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skamenglishsubs · 1 month

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Subtext and Culture, Young Royals, Season 3, Episode 1

Season 3 picks up a short while after the jubilee speech by Wilhelm. Both Wilhelm and Sara have been absent from school for a noticeable amount of time, so maybe a week or two later? The show isn't very diligent in ensuring a perfect timeline, but this would put us in early March perhaps? Anyway, we're off to the castle for a meeting to deal with the fallout of Wilhelm's speech and Sara reporting the video to the police.

Subtext: The Queen is so pissed she's not even looking at her son, a reversal from the opening to season 2, when Wilhelm was pretty pissed at his mom.

Subtext: This is probably the first time that Wilhelm gets a hint that the Queen is seriously ill.

Cinematography: Same procedure as last season! Every season opens with a fourth wall break where Wilhelm stares in to the camera during the opening titles, defiant as ever.

Culture: For practical reasons the end of season 2 was filmed in April 2022, while the beginning of season 3 was filmed in February 2023. That said, the spring in Sweden can be pretty fickle, and it's not uncommon to have surprise snowfall as late as April. If you want a cinematographic interpretation of this scene, it's supposed to show how cold and unwelcome Simon feels arriving at the royal palace.

Cinematography: In reality, the monarch would be the last one entering a meeting after everyone else has arrived, but having Simon arrive like this makes it look more like he's entering a court of justice or some kind of disciplinary meeting. It's of course not a coincidence that the royal family represented by Jan-Olof is all on one side of the table, while everyone who has been causing them problems is on the other side.

Subtext: Jan-Olof is trying to minimize the video, by using "so-called", and by calling it an intimate video and not a porn video. However, for something to fall under the definition of "revenge porn", it's enough to depict people in an intimate situation, it doesn't have to meet the much higher threshold for when it's considered actual pornography, so he's at least admitting that it was an illegal video.

Culture: Nordiska Motståndsrörelsen is unfortunately a real organization of actual neo-nazi white supremacists in Sweden, with offshoots in neighbouring countries.

Lost in translation: The subtitles are struggling here, it's "piss person" in one, and "shitty person" in the other. The former is literally what they're saying in Swedish, but the latter is probably the better expression in English.

Also, we've been told that August's stepdad, Rickard, is one of Sweden's best lawyers. What that means is that he is probably a well-known criminal defence lawyer, and has probably been handling the defence in high-profile cases, and if you're defending obviously guilty criminals, you tend to get a lot of shit from the media and people in general, even though what you're doing is necessary for a fair justice system. This sounds like his way of dealing with that.

Culture: It's a pet peeve of mine that no-one seems to know that the name of the Swedish currency in English is kronor, not crowns. Simon is getting 1.2 million kronor, which amounts to about 105,000€ or $115,000.

Subtext: Linda isn't wrong, they're being strong-armed here. They have some sort of legal counsel, and they wouldn't have to pay any trial costs even if they don't win, but they can't afford to match the resources that August's stepdad can bring, and might get nothing in the end.

Culture: We don't know what Årnäs looks like or how large the estate is, but a quick check shows that you can buy a typical manor house and some farmland in Sweden for tens of millions of kronor. However, the amount of land that some of the other guys were boasting about at the Society party in season 1 would be worth several hundreds of millions of kronor, so it's unlikely that Årnäs is as large as that, because August would have a lot more options if his total net worth was in that ballpark.

Culture: Realistically, Simon isn't wrong. Even if August was convicted on all points, he wouldn't be sentenced harshly because of his age, because he's a first-time offender, and because it's a non-violent crime. He would most likely just be fined a large amount of money and ordered to pay damages, so settling isn't that bad.

Cinematography: The low winter sun creates some lovely golden light, so we know we're in for some sweet love between the boys. Another detail is the difference in how they're dressed and how they're carrying themselves. Wilhelm is tall and proud, he's at home, he's in a suit, he's sure of himself, while Simon is the guest, the intruder, and is almost shrinking away in his oversized purple shirt and jeans. Yes, yes, colour theory, I know.

Subtext: A nice little flashback to season 1 when Wilhelm said the same thing when he visited Simon's place.

Lost in translation: Simon is actually saying "Var det såhär i din dröm?" - "Was it like this in your dream?", which is a reference to the rather steamy dream Wilhelm had at the start of season 2, when he was lying in this exact bed.

Subtext: Absolutely no-one is fooled, everyone knows our two idiot boys were sucking each other's face a minute ago.

Subtext: Both Linda and the Queen are hearing about their sons' awful behaviour for the first time at this meeting. Linda had no idea Simon had been dealing drugs, and Kristina had no idea Wilhelm threatened August with a gun.

