#young royals character analysis

[omarcitoloves]

simon has lost everything that made wille fall in love with him and wille doesn't even notice.

it's a heartbreaking story to watch but in a brilliant way i'm fixated on it. and not in a simon deserves better than wille way but in a they both need to find themselves again in order to be happy.

simon is proud of his morals and who he is as a person, he's never been apologetic of it and wants people to know because it is deeply important to him to have a strong self identity in a world where he comes from a broken home, where he's gay, where he's lower socioeconomic class, where he's poc in a hugely white community, and where he has leftist ideals in a monarchist country. when wille tells him he can't post on socials because it reflects on something the crown can't have a position on, he feels he's losing his voice. and all wille can see is trying to minimize a headache.

singing has been simon's lifeline throughout the show, and something thats important to him because it is one of the good memories he has with his dad. when wille sees he posted himself singing all he can see is simon drawing more attention, it needs to be deleted. he doesn't even comment on simon's singing or let alone the lyrics which they make it seem he clocks what simon is saying this season as apposed to last but he's too focused on himself.

and then when simon admits to wille outside he feels he's losing his voice and confidence, everything has become too much. he can't enjoy singing, he's not pursuing a solo this season for the first time and he can hardly string together his song. but it goes over wille's head, he can't even notice the gravity of what simon is trying to say to him

at the sit in simon initially stands his ground and calls out all of their hypocrisy and rightfully points out wille only takes a stand when its low risk for him, but he caves lated because he doesn't want to disappoint wille and doesnt want wille to be mad at him. and despite wille saying he likes that they learn from the other's perspective, he doesn't make a move to understand any of simon's pov.

simon had to throw up a white flag in ep 5 becuase not only had simon shriveled into a shell of himself and wille not noticed, this change of simon was enabling the way the monarchy breaks wille. previously, and in glimpses this season we have seen simon show wille where the monarchy goes wrong and tries to pull wille into safety a bit but wille can not see past the status quo this season. he got simon so why should he worry right? but this is not the simon he loves, there is no point to this simon. if this is the guy you wanted to love you could've found anyone who was ok with a private relationship why go after the proud boy who is the antithesis to you?

this gives me hope for ep 6. i think wille needed a rude awakening desperately because he was depriving simon of the oxygen he needs to flourish and letting himself drown at the same time. wille needs to see why he fought so hard for simon, why simon was so important to them. they are so special, wille needs to get past the weight of the crown

#it was so painful but it can be so good if they actually come out the other side #young royals #young royals s3 #young royals s3 spoilers #simon eriksson #prince wilhelm #wilmon #young royals analysis #young royals s3 analysis #young royals character analysis

[thatsmybook]

Linnéa said that she told Lisa before they made season 3 that, as they were sending these characters off into the rest of their lives, she was interested in who they were going to become as people. They both wanted to delve deeper into who they were.

So it would seem that by putting all five of them through the conflicts and consequences of all their secrets being out in the open, their true characters and how they problem solve would come to the fore. This would then give us an idea of how they would manage and choose to respond to adversity in the future. Their strength of character was tested in the last season, and I would say that all five of them rose to the challenge.

August's I find interesting. He is having to reckon with who he is viewed as by the outside world, and he does not like the legacy he is leaving behind. It's interesting that the first people whose opinions of him he cares about are Wille and Simon. I guess no one likes to be viewed as a shitty person, and hearing Simon's mum shouting that he ruined her son's life must make him realise that he did a really awful thing, even if he doesn't care about Simon as a person. He cares about what that says about him as a person IN FRONT of the Royal Family.

Though Nils and Vincent laugh at his loss of agency and ability to party hard and live a life of Riley, August has never been a 'party prince'. He often sits in the society room at parties and has to put on a smirking mask to be amongst his partying peers. He takes the Society and brotherhood very seriously and doesn't like Wille belittling it and everyone's status at the drinking and drugs party.

But he is eager for his life to mean something. He's an overachiever at school, a natural leader. He remembers important people's names and is good at networking at public events. He is completely at ease in a public role. He is eager to please authority figures and is good at liasing conflict and seeing the bigger picture.

Whether Sara has helped him view his elitism in a different way is maybe still a question. He is more aware when side-eying the class import signifier that Vincent asks him to vote on. He has been made aware and has fully sat in the consequences of his actions. He's been lucky to get away with them, and I think he is taking his second chance seriously. I get the sense that he would take the Crown Prince role very seriously and be one that the Royal Court would love. He would totally uphold the nobility and be duty bound. He has become aware of his eating disorder, been validated that what was done to him in the first year was not okay, and he is more open to talking with a therapist. His future seems quite hopeful. He has, however, lost someone who he truly loved and who loved him for himself. I picture him thinking about Sara whenever he takes Rousseau out for a ride and treats that horse impeccably, the way Sara would have.

