#rnm commentary

[gra-sonas]

The thing is: what does ride mean in this context? A ride usually has a beginning and an end. What is the end point of this particular ride tho?

Carina’s said she has plans/ideas for up to 5 seasons of RNM. Is the ride for Malex one that starts with the kiss in 1x01 (thanks for fighting for that btw, it’s much appreciated!) and ends with them finally getting together ‘for good’ in the final ever RNM episode?

Because that’s what many Malex fans worry about (and rightfully so, most TV shows work like that - especially on The CW - an endless stream of will-they-won’t-they with a tacked on HEA in the last minute 😒🙄).

Many of us worry we’re asked to sign up for a ride that will drag things out until the very last moment, a ride that will make us sit through various ‘romantic’ detours and roadblocks on the way to their happiness but will never allow us to see them be together.

It makes sense that movies end with the HEA moment that leaves viewers satisfied. A TV show is a completely different format tho. A movie’s told in 90-120 minutes, if RNM runs for 5 seasons à 13 episodes (one episode being 42 minutes), that’s 2,730 minutes (45.5 hours). Much more time that can be spent on characters and stories. Enough time to tell the story of Malex in a relationship for more than one episode.

This tweet is one I think about a lot. Ngl, it makes me worry and very hesitant to sign up for Malex’s ride with confidence. I would never expect them to get together and then be deliriously happy from there on out. That’s unrealistic given the setting and context of the show. Getting together is one thing, being together is the real challenge here. But it’s the challenge I want the writers to tackle. Both men come with so much trauma, there’s so much history (good and bad) between them, there’s old habits, outside threats and whatnot.

Malex being together wouldn’t suddenly turn their story into a fluffy coffee shop AU. We have fics for fluffy coffee shop AUs. What many of us are asking for is to see a mature relationship between two men who’ve been through a lot played out on screen. We’re asking to see two men dealing with trauma while also trying to build a life together despite of what they’ve been through. Because cosmic love alone is not enough for a functioning relationship. Oh, and all that while they’re dealing with alien related threats etc.

Again, most Malex fans don’t ask for them to get together right away. We’re asking for them to get together in the foreseeable future of the show and then be together. On the show. For more than one episode. Without further breakups, love triangles and random love interests thrown in their way. That’s the kind of representation fans crave.

And while dangling a potential Malex relationship in front of us for 5 seasons and giving them some kind of HEA in the last episode would certainly be a ride, that’s the kind of ride I would give a hard pass right now, if I knew that’s where we’re headed. Regardless of how much I love Alex and Michael, I can’t handle another show where things are dragged out until the last moment.

I just really hope that that’s not what Carina has in mind for them (and us). 😔

[m3rcenaryalien]

Anyways...

Maria Deluca is still a badass queen whose feelings are valid and deserves to express them without being vilified just like anyone else in the show. Invalidating her justified anger and feelings of betrayal reeks of anti Blackness and misogynoir. 

[grapecase]

I think the triangle has always been on Carina's mind. Reading her recaps during TVD days or even her tweets she loves love triangles, that's her thing. Since Michael was her favorite in the OG I understand why there is a triangle now (even if I don't like it). Now, making a triangle while racebending Maria is ...If MM is just a way to make MA happen down the road, then they shouldn't have racebend her, bc black women don't need to see themselves as "not being the one" again. (1/2)

Yeah, I did wonder. As I said, I was a bit skeptical that it was a direct action (or rather un-intentional racial bias influencing a decision she might not have otherwise made) of her being made black. 

BUT I also agree with you. I feel people forget that being an ally requires challenging ourselves and thoughts. Yes, she loves love triangles. And would have done it if they’d all been people of color, or all white, or Maria had been Asian, or all men or etc. So, while the love triangle isn’t a result of a black woman not being seen good enough or strong enough to be Ship B (because Max and Liz are ship A) all not heir lonesome. But BECAUSE Maria’s black she should have been mindful. 

No one is saying don’t do love triangles with black women -- or don’t even do this particular one. But the energy she would’ve brought in say for ... IDK a love triangle with Matt/Damon/Rebekah (i don’t know I'm throwing random white characters) can’t be the same energy as this one. Because different dynamics are involved. 

[grapecase]

Part 2 got lost lol! so , you're saying that MM and Ma aren't written as equal in this triangle? MA got more attention? (I think they did in s1 but it's getting better now). Or that the triangle shouldn't have that much weigh in the first place ?

I don’t think the triangle should have been written or given that much weight in the first place. But this is my dislike for triangles; and it’s such a dislike, that while I try to be objective, I really can't think of a way for it to be beneficial to Maria (in and of itself.)

As for your first question. A part of me is still wary. I want to say no because I do not TRUST. Even though I’ve often argued for Miluca as if tit was equal to Malex. Like I do genuinely feel they have that potential. And I believe the show does want it to be -- whether they delivered or not would be the thing. I feel they have been delivering (and ‘whew’, because I’ve always argued that ‘people can love more than one person with the same intensity even if it means different things to them’. But this fandom ... so thanks for backing me up here show. Doesn’t make my point less valid; but I feel people in the fandom NEED that to PROVE points). So tldr, I’m not saying that.

But I agree with you -- if you can read through my ramble, lmao. I think S1′s point was to show us the base of Malex while giving us a taste of what makes Miluca click. Then toward the end of s1 and the start of s2, it’s been more about developing Miluca (and showing how she is consistently Michael’s choice) while not devaluing how much Alex means to him and Malex’s continued weight.

But I do think the more attention, does Miluca a disservice in fandom. On show, not really. And as you pointed out -- stuff like that matters to the CW. Ergo - to summarize - shouldn’t have done it at all.