Echoes of Guilt: Exploring the Thin Line Between Tee's Redemption and Salvation in Dead Friend Forever, Episode 11
This week, I'm really enjoying what DFF is trying to say about the humanity in making shitty choices and having to live with the outcome. The framing of Tee's journey, about how in trying to survive the hell he's in with his father, he inadvertently causes Non's death, gives a reason to why he makes the decisions that he does, rather than excusing them. Arguably, this was never supposed to be Tee's redemption arc, rather it's the story of his salvation and reformation.
Non isn't meant to be an ingénue in this story. He's flawed and he makes some bad decisions, but he's still a victim. Yes, Non has, to a degree, had his own autonomy digging himself further into the shithole, but in the end, his actions were all reactions to an already existing shithole that he was forced into. While the bullying may have not started with Tee, man, did the kid know exactly how to lay a trap and let others burn in it. He was calculating, so much more than his peers, likely because he has been dealing with shitty adults in his own personal life. Before White, Tee was turning into the terrible adults that he was surrounded by. This episode is explicitly showing the journey of Tee's realization of the consequences of his actions and his attempt to change while still dealing with a dirty past.
The misdirection of the Redemption Arc in Tee's story
First things first, the redemption arc deals with the characterization of a deep internal struggle within the character. A character undergoing a redemption arc deals with personal guilt, remorse and the desire for atonement. The redemption journey is usually initiated by the character themselves after being confronted with their flaws or wrongdoings. Broken down into steps, a redemption arc typically involve: (1) a flaw, (2) acknowledgement of the effect of their actions, (3) seeking atonement, (4) struggles with guilt or remorse, (5) significant growth because of their struggles, (6) tangible manifestations of their acts of redemption, (7) seeking forgiveness. A redemption arc typically resolves when the character achieves some form of personal redemption, whether it be through forgiveness, closure, or inner peace. Redemption arcs emphasize personal responsibility and the inner journey of the character.
The reality is that Tee doesn't redeem himself. He never has the opportunity to because Non dies two weeks after Tee delivered him to Uncle Joe. Non's dead (as far as Tee and we, as an audience,know so far). Sure, Tee was working towards redemption, with his several attempts to save Non from his Uncle's grasp, but he'll never reach redemption because Non is gone. He doesn't even get the chance to seek forgiveness, nor I'm sure that he needs any forgiveness from Non. The guilt that is consuming him, the realization and acceptance of how much pain he has caused a fellow human being is not redemption, it's remorse. And you first have to have remorse to find the road to redemption. So while episode 11 might have shown that Tee was starting on his redemption arc, by the end of the episode, he's still not redeemed. In comparison to all the pain that he has caused, working a second job to help Non get out of the debt he caused doesn't erase the extent of harassments and suffering he subjected Non to. Here, the story was never truly centered on Tee's journey to atone for the pain he caused Non but rather it seems to make it a point to show his guilt. That's not redemption.
Also just from a writing stand point, Non's confrontation, and ultimately, Tee's decision to attempt to get Non out of being his Uncle's slave is part of Tee's progression, but is not the climax of his story. Even if you consider Tee's emerging guilt after realizing that his uncle was planning to sell Non for body parts, it's only serves as a catalyst for Tee to realize and confront the pain he has caused. The true change that we see in Tee comes the moment he meets White. White's presence is the turning point in Tee's life, that makes him want to change.
The initiation of Tee's Salvation Arc
The Salvation arc of a character focuses more on the development on the relationship between the "savior" and the one in need of salvation. Particularly, this arc highlights the external forces that shape a character's transformation, leading to a new direction or purpose in life. The resolution often involves the one in need of salvation finding a sense of change, sometimes without ever fully achieving complete redemption. Both arcs deal with the change and growth in a character, yet while the redemption arc often leads to a cathartic resolution where the character finds peace or closer, the salvation arc focuses more on external influences and the power of compassion. This arc doesn't particularly signify that that the character will fully find true redemption. Instead the character may become reformed having changed into a better person and acknowledged their wrongdoing, but not particularly working to make amends for their past mistakes.
