#I AM SO READY FOR S3.. MY MIND WON'T STOP

[cheeekycharchar]

AN ANGEL ON A MISSION

I just realized what Michael Sheen's face was doing during the end credits and OMFG he is beyond amazing! *o*

I already did an indepth analysis on why Aziraphale acted the way he did after that heart wrenching kiss scene.. but it wasn't until @charlotteharlatan post about the Nightingale song on the car's radio could have been that got my brain into a tizzy.

"Many people, meeting Aziraphale for the first time, formed three impressions: that he was English, that he was intelligent, and that he was gayer than a tree full of monkeys on nitrous oxide. Two of these were wrong."

Many people paint Aziraphale as this gullible innocent character but don't forget.. he is highly intelligent. Completely traumatized by his past abusive relationship with Heaven but intelligent.

When Metatron told him of their Second Coming plan.. how quickly he put things together before stepping onto that elevator. He turns toward Crowley to give him one last look and heads up to Heaven.

And for the next minute.. we watch as Michael Sheen micro-contorts his expression through the stages of grief.

Shock from hearing Heaven's plans for the Second Coming. Anger for realizing what he was just tricked into doing. Despair for what he gave up when he thought he was making the right choice. And then reorganizing his thoughts and acceptance of his current situation. And that final smirk.. ;) oh.. OH! That is the face of an Angel on a mission against Heaven. And he's already made up his mind. Stop Heaven's plans (again). Get revenge on them for forcing him into this situation. And of course, to get his Crowley back.

GO S3 is gonna be INSANE :D

[octoberclidan]

I Don't Want You to Leave

Request: Can i request Dean or sam Winchester x f!angel reader, where she comes to help him (s3-4 based) and he just gets to attached to her so he purposely gets her to help him, and she ends up staying permanently 💕

Pairing: Dean Winchester x Reader

Masterlist

Story:

"Angels don't exist", Dean scoffed at the woman who stood in front of him and his brother. She had just single handedly killed three demons; two with a silver blade and one just by touching his forehead. "So I'm gonna ask you one more time, what the hell are you?" He had his gun pointed at her, as did Sam, but she didn't seem phased by them.

"I already told you, I'm an angel". She glanced between the two brothers. "Usually I would've introduced myself as an angel of the Lord, but I no longer wish to be associated with him".

"So what, you're a... a fallen angel?" Sam asked, frowning at her but keeping his aim steady.

"No, not yet at least", she said as she wiped her blade and tucked it into the inside of her coat. "My brothers and sisters don't know that I'm here, and they won't be happy when they find out, so I suggest we go somewhere more private to talk. I'll meet you at your motel room". She vanished in front of them, leaving the two Winchesters extremely confused.

"What the hell was that?" Dean asked, walking over to the space where she had been standing and waving his hand around in the empty air.

"Did you see how she burned his eyes out with just her touch? And her blade acted just like Ruby's knife", Sam said, lowering his gun. "This is big, Dean".

"It has to be some sort of demon", Dean said. "And it's in our motel room", he shook his head as he began to walk towards the Impala. Sam caught up to him and the two of them got into the car.

"Why are you so convinced that she isn't an angel?" Sam asked as Dean started up the engine.

"Because they don't exist".

"How do you know?"

"How many hunters do you know who've met an angel? Don't you think that if they existed we would know before now?"

"Yeah but Dean.. you made a deal to go to Hell. You literally have two weeks left, so if Hell exists, why not Heaven too? Why do you believe in one and not the other?"

"Demons, Sam!" Dean was getting fed up with him now. Being so close to being dragged to Hell had him on edge too. "We've dealt with demons. We've killed them, we've seen them with our own eyes. We've dealt with Hellhounds, we know Hell exists".

"I'm just saying, maybe have an open mind about it. Maybe she can help, she killed those demons, so maybe she knows a way to undo your deal while keeping me alive too".

"Sam", Dean sighed. "I'm not messing with the deal. If I do something to save myself and it kills you in the process... no. I'm not taking that chance. And neither are you". Dean was firm with his statement. If doing anything to his deal had a chance of undoing it and killing Sam again, he wouldn't be able to live with himself. He wouldn't stop until he could find another way to make the same deal again. "We need to find Lilith, Bela told us that she holds the contract to all deals. She's the only one who we can try to end the deal with".

It was only a short drive back to the motel that the boys were staying in. They both had their guns at the ready as they walked into the room. Their eyes were immediately drawn to the sigils that covered the walls, and the woman that was sitting patiently on the bed. "What's all of this?" Dean asked, keeping his eyes trained on her.

"Warding, against angels. I don't want them listening to us. You can put your guns away, they won't hurt me anyway, and I'm not here to hurt you".

