purpose and direction in life. Humans are always capable of change, it's just depends on an individual's want or need to do so. Dead Friend Forever seems to be making a message about how even though Tee has the capacity for growth, change, and healing, Tee still has to respond for the pain and hurt he caused beyond Non.

Final Thoughts

While a redemption arc holds many similarities with that of a salvation arc, the exploration of the complexities of human nature are done through two distinct lenses. I don't think Dead Friend Forever is trying to focus on Tee's personal responsibility and inner struggles while ignoring the damage that he did to Non, but rather seems to be making a stand on the effect of external influence and finding personal salvation from connections with others. The very thing that Non had always been denied by Tee and the others, human connections.

Salvation arcs don't automatically make a character likeable, which DFF seems to be aware of, so I don't think it's an attempt to make him another version of a hero for Non. Rather it lays a foundation to Tee, showing his own struggles with his family, his own flaws, and his own attempt at change. It explains Tee's incentives behind his actions, but doesn't create an excuse for them. It not a redemption story, because he doesn't redeem himself. Non's dead and he can't ask for forgiveness from a ghost. His salvation doesn't even come after Non dies, because his inaction after Non's death was still an action. He still takes part in denying Non proper rest, even in death. His change came after where he learned from his wrongs and chooses to no longer do any more harm because of White. Even so, he still played a role in the complete devastation that he caused Non's family. Tee's actions caused a domino effect, where he eventually had a hand in creating New's pain, thirst and revenge.

As Tee has undergone his salvation arc, it highlights the irreversible consequences of his actions and the cycle of violence and retribution. Tee was a victim of his circumstance. Yet, victims can still create more victims. Despite Tee's efforts to change, it's a change that occurred far too late. Tee's death at New's hands would be an end to a cycle of violence and retribution that Tee inadvertently set in motion. If Tee dies in an attempt to save White, his willingness to sacrifice himself for White will represent a departure from the violence that defined his past. Ultimately, I think it underscores the harsh reality that, despite efforts to seek forgiveness or become a changed man, some sins cannot be undone.

(tagging @slayerkitty for DFF's meta roundup)

#dead friend forever #dff the series #dff meta #dff spoilers #dff ep 11 #dead friend forever the series #dff non #dff tee #dff white #thai bl #thai bl meta #barcode tinnasit #mio athens #jjay patiphan #be on cloud #boc actors #boc meta #ta nannakun #dff phee #dff jin #dff new #dff tan #dff theory #dff top #us nititorn #bump pawat #copper phuriwat #fuaiz thanawat

[crysta1ized]

a theory on ep11’s preview

firstly, if you’ve guessed/ theorized that non was still alive, you get 10 points!

if you also guessed that perth would help him (in that case, thanks to tee) you also get 10 points!

knowing that tee helped non escape, was definitely a plot twist. he basically lives at his uncle’s mercy, is forced to work for him and has to follow every single one of his orders so his father doesn’t die. which is a pretty shitty situation!

we saw previously that he showed guilt after non got busted for the fake accounts instead of him, but to help him escape from that very uncle? you’ll never fail to surprise me, tee!

after that, tee gives an envelope to non and tells him he’ll get him out of there.

now, what is in this envelope? my first thought was obviously money. but i also thought, what if it was a plane ticket? it’d be safer for non to get the hell out of bangkok (or even thailand) to be sure the uncle and his men could never get him. a one way flight, non leaving without looking back.

i think that with the help of perth, tee could’ve gathered enough money to pay a ticket. i mean, that would’ve benefited tee a whole lot too. non forever out of his hair, not causing any more problems. disappearing without a trace. his uncle thinking he got rid of the troublemaker.

but what happened to mr keng then?

firstly we have no idea of the extent of his injuries. we guessed that non’s were only bad enough to knock him out on the roof, but the uncle might as well have killed keng for good.

i mean, he was hit with a car, which is way worse than a few punches. in the best case scenario (for him, cause i want that bastard dead), he only got a few bruises, but the most logical one would be that his legs are broken, as well as a few ribs maybe (depending on how hard the car hit him).

if we assume he’s alive, like non (which i seriously doubt), i don’t think tee would’ve helped him at all. he’s already risking everything to save non, he wouldn’t try saving both, especially because keng doesn’t mean anything to him. he probably never even had a conversation with him.

so in my opinion, we won’t see the teacher ever again, unless he found another way to escape, such as being rescued by the police as his disappearance could’ve been noticed after some time.

now onto the fun part!

white is seen entering the arcade place, where we’ve already seen non & phee meeting up and making out at.

which means we’ll finally get teewhite whole’s backstory!

my depressing theory is that we’ll get a cute little montage of their love story, and they’ll show us how cute they are, with their little puppy love, opposites attract shit just to snatch it from us right after.

mark my words, they’ll make us love teewhite and after those little flashbacks with bright colors that distracted us for a moment, we’ll get back to our depressing and dark present.