No person exists in isolation and Tee's change is interconnected with White's appearance. Tee frames it himself. "Since I met White, I started knowing what happiness is. I started having my goal. Wanting to start over. I wanted to become a better person." That very moment is the climax in Tee's story, the moment where Tee needed to make a critical choice of who he wanted to be. Every moment that he had to witness Non's suffering and ultimately come to the realization that he is in large part the reason for Non's death is a lesson that he's learned of has shown him who he no longer wants to be. Non is the journey, but it's only assists in Tee's growth, making him ready to be a better person for the moment that he meets White.
Tee was going to stew in the regret and remorse he felt for Non's death, but Tee wasn't making amends FOR him. He was stagnant. He accepted his culpability and thought that being unhappy would be the proper punishment that he deserved. Yet, he didn't seek to right the wrongs, he didn't reach out to Non's family to let them know their baby boy had died in obscurity. That is a far cry from atonement and redemption. Instead, White gave him new purpose and direction in life. Humans are always capable of change, it's just depends on an individual's want or need to do so. Dead Friend Forever seems to be making a message about how even though Tee has the capacity for growth, change, and healing, Tee still has to respond for the pain and hurt he caused beyond Non.
Final Thoughts
While a redemption arc holds many similarities with that of a salvation arc, the exploration of the complexities of human nature are done through two distinct lenses. I don't think Dead Friend Forever is trying to focus on Tee's personal responsibility and inner struggles while ignoring the damage that he did to Non, but rather seems to be making a stand on the effect of external influence and finding personal salvation from connections with others. The very thing that Non had always been denied by Tee and the others, human connections.
Salvation arcs don't automatically make a character likeable, which DFF seems to be aware of, so I don't think it's an attempt to make him another version of a hero for Non. Rather it lays a foundation to Tee, showing his own struggles with his family, his own flaws, and his own attempt at change. It explains Tee's incentives behind his actions, but doesn't create an excuse for them. It not a redemption story, because he doesn't redeem himself. Non's dead and he can't ask for forgiveness from a ghost. His salvation doesn't even come after Non dies, because his inaction after Non's death was still an action. He still takes part in denying Non proper rest, even in death. His change came after where he learned from his wrongs and chooses to no longer do any more harm because of White. Even so, he still played a role in the complete devastation that he caused Non's family. Tee's actions caused a domino effect, where he eventually had a hand in creating New's pain, thirst and revenge.
As Tee has undergone his salvation arc, it highlights the irreversible consequences of his actions and the cycle of violence and retribution. Tee was a victim of his circumstance. Yet, victims can still create more victims. Despite Tee's efforts to change, it's a change that occurred far too late. Tee's death at New's hands would be an end to a cycle of violence and retribution that Tee inadvertently set in motion. If Tee dies in an attempt to save White, his willingness to sacrifice himself for White will represent a departure from the violence that defined his past. Ultimately, I think it underscores the harsh reality that, despite efforts to seek forgiveness or become a changed man, some sins cannot be undone.
I had seen a post that said the worst trope in shows is when they take a deeply traumatized character and kill them off for shock value even when they were fighting so hard to get their happy ending they could almost taste it.
It made me think of Non because he has been through absolute hell with almost no one to save him. You can bring up Tee trying to help but like Non said Tee should be doing that for getting him into this situation. Tee doesn’t deserves applause in my opinion for trying to help because even if he didn’t get Non stuck in that business he still bullied him outside of that.
Leading up to my point here being that if they kill off Non in the very last episode I will feel the flames of hell licking at my ankles from so much rage.
I’ve seen absolutely no progress with killing any of Non’s bullies and it pisses me off. I know it didn’t happen right away because they need to build up the story first. But we’re down to episode 11 and no one has been killed off except Por.
Now the one thing that has been enraging me the most in this show is Phee and Jin. I’ve come to hate their characters more than everyone else.
The rest of the group are fucked up to Non but they don’t try to hide what shitty people they are. The disgust, anger, and just hateful behavior for Non whether he is in the room or not has never wavered. However Jin and Phee act like they are so innocent when it comes to being complicit in Non’s suffering.
Jin may have been nice to Non for the short time he knew him but did absolutely nothing to shield him from being harassed. I do wonder if Jin would be as nice as he was if he didn’t have a crush on Non, which brings me to my next point.
