the pig being spitroasted with the blue plastic eye that looks just like olivers. the person turning the spit wearing a pig mask. oliver confronting farleigh as theyre both framed by the catton players stage, with the camera positioned from the pov of the statue of theseus killing the minotaur, which was lit up red. oliver getting roasted by farleigh. oliver monologuing to elspeth about felixs death. youre just turning the handle to the end of the world. happiness seems like loneliness and loneliness killed my world as oliver sips from the bottle he eventually poisons and gives to felix. felix being olivers world. all the worlds a stage. shakespeares folio, midsummer nights dream themes party. this isnt a dream to me, its my house. its my house i can go where i want. oliver inheriting felixs world but not felix. lining the catton family stones ontop the catton player box that contains everyone but farleigh. the nauseating creaking sound of the catton player puppets thrashing around in the box they can never get out of. the creaking of the gurney outside the window as everyones bathed in red light. the second statue in the maze of just a minotaurs head. the statue of a mans head in the fireplace of olivers bedroom. the statue of a truck sitting on the left of the entrance to saltburn. felix driving oliver to prescott in a truck with a fishing lure hanging from the rearview mirror. the gone fishing sign on olivers family home when nobody had actually left except oliver. oliver hooking his fingers in venetias mouth and her later doing the same when she catches onto what hes done. the story about shelley drowning and then venetia dying in a bathtub with signs of a struggle. the overflowing wineglass. elspeths fear of anything wet. venetia and farleigh looking for felix in the lake. its so hot. icarus tattoo. felix lying in the maze with his wings still on during the hottest summer theyve known. sir, the police keep getting lost in the maze. the minotaur statue holding a pig ripped in half.

I think one of the most interesting things about Oliver is that he absolutely could’ve been a permanent fixture at Saltburn with Felix if only he had been a little less greedy. His biggest downfall is that his upper middle class privilege made him overly presumptuous with his greed in a way that left cracks in his carefully thought out plans.

First and foremost, it’s important to note that Oliver is an unreliable narrator in ways that made his third act monologue an unexpectedly interesting part of the film. His monologue is meant to not only justify his actions but is also a way for Oliver to make himself out to be smarter and better than he truly is. He’s working overtime to convince himself that he’s won and that he’s achieved this through his own actions. Whether you chose to believe him or not is up to you; what really matters is that you understand that no matter how big (or little) of a role he played in securing Saltburn for himself, he still royally fucked up his original plan on multiple occasions. He is not a mastermind who got what he originally wanted all along. He was not all knowing and he was not watching everyone play checkers while he played chess. Oliver. Fucked. Up.

The bicycle scene (whether you believe he tampered with the tire or not) and the pub rescue scene were more than enough to win over Felix. Felix was shallow and would've given no extra thought to Oliver's usefulness or perceived poverty. Oliver could’ve hinted at a difficult home situation and used the family strain he already experienced as a hook for Felix if necessary. It would’ve been enough... but then Oliver got greedy. He started building up the poverty case more and more, in the hopes of getting more and more of Felix, and that was his first major mistake.

It’s important to remember that we see Felix not from Oliver’s POV directly, but from Oliver’s POV in his twisted retelling that we have no reason to believe. Though Oliver probably knew Felix intimately, he doesn't share that Felix with us. He shares the godly image he built in his mind that is tainted by his own self deprecation. In Oliver’s world Felix was seconds from dropping him at any given moment, because why would Felix keep Oliver? In reality, Felix had already deemed Oliver the perfect new toy. Sure, Felix was irritated in the cleaning argument scene… but if we work under the assumption that Felix had already chosen Oliver, then Oliver pointing out his privilege in an way that made him acknowledge it would’ve ultimately intensified Felix’s saviour complex once he got past the initial discomfort. It might’ve taken a moment, but Felix would’ve ran straight back to Oliver soon enough. Though Oliver couldn't see it, we see through the jealousy Felix's circle of friends display that Oliver was a more permanent fixture in Felix is life than most were comfortable with. The problem was that Oliver couldn't handle the wait, and his greed overrode his patience and lead to yet another mistake when he escalates the situation by bringing in a dead father that he didn’t actually need.

Farleigh and Oliver’s dynamic is so interesting because Farleigh immediately recognises Oliver for what he truly is. Farleigh has an interesting class dynamic where by right he should be a permanent fixture at Saltburn as a member of the Catton family, but he’s been carelessly demoted to upper middle class purgatory. He recognises Oliver as his competition almost immediately despite having played this game for far longer. Farleigh is happy to play this game in school, because he knows it well enough to win, but then Farleigh is shaken when he realises Oliver has become his competition in fighting their way into the Catton family. Farleigh recoginses what Oliver doesn't, that Oliver is permanent. He hates that Oliver’s race mixed with his Oscar winning poverty act has given Oliver that extra boost that makes him a real threat to Farleigh's place in Saltburn.

