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I'm doing so fine

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in love w dohoi character consistency

Let free the curse of taekwondo A poor aunt story, Haruki Murakami

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Significance of props in LFCT

I have been obsessed with lfct and its ruining my life. I need ep 7 and 8 now, today, NO YESTERDAY !! The best part is how well directed it is, rather, the direction in this show feels more intentional than other bls i have watched in a long time. The layers in the show, and the fact that the show trusts the audience to pick up on things is what makes me like it more. So I get frustrated when people complain it is too "unnecessarily confusing", isn't that the whole fun, to discover the story ourselves rather than have everything spelled out to us like we are just horny teenagers waiting for the two main characters to make out? (although that's exactly what I'm waiting for, but you get my point) Anyway, I'm sure there are valid criticisms, but I gotta defend this show because of my brainrot rn. :)

I wanted to compile a list of props that might have symbolism, can someone please help me organise and make sense of it. :)

1... Cigarettes: I found it odd that the show used a tracking short at the beginning and the first main character we see on our screen is Hyunwoo. The first conversation is also about cigarettes. The two students are punished by their teachers for smoking, and HW himself is hiding a pack behind a book. This immediately pointed to me that cigarettes must be a symbolism for something. Cigs or cigar, typically in many queer films or films with queer subtexts, have been a metaphor for homosexuality, due to the *ahem* phallic *ahem* shape, indicating to us that when two characters smoke together, they're probably fucking. Its definitely untrue in the context of show because we have seen that DH does not smoke but his dad does. So my next interpretation is that it represents abuse or trauma. Im going to interpret as whenever there is a presence of cigs = presence of abuse/trauma. We have not seen HW smoke but he holds the packet behind a book, aka hides his trauma from others, and put it in his left coat pocket, aka his heart. The two students are getting dragged by the teacher in the first shot, probably to get abused, hence the smoking talk. Whenever the dad beats up other kids besides JY and DH inside the taekwondo studio, he always says that it is because they were smoking. One of the friend and JY quit smoking because they were teaching children (they say that before DH comes to the funeral) because they do not want to transfer their trauma to kids, so quitting cigarettes represents stopping the cycle of abuse. They smoke together because despite us not seeing the two other friends being beaten by DH's dad, because they came from same, school, neighbourhood and time when corporal punishment was legal, they probably share the abuse. JY just came back from crying at his abuser's funeral so it feels fitting for him to smoke and reminisce his trauma. The dad is smoking indoors when DH confronts him for hitting JY. The dad and his friends are always smoking when they call DH and JY for their late night errands, the director could easily have them just be drunk, not smoke. But because they are all complicit in DH's abuse, they smoke along with the dad. I hope they bring up cigs in final two eps so we can see if its consistent. Its also fucked up that they used such a prominent queer symbolism with an abuse metaphor. Genius.

2... Vehicle: This one is also very consistent throughout the show. I am thinking the car represents their lives. JY uses the taekwondo van from his work. The key features of this vehicle is that it is bright, it is used to service others (picking up kids, dropping them off), it is rented, and it is big. Despite being apart from DH, JY is a positive person and his personality stands out brightly. If we look at JY's story so far, we can see that he is mostly a selfless person because he stood up for his friend who was getting hit, and for DH, and he probably has not changed much since that time as shown by the van. It is pretty sad to say but JY also probably does not have a life of his own, he is constantly influenced by people he loves and people around him. He works for his friend so he is using his friend's car (he returns the keys back to her in ep 6 before going to DH). It also means that the way he lives is similar to DH's dad (minus the abuse obv) as both JY and DH's dad drive a taekwondo van. Probably why DH does not want to ride in the van aka live a life that is so close to the image of his father. The taekwondo van had to go, and I'm glad it did. Side note but their first few kisses often happened on the back seat of DH dad's taekwondo van. Pretty symbolic that it was not on the front seat as both of their lives are being driven DH's absent father. JY also has never owned a car. The second car which he rented before going to see DH is heavily influenced by DH. Despite still being big and bright, it is a new and expensive car. It is white, just like DH's car. The fact that is rented also may imply that the life that JY and DH share may be temporary. I am scared. Hopefully he buys a cheap, bright car soon after everything is resolved and takes DH out. Make it more permanent JY, please. DH's car is expensive. Probably the only stand-out feature. His life right now is for show. He also has a lot of money. DH's car also has to go, start walking, get it towed away, crash it idc. DH and HW currently share a life together (despite the ambiguousness of their relationship) therefore they share a car multiple times, DH wants JY to drive his car aka, come to life. All DH desperately wants is to live his life with JY so this man keeps asking about whether JY can drive well, aka "whisk me away safely, thank you".