Jin so easily turned his back on Non when he saw him and teacher Keng together. Getting so angry that Non didn’t like him back so he posts a clip all over school of Non getting fucked by his teacher. It was such a low ball move and he needs to have his ass beat for it.
Phee obviously never bullied Non so why do I hate him so much? It’s the way he has handled everything starting from finding out about Non & Keng all the way up to current events in the show. I can maybe understand the initial reaction to Non sleeping with Keng (minus telling Non to disappear and die) but at some point how did you not put that pieces together that your boyfriend was groomed by his teacher?
Next point is Phee being absolutely no help at all when it came to getting revenge for Non. I already knew Tan/New was the only one I would be relying on to help Non. Phee really couldn’t keep it in his pants long enough until he eventually slept with Jin. We all knew that was going to happen but it just blows my mind he so easily slept with a guy who ruined Non’s life. I don’t care if he said it was to “get information out of Jin” because it’s was such a bs excuse.
Next on the list is Phee exposing the entire plan to Jin because unfortunately he likes that bastard but moving on. Jin then confesses that he was the one to leak the video clip of Non all over school and Phee istg barely looks angry. The most was him getting up and banging his fist on the wall but other than that I’m pretty sure his anger lasted a good 5 seconds.
This is why I can’t take Phee seriously when he claims to love Non because why aren’t you more enraged finding out Jin was the one who ruined your boyfriend’s life? You should be getting in Jin’s face demanding he get on his knees and apologize but instead you did nothing. In the words of Haymitch Abernathy “You could live 100 lifetimes and never deserve that boy.” because Phee truly does not deserve to love Non at all and I’m glad they broke up.
Jin and Phee make it back to the house being very quick to snitch on Tan to everyone about the plan. The thing that irritates me most about that scene is Jin acting so high and mighty like he’s not in the wrong for what he did and making Tan look like the bad guy here for wanting to get revenge for Non. I wanted to smack him in the face so bad there. Phee and Jin truly deserve each other because they are both insecure useless snitches who have never protected Non the way they should have.
Okay final notes here (I say 50 paragraphs later lol) is when Tan is telling Phee to shoot everyone and he’s hesitating. He then says he just wants to know the truth about what happened to Non. That’s it? Are you gonna interview them one by one and just let them go on their merry way after? Seriously why are you even here Phee if you’re going to be useless dead weight on this mission.
Circling back to my main concern for this show is are they going to have Non go thru all that trauma and just not do anything or worse case scenario being they kill him off. That’s really all I care about at this point because if they make the rest about Jin and Phee I’ll be so annoyed.
I also wonder if they’re gonna reveal White to be hiding something or if he’ll be innocent till the very end because he truly is the only character who has no inclusion or cause to Non’s suffering. So that’ll be interesting to see in the final episode.
So many beautiful moments. Really the episode exceeded my expectations. I’m glad we got so much Tee. I’ve been rooting for him since the beginning. Poor baby. In an unwinnble situation he kept hope unlike New who gave in to the darkness.
Although don’t get me wrong I mostly still agree with Tan New more of the boys need to pay for what they did. Tee has paid he’s paid again and again. No wonder last ep White said to Tee “you told me you wanted to be friends with them remember?” Gahhh right in the heart Tee wanted to have a normal friendships.
Let’s get into it. How do we only have 1 ep left?!
Photo review time
The fact Tee did EVERYTHING in his power to save Non speaks volumes. He didn’t expect things to spiral out of control. He wanted to care for his dad who obviously needs help but Tee was working like crazy he doesn’t feel bad for non he feels guilt and works to make things better it’s better than any apology
Okay but are we sure he’s not White’s long lost brother or twin? Also I love him. What an icon
What’s cruel is Tee and his dad didn’t ask for this. There is nothing his dad could have done to protect Tee when your mind goes it’s hard to admit it and then it snowballs into no longer being able to care for others and then delves into not being able to care for yourself it’s heart breaking it’s like boiling a frog in soup and I hope it is a fate that doesn’t await me. Tee had no where to go but his uncle. Tee has very little choices in his life. I can believe he’s a bully when everything in his life is out of his hands.
