#duttoncruz

[purpledaisiesthings]

So after that finale, I have a few predictions in regards to Kayce and Andrea's relationship trajectory. Bare in mind these are just my personal predictions and I'm definitely biased here lol 😉

The trajectory of their relationship will be determined by 3 events that happened in the finale.

Andrea's decision to leave

The Weavers cliffhanger

Dolly

First things first, Andrea is most definitely not leaving and even if she leaves, it'll be brief. She's going to return basically few minutes into ep 1 because she misses the team (*cough* Kayce *cough* 😄). I'm leaning more to her not leaving at all though, but I think she'll play a central role in helping Kayce figure it all with the Weavers.

As much as I want them to kick Tom Weaver's ass immediately, I don't think they'll initially figure out that he's been behind everything all this while. He's going to be season 2's villain so it's going to be stretched as much as possible. Probably by mid season or a few episodes to the finale. I heard season 2 will have about 20 episodes so this storyline will have its time to develop.

So that would mean Weaver does not kidnap Tate. It's all part of his plan to gain Kayce's trust, acting like a father/grandpa figure to the family. And unfortunately, it'll work. It'll be painful to watch Kayce get closer to the Weavers while we the viewers are in the know of his intentions. However that's the point. The betrayal and hurt will feel very earned for Kayce's character.

This is where I think Andrea comes in. I think her uneasiness with figuring out who's behind the attack at Kayce's ranch will force her to come back. Even though I don't think Cal and Belle are getting killed off, there's still a cliffhanger with them. Andrea is the only one that knows what they were working on and where they went. She's the link to everything unfolding.

So her return back to Montana and her uneasiness about finding who's responsible for the attack at East Camp will further push my DuttonCruz agenda.

Sesson 1 set the foundation for their relationship and I think Kayce is becoming someone who Andrea wants to protect. It's always been the other way around for Kayce. He's always the one having to protect others. There's already been little glimpses of her protectiveness towards Kayce in season 1. I think it's going to be more on a larger scale in season 2. Especially with the Weaver storyline. Andrea will be right there with him to help him recover from the betrayal. And even though I don't think Tom Weaver kidnaps Tate from the finale, I think he's still going to try to do something evil to Tate as the episodes go and Andrea will be by his side while he's going through that difficult time.

That links me to my third point....Dolly.

There will unfortunately be a love triangle😩 Dolly ain't going anywhere anytime soon. Andrea's investigations will probably make her suspicious of Tom Weaver but that's going to spill into her also suspecting Dolly whether Dolly is involved or not. I think Andrea's statement about them being Romeo and Juliet gave a little foreshadowing into what Dolly's role might be. She might actually not be in cahoots with her dad, even though a part of me thinks she's aware of his plans. But her role in all this might be to go against her dad for Kayce. This Will open up a can of worms for their love triangle.

Andrea's feelings for Kayce are already quite glaring for us at this point so I think we might get a little jealous Andrea lol. I think sharp mouthed Andrea will come out when it comes to Dolly and I will so entertained 🤭

I don't think anything serious will happen with Kayce and Dolly, and obviously when he's aware of her father's intentions, there's no way he will pursue that. But I also think she's a plot device to make him aware of his feelings for Andrea. Like that "aha" moment that he's finally ready to open up his heart romantically not with Dolly but with Andrea, and also him finally ready to remove his wedding ring. There might also be another love interest for Andrea. More like a fling because she's already made it clear she does not want to settle down. Her flings are easier for her to handle. However, Kayce is going to change that for her. Kayce is obviously a relationship type of guy, so her giving in to Kayce would mean her wanting to finally settle down. That's something she'll have to deal with internally. But whoever this love interest will be, they'll be used just like Dolly as a plot device for her and Kayce to get closer. And just like with Andrea, we might get jealous Kayce 🤭. That's going to be very interesting to see. I kinda saw Kayce get a little uncomfortable when she hooked up with Garret so it'll be interesting to see his reaction this time when they've grown even closer.

I'm really looking forward to when they enter their yearning and angst era though. There's going to be alot of pining with those two, a lot of yearning, lot of angst, and emotional closeness with Kayce and Andrea. We all know Kayce can't flirt for shit 😄. It'll be interesting to see. Because of how clueless Kayce is in the romantic department, I don't even think he'll be aware of Andrea's feelings at first unless she gives it away. The man didn't even realize Dolly was into him until Andrea pointed it out. Granted he's been out of the game for over 20 yrs and he's been in love with one woman in that time. He's a reserved man and I've noticed he doesn't really react to things unless something external pushes him to. Like with Dolly, even when Andrea clued him to her, he didn't even react to her feelings. He just played along and was hanging out with her horse riding until she tried to kiss him. That's when he made his intentions known that he wasn't interested. So I do wonder how he'll go about admitting his feelings to Andrea. Something will definitely push him to finally admit it whether it's him being jealous of Andrea's love interest or because of Dolly. Whatever it is, I want it to be him that admits first. I'm a fan of the "girl falls first but boy falls harder" trope and Kayce is the type to fall really hard.

