#danielle bisutti

[lindseymcdonaldseyelashes]

Leverage 5x5 "The Gimme a K Street Job"

[freytos]

the family photo kratos would have on his desk.

[greatrunner]

Three times Killed, Three Times Reborn

I remember being so angry with Kratos at the end of GOW18 when he snapped Baldur's neck. I was so taken by the fact that Freya was going to let her son kill her, as penance. That she loved him so much that she would let him take her life.

In the meta, It felt like the writers were absolutely not going to let that happen considering the franchise's relationship with women already, so Kratos was effectively duty bound to save Freya. Not only because he believed she didn't deserve it, and also thought it would 'break the cycle' of familicide (in this case, matricide). But the to prevent the game from catching heat for an avoidable death.

Mimir says, "there was no easy choice", and at the time, and certainly from Freya's point of view, I thought it was honoring her choice to be murdered was the easy choice. But he also says, "The world's a better place with Freya in it."

I can't (and didn't) disagree.

But back then, I kept thinking about how The Last of Us did something similar, and was like, "Why won't these PlayStation stories let women and girls choose their fates?"

I wanted vengeance for Freya. So most of Ragnarok's release I was genuinely hoping Fraya would succeed in killing Kratos.

But as far as storytelling goes, the world was better with Freya alive, and Ragnarok actually does a fantastic job of handling her grief, the lengths she went to try and kill Kratos (pitting starving humans and other creatures against Kratos, almost like a mob boss).

And, eventually, how Kratos responds to all of it, especially in light of his journey with Atreus at that point (the Vanaheim mission to break Odin's spell).

"I do not regret saving your life, and never will. But the choice between life and death should have been yours to make. I should not have robbed you of that choice."

It's very theatrical and neat, as far as storytelling goes. Maybe there's a chance Freya might go Face–Heel Turn, but the further the game goes along, the less and less "Every agony. Every violation imaginable" matters. The length of the game allows Freya to square away with most of her old life with the Aesir, the one she lost with the Vanir and her brother Freyr, what she's culpable for.

Admitting some part of her will never forgive Kratos is enough, because it's also something Kratos understands (as a parent at two different points of his life). All of this, in the end, because she survived.

Then Kratos offers her the marble with Odin's trapped soul in it, and she reflects that she's in a place (emotionally) where she didn't need Odin to be dead (being trapped, like she'd been, was penance enough).

Not gonna lie, I was like, "Freya, no! Kill that man!"

And then Sindri destroyed Odin's soul, and I let it go. I didn't problematize that well-tread storytelling device where the hero decides, "No. I won't kill you, bad guy. I don't need to anymore."

Anyway, just really great storytelling.

[nicascurls]

Quick appreciation post for both Danielle Bisutti and Michael Therriault because they seem like two of the sweetest and funniest people in real life but damn do I get mad when I see Barb or Dr Foley on screen.

[maxbegone]

@ amazon do everyone a favor and cast alastair duncan and danielle bisutti to reprise mimir and freya thank youuuuuuuuu

cc: @lutavero

[midnightostara]

Happy International Women’s Day!

[ambrosiaablue]

Hexela’s camera roll.

[esqueletosgays]

INSIDIOUS: CHAPTER 2 (2013)

Director: James Wan Cinematography: John R. Leonetti