#trent and paxton

[canigirl]

finished never have i ever and i fucking love trent and i love trent and eleanor’s relationship and i love trent and paxton’s friendship

overall i’m gonna NEED more trent content in s4

[bisexualbuckleyy]

i love that trent harrison is a stoner skater boy with exactly one brain cell who loves his friends, adele, and video games with equal levels of passion and wants to date the weird actress girl so bad that he gives her free weed and epically fails at water bottle flips in an attempt to impress her. truly the most character of all time.

[vani-is-typing]

Devi Vishwakumar's journey has been a wacky one with statistically there being more downs than ups for her, but I believe I don't regret being there for all of it.

Yes there were a shockingly stupid number of moments when I wanted to drown in a pail or choke myself or wished to be put into a medically-induced coma so I wouldn't have to deal with the sheer second-hand embarrassment that came from seeing her high school years play out before me; but these moments are also the ones that have kept me entertained and always anticipating for what will happen next season.

It's bittersweet to see the chaos of Devi's life, and that of her friends and family and foes, come to an end. It's also hopeful. I mean, if Devi can manage to figure her shit out, so can I.

Right?

[hamliet]

Never Have I Ever... Been So Grateful For a Show

Well, NHIE finished strong after the fourth season got off to a rocky start. The first three episodes were... messy, honestly, but then the story picked up steam. By the time we got to the final two episodes I was bawling pretty much the full way through.

NHIE also continued to flex its mature understanding of nuance, its appreciation for cultural differences, and its determination to keep its characters flawed and realistic. And including a game of Never Have I Ever in the finale? Fab.

All in all, it's a great ending to a great show. I loved it.

Ben and Devi

I've seen people complaining that the end relationship was predictable, or that Devi should be single, and kindly: no. <3

It fit Devi's character to end up in romantic love with someone, because the entire show has been about love for her. Love for her family, love for those who have died, love for her friends, love for her mentors, and yes, romantic love in all the aspects that entails (physical, intellectual, emotional).

The other thing that I think is beautiful about their relationship is that they both push each other in all these ways--physical (obviously), emotionally (Ben's final realization in New York was chef's kiss), and intellectual. They both get to go to their dream schools in part because of each other. Not only have they been pushing each other to excel since before the show started, but Devi helps Ben finish his schoolwork, and Ben encourages Devi to write that final letter to get into Princeton.

Ben's early acceptance to Columbia, which seemed a given given, well, his father and nepotism (I appreciated the show behind upfront about this), ultimately still almost gets sabotaged by his own repressing of other aspects of his life (which parallels Paxton, Blair Quan, and more, and isn't exactly new--see Ben's physical issues last season). This contrasts him with Devi, whose self-sabotage is always doing too much too suddenly. She's been trying so hard all along, but sometimes you need a final cheer to push you over the finish line.

Ben and Devi, Ethan and Margot

Ethan is dark!Ben. Margot is dark!Devi. On paper it's great.

Except... Margot was really, really annoying. I'm sorry, I found nothing remotely redeeming about her. Ethan at least served a purpose. The reason I think the first three episodes are so rough is that they focus on Margot but seem to not know what to do with her. But more about that later on.

Ben's speech about why he chooses to be with Margot in the first episode is well done and shows how much growth he still has to do. Because an essential part of love--of a mature kind of love and relationship--is that you are challenged to become a better version of yourself. Ben and Trent, in episode 2, shy away from this. Trent breaks up with Eleanor because he's afraid she'll break up with him, and he wants to do it first. Ben stays with Margot because she offers him superficial challenges, but nothing substantial in terms of his flaws.

That said, Devi making peace with Margot (numerous times) was narratively necessary because, of course, Margot's kind of a literary shadow (just not really well done). It also showed how much Devi's grown.

