So Revenge has been perfect these past two weeks.
My show has had me on such a high lately. Endurance was wonderful & made up for lack of Nolan/Emily scenes in Homecoming, and Hatred took it to the next level storyline & acting-wise (and gave me beautiful NEmily hugs). I've been basically like this since I watched it on Sunday night:
... so glad I watched live because all the freaking out on Twitter was PRICELESS.
Honestly, I've no idea how I'll cope w/o this show until March after THAT cliffhanger, WHAT IS GOING ON.
Reasons why Sallie Patrick (Endurance) & the intrepid Aaron Harberts x Gretchen J. Berg tandem (Hatred) are my favourite Revenge writers - in additition to the new showrunner Sunil Nayar - and the overdue flail!fest below. I'll try not to make it too long & scare you off this time, flist, promise. I'm sorry, I TRIED.
... there are lots of pretty screencaps to go with it? And a poll??
Revenge 3x12 - "Endurance"
∞ First of all, let's talk about this beautiful opening scene between Nolan & Emily:
I loved everything about it. The intrigue as Nolan is walking down the hall & we can't really see who it is. The way his fingers gently traced her face to wake her up (which is where I recognised him! I would recognise Gabriel Mann's hands anywhere!). Her genuine smile when she saw it was him. It's so obvious that they have missed each other, and Nolan clearly missed her physically as much as he missed her emotionally. Between Nolan's kiss at the wedding & the way he was drawn to touch her cheek in this episode, I feel like they are getting physically closer this season, and it gives me life.
I'm so glad that Nolan found a way to sneak in to see her several times a day to make sure she wasn't lonely. I bet he wore that ridiculous jacket just for her amusement, and her reaction was very sweet & came from knowing his eccentric taste, knowing him. I truly believe he's the one who could have helped her bring her memories back in Homecoming, but in the end, I'm also glad it was Fauxmanda's pendant rather than the men in Emily's life. I love that the Fauxmanda/Emily connection prevails over everything else on this show; their parking lot scene in S1's Chaos is still one of my favourites.
Emily VanCamp was way too convincing portraying Emily's defeat, and I wished so badly that Nolan had something clever & witty to say to lift her spirits right away, but come to think of it, his initial confusion was realistic. I felt so sorry for Emily when she said she couldn't keep doing this anymore; that the path of Revenge has taken the better of her. I want for Emily to understand she deserves better than this vicious circle of self-distraction she's brought on herself and those she loves, but in this moment, I realised I didn't want it to happen like this, with Emily beaten literally and metaphorically. I want her to stop because in her heart, she feels it's the right thing to do, instead of just running away.
∞ Which brings us to my favourite scene in this episode:
This scene was just incredible. More so because the walkie-talkie scenario was like something out of my wildest NEmily dreams which I never imagined coming true anywhere other than in fic. The writers just get that he would do something like this for her to make sure she was never, ever alone in the lion's den... that he'll always be there for her to turn to when things get hard to bear. And the fact that he had Jack bring it over hidden in a toy dog which resembles her beloved Sammy makes it all the more awesome. I had to admit they had me for a second when she talked to the dog, which I actually considered a pretty human thing of her to do, what do you mean you never talk to your favourite stuffed toys?
BUT THEN THERE WAS A WALKIE TALKIE HIDDEN INSIDE IT AND - BRB IWRITING FIC IN MY HEAD ABOUT HOW THEY FALL ASLEEP WHISPERING SWEET NOTHINGS OVER IT EVERY NIGHT AND HOW THE LAST THING THEY HEAR IS EACH OTHER'S VOICE, I'M FINE.
∞ HOW GENIUS WAS NOLAN SWITCHING OUT THE INFINITY BOX FOR HER, THOUGH. He's the only partner in crime who deserves her trust, I swear. Like... she was ready to reveal her secret to the Graysons & lie down & take the consequences because she was just so. freaking. tired of it all, and Nolan was like, "NO. I won't let you give up just like that, not after everything we've been through together in order to get you to this point," and it was GLORIOUS.
Isn't this every revenger's worst nightmare? Epic scene was epic.
He made the contents of the box exactly what Victoria has wanted them to be, making Emily the gold digger Victoria has feared she would be, ironically, because Victoria herself was one when she married Conrad. It's like she despises Emily because she recognised her own younger self in her, which is another one of those Emily/Victoria parallels the show treats us to from time to time. He outsmarted Patrick with the cocktails & took a blow to the head trying to protect the box, even with its contents already altered. It was obviously a massive disappointment for him because Nolan is very attracted to Patrick, but ever since Patrick came back to the Hamptons, it became clear where his ultimate allegiances lie. He will always be Victoria's son, which means that he can't be trusted anymore no matter what.
∞ Anyway, here's something that didn't make me want to SMH in one of the Nolan/Patrick scenes:
Gratuitous Nolan sexiness for your viewing pleasure.