4 possibilities after that:

best case scenario: while we get a contrast between the past and how in love they were and acted, nothing terrible happens. tee explains to the group what was revealed to the viewer in the flashbacks, that he ended up helping non and that he’s still alive. he righted his wrongs and while white is shaken up, he’s glad tee isn’t just a bully who guilt tripped a kid into money laundering, he did feel guilt and saved him from his uncle.

same as above, tee reveals everything to the group but white doesn’t forgive him. he feels betrayed and mad that tee hid that from him for so long. in white’s eyes, tee is no longer someone he can trust, or hide behind.

tee dies

white dies

while i believe those 2 last options can happen, i don’t think they’d happen at that moment. tee’s reveal scene will probably be at the beginning of the episode while the following one with phee & new may happen soon after, which is why those 2 options seem less likely to happen then.

new is clearly urging phee on to shoot.

but how? in the last scene of ep10, fluke is the one who has it and he clearly doesn’t want to let it go. he let white out of his grasp and is now pointing it at tee.

but fluke is clearly out of it, and is the one suffering the most from hallucinations, which made him shoot top even though his only principle was clearly to never act, to keep his hands clean of anything that could prevent him of becoming a doctor. too late now!

someone could take advantage of his delirious state and while he’s distracted, take the gun from him, like white, who’s on the ground, kinda behind fluke and now out of his sight. which is when phee could take the gun, as he’s the unofficial new leader and appears trustworthy as he just exposed new.

but who is phee pointing the gun at?

i think it’s most likely fluke. he’s clearly losing his mind and the hallucinations are making him aggressive, like top. which is why they may have to kill him before he kills someone else.

phee clearly wants to make the right decision, surely wants to kill him or just hurt him because fluke is an active threat. but tan just wants to see them all gone! he clearly has nothing to lose left, now that phee exposed him, this is his last chance to avenge his brother.

alternative theory:

phee might be pointing the gun at someone else.

according to how tee’s revelation ends, especially how non’s story ends, something might happen after that.

phee wouldn’t be pointing the gun at someone who didn’t deserve it, who wasn’t a threat to the group.

so why would it be tee? in my opinion, non escaped the country, end of story. but maybe something happened to him just before he could get out. then new would get mad at tee, blaming him. tee fights him. then he would represent a threat. or maybe the hallucinations come back and he gets violent.

then of course new would be happy to see phee shoot tee, who was the whole reason non even got involved with dangerous mafia shit in the first place.

the last scene is new, lighting a cigarette.

why would he be smoking in the middle of all this? like he has time to do that?

maybe it’s just a meaningless scene they’re throwing in the preview so they don’t have to spoil too much stuff.

but, still, new is the only one who's going through with his plan, and he wouldn’t waste time on lighting a cigarette! unless it’s truly chaos, and like we know, he smokes to de-stress.

creepily, when i saw the scene the first time, i thought ‘this is his last cigarette. they’re holding him at gunpoint and they allow him to smoke one last time before they pull the trigger’ because he’s clearly shivering. but that may be way too far as i don’t think any of them would shoot anyone in cold blood if they weren’t actively threatened.

but a more plausible theory would be that they’re forcing him to smoke. in the scene where new is urging phee on to shoot, phee looks at him ‘like, what the fuck?’ like he’s not liking new telling him what to do at all.

maybe then, phee doesn’t shoot anyone, not fluke, not tee, but instead turns on new and points the gun at him. maybe phee really doesn’t want any kind of revenge for non anymore as his brother became too violent for his liking. but phee wouldn’t shoot new.

he could however hold him at gunpoint, and force him to smoke one of the drugged cigarettes, one with an X. maybe so he isn’t an active threat to them anymore, urging them to kill each other and to cause more chaos. they’d be on equal ground as he’d start hallucinating too.

what do you think?

#dead friend forever #dff #dff theory #dff the series #thai bl #dff ep 10 #dff white #dff new #dff tan #dff phee #dff jin #dff fluke #dff top #dff por #dff tee #dff teewhite #dff pheejin #asian lgbtq dramas #lgbtqia

[lemon-salad69]

When you realize the ‘fun trip with friends’ was planned by your newest friend to take revenge for his brother you made disappear three years ago.

