Every Charlie/Vox Parallel 1x03 Scrambled Eggs (Chaggie & StaticDoll edition)
This episode is about both Charlie and Vox delegating a task to one of their Vees, and how that goes.
Charlie has Vaggie handle the activity for the day, Vox has Velvette handle the meeting with the Overlords. Perhaps not insignificantly, Charlie's activity for this episode is "Trust", which delegating a task to someone involves a lot of.
On Charlie's side, we see the full interaction and how this delegation process worked:
Charlie: Actually, I thought maybe you could take the lead on this one. I trust everyone, so maybe you know better on how to build it properly!
Vaggie: What? Uhh, I don't know if I'm qualified, uh...,
Charlie: Oh, come on. It'll be easy! I'm sure you can handle this.
Later on, Charlie starts being a little unsure about Vaggie's leadership style, leading to this exchange.
Charlie: I don't know if this is really working the way we'd hoped. Maybe we should-
Vaggie: Honey, you have to trust me here. I got this, okay? I'll figure something out
The scene we see between Vox and Velvette is the parallel beat in their arc, the expression of some kind of uncertainty:
Velvette: Yes, I've got it handled, Vox. Are you doubting me? Really? Me? That's what I thought. *laughs* Yes, I know. They're all a joke.*laughs* Thank you, V. See you soon. Kisses, darling.
I dig the parallel affection between Chaggie and Staticdoll here by the way. "Honey"/"Darling", aw. Anyway, Charlie and Vox both delegate a task to their Best Gal here, but it doesn't take either long to start being unsure and worried about how that best gal might handle it, unfortunately with good reason. Despite Vaggie and Vel's fabulosity, it is true that both of them also create problems by being hyper-confrontational, and a little bit impulsive.
A small side note on another parallel, but Charlie and Vox both seem a bit uncomfortable with explicit sex or sexuality? When Angel takes Charlie to the BDSM joint, we see Charlie being super uncomfortable (like she is in the pilot or in general) with explicit sexuality, and Vox is also often shown being grossed out by it (Katie coming onto him, his discomfort according to Val with having sex in public, etc). It is one, kinda nice to fight that whole "horny bi stereotype" with the two bi MCs being kinda prudish; Two, interesting from a character standpoint - C&V may both come from a more repressed background, and consequently be uncomfortable with explicit sexuality, Three, that both are protective of their own bodies and big on control. Wilder sex means losing control, something C&V both don't like to do.
Going back to the trusting thing, when Vaggi and Vel both end up kind of screwing it up - like, scoring some points, like Vaggi's trust exercise working in the long run and Vel's gambit revealing to her Carmilla's role, but also creating problems in the short term like putting the staff in danger and creating tensions with Carmilla - we see how Vox and Charlie respond to their Vees messing up:
Charlie: Vaggie! No!
Vaggie: This is the only way they'll learn, Charlie.
Charlie: No, it's not. There are other ways. It just takes time!
Charlie interferes and stops Vaggi's plan and reprimands her. Vox calls Velvette to a meeting much later, and I think it's interesting that while Charlie just tells Vaggi "No, don't do it!", Vox takes the time to explain to Velvette why it would be a bad idea:
Vox: I summoned you both here because we need to discuss some of your public... displays. Velvette, you can't just fuck with Carmilla Carmine in front of other overlords, it makes business harder.
Velvette: Well, hey, you're lucky I didn't skin the bitch. She was boring.
C&V both take a direct approach of trying to interfere with their Vees' more impulsive decisions; both of them are control freaks to some extent who have a hard time with delegating, and the fact that Vox's delegation of the meeting task to Vel went sideways probably does fuck with his ability to trust her a little bit, especially since, well...in comparison with Vaggie, Vel takes way less accountability for her mistakes.
Both Vaggi and Vel are initially defensive of their decisions and respond with angry claim that their choice was the correct one:
Vox: Our brand is perfection, remember? We cannot let ourselves look weak to others overlords or to sinners. We are above... petty bullshit.
Velvette: Well maybe, people should start sucking less!
On the Hotel's side:
Vaggie: Time we don't have! How many Exterminations will have gone by before these idiots get their shit together? How many times will we have to watch your people be killed before we make headway?
Charlie: Vaggie.
However, Vaggie then admits to making a mistake and opens up to Charlie about her choice:
Vaggie: I took charge today and it all went sideways. I'm supposed to make your dreams a reality. I'm supposed to protect you. I'm supposed to never fail you.