Trent + Eleanor

Trent's character is also really well done. That's how you deepen a comedic character. (Ethan was also dark!Trent in some ways; hence, Eleanor's crush on him.) Yeah, Trent's a stoner and not so bright. But, he loves Eleanor. He adores her, and he wholeheartedly believes in her. It's heartwarming to see.

I wasn't surprised they broke up early on, but was relieved they got back together. I think it was a funny inversion of what you'd expect, because El moving on to bigger and better things seemed like a natural progression. Yet, as the scene with El's mom showed... that's not what bigger and better is for Eleanor.

Yes, Eleanor still wants to grow. Yes, she still wants to be an actress and a director, and she's good at it.

But she doesn't want to leave her family and loved ones behind.

Eleanor knows what it's like to be left behind. And obviously it's not the same to leave a teenage boyfriend as to leave your own child like her mom. But, Eleanor ending up back with Trent was, frankly, narratively perfect for both their characters. Because Trent was helping her in her growth, and always had been from Season 3.

I also think they handled Eleanor's dreams and her complicated mother relationship well. The dream itself, even if it is far-fetched, even if it is unlikely to happen, is not bad. Pursuing it also is, in fact, positive (they paralleled this with Devi's dreams of Princeton). But, one of the best parts of dreams? Is the people you meet along the way, the people who cheer you on. It's a metaphor for life.

Paxton (and Lindsay)

Paxton's arc I think is one of the best in the series. I loved his journey from boy who was considered "hot guy" who sucked at school to the point where it was comic becoming a teacher. The episode where he helped Eric join the swim team was actually really powerful.

And, I didn't even roll my eyes when Devi told him he was an even better friend than boyfriend. On paper it's a cliche line, but it totally works within the characters' arcs (and of course the actors' portrayals!). Lindsay also seemed like much more than just a consolation prize to the guy who ends up outside the triangle--their relationship paralleled his with Devi, and quickly got me invested.

His final advice to Devi: "don't reinvent anything" also fits really well, because when Paxton at first refused to be Devi's boyfriend it was because Devi's image wasn't acceptable after the two-timing thing. Then, Devi's anxiety during their public relationship, the anxiety that actually ruined their romance, was because she didn't think she fit with Paxton or "made any sense" with him. But, she does fit with him. As a friend, and as herself.

Blair Quan + College

Blair Quan was also dark!Paxton--someone who lost themselves because they were always the Best in high school. The best student, the most popular. And then at college, everyone was the Best. And suddenly you're nothing.

The situation with Blair Quan was really realistic for how college can be for people, and in how the show (admittedly briefly) addressed the fundamental unfairness of college admissions. I work in higher ed, and... it's not fair. Nothing about it is fair. Professor Warner telling Devi outright that she "should have" gotten into all the Ivies actually meant a lot to me, because it's true.

For any readers of this who are applying to schools, there's a degree to which your merit matters, and there's a degree to which it's up to sheer luck. If they reject you, it's almost certainly not because you're not on par with other applicants. Hard work does not get you into prestigious schools. That's a lie. It gets you to a point, but it also gets a lot of other people to that same point, and then there is nothing at all you can do. It's up to luck.

Fab (and Addison. Kind of).

Fab's arc was interesting, but I feel like it peaked in season 2. I did like her conflict this season though, particularly with messing up about lying to Devi. The scene where she and Devi reconcile was beautiful, and the show handled it really well--giving empathy for Fab as for why she kept it a secret, while also pointing out that the lying was the fact greater problem than the initial applying.

The negative is that... I like Addison, but I wanted more. It kind of sucks that the queer character is the one whose romance doesn't come with two complex characters getting development. And sure, Fab isn't as important as Devi, Ben, or Paxton, but the fact that they wrote a compelling romance between Trent and Eleanor and gave Trent some damn deep character development despite him being a comedic character shows they were more than capable of writing a complex character romance for Fab. Addison is really just... kinda there, and we get no development for them at all.  Which sucks because I would like to have learned more about them! They had potential, especially as a parallel to Trent!

