#but Lovelace is wrong to think Eiffel is the only crew member who matters intensely to Minkowski | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

hephaestuscrew · 2 years

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I have a fondness for moments which show that the closeness of a character relationship is recognised by other characters, so I want to talk about a few of those moments for Eiffel and Minkowski.

They don't tend to be outwardly affectionate with each other (especially not in front of other people, see my ramblings about their reunion in Sécurité), but these little moments show how it's still clear to everyone around them that they are extremely important to each other...

Ep25 Lame-o Superhero Origin Story

This is one of those moments that feels more significant when you take the timeline into account. Lovelace has only known Minkowski and Eiffel for two weeks at this point. But the strength of Eiffel's trust in Minkowski is still evident to her, just from the interactions she's seen, which obviously exclude the secret meetings they've been having behind her back. Lovelace recognises that when Eiffel obeys Minkowski, it's not out of fear or deference to authority, but out of trust.

When searching for a way to convey how it felt to lose her crew, who she later refers to as "the best people I've ever met", Lovelace asks Minkowski to imagine losing Eiffel. She believes that loss would be comparable to Minkowski. (You could argue that Lovelace names Eiffel here simply because he's the only human member of Minkowski's crew who hasn't betrayed her, but I think it's more than that. If Lovelace didn't believe Eiffel to be very important to Minkowski, she could have described a theoretical loved one for Minkowski to imagine losing.)

Ep43 Persuasion

Here Hilbert assumes that to have Minkowski on side is to have Eiffel's support guaranteed. In matters like this, they come as a package deal. (And Lovelace doesn't question this assessment of their dynamic.) Hilbert is both right and wrong here: right to think that Eiffel will get involved in mutiny-planning if Minkowski is, but wrong to assume that Eiffel won't question a plan Minkowski agrees to.

Ep44 Desperate Times

I really love this moment for Eiffel, Minkowski and Hera as a trio, and one of the nice things about it is that it shows Hera being invested in Minkowski & Eiffel's friendship. She knows their relationship is important to them both and her tone here suggests that she sees a softness in their dynamic.

Ep45 Desperate Measures

Here they are being described as 'adorable' again, although with a completely different tone. Kepler says this mockingly, but it's still an acknowledgement that he's noticed the way Eiffel addresses Minkowski and that he knows that it indicates their closeness.

Kepler doesn't believe that Minkowski would allow the station to fall into the star, not because it would result in her own death and the failure of the mission, but because it would result in Eiffel's death. That's where he thinks her line is. (Also I think it's fair to assume that he was going to say "and Hera" if Minkowski hadn't cut him off.)

#Wolf 359 #w359 #This is just a small selection #These moments demonstrate that there's something in the way they interact that proves their closeness to those around them #And not just from their reactions to each other being in danger either #I think Ep26 and Ep28 are some of the most obvious moments for illustrating just how much Minkowski cares about Eiffel's safety #but Lovelace and Kepler hadn't witnessed those #(at least at the points these quotes are from)#so their closeness is evident from more mundane interactions too #I like that most of these are moments when the other characters are both right and wrong about Minkowski and Eiffel's relationship #They are right to think Minkowski and Eiffel are super important to each other #but Lovelace is wrong to think Eiffel is the only crew member who matters intensely to Minkowski #Hilbert is wrong to think Eiffel's loyalty will manifest as blind obedience #Kepler is wrong to think that Minkowski wouldn't risk the crew all going down together #They are more complex than other people think #but their importance to each other is undeniable #even to those who view them just as pawns #Eiffel & Minkowski #the empty man posteth

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