Ok so let’s talk about my children Jack and Lady Ev for one hot second because they are so different from the extreme slow-burn friends-to-lovers types that I usually ship. But yet, I ship it. Not with any commitment of course, given that it is still early, but there’s definitely potential. If the show shows how kissing doesn’t actually change them at all, but allows them to grow individually while navigating this odd we’re not friends but a not yet defined ‘something else’ dynamic then I’m willing to get behind it. Because the novelty of this ship lies in it’s dang this could be the sweetest thing or a bloody trainwreck odds and I actually like that.
So some background: Though I always knew they were going to kiss (I saw @kalena-henden‘s gif before I watched the show), I didn’t think it would be under those circumstances. I thought they had already been friends for awhile. Like a lot of people, I didn’t expect so little build up to a kiss - which is often something built up as a crowning moment in a budding relationship. Even in Emerald City, where there’s significantly less of a wait, even Dorothy and Lucas had 4 episodes before they kissed.
However, when Jackev did happen that way, I was immediately intrigued. Intrigued precisely because it’s different, it doesn’t have a firm foundation, it’s a little awkward, but yet it’s really in character for the both of them.
How so? Please click to read more if interested - this got a little bit out of hand, and by little bit I mean I might have wrote an essay.
Let’s do a little character study of what we know of Lady Ev so far. She’s stubborn (or insolent, in her own words), cunning, mean, yet cares deeply for her kingdom and her father.
Lady Ev was clearly isolated from her peers as a child, and was most likely spoiled growing up. She genuinely thought a friend was something/someone that could be bought. Given her position as a princess who is in active rule of her land, she understands negotiations and transactions much better than friendship and companionship.
But she’s not depraved. She actually listens when Jack tells her that she can’t just get a friend but has to earn it. She deeply wants a friend and means it.
In fact I think part of the reason why she had Jack brought over to her was precisely because he would stand up to her. Her criticising the wizard’s ‘mask’ shows that she can recognise honesty, her bluntness demonstrates the same. I think she appreciates that trait in Jack. Jack may dislike her, but even when she was very mean to him when they first met, he frankly said that she wasn’t cruel.
Also note that in the case of the festival, she still gets what she wants, which is for Jack to go with her, and that’s very clever, but she listens to him first. She also extends her hand to him, but doesn’t insist that he join her to the festival.
All her life I believe people were kind Lady Ev because of her position or because she commanded them to be. The only possible exception being her father. But then here comes Jack, who respects her wish to stay behind the mask, despite his curiosity about it, and saves her from a bunch of ruffians without being ordered to. I do believe she was genuinely taken aback and grateful - without knowing how exactly to express it. So she kissed instinctively, and I would argue that that too is part of what we know of her so far.
I’m also really curious about the fact that she’s pretty physically affectionate? She barely knows Jack, refuses to acknowledge him as a friend yet, but wants to hold his hand.
Then there’s Jack, our dear hormonal Jack. His bestie grows boobs one day and the boy doesn’t know what to do with himself. So he tries to kiss him (shall go with he/him pronouns for now). Is it surprising then when a beautiful, albeit masked, princess leans in to kiss him that he would go for it?
It was quite cute by the way, how Jack hesitated at first. He still doesn’t know what Langwidere wants from him I’m sure. But that’s part of the fun of shipping them. All these big terms like ‘friendship’, ‘relationship’, ‘love’ - They get to figure it out together. I have no doubt in my mind that next episode we’ll see Lady Ev go back to addressing him as property, and I’m sure at some point Jack’ll get annoyed again. But you see, I’m in this for the process. Jack is the only person so far who can call her out on her BS.
But mostly, I ship them because I think Lady Ev is absolutely correct when she says, ‘It takes one to know one’. Both of them are aware of how different and ‘freakish’ they are. Jack, because of his new physical appearance, Lady Ev - well we’ll find out. As much as Lady Ev wants a friend, I think Jack also wants friendship too. Look at how concerned he is that she’d be scared of him. See how he tries to be nice to her about her father, even though she’d been really mean to him.
So here’s what I think will happen: Jack will probably assume that they are in a relationship, but truth is they’ll probably still have to figure out what this ‘something else’ is. In the meantime there will be lots of physical affection and kissing JUST BECAUSE. Then somewhere along the way Jack will be reunited with Tip. Langwidere will probably get angry - and hopefully we’ll get to see if she is as ‘cruel’ as Jane worried she’d be.
ANYWAY IN SUMMARY: LOOK AT THE POTENTIAL Y’ALL. THEY ARE SO CUTE AND MESSY AND AWKWARD AND GUHHHH!
