I think Pete's resignation scene is one of the most important in VegasPete's relationship even though they don't really interact, here's why.
Now this scene is wonderful, for many reasons, beginning with Bible's acting when Vegas sees his father's body and it hurts to watch as he tries and fails to process the cavalcade of emotions he's feeling. Then Pete runs in, Pete who was just beating the shit out of Vegas and screaming in his face, who's anger fades away in an instant as he takes in the image in front of him and knows better than anyone how Vegas must be feeling. So wrapped up in his and Vegas's internal world, he barely remembers to raise his gun.
Now, 99% of Vegas and Pete's relationship thus far has taken place alone, just the two of them. This is why I have compared KinnPorsche's ep 6 forest to VegasPete's safehouse: the only way they can truly be themselves and form a basis of a relationship is when they are isolated, away from external boundaries suppressing their individual wants and desires.
Vegas and Pete have based their entire selves around external validation: Vegas has been honed into a weapon for his father to wield against the main family, basing his self worth on unattainable love; and Pete who has sacrificed most of his autonomy to be a bodyguard, who switches masks seamlessly to fit what he thinks other people want of him.
In the safehouse they have nowhere to go but to each other, and they strip each other bare until they're both forced to reckon with the most difficult questions: without those external forces who are they, really? What do they feel? What do they want?
Now this shaky foundation of a relationship where they're both still struggling to answer these questions has to face the outside world. Vegas the weapon and invisible Pete, being perceived but not understood. Not alone, and perhaps especially not together.
The office scene is really the first where they are around other people together, and what does Pete do? He calls him Vegas. Not Khun Vegas, just Vegas. In front of Korn and Kinn and Porsche. A plea to be heard over the din of grief.
The other bodyguards storm in and guns surround Vegas, Pete's being the last to join the tableau. But when Korn stands them down, Pete is also the last to leave.
If Vegas still chooses to shoot Korn, he's dead. And he asked Pete to be the one to kill him if he had to die. And Pete knows he can't.
He knows that he can't pull the trigger as much as he knows he couldn't stand to watch someone else do it. He says "don't" to try to save Vegas, and also because if his loyalty is tested there's only one side it could fall on. Pete suddenly sees there was never any question of what he would choose at all.
When Vegas shoves past him to leave, Pete is still trying to catch his eye (and continues to try up until the poolside scene, see rambling here) but can't. Vegas's world has just been ripped apart, he can't see Pete right now, because seeing Pete is seeing himself and his sense of self has just been shattered. Â
So itâs down to Pete, who was the more conflicted, Pete who didnât know what he wanted, Pete who couldnât shoot and knew why even if he wouldnât admit it to himself.Â
I love this little moment. Pete has to physically stop himself from running after Vegas then and there, he stops and squeezes his eyes shut for a second before forcing himself to turn back around and face the rest of the room.
He is left with only the external forces in his life present: Korn, who he has sworn loyalty to; Kinn, whoâs orders he followed without hesitation; Porsche, who he risked his life for. And this is the moment Pete self actualises. He does not make the decision other people want him to make, think he should make, the decision that would shove him back into the background, safe but unseen.Â
He chooses Vegas. He chooses himself. These are one and the same.Â
He strips himself of the external trappings of the main family, and is left just Pete. With Vegas's blood in his mouth, blood he put there, that Vegas kissed there. Just Pete who loves Vegas.
And he goes to follow his heart.
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