I GOT FURTHER THAN I THOUGHT I COULD

bc in no way can be read that she was always gonna send grace on the hail mary, or that she suspected or knew she was going to have to send him.

when she sings, it is absolutely to him, but it's to reassure him that she knows she's going away but that she's coming back. she's telling him to hang in there, that it's going to be hard but that she believes in him and that she will come back when the time is right and they'll meet again somewhere far away from here.

that's the captain of the ship telling her first mate "youre gonna have to run things when im gone but its okay bc i believe in you and youre gonna do fine. I'll be back soon."

she KNOWS she's a scapegoat. she's been planning for her arrest and eventual escape the whole time on the backburner.

and then the disaster happens and she has to send her second in command, her friend, to his death or they all die.

and suddenly there is no more "we'll meet again someday" bc she's never gonna see him again. even if everything goes to plan and she escapes and the beetles arrive with a solution-- she loses grace forever.

Love the soft, curious moments of them sharing about their own cultures, biology, etc. I do think Rocky would have a field day when Grace explains skin as a very sensitive and permeable organ with lots of stuff packed tight on the surface. Since goosebumps are very tactile, I thought Rocky would enjoy hearing those.

Also, bonus.

I think about him slowly starving a lot

Poor Nathume is having a really tough time adapting to chaotic party life

Here’s some detail closeups too

I’m glad that everyone’s enjoying Wyll zonked out in the baby sling 😂

Yes 😈 but actually no, Gale’s passed tf out waiting for Nath to finally settle on which magical item to give him cuz she’s (*read: I’m*) a hoarder 😂

"If it weren't for the baby."

"Aim higher in case you should fall short." "What do you mean? How can I aim higher?" I ask. "Convince me."

I clench his hands to the point of pain. "Stay with me." His pupils contract to pinpoints, dilate again rapidly, and then return to something resembling normalcy. "Always," he murmurs.

"Hey there District Twelve, did you miss me?" She grinned as they roared in response. "I bet you never expected to lay eyes on me again, and that goes both ways. But I'm back. I sure am back."