I don't think they'll be together or start dating in season 2 (it's a slow burn remember 😉), but I think season 2 will end with them having a big romantic moment. All the yearning and angst will culminate into them maybe sharing a kiss towards the end of the season. That will set the tone for their relationship going forward ( fingers crossed🤞🏾for season 3)

[purpledaisiesthings]

Now that was a finale 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

I said from my last review that the shit happening in the penultimate episode felt like preparation of the ultimate shit in this finale. And I was right. This has been my favorite episode this season. It gave me everything I needed. The high stakes, the action, a resolve, a big villain reveal, a cliffhanger, and of course my shipping agenda.

Since it's the finale I'll touch a little on the episode itself before my ship discourse. First, can I just say how much I loved that intro. No dialogue, no words, just the camera and kayce, the quiet before shit hits the fan. Loved it. Plus, we hear wolf howls which I think was a nice touch considering the title of the episode "wolves at the door".

Another thing I loved was the fight scene with Mo. The way he stabbed that guy to death. Absolutely cinema. Chef's kiss. Plus Tate killing a man....again? This has been the most intense episode for me. When you think everything is resolved, boom they hit you with that insane Weaver cliffhanger. Epic, Epic episode

Also yes yes yes....I'm so happy kayce did not sell east camp and instead he's actually repurposing it into something beautiful. Something that's dear to his heart as a vet and dedicated to his friend Garret. In a way, it's still a way for him to move forward the best way he can as a Dutton. Which has been his theme this season. He said last episode how he never had to think about his wants because his duty to family always came first. This is the first time he gets to discover what he truly wants out of a place that's given him so much hurt and he didn't need to sell it to move forward.

Now to my shipping discourse 🥰 ....

I loved how Andrea immediately noticed that there was a "spring" in Kayce's step and when he said his mind was at ease, she immediately knew the reason why was because he decided not to sell the ranch. And then when he stated he was going to use part of the ranch as an equine therapy center, she immediately caught on that it was because of how it helped Garret. She's so in tune with him and his feelings. She knows that man y'all🥹. And it's not the first time she's vocally helping him express what is in his mind and heart. We know how hard it is for Kayce to do so. But also, he in turn also understands who she is. During their final farewell, when she said she didn't know what to say and he goes "that's a first" with a grin on his face lol. I loved the fact that he recognizes how much of a yapper (in an endearing way) Andrea is. He knows she's always got something to say with that mouth of hers and I think he secretly loves it 😏. Remember his first interaction with her in episode 1? She was complaining that she had to ride a horse during their op and he offered to give her a boost thinking he was helping. She immediately said "that would be the last thing you'd ever do" and he looked so flabbergasted after her response 😃😄. There are times I've noticed where she'd be talking tough to him and he'd just be smiling. He absolutely loves that sassy part of her 😏

Found it funny when Kayce called Cal to let him know about Rainwater's assassination attempt and Andrea immediately goes "we rolling out for Kayce or what?" In my mind I'm like wouldn't it technically be for Rainwater? Cal had not even given out an order yet. Like she does not play about her cowboy 😄. Then when she came in bright and early to work and said she'll feel better if she knew who shot up Kayce's house forgetting she had a flight to catch to DC. All I kept thinking about was yh, she's gonna whoop Dolly's ass when she finds out.

They had another locker room scene this episode and just like I said in last episode's review, this also felt domestic. This time it's Kayce changing his clothes while they gist and joke around like a couple. Again, we're seeing clearly that Kayce reserves his laughs and smiles for Andrea only, and she doesn't even have to do anything to bring it out of him. I don't even think she realizes the effect she has on him. They both don't yet.

I thought it was so cute of him to put the hat he gave Garret in her locker. It's a sentimental gesture that he didn't have to do, but he did and that shows how much he values Andrea.

