i really really hate when people water down mari’s perspective of shauna to just “beef”. look at how mari bends to authority over the seasons and how quickly she changes her alliances. it’s a very smart self-preservation instinct. she sucks up to jackie in season one, then becomes lottie’s loudest supporter, then willingly follows nat. but shauna is the one person who you could say has influence and power that mari never submitted to. shauna, even violently and continuously antagonizing mari, never was able to gain mari’s support. mari never ended up following shauna, even when natalie was officially dethroned. except for when they go to find coach ben- mari’s hesitant, not sure of whether she’s making the right decision. it looks like she’s leading the girls on a wild goose chase while she makes up her mind- but the thing that finally pushes her over the edge isn’t natalie’s approval, it isn’t lottie’s insistence, it’s shauna. shauna shows mari just the smallest bit of softness and approval and mari folds immediately. mari was never desperate for shauna’s approval, but when shauna showed it, it swayed mari with little to no hesitation. that one moment is so important to their dynamic, i think. mari does not truly hate shauna and shauna does not truly hate mari. shauna is just taking out her hurt on the closest possible person and mari’s rightfully retaliating.
