#haphael

Issues? I don’t think we needed the “I had a crush on Josie when I was 14″ queer bait, I have to ask myself why Mystic Falls boy (I don’t even remember his name because he’s yet to be important to the story at all whatsoever) was running in a graveyard at night (seriously, why?????), and I’m disappointed with Sebastian’s reveal. 

A recurring guest star just to help vanquish a monster of the week? Yes, it’s a monster that facilitated the return of peoples memories, but the stakes don’t feel high enough considering how long he’s been around, and the whole reveal itself feels somewhat contrived. We don’t know Cassandra and we don’t really care about her, so why was she the puzzle piece to all of this? I’m  hoping there’s more to the story and Sebastian doesn’t merely become a love interest for Lizzie (who, by the way, is slaying this season, I love what they’ve done with her character--there’s so much more complexity). 

Overall, this show is just soaring week after week, and I’m never unimpressed.  

Addendum: 

*I have to wonder what they’re doing with this whole “Raf has feelings for Hope” storyline. Hope has never shown any interest beyond friendship, and he continues to admit his feelings and then walk away, without her pursuing it in any regard. It feels flat for me. I want Rafael to have better material. 

*Feels clear Landon, at least for the time being, will choose Josie. Probably because she brought his memories back regardless of what may or may not happen, giving him agency to his own life, while Hope couldn’t do the same. 

*I really appreciate the younger actors on this show. They inhibit their characters so incredibly well, I couldn’t imagine anyone else playing their roles. Which is why I can’ understand why people don’t like Landon--he’s so good! 

Kinda sad Landon isn't in this one.

Holy sex dreams Batman!

LOVE the film noir vibe.

Sherlock Holmes!

This voice over is killing me.

I love Movie Actress!Lizzie

And Up to No Good!Hope

I like real Vardemus.

The Jasie sexual tension is killing me.

Finally it's Raphael.

The whole flask in the pocket trick.

This is so tropey and I love it.

Lizzie manipulating MG is not cool.

I don't get Raphael's arc at all.

This is interesting, and I think i’d ask you to expand on your reasoning further. For me, I don’t see a lot of parallels. 

I guess when it comes to the LJ/Peter/John triangle, we have to separate book from film because they are so vastly different. In the film, she sees John as someone she “should” love, while really loving Peter. In the book, she actually DOES fall for John, but she just can’t give her heart away at that time, because she’s already given so much of it away to Peter. 

With Legacies, Hope is all in on Landon, from what I see. She values Rafael as a friend, but I personally haven’t seen any moments where she reciprocates his feelings or even canonically states there’s anything romantic going on. She certainly isn’t trying to love Raf because of Landon’s shortcomings (Landon is pretty much the purest character in the show), and it’s not like she has to choose between them. Also, Rafael isn’t pursuing Hope like John pursues LJ. Raf may feel things for Hope, but he states, multiple times, he would never do that to Landon, because they’re brothers--he simply just can’t help how he feels. And Landon understands, because of the mutual respect. 

I don’t know for sure, but if I had to guess, i’d say shows like to do one-off episodes like this sometimes to change things up, and Legacies got their season extended after they’d already begun writing it, so they probably used it to their advantage, and decided to do something a little fun. The past few episodes, even with Kai’s witty sparring, have been heavy. 

They might touch on Raf and Hope this episode? It seems like the episode might focus on peoples fears, or trauma, or something of that nature, and it could be connected.

Hope and Landon just got out of a love triangle with Josie though, so to throw Raf back in there just for constant conflict feels a little egregious. Although I will say, it’s very weird how they started the whole Raf/Hope/Landon thing to begin with, and never really committed to it. 

I agree with this. I personally don’t feel the romantic tension between Hope and Raf, but I do think it would be an important thing to navigate, even if my preferences would want her back with Landon eventually. 

It’s strange. I have to wonder if something is happening behind the scenes with the actor, because MG, Kaleb and even Jed is getting more screen time recently.

 Another reason i’m leaning towards him at least temporarily picking Josie (or no one) is because I have to believe those Mystic Falls kids have a purpose. If Hope goes back to the Salvatore School and gets back with Landon, what was the point of introducing them for such a small period of time? 

There has to be more to that story, and unless they’re more deeply involved with the monster plot, they have to have more connection to Hope. 

I mean, let’s be straight: sex, first time or not, doesn’t have to solidify a damn thing in the real world, and I’m a little uneasy about the fact that’s still stressed in today’s TV climate. Like as soon as two people “lose their virginity to one another” they can never go back. 

It’s a step if you want it to be a step. 

But I suppose that’s the point, to some degree. For Landon at least, it is a big step. Sleeping with someone is clearly a big deal for him. Which, to be honest, is nice in the sense that for once, the male in a m/f relationship is the one who takes sex seriously and is a virgin (i’m not sure if Josie is, I can’t remember if it’s stated, but she’s defintely less stressed about it). So for that, I give them credit, I’m so tired of the girl being the virginal white flower who is about to lose her innocence while the guy leads the way. Lets reverse those norms, pronto. 

But, yea. I guess sex is meant to be this thing that crosses a line with two people, and if it happens, Landon and Josie will forever be connected and he won’t love Hope anymore even if he remembers her? And Josie will be destroyed because God forbid she wants to just get laid by her boyfriend and will be totally okay with it even if they don’t stay together?

That’s the narrative they’re setting up with this whole dynamic, and while I wish they would be a little more sex positive, that’s what we get. So, I don’t think Landon and Josie will ever seal the deal, especially now that she’s going to be looking into who Hope is and why Landon is writing songs about her.