#and Nicky is right there

[giotanner]

Let’s talk about the lack of a kiss? Let’s. For me, it didn’t make a difference. I read some comments here and there like "Oh, they made them less queer, they seem only BESTFRIENDS.” But that’s just not true. NICKY SAID IN ITALIAN "TI AMO" (in Italy, we have two ways to say “I love you,” and this one is deeper—used only in a romantic context with a romantic partner)

We did get scenes that are clearly, undeniably those of a couple. And that scene with Nicky’s monologue "i know your heart and that is immortal", and Joe opening up and admitting he’s afraid- aah...

We see Joe vulnerable. (what i wanted, I needed this. Because The Old Guard is dear to me also for its absence of harmful stereotypes.) Joe, who’s usually sharp, charming, the badass of the group.

Seeing his fragility with Nicky? That’s pure gold!

I know we’re in an era where if there aren’t sex scenes, then the ship supposedly doesn’t count. But this is what I needed. So many directors forget the most powerful part of a couple: love shown through actions, not flashy ones//also through the little things, the promises, the looks, their hands...

[theolderguards]

THE OLD GUARD 2 (2025) | peak husband behavior

[tyranasauruslex]

Nicky in his Disappointed Mom era:

When your husband, who has practically been in your skin 24/7 for the past 900+ years, gives you a bro hug and ditches you in one of the most romantic cities in the world to be "alone". Nobody can convince me that Nicky wouldn't remain salty forever about this:

Joe: "I love being in Paris with you. *proceeds to quote the most romantic French scripture that reminds him of his husband*

Nicky: "You sure you don't want some time to yourself?"

Joe: "... Nicolo that was 300 years ago, I said I was sorry!"

Nicky: *angry Italian muttering*

[iam-anordinary-human-orami]

Does anyone else think that after the foxes grappled with the "happy 19th junior" scene Allison was like "okay, are we just going to ignore the fact that Neil is actually a Capricorn and not an Aries?" Just for Nicky to nod furiously "I didn't want to be the first to say it, but damn so many things make so much sense now" and everyone else looking at them like

[falafels]

pt. 86!! <pt.85 pt.87>

EDIT I FUCKED UP THE TEXTS “it’s for the occasion” IS SUPPOSED TO BE FROM KEVIN NOT WYMACK

happy father’s day!! saw my dad for the first time in several months and found out he has been lifetime banned from the vermeer museum for stealing and that now he has at least 12 more one-sided delusion beefs.

anyway this is the beginning (and possibly the end i haven’t decided) of me pressing my nathan wesninski agenda. the worst most garbage man ever and he is a diva. to me

tags for the homies ❤️ @andrewsleftarmband @blurryhour @you-know-i-get-itt @notexactlythatgirl @longspacerat @tessasilverswan @minyard-05 @carbon-dated-gal @bisexualchaosdemon @stormiiflies @watercoloureyes01 @vampire-overlord @iron-sides @azure-wing @buffalo-fox @ohgodnotagainplease @pink-hydrangea @jaywalkerss @ohmynoggin-blog @cosmic-marauder @min-getoutofmy-yard @plazybones @disastersappho @leestars13 @the-witch-forever-lives @minyardsss @post-historical-posts @andabuttonnose @hidinginmyhands @aftg4l @allfor-thegames @yaoishida @inafieldofstarflowers @snowcoming @mooniism @fieldsofpoppies-in-salt-air @prometheusthedragon @graveyardviolence @bustedleftshoe @beatrix33 @aftg-bs @yes-i-exist-shutup @milktemproom @all-for-exy @moon-over-ruined-castle @meta-breakers @whatwereyouthinkingaboutagain @dragonslayer26806 @malepresentingleg @lesbiansforkevinday

[aftheyyyy]

Nicky said the twins chose to study German because Nicky could help them pass, and I don’t doubt that was part of it, but I wonder if they chose it as a sort of apology, too. We’re sorry you left Germany to take care of us; we’ll learn German so you have something of it to bring home with you. And their fluency is interesting, too. Two years of foreign language in high school won’t get you that far, and none of them are studying it in college, so I wonder if they used German at home a lot, to make Nicky miss it less? To make him feel more at home with them?

[thefishywizard]

POV: you are Willy Stampler

[kazzsbrekker]

THE OLD GUARD 2 (2025) dir. Victoria Mahoney

[ninyard]

exy fans + twitter (the trial: day one)

[undead-moth]

Insta-blocking anyone saying that it was "out of character" for Joe to cave and go see Booker lmao.

I said it then and I will say it now: People who thought Joe was angrier at Booker than Nicky in the first movie flatly were not paying attention to their characterizations, their acting, or anything else they said or did in relation to Book outside of the scene in the lab.

Yes, it is in character. You just weren't paying attention at all.

Throughout the first movie, Joe expresses anger in one of two ways:

With a joke ("The shoes were a particularly gruesome touch." "He thinks you're a mouse, Nicky." "This is a nice plane...Champagne?")

With a very calm deadpan expression. (*Spits out bullet.* "Very pissed off..." "You killed Nicky. You shouldn't have done that." *Brutally kills Keane by breaking his neck on his own weight.*)

When he is yelling at Booker, he is hurt. That is why he's yelling. That's why he's throwing unnecessary insults. I'm sure he's angry too but the dominant emotion he is feeling in that scene is pain.

