Keep Happy or Whatever Feeling You Want

Saccharina potentially after having Lazuli taken from her wakes to find a thin red string tied to her finger, and it is a buoy, because there it is there is the proof that there is someone out there who will love her. The idea of a family is good but they could leave like her mom, but a soulmate wouldn't, their souls would be intertwined, how could they leave her.

Ruby meanwhile has a large mint green handprint on her back (where Saccharina grabbed her for that teleport) that she can hardly stand looking at it but can't give a strong reason why, (it's because why wouldn't it be Jet, Jet's soulmate is her, maybe there is a small handprint of Jet maybe, but in what world would this person she hadn't known since she first opened her eyes would matter more then Jet (the one where Jet isn't there to be with her))

Then they meet, they don't realize right away, why would they, this person sucks, but one time Saccharina tries to take solace in that she knows there is someone out there, until she realizes the string is latched right around Ruby's heart, and it's the first time that she feels like actually shouting, and for a single moment this au is a comedy in the starkest sense.

Ruby and Plumbeline parallels in the tournament arc is so fascinating.

There are multiple mentions of Plumbeline being a good archer but for reasons that are clear is in the jousting portion. Which is fun, and then we get the next episode where it was said that Plumbeline is able to pick things up and excel in the conversation of how she wasn't flawless (Theo did win the fight) which holds interesting parallels to Siobhan saying in the tournament adventuring party that as a rogue Ruby is built to be good but not great.

That's all well and good, but if you're like me you go ok Plumbeline is better at archery but chose jousting and Ruby who is better at archery just chose archery. Then you try and joke about it "Ha ha, Plumbeline had a plan for her win what would Ruby have done if she won I don't think-" and suddenly pause because next episode she drops the line that she figured winning the archery contest (being promised a seat on the new council) would stop the Bulbian church from coming for you (in regards to Liam, she was ok with paying less attention to the competition when she figured Liam would win)

Which leads to the realization that it isn't exactly Ruby is has no goals and Plumbeline does, it's Ruby is reactive while plumbeline is active. Plumbeline joins the competition because just being an advisor is not enough she is good enough she wants the power. Ruby joins the competition because a seat on the council is more then enough for her to be safe.

Now lets take a step back and talk on a meta sense, there are certain plots when a spare to the throne is resentful, and makes attempts to take said throne it's not unfathomably common, but stews of jealousy or rage from the spare's are not uncommon, and that links to a fascinating part of Ruby as a character in that, as opposed to Jet and somewhat Amethar though there is the whole he also was a replacement, Ruby can't actually hope for the throne, not really (a fascinating theme that follows Ruby around is that she is the replacement and the one attempt she makes when she is no longer needed to fulfill that obligation was met with hostility so it does follow her in other things) because if she did she would be hoping for the downfall of her father and sister and Ruby cares more about them then any power.

Which provides some really interesting parallels between not only Plumbeline but also Calroy as they are three characters that are presented with the concept of "you can only gain power if you betray someone you love/who loves you" because they will be close but they will not be at the top of the pecking order Plumbeline if she want's empress must betray her father, if Ruby or Calroy wanted to be anymore then a step behind the king of Candia (there are some fun scenes where Ruby acts in similar manner with Jet that Calroy acts with Amethar.) all it would cost is Amethar/Jet.

Which is what makes it so fascinating that while Calroy and Plumbeline are on the side of yes over and over until it is not just those you love but their own self being punished for how much they wanted the power and who they would work with to get it, Ruby is on the complete other side of that she would never betray her family it means more to her then anything, when Ruby is tempted by the Fairy it is with her family not any promise more or less then being back with her sister, Ruby as a character is one that has convinced herself of her own redundancy before the show has begun (different post) because the idea of betraying those she loves is something she could never even comprehend.

I just find that one interaction where Ruby tries to figure out if Plumbeline wants to betray the group but can't bring herself to see past the fact that Plumbeline is weeping.