#es talks

The other half of the fandom be like: Robby was shitty toward Langdon!

And Im here, like: Both! Both is good!* can be true!

Who's with me?

)* Actually, both are good, too, because AAAAAAngSt!! *insert Kermit on fire gif* (amirite @schrodingersregret ?)

( ETA: I should have said "3rd of the fandom this, 3rd of the fandom that and 3rd of the fandom gets it", as I'm reading some posts now.. )

Now, seriously. (Dammit it's so complicated)

Langdon crossed a boundary. Undisputable. Robby didn't want to talk, Langdon cornered him on the rooftop, in front of a helicopter. That's as clear cut boundary crossing as we can get.

But.

Let's remember Robby is not Frank's friend. He's his boss. That's not how you solve a problem with your subordinate. First you tell him, "Here's your second chance: [...]" and when said subordinate fulfills all of your conditions, you withdraw your offer. That's not even fair in friendship. If Robby has a problem working with Langdon, the fair thing is to tell him before he comes back to work.

Yes, in this case, Dr. Robby the Boss owed Dr. Langdon a conversation. Not forgiveness. A conversation.

And. Let's remember that "trapping Robby on the roof moment" was not Langdon's first choice. He tried at the start of the shift, when things were relatively calm. He asked one more time later. Robby didn't even grace him with, "Let's talk at the end of shift," no. All he gave was a vague "Later," and "Not now." That's... oooops... NOT A BOUNDARY! (Still a boundary, in a sense, but also not. Did I say complicated?)

Digging back into Season 1. Frank said "You were talking to cartoon animals." Robby said "You let this job fuck you up," (addiction is not a choice, addiction is not a choice, addictionisnotachoice, addictionisnotachoice, addictionisnotachoiceaddictionisnot (...) )

Frank lied and stole medication from patients (I'm not saying he didn't dilute Ativan, but I'm saying we never got a clear confirmation that he did. It was Santos's suspicion, that she told Robby about, and it's probable that Robby believes it to be true. But only Langdon (and the show writers) know what actually happened).

Robby missed the signs that someone in his ED was struggling. It's probably why he's walking around now, asking everybody how they are doing, what's going on with them, or even with ther friends. AND. In S1, in one of the early episodes, he asked Collins if she was okay, because "It was his duty to know if she's okay, as her supervisor."

If Santos is the one who saved Langdon's life, then Robby is responsible for him getting addicted.

*Actually, neither is. Santos gave the initial impulse, but Langdon chose and keeps choosing to save his life. Just as Robby's pressure, Robby's blurring the lines between friendship and supervisior / subordinate relationship, Robby's "teasing", were factors in Frank developing the addiction. In this case I'd say it's less Langdon's choice (addictionisnotachoice... oh, wait, I said it already), but if I were to search for a truly responsible party, it would be Dr. Hagan and the farmaceutic industry (gimme that storyline!!!).

Did I want to add anything else? I don't remember. If I remember I'll write a new thing. Over an out.

ETA: Oh. Robby actually said "I don't know if I want you working in my ED"

TAG YOURSELVES WHICH SILLY CUTE ORNAMENT ARE YOU ON ES’ TREE!!

(we are a system so if any of you are weird about this post ill put every effort into exploding you with my mind <3)

Yes, some people grow compliant under abuse. They are quiet, they do not lash out. The truth is they direct all their anger and hate toward themselves, though. Is that better? Well, society at large seems to think it is. Have you seen those gifsets? "All that pain and suffering and it only made them kind"? Well. It didn't. They are usually very un-kind toward themselves.

Trinity is not that type of abuse survivor, though. Oh no, she wears her anger on the outside. She pays forward what she was given.

Is it okay? -- NO.

Is it understandable? I would argue that it is.

This is, unfortunately, a situation we see a lot of in the real world. Or in media. In fact, years and years ago, the same kind of character had brought me here, to tumblr (remember @hithelleth ?). I don't want to get into the same discourse again. So I'll keep this meta short.

I only want to say, because I think this is important. Trinity Santos needs someone who would try to understand her. She needs someone who could tell her what she's doing wrong. Someone who could teach her about love and compassion. She can change. Each and every one of us has that capacity in them.

She doesn't need more hate. Even though, with her behavior, this is all she's asking for.

She needs someone to be for her, who she tried to be for that girl, the pedo's daughter. But even that is hard, isn't it? Trinity tried and failed. Because when someone's mind is warped like that--you have to try and try and try over and over again. To overcome years of conditioning, of set self-preservation instincts. It may seem impossible. And most times in real life, it is impossible, sadly.

This is a fictional world, though, a fictional character. I hope Trinity will find someone who could love her enough to see past her faults and teach her how to be better.