#young royals analysis #young royals character analysis #august horn of årnäs #young royals #linnéa roxeheim #lisa ambjörn

[omar-rudeberg]

they chose each other, finally.

but it's so much more than that.

in my opinion the underlying reason simon and wilhelm have always been drawn together, though of course they celebrate each other's strengths, is in the way they gently encourage each other to confront what might be holding them back from happiness and healing.

simon is a thinker - he's a top student, always intellectualising his next step. thinking for himself, thinking about what's best for sara, about his mum, about taking care of his friends. he feels so deeply - we know he does - but this is always secondary to what his brain tells him about a situation. and what his fascination, attraction and love for wilhelm stirs in him is a depth of feeling. he's not thinking when he's leaning in to kiss the prince at movie night! he's not thinking when he stumbles back to school with wille after the football field. he's not thinking when he abandons marcus to find wilhelm at the ball, when he agrees to keep things secret between them, when he tries to toe the line of the royal court so they can be together. and not that these feelings always lead to what's best for simon, but they start to be something he listens to and follows. he shifts from giving second chances because he thinks that's what should be done, to embracing his loved ones in their full selves because he feels a deep love for them and a love for himself that deserves them in his life.

and wilhelm? wilhelm is a feeler - wille does not for one second stop and think in that first season, hardly in the second and nigh on zero in the third, until that very last episode. wilhelm feels it all - anger, frustration, boredom, pride, arrogance, grief grief grief, loneliness, attraction, lust and love. he acts without second guessing why. he screams without caring who he pierces with them. but then ever so slowly, he starts listening to others and his brain zips online. he's taking note of those cleverer and wiser than himself. he's listening to his feelings and decoding them into the language of words, and most importantly, of considered action.

so we have a simon whose patient questions and careful soul encourages wilhelm to begin thinking for himself, and we have a wilhelm whose unyielding heart, affection and devotion encourages simon understand the value of his feelings, his understanding of himself and others.

thus wilhelm's last choice of the series - to consider simon's words, and those of others around him (boris, my man), and come to a considered decision to reject the institution he was raised in because it's harming everyone he loves - displays the enormous growth simon's catalysed in him. he's finally listening to his head.

and of course then simon's last choice of the series - to choose to let wilhelm in, to choose to stop the car, to once again let himself be vulnerable in the face of dizzying emotion - displays the depth of feeling wilhelm has helped him uncover within himself. he's finally listening to his heart.

they both had a choice, and they both chose themselves, and in choosing themselves, they chose each other.

but they never would have chosen themselves if they had not first chosen each other.

#the complexity in every single one of these characters makes my brain synapses literally spark and flame #young royals #young royals season 3 #yr season 3 #young royals s3 #wilmon #wilhelm #simon eriksson #young royals analysis

[skibasyndrome]

"Are you mad at me?" and Honesty

inspired by the awesome parallel @impossibleknots found between these two shots

and these tags by @darktwistedgenderplural I'd like to talk about this

For both of them, this line comes after a breaking point, when they realize that they just can't stay away from each other for any longer.

Wilhelm, after rejecting Simon out of some misplaced sense of duty and swallowing down his grief about it, literally breaks down on the football field and, fuelled by alcohol and drugs, for once manages to let his guard down.

"You think you know me, eh? You don't!", he yells, followed by "That's right, I do whatever I want!". And then, well, he does what he wants and calls up Simon. And he's finally honest with him. Granted, it's very much the drugs that help him let his guard down, but - in an effort to be less fake than everything that surrounds him - he tells Simon that he likes him. That's one of Wilhelm's first and most authentic verbal declarations of what he feels. And from then on, at least for now and at least in front of Simon, the floodgates are open and he's baring his soul: "Thank you for coming", "You're so beautiful", all his little love declarations, and then he's letting him in on his insecurities as well. "Are you mad at me?" and, after once again declaring that he's so glad Simon is here, "I don't want you to be mad".

It's one of those things he hasn't been allowed to voice or even show, we know this. When he's nervously biting his thumb in s1e1 his mother slaps away his hand, lest he be seen behaving unprincely, and he's thoroughly internalized keeping up the facade, like when we hear him blatantly lie to Simon about being happy to be at Hillerska. Everything and everyone being fake, that includes him, Wilhelm. (And we know that his journey in deconstructing this fakeness is only starting out)

But at least for the time being, he's able to stand by his feelings for Simon. He does still need his assurance that "it's okay" once he's confronted about his love declaration, but he still does admit to it. And that honesty is what leads to them making love for the first time.

Letting their guard down, fully committing to what they're feeling for each other. Honesty is what leads to this.

The second time, it's Simon's turn to bare his soul. Yes, Simon has been the one that has helped Wilhelm be more honest and more vocal about his own feelings, but Simon himself, while forthcoming about his love and the fact that he wants to be with Wilhelm, is still struggling himself, especially when it comes to voicing his not so pleasant feelings, like how heartbroken he's feeling for all of s2.

