So you mean to tell me that in an episode titled "Licence to Thrill", where the team has a cool extreme-sport heist to investigate and where the main focus so far is on the criminals being real adrenaline junkies and going off on that road in order to find them, and Lucy "thrills / adrenaline junkie" Tara is nowhere in sight? Nor is she even briefly mentioned, not even when her own far-less-adrenaline-prone girlfriend is talking about cool heavy adrenaline inducing activities that she's done? Like, be so for real rn
Lucy (amicably) punching SAC Curtis's arm was such a wonderful detail in that moment.
Because throughout the scene she'd been the supporter, the rock. She was there for Kate, trying to be the calm, down to earth, reassuring one, so Kate wouldn't freak out even more.
And the punch shows that Lucy was just as nervous. She had just been holding it in until that moment for Kate's sake. And it was only when she realized everything would be okay that she finally let her own nerves show.
I loved the writing in this episode. Kate going all bad cop on the bail bondsman, quoting code violations, Lucy's chats with all the boys (taking glass shards from Jesse's hair!), and how the whole plot of Lucy going away for a bit felt well tied up.
I saw that some people on Twitter don't think it makes sense, but I think the writing did a really good job of showing why Lucy applied to an opportunity that scares her: she wanted to get away from Kate and everything that reminded her of Kate when they were broken up (ANGST!). The show told us why she wasn't talking about it with Kate at first: she wanted to figure out what she herself thought about it before bringing it up with Kate. The show had Lucy explicitly tell Kate she wouldn't make a decision without talking to her about it, which also shows that Kacy are indeed in a very good place in their relationship, and that's why they can do this. They're solid enough that a few months away won't make or break them. And I don't feel like the show just brushed over Lucy's fear*. Kate emphasized it in their first scene, and Lucy talked to Ernie about how that opportunity might mean she'll get over it (or at least better at facing it). And she's been on boats in at least two other episodes that I can remember. Insert "that's growth" gif here.
*I am upset, though, about the fact that WE WERE ROBBED of the opportunity to see thalassophobic Lucy falling into the sea. Now, when she's back, she'll have faced her fears and I won't have my dream come true.
I feel like people have forgotten on simple fact: Lucy Tara, who yes is afraid of water in some capacity (still hasn’t actually been elaborated on how much or why), willingly applied for a job with the NAVY to begin with. She had to go through water training which I’m sure is not easy in order to have her job. Yea she barely passed, but she still passed.
She obviously likes to challenge herself and in some capacity has been trying to get over this fear for while: working for the navy PLUS living on an island and being surrounded by water at all times.
So why does it seem so out of character for her to apply for a job on a boat when she was hurt by everything that happened with Whistler? She admits everything reminded her of them so she needed to get away. But I would be willing to be she didn’t want to be permanently away from the team she calls family, so a temporary assignment would be perfect. Plus she’d be extra distracted trying to conquer her fear of water.
All of that seems completely believable and in character to me. I can shows character growth of her to take the opportunity now that she’s so comfortable where she’s at.