#therapy box

[clexylexy]

Why did you do that? Why did you make me go away? You were already gone.

(Legacies, s4e7)

[hibiscxs]

The therapy box is so weird? Even as a therapy tool it's weird bc the patient is only having conversations with themself (albeit a subconscious part that they may be in denial of in some cases) so they're receiving no external support and who's to say their subconscious will know what's truly right for them?

But it's doubly stupid as a training simulation bc the Hope they face is only as dangerous as they think she is. There's no data feeding the simulation outside the Squad's minds. And yeah I guess they would have a sense of how dangerous she is, but the thing with Cleo and testing the Red Oak??? The simulation isn't all knowing. All the simulation proves to Cleo is that she believes it'll kill Hope. Obviously we the viewers are pretty sure it will bc that's how writing and plot goes, but to Cleo the character the therapy box is not a great tool to rely on in this case?

[uncleasad]

“We all grieve in different ways”

That—or whatever the actual quote was—would have made a much better episode title for 4x06 than “You're a Long Way From Home,” because our Trio was doing a lot of grieving.

Hope, in the almost-most Mikaelson way possible—leaving a trail of destruction (but no blood/bodies!)—and even without humanity, is still grieving the life—lives—she lost in order to defeat Malivore. This Hope inherently makes me nervous, and I was on edge the entire episode, fearing she’d do something she couldn’t come back from (yet she killed no one!) while she had her fun roadtrip with Clarke. (The therapy box really didn’t help, starting us off with…that 😳) I really hope Danielle is having a lot of fun playing this (disturbingly) happy Hope, because “our” Hope has far too little happiness in her life, and it’s got to be a relief for her to be out of that vicious “love, lose, grieve, repeat” cycle.

Lizzie, single-mindedly focusing on her dad, the father she believes has failed her over and over, is still grieving that lost childhood-that-could-have-been and the-father-he-could-have-been. Only another man’s daughter pulls her back from the brink of creating Dark Lizzie.

Josie, doing what she does best, trying to save/help/protect someone she loves, also at the expense of everything else in her life, is grieving the loss of her best friend and her father, both of which happened while she was celebrating with her girlfriend. So, unsurprisingly, she very nearly torpedoed her actual relationship in the process.

(Speaking of Finch, I felt so bad for her this episode; between Hope’s map trolling, Cleo’s “pep talk,” and Josie’s actual talk and actions, the group’s newcomer is back to being a pretty afterthought in Josie’s life. Somewhere over in Belgium, Penelope Park is sending the werewolf a spelled burn book and a bus ticket to a better life! And can we also talk about how Ethan, who’s been a supernatural and a Salvatore student for all of two minutes, but who is white, straight, male, and Lizzie’s boyfriend, is already a full-fledged member of the Super Squad, but Finch, who has been a werewolf for years and a Salvatore student for weeks or months now and all but defeated the pack’s Alpha in a challenge, but who is a woman, of color, who loves other women, and is Josie’s girlfriend, is still only called on when absolutely needed? Or, for that matter, how Cleo had to undergo initiation tests? Yes, there were extenuating circumstances that made sense for Cleo—she was new, and no one knew anything about her—but can we agree the optics look very bad?)

Kaleb was grieving his loss of trust among his friends, as well as his mentor, and, a bit predictably, tried to make things right and then shared Dr S’s bourbon with Jed before lying and going off all on his own rather than telling the squad what he’d learned. (Question: did Clarke call on Hope’s request, to lure the students away from the school—either into a trap, or so she could return to the school while it was Squad-less—or did he truly want to make sure the Argus was contained?)

Even Ted gets in on the action, grieving his poor life choices that have stranded him in Limbo without a coin for Charon. The fact he didn’t steal Oscar’s coin or renege on his promise to Landon shows his redemption truly is complete. Rest in Peace, Ted.

I’m torn about Alaric; on the one hand, I’d really like this death to stick, but at the same time, I don’t think the Trio can come back from Hope causing his death—as friends or otherwise, no matter how much Josie’s once-and-maybe-present love for Hope colors her view. Worse, I am afraid that, by having Alaric show up with Ted and Landon as they’re ready to go to Peace, the writers are going to have that arrival spark I’ve-accepted-my-fate Landon to transform into grand-gesture-nonconsensual-kiss Landon to go “save” Hope once again 🤢 (And…did anyone else get Malivore/Malidon vibes from Aria rather than Landon vibes? He seemed far harsher to Ted than I expected Landon to be, despite The Necromancer’s betrayal in the ice cream shop—but exactly how I’d expect Malivore to be in response to The Necromancer’s numerous betrayals of Malivore. Please, tell me Malivore is actually dead and that we’re moving on!?)