This is what makes the karaoke scene so interesting. Up until that point Farleigh see's Oliver as lesser and underserving of a place at Saltburn. The karaoke scene shows a significant shift where Farleigh finally accepts Oliver as a worthy opponent and potential teammate. With the obvious attraction between them Oliver should’ve taken him up on his truce without question. Alas, Oliver’s greed takes control once more and he immediately tries to place himself above Farleigh despite the offer of solidarity presented to him. This is what leads to the Rent scene where Farleigh successfully declares war once more, and where Oliver calls him over to finish the song in a way that ensures that he wins that round. The problem is that unlike Farleigh, who is focused on playing an upper middle class game of infiltrating the 1%, Oliver gets so lost in cosplaying poor that he loses focus of what the real game is. He’s so focused on the humiliation his poor character must feel from singing Rent that he loses sight of the acceptance of the role the song portrays that Farleigh displays which allows for Farleigh to win the next round. He fails to recognise that he needs Farleigh as an ally to get what he truly wants, and that was one of his biggest mistakes of all.

Oliver's want for Felix ultimately becomes his biggest downfall as he lays the foundations for relationships with the Cattons only to taint those relationships for Felix's comfort. Felix didn't need to be happy with Oliver at all times, but Oliver was greedy for the affection that came with Felix is good graces. Oliver singlehandedly undid the work he had done on Venetia – and by extension the work he had done on Elspeth – to keep Felix's easy affections. Felix was sulking, but he would've gotten over it pretty quickly if Oliver practiced some subtlety and put in just that little bit more work for the affection he craved. Oliver didn't have the patience for the long game. He wanted Felix is affection immediately and that meant that he made the mistake of closing off all alternative entryways into the Catton family prematurely.

Despite all his mistakes Oliver still could've had Felix even after the birthday surprise disaster. Though Felix was angry, he had ultimately declared his love by positioning himself as the Juliet to Oliver's Romeo, as indicated by his costume to Oliver's birthday party. Though Felix's love and care was exploitative and tainted by his privilege, it was also real and present in all the ways that mattered. In the maze, despite Felix is harsh words, what really stands out is how we see Felix contemplate kissing Oliver and doing everything in his power not to give in. It's the first time it's made clear to the audience that Felix is just as dangerously in love as Oliver is. Felix would've taken any excuse imaginable to forgive Oliver in that moment. All Felix was asking for was clarity. Oliver could've given Felix the smallest bit of who he truly was and Felix would've done what he always did and filled in the blanks in a way that allowed him to play saviour. Felix would've given Oliver everything he'd ever wanted in that maze if only Oliver was willing to win the game on Felix is terms. Oliver could've had his cake and eaten it too, but his greed made him want more than that. When he realised he couldn't have it all he made an impulsive decision driven by his unquenchable thirst that lead to his biggest mistake of all. Oliver's need to be better, his need to be smarter, and his need to win the game on his own terms is what ultimately lead to Felix's death.

If Oliver had been more careful he could've had it all through Venetia or Farleigh or Elspeth... but he had already destroyed all alternative pathways through his own greed. When Oliver loses Felix, he loses any chance he might've had at elevating himself into the Catton's league. In the end, Oliver's third act monologue becomes a desperate attempt to make Saltburn worth it. Saltburn is not worth it. Oliver fishes the Cattons stones out of the water because without them Saltburn becomes nothing. In the end Oliver is alone, performing for the Cattons in a house long abandoned. Saltburn is the consolation prize Oliver had to convince himself he always wanted.

I officially lost it, cattonquick invaded my brain, send help (pls don't, I want them to live in my brain forever tee hee).

Sooo, that Oliver tried to kill himself in the maze instead of Felix fic? Absolutely yes, in the works, hopefully, the first chapter will come out this weekend (sorry for the delay, I'm a very slow writer nowadays).

But I already planned out other cattonquick fics, bc focusing on one is too hard, so here are other ideas I'm currently working on! Bc I really, really, really need to share them with someone, or I will lose my mind, I swear.

1. Oxford days, Felix pov – For the first time, instead of hanging out in Felix's room, they're in Oliver's. They're supposed to be studying, but Felix being Felix decides to snoop around instead. Oliver is clearly bothered by that - tries to tell Felix they should study, he should stop, really, they need this essay finished by friday, but when Felix notices that Ollie is simply nervous, he gets even more curious. And here it is - hidden on the highest shelf of the wardrobe, something that is unmistakably a dildo. And isn't that interesting - Oliver is blushing and can't face him; so ofc Felix takes it out and pushes. Teases Oliver, until he's so red, Felix is concerned he'll implode. But the irony is, his first thought isn't even that Ollie likes to take it up the ass, no - but when he realizes that that's why Oliver was so embarrassed, the thought finds home in his mind and stays.

