one thing i really really liked about this episode was the conflict between the OSC, and i had a lot of thoughts about it
At the beginning, OJ says:
"We can't let this simmer. Fan didn't even think to consult us before telling everyone their whole way of life is changing. He's picked up a lot of influence, and that kind of power is a disaster waiting to happen."
What he's saying is interesting because he's technically right. Fan does seem to have a lot of sway over how the other characters think and act. When Fan said that they all needed to leave by sunset, because of what he saw in his dream, hardly anyone questions whether or not their situation is actually this urgent. However, OJ's being a bit hypocritical, because it's not like he, Suitcase, Cabby, and Fan consulted the wider society before bringing the game back. That would definitely count as "telling everyone their whole way of life is changing", so it's not fair to put all the blame on Fan as if he’s the only one who’s done this. Also, OJ seems to think that Fan is actively trying to manipulate others, when that hasn't been shown to be the case.
"I hate that we're even having this conversation. Fan is our FRIEND. Why do we have to act like we're above him?"
Suitcase sees Fan (and everyone else) as being equal to the OSC members, and she is worried about the three of them toeing the line between "being a leader when necessary" and "taking total control of the situation". She's essentially worried about the three of them doing what OJ believes Fan is trying to do. I also find it really interesting that she says "Fan is our friend" instead of "Fan is my friend". She probably said "our friend" because she sees OJ and Cabby as being in the same position as her, but "my friend" is a lot more accurate. OJ has never been shown to like Fan, and Cabby and Fan had a history of not getting along well in s3. Whereas for Suitcase, she sees Fan as a close friend, and has always been very emotionally invested in his wellbeing in s4. She's also shown up to support him a few times throughout.
In ep2, when Marshmallow is upset at Fan for being concerned with the game right after Poppy shows up, Fan is unsure in his response to her.
Suitcase jumps in and talks to Marshmallow about how the game will be different this time, wanting to reassure Fan and help him feel more confident.
Then in ep3, Suitcase is initially unsure about whether or not the challenge is actually safe, but eventually decides to let it continue because she sees potential in Fan and Test Tube’s strategy. There’s also the part of this episode where Box, after getting selected for her team, talks about how “nothing can rip this game away from her now”, and Suitcase hopes that she won't have to do that to Box.
Suitcase knows that she is the one who has the power to rip the game away from Box (and Fan and everyone else), and I think this is a major reason she lets the game continue at all. She doesn’t want to have to tell anyone “no, it’s not safe to compete, you have to be done”. She would also feel like she was “above Fan” if she cancelled the game.
Another moment is in ep4, where she is by far the most upset when telling the larger group about Fan’s condition.
She probably feels like Fan’s near death is her fault because if she didn’t let the game continue, there wouldn’t have been an elimination, and the same chain of events wouldn’t have played out. This isn't really her fault at all, and I feel bad that she seems to be thinking this way.
Overall, she wants Fan to have a fair chance with hosting the game and doesn’t want him or anyone else to be disappointed, because the two of them are very close friends, leading her to side with him in a way that OJ and Cabby don't.
Anyway, back to ep6. Cabby says:
“I see where you’re coming from, OJ. Fan has a tendency to… jump to conclusions. I’ve experienced it firsthand. He also is… low-key kind of annoying sometimes. But he’s not looking for power. He has good intentions in a desperate situation.”
Cabby sides more with OJ than with Suitcase. In fact, she doesn’t even acknowledge anything Suitcase just said. However, unlike OJ, she gives Fan the benefit of the doubt, believing that he thinks he’s doing the right thing. Also, the phrase “good intentions in a desperate situation” sums up the season pretty well. It applies to Fan bringing back the game, to everything the OSC has done, even to (from their perspective) MeTag taking Poppy to the cliff in ep4. I also think that as Suitcase stares down at the handcuffs (which were being packed up for future use) during this part, she’s thinking of how the handcuffs were used against others during the season, and how it was done under the guise of “good intentions”. She’s remembering how they were used against her, and realizing that the OSC has turned into something she’s never wanted to be a part of.
“If we don’t say something now, we’re going to regret whatever it grows into later. I’m going to talk to him.”
OJ, also not addressing anything Suitcase said, brings up his point from before, about how Fan is just going to become more and more powerful. Again, “If we don’t say something now, we’re going to regret whatever it grows into later” doesn’t just apply to the three of them talking to Fan. Suitcase likely also thinks that if she “doesn’t say something now” about her role in the OSC and what she wants her future to be, she’s going to “regret whatever it grows into later”, and that’s why she speaks up in this moment.
Suitcase responds by saying:
“Fine. Well, maybe you can talk to him about becoming the new third OSC member because I’m staying here.”
When I first watched this part, I was surprised at how quickly she seemed to change her mind about wanting to leave, especially since it means quitting the OSC. Thinking about it again though, I can see several reasons she quits. For one, like I already said, she thinks the OSC has turned into something she doesn’t want to be a part of. Also, though I don’t think either of them mean to do this, OJ and Cabby also aren’t listening to her, and not being listened to is an all-too-familiar struggle for Suitcase. There’s also the issue with how she views leadership in general compared to how OJ and Cabby seem to view it. As for why she doesn’t want to leave, it’s primarily because of Knife.
“What?! Suitcase, why would you ever s-”
“Just think about it. Or have you all already forgotten about him? I have to go.”
Here, Cabby does her part to try to reach out to Suitcase and understand her, similar to how she tried to understand where Fan was coming from. But, Suitcase was past the point of wanting to listen. As she is leaving, she thinks of her and Knife’s shared experiences during the movie, and how she would be leaving him behind forever if she left. She can’t bring herself to leave, to abandon her friend, despite knowing that it’s really her only choice.
In the final moments of the scene:
As we see Suitcase walking away, we get a really interesting shot of OJ and Cabby watching her go. Cabby looks sad, but not surprised, as if she knew that something like this was going to happen eventually. OJ seems mildly annoyed, or maybe in shock that she just quit. I don’t think that either of them were trying to push Suitcase away, or that they had any ill will towards her. I think things were just never going to work out forever for the three of them. It’s especially sad for Suitcase and Cabby, since they have a lot in common and likely could’ve become good friends in different circumstances.
I don’t really have a proper conclusion for all of this, but I hoped that you liked reading my thoughts about it :)
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