I am a sucker for continuity, but I'm willing to write off the fact that Nolan has always hated the ocean as Emily's positive influence. After all, he started doing a lot of things she is fond of since they met. Revenge in S1, martial arts and shooting in S2, and now swimming in S3 (which is second nature to Emily, no matter how cold the water gets). There's even a great scene earlier this season where they discuss how much they've learned from each other, so I'm rolling with it.
∞ Emily finding out she can no longer bear children CAN'T BE TRUE, right? The scene where Victoria broke the news to her with a twisted pleasure in her voice made my blood turn cold. It's a powerful motivator to make Emily go NUCLEAR on the Graysons again and at the same time a major ramification of her revengenda, but I have to believe the writers wouldn't ruin my homegirl's life permanently like this, by having Victoria tell the truth at that. Back at the hospital, Emily's doctor told Victoria she is "expected to make a full recovery physically to emotionally", so I want to believe it's just a lie that Victoria dug her own grave with, which would be awesomely revenge-tastic.
∞ NIKO IS TAKEDA'S DAUGHTER. A brilliant way to re-introduce him into Emily's life or what? I think the actress is doing a great job portraying her; the scene where she punched Emily in the stomach to prove a point gave me chills because it's something Sensei would do.
Also, it's a great storyline to show just how unworthy Aiden is of Emily. Seems Aiden likes to make promises to women and ditch them, in addition to his never-ending string of...
I can't believe that he reconnected with her in Japan and made those promises after he killed her father and lied about it. It's donwright sick, and so is making out with Niko against the very pole he impaled him. Then there's the fact that he chose to tell her partial truth about his relationship with Emily, but left Emily utterly in the dark and then blamed HER for being selfish when she dumped him to continue her revenge. THERE JUST ISN'T ENOUGH RAGE, you guys, this guy is the worst. In a choice between revenge and a life with him, revenge seems like the lesser of the two evils, I swear.
∞ I feel like veryone in Nolan & Emily's life betrays them, manipulates them or gives them ultimatums but each other. It's a running theme on the show, and it would seriously make no sense if the constant addition of more evidence for that fact isn't leading to an endgame involving Nolan/Emily leaving the Hamtpons together as Nolan and Amanda Ross (be a shame to let that new passport go to waste, amirite?).
∞ ∞ ∞
Revenge 3x13 - "Hatred"
I think Revenge has really outdone itself with this episode. It wasn't afraid to take risks and really GO places, which made it damn compelling to watch. Besides, it has moved the plot into the direction I hadn't expected it to go, and I really love it when my show shocks me & sets off all the cogs in my brain at once trying to come up with theories for what it is I just saw. I feel like figuring out what is up with Emily's blackouts will be even more fun than who shot Emily because it's just so OUT THERE, and I'm looking forward to losing my mind over it throughout the hiatus, thank you Aaron & Gretchen.
Let's take it from the top...
∞ Emily's monologues will always hold a special place in my heart, I've said it before and I will say it again. So much can happen in a single episode of the show, and they provide the perfect bookends which both prepare us for what is to come and give us some closure as we are trying to catch our breath by the end of the hour. It's also a great way to get an insight into Emily's inner world, and as we very well know, she doesn't let just anyone in, which makes us feel like we're in her inner circle of trust. Her words at the beginning of Hatred were especially powerful combined with THIS opening scene:
After my father was taken from me, the morning sun burned like fire.
That's when I learned what hatred was, and that it would greet me each day to come.
Actual blood on Emily's hands, such a powerful way to start the episode! In addition to the eerie/ominous feel this scene provided, in retrospect, ripping her own stitches out in her sleep must have been the beginning of her series of blackouts. Emily obviously has no memory of this, just like she has no memory of what happened the other two times she blacked out, so it fits. It's also important that her symptoms are escalating. If this could have been deemed a case of sleepwalking (since she was asleep while doing it to herself), the other two occurrences of lost time happened while she was awake.
Was anyone really unsettled by the fact that Emily had Niko cauterise her wound?? That is HARDCORE & will surely leave a scar; it's like Emily is trying to bury her emotional pain in physical pain, so that the only thing that she feels is - well, hatred. Emily readily self-inflicting pain makes me really worried in terms of what she's up to while she's in her... trance.
Sidebar: THANK GOD we weren't shown the actual cauterizing process, I don't think my heart could take.
∞ Then there's the one after Em's reunion with Nolan, which was the most epic transition ever.
- You're not even gonna ask about Aiden?
- How is he?
- He's one of the reasons I decided to stop by.
- I meant what I said. We can't be together.
- No, no, no. I'm not here on his behalf. I want to cut him loose, too. I only let him stay because you asked me to. But now with Niko in the picture, making Big Ben chime every hour on the hour, they need to find their own love shack.