3... Food: Love. Thats what I think it represents. DH initiates the act of giving love first. He prepares food for JY. Always. And JY does not get a chance to return it, which is why he keeps saying that he wants to cook sometimes. He finally gets a chance to make food for DH and they eat together. JY also wants to eat with DH's dad, he says 'it would nice to eat together often' during ep 1. DH is uncomfortable because he does not have love for his dad. JY's parents pay for his meals but never eat with him in the show, they pay for his love aka they love him but never directly (idk what kind of twisted love it is). We never see them share the love between them last time because JY never gets around to making the lunchbox before the final test. We are also never shown the food they eat at the restaurant that JY chooses after they are reunited, their love is a shrodinger's cat at this point, we will never know if they shared a meal there together or not. We also see a conflict when HW wants to have a nice meal with DH after he books a restaurant. DH does not want to eat with him aka share his love with him. We never see them eat together despite going to a restaurant with their friends. We see a menu but never food. A twisted love once again when we connect money with food, representing what is going on with DH and his current friends.

4... Chapstick: No idea. Please let me knowww :(

Then there is the glaring ones like telephone, snow, taekwondo and alcohol. Is there any other, I want to talk about this show forever...

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Dohoe has got to be one of the most brutally honest portrayals of the affects of childhood abuse on an adult psyche that I have ever seen

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I've been trying to write my thoughts down about Dohoe and the cycle of violence and how much it terrified him and how much the knife moment changed him because he saw himself capable of doing the exact type of damage that has been inflicted upon him, time after time, and even worse.

I know we always like to joke about QL characters killing their shitty fathers, but within the realistic tone of The Curse of Taekwondo, it's just horrifying, especially for Dohoe, who has never understood violence, to find himself capable of causing such damage, of becoming not only what he hates, but someone worse, someone who took away a life.

When he said to Juyeong he understood his motives to hit his (shitty) teacher, when he told him he was an exception, it was because he truly believed that.

Juyeong has tried to use violence against others to protect people (like when facing off the bullies) and has tried for violence to be used against him like a contingency measure, getting himself involved in the father's beatings so that neither the bullies nor He would actually get involved with Dohoe.

The thing is, it just doesn't work. Neither Dohoe's classmates nor his father stop abusing him, and now we not only have the physical pain inflicted upon them both, but also the emotional aftermath of Dohoe learning that Juyeong is being hurt, abused, the very thing he wanted to get away from him.

It's a cycle.

It's not even their fault, because that's exactly how abuse works, you can retaliate and be blamed or put no resistance and the punches will not be any less painful.

That big confrontation between Juyeong and his father was the last straw for everything in Dohoe's life. Not only the person he loved was hurt badly, so badly that the police and his parents had to get involved, but he was also injured trying to protect him (Dohoe doesn't want the type of protection that gets you killed), it also made him so angry, he almost committed an extreme act of violence.

How could he, then, continue as if nothing had happened? How could he try to survive another year in that hell after THIS?

He stops trying to understand Juyeong, he doesn't want to understand this time why he did what he did, because this fight makes him stop seeing Juyeong as an exception, and makes him see himself as the exact kind of "monster" he has always been trying to run from.

It's world-shattering, to find such violence within the innocent city boy that fell in love with him, and within himself.

Whether or not I agree with putting Juyeong in almost the same category as his dad (I don't, I think he's a sunshine and I hate hate hate that he just asked for basic respect and got met with a goddamn wood stick), it was a thought process I can see happening and understand how it happened.

