One thing I didn't expect to love about the finale is the fan reaction to the final scene. Because the narrative intent is very clear. Innie Mark chooses himself over his outie, something that's been a clear theme running throughout the season. It's bittersweet and painful because of Gemma, but we're supposed to also be celebrating, that the innies are choosing themselves. That Mark chose Helly over what his outie wanted.
And yet when I go on social media and look at fans reactions, so many of them didn't feel happy for innie Mark. Gemma is their main concern, and he made Gemma sad so fuck him!
It's so simplistic and emotional but I kind of love it? This character we barely knew until 2x07, this attempt at doing something interesting and deeper with the dead wife trope, we're supposed to care about Gemma, of course we are! All of outie Mark's actions are driven by his love for her, they had to make them convincing, make us root for them. But we're not supposed to care about her more than everyone else, more than the characters we've been following since the beginning. And yet somehow the actors and writers and directors just did their job too well, because in that final scene I'm seeing so many people ignore everything else going on to focus solely on Gemma and her pain.
And I love it. I don't care that fans are ignoring the themes and the story and the basic morality of innie vs outie Mark. I love how much Gemma is loved. She's a side character, she's thematically in a fight for narrative control through outie Mark, and innie Mark won this round. And yet despite how well written and acted and shot and built up those final moments are, so many people care primarily about HER. What should be a moment of bittersweet triumph is turned into pure tragedy by so many fans, because that's what it is for Gemma and she matters. More than anyone else.
