Iâve been thinking about Luteâs (nonexistent) arc in s2 way too thoroughly for someone with an office job, and there are five core aspects that either I get out of my mind or theyâll blow me up.
This first part is about subtlety.
I was absolutely astounded with Luteâs writing in s2e2. The first time I watched it, I skipped any scene that wasnât Lute-related, so it struck me as such a sombre episode. I considered it the best in the series immediately, and, after watching the entire episode, I still do, but in comparison. The first thought I had was that Lute is a case of a character too good for her own show. Then I wondered if this writing is accidental, or if the overall writing quality of the show leveled up. Spoiler: itâs the former. But Lute remains the reason s2e2 is phenomenal in a way no other is. S1 once made me think that Guitarsword is too good for their own show, but s2 proved that both Adam and Lute also are.
@liz-likes-stuff 's post on them being physically comfortable with each other is one of, if not my most favourite Guitarsword-related analysis post. I reblogged it just so I can reread it when Iâm feeling down or uninspired. Works like a clock. And itâs a great showcase of the nuances Iâll be speaking about further.
Itâs a relatively widespread opinion post-Gravity that Luteâs affection for Adam is her having low standards, and the most frequent argument Iâve met is that heâs mid (heâs the first man, the first soul in Heaven, an archangel, an army leader and her direct superior, mind you; in-universe, heâs definitely not mid; and it heâs mid as a person, it all comes down to personal preferences, whether people find him charismatic or a basic jerk; Lute is apparently the former) or that he treats her poorly. Which is funny, because Adam is the one to treat her best out of the entire cast. Iâve also seen an opinion that Luteâs feelings for Adam donât work narratively because theyâre baseless â weâve only had a couple of scenes of them talking to each other. Lizâs post is a gallery of them interacting with each other anytime theyâre on screen, and those interactions are incredibly telling. They form a chemistry just as, if not more (Iâd say â more) successfully than other characters dialoguing for both seasons.
The beauty of Guitarsword (both as a ship and separately) is subtlety. They are the cleverest usage of the visual, and not verbal, language in the show (a primary one for an animated media). Their relationship, in all its variety, is shown and never told. Not only that, but the display of their relationship is never the focus in any of their scenes. It never feels like any scene exists just for the purpose of proving that they are close. It doesnât have to be stated out-loud nor reassured. Itâs just naturally so.
Adamâs final smile in s1e8 is the best characterisation and an instant depth addition, unprecedented for this show. And itâs also subtle enough, because, while being the focus of the shot, itâs arguably not the focus of the scene. Iâd also argue that the same scene is an instant depth addition for Lute, too. Sheâs called him âsirâ thrice while already crying (âSir, sir, stay with me, sirâ). But then Adam gives her that smile, and she has a short stumble and tries a desperate âAdam!â. Itâs a personal smile which allows her to put down her inner restrictions that she held on to even in such an emotional moment â and finally call him by a personal name, which, at the same time, is a foolish idea that, if you say something emotional to the person dying in your arms, maybe itâll be enough to save them, somehow. And whether Iâm reading too deep into it or it's actually there, Adamâs smile is still there, and this moment is an electrocution with what they are as characters, actually. Itâs a very sudden their -moment, after an entire season of their closeness displayed silently. That smile and that âAdam!â serve a crazy narrative purpose only lasting a couple of seconds.
Itâs not that this is a universal portrayal of relationship, obviously. The kind of method used with other charactersâ relationship could also work, but itâs just somehow not as effective. Maybe because every other couple gets practically the same treatment as another, all of them treated the way a main couples should be, and it just loses the weight and peculiarity which makes Guitarsword stand out. And the lack of talking about the feelings doesnât make Guitarsword any less wholesome, because we get enough evidence that itâs two people enjoying each other.
In s1, thereâs no instance of Adam actually being dismissive of Lute. One of my favourite moments they have, and Iâd call it their softest, is in s1e1, when they discuss the Exorcistâs corpse. Itâs the only time we see them completely alone together (alive), in a rather cozy surrounding. The dark room gives the vibe of staying in the office after working hours, to talk or finish a project. And when Lute expresses her anger about the situation and offers to strike immediately, Adamâs response isnât âShut up, Iâm thinkingâ or even âGreat plan, you stupid cunt, try taking it to Seraâ. Itâs a âNo-no, we canât let them catching on, but donât worryâŚâ. Itâs the only scene where heâs quiet and soft-spoken in a conversation. Him crushing down a projector isnât an exception to the statement, because his physical anger is aimed at the situation; itâs when he says âthere wonât be a demon left alive to pull a stunt like this againâ. So, his softer tone while responding directly to Lute and commenting on her offer, followed by his angry outburst at the situation, is actually him holding his irritation down long enough to finish responding to her. And thereâs something about how he lets her finish her line (even after the idea is evident, just as to not interrupt her), responds consolingly and only then lets his frustration show. Something so incredibly wholesome.
