Leverage: Redemption Season 2 Episode 5 - Harry realizing he has to play Eliot for the moment.

@mysteriousdbzgt: Hi oh-lali-lali-lali-lalipop! Thank you for your ask. First of all, thanks for asking this question here on my personal (and also for the follow over on t&bftw, welcome aboard! :D) I think you can probably tell from here, that I’m a huge supporter of them becoming romantically involved lol I don’t shy about that here, but I like to present a more neutral stance over on my news dedicated blog, to not influence others of my personal opinions. With regards to the new season, as much as I would be supportive of it, I unfortunately highly doubt that they would become “official” in S2 or anything in the future, but will remain extremely dedicated and attentive to one another, regardless of their constant bickering. The creators of the show are more than aware of the popularity of the “couple”, being constantly popular at doujinshi events and the continuous amounts of merchandise that they bring out, which regularly focuses on the main duo rather than all of the Heroes all the time. The fandom is primarily dominated by women, when originally the show was supposed to target men and “salarymen”, but attracted a completely different demographic that they hadn’t anticipated. I can only think that’s mainly because of the appeal of K&B. Also not helped by some of the staff’s, let’s just say, “unfiltered” thoughts when they discuss about K & B in older interviews, centering around “love” and other similar notions. I think they still want to keep this series aimed towards a male demographic, even if the results don’t line up as they expect. But highly ironically, it’s what makes the show successful, so I doubt they would want to change how they portray Kotetsu and Barnaby’s relationship. Personally I would be absolutely over the moon if they did become “official”, because they’re just perfect for one another (hehe) and it could just break so many standard conventions/boundaries on how media portrays same-sex relationships, if done appropriately, and not be labelled with any genre tags like “BL”, “yaoi” or anything similar, and still simply just be a “drama”, “superhero” tale, with the two main males eventually getting together but not make a big song and dance about it. If we want to normalise LGBT relationships within our media and what we consume, then we need to drop these tags and portray them in a healthy manner, which I think the show does well between them both. I believe that the staff have the talent to pull it off, they just need to be cautious on how they do it. Like you said, how FE is presented in the show which such great self confidence about themselves and who they are, really shows that they can write this. Also T&B’s spiritual successor show, Double Decker (who had a lot of the same staff) tackles some LGBT themes pretty well, so they could absolutely do it. But yeah, I don’t think they’ll become “official” unfortunately. But if anything, I anticipate that KxB will most likely be working even closer together in S2, so they’ll be more in tune with one another, and possibly open up even more to each other than they did before. Hopefully they’ll be over the huge feuds and split apart phase, which The Rising focused on (they’ll still bicker all the time, but that’s just how they are), so we can see just how far their relationship has come and changed for the better. Anyway this is probably way too long (sorry), but always interested to hear your thoughts too! :)  

