Love how Mickey is a sensitive, loving boy wrapped up in a violent thug package. And Ian is a violent thug wrapped in a loving sunshine boy package.
People like to act like Ian is all sweet and innocent when he's just as capable of violence, he's just not as easily provoked.
The parallels of Mickey unionizing the sex workers and Ian unionizing the prison bottoms. Mickey helping Debbie dispose of a body, Ian helping Mandy dispose of a body. Ian beating the fuck out of Byron and Mickey beating the fuck out of Ned.
They are the same person in different fonts. They are best friends and the love of each other's lives.
Ian's violence is usually protective in nature, and he shows this dangerous part of himself in defence of those he loves, but people who don't know him well wouldn't expect that side of him. Mickey is sensitive and affectionate and supportive with the people he loves, and the people he loves and trusts the most are the only ones who ever see this part of him.
They balance each other out.
Couldn’t have put it better myself
