#s5 meta

[lydiduh]

The entire sequence of baby gob bragging about sending buster into the ocean, Michael freaking out and immediately running off to save buster, leaving gob free to steal the magic set and then also fully believe he used his newfound magical powers to resuscitate buster and not Michael giving him mouth-to-mouth is peak character dynamics I can't get over how good it is

[bombshellsandbluebells]

Octavia, Prometheus, Pandora, and Punishment

In light of one of the leaked episode titles for S5 (5x04 “Pandora’s Box”), I wanted to take a look at how the myths of Prometheus and Pandora relate to Octavia.

The Story of Prometheus

The most well-known myth of Prometheus is the one that Bellamy brings up. Prometheus was tasked by Zeus to create a new race of man, or humanity, and stole fire from the gods to give it to them (with a little variation depending on the telling).

But there’s a lesser known story that fits Octavia better. Prometheus fought in the Titanomachy - the battle between the Titans and the Olympians to gain control of heaven - and helped the Olympians win through trickery and cunning. After the battle, the 12 Olympians took control of heaven, and Prometheus was tasked with creating a new race.

This story sounds a lot like Octavia fighting in the Conclave for control of the bunker - and just as Prometheus won with cunning, Octavia managed to win by hiding for most of the battle. Octavia even gives all 12 clans control of the bunker, much like the 12 Olympians took control of Mount Olympus. Even the logo of the Second Dawn Bunker is reminiscent of a mountain.

By uniting all the clans in the bunker, Octavia essentially creates a new clan and if Octavia is to be Promethus, her creation of Wonkru can be directly paralleled with Prometheus’s creation of the race of man. I know I paralleled the 12 clans with the 12 Olympians earlier, but shhhh they can be both.

But What about the Fire?

What threw me originally with Bellamy’s use of this myth is the missing aspect of the fire - what exactly does Octavia steal from the gods and return to the people? It seems like an odd myth to compare to Octavia’s situation.

But there is of course something in The 100 associated with fire  - the Flame.

Metaphorically, the Flame has always represented the right to lead as Commander. In the past, both that right and the Flame have been limited to nightbloods, who are seen in the grounder religion - or at least by the devout, like Gaia and Titus - as almost holy, since they alone can take the Flame and the spirt of the old Commanders. There aren’t necessarily gods in the Grounder religion, but the commanders and nightbloods seem to fill the role of them.

Octavia isn’t a nightblood, but she takes on the role of Commander anyway - in a way, taking the right to lead (the metaphorical Flame) away from the nightbloods and setting a precedent that allows the position to pass to non-nightbloods (which is good, considering aside from Madi, they’re all dead.) 

So stealing the position of Commander (the fire) from the nightbloods (the gods) and giving it to humanity (non-nightbloods/Wonkru).

It’s not a perfect metaphor, but it works.

The Punishment and Results

Of course, there’s more to the Prometheus story:

As a punishment for stealing fire, Zeus chains Prometheus to a rock on a mountain and lets an eagle eat his ever-regenerating liver. the greek gods sure were creative with punishments

Bellamy jokingly laughs it off, but interestingly enough, we do get this shot immediately afterward:

Octavia under the Second Dawn logo, which looks very much like a mountain. 

Does this mean that Octavia might be heading towards a tragic end? Or is the mountain imagery still connected with the idea of Mount Olympus? Or am I just reading too much into this shot entirely? Who knows.

Pandora’s Box

The leaked title for 5x04 is “Pandora’s Box” and the association drawn between Octavia and Prometheus leads me to believe this storyline will also be associated with the bunker.

In the myth, Zeus punished humanity for Prometheus’s actions by creating Pandora and giving her a box with all the evils in the world. Pandora opened it, and the evils were freed to plague humanity.

If the parallel of Prometheus continues with Octavia, then maybe this means something terrible will happen to the people of the bunker because of Octavia’s actions. Maybe it’s because of actions we haven’t seen yet and will in the first few episodes of S5, but maybe the trouble will come from Octavia taking the role of Commander without being a nightblood.