Heya! Before I start I just wanna say thank you so much for taking the time to give me such a thorough reply, it is incredibly well thought out and written! I also want to say I am so freaking sorry you had to type out my monstrosity of a name (seriously didn’t think about that when making the joke lol). Oh, and I’m equally sorry for the formatting of the reply... really had no clue how to go about it, so I just defaulted to going about it the roleplayer way haha. Anyways, for starters, I think I should say that I actually agree with you a lot. You see, logically I think it feels highly unlikely they’d make them “official” in the new season. I’m not sure if I feel like it’s unlikely because I, someone who’s in the LGBTQ community, am a pessimist (aka, I’m negative regardless of proof) who is use to companies not delivering on it/assume companies won’t deliver on it.... or if I’m genuinely, but unconsciously, picking up on Sunrise’s stance of “not gonna happen”. Despite all that I still feel stupidly hopeful about it (y’know, heart louder than the mind and all that jazz)... and I guess for the sake of the discussion I’ll break down why! lol So, I got into the fandom.... around the time of The Rising, I think, so anywhere from 2014 to 2015. I instantly fell in love with it all, but I did end up falling out of the loop for awhile (being a teenager and all that). Recently (recently being that I finished S1 on Friday, watched The Rising on Sunday, and now I’m here lol) I got back into it and.... wow, a lot of it is the same, and.... at the same time it felt like I had so much more to process. It’s still as amazing as ever, if not even more so, and just like with everything else I love with my entire being I started to analyze it and read into it (maybe a little bit too much so lol).  In all honesty, KxB seriously stood out even more so than it did last time for me (I don’t know if it’s because I’m now accepting of my sexuality or what) and while it’s not actually the best part of the series to me (God, Barnaby’s arc means so much to me what with me struggling with cPTSD, but that story is best left on my RP blog) I do have to admit that the pairing is... incredibly meaningful, and beautiful. Moving for me, really.  I guess the following observations, and hopeful thinking that came after it, could be deduced to me just wearing shipper goggles, but considering my habit of over analyzing and breaking things down... I do try to make predictions and opinions logically, and with that in mind it’s why I’m so stuck on the “hopeful thinking”, since a tiny bit of logical thinking is fueling it. Tiger & Bunny is about human relationships, really. For a show focusing on NEXTs... it’s really about humanity, corruption, society, relationships... and KxB all along the first season is written as an undertone, like a slow burn (which is entirely fitting, and seriously makes any relationship better), which fits because the first season is, in actuality, not focused on that (the plot being bigger than we can see and all that). In the end, having rewatched it, I also noticed how, really, the undertone is written in such a way that.... it feels like Barnaby is the one with the “crush” (or is the first one to realize it) which... kinda fits with the old statements from the crew. Kotetsu the forever oblivious one who hasn’t had an epiphany yet (although if I’m being honest, The Rising seems to have this “side-plot” feeling of Kotetsu having the epiphany when he realizes what he’s lost, which is what I meant by the flow of the series somewhat feels like it’s building towards it)...  .... There’s also the whole “leaving it to interpretation thing” they said back then. Which, I have to agree with some other people that it feels like it’s just a way of saying “it’s romantic but we don’t want to take that risk”.... and that was back around 2011. It’ll have been decade since then when S2 is released, and, while a decade is just a decade, a lot has changed on a societal basis since then. Even during this decade long gap Sunrise has become more bold with their representation, whether it be Double Decker! or The Rising.... almost like they’re testing the waters...  and what better way to champion representation than to make two main characters the representation? This franchise is... so human in it’s story, and the meaning doing such a thing would have for so many people... in a way, I think out ways some of the risks. I feel like the build up is there, the want is there (tbh seeing posts on tumblr of people talking about how they hope they’ll get a kiss in S2 or something “official” like that also fueled this)... it just depends on whether they’ll feel afraid or not. Which is, really, why I asked for your opinion. You do such good work at trying to bridge the gap between the Japanese fandom/Sunrise and the English speaking community (which, btw, you are amazing at, I can’t thank you enough for the work you do), and I knew you’d be more informed on Sunrise’s attitude and statements, as well as the general opinions and depositions of the Japanese fans. In the end, I can “read into” things all I want, but it won’t matter if you can’t understand the one who pulls the strings... and because of that I wanted to know your opinion.  I’m so so sorry this got so long!! I’m really horrible at summarizing myself, so this turned into a major ramble.... I’m gonna wrap it up now before this turns into a novel haha. Again, thank you so much for responding to my question and for being open to discussing it, it means so much! I truly respect your opinion, since it helps me clear my own thoughts, as well as gives me a dose of reality so I don’t get my hopes up too much... I guess in the end though, a part of me is going to continue to think that they just might have the heart to do it, irregardless lol. I look forwards to seeing what you have to say about what I’ve written here!

My OUAT Rewatch -- S6E4 -- Strange Case

Link to Rewatch Review and Ranking archive

Okay, there’s A LOT to unpack in this one, but before we do THAT . . . . . it’s time once again for our new favorite game show . . . . 

What the Fuck is Emma Wearing??????

Seriously, after S6 Ends the S6 Emma Snarky Fashion Show post is coming . . . . . if you have any snarks on ANY of her S6 wardrobe, you are welcome to send it to me via messenger or message and I will keep it on file until the big event!  I don’t think there was ever a full on “Drag Emma’s S6 Wardrobe” in-depth post, and I am here to fill that much-needed gap!  Stay tuned!  

By the way, sub-category just for this episode . . . . what the fuck is BELLE wearing?????

I usually love Belle’s wardrobe.  I’m usually either drooling over how stunning she is or seething with envy that I’m not skinny enough to wear the stuff she wears.  And very often I’m doing both.  

But THIS ugly-ass thing?  WTF is it supposed to be?  A dress?  A nightgown?  A dressy nightgown?  A nightie dressgown?  It’s ugly, its so bland it washes out her coloring (and the wig she’s wearing in this one, OMG!!!!  Hideous!), just -- yech all around.  Probably the ugliest thing she’s EVER worn.  Not sure what they were going for costume wise here, but EPIC FAIL.

Okay . . . . . . now that that’s out . . . . . here’s the thing, and it might surprise you . . . . . . I didn’t totally HATE this episode.  Yup, you read that right.  Don’t worry, you’re as surprised as I am, because I expected to come on here ranting and screaming and all like . . . . . 

But nope.  

I mean . . . . I didn’t LOVE the episode.  It’s not one I’ll watch over and over again.  But there are WAY worse episodes in this series than this one.  I don’t do the tally till after I do the review, and I went in expecting this to be in the negatives, possibly even moving the shitfest that was Smash the Mirror out of the bottom spot.  I don’t think it will be in the negatives.  We’ll see when I end this, but . . . . . . it wasn’t THAT BAD.  And I was aggressively and unapologetically hate watching when this originally aired.  Also, David Goodman was one of the writers so of COURSE there’s going to be some shit in here because it’s GOODMAN.  

