reposting some of my meta-ish thinky thoughts RE: Liz in 4x09 from reddit. Meant to do this days ago, but...
Cut for length and spoilers obviously
Obviously the central conceit of the episode is Liz struggling to integrate the two sides of her. She's been struggling the whole show -- actually her whole life, at least since Rosa died, with who she is and who she wants to be. This has really come to the forefront this season but it's been hinted at all show.
On the one hand, she is kind and loving and loyal and protective -- her sheriff persona. On the other, she's calculating and ruthless, ambitious, cynical and jaded (Noah even points this out in S1!). Dark!Liz. The woman who built a cage around her heart.
Liz's views on Max are complicated. She loves him, and wants him to be happy, but it's not a mistake that she's cast as Sheriff (the protector) and he's cast as his nerdy authorial self.
On the one hand, Max represents a lot of her frustrations. Her stymied research, the way she's constantly made amazing discoveries that she can't share with the world or get recognition for, the way that white men have told her to slow down and stay in her lane.
And on the other, Max's caution and willingness to be a simple guy from Roswell is a trigger point for her. She's afraid of losing him because of it, and all her friends and family. Deep down, she believe that he can or will protect her. His giving up his powers has reinforced that for her. And she doesn't want to believe the Power of Love isn't enough -- but of course she's terrified that it isn't. It never has been for her.
She's also afraid of losing herself. Of being content being a simple GED teacher, of wasting her mind. How many people have warned her about that? Charlie Cameron and Diego both spring to mind.
So yeah, she wants Max tied up and compliant. Wants him to follow her wherever she thinks they need to go. Every argument they've had this season where she's reined herself in has lead to this. She wants Max to shut up and stop arguing and let her be in the driver's seat. She thinks he's making bad choices and wants to let go of her ethics so she can make the choices she thinks have to be made, regardless of whether he agrees with them.
This is where Liz's hubris and fear are gonna get them into deep shit. And this is how she's gonna end up bringing the alighting, however that comes about.
(and you know, on an aesthetic level re: the western bit. Look, Liz has a thing for the western aesthetic. That amount of leather in anyone's wardrobe is a choice, especially in the heat. And 7 longhorns might be a bit much, but she only made Max take one of them to the station 🤣 And how many times has she called him cowboy? She's got a thing for the hat.)