And maybe it will have to do with Gaia.

We don’t know a whole lot about Gaia, but what we do know is that Gaia’s role is about protecting the Flame and making sure it passes on from Commander to Commander. Gaia is also a devout follower of the religion of the Flame and the nightbloods - and I don’t think she appreciates Octavia “stealing the flame” or accepts her as a rightful leader. Also her name comes from the Greek goddess of the Earth, which also ties her to the Prometheus myth.

When Octavia is giving her speech, we get a close-up of Gaia’s reaction, and maybe I’m reading too much into it, but she doesn’t look particularly happy.

Then again, a giant, destructive cloud of radiation IS about to hit Polis, so maybe her expression isn’t about Octavia’s leadership at all.

But if there is anyone who would want to punish Octavia for stealing the role of Commander away from the nightbloods, it would be Gaia. And Gaia played such a small part in S4, that I think a bigger storyline is coming for her in S5.

I think there’s trouble brewing in the bunker between Gaia and Octavia, and I think it’s likely we’ll see a great deal of conflict between them - perhaps leading to whatever events occur in “Pandora’s Box.”

Also that eagle that devours Prometheus’s liver as punishment for stealing the fire? In one of the versions of the story, that eagle is said to be born of Tartarus and Gaia. 

So you know. Make of that what you will.

[queensofmystery]

Re: this post 

@beanarie @amindamazed I agree with both of you in that Sherlock would want to throw a tantrum but would have something (and someone) holding him back. It’s annoying that these writers are so lazy (and white-male-lead-centric) that they probably won’t bother to change anything about the dynamic between Joan and Sherlock in season 6, in a way that will move them to a healthier place. Not as we want to see it anyway. 

I feel that Sherlock should be at a point where he realizes how much he screwed up and really tries to make things right with Joan, really takes her emotions and point of view into consideration, and acts accordingly. But I feel he should’ve done that way back in season 2, but his character has stagnated since then, only seeing some development in season 3 with Kitty, but stagnating again since her character’s departure (and any emotional development he showed only had to do with Kitty, not Joan). 

My fic!Sherlock is a Sherlock who has developed emotionally, and though he still has his selfish moments, overall he and Joan have reached equal footing emotionally. Because that’s how I think they should be. Whatever season 6 gives us, it’s not capable of putting these two on equal emotional ground. They’d rather use their characters of color as sounding boards and support for the white lead, not actual characters. 

And the post-season-5 Sherlock I imagine would have to be one that developed away from his selfish behaviors at least a little bit. He was so selfish all through season 5. If they want to focus so much on their white lead, they should’ve worked harder to show him displaying some emotions besides jealousy, disdain, and ignorance towards anything to do with Shinwell and Joan’s relationship with him. But he remained static throughout. I get the symbolism but if he remains much the same in season 6, filled with jealousy, unhealthy co-dependence, self-hate, not developing away from any of his toxic behaviors, then what’s the point of his character besides the procedural bs? 

Also the idea of Sherlock wanting to destroy his own home because Joan leaves it makes sense to me, but I also find it laughable because, um, Sherlock, when did you ever care enough about Joan to make your home feel like her home? I mean, honestly. Your relationship with her revolves around you telling her how important she is to the work, to your recovery (though not straight out saying so; “I may still be” mkay Sherlock), and all efforts to bring out her emotions on anything have disappeared since 3x19. Obviously. So what do you expect, Sherlock? If Joan did leave again, these two should stop using Miscommunication as a Plot Device, because I had quite enough of that in season 2. Sherlock is so demonstrative with his own emotions, I feel like he needs to reach a breaking point with Joan and demand more from her in terms of what she’s feeling. Her outburst about Shinwell should’ve been a huge red flag to him anyway. Get with the program, Sherlock. Stop focusing on your own pain for two seconds maybe. (I know I’m teetering between Doylist and Watsonian here but I’m so frustrated with how statically selfish they’ve made Sherlock’s character, especially when there’s been countless opportunities for him to develop.)