#dead friend forever #dead friend forever the series #dff spoilers #dff the series #dff tee #dff tan #dff episode 10

[vegasthehedgehog]

The only two without giant smiles are Tee and Non. I didn't think I would ever say this, but I think Tee is the only one who has really recognized that he was wrong and just doesn't know how to show that or actually be better. He has been nicer to Non. I know in this scene he pushes the work onto Non but I wonder if he is really just trying to make sure Non can make his movie the way he wants? Everyone knew what this movie meant to Non. And I don't know why else he would want Non to work on it since he is supposed to be doing the horse accounts for Tee. Like he seems like he feels guilty. And most everyone else doesn't seem like they feel guilty for anything. This is not to say that Tee is having a redemption arch, but I do think that Non was what made Tee change into the person that White knows. This change may have happened after Non disappeared, but I'm sure Nons the reason for it. Also, i think the fact Non acknowledged Tee as a human that deserves more than the gang is really important.

#dff top #dff jin #non dff #dff the series #dff spoilers #dead friend forever the series #dead friend forever #thai bl #bl drama #bl series #thai drama #horror bl #horror drama #lgbtqia series #asian lgbtq dramas #dff tee #dff theory

[7ringzsidetoside]

hand senpai?

everyone else commenting on the finale but me being like, "okay so what was that creepy ass hand in episode 1 groping tee's dick?"

#dead friend forever #dff the series #dff white #dead friend forever the series #dead friend forever spoilers #dff theory #asian bl series #dff tee #dff creepy hand dude #why am i watching this series rn the ending kinda like my feelings towards the hand #dff ep 12 #dead friend forever episode 12 #dff episode 12 #dff finale

[lovelyrickyyy]

Found another one this is tee 😔

#dead friend forever #dff the series #dead friend forever the series #dff #dff ep 11 #bl thai #dff tee

[velvetshirtnumber3]

I want to go back to the scene in Episode One where Tee and White were kissing and we see the masked figure's hand touch Tee.

I find the scene very interesting for a couple reasons. First of all, I think it strongly indicates that the masked figure is in some part supernatural. I don't think it would be possible for a masked figure to just walk up to them, stay there for a little while, and then leave/disappear somewhere if a living human was in the mask. They would have to notice in some way. Even though they are focused on each other and their eyes are closed, they would have at least heard something.

Second, the way the inclusion of the hand is solely for the audience's benefit. What I mean by that is, this scene is meant to show a couple different things, and one of those things is introducing the masked figure to the audience. This is the first time we see the masked figure in the present time with this group (or at least its hand). The opening sequence and the shots in the movie both belong to separate occasions that aren't a threat to the characters we are currently seeing. Meanwhile, us seeing the hand being close enough to touch Tee and for neither Tee nor White to notice is disturbing because the masked figure has been introduced to the present-time in a threatening but also subtle way. And the scene isn't really important for the characters, because White and Tee, regardless of what happens later in the show, aren't ever going to realize that the masked figure was there. They will never have any reason to believe the masked figure was there: Tee will assume White was lying about touching him, and White will assume Tee was referring to something else he was doing. It is overall inconsequential to their stories, so who it is really meant for is the audience.

This brings me to my third point, which is: who is the "narrator" of that scene? Whose point of view is it from? A lot of the way the show has been shot has served to give us the feeling that we not exactly in the "middle" of the story as we usually are, directly next to the characters as their lives play out), but on the outside looking in at the characters. I believe this scene, because of the hand, is one of these types of scenes. The scene isn't from Tee and White's point of view, we are not experiencing their characters actions and reactions what is happening alongside them, we are watching things happen TO them. I would argue, so is the masked figure. So is the scene the audience's point of view, or the masked figure's?

#the way the show is shot is just so cool #and its also interesting to think about how it impacts the scene #dead friend forever #dead friend forever the series #dff the series #dff episode 1 #dff white #dff tee #meta

[hughungrybear]

Thinking about the past episodes and reading fan theories in this site reminded me of two pertinent questions that the series have not answered yet:

1. Why does Tee's Uncle's picture in a headline of a newspaper (the one that White saw left on the kitchen benchtop)?

It is now established that the Uncle is a criminal who have no qualms in killing anybody that threatens to expose his illegal activities. He hit Mr Keng with a car when he rightfully suspected he was being investigated. He even have Non kidnapped and beaten to (almost) death because Phee's dad held a press conference revealing that Non is just another victim of an unnamed gang and not a master scammer. If that is the case, then how come he is headlining in a broadsheet just the same? Who exposed him? Is it Tee? (Because if it is, hello redemption arc?)

