Personally, I love this scene in “Not Pictured” (2x22).
Veronica’s high school experience came in two parts. First as the girl who was the illustrious Lilly Kane’s best friend. Second as the school’s pariah.
Initially, she started the whole PI gig because she wanted to solve her best friends murder, but darn it she was good at it so she made it a small (or not so small) side business. She thought she was just casually solving people’s problems and mysteries, not really leaving a mark as she went. She assumed the entire school hated her.
Enter graduation day. People cheered- literally cheered- for her. Shouting her name, hollering, clapping. We all expected boos and silence. We never expected the supportive response she got. But then again, maybe we did.
First we see Keith’s response. His baby girl did it. He saw what she went through- the hell that Neptune High had been for her. But Veronica, no matter what life had thrown at her, had pushed through it and faced it all head on. The amount of pride he shows in this scene almost gives me chills. His pain, her pain, their pain was all worth it.
VERONICA: Shouldn’t you be out hunting him down like the dog he is? KEITH: I also said something about us being people with lives. See, I have this kid who’s gonna graduate from high school. I don’t wanna miss it. VERONICA: This is Woody Goodman. He blew up a bus and molested children. KEITH: Guess I’m just sentimental. (Keith and Veronica, 2x22)
Next we see three people who’s lives she had touched the most while roaming the halls of Neptune High. First Mac, the shy and nerdy computer geek Veronica befriended.
“There was really only one person smart enough to set up the purity test. How can I resent someone who took sex-crazed 09ers for their allowance money?” (Veronica, 1x08)
Second was Wallace the boy taped to the flagpole who Veronica cut down.
“Well, I figure I’ve got a choice. I can either go hang out with the punks who laughed at me, took pictures of me while I was taped to that flagpole, or I can hang out with the chick who cut me down.” (Wallace, 1x01)
Third we see Logan. Veronica’s ex best friend, ex lover. She was probably one of the few people who really knew him. He played a good game. He had perfected the jackass poker face he kept on through high school, but Veronica saw through that. She taught him he was worth more than a cheating girlfriend, worth more than his father’s abuse, worth more than the low expectations people held for him.
“I thought our story was epic, you know. You and me. Spanning years and continents. Lives ruined and blood shed. Epic. But summer’s almost here and we won’t see each other all. And then you’ll leave town, and then… it’s over.” (Logan, 2x20)
Veronica’s face says it all. She is shocked. She never expected to have left such an impact on a school full of people she thought hated her. This is one of the few times we see Veronica let her guard down (especially in such a public setting). She may say she doesn’t care what people say/think of her, but in this moment we know that is just one of her many defenses. In some ways, she did care about what people said/thought. For once she sees that she DID make a difference and she DID leave a legacy. She wasn’t a wallflower nor was she hated by everyone. She had made friends, alliances, and admirers along the way. Sure, she still had a few boos- I mean she did make enemies too, but the overwhelming sound of cheers drowns out everything else.
Mr. C knew what we, as the viewers, knew all along. He saw how brave, smart, and important Veronica was. It’s one reason I always loved him. He acted irritated and grumpy with her most of the time, but deep down he always liked her. He didn’t seem surprised at all by the reaction.
“You were expecting some other reaction?” (Mr. Clemmons, 2x22)
Seeing Veronica’s smile after she sees and hears her classmates makes my heart warm. Her life tends to be messy and painful, but at least on one of her biggest days ever, she got what she deserved: “thanks yous” that came in loud and elated cheers.
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