So it makes all the sense in the world for Dohoe to shut down completely at his past, at Juyeong, at his father and the house and the village, because he's also trying to shut down from himself.

And it makes all the sense in the world, then, that Juyeong tries so hard to cling to that same past, because he has nowhere else to go, he's shunned away by his adoptive fathers and the only light of hope for a better future comes to him in the shape of Dohoe.

But Dohoe doesn't come alone! Dohoe has spent more than 16 years being abused, traumatized, discarded, time and time again, and all that baggage? That's the curse! The curse of VIOLENCE.

All the trauma, all the pain, it seems like this inescapable, cruel thing, that neither of them has been able to let go of after 12 years, one because he never faced it, and the other because he lived with the constant reminder of it, reacting to it, surviving to it.

The exact approach to violence they had when they were young.

Why Dohoe ran away, why Juyeong stayed.

That's what they have to try to heal from.

To understand that it was never their fault. They were young, in an oppressive environment, where any kind of perceived rebellion was meant to be beaten down, no matter what they did, they would always be in the wrong.

Except in those small moments where they found joy and love and care and everything they didn't have before in the other.

How can we judge them, then, when that same love becomes a weapon? The cycle continues on torturing them, until it becomes too much, until Dohoe takes that knife, and decides to just leave.

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Wild Ass Theory - IT'S ABOUT TYME!

As much as I think Tyme is coding on that table in the first episode, I believe both of them are dying, and it would make sense that Great is on the table coding at the exact time that Tyme gets shot since that's what we were shown, which could mean they end up here as some sort of limbo

Because at first, I thought maybe they'd go on a little vacay together, but we only have eight episodes to bake this biscuit, so . . .

Tyme wants to stay in limbo but Great knows neither can, especially Tyme who needs to survive, and when Great is banging on the door in the trailer, it's Great's apartment that he is in because the paintings and pool table are there but Great is missing.

But the biggest WTF is in the first episode scene when Tyme is shot, it's raining on him,

Just like it is in the hallway from the trailer.

TYME NEEDS TO LIVE!

I think the light from the doorway is the light the patients mentioned seeing from the operating room, so I don't think this is the light of heaven. I think Tyme will survive, but Great is wearing white all the time which the patient said she thought were angels but were actually nurses, but . . . like . . .

Once a character wears white, chances of death increase because blood shows up well on white or something, but also Great's powers are pulling him to Tyme which we saw with him being kicked back so he would accept Tyme's dinner request, so all roads are leading him to Tyme, so is Great the angel who is supposed to save Tyme or even sacrifice himself for Tyme?

Once again, as much as I think Tyme is on that table, it makes sense that Great is being operated on because we keep seeing the light over him as if he was on the operating table!

(There is also another theory about the light but I don't have time for that)

So what I'm trying to say with my cork board and sticky notes is that even though the show is being framed through Great's perspective, the most important character is Tyme since he is the one who needs to make it out of limbo, so Great has to make him see the light.

(Also, I think this woman is connected to Tyme)

TLDR: It's about Tyme

And Great needs to save him.

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I fully believe Tyme has similar abilities (seeing forward or backward i time) like Great ! I will write it down and sign it and bet on it for 5 bucks and my honour. I had this conviction from 1st ep.

I was just painting and minding my own business when this image (which I used in a post yesterday to write some theories regarding 4 Minutes) popped into my head again:

And I thought, what if Tyme is called Tyme for a reason, and this scene shows him having the power of precognition?

(Also, what if the water falling like rain around him is the grief he feels for being unable to find/save Great even though he has his power, and that bright light in the doorway symbolizes a near-death experience (or even crossing over/dying)? Perhaps they're both in trouble at this point. Or it might just be Great.)

It could be possible that Tyme has the power of precognition as well (even though I've theorized that the other person with this ability might be Fasai).

What if Tyme is referring to himself when asking the neurologist (whom I'm sure is Den) if he's ever met a patient who can see the future.

That would be wild, considering the possibility that Great and Tyme might see the same or similar events beforehand but want to change them to get different outcomes.

That could be a really interesting take on this story.

Still, I can't decide which theory I like most. Tyme or Fasai? Fasai or Tyme? Can't choose...