And now Felix can't stop thinking about it: Oliver on his bed, ass up, pumping the dildo in and out, with a blissed out expression. In that vision Oliver moans a name: Felix, Felix, Felix, over and over, and over again, and that's weird, because Felix isn't gay. He's not homophobic, and if Oliver is gay, that's fine, but he is not. Definitely.

So he puts the dildo back where it was hidden and decides to never tease Oliver about it ever again.

But of course that's not the end of it. Bc here Felix is, having the time of his life during some sort of a party, dancing with Ollie, laughing with him as they always do, when the chosen girl for the night not only tells him she's not intrested, she also suggests he should go back to his boyfriend and flirt with him, instead of taking time of some random girls when it is clear nothing will come out of it.

But Ollie is not his boyfriend, how could she even think that! So ofc now he's horny and frustrated, bc his plans for the night just got wrecked; he drinks instead and gets back to his room with his arm around Ollie.

And behind closed doors, the thoughts of Ollie, on his knees, come back. Felix is horny and confused, and Ollie looks especially pretty that night, and in his drunken state sleeping with him seems like a wonderful idea. And they do. And then they actually sleep. And then in the morning Felix is back to panicking and repeating that he is straight, this didn't mean anything, he'll get right back to fucking girls, thank you very much.

And the rest of the fic is these two idiots figuring their shit out. Bc drama and misunderstandings are my jam.

2. Jealous Felix - I think we all agree that scene between Farleigh and Oliver was very hot, but what if, what if Felix catches Oliver sneaking out and later leaving Farleigh's room? What if he spent the whole evening watching the two of them, laying on that couch together, heads so close they were almost kissing? And he's furious, even more so than when he thought Oliver was after Venetia - bc why Farleigh, when Felix was right there?

So yes, he watched Oliver all night and yes, he followed him, when he heard the door to his room open. And yes, he waited for him to leave Farleigh's room and was moments from barging in there and stopping whatever it was that was happening.

And now Oliver needs to explain - and Felix needs to claim what's his, bc if Oliver ever thought he belonged to anyone else, he was dead wrong.

3. A classic Oliver didn't lie fic - bc I need Felix to be the one groveling and apologizing more than I need air. The absolute tragedy of him confronting the poor not in stories, but in real life: of seing all that ruination, all the dirt, and pain, and vomit covering the streets. Smelling the piss, seeing people going through trash. Realizing, for the first time, that this is what Oliver's life looked like before he came to Oxford. This is what he woke up to, every day for as long as he could remember.

Just chef's kiss! My angst loving heart craves it more than anything.

So, that's it for now! I have more ideas lurking in the depths of my mind, but I'm trying not to indulge them. For now. ;)

I'm not even using a dnd ask meme yo I'm just gunna go off the cuff with this shit. KAI: Now that you're level 5 do you feel like an "adventurer?" Do you feel that you or the party might have some higher purpose, or are you all just lucky? You've also been in a couple cities now, could you see yourself ever being a "city boy?" And what is the number one thing non farmers will just never understand about life on a farm?

OH SHIT I LOVE DOING THESE FROM THEIR POV okokok

It’s weird. When I first left home and was traveling and found the notice for Farleigh’s Well, I felt like an adventurer. But with how that ended, I didn’t really feel that way anymore because I was struggling with what I did. Since then, it’s kind of been a nonstop barrage of stuff happening and I haven’t had much time to think on it. I was intentionally not thinking about it the first time we stopped in Elturel because we were trying to just have a fun time and feel all fancy. Now that we’re back, and we’re done in the mountain, if we’re being honest, I’m still not thinking about it. I’m just focusing on being a friend because everyone’s really struggling right now.

I would most definitely not call us lucky. Really, we collectively have some pretty awful luck. No, not awful. It’s shit. Ida talks like she thinks we have a higher purpose, but I’m not really sure. Verenestra (is it okay to use her name? She doesn’t even know I know it yet. I hope that doesn’t make her mad) giving me this task to find all the mirror shards and put it back together certainly feels like a higher purpose. I hope she’s right about it helping.

No. No, I actually think I kind of hate the big cities. All the time we spent in Baldur’s Gate and Elturel really make me miss home. There’s so much space and fresh air that you don’t get with all these buildings, especially so close together and with so many people. 

How rewarding it is. It’s a lot of work, but sitting down to dinner with Mama and Papa and Petra and everyone else with everything we grew and raised feels really good. It also feels really good to help supply the people in Secomber with all of this fresh stuff!