#*mqotsm

The first was assuming that because they spent the season building Teresa’s love for James, we would get a confession by season’s end. The flaw with this is that while their relationship has always had season-long arcs, those arcs are of course part of a bigger plan for their relationship. The season arcs have always determined whose side they are on, their trust, even their location (separating them or bringing them back together), etc. The emotional beats to their relationship, however, (when one started to like the other, fell in love with the other, etc.) have always been exempt from them and when those happen are determined by the larger, long-term plan. Teresa telling James that she loves him isn’t an episode 1 thing or an episode 13 thing. It’s determined by the moment. 

The second was not taking all the moving parts of this season into consideration. I was so busy looking to Camila and James and Teresa’s fallout that I never once, I admit, stopped to consider Devon Finch. Finch, naturally, was not going to give up after Bolivia. Not once he realized his plan to nail Teresa failed and his mole was killed. After Kelly Anne was taken out, James went back to being Finch’s only real line to Teresa. And of course, as we’ve known since early season two, James will not let himself be used against her; he’ll surrender, he’ll put himself between her and whoever is trying to hurt her. So he gave himself up.

I think this was such a shock to me because it wasn’t even an option being considered or theorized, by anyone. The closest we got was suggesting he might leave to go to work for Camila again or just plain leave. Forfeiting his freedom to protect Teresa from the CIA (which absolutely will not work in the long run) was not on the table.

Now that I’ve had time to think about this, and possible directions that it might go in, I’m more intrigued by it. I am still disappointed that we didn’t get James and Teresa together; they both deserve a break and happiness even if it’s short-lived. But I can see the value of this story line, I love what this says about his feelings for her (no one loves or will ever love Teresa like James does), and I love the opportunities it presents- especially for Teresa when she inevitably finds out what James has done. 

Secondly, James knows where El Santo’s compound is. If your goal is to get El Santo’s location you don’t need Teresa if you have James.

It’s Kelly Anne, likely being blackmailed.

Hey, anon! I think it was probably a combination of observation (especially since she would’ve been snooping around to plant the bugs) and being informed by Devon so she could use the information. Because of the bugs Finch would have found out about Jeresa pretty quickly, if he hadn’t already assumed they were involved after 3x05.

I don’t know if Camila actually knew about them prior to taking Teresa captive so much as she was just making a logical assumption that Teresa’s reaction confirmed. Javier guessed the same way Camila had, knowing James well enough to suss out his motivations and then just observing reactions.

Just before he died she was on the precipice of becoming truly happy again. With someone else. James. Who she had feelings for even when she was still with Guero- which Guero knew and was jealous about. James, who Guero was afraid would “steal his woman.” James makes her laugh and smile, they joke and tease and flirt together. She relies on him, as she relied on him during some of the hardest moments in her life. He helped her heal. She understands him and he understands her in a way that almost no one else does. Teresa knows what she can have with James. James is about commitment, the future, making a life together. And when I rewatch that scene of her the morning after they slept together, light and happy, I think she knows all of that and it makes her peaceful and hopeful. Content.

Now? I think she may have some fear about it. What does it mean if she can move on? Or, indeed, if she already was moving on? What if she does embrace this new life but James is tortured and murdered, too? Can she survive having this happen again? In order to be happy again she has to become vulnerable, which must be so frightening. Not to mention, new relationships have a way of re-contextualizing old ones in a way that isn’t always flattering. Her memories of her time with Guero have been a refuge. But Queen, future Teresa, once said of Guero, “a man can make you smart or he can make you stupid. *disapproving face* I hope those green eyes are worth it.” That suggests that with time Teresa might come to feel differently about her relationship with Guero.

Hey, anon! I liked season one, too, a lot more than many fans. I think it had fewer issues with logic and continuity than the subsequent seasons. It wasn’t without its flaws, of course. Overall, I’d say season two is still my favorite - even though that’s when the show started to develop some major problems - and not just because of Jeresa. Tho obviously, lmao, Jeresa is the primary reason why. Just watching their relationship deepen even though Teresa’s trying to bury her feelings, all the times they saved each other, watching them be so in sync as partners, etc. I feel like if I were to do a highlights reel for them the bulk of the moments would come from season two.