"You'll forgive us for being a bit cautious", Dean smiled sarcastically at her, his gun kept pointed straight at her, though Sam let his drop a bit.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Sam asked from behind Dean.

"My name is [Y/N], and I am here to help you", she said.

"We don't need your help", Dean snapped at her. "I sure as hell haven't prayed to anything".

"Aren't you scheduled to be dragged to Hell in two weeks? Have you found a way to save yourself?" She asked.

"Wait, you can stop that? You can stop the deal?"

She was about to respond to Sam's question, but Dean cut her off. "Bullshit. We've looked into everything. There is no way to end the deal without risking Sam's life, and I'm not doing that".

"There is", she said, matter-of-factly. "It's not very straightforward, but it's possible. Sam will be in no danger", she assured him. At this stage, Sam had tucked his gun back into the waistband of his jeans, but Dean hadn't moved.

"Why? Why help us?"

"Heaven has a plan for you, Dean. You too, Sam", she looked between the two brothers. "I want to put a stop to their plan, and the only way to do that is to stop you from torturing souls in Hell". She stared at Dean as she said this.

"Torturing souls? Sweetheart, I think the whole idea of me being dragged to Hell is that it will be my soul being tortured, not me doing the torturing". He shifted slightly and readjusted his grip on his gun. "What exactly is Heaven's 'plan' for us? Why are they interested in us?" He had to admit, she'd piqued his interest.

She sighed, and stood up, walking over to the window to glance behind the closed curtain. "You're the first seal", she said. When both brothers raised an eyebrow at her, she continued. "Heaven wants a fight between Lucifer and Michael. It would mean almost certain destruction of this world".

"Lucifer? Michael? As in archangels?" Sam asked and she nodded.

"Yes, Lucifer has been trapped in a cage in Hell for a very long time. He will need to be released in order to fight Michael. In order to release him, a number of seals must be broken. There is one that needs to be broken first, and that is where you come in, Dean", she turned to face fully. "The first seal will be broken when a richeous man sheds blood in Hell".

"Well, there's your problem solved. I wouldn't do that". Dean gave her another sarcastic smile but [Y/N] shook her head at him.

"You would. You're strong, Dean, but time works differently down there. You'd hold on for years, decades even, but eventually even you will break. They'll tear you apart every day, just to build you back up again and start over the next day. They'll torture you tirelessly without a break until you crack. They'll offer you an out; no more torture for you if you become the torturer. You will accept it, it would only be a matter of time".

"Okay, okay, well even if that's true, you said there are a number of seals, so we could just not break the second one".

"It doesn't work like that", she sighed. "It doesn't need to be you who breaks the rest of the seals, they just need you to break the first. There are over 600 different seals, and Lilith only needs to break 65 after the first is broken. You couldn't possibly predict which seals she will go after and when, especially not when the angels in charge want her to break them".

"Lilith?" Sam asked. "We've been trying to track her down to undo Dean's deal".

"She won't undo the deal. She needs Dean to go to Hell to break the first seal". She walked over to Dean and gently lifted her hand to rest on top of his gun. She looked him in the eyes as she lowered his hand, and, surprisingly to Sam, he let her. "Let me help you". He studied her eyes for a long moment, looking for deception, or any sign of ill intent, but he saw only genuineness. He sighed, and looked back to Sam, before shaking his head, almost in a last attempt to shake off the new hope she'd given him, before he looked back at her.

"Fine, but I still don't trust you".

***

"Who are you texting?" Sam asked from opposite Dean in a small diner in the middle of nowhere. They were light on work at the moment and had taken a 'lead' that was literally just a newspaper article about three men who'd gone missing in a town that hadn't had a missing person case in over twenty years. There weren't really that many people to go missing though, the town was tiny.

"Hmm?" Dean hummed, still focused on texting while waiting for his food.

"I asked you who you're texting, you look like you're concentrating very hard", Sam chuckled.

"[Y/N]", Dean said back, almost dismissing Sam like he was a pestering child.

"[Y/N], huh?" Sam smirked and Dean glanced up at his teasing tone just in time to see it.

"Yes, she is an angel, she managed to stop the apocalypse, so maybe, just maybe, she can help us when we're at a dead end".

"Mhmm", Sam nodded, pretending to take his brother seriously. After [Y/N] had saved Dean from his contract with Lilith while keeping Sam safe and stopping Lucifer from escaping in the process, Dean had caved in and finally accepted that she was an angel. He couldn't really deny it after she'd shown off her wings either. He'd been finding reasons to call on her for several weeks now, and Sam had a strong feeling that he liked her for more than just her ability to help them out. She was an angel, she couldn't be killed on werewolf or vampire hunts, ghosts couldn't hurt her, curses didn't affect her. Dean didn't have to worry about her, and that was a first for him. He also didn't have to worry about Sam as much, as [Y/N] never showed any hesitation in healing either of them even though they'd never asked her to.