So, naturally, I'm keeping both, lol.

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When Felice said her friends just threw money at the problem and expected everything to be okay, I was so sad because Madison didn't bring out her healing crystals, protection spells and setting intentions plans just for you to be saying that :(( I knew narratively that Madison could not be with Felice and Sara by the end of the show but she deserved to have seperate conclusion to Fredrika an Stella. Add that to the list of fix-it log for s3.

Am I the only one that feels like Madison was done dirty by the finale? She is unknowingly dumped by Felice and not only gets lumped into the same category as Stella and Frederika, but will be stuck with them on the flight to NYC and left having to deal with their new couplehood for the summer. Did she really deserve that torture? Stredrika may have been going to NY for the sun, but Maddie was inviting Felice to her home.

Maddie openly recognized the reason Felice was struggling in S3.

She defended her over the school investigation. She seemingly tried to educate herself after Felice talked about how she was treated differently.

She stopped Stredrika from asking Sara inappropriate questions about Simon in S2. Is the only named side character shown to have actually engaged in conversation with Simon back in S1:

She gave Felice the BEST ADVICE EVER (which Felice did not take until later)

And, before anyone else, she openly expressed her utter disdain and contempt for August:

For that alone, Maddie deserved a happy ending.

So here's to her dumping Stella and Frederika somewhere in Manhattan and going home. It's not like she will ever have to see any of them again now that Hillerska is closed.

Justice for Madison.

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Am I the only one that feels like Madison was done dirty by the finale? She is unknowingly dumped by Felice and not only gets lumped into the same category as Stella and Frederika, but will be stuck with them on the flight to NYC and left having to deal with their new couplehood for the summer. Did she really deserve that torture? Stredrika may have been going to NY for the sun, but Maddie was inviting Felice to her home.

Maddie openly recognized the reason Felice was struggling in S3.

She defended her over the school investigation. She seemingly tried to educate herself after Felice talked about how she was treated differently.

She stopped Stredrika from asking Sara inappropriate questions about Simon in S2. Is the only named side character shown to have actually engaged in conversation with Simon back in S1:

She gave Felice the BEST ADVICE EVER (which Felice did not take until later)

And, before anyone else, she openly expressed her utter disdain and contempt for August:

For that alone, Maddie deserved a happy ending.

So here's to her dumping Stella and Frederika somewhere in Manhattan and going home. It's not like she will ever have to see any of them again now that Hillerska is closed.

Justice for Madison.

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how them looking at each other ❤️‍🩹

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Daniel, Armand, and Keats???

Ok so the incredibly grainy footage of the new teaser has me spiraling! Devils minion on screen! But even more exciting, is Armand describing himself as “easeful death”, presumably to Daniel. Ok Rolin Jones, listen up. I don’t know a ton of literature by heart by I WAS a depressed and then chronically ill teen and early twenties person, who identified maybe a little too hard with romantic poet John Keats. Some of his poems are permanently tattooed on my brain. So I see what the writers are doing here. “easeful death” is from Ode to a Nightingale. The full line is: “Darkling I listen; and, for many a time/I have been half in love with easeful Death”. I mean. Come on.

I reread the poem after watching the trailer last night, and it’s actually SUCH a clever reference. It could practically be written by Daniel about Armand. We already know the writers room is familiar with and willing to reference other classic poets (Emily Dickinson absolutely is a vampire) so I think this is 100% intentional.

The narrator of the poem is tired of the difficulties of life and is longing for death; he speaks to the nightingale as a kind of immortal figure who is free from all cares. He is able to momentarily accompany the nightingale, at least mentally, as it flies and forget all troubles, but must come back to earth by the end of the poem. It’s pretty easy to read this as Daniel talking about Armand.

In fact, the first thing the speaker longs for is not death or the nightingale, but wine to take his mental pain away.

O, for a draught of vintage! that hath been

         Cool'd a long age in the deep-delved earth,

Tasting of Flora and the country green,

         Dance, and Provençal song, and sunburnt mirth!

