Neya

ellen x edward don't work for me bc the show skipped through their relationship development and edward really does put her second to his business. same goes with sean x olivia in regards to rushed development and they are just uninteresting to me as a dynamic.

meanwhile, ellen x sean have a subtle, unsuspicious buildup that would actually make for a stronger foundation if their relationship keeps developing, and i can see each bringing something raw from the other. the way they position themselves in the world also clashes in the most delicious way.

and like, this gendered disparity has historically dominated our culture and cinema, nothing new about it. what's unfortunate is how it seems to become stronger lately and how some people act like it's somehow refreshing and revolutionary?

a movie about a male hero dealing with mental health issues and his relationship with masculinity is all good but why act like it's not the theme that has been dominating our cultural consciousness since the beginning of patriarchy, lol?

and i'm not saying "don't like these movies!" i myself enjoy some of them a lot! but i also think that (especially female majority) fandoms should do some introspection regarding the internalized male-centrism that exists within these spaces and support the female lead movies with equal enthusiasm.

which is why i hate it. the show does it with the characters it thinks should be punished. like how alicent being a bystander was punished by an attempted assault and now how ormund's aggressive language was punished by a very vulgar metaphor for grape.

like, fanny is actually important for yelena's story. wanting to have a dog was one of the first wishes she had after getting her mind back, and she named the dog after nat's alias. i think there are a few clothing pieces she has worn that depict dogs as well, so she is canonically a dog person.

Chapter 2 it out! Join Yelena and Ava in their steamy banya time!

Episodes set in Yelena’s banya, the place of steam and wisdom! Exploring what banya means to Yelena as she shares heated bath with her good friends.

Chapter - Yelena/Johnny

Chapter - Yelena/Ava

she wished to be the one everyone could rely on as a girl but then that dream was taken away from her when the red room brainwashed her. now, her arc has been about connecting with her core purpose through freeing herself from shame.

and it's a breath of fresh air to see a human character navigate herself on those cosmic, "big potato," scales and enjoy being an avenger, inspiring hope through her strong will.

Episodes set in Yelena’s banya, the place of steam and wisdom!

Exploring what banya means to Yelena as she shares heated bath with her good friends.

chapter - yelena/johnny

chapter - yelena/ava

chapter - yelena/bob

from the time the red room took her and till she got her mind back, she had her autonomy taken away from her and was used as a tool to do terrible things.

yet yelena at her core is a leader and a hero. we know that as a child she wanted to be the one her soccer team could rely on. and then when she got her mind back, she wanted to liberate other widows.

but bc of years of brainwashing, she doubted that she could be a hero any longer and thought that there was something wrong with her. like, she was so lost and depressed and alone when she got her mind back.

and then, through thunderbolts, she finally remembered that feeling of being the one who made the room bright. bc they trusted her to lead them out of darkness.

and now, we see her embrace that purpose and role with confidence and joy. she is the happiest she has ever been being an avenger. amongst the people who rely on her, doing the work she loves.

but man, why is no one talking about how lacking the writing for the female characters is? i mean, in the show's defense, it's not like the male characters are complex or anything, but they are at least allowed their povs and agency. meanwhile, the female characters are just blank walking stereotypes who get tossed around by the men's whims.

like, generally speaking, why are we treating masculinity in women who like men as some dirty stain or a rot? why does femininity have to be the one humanizing and dignifying trait for women? and why are we validating the idea that all women who are into men have to be submissive, softer, receptive and nurturing?

not only bc she looks distressed, but also bc she is lying down on fancy cushions, if you pay attention. and i doubt that celeborn's cell would have those, lol.