"Hi Dean", her voice slightly startled the two Winchesters, they still weren't used to her just appearing out of thin air. "Sam", she smiled at Sam before sitting down beside him, looking across the table at Dean who was in the middle of a text message. "I thought it would be more efficient to speak in person".

"Uh, yeah, hey". Dean's cheeks blushed a light pink, and Sam was finding it difficult to disguise his chuckle as a cough.

"There's no case here. The three men who went missing left of their own free will".

"Really? Was it connected somehow?" Sam asked, angling himself to face her.

"Yes... the three men are together. They didn't want the judgement of their families and friends, so they left to find a larger city where they could have some anonymity and live in peace".

"Together... like, together together?" Dean asked, raising his eyebrows at her.

"In a relationship together, yes". She confirmed and Dean whistled, leaning back in his seat, no longer on the job.

"Case closed I guess", he shrugged. "What are you up to? Are you busy?" He asked, trying to sound casual as he attempted to lean his arm on the back of the seat, but ended up awkwardly having to put it down again as he realised the back rest was too high up.

"No, I'm not busy. Since ruining the chances of setting Lucifer free, the angels have lost interest their plans and are just doing their own thing. There's a lot of disorganisation at the moment, a lot of angels are wandering around earth for the first time or exploring other worlds. Luckily there are some who still care for Heaven and the souls that reside there, but I have no purpose anymore".

"That's a bit... depressing. Are you okay?" Sam asked and Dean leaned forward, a look of concern on his face.

"Yes", she said, looking between the two of them. "I'm fine".

"Well... if you're not busy, why don't you stick around? We'll be looking for a new case now, you could help us, work with us", Dean suggested, and she took a moment to think about it. He studied her face as she looked away from both of them, weighing her options. She was pretty, anyone could see that, but there was something else to her. He couldn't explain how, but she looked pure, and good, and he couldn't help but be drawn to her. He didn't realise he'd been subconsciously leaning forward to get closer to her until he lost his balance and had to slam his hand down on the table to stop himself from falling over. Everyone in the diner looked towards them at the noise, and Dean's embarrassment was extremely apparent on his face as he cleared his throat and mumbled something to himself.

"I think what Dean is trying to say, is that he'd like you to stick around more", Sam said, earning himself a kick in the shin under the table from Dean.

"Is that true?" She asked him, and he swore he recognised a glimmer of hope in her eyes.

"Yeah... just if you want to I mean".

"I would", she nodded, and the conversation fell silent. After a moment, the boys' food arrived at the table and [Y/N] stood up. "I have a few things to take care of, then later I will meet you at your motel room and we can look for a case". Before giving either of them a chance to respond, she was gone.

Dean smiled to himself and started to dig into his food, only looking up to catch Sam smirking again. "What?" Dean mumbled through his full mouth.

"You'd swear you'd never seen a girl before", Sam laughed. "What was that? You were acting like a fourteen year old on his first date".

"Shut up", Dean shook his head at Sam. "She's not a girl". He watched as Sam raised an eyebrow at him. "I just mean she's not a girl that I'd hook up with, you know, like in a bar or something. She's a literal angel, she's not even human, how exactly am I supposed to act around someone like that?"

"I'm just amused that you've gone from calling her something to someone".

"Yeah, well, you'd be hosting Lucifer and I'd be hosting Michael and we'd be fighting each other to the death if it wasn't for her, so I think she's earned the upgrade".

***

After they'd finished their food, they headed back to their motel room to pack up their things and wait for [Y/N]. Sam decided to head out and get some new supplies, since they didn't know how far they'd be travelling for their next case. He left Dean behind with his laptop, giving him strict instructions that it was only to be used for hunting purposes. It wasn't long after Sam left that [Y/N] showed up in the room beside Dean.

"Hi Dean", she said, causing him to jump in his seat slightly, shutting the laptop down a little too hard and little too quickly.

"You have got to start knocking", he said, turning around to face her.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm still getting used to all the various customs", she said, sitting down on the edge of one of the beds. He didn't know if she noticed how often he blushed around her, or if she just assumed that he permanently had pink cheeks and just hadn't commented on it.

"Well, if you hang around with us more, you'll get the hang of things in no time", he smiled at her. "Uh, we don't really have much here to offer you, unless you want to get take out or something? I don't mind driving somewhere to pick up something if you're hungry".

"I don't need to eat".

"Oh, yeah. I forgot, sorry". The room filled with silence as they sat there looking at each other. Dean wasn't used to being lost for words, or not knowing what to say. He wasn't used to being so nervous around someone.

