I know everyone is obsessing over the new Junoverse episode right now (and so am I, trust me), but I’m relistening to Second Citadel The Battle at World’s End Part Four and thinking about RAD Bouquet.
Okay, but Rilla straight up had an emotional affair. Like she high-key cheated on Damien with Arum. And I feel like no one talks about that. She says she “figured it out” how she can be with them both before even mentioning Arum to Damien. She planned to be with them both without discussing it with Damien at all. She tells Damien he’s paranoid for noticing that her feelings for Arum are deep.
That’s an emotional affair. It’s not about her feelings, it’s about her plans. She was already planning on just telling Damien the situation instead of communicating and asking his feelings. That’s what’s fucked up. And I get why! It’s a character flaw of Rilla’s that she rushes in, that she’s excited by new things. She does love Damien! She loves him very much. She just didn’t pause to think about how he might feel, which is what she talks about in Battle at World’s End Part Three, which is also a hugely important part that few people talk about.
Rilla learning that she needs to value Damien and can’t just brush his feeling aside. That’s a HUGE character moment for her and I genuinely love it. I love that Rilla learns to value what she already has. That she doesn’t want to lose Damien.
Kevin and Harley have talked in commentaries about how having Rilla and Damien be in a traditional (ish) relationship makes it hard to cheer for them because introducing Arum is a break to the status quo, which people tend to want to see.
But I love Rilla and Damien’s relationship! They love each other! It’s comfortable to them! But it’s only comfortable because they find comfort in each other! They adore each other and make each other happy.
And Damien and Rilla both love Arum too! Of course they do. But their relationship is also important.
Damien is hurt by Rilla’s betrayal and he’s confused and hurt and he prays. He is so afraid of losing everything he’s ever known. Everything is changing and it frightens him. This change is hurting him. He learns to move and he changes a lot. He grows to change and to embrace change. (Kinda like Sasha Wire, huh)
But gods, this relationship compels me. I’m going feral.
