Is it weird that my favorite scene for this ship involves one character begging the other to go after someone else? Because seriously guys, the scene where Nolan begs Emily to go after Jack cuts me to the core. I've watched it *mumbles large number* times, and it kills me each time.
OMG, THIS. I would re-watch the scene in complete awe time & time again and then question my life choices of flailing over it so much since it's essentially one half of my ship wishing for the other to move on with someone else, lol. But the truth is, while this scene has seemingly nothing to do with my OTP, it has EVERYTHING to do with it. I LOVE HOW THE EXISTENCE OF THIS POST VALIDATES ME, AND ILU FOR MAKING IT. <3
He is SO desperate for her to go away and achieve a kind of happiness that he (as a friend, as something more, whatever) cannot offer, but she so doesn't want that life. Not just doesn't want -- cannot even conceive of having.
I know, right? If he thought he could give that life to her, that he'd be enough, there wouldn't even be a discussion. He wants her to have everything. EVERYTHING.
However, he reads the look on her face whenever she's around Jack or when he's brought up, and he defines it to her in a way that she doesn't allow herself to. The way she talks in the monologues always makes my heart ache at just how self-aware & resigned she is that the path she's on is self-destructive, but there is NO OTHER cut out for her.
Then she switches to a genuine plea for him to help her by keeping Jack out of harms way, which is the most she really has to offer. As she sees it, she can't be with Jack; maybe once upon a time it was meant to be, but she's too broken for that now. At this point the most she can do is protect him.
Yeah, it's like she doesn't believe she can do a normal relationship anymore - heck, she's having trouble at doing sustainable friendship without screwing it up over & over again at this point.
I also think she feels that keeping him around not only endangers him, but also... poisons him somehow. For what it's worth, she's probably convinced she doesn't deserve him after everything she's done because he represents genuine good for her. Emily never wanted him to know the person that she's had to become, and not because she feared his disapproval, but because it's like that would somehow taint his fond memories of her as an innocent girl, burden him with something which is supposed to be only on her. She figures she owes him as much for keeping the memory of her alive.
God, and the way Nolan rolls his eyes before giving in. It physically pains him, because he CAN conceive of her having that life.
Nolan is one of the few people Emily would ever genuinely say "please" to, and I think he knows how big that is, and that means it has power over him. Guh.
GOODNESS, YES.
HE DOESN'T DOUBT FOR A SECOND THAT SHE DESERVES SO MUCH BETTER THAN THIS, THAT SHE IS A GOOD PERSON STUCK IN A VICIOUS CIRCLE BROUGHT ON BY AN IMPOSSIBLE SITUATION. HE HELPS HER IN ANY WAY HE CAN, BUT HIS BIGGEST CONSISTENT CONCERN IS THE BURNING DESIRE TO EXTRACT EMILY OUT OF IT, GET HER OUT OF HARM'S WAY, MAKE HER BELIEVE SHE STILL HAS A CHANCE AT LIFE SHE'S LONG GIVEN UP HOPES OF EVER HAVING. BUT SINCE SHE'S PLEADING AT THIS POINT, HE DOESN'T WANT TO UPSET HER EVEN MORE, SO ALL HE CAN DO IS THIS:
This ship. It makes me think in caps. I love that Emily was genuinely asking him as opposed to orders or threats. She allowed for genuine vulnerability in order to appeal to the part of him which is the most responsive to her - the one concerned with her emotional well-being always & forever.
This is everything I adore about this ship -- the understanding that they only have with each other, tinged with manipulation, and neither of them really doing the BEST thing for their own well being, because they are both broken enough that they can't get to that traditional happy ending. But hey, at least they have each other (more or less) in the world of moral ambiguity and scheming that they're stuck in.
I love the way you put it, and this is why I love them together as well. <3 SHINE ON, MY FLAWLESS OTP.
I've been listening to this song all day thinking how it's essentially an implicit dialogue between Nolan & Emily, which actually reflects the points we discuss here, so it's perfect timing! Not sure if you're into Muse, but this song is very different from their usual stuff in a hauntingly beautiful way.
We've had quite a few pieces of compelling evidence that Gabe supports it so far, and this can definitely be filed under that as well. I mean, Gabe's stunning acting in that scene will never not do things to me. Ever. If I hadn't been stanning N/E like it's my job by this point, I'd certainly start in this scene. Excuse me while I point out that this is not how you look at your bff.