"When Sam said that you'd like for me to stick around more, is that just on cases? If so, I can come back when you find one", [Y/N] said as she stood up from the bed.

"No", Dean immediately stood up from his chair and took two steps towards here so he could grab her arms, afraid that she would disappear again. "Sorry", he said as he realised what he was doing, and let go of her. "God, Sam was right. I promise you I'm not usually this awkward or weird".

"Why are you so nervous?" She asked as she placed a hand on his chest, feeling his heart beating quickly. He covered her hand with his, and he suddenly felt much calmer.

"Because you make me nervous", he said, looking down at her.

"I don't intend to".

"I know. You just.. you're so different to anyone I've ever known. You're able to heal people, you can teleport, you're so strong and beautiful and you rebelled against everything you'd ever known just to save people when so many of us didn't even deserve it".

"You think my vessel is beautiful, you don't know what my true form looks like. You and Sam deserved to be saved, and so many others too".

"No, it's not just your vessel. I think you're beautiful". He curled his fingers around her hand to hold it, and grabbed her other hand to pull it up to his chest too. "It's the effect you have on me, your desire to help those who need it, to heal, to protect, to fight. I think about those who don't deserve to be saved, you think about those who do. That's what makes me nervous, you're almost too perfect to be real, and I don't deserve someone like you in my life. I'm not good enough to have you, but I don't want you to go anywhere, I don't want you to leave".

She didn't know what to say to him, no one had ever spoken to her like that before. She slowly leaned up onto her toes and kissed his cheek, watching as his eyes closed and he breathed out a sigh of relief. When she stood back down, he opened his eyes and looked down at her again. Before he could risk her disappearing in front of him, he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. It was a gentle kiss, both of them a bit unsure, both of them cautious. He broke the kiss and leaned his forehead against hers. "I don't want you to leave", he repeated.

"I won't. I'll stick around".

The end

Dean Winchester taglist: @123passwort @janineb86 @k-slla @lyarr24 @candy-coated-misery0731 @jackles010378 @hobby27 @pizzagirlxnsfwx @itburnslikehelltobevega @queenie32

[tiodolma]

Morgana as an Insurrectionist, Merlin as a Failed Negotiator, and the Dehumanization of Radicalized Rebels

okay.

definition first

in·sur·rec·tion

The act or an instance of open revolt against civil authority or a constituted government.

Morgana is an insurgent/insurrectionist, okay? She's basically a rebel in the "I will revolt against the government" kind of way.

Morgana is that bright smart self righteous and privileged kid that got whisked away by rebels into the mountains. One year in isolation with a loved one who has an Agenda is long and significant. That kind of thing brainwashes and radicalizes people.

Moreover Morgana have seen the injustices first hand and close to the source. She has been persecuted for it too.

So Its really not surprising that she came out as an absolutist/extremist and ready to overthrow the government with any means necessary.

It does get me thinking tho. Insurrectionists are usually people that have been deeply hurt by a country’s systemic injustice. These guys have seen no other solution to their problems other than to take up arms.

In my country, the govt offer amnesty to people like that to get them to stop. Insurrectionists are encouraged to surrender and lay down their weapons while the govt hears their demands and grievances and help them by

offering support and assistance (financial, legal, medical)

basic education, etc.

not jailing them

giving them freedom

forgiving past crimes as long as they dont go back to being insurgents

Bottomline is you don't expect people like these to just offer themselves up for the government or "good of all." There has to be a "give and take" agreement that will benefit both parties. The government has to make sure former insurgents' lives improve after they lay down their weapons. The government has to make sure that insurrectionist won't have reasons to take up arms again.

And it works! (this is from the official military report from my nation)

That’s what bothers me about Merlin and Morgana in their crypt scene in S3 Tears of Uther Pendragon Part 2. He was in the position to negotiate with her. His own previous choices propped himself up for that position. She is his responsibility now.

As I said, Merlin was in the position for peace talks/ to provide amnesty. The crypts were their negotiating table. REMEMBER He cannot bargain with an insurrectionist like Morgana and just tell her to “be good” while not offering something up in return. Negotiation is not a one way street .

Morgana's life was hell in Camelot, remember? She wanted a better life. She wanted a better Camelot. But Camelot was not ready for her.

MERLIN Morgana, please. I beg you. Women and children are dying. The city will fall.

MORGANA Good.

MERLIN No, you don't mean that.

MORGANA I have magic, Merlin. Uther hates me and everyone like me. Why should I feel any differently about him?

MERLIN You of all people could change Uther's mind, but doing this? Using magic like this will only harden his heart.

MORGANA You don't have magic, Merlin. How could you hope to understand?