- They're together?
- You didn't know? I didn't realize... Where are you going?
- I can't sit still any longer.
This scene is everything I love about Nolan/Emily. I love that Nolan can't help whistling when he sees her sitting there all gorgeous, which reminds me how he told her she was beautiful at the wedding. It's almost like he's getting bolder when it comes to his attraction to her this season, and it gives me hope that one of these days, he will realise that he is a competitor for her heart in his own right. I love the joy on her face when she sees him, and the way they fit into each other's arms as one. I love the way they linger on a little after they hug - her hand on his shoulder, his hand in hers. I love the way it's always the little things with these two.
It's a nice touch that Emily was in the process of writing the checks to the staff; and the fact that Nolan enters this scene is no coincidence because it's him who's always implored her to distinguish between the deserving enemies & the collateral damage. She obviously feels guilt over Daniel firing everyone over a rumour she spread, so somewhere amidst all the rage that burns inside of her, Emily's humanity is still intact.
Also, Nolan telling Emily he wants Aiden out is the actual BEST. Nolan is probably the most selfless guy around, so you know that when he condemns Aiden's behaviour, it's not about petty jealousy or feeling ~threatened by his presence in yet another fight for Emily's affections (which is how Aiden feels about all Emily's men who aren't him even though she professes her love to him over, and over, and over). No, this is about Emily's safety, and not being fond of Aiden AS A PERSON. See also: the scene where he learns that Aiden is back in the game earlier this season; "Things didn't just go south, they went ARCTIC." And wow, it just makes me feel like I'm not ALONE because Nolan gets it too, he gets that Aiden is bad news because he's just so unreliable. I want to scream when someone reduces my dislike for Aiden as Emily's suitor to my differing shipping preferences. He's simply not the kind of guy I want Emily to be with, and that's all there is to it, NEmily or no NEmily. I wouldn't ship it if he was her only love interest, let's put it that way. I've just never considered a toxic relationship (one person hurts/betrays another over & over again, and they just keep coming back for more) romantic, and I never will. Those are my personal shipping preferences - we all have them - and it makes getting worked up about someone shipping differently than you utterly pointless; I wish more people in fandom realised this. Anyway, in this case, Nolan was mistaken since Aiden wasn't the one who invited Niko to move in with him. However, if Niko hadn't shown up at Nolan's, Nolan wouldn't have found out that Niko & Aiden are together, and Emily would still be in the dark. Once again, Nolan is the only one who tells her the truth - he's been that for her since literally the first day they met, and it must be a great comfort to her that there is this ONE person she can count on for honesty. I ship it so hard, she deserves someone who puts her interests before his own after everything she's been through. I mean, the fact that it's his house, yet Nolan comes to ask Emily if it's fine with her that he kicks Aiden & Niko out because as much as Nolan dislikes Aiden, Aiden is someone who matters to Emily (which is why Nolan let him stay in the first place).
Would Aiden do the same for Nolan if the roles were reversed? After the stunt he pulled with Jack, I'm gonna go with a resounding NO.
∞ ANYWAY. Clearly distressed by the news, Emily goes for a refreshing swim only to realise she's suddenly at... Nolan's place??
Which goes something like this:
Emily... what are you doing here? What's going on?
I... was looking for Nolan.
It was just so magnificent & unexpected. I kept thinking, It has to be some kind of a weird dream, and then my brain went into overdrive when I realised that it wasn't. I wonder if being in distress is what sets the reaction off. Obviously, hours have passed because it is already night time. She tells Aiden she is looking for Nolan, which is the answer that makes the most sense in her head, but truth be told, she has no idea why she's really there, which what makes the whole situation so frightening.
It's interesting that she tells Aiden that she had "no intention of seeing him". It's almost like she's doing the opposite of what she's supposed to do during her blackouts (ripping out her stitches, seeing Aiden, SOUTH FORK INN GOOD GOD). She tells Aiden she's felling dizzy and needs to go home, and of course, he HAS to come at her & have me yell at my screen for him to UNHAND HER & stop making her listen to his hypocrisy about a ~future with her~ while the bed he sleeps in with Niko next door is still warm. I'm glad she had already known about him & Niko by then.
If you walk out of here, this is over. You're gonna have to live with your choice.
Like your choice to screw Niko?
∞ ... and then there is the final blackout which is preceded by Emily's confrontation with Daniel. Just as well that I get it out of my system now b/c IDK who was in distress from it more, Emily or I since Daniel's behaviour made me see RED and yearn for his untimely demise by the end of the season.
ARE YOU FREAKING SERIOUS, NO ONE GETS TO SPEAK TO MY BB GIRL AND MANHANDLE HER THIS WAY; NO. ONE. SHIT JUST GOT PERSONAL BETWEEN US, DANIEL, CONGRATULATIONS ON TOPPING MY FICTIONAL CHARCTER HIT LIST IN 0.0001 SECONDS. Why are all Emily's real and pretend boyfriends so horrible omg, this is why we can't have nice things.
