The Layan and Mariam situation I feel is really a complex and layered issue.
Let me clarify by first of all there is no justification or excuse for what Layan, Ruqayya and Rania did to Mariam. None whatsoever. They beat her up and hospitalized her, nearly left her for dead without one ounce of remorse, they took personal entries from her diary talking about her struggle with her mental health because of these girls, they started a rumor that not only was she a lesbian but she was a predatory lesbian who assaulted Layan. I firmly believe Mariam was not in the wrong. Yes it’s a form of weaponized internal misogyny on her end, knowing at least the basis of the culture in which girls like Layan, Rania and Ruqayya are subjected too. But even what knowledge she did have I still don’t think she’s the villain because while her tormenters have lousy home lives… It’s no justification for their actions. They clearly didn’t care about her nearly dying, destroying her mental health and making a mockery of it. They were nasty and vicious, and they certainly deserved some comeuppance.
That being said without condemning Mariam, I don’t think Layan deserved what happened to her. I don’t believe any girl or woman deserves to lose their life due to an honor killing. Mariam didn’t owe Layan a thing, least of all her grace and mercy, and understanding. I also think it’s safe to say given her reaction in season 2 to Layan’s memorial… She may neer have even done what she did if she knew the severity of Layan’s home situation. She probably thought Hazem would do what Rania’s father did to her, and just beat her. I don’t think that’s unfair given they nearly killed her and left her there after they assaulted her.
Layan’s homelife isn’t an excuse, but I feel her comeuppance isn’t justification for how she was taken down. Because Hazem wasn’t furious with her for being a vicious bully. He was furious because he saw Layan as unclean, a disgrace to their family and culture. Even when nothing happened between her and Laif, it’s not good enough for Hazem, he sees it as a lie, a betrayal to the family, and religion, and there are so many complex issues given behind Layan’s sneaking around with Laif, and I don’t want to delve too far into this topic given I don’t know much about this culture, just from what I’ve absorbed learning.
Mariam though I feel was 100% justified with her actions. Hell she doesn’t even seem to know just what those consequences for Layan were. I can defend Mariam, but I can’t defend Hazem, and by saying Layan deserved what happened is in a sense defending Hazem.
I also fail to understand why Noaf, Dina and Rania didn’t explain how dangerous Hazem truly was. Mention he has a gun, and if Layan is caught, there was very much a real possibility he would kill her. In fact did kill her. She didn’t realize the severity of what happened until it happened. Honestly? I don’t fault her for that.
I got why she was fueled with revenge, hate and hurt, and just wanted justice. I felt it not being fair that everything that happened to Mariam, she was the one being lectured on being the better person than her tormenters, to rise above and let it go. I was infuriated for her while her so-called best friends dropped her like a hot potato and grew a conscience because Rania and Layan showed them an inch of humanity. The bar was literally in hell. I felt rage for Mariam seeing her besties being chummy with my tormenters.
I felt the unfairness of it all. Dina and Noaf were fine with their revenge plot until it didn’t benefit them anymore. Dina was always fake as hell the moment she dropped her best friend because of lies Layan spread. She knows Mariam, but ditched her and believed lies because everyone else was doing it. Noaf was fake as fuck too, but at least their was guilt in her turning her back on Mariam. Mariam’s words really got to her, as they should have. Honestly? Fuck Dina to the highest degree. She saw what those girls did to her and put her through. She is supposed to be her best friend but than is all of a sudden chummy with her biggest tormenters. Without even a hint of remorse or guilt. Hell she een tries to justify it by declaring her and Noaf as “good people” for being chummy and stopping the revenge on their end. Ending the plans is one thing, cozying up to them is quite another. Would it be so hard to say “I don’t want their to be any ill will towards us, but Mariam is our friend, and you tormented her. We’re not buddies, we’re just not going to let things escalate.
The thing for me too is this Rania, Noaf and Dina were all so terrible at explaining the situation to Mariam. If I am Mariam, all I’m hearing is my supposed to be best friends hanging with my tormenter and telling me to rise above it. It wasn’t like Layan, Ruqayya and Rania were tamer Disney versions of mean girls. They were vicious and monstrous to her. They destroyed her reputation, nearly killed her, and broadcasted her troubles for the world to see.