O for a beaker full of the warm South,

         Full of the true, the blushful Hippocrene,

                With beaded bubbles winking at the brim,

                        And purple-stained mouth;

         That I might drink, and leave the world unseen

And we know that Daniel was numbing himself with drugs when he first met Louis and Armand. In fact the voiceover in the trailer almost feels like a pitch to Daniel; Armand is saying “I’m better than the best drug you’ve ever had”, effectively.

The speaker is determined to forget what the lucky nightingale (or Armand) “hast never known”:

The weariness, the fever, and the fret

         Here, where men sit and hear each other groan;

Where palsy shakes a few, sad, last gray hairs,

         Where youth grows pale, and spectre-thin, and dies;

                Where but to think is to be full of sorrow

The nightingale doesn’t know about the trials of living and aging, just like Armand. The speaker wants to forget about the inevitable “palsy shakes” that arrive with age. which could easily be a reference to what we now diagnose as Parkinson’s Disease.

At this point in the poem, the speaker tells the nightingale that he will join him in forgetting life not with the help of “Bacchus and his pards” (wine) but with “posey” (poetry). Which makes me think of Daniel using his writing to get closer to the vampires.

The fact that the speaker calls the nightingale “Darkling”! I mean what a perfect name for Armand. In fact I think this whole section is just perfectly about a vampire if you want it to be:

Darkling I listen; and, for many a time

         I have been half in love with easeful Death,

Call'd him soft names in many a mused rhyme,

         To take into the air my quiet breath;

                Now more than ever seems it rich to die,

         To cease upon the midnight with no pain,

                While thou art pouring forth thy soul abroad

                        In such an ecstasy!

         Still wouldst thou sing, and I have ears in vain—

                   To thy high requiem become a sod.

Thou wast not born for death, immortal Bird!

         No hungry generations tread thee down;

The voice I hear this passing night was heard

         In ancient days by emperor and clown

Armand was not born for death; he’s seen many an emperor and clown and in fact been both (leader of the coven, pretending to be Rashid). There’s also an emphasis on the nightingale’s song. I don’t know if Armand will be a musician at all in the show, but he and the coven are definitely performers.

In the last stanza, the speaker comes back to himself. He knows that he does not get to escape the burden of life for the ease of death, or at least not yet. It makes me wonder if Daniel will eventually turn down the gift at some point in the devils minion timeline. We know that he rejects Louis' mocking offer to give him the gift in the Dubai timeline.

Forlorn! the very word is like a bell

         To toll me back from thee to my sole self!

Adieu! the fancy cannot cheat so well

         As she is fam'd to do, deceiving elf.

Adieu! adieu! thy plaintive anthem fades

         Past the near meadows, over the still stream,

                Up the hill-side; and now 'tis buried deep

                        In the next valley-glades:

         Was it a vision, or a waking dream?

                Fled is that music:—Do I wake or sleep?

The last line and the confusion about whether the time spent with the nightingale is a dream or not makes me think of Daniel waking up from the dream of Polynesian Mary’s.

In summary, Rolin Jones what the fuckkkkk. I’m so so excited about this season and all the Armand/Daniel content we’re about to get.

Oh also, as a bonus, if you want to hear Ben Whishaw recite the entire poem, and you definitely do, here you go:

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The evolution of Wilhelm's decisions across the seasons

While preparing to do my season 3 Subtext and Culture posts that are very single-episode focused, I was struck by another thought which is the recurring pattern with which Wilhelm breaks free in stages:

In season 1, Wilhelm is being moved to Hillerska as punishment, and at the start he's pretty much set on resigning himself to his fate. Except he meets Simon, which starts him on his his journey to freedom, as they hesitantly start something.

Erik dying is a huge setback, he tries to revert to being a straight role model, fails miserably, admits to himself he's really in love with another boy, and they start having a relationship in secret. That fails miserably, because of the leaked video, and ultimately because Simon rejects being in a secret relationship.

But he decides that he wants to try having an actual relationship with another boy, despite the royal expectations. He chooses Simon, discarding the idea that a crown prince can't be queer.

In season 2, Wilhelm is tentatively exploring other relationships with other members of the upper class, who presumably wouldn't have a problem with a hidden relationship.