MERLIN I do understand, believe me. If I had your gifts, I would harness them for good. That's what magic should be for. That's why you were born with these powers.

In that tense conversation with Merlin, Morgana already laid down all her cards on the negotiating table.

"I have magic Merlin"

"Uther hates me and my kind"

"Why should I care about the citizens of Camelot who will just want to see me killed?"

"They should just die because they'll only stand there and watch and agree if I get burned in the pyre"

"I am scared Merlin"

"Should I be executed for what I am? I am an outsider here! Yet this is my home!"

"I just wanted to live in freedom"

--> All valid arguments by the way. Remember, Morgana has been heavily radicalized. She is thinking in extremes. Yet!!!! she was being vulnerable here despite being on edge and on a war path.

Morgana still gave time for a diplomatic talk. She was willing to hear him out. this is important.

She asks Merlin

"You don't have magic, right?"

"How can you hope to understand?"

Merlin offers these to her in return:

"I do understand, believe me" the problem with this: ...dude was talking to a radicalized person. He cannot just use the words he said to her to get her to trust him in S1/S2 and leave it like that. She had already found someone else that she could trust better, Morgause, whom he knows that Morgana has been with for the whole year. This statement alone isn't enough.

"If I had your gifts, I would harness them for good. That's what magic should be for. That's why you were born with these powers." the problem with this: ...HEY MERLIN, The following uses of magic gets men, women and children SENTENCED TO DIE in camelot: 1)healing, 2)protection, 3)making life and work easier, 4)doing business with magic folk, 5)existing!

WHAT'S GOOD?

What's "good" to Merlin anyway?

is "good" continuously letting the tyrant king and his son live? is "good" being happy that arthur still doesnt understand the magical circumstances of his own birth? is "good" poisoning his own friend after she explicitly told him that she trusted him???

WE CAN SEE NOW JUST HOW UNCONVINCING MERLIN'S ARGUMENTS ARE.

We have to remember that what insurrectionists like Morgana want are concrete/tangible/workable solutions to their grievances. This was something Merlin could have given if he just had been braver and more decisive.

"Everything will be better once Arthur is King" won't cut it. There is no fixed timeline to this. Insurgents will not wait in patience and just watch as the system oppresses more people.

"We can find another way" WILL NOT CUT IT if he doesn't show what "the other way is." (if it exists)

JFC. They were already on the negotiating table, as negotiator, Merlin has to give everything he could offer as well.

I repeat, in order for a compromise to be achieved, both sides have to meet in the middle. Morgana was already doing this! She even warned him to run away while he still could! She had lain her truths, her vulnerabilities and grievances in front of him to be inspected and to be judged.

What does Merlin do? He still denies that he has magic. He refused to be vulnerable and admit the truth of himself to her. He wasn't meeting her on equal ground. He didn't want to compromise himself the way Morgana just did. That was the least he could do to be honest. He had to be accountable for his decisions and choices for Morgana to truly learn how to accept him back. The negotiation had become one-sided.

Let's be real despite his declaration of "We can find another way", Merlin never had an actual plan of action in order to bring magic back other than help Arthur be crowned as king. That's why he had nothing to offer to truly comfort Morgana other than the truth of his own self and a real apology from him.

Merlin refused to lay his cards on the table while Morgana had all of hers spread open. Merlin had backed down from his end of the bargain.

Understandably Morgana's response is "There is no other way"

Negotiations have broken. The initial peace talks have failed.

Edit 3/22/23: “everything will be better once arthur becomes king” may have worked for a bit IF Merlin actually laid solid groundwork for Arthur to accept magic (we know in s2 that this deffo didnt happen with how merlin lied to arthur about his birth in S2 Sins of the Father). In that case because his actions set him back, Merlin may have had to reveal to Morgana part of the beliefs of the magic-kind prophetic sect that he was working towards. That could have been “the other way” he was preaching to her about. Morgana would at least have understood him a little or at least seen his side of things. He never gave her that chance though. Moreover! If he had reveal this important information to her, he would still be on a time limit. This is important. Morgana would have demanded clear results on the soonest possible instance. Morgana would still have cause not to trust him fully, especially since to her, he is not a sorcerer like herself. With their history, Merlin would’ve still been on thin ice but it would’ve bought everyone more time. I repeat, well-trained, smart insurgents have a lot of gravitas already. They want concrete evidence that things will be better.

In my country when there is a failure in peace talks, the violence start again. Innocents are always the casualties when both sides never reach a compromise.

In the Adventures of Merlin world, Uther and Arthur's governments never stopped persecuting magic-folk, Everyone gets hurt when there are no changes in the system because insurrectionists will always use that as reason to take over the government.