Even as I’m typing this out I can’t find one ounce of anger or disappointment with Mariam. Because if the worst thing in her mind would be for Hazem to rough up Layan after Layan nearly hospitalized her… I get it. I get that feeling of the injustice of not feeling vindicated. It’s just so built up nothing is going to take that away until that feeling of justice and karma are met. I never fully brought the “if you do this you are just as bad” bullshit moto. Because unless you’re making people who have never tormented you your victims, than you will never be as bad as your tormenters.
I don’t think Layan deserved to be killed, I don’t think Rania deserved to be hit by her father, I don’t think Ruqayya deserved to be shamed in the way she was shame. But I don’t fault the people especially Mariam for doing what they did. Their families owe them better. Mariam sure as hell does not, and at the end of the day I think that’s where I’m at. Rania’s, Layan’s and Ruqayya’s families were wrong. But Mariam didn’t owe them a damn thing. She deserved her revenge.
I’d also like to add a BIG FUCK YOU to flaky ass fickle friends once more. Because Mariam was ready to be done with it. She was ready to switch schools, and start new. Noaf and Dina convinced her to stay, and take down the mean girls, but then was like “lol nevermind, rise above it bestie, k bye!”
I am getting so tired of everyone hating Ginny and acting like she’s the worst person in the world, even worse than the abusive fuck Gil she had Austin frame for Tom’s murder.
Because here’s the thing, Gil is violently abusive. Yeah he hadn’t hurt Austin. Yet. He had him for a few weeks/couple months. And Austin hadn’t actually done anything to challenge him. We see in 3x09 that he isn’t just violent with Georgia. He gets violent with Ginny too. The way he grabbed her in public was terrifying, and thank God Cynthia intervened at that moment. If Gil is capable of doing that to Ginny in public for calling him out, than what would he do to Austin if Austin challenges him one day? And because Gil would have had him nearly 1,000 miles away there is zero way to protect him that far away. Because Gil would have become physically abusive with Austin too, and if he does? There is no way to protect him. Austin is 1,000 miles away with no one to run to.
We see from 3x06 that Ginny is scared out of her mind and breaking down because of Gil possibly hurting Austin. He is with a violent abuser and there is nothing Ginny can do about it. That fear for her brother is still in effect as the season goes on, especially in 3x09 when she finds out Gil is now moving Austin to Michigan which is nearly 1,000 miles away. So not only is this violent man taking care of her baby brother, but he’s also now moving him so far away. As I stated above it would make things for Austin so much worse.
And yeah it may seem like Ginny is being unfair to have Austin chose when she gets both parents. But the thing is that Zion isn’t a threat. He would never lay a hand on her nor does he have a history of violence making it possible he could.
Ginny is doing her best to stay afloat and save her mom and protect her brother at the same time.
Now I truly hope Austin gets a good father/father figure soon. Because Gil is not an option.
I hope that maybe at least Paul can put his drama with Georgia aside and be there for Austin. Because damn that kid really does deserve a good father/father figure. I also hope with Ginny being on part time custody with Zion that it can give Georgia more time to focus on Austin and therapy for the both of them.
When I think about the scene in 6x05 with Daniel and Johnny fighting after they stopped the Tory/Sam fight, the Miyagi line really is just intentional IMHO. Like the fact was that Daniel was right. The fight being finished would have been such a bad idea right now with the emotions and grief running through Tory. The fight was dangerous for both of them. Sam could have very much gotten hurt by Tory [again] but this time unintentional because Tory was letting the grief and anger fight for her. So Daniel is 100% right for not continuing the fight that day.
But the writers didn't exactly want Daniel to be right. They wanted us to empathize with Johnny's grief on losing his mom, and not actually ever dealing with his grief. It was manipulative on the writers part because there is good reason for that fight not to continue, but the writers couldn't give Daniel the POV to explain it that way. They had to give him the "it's not the Miyagi-do way" because they know it sounds pretentious. They don't want us to see both sides. They just want us to see Johnny's here.
Why Ginny Was Disinterested during the Max Conversation
I've seen many people just be confused as to why she was so stand-offish with Max in the finale. People blame it on Max's behavior from last season. But that makes zero sense as they made up and were close again since then. Here is something I noticed and went back too after it was pointed out.
Ginny gets home after Georgia is found innocent. She goes up to Marcus and they start talking, she wants to invite Max to play some Uno.
Marcus still mad at Max, mentions they are not speaking. Well rather he is not speaking to Max since Max never stops.
