Hey there, buddy. I hope you're having a good day by the time you read this.
Okay, here's the thing, my brain occasionally chooses to remember little details that come back to haunt me and hit me in the skull like a fucking boomerang. And due to the last chapter of the free pass, I come to leave here the one that has bothered me the most lately for you to suffer with me.
Why on earth would Thaddeus want anyone to talk to Lenore and why would Ira consent to that?
No. Seriously. When Annabel tries to ask about Lenore, Thaddeus even denies having a daughter, why would he want to alleviate Lenore's loneliness by asking a young woman about her own age to visit her for company? On Ira's side, yes, the man wants Thaddeus to like him, but the guy seems like someone pretty obsessed with appearances, why would he want his precious daughter to be related to a potentially dangerous lunatic who is locked in the attic?
That makes me think the fact that they asked Annabel was a lie. But then, how did Annabel find out about Lenore? What were her intentions in wanting to meet her?
I have more. But this one has been eating me alive now that we had another flashback.
Oh, my favorite blog sent me a submission. Yes, buddy, we're suffering together. Have been for a little while, considering how I feel about the topic.
I think about Thaddeus and his actions quite a lot (when I'm reminded of his existence), actually, because he's an enigma. He's my version of a walking paradox.
Let's say he did contact Annabel Lee to be, as she had quoted, "A good influence for his hysterical daughter." He had done so with the knowledge that Annabel Lee was a temporary friend, that Lenore was forever going to be a spinster, and after that?
Nothing. No husband, no friends, no life outside of the Vandernact estate. Just a good, influenced "lady" in a house on her own.
Why?
One can only assume that in some sickening way, Thaddeus cared. He cared as much as a misogynistic Victorian man mourning his son, the only heir to the estate and wealth, can possibly be.
I can somewhat back this train of thought up with episode 65: he did seem shocked at the news of his daughter's possible death. That was the face of a man with fear in his heart. Then, after denying that he had a daughter in the first place, he looked...guilty. Truly and utterly guilty. For a moment, I pitied him.
Just for a single moment.
That then begs the question (isn't this a complicated topic?) — why did he then deny Lenore's existence?
Well, I have a theory or two.
1. He was not alone. There were servants in that room, and we all know that Thaddeus had intented to keep Lenore's existence a secret between himself and Annabel Lee.
2. Stay with me on this one, because its held together by bubblegum and a bent paperclip. Are we all aware of the stages of grief? First came the shock. We've seen that on Thaddeus's face. Then, there's denial.
Onto Ira.
Well, I can see this one. Annabel Lee did say that this was an arrangement made by their fathers — so, what did Ira, a man obsessed with appearances, get in return for his saught-after daughter to chill out with a mad woman?
I'm not sure if this has been noticed, but the Whitlocks are staying in the Vandernact's estate in New York for the social season. That's a pretty big favor.
There's no downside on Ira's side if all goes according to plan. Annabel Lee makes a friend with a girl whose existence is to be kept secret, all while Ira finally finds her a eligible husband in New York.
I suppose neither Thaddeus nor Ira considered the fact that their daughters might be achingly sapphic and fall for each other in the process, subsequently leading Lenore to burn an entire house to the ground for the slim chance of Annabel Lee's hand in marriage.
Isn't this a complicated situation?
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Love the new daughter buddy we have, I don’t know what you already have planned for her but I imagine she spends half her time helping Fowler on his duties, functioning as his car and as back up. Imagine those first few episodes when lazerbeak captured Fowler, he also captured her since she was driving him instead of him flying the helicopter.
Bulkhead hears he’s missing and is like “oh well, rip” the. Realizes his daughter is always missing and goes “oh no, my baby girl!”
The complete change in attitude with Bulkhead has been living rent free in my head for a while! Love it!
Hope you enjoy!
Iron bolt and Fowler get kidnapped by the Cons
SFW, Platonic, Familial, Cybertronain reader
TFP
Iron bolt hadn’t been introduced to the kids yet, having been on a mission with Fowler.
Because of that, she had received most of the news through the comms.
Which was also how she received the news of Cliffjumper passing.
She made sure to tell Arcee her condolences and that she would be wrapping things up with Fowler as fast as they could to get to the base.
… Everyone seemed to have forgotten to tell Iron bolt that they now had children…and to mention the kids that there was another bot on the team.
Bulkhead and the kids hear the proximity alarm.
“Where is it coming from Bulkhead? It’s not from the rooftop alarm.”--Raf
Bulkhead reviews the scanners and spots a familiar looking car heading to the bases entrance.
“Oh, it’s just Iron bolt.”--Bulkhead
“Iron bolt? There’s another bot on the team and you didn’t tell me?!”--Miko
Bulkhead slowly dawns on him that he hadn’t told her about the kids and the chances of Fowler begin with her…
“Oh Primus, its Iron bolt!”--Bulkhead
The kids look at him curiously.
“Kids behind me now. Don’t come out until I say so.”--Bulkhead
The kids hide behind Bulkhead’s pede just as Iron bolt pulls up.
She opens the door for Fowler and transforms stretching a bit.
