I still really want to like Nicole, but she...
This is kind of how Iâm feeling. I feel like the story she told Xander is true. She seems unaware of what the Navy really wants with the mermaids and may end up being on Rynâs side when she realizes what might actually happen. I donât think they should have brought her and Xander back together so soon either.
That story feels like itâs true, but we know she also has an agenda and she knows enough about Xander to know exactly what to say to get him to sympathize with her. She went for the whole âfamily business/expectationsâ angle and the losing a family member angle (even though she claims her brother is still alive, just very damaged and leaves it there very mysteriously). Both of those would hit Xander in very particular places to get him to forgive her when before that story he wasnât giving her an inch.
It just felt way too perfect of a story, I guess, and Iâm suspicious of it. Weâve never seen or heard of this brother before now even though weâve seen glimpses of her when she was speaking just with superiors or on her own. She doesnât put a lot of detail into that story, doesnât mention what kind of damage her brother sustained or even whether heâs in the trial with the mermaid stem cells or - if heâs not - if sheâs been attempting to get him onto it. We donât even get a name for her brother.
I want to believe that itâs true and that Nicole could end up being an ally or something of a double agent within the military who helps them out when they need it. But she also has polymarineâs house bugged without telling them and gets angry when they âkeep not trusting herâ as if they have any reason to do so and they know it.
My biggest complaint with her and Xander restarting their romantic relationship so quickly is that it just is a redundant storyline for Xander and he is actually an interesting complex character who could have plenty of great storylines and it feels like they just donât want to let him have those storylines and so stick him back with Nicole because itâs a quick, easy fix. Xander as a character deserves better than to just be duped again.Â
I almost want Xander to know sheâs playing him with that tragic backstory and this whole getting back together thing is him playing her back. We know heâs keeping things from her, too, about Leviâs return. So itâs possible thatâs whatâs happening here, that Xander is fully aware of her game and has just decided that the best way he can help is to keep his enemies close and let her believe sheâs duped him again. That could show really great growth for Xander and now Iâm really really hoping thatâs the case, here. Because Iâm done with Xander being a dumb, gullible outsider who never really is part of the main plot except circumstantially. Maybe Xanderâs âbetrayalâ is what eventually turns Nicole over to their side and I get to have both of them!