This is a story of how Emily VanCamp broke me, observe:
∞ AND NEXT THING YOU KNOW...
You were marvelous last night, Mrs. Grayson. Until our next rendezvous.
Do you guys think they really spent they night together while she was out of it?? It's especially the latter part that makes me die inside at the mere idea, HOLD ME. Please tell me she just ran off to crash at his place because her bruised mind couldn't take staying in the Grayson den a minute longer and they plotted glorious, glorious revenge against Daniel. #DENIAL IS NOT JUST A RIVER IN EGYPT
BEFORE I GO ON, POLL TIME:
Poll What is going on with Emily?Vote away, I'm truly curious what you think!
As to me, I am eyeing the drugging scenario, but tbh I really want it to be psychological i.e. Emily having mental ramifications of her revenge because it's just makes the whole thing a lot more TERRIFYING & requires a lot more work to get through, so I'll be secretly hoping that's the case.
∞ I wonder if we'll be getting any scenes where we aren't sure whether Emily is awake or in her trance, I kind of hope we will because I'm a sucker for dream vs. reality storylines, ngl. I love the fact that Nolan has been ~charged with helping Emily figure it out because Nolan is apparently the only one with whom Emily is acting like her old self, probably because he's the least infuriating person in her life right now. That spells out lots of great potential NEmily scenes for us, and they are my favourite thing on Revenge, so. \o/ \o/ \o/ Tbh I'm pretty sure he would have helped her without Aiden's say so but it was nice of him to give his ~permission in advance so we can avoid possible jealousy fits. Also, lol @ Aiden thinking that Emily rejecting him can only mean that something is wrong with her, that's cute, you keep telling yourself that, Aiden.
TL;DR SO MANY AMAZING THINGS CAN BE DONE WITH THIS STORYLINE, AND I JUST CANNOT WAIT.
∞ Niko's mango scene with Nolan followed by her discovering the weapon Aiden used to murder her father, SHIT JUST GOT REAL.
I'd watch my back right now, Aiden, because all of these are basically YOU:
I'm practising separating skin from flesh.
As much as I wanted Niko to find out the truth, I'm glad Nolan wasn't the one who told her. Especially since Aiden would sell him out in a heartbeat if the roles were reversed. Moreover, he wanted to use Aiden's plan to send Niko away for the "greater good" by siccing her onto the Grayson Global bomber & avenging Declan's death which proves once again why he's the most flawless of all human beings on the show. Anyway, it was time Niko found out, and she did it all on her own, the clever girl she is. Murdering your mentor & KEEPING THE MURDER WEAPON AS A RELIC instead of destroying it, really, Aiden? I can't even begin to image what Niko's plans for him now are. I'm all for justice to be served for Takeda's death, but I'm really worried Emily and Nolan will get into the crossfire since Emily unbeknownst to herself was the one Aiden betrayed Niko with, and Nolan always ends up getting hurt trying to protect her.
∞ Nolan wanting to take revenge on Patrick by telling him the truth about his father, and inadvertedly bringing Patrick and Victoria closer together. Victoria's freak-out at the bar and then her confessions of a non-tea drinker with Patrick in the Grayson Manor made me really feel for her, which hasn't happened in a long time. She's just had such a tragic life, and the saddest part is, the one she's leading now is only a slight improvement.
Also, this line was genius as genius lines go:
Did you know deep down I hate tea? My mother was a fan of instant coffee. She’s a vulgar woman, who murdered her lover when I was 15 and forced me to take the blame… After she threw me out, I made myself drink Fortnum’s Earl Grey as a way to forget about my past and seem more upper crust.
Patrick burning down his art studio in reaction to the truth about his father was a very powerful moment. I feel like Nolan's suspicions about him not being in his right mind are legitimate - especially since Nolan has had a pretty solid track record with his crazy love interests & can probably recognise the signs by now. I wonder if Patrick will go after "dad" and his other family for hurting Victoria & making her give him up with his threats.
∞ Emily siccing Sara's mother on her was an A+ scene, it was so emotionally satisfying to have her mother call her out on exactly who she is. I just was so baffled by the fact that this self-righteous girl who used to have morals would demean herself so much she would basically move into a married man's house without even asking him to get a divorce first. The actress who played Sara's mother did an excellent job, the part where she told Daniel to shut the fuck up (in not quite so many words) was my favourite. I'm glad Sara reached deep into her soul and salvaged the little decency she had left by dumping Daniel.
MAMA MUNELLO DOES NOT APPROVE OF YOUR CHOICES IN LIFE.
∞ This Victoria's line to Daniel made me laugh out loud because it was just so perfect, lol:
"Sara is a soft target. Emily will crush her.
