Michael Robinavitch and Victoria Javadi; why taking every scene Robby has with a woc in the worst faith possible just because you think he's an evil racist misogynist not only strips his character of any nuance, but it does the same for whomever you perceive as the victim.
"the last thing she needs is more pressure!!"
okay. here's the thing. there's one important tidbit to know about victoria javadi, and that's that she wants to go into EM. yes, she keeps saying that she's undecided— usually before or after mentioning her parents. she doesn't want to disappoint them, because she's worked her whole life not to. EM would disappoint them. but it is what she's pulled to. the viewer should be able to pick up on this, since it's... pretty obvious. e.g. why would she get so defensive over her place in the ER and practically battle ogilvie for it if she didn't care? she does.
her struggle is not truly "what specialty should I choose?" it's "how could I choose this thing that I want to do, knowing I'd have to bear the weight of my parents' disappointment?"
here's who else knows she belongs in the ER, and that she is drawn to it: Robby. he's not blind and he's not stupid. it's not the same kind of pressure from her parents. he's not another figure tugging her in a different direction that poor Victoria doesn't want to go— he is a figure telling her no, don't listen to them. you do belong here. you are a fit here. because she fucking is. and she does need/want to hear that.
"Victoria's a big girl, she can make her own decisions." "show her you belong in the ED." 2 scenes where he's pushing back against her mother, not to be a dick, but because you'd have to be blind not to realize Oh. this is Victoria's roadblock. so, first he stood up for her, because she is grown. she should make her own decisions. she's already decided, and he knows that even if Victoria hasn't fully realized it.
next, he gives her an opportunity to not only prove to herself she does belong in EM, but he gives her that opportunity to prove it in front of her mother. that is so fucking important. especially with how horrid her mother treated her in that scene, walking in and immediately assuming it was her fault. her mother's immediate doubt in her abilities vs robby's immediate belief in her abilities.
"step up to the plate. do it." now, before I delve into the scene where I've seen all the worst takes, (death threats to Robby and intense hatred, infantilization of Victoria) let's talk about Parker Ellis and Trinity Santos.
"you tired? yeah?" "yeah, it's... been a long day." "your patient doesn't give a shit." I have only ever seen praise of that scene in s1. if anybody has an excuse to be tired, it's trinity. worst, longest first day fucking ever. got yelled at and demeaned, gaslit, and then worked through a traumatic MCI.
but here's the thing that will unavoidably always be true in medicine: your patient doesn't give a shit. you are dealing with life and death day in and day out. it's a lot of pressure but it's the truth.
if anything, Robby is echoing a similar idea in a nicer way than Parker did. I see so many people screaming and crying about how "Victoria is tired!!! she said she was tired!! he's forcing her to do that big procedure but she's tired he's so cruel!"
that's emergency medicine. you will be tired. you will be at the end of your shift, the end of your rope, and someone's life will depend on you. he's simultaneously giving her another chance to prove to herself she belongs, and preparing her for that fact.
but since you are so vindicated seeing abrasive trinity get "called out on her shit" again, you love that scene with her and parker. since Victoria is your perfect baby angel and Robby is the devil from the bible, you hate this awful scene. the double standard has been insane to see.
"I don't want to come back and find you've applied for a residency in derm." no, he's not saying some bullshit like oh derm and surgery aren't important. no, he's not "disrespecting her dad." (wtf?) he's saying it because first of all, god forbid he realizes it is bullshit, at least for Victoria. that she does not belong there, she belongs here. she's quick thinking and innovative, two skills EM always desperately needs.
second of all, SHE DOES NOT WANT TO GO INTO DERM. this is NOT disrespecting some career choice she wants to make. she DOES NOT want to go. he KNOWS this. he KNOWS her pull to EM. he is reinforcing something that's already there, not pulling her in a direction she doesn't wanna be in.
second of all, he mentions the volvulus patient because he's right; there was definitely an aspect of that that made her nervous to step up. it's not just tiredness and he sees that. we saw just how badly she was shaken up after that, especially with Garcia's derogatory comment that reduces her to her parents, the one thing she's fighting against.
so Robby gives her an opportunity to fight it. he never reduces her to her parents and does the exact opposite. fuck your parents. fuck anybody who says you aren't suited for this. you can do this. I know you can.
it's also a really, really amazing opportunity. and she did fucking do it. sure, he was a little too forceful, but it makes perfect sense why he wouldn't want her to pass this up.
especially given the circumstances; his carelessness due to the fact he's about to take his own life. he's pushing more forcefully because he feels like he's on a ticking clock to get this girl to understand that she needs to stay here. this is another person he wants to succeed while he's gone. this is another facet of "trying to leave this place better" because it would be better with Victoria.
don't infantilize Victoria Javadi. jfc. this is not a "oh poor Victoria he was so mean :(" she's grown. she's capable. have you never had something difficult in your life where someone pushed you through it? I have. I pushed back, like Victoria. but I'm glad my teacher pushed me, because I needed to be pushed, and it was what I wanted to do.
Victoria Javadi fucking wants to be there.
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