Ginny concerned asks why. Marcus lies/in denial tells Ginny that she's a rat, and told their parents he has a drinking problem.
Ginny concerned, asks if he does, Marcus denies, and says he doesn't.
Ginny confused then asks why Max would do that. Marcus tells her because it's Max, and she's dramatic and gets him in trouble.
Ginny seems unhappy and upset Max would do this.
I really think this is kind of what did it for Ginny. Before this moment she seemed to still want to be friends with Max and salvage what they had. But with Marcus being in denial/lying about Max, Ginny is kind of just over it.
I hope next season when Ginny finds out that Marcus actually has a problem, her and Max reconcile. Cause if this really is the case, this just makes me sad.
Listen, I’m a bit tired of seeing season 2 brought up when people feel bad for Max this season. Because yes her behavior was crappy for 4/10 episodes in season 2. That is true. But what is also true is she apologized to everyone, especially Ginny for her behavior. After Ginny calls her out and Max finds out she actually loves Marcus, she really acknowledges her wrong in this, and admits to being a bitch and dick. Her and Ginny reconcile.
Maybe her and Abby need to have a more heart to heart like her and Ginny did, I could perhaps see that. But they all accepted her apology and MANG was put back together.
Also to point out while Max was OTT with how she treated Ginny and Abby, they knew why she was upset. It was something they did intentionally or not that hurt her. She was over the top, but they knew why she was upset.
Max has no idea what she is doing wrong, and when she tries to fix it is shut down. She really doesn’t know what she’s doing wrong because she’s really trying.
Like I don’t think using season 2 as a justification is fair if they’ve already made up and forgiven each other.
You know I like Abby. But I think people focus so much on Max's character flaws and make her out to be the worst, and overlook Abby's because of her ED and parent's divorce. Let's not forget she was pretty awful to Ginny in season 1, and was the one who was more than happy to push Ginny out of their friend group with the Marcus drama, until it bit her too, and it was unfair for sure, but she wouldn't have cared if it had just happened to Ginny and not her. Let's not forget about the shoplifiting drama. And this isn't to say Abby is awful and irredeemable but that she also has done crap things, but Max is the only one to be called out and seen as the problem.
Please Help Me Feed My Children in Gaza – We Are Starving
Dear kind soul,
I never thought I would have to write a message like this. I am a father of five children, living in Gaza — and we are starving.
We have no food. No clean water. No safety. My children cry from hunger every day, and as their father, my heart breaks because I cannot feed them. I have injuries from Israeli airstrikes, and my health is getting worse, but the worst pain I feel is watching my children suffer without being able to help them.
This is not a famine. This is forced starvation. We are being deprived of food and aid. We are dying slowly, silently.
Please, I am begging you — if you can donate anything, even the smallest amount, it can mean a meal for my children. If you cannot donate, please share my plea with others. Your voice could reach someone who can help.
Your compassion can save lives. Your help could mean that tonight, my children go to bed with something in their stomachs.
I keep making post after post venting about how this show, especially this last part of the show was handled, and I want to make one from maybe a more rationally explained side.
Look I get the argument, "the show started with Johnny and Miguel, so it should end with them." As much as it makes me roll my eyes into the back of my head I do understand. However that doesn't mean Robby isn't important. Despite what some fans and the writers want us to believe.
I'd get if they had Miguel win at the end cause he's this gen's "Karate Kid", that's fine. My issue lies in the fact that Robby isn't allowed one win. Not just in a tournament sense, but in a personal sense. The show starts off with Johnny being a deadbeat loser father and Robby being the victim of him being a drunken deadbeat loser father. I'm sorry if that sounds harsh, but it's the truth. And the thing is to me Johnny didn't really try with Robby to be a better father. Sure you can spin he "tried", and Robby was "stubborn" but every time he did try and Robby fought him on it, Johnny fought back, and didn't actually allow his son to be angry. At least not to him. Sure he'd cry to Carmen, Miguel, etc., about how much of a screw up he was. Still somehow painting himself as a victim in all of this. But he never stated how much he messed up really with the one person who deserved it the most, and needed it the most. Robby. His son. Because I feel as much as Robby gave Johnny shit, the moments he had the door open for him… He just fucked up. Like I do feel like there was a doorway after the s1 tournament in early-s2. Robby very much expressed how you know he is trying, but it's going to take time. Instead of respecting this and instead of Johnny saying he'd try and gets it, he fights back that "he gets he screwed up" but he doesn't have to hang with Daniel. Daniel by the way being the one at this time to actually try and be there for Robby, and be a father figure to him. So Robby snaps back. That for some reason is the only thing people can focus on, and "poor Johnny!" for how "Robby speaks to him." Which… Whatever.