S1e1 is generally great for them. The whole meeting with Charlie where Adam is constantly checking in with Lute (for self-validation, one might argue; but looking at your friend behind the curtain while you perform on stage is also self-validation, is it wrong, now?) and lets her have her part of conversation, not for him (not like âUgh Iâm bored Lute you do the talkingâ), but with him. He shares the speaking with her â when she says she knows angels donât make mistakes and he says he sure never has made one. And her being his subordinate, he really didnât need her to be anything but an imposing decoration. Even if itâs just to pressure Charlie with two-against-one, Lute is still not a mindless tool. Itâs more likely that Adam brought her because he expected the meeting with a princess of Hell to be boring and thus didnât want to do it alone (besides the fact that he just seems to be taking Lute everywhere with him).
Thereâs also âTheir love is vile and blasphemousâ â âHot as fuck thoâ bit, where he had no business adding to Luteâs words, but he did. And how he lets her stop him physically from following Charlie and Vaggie in Heaven, without pushing her away (sheâs literally the size of his wing, itâd be like punching off a cat) or walking over her (cough-cough Abel in s2e5 cough-cough you didnât need to walk over her cough-cough you could walk the chair around cough-cough).
The worst he does to her is calling her a bitch a few times. In âDonât fucking shush me, bitchâ and the more famous âYou dumb bitch, no shitâ. I donât remember who made the point and where, but someone said that the swearwords are just pet-names in this universe and itâs a great way to put it. Calling someone a bitch in this show is equal to calling them honey pejoratively. And âbut thatâs in Hell and theyâre in Heavenâ isnât an argument, because 1) itâs the general writing of the show; 2) theyâre the military, so they are expected to be harsher than average civil Heaven residents; 3) Adam swears all the time anyway, and even if he was the single swearing character in the show, Lute constantly being around him means she knows his swearing is just his commas. And the way he played along to her âWhat did they teach you in kindergartenâ prompt, took his slurpy and only then said not to shush him, really is unserious and more of a nagging than a verbal slap. As for the âYou dumb bitch, no shitâ, many other people already made a great point that 1) she really did say something stupidly obvious 2) it was certainly not a situation to be tender for a character who never is, even in the best of situations.
But then we have Adamâs hallucination. And Adamâs hallucinations is definitely not a realistic portrayal of Adam, because 100% of time he is dismissive of Lute. Lute having an anxiety attack and screaming her heart out? Joked off. âWow, someoneâs menstruatingâ. Lute being hopeful he might actually be alive somehow? Joked off. âGuess you really missed me that much, you crazy bitch?â. Lute angrily stating nobodyâs listening to her? Joked off. âWhat? Lame! Do they know I, uh, died?â. Lute admitting they donât care, evidently hurt by it? He pushes her to action. âGuess itâs up to you, thenâ.
The Gravity-room is all the same. Lute calling Abel weak after sheâs just lashed out onto him? Joked off. âMajor pussy, not the good kindâ (best line of the episode, to be honest). Lute saying heâs nothing like Adam and now she has to answer to him? The blandest âYeah, that fucking sucksâ (he didnât even try this time). Lute regretting not telling him about her sentiment? He interrupts her, scoffing. Luteâs softest, most gut-wrenching âDid you?â is also joked off, and then he pushes her to action. The reasons I thought the transition to Gravity was abrupt. Yet (unlike a transition to Easy), it works, but more on that in part 2.
There isnât a single moment in s2 where he takes Lute seriously, and thatâs the black to the white of his attitude in s1. And thatâs considering heâs seemingly more supportive of her in s2. All this also subtle; itâs also never stated or discussed, Lute never has a âhey youâre weirdâ moment, but Iâve seen people say he just feels off when heâs a hallucination. Which he does, because he is off, he acts off; and itâs the subtlety that makes it a âI feel somethingâs off but I cannot put a finger on itâ situation. Itâs not until you connect all the dots that you can put a finger on it. Itâs actually skillful writing.
A very plausible explanation is that they forgot how to write Adam. The fans liked him for being a joking-swearing-jerk? He is all that in s2. And the context of him being more than that in s1 is lost. But letâs take the writing in good faith until we have an actual proof that this is a writing flop, because so far, we donât.
I also love how itâs said (I believe by Vivienne? but I could be wrong) that hallucination-Adam is supposed to be Luteâs idealised version of him, but it feels like the fandomâs. Where he seems supportive but is actually a jerk to Lute, and not the other way around like he originally is in s1.
An idea that I find interesting (aside from the one Iâm sticking to in part 2) is that Lute never had an opportunity to get sentimental and personal with Adam. So, in making him her hallucination and having to talk about sentimental and personal, she just really doesnât know how he would react properly, so sheâs just âI guess heâd either giggle it away or tell me to break another wall or somethingâ. Or, because theyâve never had the sentimental and personal before, now that they do, itâs simultaneously her being awkward and making him, a product of her imagination, awkward, and her believing Adam just would really be awkward about it.
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