Culture: I have no idea here. There's no real-world example for this in Sweden, you can't put someone into the line of succession by giving them a title. The show is just hand-waving this. Alright. Ok. Fine.

Culture: All adults in the line of succession can be called upon to be acting Head of State, if the monarch is indisposed or on vacation or something. This means that once Wilhelm is 18, he would occasionally have to step in and do the job, even though he's not king yet. If there are no royals available for this, the duty falls to the speaker of the house, Riksdagens Talman.

Cinematography: We're returning to Hillerska after the episode intro at the royal palace, so we're treated to a little montage of what those gosh darn rich kids have been up to in the meanwhile, so here's a horse to remind us that some of them are still riding! This is the only horse we'll be seeing this season, because the show really isn't about Rousseau after all.

Subtext: Madison is doing Tarot, and she's got Three of Wands reversed and Four of Wands reversed. The first one represents obstacles and lack of progress, and the second one represents home conflict, instability, and lack of support. A bit on the nose, don't you think?

Subtext: It's true, but the show is also calling out itself for the somewhat inconsistent weather we've been seeing due to actual shooting schedules.

Culture: Graduating gymnasiet in Sweden has a bunch of elements that are the same pretty much across the country, and then there are regional differences and individual school differences. I recognize only a few of the things Fredrika rattles off, but it makes sense that a place like Hillerska has a ton of traditions.

Subtext: All the girls have noticed that Felice isn't doing too great, but Madison appears to be the only one that actually cares. Fredrika still hasn't stopped talking about all the crap the third-years are gonna do, because that's apparently more exciting. However, the trucks she's talking about are pretty common, this is what we in Sweden call a Studentflak.

@hanna-kin wrote a long post on Swedish graduation traditions, and I reblogged and added some stuff here: https://www.tumblr.com/skamenglishsubs/684659770007961600/its-that-time-of-the-year-again-and-if-season-2

Culture: It seems Minou isn't the head of PR for the royal court anymore, this is Farima, and we've actually seen her all the way back in season 1 when she was instructing Wilhelm to smile more in the photographs. Either way, it seems like she's got a promotion, and she's probably not wrong in her assessment. A bunch of old farts would balk at the idea of the monarch being in a same-sex relationship, but a lot of others would see it is proof that the monarchy can change with the times. There were quite a lot of fans in Team Monarchy after all. 👑🌈

Lost in translation: Linda actually says "Du har utegångsförbud", which means curfew. Grounding kids isn't really a thing in Sweden, to us it's some kind of weird thing that only happens in American teen shows, along with detention. What the fuck even is that?

Subtext: Unlike in season 1, Simon now consistently speaks Swedish at home to his mom, further showing us how distant he is from her, and from himself to some extent.

Lost in translation: Linda actually calls Sara a "hemmasittare", which is a Swedish term used for kids who simply refuse to attend school, typically for mental health reasons. What to do about the problem is a hotly debated political issue, and let's leave it at that.

Subtext: This is how the culture of secrecy and solidarity against outsiders work at schools like this. Everyone is abused, everyone participates in abusing younger students, and everyone is told to shut up about it. Every house guards their "secret" initiations to outsiders, to foster loyalty to each other, to your house, and to the school. It's cult behaviour 101.

Cinematography: The show does it's usual trick with the sound design where all outside noise disappears as Simon and Wilhelm retreat into their little bubble, but there are still people in the frame this time, even though we can't hear them, because this time they're snogging in public. Oh, and everyone needs to update their colour theory, new colours dropped, pink and orange, what does it all mean??!?

Blink and you miss it: The list of activities for the point hunt includes:

Tattoo "Hillerska 4-life" on your arm.

Take a selfie at the back of a police car.

Give someone a buzz cut.

Dance the balloon dance in public.

Sext a teacher.

Get a piercing somewhere.

Blink and you miss it: I love Vincent so much, he's just the worst. Oh, and it looks like he's wearing a $2000 Valentino sweater, but I'm not 100% certain.

Subtext: Neither Ayub nor Rosh agrees with Simon when he says he's gonna reply to idiots online, but unfortunately they're not telling him off, because that would lead to less drama in the season.

Blink and you miss it: Ayub and Rosh are talking about going on a hike to Talludden with their school, Marieberg, which is why we're gonna encounter them out in the woods in the next episode. Spoiler alert!

Subtext: Wilhelm puts up the first stanza of a poem by Karin Boye called The Shield Maiden. In English, the poem goes: I dreamed about swords last night. I dreamed about battle last night. I dreamed I fought by your side armoured and strong, last night.

