Ever since TOG2 came out, and I saw some of the comments afterwards, complaining about the lack of a kiss between Andy and Quynh, and how this was queerbaiting, I've meant to write a post about it. So far, my brain couldn't come up with the proper words for everything I want to express, but I think since seeing the interview with Charlize that I gifed above, it's become a little clearer.
Because I 100% agree with what she's saying here. I think it makes complete and utter sense for these two characters, who they are, and what they went through.
Unlike other people here, I think it's absolutely legit not to throw around any sort of labels for Andy and Quynh because: 1) not everyone is labelling themselves or even likes it
2) it's not necessary to put a label on it, we can see it in their actions, their gestures and facial expressions, the look in their eyes – and who can't see that probably needs to get their eyes checked out and order some glasses
3) they are thousands of years old. Andy is about 5000+ years old and Quynh around 2000 years. No labels existed then. Queer people always existed, but they just WERE. And I think that's what Charlize means when she says "people can just be, you don't have to explain them."
Which is my next point: not only have Andy and Quynh lived in times without labels for most of their thousands of years of life, but also was publically portraying a love like theirs illegal during most of those years. Hell, for all we know, one of the reasons they were accused for witchcraft back in the medieval times, could have been that someone has seen them get a little too cozy with each other. And we have to remember that Quynh literally spent 500 years on the bottom of the ocean, so she can see THAT the world and society have changed, but she probably cannot even begin to see to what extent, after only being back for a few months. Plus, it's not like everything is nice and cosy for queer people nowadays, the number of hate crimes against LGBTQ people have risen during the past years (at least where I'm coming from, and no I'm not from some of those muslim countries that still have the actual death penalty, but literally from Western Europe, so yeah).
So all these are reasons why Andy and Quynh wouldn't just start to make out in the middle of the street upon seeing each other again for the first time in FIVE HUNDRED years.
And not even to mention the fact that Quynh is furious at Andy for giving up on her. That kind of hurt and betrayed trust can only stem from a deep love. Otherwise Quynh wouldn't be THAT fucking mad at Andy. I mean, all Quynh did herself at the bottom of the ocean, when regaining consciousness again for a few seconds before drowning once again, was to hope that Andy was alright. All she did was think of Andy. For 500 years. Let that sink in and then tell me that that isn't out of a very deep love for her. And then when she had a chance to ask Booker about Andy, whether she has spoken of her... you can SEE the shift in her demeanour. Before that, she was all tough and trying to rough Booker up, but as soon as she mentions Andy... she basically crumbles and you can see all the hurt and love in her eyes. Especially when Booker tells her that Andy never stopped talking of her.
I could go on and on here, pointing out all the little details, all the ways Andy and Quynh reacted throughout the entirety of the movie, at the bare mention of the other's name, or obviously, when they FINALLY get to see each other again. But I'll spare you and me the snippet by snippet analysis and just jump to the end of what Charlize said: "And I like that you don't quite know, but you kind of know."
Yes. If you actually have eyes in your head and if you had at least some kind of high school lit class in your life where you learned how to interpret poems and other kind of literature and media, YOU KNOW. Because these outstanding actresses, Charlize and Veronica, both are basically going out and beyond to portray Andy and Quynh as queer and as much in love as possible without having to jump each other's bones/kiss. Which wouldn't even be appropriate considering the entire plot and everything I mentioned before.
Would it have been HOT to watch them kiss during the fight scene? Absolutely, but it would have been nothing more but fan service and wouldn't have done anything for the plot and also wouldn't have made sense in the narration.
Personally, I'm very pleased with the way they handled and portrayed their relationship. Especially those few minutes at the end in Tuah's library made it abundantly clear – or at least SHOULD have made it clear to everyone who doesn't only watch, but can actually SEE – what's going on between them. They've been in love with each other centuries ago, and even after being ripped apart, they never stopped loving each other. Not even when Quynh was furious at Andy there always was love, or at least betrayed love, between them. And the end of the movie is showing that they started to grow closer again, become re-accustomed to each other again after 500 years. It's one hell of a slow-burn 2nd chance romance if I've ever seen one.
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