After this episode, I’ve been reflecting on a few things.
1. For the first time, I felt the presence of the whole team. I loved that they actually showed a bit of the performance; the sequence where the protagonists took their bows was a "show within a show" that really worked. I absolutely adored Mix performance (I’ve always liked Dean btw), and for the first time, I actually felt something from Raffi character. Everything finally felt a bit more organic rather than a collection of separate storylines. I’m still of the opinion that the blur between the actor and the character needed more screen time; it was the root of Arnold's confusion. We really should have seen more of Raffi acting and more Romeo&Romeo's scenes
The failure to assemble everything organically has been the series' biggest flaw until now.
2. I felt Arnold’s character in a way I never had before. I truly believe this character had the potential—and the right vessel in Joss as an actor—to be the most interesting person in the series. There, I said it. If they had given Arnold the attention he deserved, he would have been the best character in the show.
Why? Because I feel he is DIFFERENT from the rest and he is LONELY - this reminded me a bit of how I felt Boston in OF. Arnold is written as someone who doesn't experience emotions the way others do. If you look at how he is presented up until episode 7, Arnold seems almost incapable of processing feelings normally (which is why some, myself included, initially saw traits of autism in him).
Everything changes after the fight with Tua, the very turning point. From that point on, he starts being touched by emotions then he was consumed by them to the point where he doesn't know how to handle them. He starts acting like a human being: first he stops talking to Tua bc he's angry, then he forgives him, then he messed everything up and then he realizes that what he feels for Tua is love (all in the space of a one/two episodes). In episodes 8 and 9, we see a totally different character: flirty, "clingy," puppy-like, overly sweet Arnold... right up until this episode, where we see him broken and pleading. The Arnold who once seemed like an apathetic guy begs Tua not to leave him with a desperation and attachment (bordering on addiction) I really didn't expect—as if he were gasping for air. The intensity with which he throws himself at Tua after the confession, with which he kisses him - how if he cannot bring himself to let go - and the way he holds him is that of a man completely overtaken by emotions. Everyone, go watch their first time scene and compare it to what you saw in this episode (again, from a directing and editing standpoint, both scenes could have delivered MUCH more, but I’m talking about emotional intensity). Arnold simply isn’t the same person. Back then, it felt like watching a mannequin being moved by unknown hands; here, there’s a real person, with all his human hunger. It's beautiful.
Can you imagine the character arc they could have given him if they had just granted him the space he deserved? No other character here had his potential. All the other characters' traits have been seen a thousand times before; there’s nothing original there.
I need to confess that when I saw the the original trailer (the one with OhmLeng), Arnold gave me the same vibes as Boston—the one who "doesn't love like the others." Even though they, for me, modified Arnold—moving him from being the sexy guy chasing after Dean like he's prey to being the "good guy" who doesn't do relationships—the core remains: Arnold doesn’t fall in love and not bc he had a bad experience, but simply bc that's how he is. He has never been in love and he doesn't know how to handle emotions. Guys, he doesn't realize how much his words hurt Tua for 6 episodes, he literally seems to have forgotten that they spent the night together - the day after and he talks like Tua's confession is never happened until he finally starts noticing and being affected by Tua's reaction, and then, his attitude shifts. He begins to reassure Tua in a way he never had before. He became addicted to Tua's presence.
He could have been the nice, polite guy who is far too manufactured to feel anything real... The potential for a great character was there at its core, but it wasn't developed properly.
Similarly, despite the blunders, the messy editing, and the terrible music, the couple's journey is still there. As a pair, ArnoldTua has had the most organic and developed arc. They’ve had everything: they went from being friends where one was deeply in love and the other wasn't, to a "no-strings" situation, to misunderstandings, to the confession, to the breakup, and finally to a role reversal where the one who wasn't in love before is now completely dependent—until (I hope and believe) they finally find their rhythm together. Their journey has never been static, and they’ve both evolved. If you look back at the first episode, the difference in both of them is night and day.
3. BostonNick. Thank you for giving me that scene between these two. Thank you. They were my ship in OF. There was love there—a different kind of love, because Boston simply wasn't capable of giving Nick what he wanted and deserved. It wasn't for a lack of love; it was because Boston was fundamentally different: raw, visceral, nuanced, messy and authentic. His writing is unparalleled. Even in this brief scene, the power I felt was incredible. Thank you for the only Only Friends cameo that actually made sense.
4. I have one last thing to say about Tua, because he is the character closest to my heart. Even more than the love scene, I adored how they brought to light the real reason he is so hurt. It wasn't just the near-betrayal; it’s the fact that Tua has always given his all without ever demanding the same in return. He walked over hot coals to keep Arnold from running away; he endured the constant comments about how "relationships between friends never work," and until this moment, he hadn't realized how much that one-sided effort was draining him. Now, he’s empty, burnt out. He needs time to process everything and move forward. I’m grateful they didn't have them get back together immediately; it made the transition feel realistic.
5. Lastly, I have to mention one thing about Joss's performance in the most intimate scenes. Joss has such a unique way of holding Gawin in his arms during the most intense scenes. Every time, his arm is behind Gawin’s head, pulling his face closer, drawing him in. It creates a sense of warmth and passion - an urgent need to merge with the other yet filled with tenderness and utter devotion. It’s truly beautiful to watch.