Meanwhile, Simon is apparently in a public relationship with Marcus, this causes Wilhelm to be consumed by jealousy, and all his other relationship attempts fail miserably. He doesn't want someone else, he wants Simon. And eventually Simon comes around to accepting being in a hidden relationship with Wilhelm, if that's the only way it could work.

But he decides that he wants to try being open about having a relationship with another boy, despite the royal expectations. He chooses Simon, discarding the idea that the monarchy can dictate his public image.

In season 3, both Wilhelm and Simon are trying to make their public relationship work, and they overcome the awkwardness of being seen together at school at least.

They try to combine Wilhelm's role as crown prince with their relationship. He tries doing the job, the charity foundation, the formal birthday dinner while including Simon, and it fails miserably because of the intense pressure that's being put on him due to his role, and due to him and his family's inability to deal with their grief after Erik.

So the show slowly moves to this inevitable depressing conclusion where Wilhelm resigns himself to his fate. He says goodbye to Simon, makes up with his family, and appears to accept his duty.

But he decides fuck all that shit, despite the royal expectations. He chooses Simon, discarding the entire monarchy, finally breaking free all the way.

The show is filled with points in the story where Wilhelm could have made a different choice, veering off his path. He slips up a bunch of times, he chooses to break up after Erik dies, he chooses to make out with Felice, he chooses his duty to spite August. But he gets there in the end, he makes enough good decisions, and each one brings him closer and closer to freedom.

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You are right. At some point while watching season 3, I lost the narrative thread and I was simply watching characters that I knew, doing things that they would do if their actions had no consequences. Especially for Wilhelm, it felt anarchic, revolutionary, everything was inconsequential besides is love for Simon and what that love meant for him. As such, it felt emotionally fulfilling. That is exactly what a romantic hero should be doing. Damn the rest of the world. Wilhelm as a romantic hero absolutely fulfilled his story arc.

But, I had no idea by the end, if the show wanted to be realistic or idealistic, am i meant to simply enjoy the show without being too pessimistic and relating it to real world, or was I meant to understand that this world is fantasy and real issues brought up in it exists to push the narrative forward?

Is it meant to be optimistic reflection of our own world? If so why is the monarchy not dismantled but instead perpetuated to oppress another like Wilhelm in near future? If its's meant to be pessimistic, how can i be happy only momentarily when Wilmon reunite, when in the end, I know none of their core issues are resolved - i.e. - wilhelm will always have public pressure, emotional repression, unaddressed privilege and bias (all the things that Simon will have tackle in not so distant future if he stays with Wilhelm, my fear is, if there is no monarchy to blame anymore, will Simon come to resent Wilhelm himself?).

All in all, the finale was happy ending for the main characters but worst thing that could happen to the YR world. All of the things you have mentioned, I have similar thoughts about. Additionally,

Main relationship - Wilmon

Communication - They were so good at communicating in s1 and s 2, why were they regressing in this aspect this season. Even if they were not regressing, I wanted some progression of topics that they share with each other. I wish some intimate scenes came with talks about Simon's uncomfortableness about being silenced, the reason why Wilhelm must remain apolitical, Wilhelm's issues with building his sense of self, Simon's relationship with his dad, what it means to be a queer person etc. So many potential, so little is cannon.

Heteronormativity - Why is it not addressed in their relationship, especially after the writer pulled all the subtextual classism and racism into actual dialogues in s3? Is Simon not concerned about it (insecure about Wilhelm's potential with Felice, question of heir, Wilhelm's reluctance with queer charity and representation etc) despite reading the comments? I guess for Simon, the question is only of how it restricts his freedom of expression to the macro world, not of their relationship internally.

Wilhelm

Character writing - Why was Wille intentionally mean this season? Wilhelm has done plenty of selfish things throughout s1 and s2 but none of them have been intentionally done to hurt Simon. But the line, "do your friends know how much money you got from August?" was definitely said to hurt Simon. That is a definite character regression which was never addressed later in the show. This season felt like it was trying to lower how much I empathise with his character and it succeeded, not a good sign for the main protagonist, because I am less invested in his happiness now.