It would be wonderful to see Alfredo also supporting Joan after these traumatic events of season 5, in a universe where they also became good friends. (I mean, the hug in season 4 alone is enough to convince me they are.)

Also I don’t see Emily in any of this (just my opinion - I never liked her character). I’m convinced Joan has found better friends since season 2, I really am. The fact that the show refuses to show it doesn’t mean I can’t imagine that she has. I’m mostly refusing Emily as a character because there is absolutely nothing in-narrative that shows why they’re friends. Nothing. 

[queensofmystery]

It definitely highlights how she’s becoming more morally gray. I’m not sure how you exactly feel about that, from this message, can you expand on what you mean? I feel like I’m having to separate Joan so many ways in my head, between positive independence vs. negative isolation vs. moral corruption vs. her selfishness and/or heartlessness, not only towards Shinwell but everyone? But since the writers don’t seem to want her to have feelings I’m not sure it’s worth considering in these circumstances

[queensofmystery]

i was reading a thread on reddit where fans talked about how poignant it would be if shinwell died protecting joan and they went into how sherlock might react. as though that's new and creative, killing a black man to make a white man express emotions. your post was really interesting, especially how their treatment of shinwell compares to other guest stars, who have all been white.

i mean. moriarty: arranges murders every day, responsible for killing children… is treated as a fun antagonist and problematic love interest. mycroft: did god only knows what as a spy, mistreated his brother, mistreated joan… gets a hero’s sendoff. kitty: manipulated sherlock and joan to melt her attacker’s face… was given a new life with apparent complete happiness. morland: lizard person… treated as morally gray w/good intentions. then shinwell… dies? what kind of shit would that be?

That’s…absolutely horrifying to me, that people would want Shinwell to die just for Sherlock to show emotion toward Joan. That’s exactly the kind of shit I was afraid of when it came to Shinwell’s character - because he’s a black man and a former criminal, he’s disposable to a good portion of the audience. It’s disgusting. 

And you hit the nail on the head with Moriarty, Mycroft, Kitty, and Morland. Part of that is what I wanted to express with my response, but you express it so much more succinctly. ^_^ I wish the show cared about referring to any previous events/characters besides that one line about training Kitty in 5x05…they just want to pretend that Shinwell’s situation exists in a vacuum when it really doesn’t?? Idc what kind of moral message they want to send, they are not approaching this right if they intend to completely villainize Shinwell and give him a negative ending. I just keep thinking of Andrew…how that man did nothing wrong but he was just used as a plot device to get Joan back in the brownstone in the end. He didn’t even have to be a main player, or do anything morally ambiguous, to die.

I don’t even want to hope for Shinwell, he just looks like another character of color who all but everyone views as disposable, including the writers. I don’t understand why they even bothered writing his arc if it wasn’t going to be used to let Joan and Sherlock analyze their true feelings about their work, about the people who have wronged them in the past (the three Ms I’ll call them), about the deaths they’ve caused or let slide past their awareness (wtf Sherlock and his correspondence with Moriarty, I hate that the writers won’t address that), about their feelings for each other and what Joan has sacrificed to stay with Sherlock? I mean, it doesn’t surprise me, it just frustrates me to no end, that this show remains the Show of Lost Potential while still shoving every COC/LGBT/disabled character under the bus.

[queensofmystery]

Joan Watson in 5x13

Okay, so I’ve been hoping someone might bring this up, but it’s been weeks since 5x13 aired and no one has so I’ll do it.

This dialogue in 5x13:

Jack Brunelle to Joan: Do you have any idea what it’s like to lose a child? If you ask any parent if they would die in place of a daughter or a son, I guarantee you the answer would be yes. And do you know why? It’s not because of honor, or duty, or parental responsibility. It’s because it’s easier. It’s easier to die than it is to be left behind.

