ah! (legally known as phia)

In this scene, Jess is full of nervous energy, pacing behind Lupe’s chair as well as rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet. Given how we’ve seen this character act just last episode in two spaces where she feels really comfortable (the bar and the team house after they win), the fact that Jess is standing all by herself, not touching any of her teammates, really shows how shaken up the atmosphere of the team is after Jo’s transfer. Because when Jess is happy, she’s touchy - she hugs her teammates and grabs or pats their shoulders. In the bar, she’s hanging off of Lupe almost every time they’re on screen. In the scene above, she’s staying close to Lupe, but even though we can almost feel how much Jess wants to reach out for physical comfort, she’s stopping herself and trying to keep busy in other ways, like drinking or pacing.

I think that Jo’s arrest is not only a disruption of Greta and Carson’s bubble (Oz), but also Jess and Lupe’s. As they’ve grown more comfortable and the team has grown closer, some of the walls they have to protect themselves have come down. What happened to Jo is a devastating reminder that it’s not safe for Jess and Lupe to be visibly queer and link themselves together. The blocking in this scene illustrates just how isolated they must feel now.

For example, here’s a screenshot from Episode 6. (I think this is ep 6. Also I’m sorry about the subtitles. I was so focused on getting a good screenshot that I totally did not notice the text until making this post.) Anyway, there’s Jess and Lupe standing together in the corner as they usually do.

Now here’s a scene from Episode 7. This is where I really credit whoever did the blocking for this shot. The other girls are clumped together similarly closely as they were in the locker room one episode earlier… except Lupe and Jess, who are standing abnormally far apart.

Are these the same people from the previous episode?? Yes, BUT the environment of the team has changed now that people are reeling over Jo 1) being queer 2) being arrested 3) being traded. In this screen shot, Lupe and Jess - also the only ones obviously wearing pants - are doing everything they can not to draw attention to their friendship, because the team is no longer a safe space for them to be their authentic selves.

Natalie Scatorccio and Dot Campbell

Rebellious, deadpan and sarcastic, traumatized from their fathers, complicated relationships with drugs, had to grow up too fast and raise themselves, compassionate and caring, good survival instincts in the wild due to already being in survival mode in their troubled home environments.

Shauna Shipman and Leah Rilke

Obsessive (tend to idolize and obsess over a particular person, as Shauna does with Jackie and Leah does with Jeffrey), smart and observant, unhealthy/rocky relationships, feeling invisible, sweet with a darkness underneath the surface, need to be loved, (also both fucking people named Jeff?)

Misty Quigley and Nora Reid

Socially awkward, have a hard time fitting in, unhinged, highly intelligent and knowledgeable about a wide range of topics, manipulative, and they are both the reason their friends are stranded (Misty broke the black box and Nora helped set up the experiment).

Taissa Turner and Rachel Reid

Ambitious, determined (sometimes to a fault as this determination to succeed can hurt themselves and/or those around them as we see with Tai breaking Allie’s leg and driving herself mad with her political campaign and Rachel’s ED/almost drowning Leah for the sake of finding the black box), smart, headstrong and stubborn, reliable and loyal, hard working.

Lottie Matthews and Martha Blackburn

She has some kind of "Abby energy", something that can't be explained

Chapters: 1/3 Fandom: The Wilds (TV 2020) Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Fatin Jadmani/Leah Rilke, Shelby Goodkind/Toni Shalifoe (background) Additional Tags: Notting Hill AU, Alternate Universe - No Island (The Wilds)

Summary:

Leah Rilke is the proprietor of an independent bookshop in the Nob Hill neighborhood of San Francisco. Fatin Jadmani, in case you’ve been living under a rock, is one of Hollywood’s current It Girls.

They collide, quite literally, one fall day.

This is the story of that day, and the many days after it.

like not in canon necessarily because the tensions are so high, etc. but they kind of have the perfect similar/opposite qualities and struggles. (tw: brief talk of ED)

they’re both kind of presenting to the world as this thought out persona, created under severe pressure(parents suck). Shelby’s pressure is put on her completely intentionally, intended to instill fear and conformity in her, and Rachel’s pressure is largely created by herself, but it’s also strongly encouraged by her coach and  her parent’s value in skill/smarts, and it forces her into this cold, hardworking person.

(fair warning, I had to steal these images off of tiktok edits so they’re very low quality, don’t @ me)

ok so this was consistent since before this scene, but I noticed upon rewatching that Shelby (at one point) wears TWO cross necklaces? idk man, I’m not religious but that seems excessive to me. I figured this was just a fashion choice on Shelby’s part but then I noticed that it doesn’t always stay that way

so in this scene, Shelby is DEEP into her Christianity. I mean, she’s basically exiling her closest friend due to her dad’s religious influence. And of course, you can clearly see her with not one but two crucifixes. it seems almost like a caricature of a Christian, or better yet a costume.

Again, here is Christian Shelby displaying her perfect image, once again with two necklaces. She also sings a religious song, further pushing an almost comically Christian persona.

Now there’s some Shelby clips post-pageant that must show her neck but I unfortunately can’t find any.

Finally, we get to island Shelby. She’s possibly forever destroyed her relationship with her father and thus her religion, as even two crosses can no longer effectively paint Shelby as the perfect Christian girl. Now, on the island and away from her community, she wears just one cross. Not only that, but the cross is sideways; not very typical of crucifix jewelry.

To me, the sideways crucifix is a clear symbol of Shelby’s questioning of her religious fervor and beliefs. There is no longer any point in wearing two crosses, as the girls around her do not value her based off of her ability to uphold a good Christian image. In fact it is the opposite, which leads her to give up her necklace altogether to Rachel, which I also think is very important but that’s another post.