In vaguely related news, one of my coworkers told me they are convinced Emily is in love with Daniel after last night's episode, and I'm just like...WTF show are you watching?
HEH. Is their name "Satoshi" and do they go by "Sensei"?
I am glad I’m not alone in thinking this scene was brilliant for Nolan/Emily. But the truth is, while this scene has seemingly nothing to do with my OTP, it has EVERYTHING to do with it. Exactly. The thing is, Nolan pushing Jack/Emily really has nothing to do with Nolan shipping Jack/Emily. It’s about Nolan wanting what’s best for Emily (which is also why he occasionally asks if she has feelings for Daniel, IMO). As much as he likes Jack, it’s not about wanting to see his two best friends together - heck, it’s not really about Jack at all,* but about what Jack can represent for Emily; it’s about, as we’ve said, the path that Nolan can see for Emily, a path that he wants for her even though she refuses to take it. So, really, it makes sense that this scene seems (at least to us!) to be all about Nolan/Emily - because, more than anything, it’s a scene about Nolan’s feelings about Emily. Honestly, I think that’s true even if one reads those feelings as platonic - it’s still all about Nolan and Emily, not about Jack and Emily.
*(Because, TBH, if he cared about Jack’s happiness nearly as much as he did about Emily’s, he wouldn’t be pushing Emily/Jack nearly as much. As awesome as Emily is in a lot of ways, I would never wish her and her crazy on an unwitting friend. It’s just mean).
I also think she feels that keeping him around not only endangers him, but also... poisons him somehow. Oh, very true. This came up with the video of her as a kid, too. She wants Jack to retain that perfect image of the little girl she was, both for his sake and, I think (and as Nolan says), for her own. She needs someone to retain that untainted memory.
AND YES TO YOUR ENTIRE CAPSLOCK RANT. It’s the fact that Nolan wants better for Emily, believes that she IS good, even when she’s doing these really bad things - but at the same time, will HELP her do the bad things (with protest, but he will help) that makes me love this ship so much. Well, that, and that Emily accepts his help even while protesting that she doesn’t need or want it. Sure you don’t, Ems, sure you don’t.
She allowed for genuine vulnerability in order to appeal to the part of him which is the most responsive to her - the one concerned with her emotional well-being always & forever. Yeeeep. Love it.
OH. Another thing about this scene: Is it the first time Nolan calls her Emily? I think it might be. He almost always calls her Ems. I remember going back through all of their scenes when I wrote my N/E Yuletide fic (so, the first 10 episodes), and I’m pretty sure he only ever called her Ems or some nickname. Can you think of other examples? Either way, it’s definitely rare enough to be notable when he does it. And he said it was SUCH emotion.
In other news, I really like Muse, but I’d never heard that song before. I love it, and it is really good for them. Thanks!
The thing is, Nolan pushing Jack/Emily really has nothing to do with Nolan shipping Jack/Emily. It’s about Nolan wanting what’s best for Emily...
THIS. SO MUCH.
I completely agree that essentially, he only considers her well-being in that scene because bff though Jack is to him, Emily will forever >>> everyone else. So the fact that Jack is setting sail in order to mend a broken heart & do some serious soul searching (lol #awkward*) is kind of a secondary concern to him given that #1 priority - extracting Em from the Hamptons Hell - will be dealt with. Not to mention your 'unwitting friend' point; sailing away with Ems should definitely be an informed consent. :D
*I think Nolan was also missing the point that Jack is only willing to go there for 3 months tops, and then they'd have to come back to the Hamptons #double awkward
Well, that, and that Emily accepts his help even while protesting that she doesn’t need or want it. Sure you don’t, Ems, sure you don’t.
YES, I love these scenes where she's like, "Remember, I could do this w/o you" like she's doing HIM a favour when SHE's the one who came to him for help, & he's like, "Cute, and btw I already did what you're asking me right now WHILE YOU WERE ON YOUR WAY HERE." Their dynamic is riveting.
OH. Another thing about this scene: Is it the first time Nolan calls her Emily?
WOW. GOOD QUESTION. I must have seen their scenes a million times, and I certainly can't think of another occasion he calls her by her full name off the top of my head, so it's entirely possible it's the first time he uses it! This would be the perfect excuse to go on a N/E scene re-watch spree tbh, not that I ever need one to do so. In any case, he uses "Ems" + nicknames playfully when they're plotting & scheming, so uttering her full name in that Gabe whisper which does things to me I CANNOT definitely points to a different, more profound, nature of their conversation. Brb re-watching that scene over and over again with this new intel in mind.