Even during their 'exchange' in class, it's still only about him slowly starting to see Wilhelm's side, and not about the uncomfortable and conflicting things Simon himself is feeling on the inside.

So when he worriedly texts Wilhelm "Are you mad at me?", that's him admitting that, yes, he's also very much still invested in this, in them and that that's scary, unnerving and that he's not sure how to read the situation. He's letting his insecurity show, something he very, very rarely does. Beautifully, he does it again later, now face to face with Wilhelm. After Wilhelm says that he's scared, Simon admits it, too, letting down his walls for Wilhelm to see that he's not as tough as he pretends to be AND he lets Wilhelm be the one to comfort him, reach out his hand and take him ino his arms.

So in one instance, we have Wilhelm finally letting his true feelings show, proving to Simon - who's been open about his attraction - that the feeling is mutual. And in the other we have Simon, who up until now has been trying to keep his conflicting feelings under wraps and his fear hidden, reassured and coaxed into admitting to them by Wilhelm openly saying that he also is scared and physically showing that he's there for him. Mutual honesty.

Two very different admissions and two very different subjects that they now finally managed to be honest about and every single time it brings them closer and, in both scenes, it repairs the trust that was broken by dishonesty before.

And what makes it even more beautiful to me is that, in addition to it being in a way a new beginning every single time, we know that both instances did have a lasting impact on both of them and their journey towards being more honest with each other. Yes, there are ups and downs and Wilhelm did lie to the world about the video after their first time, but he keeps on learning and the second time around, he is much more honest about his love for Simon. And we even see it bleed into the last episode with Simon now finally admitting to just how much he feels for Wilhelm and Wilhelm in turn finally taking back his initial lie in front of the whole world.

Their journey towards full honesty is still very rocky, but with every instance of them letting down their guards together, they grow closer and their ability to be authentically themselves not only together but also towards the world vastly improves.

#young royals #young royals analysis #wilmon #wilhelm #simon eriksson #I have........ lots of feelings for and about these characters...... the feelings have to go somewhere #thank you beautiful beautiful people for being so inspiring #and so encouraging <3<3<3 #my yr thoughts

[alusart]

One of the things i love the most about young royals's characters is how imperfect they are, not only because of their circumstances but because they actually believe they're right, they're not perfect in ANY WAY.

Any of them could become a villain, they all have anti-hero traits just like in real life, Lisa has never been afraid of showing the darkest side of each character, even the protagonist, she doesn't mind showing the most selfish side of wille, risking him to be disliked by people, the key is how she makes the viewer empathize with him by showing exactly that, the raw side of his personality and life, making us root for him but also making us question ourselves when he does something that's clearly morally wrong: "does his circumstances excuse this behavior?" and i think that's just so incredibly genius

#it's just that after all the queer content we've been getting these days i found myself coming back to yr all the time #and i think this is one if the strongest reasons why i keep doing it! #i absolutely love how every character is curated #young royals #wilmon #edvin ryding #omar rudberg #prince wilhelm #simon eriksson #simon x wilhelm #wilhelm x simon #yr analysis

[aceoffangirls]

It's not Simon or the monarchy, its simon or his family

I feel like people don't really understand, including Simon (no hate to you babygirl), but the Monarchy is Willie's family. Yes they may not be good but they are his family.

It isn't a choice between Simon and the Crown, but between Simon and his family, their legacy, his brother.

I think when Simon thinks and talks about the Monarchy, he see the oppression, the system, the class divide, not having the choice to vote in that elected leader etc.

Wilhelm sees his family. He cannot separate the monarchy from his family, because his own mother can't. He doesn't really see Simon attacking a horrible outdated system, but his mother, his brother and himself.

Wilhelm is faced with so much burden, being judged from those who don't know him and facing criticism no matter what he does.

What Simon experiences this season, being micromanaged and having those who don't know him judge him, is exactly what Wilhelm has experienced everyday of his life. However Simon also does not have the protection Wilhelm has, leading to having bricks thrown into his window, and making him an easier target. He is even more of a target due to his social status, race, class etc. Simon however also has more of a support system. Friends and family he can turn to in this situation. (Both characters are valid for what they have experienced and I am in no way trying to dismiss Simons pain)

I just don't like when people hate on by boy Wilhelm, like he isn't perfect but also a product of how he was raised. He is a 16 (now 17) boy who has been placed with a burden of legacy on his shoulders, while also battling anxiety, depression, greif. He is still figuring out who he is.

#young royals season 3 #yr s3 spoilers #i am not hating on simon #both characters are valid for what they are experiencing #simon eriksson #crown prince wilhelm #wilhelm #simon and wilhelm #wilhelm young royals #young royals wilhelm #wilhelm yr #wilhem x simon #just let my boys be happy #young royals analysis

[loren91]

Something I really appreciated about season 2 was how they talked about the statement. In season 1, the focus lies mainly on Wilhelm's betrayal and how deeply that affected Simon. Which was understandable, we can’t blame him for feeling hurt by that and then act accordingly to prioritise himself.