So . . . . . ready to discuss?  Yes there WILL be Belle dragging but I will politely do this to the Belle dragging so that those who don’t want to read it can skim on by.  

Come on in . . . . . . 

BTW, for those reading this at a later date, or those just flat out not in the know . . . . . Bobby filmed the movie Trainspotting 2 during the summer between S5 and S6, and he had to cut his hair and grow out a porn ‘stache.  Well he didn’t HAVE to, and actually ABC told him NOT to, but he basically said “Fuck ABC” and did it anyway.  So over the summer of 2016 he looked like this:

So yup . . . the past three episodes he was wearing a very bad wig.  And there’s a lot of debate on which Rumple is the hottest, and S6 Rumple wins for many.  S7 is MY preference, but I’ve grown to appreciate the short hair.

Anyhow . . . . this episode was actually WAY better than I remembered.  I mean Belle was a fucking bitch, that hasn’t changed, Hook was being shoehorned into the Rumbelle story, as he’s being shoehorned into EVERY story to see where he can be useful (the answer would be NOWHERE because he’s a fucking useless lamp with no real purpose on this show), and of course the CLASSIC Swan Queen #no homo moment:

Swan Queen: Social Distancing since October 2016!

You know, I didn’t remember this moment being in THIS episode.  I honestly thought it was later.  But then again, S6 is a blur of me bitching, drinking, and being blocked by the fandom because I called a fictional character a bitch, so what do I know?

Anyhow, this moment . . . . . oh the FUN we had with it!

https://celticheartedfangirl.tumblr.com/post/151930060407/scarimor-the-internet-is-on-the-ball-this

https://celticheartedfangirl.tumblr.com/post/151932134492/swanmills-just-in-case-you-forgot-this

So the Jekyll and Hyde stuff . . . . . was actually not that bad.  But honestly kinda anti-climactic?  Because they set up Hyde to be a S6 Big Bad and he’s DEAD by Episode FOUR???  But then again A&E have always sucked at follow-through, so is anyone surprised?

Also the lovely Karen David is now on board as Jasmine and I cannot WAIT to see how these hacks will fuck HER story up!

Also LMAO, Snow sucks at teaching!

So back to the Rumple/Belle/Rumbelle shit . . . . . . . 

1.  I side with Rumple

2.  Belle was being an unreasonable dumbass and I wanted to smack the ever living fuck out of her the entire episode

2.  What in the actual FUCK is Hook doing there?  And a magic seashell, REALLY????  Don’t they both have PHONES?????  More Stu propping, ugh.  Also he tried to murder Belle FOUR TIMES, please stop with this fuckery!

I had lots of opinion about this episode when it aired, and honestly I only half assed watched it at the time so let’s review my opinion and see if I still agree with them . . . . . . . . 

https://celticheartedfangirl.tumblr.com/post/151930433837/for-those-who-didntdont-want-to-watch-a-brief

Okay, I didn’t think Rumple was THAT OOC and the Snow stuff was fun.  Other than that -- agree.  Next . . . . 

https://celticheartedfangirl.tumblr.com/post/151908421027/okay-help-me-out

Yup.  

https://celticheartedfangirl.tumblr.com/post/151908871377/fucking-hook-propping

Absolutely agree!

https://celticheartedfangirl.tumblr.com/post/151894995482/emospritelet-onceandfuturekikiouat-i-100

THIS THIS THIS, ALL OF FUCKING THIS!!!!!

So one good thing that this episode gave us were these BTS gifs that a fan filmed of Bobby goofing around on set:

https://celticheartedfangirl.tumblr.com/post/151900061412/just-ustas-lets-go-rumple-he-is-so

But otherwise . . . . . . S6, a summary so far (that will continue):

BTW, on a side note -- Creation released their promo poster for the 2016-2017 OAUAT Convention season -- and this was it:

In case you ever had ANY doubt who was the “most important” character on the show.  

Points tally:

40 points to start

10 points for Rumbelle centric ISH

5 points for socially distanced but still more chemistry than with a man Swan Queen

I’m doing 2 points Rumple in character and deducting 2 points for him OOC because I didn’t think he was either but he was both.  And that makes no sense but neither does some of this shitty writing

5 points deducted for Hook

10 points deducted for OOC Belle

10 points deducted for Belle and Hook GTFO

10 points deducted for Goodman

10 bonus points for Rumple losing the damn wig

Sorry, gotta dump 25 points for all the Rumbelle bullshit and all the Hook propping bullshit

Total points:  5

Wow, not in negatives!  Color me stunned!

Follow #celtichearted OUAT ranking tag for more to come!