The actor for Tee in the final Non scenes and his speech after this letter. It got me crying. Man this actor needs an award too. It really hit me to my core Tee doesn’t emote much but you could feel pain resignation injustice in his every move.
I’m DEVASTATED that Non is actually dead. I was hoping Non really did find a way to escape when Tee gave Non the money. Non had every right to not trust Tee and to be a little crazy. He still didn’t have access to medicine. I wonder if Tan/New suffers from the same mental illness. Ugh Non…. Believing no one would miss him at the end. Really hurts my soul.
I feel like if Non got to an afterlife and saw how tough Tee was working to atone for what he did I think Non sent White as a miracle for Tees life. If so it’d be beautiful if White was able to save as many as possible.
White and Tee are precious it heals what was broken from only friends with Boston and Nick.
No one deserves to be alone. Everyone needs the chance to change. To be happy.
Wow their kisses are so fucking amazing. I adore them I could have watched 12 eps of their relationship. I really don’t want Tee or White to die
Okay get em Tan/New but I still want Tee and White to live. I don’t blame him for acting this way he’s still my baby and he has every right to hate Phee being weak. Yes I know you shouldn’t kill people however if someone RUINS my family. DESTORYS them? I don’t care if my mom came down from heaven and told me to spare the person who choked my sister with their bare hands. I’d shoot them.
I feel like after the ep 9 no one is really having any energy towards this show (but at the same time I have never witnessed fandom to go toxic in real time) and people ony grows in disappointment.
Tee is the mos interesting character in this show as of right now
Probably bc the WHOLE penultimate ep is about him. I am genuinely suprised how Tee centric this ep is.
As a ep this is quite interesting and so on, and I won't complaint about having more White on my screen BUT as a penultimate ep of a show and especially DFF this is bonkers. I get that it kinda makes sense in chronological order but it does not make sense in a way that this show has 12! not 13 or 14 ep.
Can Tee be redeemed after realizing his mistakes and making an effort to resolve the situation and be better? - Possibly
Will White survive, considering he was a key component of Tee's redemption?- Maybe, or maybe he's used a further punishment for Tee
Will Por, who never thought about it rather than how it affected him, survive? - yeah, we know that's a giant no.
Will Top, who started the whole debacle by breaking the camera and never confess or try to take responsibility survive? -considering his gut shot, I'm thinking that's a solid no.
Will Fluke, who has witnessed so much but never said anything, who has allowed Non to be sucked into the whole thing survive? -based on the survivability of those who take responsibility for their actions? I'm thinking not. There also seems to be some question of whether he actually posted the video and not Jin. In which case if he posted it and hasn't fessed up or repented? He's dead, almost certainly.
Will Jin, who seemed to film and post the revenge porn, but maybe didn't, who fessed up to Phee about posting it online, who seems remorseful, will he survive?- Maybe? Depends on if he actually did post it or not. But even then, he still repents and is trying to do better. Maybe he survives.
Will Phee, who said the wrong thing at the wrong time, who repents and is trying to find the truth, but who also had the gall to move on with his life, will he survive? -Again with the maybe. How much is Tan going to make him pay for moving on with his life when Tan is stuck in this emotional hell?
Will Tan, the overachieving brother who left his brother behind but has given up everything to find out the truth, survive? - I don't think so. Let's face it, even if he does kill every person there, what does he do after? His revenge is complete but everything he has is gone and everyone he loves is dead. I fully believe he intends to take himself out afterwards. He is not walking away from this mentally well.
Is Non alive?- Isn't that the 24 million dollar question?I'm thinking at this point no. Almost certain his beating led him to have internal damage and that's why he was coughing and "died." I think he really is dead at this point. He's like Schrodinger's Non. Maybe he's alive, or maybe he's not. You won't know for sure until the end.
So all this being said: Assuming this is a traditional slasher film still, who do you think is going to be the last man standing?
Assuming this is a traditional slasher show still, who do you think will be the last man standing?
Tan
Phee
Jin
Fluke
White
Tee
Non
Por (he came back from the dead)
Top (who knows, the gut wound might be surviveable)