I am very glad you enjoyed the song, it may not be as popular as some of their other stuff, but it's still a beauty. :)
OMG, THIS. I would re-watch the scene in complete awe time & time again and then question my life choices of flailing over it so much since it's essentially one half of my ship wishing for the other to move on with someone else, lol. But the truth is, while this scene has seemingly nothing to do with my OTP, it has EVERYTHING to do with it. I LOVE HOW THE EXISTENCE OF THIS POST VALIDATES ME, AND ILU FOR MAKING IT. <3
He is SO desperate for her to go away and achieve a kind of happiness that he (as a friend, as something more, whatever) cannot offer, but she so doesn't want that life. Not just doesn't want -- cannot even conceive of having.
I know, right? If he thought he could give that life to her, that he'd be enough, there wouldn't even be a discussion. He wants her to have everything. EVERYTHING.
However, he reads the look on her face whenever she's around Jack or when he's brought up, and he defines it to her in a way that she doesn't allow herself to. The way she talks in the monologues always makes my heart ache at just how self-aware & resigned she is that the path she's on is self-destructive, but there is NO OTHER cut out for her.
Then she switches to a genuine plea for him to help her by keeping Jack out of harms way, which is the most she really has to offer. As she sees it, she can't be with Jack; maybe once upon a time it was meant to be, but she's too broken for that now. At this point the most she can do is protect him.
Yeah, it's like she doesn't believe she can do a normal relationship anymore - heck, she's having trouble at doing sustainable friendship without screwing it up over & over again at this point.
I also think she feels that keeping him around not only endangers him, but also... poisons him somehow. For what it's worth, she's probably convinced she doesn't deserve him after everything she's done because he represents genuine good for her. Emily never wanted him to know the person that she's had to become, and not because she feared his disapproval, but because it's like that would somehow taint his fond memories of her as an innocent girl, burden him with something which is supposed to be only on her. She figures she owes him as much for keeping the memory of her alive.
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Nolan is one of the few people Emily would ever genuinely say "please" to, and I think he knows how big that is, and that means it has power over him. Guh.
GOODNESS, YES.
HE DOESN'T DOUBT FOR A SECOND THAT SHE DESERVES SO MUCH BETTER THAN THIS, THAT SHE IS A GOOD PERSON STUCK IN A VICIOUS CIRCLE BROUGHT ON BY AN IMPOSSIBLE SITUATION. HE HELPS HER IN ANY WAY HE CAN, BUT HIS BIGGEST CONSISTENT CONCERN IS THE BURNING DESIRE TO EXTRACT EMILY OUT OF IT, GET HER OUT OF HARM'S WAY, MAKE HER BELIEVE SHE STILL HAS A CHANCE AT LIFE SHE'S LONG GIVEN UP HOPES OF EVER HAVING. BUT SINCE SHE'S PLEADING AT THIS POINT, HE DOESN'T WANT TO UPSET HER EVEN MORE, SO ALL HE CAN DO IS THIS:
This ship. It makes me think in caps. I love that Emily was genuinely asking him as opposed to orders or threats. She allowed for genuine vulnerability in order to appeal to the part of him which is the most responsive to her - the one concerned with her emotional well-being always & forever.
This is everything I adore about this ship -- the understanding that they only have with each other, tinged with manipulation, and neither of them really doing the BEST thing for their own well being, because they are both broken enough that they can't get to that traditional happy ending. But hey, at least they have each other (more or less) in the world of moral ambiguity and scheming that they're stuck in.
I love the way you put it, and this is why I love them together as well. <3 SHINE ON, MY FLAWLESS OTP.
I've been listening to this song all day thinking how it's essentially an implicit dialogue between Nolan & Emily, which actually reflects the points we discuss here, so it's perfect timing! Not sure if you're into Muse, but this song is very different from their usual stuff in a hauntingly beautiful way.
We've had quite a few pieces of compelling evidence that Gabe supports it so far, and this can definitely be filed under that as well. I mean, Gabe's stunning acting in that scene will never not do things to me. Ever. If I hadn't been stanning N/E like it's my job by this point, I'd certainly start in this scene. Excuse me while I point out that this is not how you look at your bff.