Nalini and Andres

Nalini and Andres were a little more out of left field... that said, Nalini clearly has a type! She likes guys whom she argues with first. I still preferred the hot doctor from Season 2, but that had less to do with Andres and more to do with the fact that I found Margot so irredeemably annoying. Still, I appreciated Andres' growth in realizing that he'd been spoiling Margot by catering to her every whim. This was itself a nice contrast to Nalini, who hurts Devi by being too hard on her.

That was especially a flaw in the early seasons, but Season 4 really showed how much Nalini has grown. She does mess up with her response to the college debacle, so her flaws are still there, but she's so much better than in Season 1. For example, Devi lashing out at her mom after she got deferred was irrational; Nalini really didn't deserve any of that, and yet Nalini still met Devi where she was at: with a chip salad, addressing her fears. It was heartwarming.

Even when Nalini then does mess up with the "stupid" comment, we know she didn't mean it in the same way Devi fears she did (that that's all she can be, rather than that yes, Devi did a dumb thing). When she comes to help Devi pack, it's genuinely heartwarming. I honestly think Nalini and Devi's relationship is one of the best in the show, if not the beating heart at the center of it.

Pati and Len

Now, Pati. Pati and Lens' relationship parallels Kamala's romantic drama--not just with Manish in Season 3, but also with Steve in Season 1. Pati is also very clearly where Devi gets her drama from, and I stan.

I also liked the parallels between Len and Pati and Ben and Devi. They are both Indian-Jewish couples, and Pati and Len's wedding of course marks a grand romance for them... and a grand romantic gesture for Ben, who arrives to tell Devi he loves her.

Kamala (and Manish)

Kamala's arc this season was good as well; I just wish we had seen more Manish than just in the finale. Still, at least Manish did have an arc in the previous season. Though, it was a nice twist to have Kamala's arc be not about romance, but about her career.

Where Art Thou?

I also missed some other side characters, like Rebecca Hall-Yoshida and Jonah.

Margot & Aneesa

The overall show was filled with callbacks to past seasons that were really well utilized, in that they showed the character's growth. Unfortunately, in one instance, this came back for the worse when they repeated one of their biggest writing mistakes from Season 2.

Devi is, simply put, absolutely not morally responsible for reporting Margot to have lied about her alibi for vandalism. Yeah, Margot ultimately didn't do it--but Devi didn't do anything wrong by reporting that. In fact, the principal should have actually done her job and checked the alibi with the teacher; it's like 101 common sense.

Clearly this is a callback to Aneesa (the episode even has Devi reclaiming the nickname "crazy Devi," which started there). However, the shame is that the writers didn't learn from how they bungled the Aneesa plotline, and they did. Here again they hold Devi responsible for something she frankly is not morally in the wrong for. The show also mentions the Aneesa incident and calls Devi "a liar and a bully" for it, but she objectively didn't lie? And frankly Aneesa bullied Devi more than Devi bullied her and was never called out for it.

While I think it's a flaw, it COULD theoretically work from a psychoanalytic theory in that really all that Devi can control is herself. She can't force others to do what she wants, even if it's unfair. And that's part of maturing is realizing that (and it's not the same thing as selfish focus). You can't control the world, even when it's unfair and even when other people are frankly wrong.

I did like more or less how Margot was resolved in the end; namely, that she was not there among Devi's friends at the end. I also liked that Aneesa did defend Devi in the final episode from someone mocking her about the Clean Sweep. It just would've matter more if Aneesa's actions had ever been addressed.

The Principal + Professor Warner

Also, while in general the show is great in its portrayal of teachers and satire of other teachers, the principal sucks and she's not actually funny. She acts like another teenager, but unlike some of the other teachers/adults who are framed well, she's framed as being more or less fine instead of with the critical lens of the others. And she isn't.

Professor Warner stands in stark contrast, because she is wise even though flawed. The principal is just... awful. I'd never liked her, but this season made me hate her.