The issue here though is that it made the situation seem very black or white. That it somehow was a choice between authenticity or image. But during multiple conversations throughout season 2, they bring up more of Wilhelm’s perspective. The complexity of the situation, to make it more of, if not a sympathetic choice, at least an understandable one. Particularly in the conversations with Nils, where he talks about how they are “from different worlds” and how Wilhelm’s position makes it not safe for him to come out. 

I think it was a great move to show that Simon wasn’t 100% right in his initial decision either. In the conversations (or arguments) between Wilhelm and Simon it’s made clear that Nils is correct, Simon does struggle to understand Wilhelm’s perspective. Simon chooses to stand firm by his principles and that gives Wilhelm a chance to fight back and call him out for being hypocritical. I think this is where they truly realise how complicated the situation really is. 

But it’s those arguments that opens them up for self reflection. So by the time they are willing to talk and eventually compromise, they’re learning to prioritise each other. It’s this build up and that makes the ending so powerful. They finally meet each other halfway. Simon agrees to be a secret and Wilhelm comes clean about the video.

Their final decisions are made from love, not obligation or principle.

#young royals #young royals analysis #yr s2 spoilers #I really appreciated Nils’s character this season! #simon eriksson #prince wilhelm #wilmon #young royals season two #my analysis

[dusty-daydreams]

Think about how in episode 2, when Wille is going off on August about August talking to Simon, and August’s response is “You’re not King yet”

It’s telling about August’s relationship to power that he doesn’t think people in general have the power to draw boundaries like: Hey person that posted my underage sex tape that I didn’t consent too - don’t talk to my boyfriend whose privacy and sexuality you also violated.

No the only person with the power to decide what August can and can’t do is the monarch

Also thinking about King August ten or twenty years down the line discovering just how little actual meaningful power the monarch has

#young royals #yr s3 spoilers #August character analysis #August #august young royals

[lovelierbitsoflife]

I think the most despicable thing I realised about August is the fact that when he tries to “apologise” to Wilhelm and says,

[“I understand that what I did to you is unforgivable”]

— he doesn’t actually mean he knows what he did was morally wrong. He means that he knows what he did broke rules, defamed the Royal court, ruined his friendship with Wilhelm, the Crown Prince.

We see where August’s values lie when he shares exactly what he took out of the situation, which was,

[“I have accepted that you will hate me for the rest of your life”]

He understands ethically that what he did was illegal, and that there are serious consequences to it, but the extent of his shame and guilt only goes as far as its impacts on the Royal Court and his standing with the Royal Family. He thinks Wilhelm just hates him for posting the video, rather than hating him for all the flow on effects that it has caused, such as Wilhelm being forced to lie, his break up with Simon, his fallout with his parents, the lack of trust he has for everything August represents at the school, the loneliness of feeling completely abandoned by everything and everyone that was supposed to protect and support him.

And there is an element of lack of awareness on August’s part to a degree, but we clearly see that he doesn’t actually feel bad about how it has personally impacted Wilhelm. And given how he’s so quick to jump to blackmail, threats and scapegoats, he clearly does not care, either.

#august apologetic who?!!! not fukin me #there was a fleeting moment #but then in passed #and blew into hardcore hatred #august is a dick #fuck you august #yr character analysis #august of årnäs #august #simon eriksson #wilhelm #wilmon #august yr #yr #prince wilhelm #young royals #crown prince wilhelm #yr s2 spoilers #yr s2 #young royals season 2 #yr2 #young royals 2 #yr s02e06

[sunflower73498]

I literally can’t stop thinking about Young Royals S3

I have always been fascinated by Wille’s relationship with his parents, or lack thereof. Specifically his mother, because until this season, his father was little more than a cardboard cutout. In S1 I strongly disliked Kristina. In S2 she seemed to be trying a little more, though her efforts were specifically aimed at achieving her own goals for Wilhelm, not his. In S3, I once again dislike her, but I feel bad for disliking her.

Because truly, her grief, the extreme psychological and physical manifestations of losing a child that she is experiencing, is all completely valid, and within the spectrum of what is expected of a parent who has lost a child. I feel sympathy for the physical and mental health problems she is experiencing, and I think it’s OK for her to be experiencing it, to take a step back to deal with it. 

