(long) thoughts on 10.22, mcdanno and the ending
Okay, so. The finale. It took me a while to digest everything and turn my thoughts into coherent sentences. Also, this is long. Like an essay. Literally. If you read till the end, bless you.
I have mixed feelings, and they’re tugging at each other. Part of me wants to scream but another part of me is like, there’s more to this. This is me trying to make sense of the whole thing without my heart shattering. So you’ll definitely get glimpses of each side during this essay.
First, here’s a scene I imagine happening after the series finale ends:
It fades back in. And we’re in Steve’s house. We don’t know how much time has passed. Keys rattle, and the front door is pushed open.
Offscreen, we hear, “you better not have forgotten the malasadas.”
It’s a little raspy, a little slow, a little croaky, but so unmistakably Danny’s voice.
A chuckle. And then, comes the reply, equally raspy, “right here, Danno. Come and get them.”
“And you better have bought a lot. Clara is coming over in a bit. You know how much she loves malasadas. And no, you come out here, the breeze is nice,” Danny replies.
And Steve goes. And sits in his chair next to Danny as they look out into the water. He opens the box and Danny grabs a malasada.
Fade to black. Roll credits.
In my opinion, the ending was supposed to be about McDanno. And as much as we did get so much McDanno in the finale, I’m talking specifically about the last thing we see on the screen. And I’m not talking about them becoming canon. The chances of that happening were slim to none.
I’m talking about their friendship, their partnership, their bond. I’m talking about the two men who put their lives on the line for each other, time and time again, without hesitation; the two men who traveled to the ends of the earth for each other. That is what the ending should have ended with.
From the full-blown panic Steve was in when Danny was being followed. Steve’s only priority is saving Danny’s life. The person you care about most in the world. Steve holding Danny on the way to the hospital. Steve constantly reassuring Danny that he’s right there, to hold on. Steve holding Danny’s hand. He thought he was going to lose Danny and it broke him.
(Also, All For One playing during the scene where Steve sits next to Danny’s hospital bed and holds his hand? Yes, I cried.)
I knew the Catherine part was coming, from the moment she was brought up, I knew what was going to happen. I just didn’t want the Catherine scene to be the final scene of the series.
Because the truth is, while Catherine kept ducking in and out of Steve’s life, the one constant thing in Steve’s life was Danny. And they didn’t do that justice.
And I think that’s what I’m mad about most. I knew the chances of canon McDanno were slim to none (even though the first half of the episode was screaming McDanno, as should have the entire episode been and a part of me was like, hold on…maybe…because 95% of the episode? McDanno.)
All throughout season ten, we were constantly shown how important Steve and Danny are to each other, that they can’t live without each other. It truly was a love letter to each other and to McDanno fans. We know the love is there, but I wanted to see Steve choosing Danny. Yes, we got a heart to heart, some of their classic banter in there, I love you’s and a powerful hug, which I am grateful for and will always cherish…but I wanted the last scene of the series, to be of Steve and Danny.
And it breaks my heart, because at the end of the day, Steve left Danny. After everything.
Hawaii. Danny moved 4,948 miles away from his home to be close to his daughter. He hated Hawaii. But then he met Steve and Steve chose Danny. Then he slowly began to love the Island. Until the Island was home. Until Steve was home. Danny was alone in the beginning and what hurts so much, is even after ten years, the last time we see Danny, is him, sitting on his best friend’s private beach, alone. It breaks my heart.
dededos
prguitarman
romaincrisis
gummygunk
discoholicmusic
stormborns
dailybridgerton
theartofmadeline
