What Ricky Bowen means to me as an anxious former theatre kid (warning: long post).

Season 4 of High School Musical The Musical The Series completed Ricky's character arc in the best way imaginable for me. Ricky begins the series as a "skate rat," an outsider with a single friend, no community, no stable support systems, and an unstable home life. He doesn't have anywhere to vent about his feelings or turn them into something positive. Until he auditions for the musical. He finds community, a supportive group of friends, and even gains some confidence. I didn't realize how similar we were, though, until season 4 when he and the characters around him finally verbalize his feelings. Ricky's character arc for the first two seasons seemed so strongly linked to his relationship to Nini, in his devotion to a relationship that ended, and because so much of his character was tied up in that romantic relationship, I felt like I couldn't relate. But I was directing the same amount of energy and dedication to my academics as Ricky was to Nini in high school, and that often felt like a one-sided relationship for me.

Season 4 is when I finally realized that I am so much more like Ricky than I realized. Maybe I didn't want to see myself in him because I didn't like seeing Ricky get hurt or constantly "running away" and holding back his feelings. Yet, by the end of season 4, I realized how attached I've become to this character, how much he means to me, because we're so much alike. I switched high schools sophomore year and had 1 friend, and poured all of myself into my relationship with academics, obsessing over grades to dangerously toxic ends.

I also ended up put in the theatre class. I met people who were supportive and so fun! I'd never been surrounded by such a group of diverse and energetic people in my life. And my theatre teacher, like Miss Jenn, was amazing. She believed in each and every one of us. Like Ricky, joining theatre gave me a community when I had none before. And it gave me the chance to do something different, it pushed me out of my comfort zone, and I found a whole new person within me when I got onstage. My theatre teacher asked me to audition for the show after a few weeks in her class, and she kept pushing me to do it. I didn't think I stood a chance, but she cast me in multiple roles. Like Ricky, being on stage in a play somehow gave me confidence when I felt so muddled by fear every day of my life. My theatre teacher was the first person to ever call me "fearless," and I've never forgotten that. I never thought of myself that way before, and I still struggle to think of myself that way now. But somehow, when I got onstage, I could be fearless, or at least, detached from the constant anxiety I felt every day.

Like Ricky, I needed (and still often do need) to be pushed to do things for myself. When Miss Jenn wrote him a letter of recommendation that got him into college, I was so touched, because my English and Drama teachers were so kind and invested in my future that they did the same for me.

And like Ricky, I ran away from so many opportunities. I struggled imagining a future for myself. And I didn't tell people the way I felt about them—friends, crushes, etc. In episode five, when EJ tells Ricky that he needs to stop running away, and that he's only hurting himself, I choked up. Because I've been doing that for so long. Like Ricky, I struggle to be vulnerable with others and really open up about my emotions. When EJ said, "Who's gonna show up for that guy?" I got emotional. Because I suddenly saw myself in Ricky, the kid who keeps running away, who turns down opportunities out of not believing in myself, out of worrying I wouldn't belong. And I realized that no one would show up for me, no one would support me if I kept acting that way. And so did Ricky.

In the series finale, when Ricky says, "If this program hadn't found me, I don't know what would've happened to me," it was a gut punch. Because I don't know either. Without theatre, Ricky wouldn't have a supportive group of friends, a community, as much confidence. He wouldn't have people who believe in him enough to make him believe in himself. He wouldn't be the better version of himself he is today. And I wouldn't be who I am today without theatre. I never would've known that I could be confident at all. I never would've discovered that better version of myself.

I try to take more action for myself now, advocate for myself, and speak my feelings to the people I care about, but it's difficult. It's still hard at times. But seeing Ricky finally look forward to a future for himself and take concrete steps toward that future by telling Gina about his feelings and working towards college reminded me that I need to do the same. I'm not in high school anymore and I'm not in theatre anymore, but the lessons Ricky learned still apply to me, and his character means so much to me because of his growth. He's such a well-written and admirable character at the end of the day, both as a romantic partner to Gina and as an individual, and I wish I could convey to others who don't watch the show just how much this character means to me, and how much this show has impacted my life.

I am forever grateful to Tim Federle, the writers of HSMTMTS, and Joshua Basset for creating such a meaningful story and character.

you get assigned gay by kenny ortega. you then get assigned not gay by disney but they let you keep the fruity hats. you come back next year and get assigned gay by kenny ortega again, this time complete with a homoerotic dance sequence. you return again the following year and are assigned not gay by disney, this time accompanied by a heterosexual prom date. you return 15 years later and are finally assigned gay by disney because they now think it's profitable. you are ryan evans in high school musical.

i’m still deeply thinking of yandere!ricky bowen…it did things to me

OH MY GOD SAME.

No bc even after you (attempt to) break up with him, he knows there's no way, that it's not over. True love is never over. This is just the part in the romcom where everything is going wrong which means HE needs to be the one to set it right. He's not stalking you, of course he's not stalking you. He's just... following you around in secret waiting for the perfect opportunity to win you back. totally normal thing to do when you're in love. Super normal. And you look so sad without him, so... vulnerable. He doesn't like it. When he does find the perfect moment he knows exactly what you'll do. You'll be startled, of course you would getting ambushed by your obsessive incredibly hot ex outside a coffee shop at almost 9pm. He doesn't wait for you do say anything doesn't give you a chance to push him away again. He grabs your arms, shushing you as most of the fear leaves your eyes when you realize the person who pulled you into an alley is someone you know and not a total stranger.

"Hey, hey, shh- it's me. It's just me." He has that manic sort of look in his eyes and you wonder for a moment if he's off his meds and ditching his therapy sessions again.