Edit: Well, sammie-lightwood-bane (I tried tagging, but for some reason their ID is not showing 😭) pointed out that the reason the Uncle is headlining because he is dead. Still, ordinary people's death does not normally grace a newspaper's front page unless it is a violent death. One of the surest ways to headline a death is if the one who passed away is (a) a celebrity/politician, (b) a pillar of the community, or (c) a well-known criminal. Also, how the fvck did he died and who killed him?

2. Aside from Mr Keng, Non, and Tee's Uncle (plus cohorts and maybe, the other person Mr Keng was talking on his mobile phone before he was ran over), nobody really knew what happened to Mr Keng that night at that shady restaurant. So, why did Jin hallucinated a bloody Mr Keng?

So far, the gang's hallucinations are rooted on things that are not that far off in their current reality. Por, Top, and Fluke are all carrying varying degrees of guilt when it comes to their treatment of Non, which (with the help of New's drugs) is literally haunting them.

But Jin. Jin is not being haunted by Non. His first hallucination is a bloodied Mr Keng - a person that nobody knows (outside the mafia's circle) has been fatally ran over by a freaking car. The official press release was Mr Keng and Non were seen riding in a bus and running away together. Alive and well. So, why would Jin's hallucination involve a Mr Keng in a condition that he should know nothing about?

🤔🤔🤔🤔

#dead friend forever #dff the series #dff tee #dff jin

[kerrikins]

I posted this on Twitter but I'll also share it here - in the preview scene where we see Non with Uncle Joe, we also see a flash of Tee... Who is wearing the same clothes as he wore during the interrogation scene, which was after the boys were back and Non had been reported missing. It's also, to our knowledge, after the last time Non had been seen alive.

Tee may know more than he's saying.

#dead friend forever #dff spoilers #dff the series #dff: the series #dff tee #dff non

[raelle-writing]

I’ve seen some wild theories out there about how Phee and Jin are going to end. I personally think that either they are both killers and planned this out and get away with it scott free or they both sadly die.

White and Tee seems much more straightforward. Tee is marked for death (imo), it’s just a matter of how he dies. Will he still be selfish or self -sacrificing?

What are your theories/speculations about how the couples might end up?

I'm so glad you asked me nonnie because I have a lot of thoughts in no cohesive order and wasn't sure where to put them 😂

I don't know if I really have a theory or speculation more that I have a lot of pieces of a puzzle that don't quite make a picture yet. I've seen a lot of theories and speculation around Phee and Jin in particular as well and I'm not entirely sure if I can yet predict what direction the show is going to go in because we still have a lot of unanswered questions about them. So let me start with Tee and White.

I think there are 2 possibilities for Tee and White at this point. Either they both die, or they both live but they break up. And that's because White shows so much horror to any of Tee's even small suggestions of crime, and he defends Tee to Tan and Phee when they talk about thinking that the original crew did something to Non.

If we take White at face value, he seems like a good kid and I think if he found out what Tee did to Non he wouldn't be able to conscience it and would have to break up, even if Tee genuinely loves him (and I believe Tee does).

There is always the possibility that White is more than he appears (you've all probably seen me speculate that White could be Non's brother New) but given what we know about him so far, that's what I can see happening, unless there's some reveal about his character that we haven't seen yet.

So, now for Phee and Jin.

I'll make it no secret that I really want them to end up together, so that is likely coloring my analysis of events. But as of right now I just... don't really have a prediction for how things will end between them. I've seen speculation ranging from Phee is using Jin for revenge and will kill him, to Phee is there to protect Jin from someone else seeking vengeance and truly, I don't have enough information to make a prediction. Here's what I can say about them tho.

I don't think that Jin is hiding some deep, manipulative streak. I was on the fence at first, but then a scene in episode 4 tipped me over the edge. And it's the one where Jin is with his friends, talking about how they'd won the film contest, and while he's there, he defends Non and credits him for their sucess.

If Jin was trying to manipulate Non or use him in any way, then why defend him in this moment when Non is nowhere around, and will never hear about it? To me that's a pretty huge sign that Jin is genuinely kind, because he risks upsetting his friends to defend a person who isn't even there.

There's always the possibility that Jin can betray Non, of course. I've also written a meta about how Jin calls himself a coward when he's talking to Phee, and I still wonder if part of the reason he views himself that way is because of whatever happened to Non before he disappeared. If he feels like he did something cowardly or abandoned Non, or should've stood up for him more, or something along those lines. But I can't see a deep, malicious, manipulative betrayal coming from him.