Merlin was in prime position in the seat of government to inspire those changes within it. But since he hid his magic and his being The Lord Emrys, the injustice continues. This makes him complicit to the persecution. He has the power, you know? His magic could have been the ultimate bargaining tool. He could have done so much more if he stopped being a manservant and started showing his true self.

Hence why I think it was unfair for Merlin to keep expecting an insurrectionist like Morgana to return to "their side." It was unfair for him to expect that Morgana will not continue the fight that she deemed was Right.

They never reached a compromise after all. They never had other succeeding peace talks either. Morgana was an insurrectionist I repeat. A very Radicalized one. Negotiations should have been kept running. Peace talks should have been offered. Changes should have been made in the government. Both sides should hear each other out and offer something to the other.

BUT WHAT DOES MERLIN DO?

"IT'S HER CHOICE TO DO BAD THINGS. SHE'S BECOME EVIL SINCE SHE ISNT ON OUR SIDE. I WILL NEVER BE LIKE HER. SHE GAVE ME NO CHOICE."

DUDE. THIS IS THE PROBLEM The moment one puts people in categories such "good" and "evil" with no in-between, then they are turning absolutist. This is Merlin. He's completely become an extremist , albeit in the side of the government.

Morgana was an insurgent, i repeat A REBEL. She believes what she was doing was right. People should emphathise with that. Yes... put yourself in her place and i assure you, you'd probably want to kill everyone too. This is not genocide apologia, but genocides happen when people dehumanise others.

By the way. Morgana wasn't into genocide. She was an insurgent that used terrorism and government destabilization as response to the threat of genocide. She didnt really care who to hurt as long as lot of people got punished. She didn't care how as long as could take over the government. This is justice to her. "There is no other way"--> THIS IS WHAT EXTREMIST IDEALOGY teaches new recruits who have suffered under the injustice. THEY ARE VULNERABLE to ideas like these. Morgana's vulnerability had been effectively exploited by Morgause in that one long year in training with her.

I keep telling, you reader, Morgana's pain and choice of solutions did not come from nowhere. She demands justice. AS A BELOVED WARD OF THE KING (basically princess royal in all but name) she had begged, raged, pleaded with Uther, but nothing really happened, she even got punished and jailed for it! (“You of all people could change Uther’s mind”) Taking up arms is the only way she knows how now. Resetting the world where she rules over everyone is the only way she knows to fight now. This is what extremist idealogy looks like. This is what it does to those who are oppressed and most vulnerable.

The easy fix is to brand people like them as EVIL. They become the villains to society and must be eradicated, their kind is a stain to the perfect society and must be scrubbed. (doesnt this sound familiar? This is the normal reaction after all. Careful though, this can be used for propaganda as well. Fascist/Authoritarian governments always started with simple thoughts like this.)

The more honorable way to mitigate the conflict is to understand WHY THEY HAVE COME TO THAT SOLUTION and then WORK TOGETHER with the insurgent, not expect the insurgent to just return into the fold without question.

That's why no matter how awful a militant organization is, the government always try to negotiate and find ways to find compromise and offer diplomatic solutions. Sometimes governments seek the lower ranking members and offer peaceful solutions and amnesty directly to them (See opening paragraphs).

The essence of humanity is understanding the WHY.

I THINK THEREFORE I AM, descartes said.

What really happened in the show was that Merlin has given up on Morgana's Humanity. To him Morgana has been reduced mainly as "a threat to be eliminated."

He loved her once, man. He knew her inside out. She trusted him with her whole heart. But to him she had just become another head to be chopped off. He used her nightmares of Emrys against her. This was the woman he risked everything just to helped allay her fears once. I dont fucking get it. Morgana was nothing but a "shoot to kill order" to Merlin in S4. Merlin is supposed to be the paragon of Good. Well guess what. In the wake of his own extremist idealogy, he'll do atrocities, for the Greater Good, for Destiny.

I REPEAT

Insurgency isn't countered by dehumanizing the insurgents. When people strip radicalized rebels and even just dissenters, of their humanity, you'll end up with massacres sanctioned by the government. Please, I beg you. That kind of mindset will just create more insurgents (see Kara and Mordred). The cycle of oppression will never stop ("you will harden his heart"). Therefore the oppressive side must extend the olive branch of peace too. Negotiation is a two-way street.

But we know Merlin has become heavily radicalized himself. He's thinking in extremes. He firmly believes that he is on the side of Good/Right while Morgana is Evil/Wrong. He himself had discarded his own feelings just to do his Duty with Utmost Loyalty.

So NO. Morgana isn't more evil. In her head she is the on the "good side," while Merlin and co. are BAD. And she is justified in that mindset because she never got out of being Radicalized, nobody gave her the chance. Same as Merlin at the end.

