#rabbit meta

[arc-angel-o]

An observation while writing a huge meta about Rabbit's relationship with gender, asexuality, and violence:

In looking at the structure of S1, how it unfolds, we learn more each episode about Rabbit's threshold for violence, what lines he's willing to cross, how he hurts people. And it's not a coincidence that first half has him interacting with more women. It's perfectly split, Valerie, Liz, Bobby & Maxine, Toad, Bianco men.

Gender is definitely not the only barrier between him and violence, we know that, for example in comparison to Toad in their approaches to Pintér. And some of it's Toad being such an outlier. But also I think his relationship with Toad is supposed to be reminiscent of friendships between men in actuality.

And he's definitely a little different around women, more careful in how he carries himself. Especially looking at Maxine vs Bobby and Liz vs Toad.

I can add onto this if anyone would like, I've written a lot about this in that draft, and I might cut some of it from there bc idk how much is gonna be relevant to the main point of that meta.

[arc-angel-o]

Okay, I always felt like Toad doesn't really believe "there's an art to this stuff" but I couldn't point to why until now.

Rabbit immediately argues that "you're a thug", which Toad mocks. But probably 20 minutes later, Toad uses that word to describe himself. His mockery isn't denial, he just thinks Rabbit's being pretentious about it. So if he has no argument against the idea that he's an artist, and agrees with Rabbit's argument that he's not, then he probably doesn't really believe there's an art to this stuff. Skill goes into it, but that doesn't make it art. Not when Toad does it, at least. He describes these jobs a demeaning later, he doesn't give them a special importance or meaning unlike Rabbit

Yeah he's referring to the Service, so maybe he sees his other criminal work differently. But I'm thinking that while he's been at the Service he hasn't been doing that much else. The Bianco family's probably getting a kickback from his regular Service jobs. And I can't imagine the organizations being that much different — "like a mob thing?"

Toad says and does what he thinks a professional criminal is supposed to.

[arc-angel-o]

The idea of Tommy becoming a wiccan compels me but I also realize I was introduced to it as a child and that for adult atheists who would like to understand the boring/embarrassing context first, it's a harder sell. I don't know that Tommy in particular could be convinced.

Well – he is old enough to have been born into it. Maybe that's the angle. Do you guys think that would fit the Christmas special? Cause I kinda see it. Not him as a wiccan, but an atheist who grew up in Wicca?

Cause I didn't get the vibe from the Christmas special that was raised in Catholicism or any Christianity (beyond culturally). That's fair if other people interpret it that way, cause I'm basing all this on vibes instead of evidence. But what I've been imagining since watching the Christmas special, my headcanon's been that Tommy wasn't raised in any particular religion. Considering episode 5, he just mentions having the one parent, and my idea of his dad is that he probably didn't talk much to Tommy at all about anything. I picture his independence and loneliness starting really young unfortunately. And then maybe later Tommy briefly looked into the other options as he was exposed to them (still praying for a Muslim Natalie), and decided he wasn't compelled to any of them and cemented his atheism.

This interpretation is definitely partially from my experiences and biases, even tho I don't practice Wicca anymore I'm somehow more religious (multi faith @aroace-omnist). So I could totally be missing something about the Christmas special, and I'm curious what other people think of my headcanons, and their own ideas, please talk to me about them.

I'm so excited to learn more about Tommy in season 2, especially about his daddy issues. I know I'm projecting but I feel pretty confident in my vision of his father.

[arc-angel-o]

Toad is actually depressed and suicidal. Initially, I thought of it as just my headcanon, but Toad's detachment from the world colors his entire worldview and gets concerning.

"Does that make a difference? Either way I'm never gonna see her again."

"This is how I wanna die... I wanna go as a stepping stone to this prick's realization that he's a much worse person than he thinks he is."

"There are two sides of the law and we're both on the morally bankrupt side."

Toad's immorality is marked by an apathy. Who cares? What's the difference? What's the difference between one broken leg and two? Whatever he says, no one's gonna believe. Either way Rabbit's gonna survive.

I think Toad kinda sees Rabbit as immortal. Maybe he wouldn't word it that way, but he believes Rabbit when Rabbit says he's going to keep going, talks about enduring, tenacity. I think it's tenacity vs apathy, defeatism, indifference, that is the core of Rabbit and Toad's conflict;

"I know I'm a degenerate, why don't you?" "I'm a recovering addict. I have to believe that all people can overcome." Etc

Toad just can't relate to that level of persistence. He can only understand it as non human. Which isn't totally on him, Rabbit is disconnected from humans in a very Extraordinary Machine coded way. But you saw the Christmas special, that will not hold up post stabbing.