And that leads to Phee, who we all assume is seeking revenge. Though there's an equally likely plotline that he's there trying to figure out what happened to Non, we don't know yet. There's still so much about Phee that we don't know. Why he's been with the friend group for so long, what's his angle for approaching Jin, if he's a murderer or caught up in the mayhem somehow. But currently I don't think that Phee is trying to trick Jin only to betray him later, for one simple reason.

Because they were fuckbuddies.

That might sound like a stupid reason, but bear with me. If Phee was really trying to hurt Jin as revenge for whatever happened with Non, why would he keep Jin at arms length by saying they're "just friends" over and over?

It would be significantly bigger of a betrayal for Phee to become Jin's boyfriend and then later betray and kill him. If that's what Phee was after, then why would he half-ass it that way? Why push him away?

I feel like there's gotta be something deeper there than simple revenge. Especially when compounded with the fact that we haven't seen Jin do anything nasty to Non.

I think my money is currently (and very tentatively) on Phee genuinely protecting Jin because Jin was good to Non and doesn't deserve the havoc being wreaked on the others, especially since Phee has gone out of his way to save Jin's life already.

As for their ending... I don't know yet. I think that if the writers really want to break our hearts they'll have Phee and Jin genuinely love each other and one will die trying to save the other. But it kind of depends, it's hard to say at this point in the show because we've only had one major character death so far. I don't know how far the writers are going to go in the end, if they intend to kill almost everyone or only the ones who "deserve it."

Thanks for the question nonnie, hopefully you don't mind the novel I left in reply for you! As the story unfolds I'm sure you'll get more character analyses and speculations from me but currently I'm a big fat ❓ over what is going to happen with Phee and Jin. And that's on purpose, of course. So we'll just have to see how it all plays out, I guess!

#dead friend forever #DFF meta #DFF #DFF the series #DFF episode 6 #DFF spoilers #DFF Jin #DFF Non #DFF Tee #DFF White #DFF Phee #DFF theories

[the-pink-quill]

Need more Tee x White

Tee regretting what he did, maybe in jail, in a psych ward, heck, remembering all the good times and flinging himself off their a balcony... I just need about 30-something fics about the immediate aftermath of this scene:

from Tee's POV. Please and thank you.

#dead friend forever #dff #dead friend forever the series #dff the series #white dff #dff white #tee dff #dff tee

[syrena-del-mar]

Selfish Desires and the Class War: Dead Friend Forever

Ever since @nyxelestia's great additions to my tags about how Phee has been able to process his grief in comparison to Tan, and succinctly stated how class theorists regard poverty as a type of violence, I can't help but take a bit of a socio-economic look at the DFF's group of friends. Particularly, episode 10 really served to solidify my theory on the underlying commentary DFF is making regarding selfishness and the different abilities to skirt punishment dependent on class.

For this one, I'm going to break this down in a couple of categories: first, I'm going to explain Hobbes' theory on human nature and Marx's theory on class wars. Then I will be listing out the 'class types' each one of the DFF boys are in (sans White). Finally I will be analyzing the THC gang with Non, then Phee and New.

Keep in mind that here I will be defining 'selfish desires' as to the innate human inclination to prioritize one's own needs, wants, and interests over that of others. Meanwhile class war/conflict will be in reference to the societal divide into different classes dependant on their relationship to their means of production and value.

Human Nature According to Hobbes

In Hobbes' 'Leviathan', he delves into understanding human nature. His conclusion is probably best summarized by his most known phrase, "'the state of nature." In this state of nature, where Hobbes hypothesized about a life where there is no government, no laws, or state of order, just simply individuals that are able to live without constraints. Hobbes found that life would be "solitary, poor, nasty, short, and brutish."

Hobbes' comes to the conclusion, that absence of societal constraints, humans are driven by desire to secure their own survival and fulfill their desires. Hobbes states that there is an universal, fundamental drive for self-preservation that leads to a state of equality among humans. Yey, instead of being able to live in harmony, the equality, particularly in vulnerability to harm and death, breeds competition since it is human nature to scrounge, secure, and vie for resources— even when it means taking advantage of one another.

Central to Hobbes' theory of human nature is fear—fear of others, fear of harm and fear of uncertainty. Without structure, humans are trapped in a perpetual state of insecurity, creating a 'war of all against all'. Hobbes acknowledges that individuals have natural rights, particularly the right to self-preservation but with a lack of governing authority, the enforcement to this right is essentially meaningless.

Tldr; there are four main components to human nature: self-preservation, fear and insecurity, equality and competition, and natural rights.

