Thinking about how "A child needs her mother," is THE MOST ROMANTIC thing Joan Ferguson could have said to Vera in that last moment, and I will die on this hill.
Sure, it's referring to Joan's own traumatic past involving her mother, and maybe Joan genuinely believes that, but it's way more.
After obsessing over, stalking, and tormenting Vera for years, there was almost nothing that she could say, even after saving her, that wouldn't seem threatening. I remember some people wanted some kind of verbal love confession or something, and amongst other things, Joan literally just had the revelation, "I'd rather not kill Vera," a couple episodes ago, so I'm not sure she's at the full emotional maturity level of verbalizing, "I love you."
BUT mostly, I think she knows it would be the WRONG THING TO SAY.
That is not the face of a woman who needs to hear, "I love you," from the woman whom she just found out had tried to kidnap her baby.
The thing is, I don't think the answer is necessarily what she says. I think it's what she does.
THAT'S the answer. Joan reaching for Vera's hand IS the "I love you," but in a way, so is what she says next. Again, Vera just almost broke her streak of being the only person not trying to kill Joan Ferguson because she found out Joan was trying to KIDNAP HER BABY (who I don't think Joan *really* cares that much about aside from her value to Vera and some hilariously sick claim in her mind having created the circumstances for her conception).
Again, NOT the face of someone who is going to be receptive to "I love you."
So Joan does possibly the only completely unselfish thing she's ever done regarding Vera. She lets her go. And instead of unburdening herself in this moment, which might be what she needs, she instead gives Vera what SHE needs. An assurance that Vera and Grace are safe from her.
And that's when Vera understands.
And Joan's gift is that Vera's allowed to let go as well and is at peace with Joan disappearing into the woods to begin her life as a gay cryptid among the already terrifying Australian wildlife. ROMANTIC AF.
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