But at the end of the movie, when they are all facing Booker on the pier, about to leave, Joe hesitates to leave. He wears the most anguished expression. It's only once Booker nods, as if to give him permission to leave him behind, that Joe turns around and walks away.

Nicky, on the other hand, expresses his anger by:

Refusing to speak/acknowledge the source of his anger (Merrick: "Lear?" Nicky: No response. )

A joke, assuming he can riff off of Joe ("I don't suppose you could remove these handcuffs." "There's a TV joe.")

A scathing criticism ("We are usually a better judge of character." "A fine justification. I have heard it so many times before." "As is yours.")

A glare (He glares at Merrick when he stabs joe with the envelope opener.)

In the lab, Nicky won't look at Booker. He doesn't speak to Booker for the rest of the movie. He tells Joe to stop yelling at Booker, not because he's defending Booker, but because he expresses anger through refusing to acknowledge the source of his anger and wants Joe to do the same. Booker is not worth their energy. Booker is already dead to him. Booker might as well not even be in the room. Booker who?

When they're on the pier, Nick glares coldly at Booker and then he's the first to leave.

It even makes sense when you consider their pasts. Nicky was a priest, first of all. Nicky joined a crusade and likely killed innocent people out of hate and a millennia later has to live with that on his conscience.

Joe forgave and fell in love with the very man who joined a war specifically to slaughter his people.

It makes sense if Nicky is the type of character who does not forgive easily. It makes sense if he believes in penance. It makes sense if he holds Booker to a high standard, because he holds himself to a high standard. In one of the comics, it's made clear that Nicky kills in part to punish. While I don't think that's made as textually present in the movies, it makes sense if that's still true to a certain extent.

And it also makes sense if Joe is the type of character who forgives easily. If he sees the best in people. How else could he ever have fallen for Nicky after what he did? And in the comics, it's made clear that Joe kills to prevent further harm. If we apply that same thinking to Booker, it makes sense if Joe is thinking that Booker already learned his lesson - so what is the exile doing other than torturing him?

It also works with their personalities. Nicky is understated. His expressions are subtle. Joe is impassioned, his face an open book, his heart on his sleeve. Joe is the sun, Nicky is the moon. Joe runs hot but douses easily, Nicky runs cold and melts slowly...

Cannot stress enough how absolutely in character it is that even though Joe was the most vocally and visibly upset when Booker betrayed them, that he is also the one who can't bear the thought of Booker being alone, or how absolutely in character it is that even though Nicky didn't say anything, didn't hardly react to Booker's betrayal, he was able to cut Booker off with ease, and is frustrated that Joe could so easily go back to someone who hurt him so deeply.

[exoras-deus]

The good old times when they still thought Neil's biggest problem was that he didn't wanna shag anyone.

I think I'll be making more of this type of mini comics for scenes I liked, don't hesitate to tell me if there are any you'd wanna see illustrated!

[materassassino]

Nile shows Joe those infinite annoying Tiktoks of the Italians being tortured by their American wives and he gets sad because "that's not how you cherish an Italian!" and immediately rushes off to tell Nicky how much he loves him and would never break spaghetti in front of him and Nicky is like "???? I love you too?"

[softersynths]

still voiced by mark hamill by the way

[emry-stars-art]

Also it’s still St. Paddy’s where I am so the Irishman himself ☘️

[tinmate]

The upperclassmen should keep calling Andrew’s crew “The Monsters”, not out of malice or disgust but out of genuine affection. Like yeah they’re beasts on the court and utter menaces off it, they’re little gremlins, absolutely feral, they’re the collective little brothers to the upperclassmen and no one else is ever allowed to make fun of them ever except maybe Jean who called them bastards but in the same tone with the same look in his eyes as the upperclassmen so he gets a pass

[falafels]

pt.90!! <pt.89 pt.91>

public katesethaaron!! still hasn’t got back to andrew yet but there Will be a post regarding that coming up soon. arguably wilful ignorance at this point because there’s no way andrew wouldn’t have noticed something at least but he has other things to worry about like neil’s new obsession with gummy vitamins and the dipshit on the second floor who keeps taking his favourite parking spot

tags for the homies ❤️ @andrewsleftarmband @blurryhour @you-know-i-get-itt @notexactlythatgirl @longspacerat @tessasilverswan @minyard-05 @carbon-dated-gal @bisexualchaosdemon @stormiiflies @watercoloureyes01 @vampire-overlord @iron-sides @azure-wing @buffalo-fox @ohgodnotagainplease @pink-hydrangea @jaywalkerss @ohmynoggin-blog @cosmic-marauder @min-getoutofmy-yard @plazybones @disastersappho @leestars13 @the-witch-forever-lives @minyardsss @post-historical-posts @andabuttonnose @hidinginmyhands @aftg4l @allfor-thegames @yaoishida @inafieldofstarflowers @snowcoming @mooniism @fieldsofpoppies-in-salt-air @prometheusthedragon @graveyardviolence @bustedleftshoe @beatrix33 @aftg-bs @yes-i-exist-shutup @milktemproom @all-for-exy @moon-over-ruined-castle @meta-breakers @whatwereyouthinkingaboutagain @dragonslayer26806 @malepresentingleg @lesbiansforkevinday