Iron bolt looks Bulkhead smiling.
Bulkhead smiles back.
“Took ya long enough Bolts.”--Bulkhead
Iron bolt smiles a bit.
“We came as fast as we could after the mission was done. Where are the others?”—Iron bolt
“Patrolling. How was everything on the mission?”--Bulkhead
Iron bolt looks at him seriously.
“No Cons… Is everything all right?”—Iron bolt
Bulkhead nervous sweats a bit.
“Nothing! Nope, nothing is wrong here.”--Bulkhead
Iron bolt and Fowler give each other a look.
Iron bolt knew something was up when Bulkhead didn’t crush her in a hug like he normally did after long missions.
Fowler also gets a feeling that Bulkhead is hiding something.
Then the wire comes in.
Three humans move from Bulkhead’s pede.
Fowler is furious.
Iron bolt is more surprised seeing the kids than anything.
She politely waves to them as Fowler and Bulkhead begin to argue.
She wants to get to know the kids more, but Fowler already wants to go.
Bulkhead gave her a pleading look.
She smiled a bit, telling him that she was going to do the best she could to talk to him about this new situation.
Bulkhead does sigh a bit with relief.
If there was one bot that could talk to Fowler from a bad mood it was his Iron bolt.
Iron bolt driving with Fowler.
“I’m sure there is a logical explanation for all of this—”—Iron bolt
“They brought more civilians into this! DO you have any idea—”--Fowler
“William! What did we talk about interrupting each other.”—Iron bolt
“You just did it!”--Fowler
“I’m the oldest, I have a pass.”—Iron bolt
“You still act like a kid.”--Fowler
“I Am a kid compared to everyone on the team, William. You do remember that we Cybertronains age much slower right?”—Iron bolt
Iron bolts scanners pick up a con signature.
“We’re going to have to put a pin in this. We got an airborne Con to worry about. Send the S.O.S to base.”—Iron bolt
Fowler looks out the window to see Lazerbeak trailing them.
“It’s just a minicon. What’s it gonna do?”--Fowler
“That minicon is one you don’t want to mess with William! Lazerbeak is never too far from Sound—”—Iron bolt
BOOM!
An explosion hits the side of Iron bolt causing her to transform midair.
“WILLIAM!”—Iron bolt
She quickly grabs Fowler as they tumble into an unkown groundbrigde.
Iron bolt gets grabbed by a couple of Vechicons and gets Fowler pried from her servos and pushed to the ground.
She looks up to see Starscream and Soundwave in front of her.
Glancing to the side she spots the Con with Fowler walking away.
“Let him—”—Iron bolt
Iron bolt gets hit in the back of the helm.
The last thing she sees is Starscream’s talons coming too close to her spark chamber.
Meanwhile at base…
“The S.O.S was incomplete. Oh well.”--Bulkhead
“But Bulk! What about that other bot that was with him?”--Miko
Bulkhead stops dead in his tracts.
“Bulkhead?”--Jack
Concern and scared car noises intensifies.
Meanwhile…
Iron bolt was tossed into one of the cells and chained to the floor.
She would have been chained from a higher place, but the cons had been called outside after spotting an Autobot.
Iron bolt wakes up hearing blaster fire outside the cell.
She was already fiddling around with her restraints when the doors opened and closed.
Iron bolt nearly has a stroke seeing the three humans from the base making their way into the cell.
“What in Primus’s name are you three doing here?! Don’t you know how dangerous it is?”—Iron bolt
The human girl perks up seeing the bot.
“We found ya!”--Miko
The humans look over at her restraints.
“How did you three even get here? There’s no way that Bulkhead would bring you with him.”—Iron bolt
The eldest human gives the girl a look.
Iron bolt sighed.
“I’m just going out on a limb and saying that Pinky here followed Bulkhead and you two followed.”—Iron bolt
“That’s… actually pretty accurate.”--Raf
“What gave it away?”—Miko
“Call it Wrecker’s instincts.”—Iron bolt
The blasting started to get louder as her optics hardened.
“Talk later. If any of you can get the key to the lock, I’ll have a better chance at protecting you and Fowler when we get out.”—Iron bolt
The doors burst open.
“Kids get behind me!”—Iron bolt
The three humans quickly hide behind the bot who was ready to give it her all to protect them.
“Beep? (Bolts?)”--Bumblebee
Iron bolt sighed in relief seeing her team.
She smiled even more seeing Bulkhead.
“Took you all long enough.”—Iron bolt
Once the rescue had been a success, Iron bolt made sure to get the human medics down to the base to look over Fowler’s injuries.
She does feel a bit guilty for not keeping him safe, but also understands the situation they were in.
There wasn’t much she could have done.
The kids are curious who this other bot is, and some want answers on the spot.
Miko looking up at Iron bolt.
“So, what’s your name anyway?”--Miko
“I am Iron bolt. Official, unofficial, weapon maker, engineer and repair bot.”—Iron bolt
“How come we didn’t meet you when we first met the other bots?”--Jack
“I was on a mission with Agent Fowler, and I didn’t know about you three until I was at the base.”—Iron bolt
Iron bolt gives Bulkhead a glance.