Blink and you miss it: Wilhelm's desk has a ton of stuff, but he's also kept the broken frog prince snowglobe, and he's still got Erik's lighter and cigarette case from season 2.

Lost in translation: The comment in Swedish uses the word "bögar", which isn't quite as offensive as "fags". However, it's more offensive than "gays", so I understand why the subtitles went with this choice. It's one of those words that is offensive or not depending on context, and it's certainly offensive in this one.

Subtext: The soundtrack is on point as usual, highlighting the animosity between Wilhelm and August.

Blink and you miss it: Someone ordered a Horse Girl Desk™ from the props department, and they sure delivered all the horsey things! The book is the Swedish edition of Not on a White Horse by Nancy Springer:

From the day twelve-year-old Rhiannon spots a lost white Arabian gelding in the woods near her small Pennsylvania mining town, her life finds a focus as she learns to deal with family problems and decides the direction her life will take.

As you do.

Subtext: As a throwback to season 1, this time it's Sara's turn to make a surprise visit at their dad's. He is surprised and starts cleaning up his place, but he seems to be in better shape than when Simon originally turned up. His place is just messy, there are no signs of drinking and smoking unlike last time we saw him.

Culture: Who goes to New York to suntan? No-one sane, but sun-starved Scandinavians get a bit of cabin fever after a long dark winter.

Culture: Fake IDs aren't really a thing in Sweden, you're allowed to legally drink at 18, and underage kids are much more likely to have an older friend or sibling or alcoholic parent buy them some booze for a private party instead. Sure, they exist, but equipping your friend group with a bunch of fake IDs to go clubbing is not how it's done.

Subtext: Simon drew a heart on Wilhelm's hand and suggested he get that as a tattoo. Wilhelm objected because he's "not allowed to" as a royal, but here he is, redrawing it on himself, almost as if he's toying with the thought, defying the rules.

Subtext: Simon doesn't know anything about the initiations since he's a lowly external student, and even though they're boyfriends, Wilhelm automatically tries to play it down. He knows it's true though, he doesn't question that, he just doesn't want Simon to know about it because it's humiliating to talk about it.

Cinematography: A++ Main Villain Entry Walk.

Culture: The Swedish Schools Inspectorate is a very real government agency that has the very real power to shut down schools that are mismanaged in any way, either academically, or socially.

Culture: Just a quick reminder that every single third-year student is 18 or 19 years old at this point in time, and therefore they are legal adults, which means the school has less authority over them. However, since it's a boarding school, they can enact and enforce regulations for boarders, and kick them out from their houses if they disobey the rules, which effectively kicks them out of the school while technically not doing that.

Cinematography: I love the camera angle here where we just about see Vincent giving Wilhelm the evil eye for indirectly causing this.

As a closing note, this season felt a lot less subtexty to me, compared to previous seasons. On the other hand, a recurring theme now is the airing of secrets, of exposing the systems that create toxic environments like this, so in line with the theme, a lot of characters are voicing things that were left unsaid in previous seasons.

#young royals #young royals subtext #young royals analysis #young royals season 3

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juleswrites223 · 2 months

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The Fateful Encounter

Season 1: Episode 1

Context: The duo (Carlos & you) meet a scared Charles at superstore, alone. They help him and take him back to their safe house where he joins them. While Charles' younger brother, Arthur gets rescued by a certain Dutch.

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“Come to daddy.” You say as you bash a zombie’s head in with your beloved barbed baseball bat.

“Daddy?” Carlos says bemusedly, you raise your eyebrow in question as he clarifies further, “thought it’d be mommy no?”

“Just said what felt right, ya know in the moment.” You explain your choice of wording.

This is the type of mundane conversation you miss. The situation is far from normal but being with Carlos and talking to him makes it a bit more normal. You’re grateful, for any type of normality to be honest. Being stuck in a zombie apocalypse is far from ideal.

You and Carlos are responsible for grocery runs, getting foods for the week and anything medical that we come across that can potentially aid you. You have a routine, once a week you and Carlos equipped with guns and weapons go to the grocery stores in the city and raid it to get rations for the week. It’s risky and you rarely encounter someone who isn’t the walking dead until now.

“Wait, I think I heard someone crying.” You say cautiously to your partner.

“It’s probably one of those monsters.” Carlos says ready to shoot them if they approach the currently barren superstore.

You go over to the cashier’s counter and peek underneath it and see a man in his mid 20s, asleep yet lightly crying.

“Carlos! Come here quick.” You say urgently as your eyes widen seeing the alive man under the counter.