It's clear that Andrea did not want to leave. She delayed it as much as she could under the guise of helping Kayce (yh right lol 🤭) and you could see how difficult it was for her throughout the episode as she said her goodbyes to the team. Especially to Kayce. With everyone else, she gave the obvious reasons for her departure and defended it. But when she was alone with Kayce in the locker room, she simply told him the decision wasn't an easy one. Almost like she wanted him to believe her and not be mad at her. And he's response was so sweet. He didn't add on to how bad she was already feeling. With a smile on his face he says he wishes she'd reconsider but would not push it. I repeat, Kayce uses his mouth to say he wishes she'll reconsider her move back to DC. Again for the last time, Kayce vocally admitted to someone what he wants. In my head, what I heard is that he wants her LOL 🤭. He's come a long way or is it just the Andrea effect 😏? But he also said he would not push it because I think he recognizes that he's not in the position to convince her to stay. Little does he know that there is a possibility of her staying for him. Everyone pretty much tried to convince her. Cal and Belle made their case for her to stay. But Kayce didn't, he told her what he wanted and didn't push it but her goodbye reaction to him, especially after their hug, was the only one where she looked like she was regretting her decision.

Let me not even get into that sweet hug and the look on her face after😢. I now actually think Andrea is at a point where she likes Kayce and she's aware of her feelings. At the very least, she has a crush. It was their first time hugging and I think it hit her that the hug was going to be their last (well we know it's not 😉).

Finally, that cliffhanger with the Weavers. It didn't seem out of nowhere but it also gave the necessary amount of shock value. Like I always knew there was something fishy about the Weavers but it wasn't in our faces and so with the big reveal at the end, it felt very worth it. They showed up like this friendly good neighbors and befriended Kayce and Tate fast. They kept using Kayce's grief to persuade him into selling east camp and when he declined, they acted like it was not a big deal. Nah, they were just too good to be true. Especially coming from rich people like the Weavers who made their wealth in the brutal financial world. And I refuse to believe that Dolly is not in cahoots with her father. She might fancy Kayce but also using that as a tact to soften him up for her dad. Like killing 2 birds with one stone.

Diabolical. There's something quite diabolical with Tom separating Tate and Kayce by kidnapping Tate under the guise of a fishing trip (surely to use as a bargaining chip to Kayce giving up east camp) and having his daughter distract him from his team whether she's aware or not.

I think Marshals has had a very good start. Like most procedurals, it needed some episodes to get into its groove and it surely did in the 2nd half of the season. The season finale just set the ball for an amazing season 2 and I'm so excited for what's to come. Season 2 needs to start like right now 😩

P.S. - Based on the season 1 finale, I'm going to give my season 2 predictions for how I think/want things to go down for Kayce and Andrea in another post.

[purpledaisiesthings]

Lol everything is going to shit and I'm absolutely loving this drama so much😁

Cal finally came clean about his cancer, Belle's a gambler and owes a ton of money, Andrea's finally gotten what she always wanted that is to go back to D.C, Kayce is selling east camp and Miles is suspended. The shit that's happened in this penultimate episode feels like preparation for the ultimate shit that'll happen in next week's season finale. I'm ready to be entertained 😁

Andrea and Kayce's locker room scene gave me everything I need for my shipping analysis this episode. They have such an ease to their conversations whether it's them joking around or even talking about serious situations, nothing feels forced. And that conversation had both light and serious moments. He always seems lighter around her and smiles a lot more when he's around her. I found it so funny when Dolly was complaining about how hard it was to make him smile meanwhile you have him unintentionally and freely just shining his teeth around Andrea. When she said that, I was like girl you ain't Andrea that's why🤭. Plus his conversations with Dolly are always so gloomy while with Andrea, even when they're having serious conversations it always goes in the direction of him moving forward or being positive. Dolly keeps connecting him to the past life he's movng away from, while Andrea is his future.

That scene was also kinda domestic to me. Because tell me why they're having a conversation while Andrea is casually taking off her clothes like as if they were a couple just in their bedroom gisting about their day. They were so relaxed acting like it was a normal thing for them until Andrea asked him to leave. Very soon, very soon 👀. They're slowly entering each other's spaces like it's normal, this is big for Kayce.

It's interesting that again, Kayce is trying to sell the idea of Montana to Andrea. This episode he even did it on multiple occasions. One was during their locker room scene where they're talking about her cowboy ways. Really Kayce?? Lol 😆. Plus when she says her cowboy ways sent her to Montana, he immediately follows it up by saying "that sounds like you". Uh excuse me, this man really wants her to stay bad. And a statement like that is pretty much saying that he knows her, he knows the kind of things she can do and knows that her cowboy ways (cowboy being something she consistently calls him👀) is exactly why she needs to stay. That's what I heard 🤭. You only say things like that to someone if you've spent a lot of time with them not just having conversations, but also observing them. They're making it quite clear that they have a bond.