“You really need to work on letting me know on important things when I’m out.”—Iron bolt
“Sorry kiddo.”—Bulkhead
“SHE’S YOUR KID!”—Miko
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A Little Buddie Hope in all that Trama?
Last week, I had a mopey post about my worries that the show would erase Buddie from previous seasons in order to make the new storylines work with what the actors and producers are saying about the characters. i.e. Eddie is heterosexual. I'm still not sure we will get canon, but I'm hopeful because one, I found a flaw in my reasoning for that post. And two, I remembered Athena's relationship with her first husband, Michael.
In season one, Michael came out as a gay man. Not bi. He was married to Athena with two kids. He loved her. He never stopped saying that he loved her. But he wasn't "IN" love with her. At one time, he said he hoped Athena would fix him. When he learned that she had been attacked in season three, he ran to be with her when he got the call. He was in mid-conversation with the man he eventually married, and he didn't even stop to tell him why he was leaving.
If we look at Eddie, he may or may not be as self-aware as Michael. I'm hoping he is because the show has given us clues in previous seasons that would fit with this interpretation of Eddie. Within the first few episodes that Eddie is in, he talks about how he isn't dating, how the girls they met on a call weren't his type, etc. Later, Buck finds help for Christopher through Carla. He tricks Eddie into coming to his place by saying he needs help to move Maddie. When Eddie learns it was a lie, his expression is a little annoyed at first and then filters to dread. He asks Buck if he is trying to set him up. Buck doesn't quite answer, he goes to answer the door and it's Carla. The expressions that go across Eddie's face, to me, were telling. Relief, surprise, and a new look just for Buck. [I feel this is the moment he fell in love or began to fall in love with Buck.-- There is also a whole other side to those first episodes after Buck starts to accept Eddie. In those episodes, he tries to please Eddie, and he stutters when he talks. He is shy and flirty, but that's a whole different thing.]
Anyway, back to Eddie. When he was with Ana, he almost mirrored Michael by admitting that he thought things would work with them, the "idea" of them. Chris loved her so much, that Eddie thought he would too. In another episode, he talks about feeling as though he were performing. Hen gives him a look that matches the one she gave Tommy & Buck in season 7 when Buck had soot on his face. The scene moves quickly so you can easily miss it, but it's there. There are more moments than I've named here that speak to Eddie's feelings, and these are the moments I felt would have to be erased if we believed Ryan Guzman about Eddie's heterosexuality. In my previous post, I was mopey about that until I realized a flaw in my thinking.
Tim has known his plans for Buck for a while. He actually wasn't sure if it was going to be Eddie instead. (most of us know that already) Either way, he knew as the episodes were being written for season 7 what would happen for Buck and that people would be paying close attention to Eddie. Within those first episodes, Eddie talks to Bobby and admits that he married Shannon because she got pregnant and they both felt pressured into it, but he never regretted it. Even when things got bad, he loved being married to her. (again the "idea" of it, just like what he said to Ana. Also, he said, that he loved being married- he didn't say he loved Shannon.) [I need help here. Someone to meta it for me-I have a big disconnect from the way Ryan nailed that scene with Kim in the most recent episode. To bring that much emotion and tears to this scene doesn't match with what he said to Bobby earlier in the season.]
Also in this season, we have Eddie referring to his Catholic past. The church, as most of us know has a long-established history of homophobia. Eddie talks about how deeply his family was into Latin-based Catholicism. While there is no direct mention of homophobia, there doesn't have to be. He talks about reaching a certain age and saying it wasn't for him. I think an awareness of his sexuality could have prevented him from fully buying into religion. However, rejecting religion doesn't mean those toxic messages weren't still there. Those messages were alongside the pressures he received from his father as young as 10 to be a man.
** Edit ** There is a space here for Eddie's reaction to Buck coming out. Based on this interpretation, it still makes sense for him to accept Buck. This is who Eddie is. He can accept Buck for everything he is without question. Despite the hold that the church and toxic masculinity have on him, Eddie doesn't hold anyone to that same standard. He rejected it when he rejected religion, but he is holding himself to that standard, and I believe this is the main part of the story that the show has not revealed to us yet. Eddie is not homophobic. Why can't he accept himself if he can accept others? (assuming this interpretation is the correct one.) Is Eddie so desperate to have his father's love? Is it that deep well of Catholic guilt he talked about? [Will Eddie, at some point, end up in a confessional, giving us all the canon we long for? I'd personally, love to see him alone by Bobby's bedside, holding that prayer book, and confessing to him the truth. That would slap. lol]
I had forgotten that these scenes were in season 7 when Tim knew full well what was coming with Buck. This doesn't mean that he will definitely write Eddie into a coming-out story, but it does mean that he is not likely to erase the stories that made me ship Buddie in the first place. If he were planning to erase those stories, he would not still be adding little pieces to that story.
TL;DR - My logic was flawed in my last post. Buddie isn't canon, and I do vacillate back and forth about this subject but hope is not completely gone for a Buddie endgame.
** edited to add ^ ^ ^
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