Theory of Class Wars

Now, enter Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels and we have the theory that a society is divided into two classes: the bourgeoisie and the proletariats. The bourgeoisie, own the means of production and are able to explore the labor of the proletariat for profit, which ends up leading to human alienation and inequality.

When it comes to the relationship of selfish desires and class war, at its core, the idea instills that a capitalist system incentivizes and rewards the selfish pursuits among the bourgeoisie. The accumulation of wealth and exploitation of labor and the quest for profit are the driving forces between constructing and maintaining class inequalities.

Dead Friends Forever: The Intersection of Social Class Divide and Selfish Desires

The thing about Dead Friend Forever is that there is a visible class division between Por and Non, which drowns out the undercurrent class differences between the rest of the DFF gang.

Por: He is born into power and higher class. His mother ever states "Do you think I'll be in trouble for kind of thing?" He is born into awareness of his status and the privilege.

Jin: Just from the house that he lives, you can tell that he is relatively well off. The finishes in the house both interior and the exterior show that his family, while not as rich as Por, are likely more than financially stable.

Phee: His dad is a police inspector, which likely provides decent money, as he is able to send his son to a private school on a single household income.

Fluke: We're given enough information that we know he wants to be a doctor and make his mom proud, he's attending tutoring classes and there's no mention of money issues.

Top: No mention of struggling for money, can safely assume that he lives comfortably.

Tee: Struggling, has a lot of debts to Uncle Joe in order to keep his dad alive.

New/Non: Their whole family is struggling even before Non went missing. What little money they had was sent over to New, even taking on debts to be able to provide for him abroad. They were one paycheck away from losing everything, which they eventually did.

Non and the THC Gang

Aside from Tee, the main group are all born into various levels of wealth and privilege, whether it be purely monetary or with the jobs of their parents, so they're able to navigate their life with an air of entitlement. Their desires are all shaped by the comforts and opportunities that their status affords them. Por's family alone was able to get their high school film reported on and with a viewing, merely with the mother's flippant mention of the project. Not to mention that Por's mother explicitly sets the tone of how she would be treated compared to Non's mom. It's a stark contrast, Non stands out as the outsider, not only due to his lack of friends in the school, but also marginalized by his lack of wealth and social standing in comparison to the rest of the gang. And in an odd way, it's likely why he felt a certain degree of kinship with Tee, who is the only other individual visibly struggling to survive, even if he mostly keeps his money troubles away from his group of friends.

The whole reason Non even gets involved with the group is because the group, particularly Por and Fluke, are driven by their hunger for success and recognition. Por likely wanted his parents to find some pride in him and Fluke needs it to round out his resume when applying to medical school. They desperately want to win the sponsorship, so they need and use Non— not as an equal but as a means to an end. They exploit his talent in scriptwriting and they use him as a pawn, not even inviting him to the presentation when its Non's script their using. Hell, they barely could stand being close enough to take a picture with Non. They quite literally use him as a pawn, an easy exploit, reminiscent of Hobbes' notion of self-interest as a driving force.

As the show continues on, the exploitation of Non takes on darker shades, echoing Hobbes bleak depiction of the state of nature. The initial bullying, that is rooted in class-based prejudices, transforms into a calculated campaign of cruelty. While Tee might be struggling financially, he's actually the true leader of the group. Sure, Por may have the money, but the guys only follow what Tee wants. Top and Tee use Non's marginalization against him, almost as if vultures feeding on the weaker. Top doesn't have to pay for the camera and Tee is able to find Uncle Joe's next victim for the horse accounts, a complete parallel of Hobbes' description of the strong dominating the weak in the absence of a social contract. In doing so Non, the 'marginalized' becomes fodder for the selfish desires of Tee and Top, initiating a chain-reaction event to Non's detriment.

While Por, Tee, and Top have the more obvious benefits with how Non is treated, so does Fluke. Fluke, in the hierarchy of status within the group, is at the bottom rung. With Non there he's able to be treated better and he no longer is the scapegoat. He admits it in this episode. He needed Non to be mistreated, because he feared being targeted by the rest of the THC gang, and having Non around kept everyone else's attention off of him. He was no longer the one being harrassed. He's able to sacrifice Non for his own benefit.

The thing about Fluke is that he doesn't overtly try to harm Non, not in the same way that the others do. No, his covert damage that he causes Non is in his silence. He sees Top destroy the camera, Tee come up with the idea to target Non, he sees Jin film Non and Kru Keng, he even questions Jin's intentions to film, but he's spineless. He cares more for himself, he prioritizes his self-preservation. He maintains the status quo and utilizes Non's weakness so that he isn't the next target.