What I don’t think is OK, however, is expecting her 16 year old son, a first year HS student with his own history of mental illness, who is also deeply grieving, to take over all of her responsibilities. Yeah, they don’t really mean for him to take over everything, because he’s a kid and still in school, but they’ve also really stepped up the pressure on him without offering much additional support (Farima offers some, she’s the most present adult in his life this season, and really the one who seems to know him and care about him most of the adults on the show). They ask him to start a foundation and support a cause, but neither of his parents show up to support him in doing that, even knowing that he has sometimes extreme anxiety regarding public speaking/public appearances. They don’t walk him through the process or offer guidance, just constantly remind him that he’s expected to step up, and may have to fully take over within a year or two, and send Farima to deal with him (which in my opinion is much better that Jan Olof, because Farima actually seems patient with Wilhelm and to know how to handle his emotions with sensitivity). 

While I’m mad at Kristina, despite her legitimate grief, I’m more mad at Ludvig, I think. Yes, he also lost a child and is grieving, but he’s holding it together enough to support his wife, so why isn’t he offering any of that support to his son, even when said son starts reaching out more, and clearly wants to talk? 

I also think this is all complicated by the fact that Wilhelm didn’t have a good, close relationship with his parents to begin with. Kristina was harsh and dismissive of him even before Erik died in season 1. If Kristina had only started neglecting Wilhelm, putting excessive pressure on him and comparing him to Erik after Erik had passed, I would be a lot more forgiving. But I get the impression that Wilhelm has always been compared to Erik, has always been made to feel that he isn’t good enough in comparison and needs to be more like Erik, and his parents have never made much effort to understand him. I think he often only got attention when he was in trouble, and toddlers and teenagers are similar in the fact that if their negative behaviors are what get the attention the desire, they will keep doing that as long as it is reinforced that negative behavior leads to attention. His outburst at them in episode 5 had been building a lot longer than the few months since Erik died. 

I think his parents both desperately needed to hear what he was shouting out them. I think that shouting and getting angry and destroying things wasn’t the best way to go about getting them to listen, but as discussed above, I think it’s the only way he really knows how to get their attention. And yeah, the timing isn’t great, when his mother is suffering so much, but Wille is suffering, too, and he has reached his limit. It seems like a relatively little thing, to get mad that his parents talked too much about Erik on a day that’s supposed to be about Wilhelm and that his mom didn’t feel up to sticking around for cake, but that was really just the final straw on a long history of trauma, turmoil, and emotional neglect, the last Jenga block being pulled out before the tower toppled. 

(Admittedly, this is young royals, it’s a show about Wilhelm, and we viewers have come to love him over the 3 seasons, it’s his struggle that is being portrayed, so of course I’m on his side and want better for him rather than siding with his mother even though I do feel some sympathy for her.)

Anyway, I will probably keep reflecting on this aspect of the show for a lot longer. Maybe I’ll even feel some inspiration to write fan fiction in response. We’ll see where it goes. 

I also have a lot more thoughts about August, and about Farima of all people to share at some point.

#young royals season 3 #young royals #young royals spoilers #young royals analysis #yr s3 spoilers #wilhelm yr #I love a complicated and sometimes problematic character

[omarcitoloves]

simon's arc and growth in s3 was one of my favorite storylines and is one of the main reasons i like s3 so much.

in s1 we got to see the foundations of such a beautiful complex character - a boy who loves his family and those who have earned their way into his heart almost more than himself, loyal to a fault, vibrant and not afraid to make himself more of an outsider by standing by his ethos and personality.

and simon being his truest self taught the 2 most important ppl in his life their key lessons. sara now understands the gift of giving ppl second chances and wanting to hope they wont always fuck it all up. and wille learned everything from simon. how to love unashamedly. how to believe in yourself. how to look outside of yourself. how to speak your mind. how to forgive. how to live freely

idk i think there is something so missing in ppl who cant understand his character in s3 and maybe its a lack of life experience but knowing when you need to remove yourself from a situation that is destroying you and the ppl you love is important and real. he made himself so small to try and fit for willes life and that hurt them both, wille needed shining simon as much as simon did.

love is not always enough and simon was brave for recognizing that. for continuing to stand by issues and ideals that were deeply important to him. to recognize when his own actions were causing ppl harm. to continue to forgive and give ppl more chances despite being hurt but also knowing when he needs to put himself first

on my first watch of s3ep6 it something i couldnt stop thinking abt and i stand by it on a few rewatches, for someone so integral to everyone's personal growth bc he was that catalyst or lesson for them, he felt a bit forgotten. and i get there was a lot of loose ends to be tied up but im ngl he felt a little rushed/in limbo bc of it but i still think he had a full beautiful arc in s3. and the way ppl still damn him for every move makes me wish he had even more time to develop throughout esp s2 i wish everyone could see just how beautiful and complex simon is and how he is the base of everyone around him

#simon eriksson #he is my son and i will stand by him until i die #rambles at 2 am idek if this is fully coherent but oh well #was reading the song of achilles and it reminded me a bit too much of my love for yr at the beginning #he deserves just as much empathy and grace as every other character #he is not villain #young royals #young royals s3 #young royals analysis #young royals character analysis

