[PHM] Incoherent Rambles about the Characterization of Eva Stratt
I just watched PHM the Movie for the first time ("whatttt??? you hadn't watched it before?????" no 😔 I read the book and osmosis-ed info from fan-content) and HOLY SHIT. Nobody told me about the sheer softness and love that emanates 24/7 from Eva Stratt's eyes.
This is the woman that (a portion of) the fandom (generally) characterizes as brutal and stoic???
I understand that that's how Andy Weir wrote his Stratt but oh my god? Movie Stratt?
The same Stratt who always reassures and hypes Grace up? ("You're gonna do great" "This is the world's leading scientist on Astrophage's biology." "Can you take a compliment? That's an order.")
The same Stratt who has deeply personal and frankly adorable conversations with him? (G: "Why aren't you in [the party] with the rest of [us]? Did you get the free hats?" S:"Yeah, I know. I kinda bought them." "Camraderie is good for them to do their jobs---not so much for me." :( "[Believing in God] beats the alternative.")
The same Stratt who was begging and pleading, voice-crackingly, shaky hands and teary eyes puppy-dog eye-ing Grace when she had him forcefully sedated? ("Calm down and we do this differently." this line broke me.) THAT SAME STRATT?
I give all my gratitude to the creators who characterize her as the Softest Woman Alive because SHE IS!! Even in the BOOKS she was KIND!!
"I'll get you an ice cream machine." (to Grace)
G: "Stratt remembered exactly how I like my coffee."
"I'm sending my astronauts to die, I'm going to send all human knowledge and creation up there with them." *threatens companies who are suing with US ARMY
"We are all doing what needs to be done." (to Leclerc after blowing up Antartica)
"I'm a history major..." OH GOD HER WHOLE HISTORY SPEECH AROUND FOOD AND HOW HUMANITY WAS GOING TO TEAR ITSELF APART.
HER WHOLE WHIPPING BOY SPEECH.
Actually, this whole rant isn't about how the fandom characterizes Stratt. I have no criticism with how the fandom portrays her. She is stoic, brutal, soft, and human all at once.
It's how about they characterize GRACE characterizing Stratt.
I see TOO MANY PEOPLE. Write Grace with FEAR and ANGER and LOATHING in his heart towards her and It's Not True!!!!
Because in the movies, they were so in loveeeeeee and I mean that with all the heart in my aromantic chest. My family read them as romantic vibes and I saw that too---but whether or not their relationship was as friends or as lovers I DON'T CARE because they were IMPORTANT to each other. They were so important to each other and all their interactions were so fond and endearing. (*read softness above*)
In the book, their relationship was strictly that of colleagues. Who were attached at the fucking hip, oh my god? Literally were everywhere together. Stratt is so much more emotionally distant in the book than the movie (and I also adore book Stratt btw, even hidden behind that cold exterior I can see her heart shining through) and she still commends Grace as a "fundamentally good man" and has faith that he wouldn't even try to sabotage the mission---the amnesiac drug was a precaution (because it's Stratt and she takes zero chances when it comes to The Earth). And s;dklfjasdlfkja;sldkfja;lskdfj, her readiness to kneel at the sacrificial altar, to subject herself to the blame of all humanity just to ensure its survival. She is painful and morally just. She is so Utilitarianist and she does not consider herself as part of the People. She is so incredibly human and has gone through incredible lengths to minimize it in front of others.
And despite knowingly erasing and murdering Ryland Grace, Grace still cannot make himself hate her. He can never forgive her but goddamnit, she was right and he can't hate her. 16 light-years away and having just been relayed the news that Earth is Alright, he still trusts her "Stratt moved quickly, huh."
In the movie, all those video diaries were to her. The narration that described his struggles and break-throughs were all said to her. In his final entry, he parroted her words back to her and though he never said he forgave her, he said... "You were right." And it made Stratt smile because that in itself was a forgiveness.
PLEASE. PLEASE. THEIR RELATIONSHIP NEEDS TO BE DISSECTED AND STUDIED AND SEWN BACK TOGETHER. Stop making Grace hate her. Stop making her the villain of the story---she's the opposite of a villain---she's an antagonist to a villain. There is no villain in the story. If there was, I'd arguably say that Grace is the villain, (this is said with all the love in my heart towards Grace.)
I just watched this super cool 2 hr 30 min movie.
Eva Stratt is my favorite character now. Her and Grace are in love and I give zero fucks whether it's romantic or platonic. I just need them to be friends. Please stop destroying their friendship in the name of playing the blame-game, (hey, that rhymed!).
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