If you give up on the humanity of another person, then you are just a monster yourself.

If you are in a position of power and continue to uphold the system that oppresses people/creates insurgents in the first place, then you are part of the problem yourself.

There was no hope for compromise any more. Peace talks would be impossible if either of the parties think the other is the Ultimate Wrong

WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENED NEXT

There was no end to the violence. Morgana kept attacking the system using so many methods of destabilization and Merlin kept defending the system by using equally sinister means.

They are both so powerful and destructive and good at what they do.

And they have so many dead bodies littered between them.

........

last thoughts. actually the adventures of merlin is such a good portrayal of how insurrection, destabilization and kingmaking works in a country. must be why i sympathise with morgana a lot. it's also why i enjoy watching merlin. this is the reality of the country that i live in.

kudos to the writers for these bits by the way.

[wearevillaneve]

Okay so based on all we know so far, do you think they’ll evolve Villaneve’s relationship, and if so, in what way?

In Laura We Trust. These are the four little words I've lived with for my emotional nourishment in the Long Year of Being Killing Eveless. By way of this week's Entertainment Weekly (a daily website,, but a monthly magazine) we received our first official look at the upcoming and final season and begetting as you might expect the fandom had...thoughts. My own thoughts are I am not worried, but I am concerned. Phoebe Waller-Bridge was the sun, moon, and stars and while Killing Eve wasn't birthed by PWB, she nourished it and allowed it to flourish into la grande ossessione we've all surrendered to. Waller-Bridge begat Emerald Fennell who begat Suzanne Heathcote who begat Suzanne Heathcote who begat Laura Neal and if that seems like a lot of begetting, it definitely is. Since then Killing Eve has lost altitude like a balloon leaking air as each season has been progressively more incoherent, maddeningly inconsistent, and hopelessly falling into bottomless sinkholes. What was once the most brilliant show on television has become a frustrating hot mess.

I think we are not going to get another fucking six-month time jump. This is good. I also think Jodie Comer knew something when she said in one of the post-S3 interviews, "I think they walk away" and S4 will open with Villanelle and Eve be going their separate ways (again?). This is not good. In fact, it totally sucks, @dayyneee. Maybe it's time to stop blaming the head writers. Maybe it's time to start blaming the one constant in the show beyond the actors, writers, its creator and certainly the fans.

Ladies, and Gentlemen, this is THE Architect. Sally Woodward-Gentle. Put some respect on her name, but she ain't no Aretha Franklin is she? Or don't respect SWG. It's not as though she will ever have to give a shit. She's running things her way. SWG isn't accountable to anybody. Our approval doesn't matter and neither does our disapproval. Same for your praise or damnation. If Jodie's getting paid and Sandra's getting paid, you had best believe before they do Sally is getting paid too, and much more. So what does SWG care about Villanelle and Eve finally arriving where they have been trying to get to for four seasons. Take your frustrated sapphic longing over to Gentleman Jack, Dickinson, or even low-rent Wynonna Earp for that sort of thing. We'll get there when SWG is ready. Or maybe we won't. So I'm more than a little worried and starting to be very concerned what head writer Laura Neal wants does not matter and what Kayleigh "We're Very Gay" Llewellyn wants does not matter, because keep in mind she already said writing KE meant she could not do some of the things she might want to because it's not her show.

"With something like Killing Eve you're working on someone else's baby. You might want things other people don't want. You're a cog in the machine, to an extent..." Wonder what might be that a queer woman might want on Killing Eve that other people do not want? Maybe some more queerness that is direct and isn't ambiguous? Maybe something other than yet another season of Villanelle and Eve split up and chasing after or running away from The Twelve just so they can end up back together for a few minutes in the final episodes? Fuck The Twelve. I don't give a shit about them and never have. But maybe SWG does and that is what matters. After all, at the end of the day, Killing Eve isn't Phoebe's show and it's not Sandra and Jodie's show and it's not really even Luke's show and it's certainly not our show. It's her show and if you don't like the direction it's taken, who's to bless or blame for it than Woodward-Gentle? So if you're feeling a bit...uneasy about getting our long-delayed and much-desired Villaneve Magic Moment, it might be you are probably not alone in feeling like we're getting further away instead of closer to it. That's something to be concerned and worried about.

In answer to your question, I don't know if we're going to get Villaneve Beginningame, Endgame, or any damn game at all. Not if SWG doesn't want us to have it and so far, and with all this babbling bullshit about Villanelle singing hymns and Eve putting those around her (who's left?) at risk, and blonde wigs and Villanelle in cardinal drag shit in a plot nobody asked for or wanted, I am very worried and very concerned we are going to go into Season Four even further away and not closer to what we want and what we deserve. The final season will either redeem Killing Eve or prove the first season was merely a lucky, happy accident that was never going to be repeated. Neal will either be the Next Best Thing to happen to the show or the Worst Thing Ever. I hope that doesn't happen, but am I worried and concerned that it might? Hell yes, because to this one fan's eye's we are getting further, not closer from what Phoebe said Killing Eve's main reason to exist was.