[k-pepp]

Three-Part Story

There’s been a constant discussion surrounding Simon not getting enough focus / character development in Season 2, but lately the discussion has really picked up. Some people saying that the writers did Simon dirty or even that they forgot about him. I could kind of get that perspective if we just look at the seasons individually. Comparing Season 2 to Season 1, Simon had less of a story. But I don’t think it’s supposed to be looked at in that way. Lisa has always envisioned YR to be one story divided into 3 parts.   From that perspective, it makes more sense why the focus isn’t as consistent. The first part of the story is the set-up. The writer would want the audience to have an equal understanding of the main characters. After that, the focus can spread through the second and third parts as it makes sense to the story. Just like in life, people don’t always evolve at the same time. In the show, it makes sense for one character (in this case Wille) to have more growth and character development before the other (Simon). Since the season length is so limited, it also makes sense to focus more on one character at a time instead of trying to show both of their growth all at once. And it makes sense that it had to be Wille first. If Simon had experienced all the growth and Wille was still exactly the same person, they NEVER would have gotten back together. Wille gave Simon agency and built trust back in the relationship. So when Simon has his character development in the third season (finally being vulnerable and embracing his feelings), he’ll trust Wille enough to be able to do that with him. And from a viewer perspective, I think it makes sense to wait until the third act to let Simon have his emotional breakdown. To let it keep building and to be able to see everything Simon has had to deal with (the stuff from seasons 1-2 and now all drug stuff, family drama, dealing with the monarchy, and being even more in the public eye), seeing his emotional awakening will have an even bigger impact.

#young royals #simon eriksson #young royals analysis #if season 3 comes and Simon has no character development I'm ready to put on my clown makeup

[raincitygirl76]

A terrific review of Young Royals Season 2 in The Sophian.

The Sophian is the student newspaper of Smith College in Northampton, MA, USA. I don't know how long college newspapers keep their archives up, so just in case, I copy-pasted the article below. But assuming the link above works (and it worked just fine right now), please go to the link, don't read my copy-paste.

All Things Real: a Review of “Young Royals” Season Two

BY CATE CHRISTINIDIS ON NOVEMBER 15, 2022 | 

ARTS AND CULTURE, POP CULTURE, REVIEWS AND TV

Photo by Robert Eldrim via Netflix.

Hillerska: a private boarding school tucked away in Sweden; horseback riding, rowing, rowdy parties and, most notably, 16-year-old Crown Prince Wilhelm. Still, “Young Royals” (2022) is no fairytale. A simmering pot of angst, romance, betrayal and battles of the conscience, “Young Royals” displays unadulterated teenage reality. Season One ended with Hillerska’s most scandalous term to date, and Wilhelm, played by Edvin Ryding, reluctantly left it behind to the promising tune of Elias’ “Revolution.” In the rubble of Season One, audiences couldn’t help but wonder: would Season Two be that revolution? 

The short answer is yes. The romance that blossoms between openly gay Simon Eriksson (Omar Rudberg) and closeted Crown Prince Wilhelm enters uncharted territory. Wilhelm’s self-discovery is thwarted by the looming sense of duty pressed upon him by Sweden’s royal court, who deem queerness as a threat to the monarchy. Yet, the essence of the story does not lie in Wilhelm’s royal title, but in the title of the show itself: “Young Royals.” It is easy to forget, and equally important to remember, that the students of Hillerska are just kids. Their mistakes are children’s mistakes, and their resilience and bravery are monumental. 

This also means that every catastrophe is that much more devastating. Both seasons deal with a case of child pornography –– a cellphone video of Simon and Wilhelm, recorded through Wilhelm’s dormroom window. Regardless of social power, money or fame, the problems that overwhelm Wilhelm and Simon’s relationship are unmistakably larger than they are. 

“Young Royals” is all things real –– the bodies and situations portrayed on screen all reflect some semblance of teenage existence; simultaneous chaos, uncertainty, imperfection and beauty. The series doesn’t shy away from the ugly side of teenage life: where partying and stress meet drug use and where jealousy leads to impulsive, criminalizing mistakes. “Young Royals” is both dark and refreshing, unusual in its ability to look life right in the face. 

The American media tends to place a beauty filter over the formative years. Audiences lapse into patterns of falsified viewing, scarcely aware enough to ask themselves: Hey, aren’t teenagers supposed to have acne? “Young Royals” doesn’t blink twice at these “blemishes” –– acne, crooked teeth, etc. In fact, they are clearly embraced, normalized and desirable –– clear skin and perfect teeth are not deal-breakers for being the most popular girl in school or the Crown Prince. 