Monarchy and August

People seem to be satisfied with August being next in line and Wilhelm abdicating in future. Sorry, I cannot accept that. Not because I hate August, or I think August is not redemptive. In fact, I loved August's arc this season, the process of forgiving himself, reliving trauma, etc. However, the key question is, why does August love monarchy? Because of power - is the answer that was clear to me.

Yes, August will be lonely with the title, it will add to his pressure and all. But, he loves monarchy. He will come to enjoy using what power he has at his disposal. From the beginning, he was willing to set aside his own plans for his father's estate just to be a backup. Even as his self-worth was decreasing and was at its lowest during s3ep1 negotiation, he still negotiated for his place as a backup. No matter what we might say to justify, the crown will never be a shackle for August as it was to Wilhelm. And he WILL be in a position to perpetuate abuse as he did previously with continuing the initiation. Yes, he stopped the porn hazing, but he continued the other form of hazing which he though was "less" traumatic to him. It is a happy ending for the antagonist (Monarchy) of the show, by giving it to hands of person (August) who will keep it alive.

August

Redemption - As for August himself, he is still not fully redeemed. He is forgiven for the main crime (posting video), but what about the constant classism, elitism and even xenophobia he displayed throughout s1, some in s2, and even in s3? He defended Sara once, thanks, but I wished it was atleast not brushed over.

Addiction - How was August so composed without the pills to feed his Adderral addiction? I wish more of this was addressed, especially it could have been contrasted with Mikke's addiction through Sara's interaction. I even wished that instead of giving August ED that could not be fully fleshed out, they could have treated his addiction seriously. Or they could have been correlated both issues to each other. I can't help but feel that the pills was not made explicit because there was already one story about addiction, there was no room for two. And that is a shitty reason to not do it.

Now, I just want to rant. And I will sound like a hater of this show, but trust me, I LOVE it. I will rewatch. I will be happy watching season 3. BUT i need to rant for my own sanity -

What is this show? Does Wilhelm know that only way Sweden can remain a constitutional democracy is if he remains apolitical? As a 16 year old, it is a difficult thing to grasp as a person subjected to it, but his silence is for the greater good. For him to speak, is for monarchy to come to power, or for it to die. Simon sees it as being accomplice to the wrong side, and by asking Wilhelm to speak, he is inadvertently asking Wilhelm to renounce his title. Simon does not understand the gravity of what he is asking.

When Wilhelm renounces his title, he is absolutely doing it for Simon. There has been no indication so far that Wille has any interest besides Simon that could motivate his decision. Media will always be following him with or without monarchy, and his parents will remain his parents with our without renouncing. In season 2, Wille coming out for himself was believable because potential to fall in love with a man is something that exists without Simon, but really like, what would motivate Wille if Simon was removed from equation for him to renounce his title? Wille seems to revel in his privilege, he has no passion for speaking out for causes, his queer identity is not yet political, the image of perfect brother is shattered so he can stop putting pressure of being perfect prince now while carrying out his role, he seems to think there are valid reasons for monarchy to exist, etc etc... I can absolutely see him renouncing some point in the future for his own sake after he develops his own view of his surroundings, but right now, Simon is doing all the work.

These are all perhaps big questions that is impossible to address in 6 episodes and I am being unfair by being too critical, I know, but even without all these being addressed in the show, s3 feels directorially lacking. The pacing is weird and shots are repetitive.

Thoughts on the Young Royals series finale now that the shine has faded a bit. Needed to get my thoughts out of my head to quiet the chaos and try to understand why I was feeling 🤷🏽‍♀️ rather than the unbridled happiness of so many.

What made Young Royals so extraordinary for me, what made me so invested and entranced by this series was that it satisfied both my heart and my head. YR gave me wonderfully drawn characters that were so beautifully flawed and complex and real caught up in a heightened yet realistic and believable drama, that engendered so many feelings. It was also stimulating intellectually, inspiring analysis, theorizing, and deep dives. The threads of the story were well crafted and woven together in a tapestry in a way that it was possible to trace them back to their origin. The narrative organically developed to a point, rather than there being a point that the narrative was twisted towards in order to make.