The Therapist + Grief

Now that I've gotten my salt out of the way, let's end with a positive and a theme.

The therapist's final session with Devi in the penultimate episode--I bawled.

“When I first met you, you were a closed-off, angry little thing... But look at you. Look how far you’ve come. You faced your trauma, and you came out on the other side.” 

They used this to emphasize the show's main theme: grief. Despite how this quote makes it sound, the show doesn't actually frame grief as something to move on from. Instead, it's something that accompanies you.

Grief is like chasing a dream. Grief is part of life. It is love itself, but a painful part of it, and grief never, ever stops. You never "get over" someone's loss. You never stop loving them.

But, you learn to see them around you, and in you. In the dreams you planted together, like Devi's dad telling her about Princeton. In the loved ones you shared, like how Devi yells at her imagination of her father that he's not here, but then Nalini arrives to help her pack.

Just because someone's gone doesn't mean they stop influencing you, or stop being a part of your life.

There will always be moments of pain, like Devi in the final episode with the imagination of her dad. But, there will also be moments of feeling them again.

[rainparadefromhell]

The start of season 4 still makes perfect sense to me even if both Ben and Devi do some... questionable things. I think we're definitely on a path of much better communication and understanding of boundaries from both of them.

Don't be scared for this season, I think it really laid quite a solid foundation which they can and I believe will, only go up from.

I still stand by saying that Ben and Devi run into obstacles perhaps because their feelings for each other are quite deep and complicated therefore it will take time and effort to resolve their issues.

They need to go through this journey of maturing. They cannot skip it. It will take time and other people and maybe even a bit of distance but they will get there, I'm sure.

Like my friend @daydreamingandprocrastination said they will find out that it is not enough to simply talk to each other anymore. They have to actively work on their relationship and choose each other despite being in love because sometimes just having love is not enough. I find that that is a really realistic and smart choice the show is making.

[catty-words]

not to make every couple in the valentine's episode relate back to daxton (ben and aneesa) but this dialogue of trent's -

- feels like an obvious reflection, especially since it's a would-be breakup coming on the back of daxton's actual breakup. unlike devi & paxton, who were both looking for outside sources (i.e. the test) to confirm their compatibility and then ultimately fail as a couple, eleanor and trent are both aware that something feels off, yet approach the conflict with an entirely compatible theatricality. and being on the same page this way allows trent the space to be vulnerable and speak a truth that devi's also been struggling with: maintaining a relationship with someone who has had more practice than you can be intimidating.

yet, while devi lets that pressure force her deeper and deeper inside her own head, trent lets his go by sharing it with his partner.

when you consider all three relationship arcs for the episode - devi/paxton, ben/aneesa, and eleanor/trent - it interests me most that trent and aneesa get their moments of clarity and catharsis with the truth while devi is stuck watching her relationship crumble around her with very little agency.

as a lover of devi's season one arc, of course, i find it very telling that this reminder sits helpfully in the middle of the daxton downward spiral -

devi viewing paxton as a heal-all for her insecurities is doomed from the start because being with him does not fundamentally change who she is, and the fact that no one played along with her new identity as paxton hall-yoshida's rightful match - not shira, zoe, and carley, not eric with his gossip blog, not haley the helpful troll - in fact made her insecurities worse. the scrutiny only intensified her self-consciousness.

i do mourn daxton's right to a full season arc, but des honestly is such a natural and compelling follow-up to all this. he is completely unattached to sherman oaks high's social hierarchy, which gives devi the space to actually feel cool as someone's girlfriend, and he's indian, which gives her the chance to engage with an aspect of her identity that she mostly ignores.

basically - and i'm sure some of you can say it with me by now - season three is good because it's primarily about devi's identity and agency again.

[eyedancer7a]

Here we are 1 day till we see the final season of Never Have I Ever. I'm excited but also so sad that it's ending. I know it's going to be a rough weekend!

It's an amazing show that has brought to the forefront diversity in our society. Numerous cultures and ethnicities are represented in various settings. At the same time making us laugh and think about so much.