Initially, Jin's treatment of Non seems to defy the expected narrative of class exploitation, since out of the group he's the one that is the most compassionate and understanding. From a Marxist perspective, this initial compassion could be understood as an acknowledgment of the inherent inequalities that exist between the affluent and the marginalized. Jin's actions might suggest a fleeting moment of solidarity, recognizing and acknowledging Non's humanity beyond his status. However, his demeanor shifts dramatically when he realizes that Non doesn't reciprocate his romantic feelings and worsens when he sees him with Kru Keng.

Hobbesian human nature, which is driven by the pursuit of power and self-interest, comes to the forefront as Jin's wounded pride and sense of rejection fuel his actions. In Hobbes' state of nature, individuals are driven by their desires and fears leading to betrayal and conflict. His change in behavior to Non reflects this as he seeks to assert dominance and control in the face of perceived rejection by punishing Non. Jin's betrayal of Non's trust and kindness underscores the harsh realities of class divides, where compassion can quickly give way to exploitation. Hobbes argued that individuals in the state of nature are in constant competition for power and self-preservation, here Jin's realization that Non does not reciprocate his feelings leaves him feeling vulnerable and exposed.

Non's role as a commodity within the framework becomes clear as filming continues. His talent is valued solely for its ability to bring profit and success to the friends. Yet, despite his contributions, Non remains alienated from the fruits of his labor, he's always the worker and never the leader. Continuing this trend of being a pawn in group's quest for recognition. Marx's concept of false consciousness is evident, since Non remains unaware of the true nature of his exploitation until its too late.

The group needs to get rid of Non, because he's become a lose cannon. Tee needs him delivered to his Uncle, so that he can survive and continue to receive the payments he needs to keep his dad alive. The depths of their depravity are laid bare and echoes both Hobbes' and Marx's grim assessments of human nature intertwined with class conflict. Non becomes a victim to their cruelty, to their selfish desires, and the stark reality of coming from a poor family. He disappears into the abyss of the mafia, while the rest of the group continue to live their lives unperturbed, shielded by their wealth and privilege.

Interestingly enough, every single one of the guys that come from a better socio-economic status have begged for Non's forgiveness while under the influence of New's hallucinogens. The only one who doesn't is Tee. Yes, he is under the distress of confessing his crimes since Fluke is holding White hostage, but he's the only one that is willing to admit fault and ask for forgiveness without having to hallucinate Non's face or his voice. All this leaves me asking, what depths of betrayal and exploitation were the THC gang willing to sink to in their quest for dominance? Did Tee's penance begin when attempted to help Non escape his Uncle Joe? Was Non actually able to escape or had they sent him to his death?

2. Phee and New/Tan

Even through Phee and New, we can see Hobbesian and Marxist themes in their different versions of grief they experience over Non's disappearance.

New embodies the the essence of Hobbesian human nature, bringing around the idea of 'war of all against all'. His relentless pursuit of revenge becomes a primal instinct for survival, since he has lost everything good in his life. His brother, his childhood home, his education, his mother, and finally his father, in that very order, over the span of three years. New's grief over the disappearance of Non becomes a consuming force that propels him into a world of darkness. In Hobbes' state of nature, individuals are typically driven by self-interest and the pursuit of power, which New's quest of revenge reflects this fundamental aspect. His quest against the friends responsible isn't solely about revenge, but it's a desperate attempt to assert agency and justice in a world that has denied his family both.

Marx argues that in a capitalist society, the bourgeoisie will exploit the proletariat for profit, perpetuating class struggles. Non was exploited for his script, but New represents the proletariat, the oppressed working class fighting back against the forces of oppression. His revenge is a revolt against the oppressive structures of class inequality that have marginalized his whole family. In Marxist terms, his journey is a symbol of the proletariat struggle against exploitation and injustice, which echos the revolutionist spirit of Marxism.

On the other hand, Phee, who is financially well-off and still has his father, represents the privilege and the detachment from the struggles of the proletariat. He never fully understood why Non wasn't receptive to his help, similarly he's not completely understanding New's own thirst for revenge. While Phee is initially driven by a desire to uncover the truth about Non's disappearance, and while he still loves Non, it's mostly driven by guilt and grief within the context of privilege. Phee has things, people, in his life that still matter outside of Non. Yes, he loved Non, but he's able to move on from his grief, reflecting the detachment and apathy that can settle in with privilege. Under Marx's critique of the bourgeoisie, who exploit the proletarian, it's because Phee still has his Dad and other things he loves in life that he is able to move on from the type of anger in grief that New finds himself overwhelmed in.

