#o clone

that I had to watch because my grandmother loved them and we only had one TV

Rafael and Serena. Alma Gêmea (2005).

Wealthy middle aged widower makes a move on the new housemaid who's half his age but it's not problematic because she's the reincarnation of his late wife. Literal soulmates, great memes. 8/10

Jade and Lucas. O Clone (2001).

That awkward moment when your life-long situationship dumps you to get it on with your younger, somewhat less problematic clone. I wouldn't be able to explain this one any better even if I did a 500 page dissertation. 4/10

Félix and Nico. Amor à Vida (2013)

When the acting is so good that the audience starts supporting gay rights (and wrongs). First real gay kiss in Brazilian television + iconic villain with solid redemption arc. 9/10

Catarina and Petruchio. O Cravo e a Rosa (2000).

Adaptation of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew with a suffragist twist. 90% of the plot was that they hated each other. 5/10

Eleonora and Jennifer. Senhora do Destino (2005).

A lesbian relationship without a cheating subplot and they both live? Riveting. Might make an entire post just about those two because the world deserves to know. 11/10

Zuca and Luiz. Cabocla (2004).

Polar opposites bond over the fact that they are both horse girls at heart. This one is a remake, both times the actors ended up getting married. 7/10

Ana and Danilo. Chocolate com Pimenta (2003).

Unless we're going mommy dearest and similar works that show narcissistic mothers and problematic/toxic relationships and portrayals, those are undeniably horrible and bad.

However, when we talk about general mothers portraiture we're going to immediately judge also through what we live and experienced.

I have a wonderful relationship with my mom, though she had me hours after she turned 18, and of course, have committed errors, she still succeeded in parenting and raised me with the best of her abilities. Therefore, I tend to see mother-sons/daughters relationships in a good light, as as depth and development goes by, I can change and adapt my initial opinion.

Therapist and Psychology Professors oftenly remarks that mothers, in a way or another, have some parcel of guilt over how her kids will develop and turn out, some more, some less. Relapse mother? Troubled kids. Distant mother? Insensitive kids. Overbearing/Overprotective? Kids learn to lie, omit, rebel. So on and so forth.

Mothers do have a hand on how you deal with your life. But a loving mother, a zealous mother, a young mother, an older mother, a religious mother, a free spirit mother... All of them doesn't have to justify themselves beyond maybe acknowledging where they went wrong, because, after all, aren't all of them also bound by expectations, morals, time and beliefs? And weren't all of them doing what they thought was right? Weren't all of them dealing with motherhood differently and in their particular ways? With or without support, they did what they could.

But take a look at these mothers:

They made mistakes, do they have to justify themselves and ask for forgiveness? Because they did what they have to? To survive, to attend demands, to protect, to ensure their safety and success...

There are mistakes, and there is also another even greater problem: you have to grow up and learn how to deal with this pain yourself, talk, digest, transform it, but no one but yourself will have to learn how to deal with it, even when it was done with such toxic and cruel behaviors, you will have to deal with it. To love or to hate.

Now, let's focus on the love part.

Mary, Elizabeth, Isabel, Januaria, the Bennets girls, Khadija, Alicent, Hürrem and Rhaenyra's children, all of them wouldn't even ask for their justification, ask why they did what they did, because they all know their mother loves them no matter what, they did what they had to do. Distant or not, overbearing, hysterical, insensitive, and doomed by the narrative. They know, and eventually recognize that those actions were done by love.

So yeah, go on, ask your loving mother to justify herself, I dare you all. Ask your grandma and aunt too. Ask that one mother who pissed you off online too.

Also, don't forget that maybe, that parenting style was all they came to know about. And unless one breaks a very long and, shockingly, difficult to recognize cycle, they will unknowingly perpetuate it.