“Young Royals” likewise considers the psychological realities faced in the war between authenticity and duty. Season one introduced Wilhelm’s struggle with anxiety, but Season Two pursues the extent to which anxiety and panic consume Wilhelm after Season One’s events. It may sound cliché –– the prince who can’t handle the pressure of the crown –– but Wilhelm doesn’t ask the audience to feel sorry for him, and neither does “Young Royals.” Wilhelm is much messier in Season Two. He explodes with emotion –– fear, pain, anger, guilt and sadness –– and, without Simon, there is nowhere for it to go. He is selfish, rude, depressed, spoiled and makes bad choices. But Wilhelm’s reasons for not wanting to be Crown Prince are rightfully selfish; at 16, he is resigning himself to an empty and dishonest life. Forced by his mother, the Queen, Wilhelm begrudgingly sees a therapist, and while he resents the need for it, Season Two’s “revolution” finds Wilhelm overcoming his personal barriers to enact change.  

Wilhelm and Simon are separated by class more than anything. Wilhelm, as a member of the royal family, is an elite, while Simon, a non-boarder, can’t afford to live at the school. While Wilhelm tries to understand Simon (and vice versa), there are times when their differences speak louder than they do. Simon’s inability to understand why Wilhelm, as Crown Prince, can’t disregard the crown and take a stand, clashes with Wilhelm’s inability to see how Simon’s social status caused him to receive the brunt of the backlash for the sextape. Season Two is a testament to revisions and the rightings of wrongs; as Wilhelm works through his own emotions, he learns to use his power and status for progress.

Season Two of “Young Royals” is all about decisions; specifically, revising and listening to one’s conscience to make the right one. Which decision will start a revolution, which will fuel it, which will kill it? Despite the tumultuous path to togetherness, Simon and Wilhelm have an incredibly realistic and healthy relationship. They show love through communication; their need to be seen, heard and understood by each other is unshakable. It makes the moments when they do touch –– which are surprisingly few and far between –– feel all the more worth fighting for. Wilhelm certainly agrees; each season begins and ends with his eyes locked on the camera. This is his story, and he’ll go to war for it.  

#young royals #wilmon #prince wilhelm #simon eriksson #young royals analysis #young royals season 2 #simon eriksson analysis #prince Wilhelm analysis #young royals favourite posts #young royals reviews #wilmon analysis #young royals best posts #character analysis young royals #media young royals #press young royals #the sophian #smith college

[daylightaftertherain]

interesting how wille's initiation into hillerska composed of him being dragged away from the safety of his room kicking and screaming, tied to a statue, gagged, and hazed, while sara had significantly more fun, was able to laugh and talk, took pictures, and actively cooperated with the girls to pass her initiation.

with hillerska being a metaphor for status and influence, wille was born into the life and had pressure and expectations shoved on him. he didn't have a say in most of the decisions surrounding his life, and he was the one humiliated by august, who organized the initiation as well. sara on the other hand, is desperate to fit in, and she does anything and everything she can to get a spot with the rest of the school, whether that means keeping august's secrets or setting fire to a flag.

also the fact that both initiations were seen as tradition and normal, but while wille was an unwilling participant, sara went along with her test despite felice assuring her she didn't have to. it represents their arcs this season - wille tries to break away from the traditions trapping him, and sara gets into a relationship with august even though he's a complete fucking asshole who she didn't have to be involved with any more than necessary.

#the parallels sdjklfhkhkhdjkfhjkdjkdljkslds #young royals #yr s2 spoilers #young royals analysis #young royals season 2 #young royals season two #we need a wille and sara interaction in s3 lisa I know you're here so just putting it out there #they're objectively really similar characters and I want them to help each other #sara eriksson #prince wilhelm #august of årnäs

[brownbitchshit]

Just another thing that I loved the most about Young Royals s2 (among many) is that how they focused on showing Wilhelm's side of the story.

I know a lot of people complained about not showing how bad it was for Simon in the aftermath of Wilhelm's denial/ video's leak and I actually would have liked to see a more about that as well, but I also liked that s2 showed how much pressure Wilhelm was actually under. It wasn’t just him being manipulated by his mom and abiding by her order. It was the entire freaking royal court. While Simon was right and justified in his decision of not wanting to be a secret, I think even he didn’t understand the magnitude of what he was asking from Wille.

I especially liked Wilhelm's conversation with Nils because it showed how someone else, a neutral person but with sort of similar position, understands Wilhelm and understand how hard it must have been for him and the kind of pressure he is under.

Thankfully in the end Simon understands it as well and decides to be secret. And this makes Wilhelm's declaration/coming out in the speech even more special and revolutionary. Despite the pressure and the difficulty, Wilhelm decided to put Simon and his relationship first. He came out so that they are finally in an equal place and so that the court cannot play him anymore. He basically eliminated that one obstacle in their relationship and gave Simon his everything. And I don't think anything can be more beautiful than this.