It's going to be interesting where Phee and New's friendships heads in the last two episodes. Will it New and Phee collide in a violent confrontation that mirrors the clash between the oppressed and the privileged? Is DFF trying to make a comment on the class war where New's relentless pursuit of revenge against the THC gang represents the proletariat's revolt against exploitation, while Phee's detachment echoes the bourgeoisie's indifference to the plight of the marginalized? Or it will show that Phee and New are able to put their social status aside in order to find revenge against the true bourgeoisies, in this case the THC gang, that exploited Non for all his worth until ultimately destroying him.

Final Thoughts

While this episode may feel significantly weaker in comparison to the last five, I think it's providing us with the necessary exposition as we head into our final two episodes. We're seeing the destruction of the 'bourgeoisie' by their own hands with just a little nudge from the sole proletariat. As Hobbes would likely agree, it's a dog eat dog world in that cabin. It always had been with Top, Por, Tee, Fluke and Jin. There was an equality between them, but now with an outside force, their bonds are breaking and they are willing to kill each other just to survive.

Dead Friend Forever is going beyond the standard slasher genre, even beyond horror. I truly think it's making social commentary regarding the classes and human nature. It's going to be interesting to see who comes out the survivor of this party from hell, if there is anyone.

Tagging @slayerkitty for DFF's meta round up.

#dead friend forever #dead friend forever meta #dff meta #dff the series #thai bl #thai bl meta #dff non #dff phee #dff jin #dff new #dff tan #dff fluke #dff top #dff tee #barcode tinnasit #mio athens #ta nannakun #copper phuriwat #bump pawat #jet bundit #jjay patiphan #us nititorn #be on cloud #boc meta

[crysta1ized]

white’s secret?

as a major ´white is working with tan! he’s not who we pretends he is!’ truther, let me tell you i was surprised to see nothing hinting at that in ep11, despite getting teewhite’s whole backstory.

wether or not he’s acting (which seems less and less likely) there’s one thing we still don’t know about him; why he saw a rash when hallucinating.

he was under the influence of new's drug, which means he's seeing his worst fear.

many people theorized on what the origin of this could be, but i can see it having something to do with tee.

he saw this rash on his neck/ shoulder the morning after getting freaky with tee, in the exact same place that tee likes to target.

but after inhaling more of new's drug at the end of ep11, he's hallucinating it again, this time on his face (cheeks) and neck.

tee saying 'you're filthy' and seemingly wanting white to stop touching him, as if he's digusted, could be because white has some kind of internalized homophobia. maybe deep down he's ashamed of liking boys and is afraid the people around him will see him as disgusting.

which could lead to learning more about his home life. somehow i can imagine him being an only child, his parent's pride and joy, who will become a successful engineer just like them. maybe they're really homophobic and he's afraid of disappoiting them by going against their beliefs.

alternative theory

what makes me doubt this first theory is that white never showed any insecurity in his identity or his relationship with tee.

he made the first move, got closer to tee and was basically glued to him every day at the gaming place, and showed no problem doing PDA in front of tee's whole friendgroup (aka being on tee's lap at all times).

so maybe that has something with sex.

who knows, maybe white isn't that little perfect kid (who looks like a mama's boy/ teacher pet, sorry to say it) and actually acted out in the past -which would explain why he got closer to tee in the first place, the guy who screams red flag and danger-

who knows, maybe he slept around a lot at a young age to make his parents mad or something. maybe he got into weird schemes he couldn't get out of and had to sell his body.

which means the rash he's afraid of would be caused by an STD. look it up if you want to, but it seems there's a huge number of STDS that can cause rashes.

im curious to see if it'll just be a detail added to white's character, adding more depth to him, or if it'll play a bigger part in the story. who knows, maybe we won't even get an answer haha

#dead friend forever the series #dead friend forever #dff #dff the series #dff theory #asian lgbtq dramas #thai bl #dff white #dff tee #dff teewhite #dff ep 11

[glazecaramel]

Watching the first part of ep 12:

Well I never thinking this is what we got.

Let’s get help 🏳

#dead friend forever #dff the series #bl drama #thai drama #tabarcode #dff tan #dff new #dff non #dff phee #dff jin #dff white #dff top #dff tee #dff fluke

[vegasthehedgehog]

The face that Tee is making here, looks like how I feel at 1am when I suddenly can’t ignore that big ole’ hole in my chest. Sad boy hours, ya know?

#thai bl #bl drama #bl series #thai drama #dff the series #dead friend forever #dead friend forever the series #dff tee #tee dff #sad boy hours #just depression things