Wow ok.
Thinking about the implications of what could have been if Erica became the main protagonist of season 5.
Of course the snuffers would over look her and write her as a cliched stereotype of an independent black woman that doesn’t need support from others and is constantly left alone. So they couldn’t possibly write her with any vulnerability or in need of emotional guidance from her friends and family. God forbid a woman of colour has a complex inner world.
Imagine her going in all guns blazing only to be shown what Vecna is capable of (like Derek was) and being shook to the core. All her walls break down and she doesn’t know what to do anymore. If she’s taken into Henry’s mind palace Max would find her and we could explore their relationship.
Not to mention it would bring Lucas into the forefront and he deserves so much more time in the spotlight. He’d be losing his mind, his girlfriend is in a coma and now his sister has gone missing. Maybe even their parents could be involved in some meaningful way.
They could have very easily incorporated the Turnbow family and dove into Erica’s friendship with Tina in-depth. Highlighting how they come from completely different worlds. They represent conformity while the Sinclair’s are seen as other for not being white. It also kind of parallels the Wheeler-Sinclair dynamic.
If somehow, Erica, Tina, Holly and Derek all end up in the same place that would have been amazing. So funny but also very interesting to see them all interact.
Now as for shipping with Erica I personally think there is a lot of space for that to be with Tina. They have a complicated relationship to say the least and I’m very much in favour of reading it/Erica as sapphic.
However I do also like to leave room for Dustin (I know the age gap doesn’t work but let me explain). So Erica clearly has a friendship with him and they actually get on very well bc it’s been established that she is a huge nerd too. My theory is that she has developed a crush on Dustin over the past few years. She obviously would rather die than admit it, but she admires him and looks up to him so much and actually he’s really funny and doesn’t give a fuck what people think. They are spookily similar sometimes and when they are older I can definitely see them as a great couple.
I get why people like henderhop but it’s not for me, I just think El needs to enjoy not being in a relationship for quite a while. Maybe she travels with Kali for a bit and hangs out with Max and Will etc.
Lastly Scott Clarke (my beloved) could have had an even more important role in this with both Erica and Dustin. Lowkey I think he should have ended up with Karen Wheeler after she divorced Ted. I feel like R*ss wouldn’t want to bring that up though bc it’s a bit sore for him…
Anyway yeah this would have been really cool and I’m salty about it.