I feel like this show is constantly hamstrung by actor availability; for instance, Freya promised to be present for the birth of the world’s first tribrid, but instead she left the school as soon as she put Hope to sleep-death!?

That’s the other problem with Alaric dying; if Caroline can’t come back from her Merge quest—even for a blink-and-you-miss-it glance once her daughters’ father has died, nevermind as he lay there dying—who can run the school while leaving Caroline a convincing excuse to be gone? Alaric’s protégé, Dorian, despite his dislike for the supernatural (maybe with Emma? whose voice sounded suspiciously similar to the Triad lady on the phone with Hope at the end of 4x05 😳)? Alaric’s BFF, Damon? His wife has a job in town, so he’s presumably around, and he knows something about being a supernatural. Or Aunt Bonnie? Bonnie and Damon? Freya is another logical choice—if we can get past the anti-Mikaelson ethos of the school/Alaric—though hamstrung by actor availability; is she going to uproot Keelin and Nik? Or leave them? And somehow not have the rest of her family ever visit? (Kol and Davina, Bex and Marcel, and Vincent all have that same problem.) I’d honestly be happy with any of the above, if they can do them well and not require us constantly to suspend disbelief.

I mused in the comments of someone’s post last week that because Hope was a tribrid, and assuming the Klaus/hybrid rule applies (which it should, since Hope is ⅔ alive), she’d not only be able to have children, but because she was a tribrid, all of her descendants would also be immortal tribrids! She’d live to see her 200th-great granddaughter some day—except that it seemed too much, and nature would surely create a loophole to compensate. Me and my big mouth 😂

I never expected Cleo’s vision-tree to be the life/promise tree Hope and the twins planted before Hope turned 😳 What a punch to the gut. And after everything that happened, the worst moment of the episode for me was watching Hope cascade into ash and disintegrate when Cleo stabbed her 😭 Tear out my own heart and let it crumble into nothingness….

(The best moment…Josie’s midriff 😂 …and maybe the lightning. I know everyone loved the Hosie twirl—in matching red leather jackets, no less—but I can’t separate that from the heartless, brutal massacre of which it was a part.)

[shyangelbookworm]

Legacies Season 4: Episode: 7= B+...

''Or do I have to find that mother of yours that's never around? Kidding about that last part. Sort of.''

Okay now Hope, I like ya and all that, but don't come for the TVDU vampire Queen like that. Settle yourself. Let's keep it to everyone else.

In my hopes and dreams, Caroline would be back around this time and come out of nowhere and fix everything. Whether through emotion, or a spell, but alas. That's not going to happen. Which I can't blame Candance. She was cheated out of so many good storylines, I would have trust issues with the writers too. Plus, a decade-plus of her work was Caroline Forbes. Have your break Candace, we ain't mad. But seriously, lay off the absentee mother jokes. She's...proactively on leave (finding ways to say her kid's life, not sipping mai-tais on a beach.)

No!Humanity Hope is savage. This episode was hard to watch. Finch was right. This was a roast! Hope killed them. It would have been okay-ish if she didn't have the truth orb. They could have just comforted themselves in thinking she didn't mean anything she said, but nope! She did. In all honesty, though I kind of knew some of those. The Wade thing was obvious.

Respect for Pedro. I'm glad she didn't tell him that to his face, though he figured it out with his star burning.

I'll admit the Landon thing would have been a good idea...if it were the real Landon. If this was the episode, they figured out how to bring him back and there would be a big reveal. Definitely do it! But I saw Cleo's thing from a mile away.

Also, she was right in her talk to MG. Being a leader deals with more than just taking a seat on the student council and assembling the Squad. Hope did what had to be done to stop Malivore, and I genuinely believe that no one else can make those kinds of sacrifices. Lizzie, I thought so, and while I understand the hesitation about the spell, she could have completed it last episode. Let the girl have her moment with her father and then when visiting hours were over, lock the door and get it over with. Screw what Josie thinks. Or the rest of the Squad. They didn't always agree with Hope, but they followed her.

Side note: Lizzie did kill Josie in the therapy box and we saw that she did have what it took to do the hard things, so maybe, maybe not.