For me the finale was a triumph on the emotional side.  It was a comforting warm hug that said don't worry, everything will be ok. It broke and then mended the heart.  It provided an emotional catharsis from the tension built up through the earlier episodes. And it gave me joy! Joy and fulfillment that a dramatic queer story can conclude with happiness. I laughed , I cried, I will revisit the ending from now into the future and it will inevitably make me smile and evoke sweet memories.  Everything my heart wanted was fulfilled. 

My head, not much.

(don't want to yuk anyone's yum)

The way the story of the finale unfolds does not hold up for me narratively speaking. Rather than following through on and addressing the various narrative threads established in the first 5 episodes, it handwaved them away, suddenly made them disappear, or ignored them completely. And while many of the major plot points appeared to be addressed, they weren't actually resolved.

--Hillerska has been shut down. The class system it represents was defeated. Except it wasn't. The closure is being appealed. And even if that appeal fails, the students learned nothing from the experience except how to attack and vilify possible whistleblowers. The system will continue to be perpetuated at their new schools. 

--Wille renounces the crown and can now live a normal life. Except he can't legally renounce yet. And the protection officers work for the government not the Queen and can't be dismissed like that. And he's still famous, infamous even, and part of the 1% of the 1%. He will never be "normal" the way Simon is "normal". He will always be privileged (a privilege he has yet to acknowledge or address)

--Felice fights back against the system and identifies the microagrgessions she is subjected to because of her ethnicity. But only the same girls who did the exact same thing in S2 tie up their hair in soladarity. She can't openly acknowledge her rebellion to anyone (except the only other POC girl), not even her Black father. She will be back at square one at the next school. 

Then there are the things I'm just supposed to accept. Like somehow, the Queen miraculously and suddenly recovers and becomes good? Wille's mental health and anger issues disappear because it was his being a Prince that was the problem not 17 years of neglect?   Simon's depression and tendency to subjugate himself for the needs of others is now not a thing?  August's pill addiction? Linda wanting to move (and not being sold on Wille)? The press, public, and social media harassment is just gone?

And for the first time, the show told me what I was supposed to think instead of making me believe. Wille decides to renounce just for himself? Really? When Simon was his emotional crutch throughout the season, and there was nothing to indicate Wille had a personality or interest outside of Simon? When his entire refrain after Simon left him was "how can you be over me" and why can't we keep fighting? When Simon had just told him that the only reason he dumped him was because of the crown? And Wille immediately runs after a moving car because Simon is in it? Ok, sure 🤨 (beautiful moment emotionally though)

I enjoyed episodes 1-5 and they went heavy on the theme of pressure and mental health and toxicity, and having to confront and fight back . . . And then episode 6 said, nevermind let's go on a road trip. S3 now just seems to retread a lot of the same ground as s2, and then just jump to happy pretty boys kissing. 

I have seen some beautiful posts about how the ending isn't an ending but a beginning. But that literally means the story stops in media res. I'm all for an open ending, but this leaves everything to the viewer to figure out. And that is unsatisfying to me narratively speaking.

It's a beautiful patina of emotions spread over and covering up the cracks in the story. And focusing solely on the good feelings and emotions is fine.  But for me it means that I have to turn my brain off and not think about that unstable foundation in order to enjoy the story. I never had to do that before with Young Royals. 

So narratively I do not think Young Royals achieved the heights that it could have, that I hoped it would, or that I think it could have if it has been given some additional runway to better play out and conclude the various story beats. And that lost potential is disappointing and frustrating. It's still better than 90% of the content out there. And emotionally, damn if it didn't hit the sweet spot.

[fttlouie]

Wilmon plant AU where Wille has soft, floppy leaves and Simon is a little bit prickly, but they grow together in a sunny spot and eventually intertwine.

[fttlouie]

This is what I mean.

Has this boy ever looked at himself in the mirror and smiled? Has he ever looked in a mirror and liked what he sees?

It's like he's internalized that he's always disappointing someone. Either his mother, his dead brother, the royal court, the whole country, his classmates, his boyfriend, or himself...

[fttlouie]

girls r like "but he's my comfort character" and then it's literally the most emotionally traumatized man you have ever seen ever