[arc-angel-o]

At first I assumed Rabbit was out to Natalie, but I've been going back and forth whether or not he is in my head.

"So you don't like anyone?" "I try not to think about it."

That is not an entirely confident response. I think he knows he's asexual, but he isn't sure the specifics, he thinks might be at least some degree of aromantic too.

Realizing you're aspec while dating someone is very mortifying, all the more reason to avoid your partner when you're also trying to figure out other things (ie addiction recovery).

Kyle Prue said Maxine is the first person Rabbit's opened up to in a while. Does this mean she's also the only one who he's come out to as asexual, the only one who knows?

I know we were all praising this scene for not being a big deal, but I don't think it would be out of character considering "I'm the kind of person who has to be okay", for him to be deliberately playing it cool. I'm sure a lot of people who've had to come out can relate to having to project confidence, because you're always going to get someone who questions if you're sure because they don't want you to be lgbtq.

As you can see, I'm very excited to see Rabbit's asexuality expanded upon in future episodes.

[arc-angel-o]

Interesting. Sounds like Toad knew Rabbit would respond well to this answer and obviously his second story as well. I do think Toad's lying here about why he broke both legs. I think the true reason could be a variety of things, an image to maintain, or plain old sadism, but either way, based on what he says later about the Service, I don't think he'd go above and beyond for them.

Or maybe Toad did used to, before he came to the conclusion The Service sucks. That'd be funny, if Toad hates Rabbit so much because he sees his younger self in him. Funny to me at least, because I see my younger self in Toad, so I'd feel like, "don't worry about what Rabbit's doing, you sound 15, you don't have it all figured out either"

[arc-angel-o]

I can't believe I didn't notice this parallel earlier, because I have thought about how even though Dispatch seems like more affectionate towards Rabbit, in reality Toad is closer to him despite the animosity, because he actually engages in these deep conversations Rabbit wants to have. (Plus the distinction that they're co-workers rather than Dispatch, being like their management)

Both of these questions are asking for vulnerability and Toad gives it to Rabbit. Now, maybe take it with a grain of salt because "exactly, I didn't do anything" is complete bullshit. But you do understand better why Rabbit was blindsided.

I'm reminded of when Kyle Prue said that in episode 3, when Rabbit is talking to Maxine, that's the first time he's opened up in a while. But what about someone else opening up to him? I mean he gets degrees of that with the clients, his job is to do embarrassing or illegal things for them, but it's always begrudging and he only knows what he has to know. As we see throughout the series, Dispatch isn't receptive to his questions either (Even his last one, I don't buy that Tommy is his real name).

Then Toad comes along offering him what he's been asking for this whole time, and this conversation with Toad gives Rabbit hope, maybe they could be friends, less lonely together, and then...

[arc-angel-o]

🍒

🍒 What’s your favorite character dynamic to write? (Can be romantic or platonic, specific or general!)

Currently, my favorite dynamic is just ambiguous messes. My main favorites rn are Grahamscott and Rabbit & Toad from Rabbit.

I've written a couple RabbitToad fics the past couple days, that I haven't posted yet. Their relationship in canon is described as "that little rivalry" by their boss, to which Rabbit replies, "aversion is not rivalry". That was before we even met Toad, and I knew I was going love their dynamic right away.

Rabbit's also canonically asexual, and my personal hc is that Toad is too, and that they're both also somewhere on the aromantic spectrum. And Toad, while we don't know too much about him yet, I do get the sense that he's someone who likes to be very sure of his place, and he likes knowing more than other people do. So I think that idea of him questioning, specifically questioning if he's aromantic, could be a really intriguing conflict for him. And possibly contributing to why he gets so frustrated with Rabbit.

I think not just romantically wise, just in general, Rabbit is very confusing to Toad. Toad doesn't understand why Rabbit has such an immovable moral code, how he can so naive and hypocritical and whatever else Toad calls him.

More on Rabbit's side of things - at first, Rabbit seems to not want to fight with Toad at all, it's just something that keeps happening. But Toad does something really shitty to Rabbit in the most recent episode, so after this hiatus ends, I'll be really excited to see Rabbit's reaction to that. Will he stick to his morals, and not try get revenge, won't stoop to Toad's level, or will Toad make him see red?

I can't wait to see where it goes. They're so much fun to write.

Sorry this took a little long, I just can't shut up about Rabbit.