Vel, however, continues to claim that it was Carmilla's fault for "sucking" or "being boring" and that she didn't do anything wrong. Vox finally has to make her apologize to Carmilla in order to make their plans work, and when he does finally truly tell her off for this, she responds with seething anger at him.
Vox: Besides, you did manage to fuck up the one overlord meeting I let you do on my behalf. So, uh, maybe you should reflect a little, mm-kay?
Velvette: (growls) FUCKING MOTHERFUCKER.
Charlie, in contrast of course, tries to smooth over it and downplay to Vaggie, telling her positive things, similar to how Vox initially tries to frame it in a way that will lead Vel to feel good about herself, flatter her ego ("we are above it") though obviously way more empathetic:
Charlie: You didn't fail me. Vaggie, you're not-you're not-
Vaggie: If I can't help you, what's the point of me?
Charlie: Vaggie, don't say that! You do so much! It's-
Vaggie: I'm sorry. I'd... I'd like to be alone for a minute.
Vox tells Velvette to reflect, Vaggi voluntarily chooses to reflect on her own. I feel like this is a potentially interesting window into Vox&Vel's relationship given the parallels - it's possible, considering how defensive she gets at the slightest sign of doubt from him, that Vel really likes Vox's validation and wants him to approve of her - not in the dad-daughter way that was originally planned, more in an equals way - but is less honest about it.
In this parallel though, it's interesting that Vaggie admits to screwing up and Vel doesn't. Given that as I said at the start, Vox and Charlie probably both have a hard time trusting people because they're such control freaks, having one of their most trusted allies handle a project in a way that's less than perfect probably does a number on them both. While Charlie has Vaggie's apology and some benefits to show for it, from Vox's POV Vel never apologizes or brings him much out of this confrontation.
All interesting set-up for Season 2. While Charlie does have more reason to trust Vaggie given how her exercise in part worked out:
Vaggie: *sighs* I'm sorry I got so crazy today.
Charlie: *grabs Vaggie's hand* No, no, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I put pressure on you. We work as a team. I guess I just thought all this would be easier, but, we'll figure it out, together. I mean, look what your exercise did for them.
It is notable that Charlie is still, in season 2, prone to trying to control things and not trusting to her friends to handle them. She has a big problem with not listening to Vaggie's advice in S2, and I think that this may have contributed a little, especially since Vaggie admits to having such a problem with needing to feel like she's helping Charlie. It kind of puts Charlie in a position to feel like she has to be independent, to not put too much pressure on Vaggie to help her in order to keep Vaggie from feeling useless. AS much as Charlie should trust Vaggie more, there's layers to her doing so that we see here.
And on Vox's side, with Vel refusing to take accountability for screwing up, it makes sense that he has a hard time trusting her in S2 and starts pushing her away. He gives her a chance to head an Overlord meeting once, it goes south and makes an enemy of the arms dealer he needs for their take-over heaven plan, and she never apologizes. While yes, he is rude and way less empathetic than Charlie, for someone with control and trust issues, that can't be good. It highlights the parallels that separate them in S2. Vaggie and Charlie are more empathetic, Vox and the Vees struggle to understand/be vulnerable with each other.
On another note, it's also interesting how the meeting sets up the bigger parallels between Charlie and the Vees as forces for change. Rewatching it I was really struck by what a vibrant presence Velvette has in this scene, compared with the other Overlords. And how both the Vees and Charlie are the ones who end up challenging heaven.
While Carmilla and co are basically accepting the status quo and just trying to navigate living under it:
Carmilla Carmine: Welcome, Hell's sovereign overlords. I've invited you all here because you represent the controlling powers of our city. Together, you own millions of souls. Souls at risk with the new Extermination schedule. *pounds fist on table* We need to discuss what can be done to minimize the impact to our interest.
The Vees want to change things:
Velvette: We found it during Extermination day. If these Holy Rollers can be killed, the game has changed. *stands on top of table* We can take the fight to them. The Voys and I have come up with a full assault plan--
As Vox puts it in "Stayed Gone", "You're looking at the future, (they're) the shit that comes before that".. The future of hell belongs to the Vees because they are future-minded. They want to actually change the nature of things, not just sit down and take it, accept their fates.