Carlos comes to you and you both share a look. This man is clearly alive and well, you know you need to help him so you decide to wake him up.

“Hey wake up.” The man murmurs a bit, still not waking up so you decide to slap him and he jolts awake.

“Good to see you’re not a zombie.” Carlos jokes to show that that duo means no harm.

“Hey you okay? What’s your name?” You ask him.

“I’m Charles, please I need your help.” The man babbled hurriedly.

"Hey hey calm down we'll help you. We have a safehouse, outside the city, it's pretty safe there. You can come with us." You console the trembling man.

Charles quickly hears the groaning from a zombie approaching the store. As he fumbles with gun in his hands, Carlos takes the bat from your hands and quickly walks over to the zombie and bashes its skull in with the bat until the zombie is completely dead.

"Let's go before more arrive." You tell the boys.

You guys finish your grocery run and get in the car with Charles in tow. While Carlos is driving, you turn around, lean your head against the seat and ask to Charles who seems lost in his own thoughts, "I meant to ask this earlier, but were you by yourself?"

This seems to bring him back to reality. "Um well I was separated from my little brother a while back and just been trying to find him since." Charles mutters sadly. You feel a pang of sadness hearing this, being separated from family, not knowing whether they're even alive or dead is upsetting so you don't blame him for being despondent.

"I hope he's alive and well" Is all you can offer as a comfort response while Carlos' dark eyes focus on the road and the sun beyond it which seems to be setting.

After a hour, they arrive at abandoned cabin near the woods, the chain link fence is tall, enough to ensure no zombies come through. As the car is parked, you take the ammunitions bag while telling Charles to pick up the bag containing food stuffs.

"This is the place to be if you want to be safe." You brag about the safe house.

"Is there anyone else with you guys?" Charles asks, clearly impressed with the safe house and wondering if you both are the only people here.

"Ustedes han vuelto (You guys are back)." An older man, clearly spanish, calls out, as he walks over to where you all are standing with a German Shepard in tow. "I see you met someone, ¿Está todo claro? (he all clear?)." He asks as he scratches his chin and tilts his head as if trying to figure out Charles.

"Sí, lo revisé, sus signos vitales parecen estar bien y no tiene fiebre ni marcas de mordida. (yeah i checked, his vital seem okay and no fever or bite mark)." Carlos replies back in spanish while Charles wonders what they are talking about.

"Uh Charles this is Fernando, he's the one who actually rescued me. Don't worry he's not as grumpy as he looks." You introduce the monegasque to the older spanish man.

"Good to meet you sir." Charles replies.

"Sir? See you brats, that's how you should refer to me. Good to see another person who isn't muerto (dead)." Fernando chortles as he slaps Charles shoulder as everyone walks inside the house.

"You are a part of our crew now." You gush to the man as you wrap an arm around his shoulders.

"But you're gonna have to learn how to handle a gun if you wanna survive. I'm gonna teach you tomorrow so be ready at dawn." Carlos says.

“Carlos is an amazing teacher so worry not.” You comfort Charles noticing his worried expression.

Meanwhile….

A certain Dutch is cruising the streets in his car. He has a certain goal in mind: to get enough food rations and medical supplies for himself. Goal achieved so now he heads back to his safe house. A certain commotion catches his eye and then he hears a gunshot. He knew this meant there was someone alive trying to hold their own against these zombies.

He quickly goes towards the sound and sees a young man perched on top of a caravan with a sniper rifle. He scanned the surroundings and notice there were a few zombies around, not many to be consider as a hoard so he quickly took his weapons and fought off the few zombies and helped the young man come down.

“You okay kid?” Max asked the terrified 23 year old boy.

“Thank you for helping me.” He says breathlessly.

“No problem, I’m Max, what’s your name?” He asks the boy as he leads him to his car.

“I’m Arthur.” He replies, pausing before the car looking hesitant.

“What? Car not to your liking?” Max jokingly asks noticing the boy’s hesitation.

“No no nothing like that, it’s just that caravan seems useful, we should take it no?” Arthur says to the Dutch.

“Good thinking, can you drive?” Max asks the monegasque as he nods as a response.

As Arthur takes the caravan, Max instructs him to follow his car and they head back to his safe house.

Both Leclerc brothers are safe for now but they have no idea what the future holds in store for them. Will their new groups help them survive on this post apocalyptic Earth or will they succumb to the madness of becoming a zombie?

a/n: I am planning a whole series for this. I'll add you to the taglist if you want. I will release a few more chapters then make a masterlist so stay tuned. Enjoy!!!

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