#young royals #wilmon #yr season 2 #edvin ryding #omar rudberg #wilhelm simon #yr character analysis

[loren91]

In my last post about Wilhelm and why his flaws are important for the narrative, I may have come off as a tad bit harsh calling him a bad person. So let me elaborate on that one more. I don’t think he’s a bad person. He’s an interesting character, my favourite character in the show even, which in terms of storytelling, is a much larger compliment than saying ‘he’s so sweet and good’. He’s an incredibly nuanced character and I’d like to talk a bit more about his personality.

Let me really emphasise one thing.

WILHELM IS NOT SHY.

For some reason, it seems to be very common to interpret his character as a shy, nervous little cry baby. Which I don’t agree with.

Usually in filmmaking, the first time you show your protagonist you want to have a scene that displays the character's core essence. To properly introduce them to the audience.

Look at how Wilhelm is introduced to us:

We see him having an anxiety attack, his face is covered in bruises and he’s trying to control his breathing. There are flashbacks of a bar and a random guy harassing him, and of course, the fight. There are paparazzi outside the car that are clearly bothering him. Then he’s arguing with the poor assistant about the script for the statement, raising his voice at her.

What does this tell us about his character? He’s got anxiety issues, he’s not very happy with living in the public eye, he’s quick to anger and he’s rather aggressive. Wilhelm is an angry, angry boy. And he stays angry for most of the first episode. Except for when he’s in close proximity to Simon. (Or when he’s drunk)

The church scene in ep 1, where Simon is singing, that’s the first time we see him smile. Which is a really sweet way to show us his fascination and attraction to Simon from the very start, but not only that, it also offers something that can counteract his anger issues. That’s why we are rooting for Wilmon from the start!

Yes, Wilhelm is nervous around Simon to begin with, but that’s because he has a crush, not because of his personality. Later, as soon as Simon confirms that his feelings are reciprocated, Wilhelm becomes a lot more forward. I mean come on, who was the initiator in the fish scene really? Wilhelm knew exactly what he was doing, kissing Simon’s neck and hugging him from behind. But even in the beginning, who’s the one pursuing who first? Who’s the one chasing after the other at the party? Who’s the one texting first? Who’s the one reaching out their hand first during the movie night? Wilhelm! Those are not the actions of a chronically shy person.

If he ever seems unsure or withdrawn around his peers, especially around August, that’s not because he’s shy or nervous or sad. He’s frustrated. August is so fucking annoying. He dislikes August with a passion from the very beginning but he’s trying so hard not to let it show. Mainly, I think he’s frustrated that he can’t just dump his ass immediately.

The opening to ep 1 is also really smart in another way, it establishes the possible consequences Wilhelm may face for his mistakes. If he doesn’t behave, his mother will make sure he pays for it. When they decide to send him to Hillerska, against his wishes, his mother says “Hillerska will help give you routine and the right type of friends” (although she does say ‘umgänge’, which technically translates closer to ‘company’. So I think she might be more concerned about him being integrated into the correct community rather than making actual friends) We also see Erik tell him that he can trust August. So Wilhelm is expected to like August, and he doesn't dare break his family’s expectations of him, because he’s terrified of the consequences. He can’t speak up against August, even when he’s saying awful stuff or bullies Simon right in front of him. He’s scared of what could happen if his mother found out he’s not ‘making the right the right type of friends’. So he’s trying to conform to the elite culture at Hillerska, at least for show. 

Just a side note about August, the dislike is 100% mutual. Considering how he takes any opportunity to scold and lecture Wilhelm as a sick power move. He also talks shit about him behind his back and belittles him in front of Erik and their peers. August is not really interested in being his friend at any point, he just wants the status and bragging rights of ‘being close to the royal family’. He’s trying to compensate for only being the 2nd cousin. I think Erik generally has a lot more patience with people and takes the stuff August says with a pinch of salt. ‘It’s just August. He’s just like that, it doesn't mean anything’. But Wilhelm certainly doesn’t have the same kind of patience, and when he’s not cooperating the way August would’ve liked him to, August gets more and more agitated, and when Wilhelm spills his secret about being broke, that’s the last straw. They really bring out the worst in each other.

But then when Wilhelm is with Simon (and sometimes with Felice and Erik as well) we get to see his true self. A sweet, goofy, confident yet sensitive kid, who values authenticity and freedom above everything else. And he can tell Simon has the same values, therefore he feels comfortable enough with Simon to just be himself around him. So it’s made very clear to us who the ‘right type of friends’ for Wilhelm actually are. But that’s not what his family or the royal court values. Keeping up the facade is more important to them.

He’s so scared, of his mother and the press. All of these expectations and the weight of a several centuries-old institution resting on his shoulders, is a lot of shit that a 16-year-old kid shouldn’t have to deal with, that’s where his anxieties come from.

I really hope Wilhelm finds a way to be his authentic self in the next season, carrying so much anger and pretending to be fine with all that bullshit must be fucking exhausting.

#young royals #young royals analysis #Prince Wilhelm #august horn #character analysis #my analysis