Issa v. Lawrence: Case Closed.
Bravo, #TeamInsecure. Last night's season finale was a healthy mix of tears, laughter, and oh-no-she-didn't. It was an emotional clip of something we hate and need simultaneously when it comes to relationships: closure.
Writers masterfully divided the episode into three segments: 30 days with Lawrence, Molly and Issa, the folks we have the most questions about this season (Tiffany, this ain't over, love). However, the tides turn into Issa's journey of coming into her own, which leads to an intense encounter with Lawrence that leaves us hanging onto the edges of our beds fighting tears.
And that's where we'll focus. Issa is moving out of The Dunes as we see how gentrification has now completely changed the place she has called home. And we know the beast that is gentrification: the rent increases, white folks skidaddying to and fro, coffee shops, changing the names of the neighborhood and attempting to silence the history and culture of what has always been. And Iss finds herself at a crossroad. This time, we see a different Issa. She doesn't attempt to cover her vulnerability with her hotation, and we don't see that at all this episode. We see her owning all of her wrongdoing here, from telling her boss the truth about the prejudiced principal Blaine to her conversation with Lawrence post-restaurant fiasco. It is easier to press the reset button here, and she makes the decision to stay with her brother (so we thought).
Enter the kitchen scene at The Dunes. She and Lawrence, who waited at the now empty apartment to apologize, are now doing what we wanted them to do from day 1, even though we know it wasn't going to happen without some pain. We see a maturity with both Iss and Lawrence that only comes with the pain and the anger of a breakup, plus the love between two people. Lawrence admits his own shortcomings, how he failed to get it together and be better. And Issa admits her own wrongs, how she expected Lawrence to be better for her and him and failed to step up when she knew that he was going through his own struggle. And then it happens: that spark. Issa reveals to Lawrence (surprise) that she still loves him. And he reveals it right back. And that moment is gorgeous and heartbreaking. Who hasn't gone through this?
And as they head out of the apartment they rented, the home they've once shared, we see through Issa's daydream all that they could've been, all that they'd wanted. And it seems so real, seems so possible, that we want it to be real, we dare it to happen. But it is all gone in his goodbye. Did ya'll cry?
Since we've watched Lawrence bang out Pierced Nippled Tasha in season one's finale, we have been struggling with rooting for our two lovers to win. The fire behind many online debates and full blown arguments, #TeamIssa v. #TeamLawrence, is fueled by our own Issa or Lawrence moments in past relationships. We either want Lawrence or Issa to lose so badly. What we don't realize, even in mourning their failed relationship, is that sometimes all we need is closure. Both were wrong--whether or not we care to acknowledge it, both contributed to their love's demise. Both could have worked a little harder. Both could have loved a lot harder. They fell into the trap of routine and both took for granted the potential they had to win. They wanted the marriage, but there is work in a longstanding marriage and the minute one messed up, the other checked out (notice that neither name is mentioned here). As we saw with Molly's parents, love hurts and takes work. They thought they were solid, but the minute the communication stopped, all hell broke loose and they flaked. And even though they wanted more, what they had was more than they could handle. The shit hurts, but things have already happened and the dust is cleared. Our girl is officially out of The Dunes, and she and Lawrence are officially FB friends and nothing more.
Let's not get into why she then acts a fool and stays with Daniel. Or why Molly dipped with the Pastor-bodied TSA agent who moonlights as a Chicago lawyer, only to go right back to Dro like she holds candle to his wife. We were stuck on stupid after the last four minutes of the episode, but it doesn't take away from the beauty of the goodbye. Where are we going next? Wherever Issa, Molly and Lawrence decides to venture, we hope to see more of what we've loved about the show from Day 1.














