don't be a dick

“Jodie and I didn't really talk a lot [about our characters], because there was so much magic that was going on that we both knew: We're not going to touch it. We're just not going to talk about it. It's going to be very ambiguous. And I think that's some of what really works between the two characters. You don't know what's happening between them. They don't really know what's happening between them.”

we could have had an entire season of them like this. sticking together post s3 finale, killing twelve members, deepening their relationship, being happy, realizing they're meant to be over the course of episodes. an organic, earned romance.

instead we got no explanation for their separation and animosity after the bridge, plentiful screentime and an entire episode spent on a character who's getting their own show, a new assassin who essentially served no purpose other than to give Konstantin something to do, an unremarkable shock value death of a remarkable character, and rushed fanservice in the final episode between two "fated" characters who never even got the time to truly sit down and talk.

the best song use they've had all season

screeners for episodes 7 and 8 are out and streets are saying they didn't like it and that it felt "way too rushed?" but there are also "hall of Fame moments" and that the episodes, especially the finale, will spark a lot of conversation.

and that's nice and all but like DO they confess their love and get it on or not? if they wanted me to care about The 12 maybe they shouldn't have waited until the LAST SEASON to get into it (yuh)?? I was so invested in it that plot from the get, but they took so damn long that now all my monkey brain wants is villaneve going heels-to-jesus without a single cutaway for an entire fifteen minutes, so.

villanelle: *attempts to reform and atone for her life*

took me a bit, but I realized what this reminded me of: a duel

a popular trope exists in media called "Ten Paces and a Turn," wherein two characters stand back to back, walk forward an equal amount of steps, and see who can turn around the fastest, with the goal being to shoot first (or stab first, as swords are also used.) it is typically a fight to the death, with the winner as the one left standing.

if this scene took place last season, where they were emotionally would've had them both wielding guns. they would've both been armed and angry, challenging each other to right a wrong.

instead, a pose often ending in violence and death becomes a symbol of romance and longing, made even more profound when considering it involves two characters surrounded by both violence and death.

I hope this was on purpose, as I think it's a beautifully symbolic way to mark the fading turbulence and animosity between them.

"we'd consume each other before we both got old."

instead of ending the season with one of them being gravely hurt by the others hand, they make the decision to face death together