Kind of like a certain someone:
Lucifer: Come on little lady, why the frown?/In the last 10,000 years
You're the first one to change this town
Charlie and the Vees are both forces for change, and it's interesting that while the other Overlords are willing to sit back and allow all this to continue in the name of protection, Charlie and Vox in their respective ways within what seems to be two weeks of dramatic effort unseat the old status quo, stop the exterminations, and send heaven running on sheer willpower alone. While this isn't to say the other Overlords aren't within their rights to be cautious (most of us would, in their shoes!), it takes people like Vox and Charlie to make change happen.
And for all their flaws, our future-minded big-eyed disaster bi duo are the ones who can do that.
“Ah! The newbies! Tommy said his brother was in town! What’s the name?”
Joel’s mouth turned into half a smirk at the elation in the voice of the man welcoming them to the Tipsy Bison. “Joel.” He said, motioning his hand that was not occupied with Ellie’s in her direction, “this is Ellie.”
The voices of the conversing men were drowned out now, Ellie taken completely captive by her thoughts. Joel’s last name. My last name. Our last name. But… we’re not family. We can’t, can we? It’s his name, it’s not mine. I shouldn’t be called that. I shouldn’t be but I… want to be? Do I? Fuck, of course I do. Official shit? I’d get to be a Miller? Joel’s…
“-lie?”
She was back, her thoughts pushed somewhat back. “Hm?”
He faced her, her hand still in his. “Hey, you okay? You were out of it there for a minute,” he asked, voice unmistakably soft.
“Yup, perfect,” she said, trying to brush it off. It’s a name. Chill.
“Alright,” he said, not pushing it.
The chefs cooked up burgers for them that night and Joel nearly died and went to Heaven having a burger again. Ellie wasn’t as impressed, but seeing Joel eat with the biggest grin on his face and spew some pre-outbreak junk about how delicious a good homemade burger on the grill was made it worth it to her.
But even through dinner, the thoughts in Ellie’s head didn’t leave. They weren’t bad… just curious. Miller. Ellie Miller. It’s just a simple hope. It would never happen; stop making a big deal out of it.
Even after dinner and their walk home, Joel could feel a difference. Silent communication to feeling a difference in them through… the others scent? The way they walk? How their head hung? He couldn’t tell. But there was… something there that was different about her.
They both kicked off their shoes, Ellie moving to the couch immediately to plop into the weary leather.
He asked again. “You okay?”
“Yeah. Fine.”
He stood by the door, eyebrows raised and hands alarmingly close to sitting on his hips.
She sighed, throwing her head against the back of the couch. “Nothing bad, I swear. Just… some thoughts.”
“Baby, from what I’ve seen, majority of your thoughts are bad.”
“Wow, helpful,” she said, letting out an exasperated sigh. “But you’re right. But I swear, they’re not bad. Just dumb.”
Joel sat on the other end of the couch to face her. He didn’t speak, but he did want to hear from her. Poking and prodding about her dumb thoughts would shut her down. Her dumb thoughts would still overtake her in a number of ways and he wanted her to talk about them, no matter how dumb she said or thought they were.
He sat and waited patiently for her to start.
“What the guy said earlier at dinner.”
“What, specifically?”
She half groaned, annoyed with how such dumb thoughts were making her feel. “When we first got there. You introduced us and he said Joel and Ellie Miller…”
Joel turned his head to the side, a few lightbulbs going off.
“I just… didn’t know how to feel about it, I guess. But, it’s dumb. I’m sure sleeping on it will be fine.”
“Ellie,” he started, cautiously approaching the question, “what was your reaction to it? Did you hate it or was there…”
“Interest,” Ellie continued for him. “Interest, I think? I don’t know, it’s not like I go by Ellie Williams everywhere I go. But… Miller is your name. It’s Tommy’s, it’s Maria’s. It’s not… mine. But…” she trailed off slightly, pulling at her fingers as she glanced up at him. “I kept saying it as my last name in my head and it felt… good, almost. But I’m not a part of the family and using it as my last name seems really official and we’re not official and I’m not related to you guys so it feels wrong to want something when-“
“Hey,” he interrupted, grabbing her hand from across the couch. “My last name does not define whether you’re in the family or not, got it?”
Ellie sniffed and swallowed, forcing the lump in her throat down. “Still… it feels weird.”
