#tri98

“oh.. 😸🌷i get so embarrassed 🙀when i have to introduce myself… 😿buttt since u asked. 😺i’m like a hunter of peace😼, one who chases the elusive mayfly of love 😽💌!! well. something like that.🫶” - vash the stampede

I think that's why I hate when people conflate Vash and Milly as being one and the same in Wolfwood's eyes or, worse, see his sex scene with Milly as just his love for Vash being triangulated onto her. Because he goes to Milly for a sense of relief/forgiveness/understanding that Vash can't give him due to his allegiance to Rem. Even in his death scene, he projects Milly above himself and Vash almost like a religious icon.

Also it's Milly who gives Vash Wolfwood's punisher (a cross they're both strong enough to carry) and when he hesitates she assures him that it's what Wolfwood would have wanted. This act also felt like a form of forgiveness, like alleviating the guilt Vash has over Wolfwood's death just like Milly did with Wolfwood. But even outside of Wolfwood, it's Milly that recognizes Vash on sight and continues to call out to him when they encounter him. She also understands Vash enough to see through his happy facade in ep 12 just like Wolfwood did in ep 9. It's a shame there weren't more VashMilly scenes in the anime because they contrast each other in so many ways. (Moreover, them being together romantically is an interesting subversion of the standard interpretation of Vashwood because Vash would view himself as wretched next to Milly (just like Wolfwood does to him) and it would fun watching him process that in real time.)

All this to say it's funny when people say they love polygun in Tri98 because it always read as a superficial way to ship Vashwood and MerylMilly at the same time with VashMeryl and WolfMeryl on the side with like one reference to Millywood. But, when looking at Tri98, the real polygun is whatever is going on between Vash/Wolfwood/Milly because they're reenacting this image over the course of the anime...