I know because I dismantled Conrad's first wife in a similar manner."
Who's excited for a showdown between Victoria & Stevie?? ME.
∞ I love this closing monologue so much because it's beautifully written & because it articulates my A/E concerns so well, see bolded line.
Many believe there is no such thing as too much love.
That its warmth is a comfort from which we never tire.
But when love turns to obsession, it consumes itself.
The flame that nourished becomes angry, merciless, an all-consuming blaze...
... leaving us confused by the chill in the air and the hate left behind.
PROMO FOR THE NEXT EPISODE, THOUGH, I CANNOT DEAL:
"I'm going to kill them all"
SAY WHAT
EMILY IS OFF THE CHAIN & I'M HERE FOR THIS. BRB BLACKING OUT UNTIL MARCH 9.
... so glad I watched live because all the freaking out on Twitter was PRICELESS.
Honestly, I've no idea how I'll cope w/o this show until March after THAT cliffhanger, WHAT IS GOING ON.
Reasons why Sallie Patrick (Endurance) & the intrepid Aaron Harberts x Gretchen J. Berg tandem (Hatred) are my favourite Revenge writers - in additition to the new showrunner Sunil Nayar - and the overdue flail!fest below. I'll try not to make it too long & scare you off this time, flist, promise. I'm sorry, I TRIED.
... there are lots of pretty screencaps to go with it? And a poll??
Revenge 3x12 - "Endurance"
∞ First of all, let's talk about this beautiful opening scene between Nolan & Emily:
I loved everything about it. The intrigue as Nolan is walking down the hall & we can't really see who it is. The way his fingers gently traced her face to wake her up (which is where I recognised him! I would recognise Gabriel Mann's hands anywhere!). Her genuine smile when she saw it was him. It's so obvious that they have missed each other, and Nolan clearly missed her physically as much as he missed her emotionally. Between Nolan's kiss at the wedding & the way he was drawn to touch her cheek in this episode, I feel like they are getting physically closer this season, and it gives me life.
I'm so glad that Nolan found a way to sneak in to see her several times a day to make sure she wasn't lonely. I bet he wore that ridiculous jacket just for her amusement, and her reaction was very sweet & came from knowing his eccentric taste, knowing him. I truly believe he's the one who could have helped her bring her memories back in Homecoming, but in the end, I'm also glad it was Fauxmanda's pendant rather than the men in Emily's life. I love that the Fauxmanda/Emily connection prevails over everything else on this show; their parking lot scene in S1's Chaos is still one of my favourites.
Emily VanCamp was way too convincing portraying Emily's defeat, and I wished so badly that Nolan had something clever & witty to say to lift her spirits right away, but come to think of it, his initial confusion was realistic. I felt so sorry for Emily when she said she couldn't keep doing this anymore; that the path of Revenge has taken the better of her. I want for Emily to understand she deserves better than this vicious circle of self-distraction she's brought on herself and those she loves, but in this moment, I realised I didn't want it to happen like this, with Emily beaten literally and metaphorically. I want her to stop because in her heart, she feels it's the right thing to do, instead of just running away.
∞ Which brings us to my favourite scene in this episode:
This scene was just incredible. More so because the walkie-talkie scenario was like something out of my wildest NEmily dreams which I never imagined coming true anywhere other than in fic. The writers just get that he would do something like this for her to make sure she was never, ever alone in the lion's den... that he'll always be there for her to turn to when things get hard to bear. And the fact that he had Jack bring it over hidden in a toy dog which resembles her beloved Sammy makes it all the more awesome. I had to admit they had me for a second when she talked to the dog, which I actually considered a pretty human thing of her to do, what do you mean you never talk to your favourite stuffed toys?
BUT THEN THERE WAS A WALKIE TALKIE HIDDEN INSIDE IT AND - BRB IWRITING FIC IN MY HEAD ABOUT HOW THEY FALL ASLEEP WHISPERING SWEET NOTHINGS OVER IT EVERY NIGHT AND HOW THE LAST THING THEY HEAR IS EACH OTHER'S VOICE, I'M FINE.
∞ HOW GENIUS WAS NOLAN SWITCHING OUT THE INFINITY BOX FOR HER, THOUGH. He's the only partner in crime who deserves her trust, I swear. Like... she was ready to reveal her secret to the Graysons & lie down & take the consequences because she was just so. freaking. tired of it all, and Nolan was like, "NO. I won't let you give up just like that, not after everything we've been through together in order to get you to this point," and it was GLORIOUS.
Isn't this every revenger's worst nightmare? Epic scene was epic.