NHIE came out when our world was thrown in such uncertainty with COVID. It gave us time to focus on something other than the virus. It made me laugh and smile.

Family and friends are important and crucial especially during those hard times. We learn and rely on each other just like the characters on the show.

I can also say I have made many friends here on Tumblr. We love and support each other and our stan DAXTON. We are open to each other's questions, observations, rants, raves and overall love for this show.

They are even supportive when it comes to writing my first fanfiction. And I have a feeling that we are going to need more DAXTON fics to get it through it all. Yes I promise to finish it for my besties!

Thank you to @infinite-wanders @blunderbussmatterhorn @laurenkoenig07 @astraybrat @justmissg @deviipaaxton143 @a-lockman5 @seeyoumondaydevi @scorpio-smiles @tashas-life and @cupcakesandtv (the Queen of DAXTON FANFICS) for all your love and support through the past 3 years! Wish I had found you guys sooner when Season 1 came out. 😜🤪😉

No matter what happens on June 8, 2023, #DAXTON MOMENTS will be #OURS FOREVER❤️❤️❤️😍😍😍🔥🔥🔥🥰🥰🥰

WE LOVE YOU MAITREYI, DARREN, LEE, RAMONA, BEN, JAREN, MEGAN, POORNA, RICHA, RANJITA, NIECY, ADAM, SENDHIL AND JOHN

#CONGRATULATIONS ON AN AMAZING 4 SEASONS🎊👍🎉🙏👏🎊❤️🔥😭😉😜🥰💗😍

And a big thank you to all those who shared these wonderful and beautiful gifs to the Fandom! ❤️🙏❤️

[basiltonpitch]

trent harrison is the kind of guy who would talk to paxton about his feelings for eleanor and say some shit like "i'm horny for her, but like, in my heart"

[forasecondtherewedwon]

JEALOUS PAXTON PLEASEE

You got it, babe!!

“I saw it, dude!” Paxton insists. “I saw the note in her hand!”

Trent nods, pensive.

“You’re sure it said ‘one free boink’?”

“Well, yeah, man. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be so freaked out.”

“And remind me, my guy—why exactly are you so freaked out about the possibility of your ex banging little whatshisface?”

“I—” Paxton pauses. “I just… don’t like it.”

“Totally fair,” Trent assures him. “Besides, it probably said, like, ‘one free blink.’”

“‘One free blink’?” Paxton repeats skeptically.

“Yeah, or maybe ‘one free bonk.’ Dude, you’re lucky. She’s gonna whack the shit outta that guy’s head.”

send me a prompt about ANYTHING for one of these fandoms!

[edwinspaynes]

In all seriousness re: Ben, I will be forever salty that I projected and fleshed out this rich, nuanced character in him and then got slapped in the face with Generic Love Interest Ben in season 4 of the show. As in, terrible one-dimensional portrayal of the character in his flattest and most boring form. The show could have taken a million avenues with that character and his romance with Devi and chose "cardboard cutout she's in love with" instead. I've moved on from him and lowkey dislike him now, but it still feels like a slap in the face considering the time/energy I spent fleshing him out and examining his traumas.

[furoruisa]

[toongrrl-blog]

New chapter (with a warning), fasten your seatbelts

[novelswithariana]

Season 3 Episode 3

I just realized where I have seen Manny and Simon before. Manny is Special Agent Nestor Vertiz from FBI. He was dating Maggie. I loved him there. And Simon is Trent Harrison from Never Have I Ever. He was close friends with Paxton.

[rainparadefromhell]

I just love the way they hug. It always looks like they are trying to squeeze all of the love they have for each other into the other person. Hands down. Cheek to cheek. Devi pressing hard on Ben's back. Oh the buzz they give me.

[heycoyotegirl]

love how the message of season 4 was that you have to have extremely good grades and have gone to parties to be able to successfully adjust to university