Please look at Joan’s face in that last gif. It was about the second or third time I saw the gifset of that particular moment that it struck me; Joan has never lost a child but you know what she has lost? A patient it was her responsibility to heal. Multiple people she wanted to save but couldn’t, whose deaths are still on her conscience. Castoro. One of her kidnappers in 2x22. Andrew.

How many times do you think Joan has considered that it would’ve been better if she had died instead of Andrew? How many times during and after her malpractice case did she wish she could exchange her life for Castoro’s? How many times did she go over the kidnapper’s injuries in her mind and wonder if she could have done more to save him? In 2x19, she carried guilt that she might have contributed to the death of an innocent man. She said to Sherlock, “I do know that I was standing over a dying patient, and I was thinking about justice. Doctors aren’t supposed to do that.” Joan knows she’s failed as a healer multiple times. That’s why in 5x01 she said seeing Shinwell again felt good—he was someone she was able to save, and she had a chance to keep helping him, to ensure her efforts to save him weren’t in vain. She wanted to continue saving Shinwell’s life in whatever way she could. Just like in season 4 she wanted to protect Sherlock from Morland where she couldn’t protect Andrew from Elana.

The writers don’t care to address this, but all the evidence is there that Joan carries her guilt and desire for penance with her always. It’s part of her, it’s part of how she does her work, it’s part of what makes her such a masterful investigator. She wants to solve crimes but she also wants to heal. That’s just another of the dozens upon dozens of reasons that I love her. The work isn’t just a job to her, but it’s not important to her in the same way it is to Sherlock. For her it’s about giving back something she feels she’s failed to give in the past. She failed as a surgeon with Castoro and the kidnapper, she failed as an investigator with Andrew. She doesn’t want to do that again with Sherlock, with Shinwell, with Brunelle. She finds pieces of redemption through them. My headcanon (that will likely never be brought to fruition by the writers) is that it’s never quite enough, and that’s why she’s going to continue to feel restless and unsatisfied until someone or something brings out her deepest emotions about this part of her that will always feel unworthy.

Please add to this if you have any more thoughts, I’ve felt for a long time I’m missing something about Joan’s character and this is only a partial expression of what her character is.

[queensofmystery]

So I haven't actually seen elementary for a while but that gifset with Joan and the worst pitch you ever threw really makes me want to

How much of the show have you watched? Because I can suggest a couple posts that talk about what eps to focus on if you want to get caught up!

This post talks about the most important episodes up to 5x13

This post talks about the most important episodes up to 5x10 (and is very thorough)

And this post has me talking about the Joan-centric/Shinwell elements (and lack therof) up to 5x12  /shameless self promotion

Plot-wise, 5x15, 5x16, and 5x18 are crucial viewing IMO (mostly for Kitty in 5x15 and 16! But there’s more to the Shinwell plot in 5x18). As I just wrote, I actually enjoyed 5x19. Yes it’s a filler but it has some great Joan moments and some great Joan x Sherlock friendship moments. 

I’m not a good person to ask about season 4, I haven’t done a rewatch and all I can think of with season 4 is the badass Joan moments in 4x01 and 4x02, 4x04 and 4x11 for the Gina Cortes arc, the Lin episodes (4x19 and 4x20), and of course the one Lucy directs, 4x22. 

[queensofmystery]

I want to write a ficlet (I am GOING to write the ficlet) where Joan gives Sherlock a lecture about how he spoke to Kitty about not contacting him over those two years. Because of course Kitty told Joan the whole story, and Joan of course showed her support by waiting in that church with Archie in her arms. But Joan doesn't just lie down and take bs, I know she doesn't, and where Kitty would feel too guilty to call Sherlock out, Joan has no such qualms. This show doesn't want to give Joan an opinion on anything? Fine, I'll do it for them.