In season 3, there are a couple doors open for Johnny. That once more he messes up. When he's supposed to visit Robby at juvie after the school fight, and once more chooses Miguel over him. Just as he had been the first 2 seasons. Even after that when Johnny does go visit him Robby once more actually has some leeway with him here, he's upset at first but when he sees a somewhat efford on Johnny's end he relents and is accepting. It isn't until Robby finds out Johnny once more ditched him for Miguel that things blow up. And Johnny doesn't try to apologize on this end, he just pretty much places all blame on Robby for that, and yeah Robby fucked up badly during the school fight but really isn't rewarded the nuance of it I feel? And all the elements that went into that day, and fight. Except from Kreese really, and that's a whole other thing. That will just make this post longer.
And Johnny sure as shit didn't try in season 4 after Robby joined Cobra Kai. The scene at his apartment does not count at all because it was Robby who went there, and Johnny just tried to lecture him instead of inviting him in to talk things out. But whatever, and somehow at the end of the season somehow Johnny is miraculously forgiven despite doing not a thing to earn it. And see this is what bugged me here that it was Robby the child who had to let go of the anger, and not Johnny the 50-something year old adult man who had to earn it. And after that their relationship is all healed and after this Robby is never allowed to complain again because when he was justifiably angry the show punished him for it, and made it his problem. Not Johnny's.
So we have this aspect of it all of Robby not being chosen first ever by Johnny or anyone in his life frankly, because yeah Shannon went to rehab for him, and got better but we're not allowed to really see that. Hell maybe that would have made things a bit better. That we saw Robby had Shannon on his side, and would start choosing him.
We didn't get his relationship with Daniel really repaired. Yes they're on good terms but God I would have really loved to see them make up. The show loves to harp on how important Johnny and Miguel are, but frankly IMHO I feel Johnny and Daniel are just as important, and while I never truly was able to be on board with Johnny and Miguel I loved Daniel and Robby because Daniel for a time gave Robby what he needed until that blew to hell and the writers just brushed over them as if they weren't important.
We have this personal part of Robby's life to where he's never chosen once by anyone, and some I get, but others I can not accept. But it's Miguel who Johnny always picks over him. And in part 2 of this season a scene that also should have happened with Johnny and Robby only was reserved for Johnny and Miguel. Hell what I find worse is we never once see Johnny apologize to Robby and explain it was never him that was the problem, it was Johnny and he regrets how much he hurt him. What we do get is somehow Robby in this part of the season happy karate came into his life cause it gave him Johnny. Despite you know Johnny not doing a thing to earn it. Sorry I will die on this hill.
And I think this is what makes Robby fans upset about him losing at the end. Because maybe if in the past he was allowed one win, or if the writers spent half as much time on Johnny and Robby as they did Johnny and Miguel and validated Robby's feelings it would be OK. If the show showed us how important Robby was to the people in his iife and valued for that it would be OK. But we don't even get that. Not really.
And sure Robby gets a "good ending" but it felt shoehorned in to appease fans so Cobra Kai could come out on top.
And listen I get the show is called "Cobra Kai" but I could get into another rant about why just because the show is called Cobra Kai doesn't mean they always need to be the winners.
So really it's not in just a physical sense Robby never gets to win, it's in a personal sense, and on all that he's never allowed to be upset about it without the narrative framing him as in the wrong, or punishing him for it. Robby is truly never validated in any sense in this series, and as a fan it's frustrating to watch.
At the end of the day Johnny did not deserve Robby's forgiveness, and despite what the show or his stans might want to tell us --- no he did not one damn thing to earn Robby's forgiveness. He didn't do shit. Yet Robby's forgiveness was handed to him on a silver platter. It was completely unearned, and I will die on that hill!
Johnny who is now a new father to a daughter just called one of his young female students… Four eyes. And the writers are like “teehee Johnny’s so funny” as if there wasn’t a whole ass lesson about this from same writers in the first season. But OK.