He made the contents of the box exactly what Victoria has wanted them to be, making Emily the gold digger Victoria has feared she would be, ironically, because Victoria herself was one when she married Conrad. It's like she despises Emily because she recognised her own younger self in her, which is another one of those Emily/Victoria parallels the show treats us to from time to time. He outsmarted Patrick with the cocktails & took a blow to the head trying to protect the box, even with its contents already altered. It was obviously a massive disappointment for him because Nolan is very attracted to Patrick, but ever since Patrick came back to the Hamptons, it became clear where his ultimate allegiances lie. He will always be Victoria's son, which means that he can't be trusted anymore no matter what.
∞ Anyway, here's something that didn't make me want to SMH in one of the Nolan/Patrick scenes:
Gratuitous Nolan sexiness for your viewing pleasure.
I am a sucker for continuity, but I'm willing to write off the fact that Nolan has always hated the ocean as Emily's positive influence. After all, he started doing a lot of things she is fond of since they met. Revenge in S1, martial arts and shooting in S2, and now swimming in S3 (which is second nature to Emily, no matter how cold the water gets). There's even a great scene earlier this season where they discuss how much they've learned from each other, so I'm rolling with it.
∞ Emily finding out she can no longer bear children CAN'T BE TRUE, right? The scene where Victoria broke the news to her with a twisted pleasure in her voice made my blood turn cold. It's a powerful motivator to make Emily go NUCLEAR on the Graysons again and at the same time a major ramification of her revengenda, but I have to believe the writers wouldn't ruin my homegirl's life permanently like this, by having Victoria tell the truth at that. Back at the hospital, Emily's doctor told Victoria she is "expected to make a full recovery physically to emotionally", so I want to believe it's just a lie that Victoria dug her own grave with, which would be awesomely revenge-tastic.
∞ NIKO IS TAKEDA'S DAUGHTER. A brilliant way to re-introduce him into Emily's life or what? I think the actress is doing a great job portraying her; the scene where she punched Emily in the stomach to prove a point gave me chills because it's something Sensei would do.
Also, it's a great storyline to show just how unworthy Aiden is of Emily. Seems Aiden likes to make promises to women and ditch them, in addition to his never-ending string of...
I can't believe that he reconnected with her in Japan and made those promises after he killed her father and lied about it. It's donwright sick, and so is making out with Niko against the very pole he impaled him. Then there's the fact that he chose to tell her partial truth about his relationship with Emily, but left Emily utterly in the dark and then blamed HER for being selfish when she dumped him to continue her revenge. THERE JUST ISN'T ENOUGH RAGE, you guys, this guy is the worst. In a choice between revenge and a life with him, revenge seems like the lesser of the two evils, I swear.
∞ I feel like veryone in Nolan & Emily's life betrays them, manipulates them or gives them ultimatums but each other. It's a running theme on the show, and it would seriously make no sense if the constant addition of more evidence for that fact isn't leading to an endgame involving Nolan/Emily leaving the Hamtpons together as Nolan and Amanda Ross (be a shame to let that new passport go to waste, amirite?).
∞ ∞ ∞
Revenge 3x13 - "Hatred"
I think Revenge has really outdone itself with this episode. It wasn't afraid to take risks and really GO places, which made it damn compelling to watch. Besides, it has moved the plot into the direction I hadn't expected it to go, and I really love it when my show shocks me & sets off all the cogs in my brain at once trying to come up with theories for what it is I just saw. I feel like figuring out what is up with Emily's blackouts will be even more fun than who shot Emily because it's just so OUT THERE, and I'm looking forward to losing my mind over it throughout the hiatus, thank you Aaron & Gretchen.
Let's take it from the top...
∞ Emily's monologues will always hold a special place in my heart, I've said it before and I will say it again. So much can happen in a single episode of the show, and they provide the perfect bookends which both prepare us for what is to come and give us some closure as we are trying to catch our breath by the end of the hour. It's also a great way to get an insight into Emily's inner world, and as we very well know, she doesn't let just anyone in, which makes us feel like we're in her inner circle of trust. Her words at the beginning of Hatred were especially powerful combined with THIS opening scene:
After my father was taken from me, the morning sun burned like fire.
That's when I learned what hatred was, and that it would greet me each day to come.
Actual blood on Emily's hands, such a powerful way to start the episode! In addition to the eerie/ominous feel this scene provided, in retrospect, ripping her own stitches out in her sleep must have been the beginning of her series of blackouts. Emily obviously has no memory of this, just like she has no memory of what happened the other two times she blacked out, so it fits. It's also important that her symptoms are escalating. If this could have been deemed a case of sleepwalking (since she was asleep while doing it to herself), the other two occurrences of lost time happened while she was awake.
Was anyone really unsettled by the fact that Emily had Niko cauterise her wound?? That is HARDCORE & will surely leave a scar; it's like Emily is trying to bury her emotional pain in physical pain, so that the only thing that she feels is - well, hatred. Emily readily self-inflicting pain makes me really worried in terms of what she's up to while she's in her... trance.