“Tell you what,” he grabbed her hand with his other, holding it tight. “We try it on for size for a little while? If you want. There’s a lot of families we haven’t met. Plenty of kids your age, adults my age. They know I’m Tommy’s brother, so they’re going to assume you’re related, too. If you want, when introducing yourself, you can use Miller to see how it sounds.” He smiled at her. Ellie Miller. Fuck, he’d love it. “If you end up hatin’ it, you don’t have to use it. Okay?”
She nodded in agreement, “Okay.” She looked up at him again, noting those familiar creases at the corners of his eyes. “Do you… like how it sounds?”
His smile grew as he brought her enveloped hand up to his lips, adjusting his grip on her so he could kiss her knuckles briefly, the feel of his stubble causing her to reflexively flex her fingers at the feeling. “Course I do,” he said, grabbing hold of her hand again. “But I’m not gonna ask you to use it if you end up hating it.”
She smiled, nodding in understanding. She wouldn’t hate it. It’s his last name. If this is as official as they can get, she wants it.
They stayed on the couch, Ellie eventually changing positions to laying her head on his thigh as he told her Miller Family Stories, per her request. The majority of them were embarrassing stories of Tommy in his youth, stories Joel supposedly was made to swear would never leave the immediate family.
But Ellie was a part of the immediate family now, and she’s definitely going to use her newfound knowledge against her uncle.
FRIENDLY REMINDER!!! as i have said before- marya morevna is a deeply, deeply damaged woman. marya’s life before she was taken by koschei was not great- her family ended up sharing their home with twelve other familes- TWELVE- due to communism in russia. NONE of the children that lived in her home liked her and they made no attempts to hide it. some of them even steal her rolls at dinner- which it is important to note, food is very short during this time. marya speaks about a great lack of food for everyone- about her immense hunger- and about her hair, thinning, brittle and falling out. she is SO malnourished- on the brink of death, hardly alive. and it only gets worse.
marya is also widely disliked by her fellow classmates. she speaks out in class one day- wondering what sort of bird vladimir lenin was to make the sort of man he is, and the students think her insane. after school each of them slaps her across the cheek- which causes her face to bleed. a girl rips the red scarf from her throat- the ONLY thing that marya owns and does not have to share. and lastly they all spit on her before leaving.
koschei comes to her door in the dead of night and he represents freedom- he represents something GOOD in her life for the very first time. and if only she knew. marya is so naive- so infatuated with every single thing koschei represents- fitting in- being loved- being accepted- being fed- being in love, he represents everything she has ever dreamed of and she does not think that back to what she told herself she would do. that she would never let her husband come to her and take her away before she saw him as a bird- before she saw him naked.
she abandons everything she tells herself she is because koschei and everything he can give her are too enticing and she cannot stop herself.
now i want to break for a moment in my rant about marya’s life and how awful it was, i want to touch base on something so important. i believe that maryas cruelty- that her mean nature and cold heart are a product of sosososoososos much more than just koschei- and koscheis theft of her. marya lived a life of strife- a life of grief and pain for most of it- following her three sisters marriage her life took a downward spiral. and whats worse is marya was old enough to remember what a good life was. i believe that her experiences prior to her time in buyan are JUST as important and create just as much an impact on the person marya becomes as her time among literal demons.
her husband is the equivalent to the literal devil in american culture. maryas innocence- her general naivete are very much present before her marriage to koschei. but her cruelty had begun to grow and fester well before that. imagine how she must have felt to finally have power- for once in her life- over everything and anything she wants except for koschei that is. it is inevitable that her cruelty- her blood lust and meanness would grow like an organ.
i am in no way claiming koschei is faultless- or that their relationship was particularly healthy- but more that marya was a woman product of so much more than the cruel hand of her husband. but i believe that is a great part of the beauty and enchantment of the story- that marya is painted in a much more malignant light and koschei in a much more forgiving one.
Hey USamericans, as a European, when I think of US food of course Borgor comes up, sometimes even cheesed. But jokes aside, what is like, traditional American food? State delicacies? Like, American food that isn't just fast food. Or maybe I'm wrong and this Dog of Hot is actually a food with deep historic roots beyond eating them at The Events of Sports
send me ‘ hc ‘ + a word and i’ll write a headcanon about it regarding my character.
Tristan. Just, that's the tweet. Tristan is her home. Now, if you were to ask her, she would probably say that France is her home, but realistically, wherever Tristan is is her home. Though generally she prefers more Mediterranean climates, so she and Tristan likely rotate around there for the most part, but even Elijah was aware that wherever Tristan goes, Aurora follows.