I actually loved the stand-off with Hope and Josie. I didn't think I would, no offense because I'm getting tired of dark!Josie, but it wasn't at all corny or pointless like how I thought. When Hope first had her switch flipped, I immediately thought of Jade, and figured, forcibly turn it on. Obviously, she can't, but I'm glad that was talked about. dark!Josie gave some truths to Hope that I'm glad she heard, even if they were a touch malicious. Psychological throw down. It was perfect.

What was annoying was the Jed/Kaleb side action going on. I get it, monsters back, a big concern in this Malivore-less world, and Kaleb is trying to win back trust, but still. We were already going back and forth with the big plots; I didn't need the side one.

I said it before, and I'll say it again. If they truly wanted Ethan in the Salvatore school, they should have made him a vampire or wolf. I didn't want him at all, but this invisibility thing, plus half-cocked plans are making them all look bad. He is literally clinging to this squad and finding a purpose. Stop. Just stop. I love Jed and Wade, but adding in Ethan, I just knew that Legacies would be more goofy and airy than the dark drama we want.

Moving On! The Wild Wild West country costumes are life! Is it just me or did Kaleb make ya'll jump when he took a step towards Lizzie? So, I get it. Twin Rik is the Alaric Saltzman we met first in TVD. The human hell-bent on revenge against Damon Salvatore for killing his wife Isobel (obviously we know that was bull crap now). The Rik in jail is the one that's at the Salvatore school presumedly older and wiser. Clever. Not too bad. Alaric gave up his old life for this peaceful life, but I'm with Twin Rik. Sometimes violence is the only answer. Also, she left behind her dad, so hopefully, that means in real life, they can leave behind Alaric for real! I also loved Lizzie and Hope's old western showdown. It was very satisfying.

Josie...is this a hint hint, wink wink, that she will be the heretic? Hopefully not. I voted for Lizzie. Although, since Josie wanted to turn her, maybe we'll get a turn 1, get one heretic free deal? I'm game!

And again! With the whole ''I'm not a monster'' thing. I can't keep repeating the same thing over and over again about that. Take a look at my earlier rants. To sum it up: They are all monsters. Quit hiding and lowering power potential! In my opinion, TVD had that part right. Vampires are vampires and not apologizing. Showing us the ups and downs. From there to TO to Legacies, it's all downhill. Very ''try to behave human''', ''Bad vampires-good vampires'', yadda yadda yadda. ''We're monsters in need of redemption''. I can't! That is the most annoying element of this universe to me. I love Caroline but even she killed me in TVD with that crap. Okay enough, like I said, I won't rant. Take a look at my season 1 reviews for more in-depth about it.

Uhm. People. I don't know if you've noticed but we lost our dark vibe. We had it for a while. It was great, and now we've lost it. Doing things like gameshows and comedy over drama. No darker stuff. It left us with fond memories.

Lizzie is in the correct headspace. No more Mrs. Nice Girl hopefully. Let's get even. Alaric did raise them wrong. They are supernatural. They need to be raised as such. Not following human laws and morals. Hopefully, this was a wake-up call to the Squad. Time to grow up and get the big pants on. There are worst things in life than being a monster.

This episode was a B. I'll even add a plus. I liked the Wild West and Hope's showdowns. To me, the episode went back into earlier Legacies and was more light and comedic. I've gotten spoiled with the first 6 episodes' darker vibe. Unnecessary turn over to Jaleb and that therapy box doesn't really help anybody if you think about it. And I'm getting annoyed with all these sleeping/coma/characters on hiatus things. Why did Hope put Josie in the therapy box? One therapy situation at a time (this was Lizzie's turn), I don't want to see Josies.

Still can't place that Triad female voice, but I do think Hope needs her humanity off to finish them and I do think it will turn back on after she's done.

Not horrible Legacies, but you've also had better this season.

[goldenmagnolias]

i love therapy boxes so much. they are so cool and it gives a way for the show to be different and explore concepts

[fuckedupwithnique]

i think i need to take a little trip inside the Therapy Box…i need help figuring some shit out 😂

[winnie-the-monster]

I really can't believe we're really getting two episodes back to back with that damn therapy box. It's just so useless. It doesn't help anyone at all. It's literally a person own subconscious telling them what they already believe. How is that helpful? And now people are really going into as a way to get answers. Cleo really went into to get an answer if that tree could kill Hope or not. I just can't that's not a therapy box, that's an illusion box.

A plot device to bring in different AU. If they really want to keep bringing in different AU why not do episodes similar to the Lizzies AU episode in s1 or even similar to the Star Wars episode. That would be better than the therapy box.

[clexylexy]

Josie... what’s become of you? Something wonderful, thanks to Hope.

(Legacies, s4e7)