I think at this point it's safe to say she's going to stay (like duh), but the question is what would get her to make that decision. That's what will be interesting. On one side, I would like Kayce to be involved in that decision to satisfy my shipper heart but on another side, I would like it to be an independent decision because I want Andrea to be seen as more than Kayce's potential love interest, someone with her own agency. That's the difference between her and Dolly. A combination would be perfect to satisfy both the shipping angle and Andrea's agency.

I noted something else in their locker room conversation. Andrea talked about how she realized that dreams and realities can't coexist. It's interesting how fitting that statement is specifically for Andrea and Kayce. Andrea's dream since we were introduced to her in episode 1 was to go back to D.C. but her reality is that she's starting to love Montana and is creating a bond with her new teammates. Kayce's dream has always been his duty to other people. I honestly felt for him when he told Dolly he's never gotten to think about his wants because of his duty. But he's reality now is that he's moving on and that's going to look a lot different from his sense of duty. What they first thought they wanted (east camp, the D.C. job) isn't exactly what they actually want.

At first I didn't really want Kayce to sell east camp, especially as Dolly seemed to be pushing him into that decision. But then as he explained his reasoning behind it, it reminded me that this is exactly who kayce is. Kayce is moving forward and unburdening himself from his past. The whole theme of season one is basically Kayce doing this. East camp plays a major role in his old life. So it makes sense that he makes this decision. Knowing kayce wasn't really about that life, I think the writing was gearing up to this final last act of moving forward.

Dolly is such an interesting character (and I don't mean in a good way) because tell me why she's using Kayce's grief of losing Garret to get him into selling east camp to her dad. Like that was weird right??

Side note: I really find Gifford and Andrea's dynamic to be hilarious 😂. As much as she shows her dislike to him with that sharp mouth of hers and Gifford is a pain in the ass to the team, he really does respect her. Anytime those two are in the same space together I already know there'll be some bickering 😂

P.S. I'm obviously a #duttoncruz shipper but that last scene with Belle and Cal was quite heartbreaking 🥺

[purpledaisiesthings]

Ok there was not much in #duttoncruz crumbs in episode 11 however, this episode along with episode 9 has been my favorite episodes so far and I know I'll be adding more to the list with 2 more episodes left for the season.

I absolutely loved the flashbacks, Kayce and Cal finally working on their relationship, Cal knowing about the train station (what the hell happened to Neil?) and those last 5 mins 🫢. I feel like the show is starting to get into its groove and I'm loving it. Shout out to Kayce for constantly reminding Cal that he messed up by leaving Andrea alone to get kidnapped 😄. Man's still bothered about her kidnapping.

Even though I predicted Garrett's passing, I thought it was the right choice for them to have him pass the way he did. Mostly because of my duttoncruz agenda Lol 😁

Who you think Kayce is going to lean on (aside Cal) with Garrett's passing😏? Definitely not Dolly Lol. His go to person to talk to has become Andrea.

Also, this is the second time Andrea is saving Kayce. First was when he saved her from the Cleggs in ep 9 and she used his gun to save him. And now ep 11 when Neil's buddy held him and Cal at gun point. But who's counting Lol. Love a couple that saves each other. Also if not that Andrea was adamant on following Cal's orders to find Neil, she and Belle wouldn't have found them. Which makes me even more curious as to why she was kicked off from her old team. So far, she's shown to be a good asset to the team, it must have been something really bad for her to be kicked off. I'm really looking forward to more of her storyline with her old team and her dad.

Anyways, looks like we're gonna be getting some Kandrea crumbs next episode yay 🥰

[purpledaisiesthings]

I love that everyone is pretty much in agreement that this is supposed to be a slow burn and I think we're ok with it. Especially when you consider both their emotional baggage. It only makes sense that they will first build a foundation of a friendship and bond which I think is already happening beautifully.

That being said, episode 10 gave me a complete whiplash from the episode prior where they had that beautiful cosmic conversation. After teasing our ship last episode, the writers really said "y'all are gonna suffer while we build this slow burn" with a smile on their faces I'm sure 😭 . Slow burns stress me out but I love them.

However, as someone that's watched quite a lot of TV procedurals, I saw Andrea and Garret coming 😄. Writing-wise, you might think it came out of nowhere but it is very much intentional for the larger plot of the Kayce/Andrea slow burn. There was no buildup to Garret, we just start the episode and boom Andrea and Garrett hooked up? Every other main lead has a romantic build up. Cal/Belle, Miles/Maddie. Best believe the main couple of the show is going to be dragged a whole lot more than the rest. That's the slow burn we shippers have unfortunately signed up for 😭. Which is why I know Dolly is not gone yet....unfortunately😒. It's all for the plot.