But at least now you know who to blame if you don't get it.

(illustration by chenckino)

[matan4il]

Your meta was a lot this time! (In a good way, I promise). I loved so many things about last night's episode but with no follow up to Eddie's thoughts after the Carla conversation in 413, it felt incomplete. I wasn't expecting much in progress for Buddie but I got my hopes up for breakup with Ana so I'm sure that's part of it. Anyway, you're meta gives me hope for next season still. Even if I need to manage my own expectations a little better.

Hi lovely! Awwww, I'm so happy it was in a good way! :D And I agree with you fully, I thought they would have a follow up for that conversation. I guess that since they knew they'd be renewed for a s5, they figured they'd do the follow up then (I can't believe they won't address it at some point, it's a whole ass elephant in the room with pink glitter and pink feathers on top that you just can't ignore). I wasn't sure we'd get an Eddie/Ana break up in 414, but I was (and still am) sure we will get it. It's just not a relationship built to last. And hey, managing expectations is HARD. Especially when the story's direction is so obvious. But I'm here for you, whenever you need to talk stuff, including expectations management! Sending you tons of love, hon! xoxox

(more under the cut)

(1/2) Hi! Sunny from the buddie discord here. First of all, tysm for the 4x14 meta, it was great as usual and I really needed that after that episode full of feels. I wanted to ask you something re Buck/Taylor: what do you think the writers are trying to accomplish with it? I said in the discord that I was afraid they were using Taylor as a "no homo" shield to compensate basically everything else about 4x14.

(2/2) I have the impression that they are staying on the fence as long as possible re Buddie, giving us lots of treats so we won’t jump ship while at the same time not compromising the support of conservative viewers. Do you think there’s another (hopefully better) explanation for Taylor as a LI, at this point? Any Crystal ball divinations for s5? Ty!

Hi Sunny, how are you, darling? I'm so happy you liked the 414 meta and thank YOU for the kindness! And I know, that finale was an emotional roller coaster, wasn't it? *hugs* And as for Taylor... Well, as an idea, LIs that aren't the show's endgame are usually brought in to teach the character something that helps them grow, so eventually they are ready to be with the person the show sees as endgame, or to just arrive in a place where they find their happiness. Or whatever other final purpose the show has in mind for them. I find it hard to believe the show sees Taylor as Buck's endgame as things stand now, but I do think she's at least got a personality, unlike Ana whose main goal for the time being seems to be to just get Eddie to date again after Shannon.

What's Taylor meant to teach Buck? For the time being, if we connect her criticism of him in 408 (that he has a need to be universally liked) and his behavior in 414 that made them progress (Buck choosing not to run after her), I'd think this is what running into Taylor again has given him so far. But I'm not entirely sure how they could progress with that, so I guess we'll get a better idea of what Taylor's meant to teach Buck in s5.

Is it possible that they brought her in for his "het cred"? So far, both Buck and Eddie have had exclusively female LIs. Which when we stop to think about it, that doesn't make either man straight... but to the average viewer, who doesn't stop to think about it, it does. So I'm not sure the show needed "het cred" so much as it needed to progress their romantic trajectory, since it was almost non-existent in s3. The show could be doing what you're thinking of, giving us Buddie crumbs to keep Buddie fans hanging in there without ever intending to follow through, but IDK. The end of 413 and so much of 414 felt like more than crumbs... That storyline with Eddie getting shot was emotionally built around Buddie. That wasn't a wink in the direction of Buddie fans, it was a whole damn conversation. So currently, I'm still optimistic. How do you feel about it right now? I'd love to hear from you (and others) how optimistic for Buddie (or not) you are at the moment... Lots of love, hon! xoxox

Me: * finish the episode * * stares in the distance * * Runs to read matan4il meta * After this episode, I feel like my soul has ascended to the astal plane. I mean, all my favorite tropes are condensed in one episode, how I am suppossed to react?! (It's like I was reading "Don't take my sunshine away" by Sevensoulmates, one of my favourite fics of all times). Just one more thing: AAAAAAAAHHHHHH! * incoherent screeches *

@roadnotsodark XD LOL this is so cute and so wonderful, full of positivity and enthusiasm and support, it's such a lovely ask! Thank you so much for sending this and know that I'm really glad to know that the ep made you that happy, and that my tiny bit of meta could contribute. I hope you're still riding this high, hon! ;D xoxox