Sidebar: THANK GOD we weren't shown the actual cauterizing process, I don't think my heart could take.
∞ Then there's the one after Em's reunion with Nolan, which was the most epic transition ever.
- You're not even gonna ask about Aiden?
- How is he?
- He's one of the reasons I decided to stop by.
- I meant what I said. We can't be together.
- No, no, no. I'm not here on his behalf. I want to cut him loose, too. I only let him stay because you asked me to. But now with Niko in the picture, making Big Ben chime every hour on the hour, they need to find their own love shack.
- They're together?
- You didn't know? I didn't realize... Where are you going?
- I can't sit still any longer.
This scene is everything I love about Nolan/Emily. I love that Nolan can't help whistling when he sees her sitting there all gorgeous, which reminds me how he told her she was beautiful at the wedding. It's almost like he's getting bolder when it comes to his attraction to her this season, and it gives me hope that one of these days, he will realise that he is a competitor for her heart in his own right. I love the joy on her face when she sees him, and the way they fit into each other's arms as one. I love the way they linger on a little after they hug - her hand on his shoulder, his hand in hers. I love the way it's always the little things with these two.
It's a nice touch that Emily was in the process of writing the checks to the staff; and the fact that Nolan enters this scene is no coincidence because it's him who's always implored her to distinguish between the deserving enemies & the collateral damage. She obviously feels guilt over Daniel firing everyone over a rumour she spread, so somewhere amidst all the rage that burns inside of her, Emily's humanity is still intact.
Also, Nolan telling Emily he wants Aiden out is the actual BEST. Nolan is probably the most selfless guy around, so you know that when he condemns Aiden's behaviour, it's not about petty jealousy or feeling ~threatened by his presence in yet another fight for Emily's affections (which is how Aiden feels about all Emily's men who aren't him even though she professes her love to him over, and over, and over). No, this is about Emily's safety, and not being fond of Aiden AS A PERSON. See also: the scene where he learns that Aiden is back in the game earlier this season; "Things didn't just go south, they went ARCTIC." And wow, it just makes me feel like I'm not ALONE because Nolan gets it too, he gets that Aiden is bad news because he's just so unreliable. I want to scream when someone reduces my dislike for Aiden as Emily's suitor to my differing shipping preferences. He's simply not the kind of guy I want Emily to be with, and that's all there is to it, NEmily or no NEmily. I wouldn't ship it if he was her only love interest, let's put it that way. I've just never considered a toxic relationship (one person hurts/betrays another over & over again, and they just keep coming back for more) romantic, and I never will. Those are my personal shipping preferences - we all have them - and it makes getting worked up about someone shipping differently than you utterly pointless; I wish more people in fandom realised this. Anyway, in this case, Nolan was mistaken since Aiden wasn't the one who invited Niko to move in with him. However, if Niko hadn't shown up at Nolan's, Nolan wouldn't have found out that Niko & Aiden are together, and Emily would still be in the dark. Once again, Nolan is the only one who tells her the truth - he's been that for her since literally the first day they met, and it must be a great comfort to her that there is this ONE person she can count on for honesty. I ship it so hard, she deserves someone who puts her interests before his own after everything she's been through. I mean, the fact that it's his house, yet Nolan comes to ask Emily if it's fine with her that he kicks Aiden & Niko out because as much as Nolan dislikes Aiden, Aiden is someone who matters to Emily (which is why Nolan let him stay in the first place).
Would Aiden do the same for Nolan if the roles were reversed? After the stunt he pulled with Jack, I'm gonna go with a resounding NO.
∞ ANYWAY. Clearly distressed by the news, Emily goes for a refreshing swim only to realise she's suddenly at... Nolan's place??
Which goes something like this:
Emily... what are you doing here? What's going on?
I... was looking for Nolan.
It was just so magnificent & unexpected. I kept thinking, It has to be some kind of a weird dream, and then my brain went into overdrive when I realised that it wasn't. I wonder if being in distress is what sets the reaction off. Obviously, hours have passed because it is already night time. She tells Aiden she is looking for Nolan, which is the answer that makes the most sense in her head, but truth be told, she has no idea why she's really there, which what makes the whole situation so frightening.
It's interesting that she tells Aiden that she had "no intention of seeing him". It's almost like she's doing the opposite of what she's supposed to do during her blackouts (ripping out her stitches, seeing Aiden, SOUTH FORK INN GOOD GOD). She tells Aiden she's felling dizzy and needs to go home, and of course, he HAS to come at her & have me yell at my screen for him to UNHAND HER & stop making her listen to his hypocrisy about a ~future with her~ while the bed he sleeps in with Niko next door is still warm. I'm glad she had already known about him & Niko by then.
If you walk out of here, this is over. You're gonna have to live with your choice.
Like your choice to screw Niko?
