Underrated important scene in the movie: Astronaut Arrival of Setting Up Sad Things
Eva back on her "just go with the flow, no warnings" nonsense, knocking on the lab window to introduce humanity's heroes (and a dozen more people) to Dr. Twizzler, who in turn is at his utmost Mad Scientist incarnation. Dishevelled, hasn't slept in weeks, Cat Shirt, the humble-brag big shrug at "world's leading authority on astrophage biology".
They are a matching set of Weird(tm).
The reminder that he still has imposter syndrome anyway, when he covers up his shirt like "whoops, cat not appropriate attire for meeting the Honorable Suicide Mission" and going right into "Let's Learn Things, Kids!" mode (big improvement on "Whoomp, there it is"..., still looking at Eva every 0.5 seconds for Approval. Yes, Eva proud. Great teacher. 🥰)
Yao "Why is this rumpled white boy talking down to us?" (Mandarin, two steps from danger)
Eva "He is just Like That, no worries" (Mandarin, affectionate)
Which... not helping so much. ❤️
The Flight Team: "In case you forgot, we are going to DIE IN SPACE!! In ways either utterly horrific, or enthusiastically suicidal!" 😃😃😃
The Experiment of Foreshadowing Through The Tiny Window: Hi, Dupiro!!
Everyone with various displays of alarm and shock, meanwhile it's Eva and Ryland proud parents hours. "Look at the heap of melted metal! Powerful stuff!" Look everyone, they are a Good Team, heartwarming!
And then it's foreshadowing bait and switch.
Ryland: "I am, btw, totally NOT ever going to willingly go into space! I am NOT brave!" 😊
Eva: "Eavesdropping and learning. For future reference." 😐
Yao: "I mislead the audience that you might do it for [the person listening and learning twelve steps ahead of us] someone to be brave for."
Ryland having an existential crisis mid-walk because he has no one he is that close to. Blue-screening a little. As you do.
Everything is now set up for the "God Willing" scene, where Eva knows she has to reject his overture at bonding because she knows she cannot trust his dedication to the project, leaving Ryland without the opportunity to forge that kind of bond on Earth with the one person it might have mattered with. It's all so rooted in the small moments that lead to the big decisions.
She'll sing for them, though, and they smile at each other across the distance, so warm. The "what could be" of it all. And then it breaks off mid-way, forever unfinished.
Ah. The sweet smell of tragedy.
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