In vaguely related news, one of my coworkers told me they are convinced Emily is in love with Daniel after last night's episode, and I'm just like...WTF show are you watching?
HEH. Is their name "Satoshi" and do they go by "Sensei"?
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But the truth is, while this scene has seemingly nothing to do with my OTP, it has EVERYTHING to do with it.
Exactly. The thing is, Nolan pushing Jack/Emily really has nothing to do with Nolan shipping Jack/Emily. It’s about Nolan wanting what’s best for Emily (which is also why he occasionally asks if she has feelings for Daniel, IMO). As much as he likes Jack, it’s not about wanting to see his two best friends together - heck, it’s not really about Jack at all,* but about what Jack can represent for Emily; it’s about, as we’ve said, the path that Nolan can see for Emily, a path that he wants for her even though she refuses to take it. So, really, it makes sense that this scene seems (at least to us!) to be all about Nolan/Emily - because, more than anything, it’s a scene about Nolan’s feelings about Emily. Honestly, I think that’s true even if one reads those feelings as platonic - it’s still all about Nolan and Emily, not about Jack and Emily.
*(Because, TBH, if he cared about Jack’s happiness nearly as much as he did about Emily’s, he wouldn’t be pushing Emily/Jack nearly as much. As awesome as Emily is in a lot of ways, I would never wish her and her crazy on an unwitting friend. It’s just mean).
I also think she feels that keeping him around not only endangers him, but also... poisons him somehow.
Oh, very true. This came up with the video of her as a kid, too. She wants Jack to retain that perfect image of the little girl she was, both for his sake and, I think (and as Nolan says), for her own. She needs someone to retain that untainted memory.
AND YES TO YOUR ENTIRE CAPSLOCK RANT. It’s the fact that Nolan wants better for Emily, believes that she IS good, even when she’s doing these really bad things - but at the same time, will HELP her do the bad things (with protest, but he will help) that makes me love this ship so much. Well, that, and that Emily accepts his help even while protesting that she doesn’t need or want it. Sure you don’t, Ems, sure you don’t.
She allowed for genuine vulnerability in order to appeal to the part of him which is the most responsive to her - the one concerned with her emotional well-being always & forever.
Yeeeep. Love it.
OH. Another thing about this scene: Is it the first time Nolan calls her Emily? I think it might be. He almost always calls her Ems. I remember going back through all of their scenes when I wrote my N/E Yuletide fic (so, the first 10 episodes), and I’m pretty sure he only ever called her Ems or some nickname. Can you think of other examples? Either way, it’s definitely rare enough to be notable when he does it. And he said it was SUCH emotion.
In other news, I really like Muse, but I’d never heard that song before. I love it, and it is really good for them. Thanks!
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THIS. SO MUCH.
I completely agree that essentially, he only considers her well-being in that scene because bff though Jack is to him, Emily will forever >>> everyone else. So the fact that Jack is setting sail in order to mend a broken heart & do some serious soul searching (lol #awkward*) is kind of a secondary concern to him given that #1 priority - extracting Em from the Hamptons Hell - will be dealt with. Not to mention your 'unwitting friend' point; sailing away with Ems should definitely be an informed consent. :D
*I think Nolan was also missing the point that Jack is only willing to go there for 3 months tops, and then they'd have to come back to the Hamptons #double awkward
Well, that, and that Emily accepts his help even while protesting that she doesn’t need or want it. Sure you don’t, Ems, sure you don’t.
YES, I love these scenes where she's like, "Remember, I could do this w/o you" like she's doing HIM a favour when SHE's the one who came to him for help, & he's like, "Cute, and btw I already did what you're asking me right now WHILE YOU WERE ON YOUR WAY HERE." Their dynamic is riveting.
OH. Another thing about this scene: Is it the first time Nolan calls her Emily?
WOW. GOOD QUESTION. I must have seen their scenes a million times, and I certainly can't think of another occasion he calls her by her full name off the top of my head, so it's entirely possible it's the first time he uses it! This would be the perfect excuse to go on a N/E scene re-watch spree tbh, not that I ever need one to do so. In any case, he uses "Ems" + nicknames playfully when they're plotting & scheming, so uttering her full name in that Gabe whisper which does things to me I CANNOT definitely points to a different, more profound, nature of their conversation. Brb re-watching that scene over and over again with this new intel in mind.
I am very glad you enjoyed the song, it may not be as popular as some of their other stuff, but it's still a beauty. :)
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