"It's me, peach," he gives you a desperate, warm, trembling smile as his thumbs stroke your soft skin while he talks. He waits for a fraction of a moment hoping to get something back before he continues.

"Ricky-"

"I- I know. I know what you're going to say I just- please. Just two minutes." He cuts you off and he's so desperate, turning him down would be like kicking a puppy. A fraction of the relief he'll feel once you're finally, officially his again washes over him. It should be comforting, but it just makes him more desperate, more obsessed, more stubborn about refusing to let you go, to let that even be a possibility in his mind. Everything he's wanted to say to you for weeks spills out in a rush. He tunes himself out as he talks, too distracted by getting to be close to you again. He soaks it all in, your smell, your face, the way those little flecks of your eyeshadow sparkle in the low light. He commits it to memory. He takes note of which shirt your wearing, and he even knows what bra you have on just by the little bit of strap peeking out. Someone thats not your soulmate doesn't know that kind of stuff. But Ricky does. Which means there's still hope. There has to be.

NOOOO but like Red and Ash both figuring out their sexualities over the summer while in a good, healthy relationship and still in contact and with no cheating, for them to reunite and Red saying to Ash “You’re the one for me” like??? yes??? this show just gave me one of my favorite bisexual storylines ever??? canon couple where both are bisexual??? i am???

RICKY & GINA as described by my followers 🩷

🦚 Feligami February 🐉

Day 29: FREE!

You aren’t a maybe. You’re a yes.

— Ricky Bowen and Gina Porter, HSMTMTS

@paracosmicat, this one goes out to you. 💜❤️

on today's edition of rinas will always get the last laugh:

HSMTMTS  3x05 “The Real Campers of Shallow Lake”

I can't help but feel a little betrayed by the writers when Gina said that Ricky made her feel so seen. Not after EJ told her that she was the bravest person he ever met when he thought of her. Not only that but the couch scene in s2 cemented that between EJ and Gina. Even though s3 was rough for them I think that the circumstances weren't in their favor. This isn't hate to anyone by any means! Just a confused and slightly sad PW shipper here. 🤧

okay yeah same i did feel a little upset in that moment because on the one hand. sofia acted that moment so well and it tugged on my heartstrings and it made me happy she felt that way with ricky. but then i was like but. you were so seen by EJ!!!! i would argue even more so!! i just think these two characters will always understand each other on a different level than anyone else. the way they put their 100% into everything they do. their shared parental pressure. i could go on and on.

and in season 2 when she was feeling so unseen, when ricky was so distracted, it was EJ who saw her! it was EJ asking her how she was doing genuinely during the quincinerea scene. it was EJ seeing her and understanding her in the couch scene. it was EJ showing up with a granola bar when she most needed it. EJ saying she's the bravest person he's ever met my heart is broken EJ. saw. gina. even this season when he wasn't interacting with her the advice he gave to ricky showed just how well he knows Gina, how seen she is by him!

and anon this definitely doesn't come across as hate and i think if anyone sees it that way they have a problem with not letting people have different interpretations of the show.

as a confused and slightly sad PW shipper I'm here for you <3 i know I've expressed a lot of positive feelings about this season and the closure around portwell, but i don't want any PWs who are upset about this season to feel alone bc i definitely struggled with a lot of it. for a lot of the r*na content i had to for my sanity be like "okay. this is fine. would portwell better fit this (or a variation of this)? yes. does this apply to portwell? yes. but i will ignore this and focus on r*na being cute"

(there are valid things about the r*na ship and they have their unique aspects that make them work, and i think this season handled their relationship well in certain respects. but moments like the "i feel so seen" scene are frustrating examples of the writers highlighting a positive for r*na that also fits portwell, maybe even better, and just make my heart sad thinking about what we could have had)

supernatural au: if someone howls in the camp, all the werewolves will follow suit. this has led to many, many pranks, because it's easy to pull off and hard to find who started it

"Damnit Maddox! Shut up! You're gonna start a Howl!"

"I didn't start it!"

also it’s been days but i still can’t believe they made ej say “there is nothing in this world like high school” oh my god SHUT UPPPPPP SHUT UPPP!!!! BOOOOOOO THROWING TOMATOES 🍅🍅🍅 BOOOO

One of the best things about HSMTMTS is that it has a Black girl protagonist who gets a happy ending. Isn't that wild? She doesn't have to settle or compromise or stand on the sidelines for the white/white adjacent protagonist. She gets to have it ALL—a beautiful love story, a supportive group of friends and school life, and a successful career takeoff. How often do we see that in TV/film or in real life? It's depressing to think about how institutional racism in real life has limited so many Black girls' and women's prospects for success, but it's also limited our own imaginations for what Black girls and women can do. Not many shows feature main characters like Gina Porter—a Black girl who makes mistakes and who's messy, but who's also ambitious and self-confident and supported by everyone around her. So it makes me all the more grateful for HSMTMTS (especially seasons 3 & 4), and I hope more shows keep expanding our imaginations for all the wonderful things Black girls can do.

i’m a little vulnerable rn bc WKDGEKKSSHSH

Confession time: I listen to Over Again at least once a day... okay listen: I'm in my exam period and I have the tendency to procrastinate, so how do I combat procrastination? I listen to Over Again to motivate me into studying. Also, JOE AND FRANKIE'S VOICES ARE JUST SO INSANE AND ARE MAGICAL AHHH

Also, as I am writing this post... Over Again was playing but I wasn't studying (It's 10:20pm in Aus) :) - Em

if nothing else i am grateful to this season for giving us more EJ Caswell Muscles . it's what we deserve

RICKY & GINA IN EVERY EPISODE ✿ 1x08: The Tech Rehearsal