Emotionally Devasted

“You’re already dead.” - Inbred by Ethel Cain: The Blacklist season 5

I decided to be funny and not even include the season 8 finale and MAN there’s enough clips in that show to not even need it because the character suffering Elizabeth goes through in season 5 was enough on its own.

I did a quick rewatch to focus on a different section of the show post Tom’s death and wow if we ignore the father allegations I forgot how good the fight for the suitcase is.

“With me, you’re enduring. Permanent.” - Futile Devices by Sufjan Stevens

This is my second go-around at Futile Devices and I feel like this one definitely outshines the last edit lol. I also worked on this for WAY TOO LONG but today I decided, fuck it let's just post it.

But of course, we can't have an edit without a small analysis because I'm annoying like that. (But be proud, no season 3 clips! What a miracle!!1!!!)

If you don't recognize it, Elizabeth's narration is from S6 when she has to take the stand as a witness during Red's trial. (Honestly one of the best arcs ever) I love the contrast created between her description of him and their soft moment on the swings from the beginning of their relationship. It enhances her own correction "I say almost because this is not how you interact with me." It's such a powerful acknowledgement of what she means to him.

It's also a nice change of pace because so often she places his feelings towards her in such a negative connotation. "you ruined my life," or "your obsession with me," etc, etc. But now, when she's facing the possibility of losing him, his permanence in her life is no longer a hindrance, but a comfort amidst her inner turmoil.

Going back to the edit itself, there's nothing I love more than small parallels so I hope the scene switch in It's been a long long time since I've memorized your face from the pilot to season 8 causes as much agony to yall as it did to me :) (the entire edit was built around it lol)

Also the scene where she falls into his arms..

Im such a sucker for it I have to stop myself from not including it in every single edit. They fed us so good in S1.

Also I do have to admit that after season 3, (ofc) season 7 has HANDS DOWN, the best first episode, no contest. As I've said before, we're finally free from the father allegations and for once in the show she just basks in her love for him openly. "A man I've grown to like." like are you kidding me??

“What do you want Agent Keen? What do you really want?” - Thoroughfare by Ethel Cain

The first time I heard this song, the thing I immediately thought of was when they went on the run. (I really need to find a new medium that doesn’t have to do with season 3)

The ironic thing is that the scene that inspired this entire edit was a scene from before they went on the run. “What do you want Agent Keen?” Because I felt it really tied with the line But in these motel rooms I started to see you differently

Because that scene… holy crap I invite yall to go rewatch it because there’s no reason it should be should be as sexually charged as it is.

But returning to the edit, let’s talk about that first scene where she’s holding Tom Connolly at gunpoint to I met you there in Texas somewhere on the thoroughfare

Thoroughfare is defined as “a road or path forming a route between two places.” In that moment, when she chooses to kill, not an accidental fire like when she was a child, no, a fully conscious choice to end the life of another human being, is when she chooses to converge her path into that of Red’s.

THE BEST PART is seeing her resolve harden. Elizabeth’s hand starts off trembling, but as Connolly continues to speak there’s no hesitation in her. There’s a really good quote from a fan fiction I read a while back and I searched for an hour but couldn’t find the link. (If anyone can find it pls lmk) But it narrates what her inner monologue sounds like better than I ever could.

But Connolly had forgotten that he was just a man, who had threatened the very last thing she had left to lose, and that she was a woman with a gun.

When she frantically calls Red, telling him what she’s done, it’s not out of guilt, but fear that everything that they’ve both worked for will be lost. Because the murder allegations aren’t completely false anymore, and she knows no one will accept her now, except for Red.

And her choosing to become a fugitive with him, hence seeing the West, because (as I mentioned in a past post) he’s all Liz has left. Her moral compass has been completely skewed, and we see how far she’s come since the federal agent we met in the first season.

Then of course, we have the infamous motel dream sequence. Which by the way, who was going to tell me we never even see them share a motel room when they’re on the run 😭

But let’s go back to:

“What do you really want?”

Her subconscious knows she’s battling with these newfound feelings that she has no idea where to put. Her love for Red literally kills her love for Tom it cannot get more straight up than that.

And of course the perfect scene, my absolute favorite reunion between them, when, after being exonerated and freed from all charges, there’s only one person waiting for her.

“Fresh out the slammer, I know who my first call will be to.”

This is me teasing an extremely long edit that’s not even to this song LMAOOO (but I couldn’t stop thinking that Fresh Out The Slammer was extremely applicable to them as well.)

It’ll be out this week but I couldn’t help clipping these screencaps that own my heart.

