Alex Márquez enabler

I know everyone here is discussing the homoerotic tension subtext square polycule whatever you call it between Goncharov, Andrey, Katya and Sofia and I GET IT.

But are we going to just ignore the aroace icon that is Valery Michailov???

First off, he is the only character without a possible love interest. The guy spends the whole movie trying to convince his sister Katya to leave first Goncharov and then Sofia and go back to Russia and he makes it clear that he is not there for any romantic bullshit.

The way he doesn't realize that he has just interrupted the scene with the highest level of homoerotic tension in the whole interest of cinema when he bursts into the bathhouse and finds Goncharov and Andrej staring at each other in towels and talking about nothing (I mean, come on that was obvious even to me)

There is a whole ass conversation between him and Katya about how he considers familial love to be more important than romantic love when he reminds her that "you only have one mother, one father, one brother, but you could trace a path from Naples to our childhood house in Moscow with the blood of all the men who'll tell you they love you."

Bro, the way he showed up to the mafia gala ALONE rather than inviting Ice Pick Joe's cousin like he had suggested even if that would have guaranteed him Ice Pick Joe's help with his plan.

EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER tries to seduce him at one point or the other to get information out of him or manipulate him while he doesn't even bat an eye. Like, the way he doesn't even realize Andrej's flirting with him at the gala! He is totally clueless!!! (yes, I know Andrej was only trying to get a reaction out of Goncharov, that's not the point).