Also, bare in mind that Andrea had already stated a few episodes prior that she's not a relationship kinda girl. But we all know Kayce is most definitely a relationship man. They're both not ready. Kayce is still working on moving on, Andrea still has her eyes set on leaving Montana. In the mean time, what are they gonna do? There's gonna be yearning, angst. They have to come to a place where they can both be ready for each other. And sometimes as a writer, you use other storylines or people to push them together i.e. Dolly & Garrett, Andrea's kidnapping etc. Garret was nothing more than a fling which is exactly what Andrea wants/needs at this time. Nothing serious. And even in this episode, you can even see Kayce's subtle uncomfortable reaction to seeing Andrea and Garret together. You can see the little hints of the angst. But this is slow burn 101 and this slow burn is not coming easy so I suggest everyone sit back and enjoy the ride.

Side note - I can't be the only one that caught Kayce's look when Andrea said "oh I know who you are" when Dolly tried to introduce herself 😄. His eyes moved between the women like he was afraid something was gonna pop off. Which makes me curious as to why he would have that reaction 😏🤭

P.S. This is just me speculating but I think Garrett is not making it. Plus for some reason, I'm very suspicious of Dolly. Mostly because of her father but I don't trust her. Again, those two are being used as a plot device for Kayce and Andrea.

[purpledaisiesthings]

Ok where do I even begin.

***long post***

These past 2 episodes (8&9) have been so great for my shipper heart 🥰

First off episode 8, pls tell me how not one person knew anything about Andrea's next of kin except Kayce? Kayce who's been there for less time already knew not just who Andrea would want to be contacted (her mom) but also knew where she lived (New York). Andrea talks to all her teammates but it's obvious Kayce is the only one she has deeper conversations with and he really listens so much to what she says.

I loved everything about episode 9. Before now, yes I saw their chemistry and hoped the show was going to give us this slow burn. But now, I'm absolutely sure we're getting it. The ep basically confirmed to me that they are heading towards them being a couple. A slow burn yes, but they'll get there.

Andrea fought so hard to escape that Clegg had to say she fights like a Dutton. Uh excuse me, that's a foreshadowing if I've ever seen one. They're subtly highlighting this link between Andrea and Kayce and slowly preparing our minds for the inevitable with them without coming out directly to say it.

Again Kayce really does listen to what Andrea says. The fact that he found her dad's knife and brought it back to her because he knew how important it was to her after she mentioned it once during ep 7. A man that listens 🤭

That last scene in ep 9, I honestly did not expect it to be so good and yes I have watched it a few too many times 😄. She's the only one that suspected he got emotional from Garrett's song and went to him to keep him company. And even as she went to him, she didn't force or encroach into his privacy. She asked him if he wanted to be alone and he in turn asked her the same thing. That's mutual respect. Like I've said before, they are breaking their walls to each other without even realizing it. Two stubborn closed off people getting closer without realizing it, especially on Kayce's part. That's why the introduction of Dolly is intentional to show us he's not yet ready to move on. Dolly is also coming on too strong which is not helping matters. That's not what he needs now. He needs a friend and someone that understands him. That's what Andrea is giving him. So when you put these two side by side, you see the stark difference in how Kayce reacts to them. He's reluctant to get to know Dolly even on a friendship level but with Andrea he's open to her friendship. I think Andrea will help him get to the point of putting himself out there romantically even if it's to test the waters with Dolly first😒

Now Kaycee sensing that Andrea opened the door and almost got out when she was kidnapped, plus Andrea sensing he was sad during Garrett's song and got up to keep him company......Andrea called it cosmic, but I call it soulmatism Lol

From that last scene, I think Kayce is starting to see Andrea in a different light. Not in a romantic way (not yet lol) but in a way that he's starting to see her for who she is and for how they connect. Andrea realized this in ep 7 during the bar scene where they were talking about moving on.

"Bet you don't have stars like these in the east" Was this man subtly trying to sell Montana to her? 🤭😏 Just like when he told her she was getting more Montanan a couple episodes ago. I choose to believe Kayce is dropping hints for her to stay 😁

Finally, can I just talk about that look they gave each other at the end and his little smile when Andrea says she's glad she's on the team with him 😭😊. That whole conversation was so beautiful and sweet.