"I assume Tom is the father?" - not a lot, just forever by Adrianne Lenker

I decided that over Spring Break either another chapter was gonna get written, or an edit would be made. These are the results. My first viewing of the whole Agnes arc really set me off kilter in regards to Liz and Red's relationship. I felt the plot line so forced and it just left an extremely sour taste in my mouth. codeword for I was really pissed Then I was introduced to the amazing concept of Agnesgate and it made me view it in a much better light. Also it's pretty amazing how many of these scenes I have memorized but have absolutely no idea what context they're in.

You can thank the shipping container for being my inspiration for this edit.

So, in regards to how I view the whole Agnes situation, contrary to some belief, I think Elizabeth always knew to an extent who Agnes' actual father was. But the fear of actually admitting it to herself was stronger than wanting to give Red a chance to be a father. So Elizabeth went with the 'safer' choice in her attempt for normalcy. Look how well that turned out *insert Cuba kidnapping here*

Fuck you Tom Keen. Side note: I couldn't believe it when he actually died. I thought I was being punked like no way this show did something right for once???

Of course, Red always knew the truth, but he never would've contradicted the validity of what Liz decided to tell everyone. LIKE CMON MAN IN WHAT UNIVERSE DOES "I assume Tom is the father?" MAKE ANY SENSE IF THAT WAS THE ONLY PERSON SHE WAS WITH??? I'll die on this hill I don't care. Also her lack of "yes" speaks louder than anything else she could've said.

And the way Red treats Agnes... I'll never forgive you NBC for robbing that man of his little girl.

Red and Elizabeth on the run: Anything by Adrianne Lenker

The funny thing about this edit is that I made it months ago and simply forgot it existed. It looks a little scrappy so I thought of just keeping it in my drafts but hey, better to publish it. The more content the better!

Have I ever mentioned *has mentioned it like 20 times* how much I love season 3A? It's quite literally the culmination of everything the story had been building up to and delivered us the most glorious thing the show ever made: blonde Lizzie.

I so distinctly remember watching the last scene of this arc before it shifted into the biggest loss of my life. Her crossing the street and throwing her arms around him has to be top 3 scenes of the show honestly. Every time I see it now I just think I should've stopped watching there and saved myself the disaster that would follow one episode later. Oh how I loathe you Tom Keen

Okay enough of my scattered thoughts. Let me try and give a semblance of an analysis that follows every single one of my edits.

When they go on the run, it strips Elizabeth down to the very core of her character. This is what makes these episodes so good, because there is such special attention dedicated to how she has to grapple with the loss of everything she knew, and her realization that there is only one thing she has left. This man, the bane of her existence has now become the center of her life.

All the relationships carefully curated over the course of two seasons are bulldozed, except Red. She is brought into his criminal orbit and is forced to confront the extent to which he loves her. How far he's willing to go, who he'll kill, threaten, and extort, just so that she can get her life back. This is when I believe she falls in love with him.

Chapter 2: Hamlet: And therefore as a stranger give it welcome

Preview:

Honestly can’t believe people actually interact with my work! I’m just throwing stuff I wish existed into the void and hope there’s someone out there that loves it as much as I do.

Between school and work, it’s a miracle this story didn’t get completely canned 😭

But I remembered the pain of realizing a story was discontinued, and knew I couldn’t let mine fall victim to the same fate.

So keep a look out on Tumblr and ao3, because “There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy” is almost getting its second chapter 👻 (also I’ve decided to extend it by a couple chapters because I wrote way too much dialogue.)

“Has anyone ever helped you?”

A Conclave edit inspired these scenes to Futile Devices but holyyyy shit. I’ve had these scenes in the back of my head for an edit but hadn’t found the right song so they were fuzzy but the chemistry and tension… literally banging my head against the wall oh my god.

Her line delivery for the very infamous quote “has anyone ever helped you?” literally destroys me. There’s so much sadness and grief that her voice and eyes convey for Red in that moment RAHHHHHHH. Season 1 and 2 hold such a special place in my heart in terms of their relationship because it’s so fragile and new. There’s such a blind affection Lizzie has for Red that gets lost within the conflict about his real identity. Seeing her innocence in regards to him in S1 is so bittersweet.

Take for example the second scene which is post the Anslo-Garrick fiasco. I invite you guys to watch it. “Red.. where are you?” and “Wait! One question please.” The softness in which she speaks to him, I swear you’ll wanna cry. Doing all of this really makes me want to rewatch just that first season but like how do I make it so every Tom scene is deleted?

And for those of you who’ve seen the show multiple times I present you with the following questions: The lyrics “and I would say I love you but saying it is hard, so I won’t say it at all” made me wonder, does Red ever tell Elizabeth that he loves her? Like straight up I love you?

If the answer is no I have a whole post I’ll dedicate to that 😃

Final thing, after Elizabeth fakes her death in S3 and comes back, does he ever call her “Lizzie” again? Because I read in a fan fiction once that he never did after that and I haven’t rewatched so I wouldn’t know.