∞ ... and then there is the final blackout which is preceded by Emily's confrontation with Daniel. Just as well that I get it out of my system now b/c IDK who was in distress from it more, Emily or I since Daniel's behaviour made me see RED and yearn for his untimely demise by the end of the season.
ARE YOU FREAKING SERIOUS, NO ONE GETS TO SPEAK TO MY BB GIRL AND MANHANDLE HER THIS WAY; NO. ONE. SHIT JUST GOT PERSONAL BETWEEN US, DANIEL, CONGRATULATIONS ON TOPPING MY FICTIONAL CHARCTER HIT LIST IN 0.0001 SECONDS. Why are all Emily's real and pretend boyfriends so horrible omg, this is why we can't have nice things.
This is a story of how Emily VanCamp broke me, observe:
∞ AND NEXT THING YOU KNOW...
You were marvelous last night, Mrs. Grayson. Until our next rendezvous.
Do you guys think they really spent they night together while she was out of it?? It's especially the latter part that makes me die inside at the mere idea, HOLD ME. Please tell me she just ran off to crash at his place because her bruised mind couldn't take staying in the Grayson den a minute longer and they plotted glorious, glorious revenge against Daniel. #DENIAL IS NOT JUST A RIVER IN EGYPT
BEFORE I GO ON, POLL TIME:
Poll What is going on with Emily?Vote away, I'm truly curious what you think!
As to me, I am eyeing the drugging scenario, but tbh I really want it to be psychological i.e. Emily having mental ramifications of her revenge because it's just makes the whole thing a lot more TERRIFYING & requires a lot more work to get through, so I'll be secretly hoping that's the case.
∞ I wonder if we'll be getting any scenes where we aren't sure whether Emily is awake or in her trance, I kind of hope we will because I'm a sucker for dream vs. reality storylines, ngl. I love the fact that Nolan has been ~charged with helping Emily figure it out because Nolan is apparently the only one with whom Emily is acting like her old self, probably because he's the least infuriating person in her life right now. That spells out lots of great potential NEmily scenes for us, and they are my favourite thing on Revenge, so. \o/ \o/ \o/ Tbh I'm pretty sure he would have helped her without Aiden's say so but it was nice of him to give his ~permission in advance so we can avoid possible jealousy fits. Also, lol @ Aiden thinking that Emily rejecting him can only mean that something is wrong with her, that's cute, you keep telling yourself that, Aiden.
TL;DR SO MANY AMAZING THINGS CAN BE DONE WITH THIS STORYLINE, AND I JUST CANNOT WAIT.
∞ Niko's mango scene with Nolan followed by her discovering the weapon Aiden used to murder her father, SHIT JUST GOT REAL.
I'd watch my back right now, Aiden, because all of these are basically YOU:
I'm practising separating skin from flesh.
As much as I wanted Niko to find out the truth, I'm glad Nolan wasn't the one who told her. Especially since Aiden would sell him out in a heartbeat if the roles were reversed. Moreover, he wanted to use Aiden's plan to send Niko away for the "greater good" by siccing her onto the Grayson Global bomber & avenging Declan's death which proves once again why he's the most flawless of all human beings on the show. Anyway, it was time Niko found out, and she did it all on her own, the clever girl she is. Murdering your mentor & KEEPING THE MURDER WEAPON AS A RELIC instead of destroying it, really, Aiden? I can't even begin to image what Niko's plans for him now are. I'm all for justice to be served for Takeda's death, but I'm really worried Emily and Nolan will get into the crossfire since Emily unbeknownst to herself was the one Aiden betrayed Niko with, and Nolan always ends up getting hurt trying to protect her.
∞ Nolan wanting to take revenge on Patrick by telling him the truth about his father, and inadvertedly bringing Patrick and Victoria closer together. Victoria's freak-out at the bar and then her confessions of a non-tea drinker with Patrick in the Grayson Manor made me really feel for her, which hasn't happened in a long time. She's just had such a tragic life, and the saddest part is, the one she's leading now is only a slight improvement.
Also, this line was genius as genius lines go:
Did you know deep down I hate tea? My mother was a fan of instant coffee. She’s a vulgar woman, who murdered her lover when I was 15 and forced me to take the blame… After she threw me out, I made myself drink Fortnum’s Earl Grey as a way to forget about my past and seem more upper crust.
Patrick burning down his art studio in reaction to the truth about his father was a very powerful moment. I feel like Nolan's suspicions about him not being in his right mind are legitimate - especially since Nolan has had a pretty solid track record with his crazy love interests & can probably recognise the signs by now. I wonder if Patrick will go after "dad" and his other family for hurting Victoria & making her give him up with his threats.
∞ Emily siccing Sara's mother on her was an A+ scene, it was so emotionally satisfying to have her mother call her out on exactly who she is. I just was so baffled by the fact that this self-righteous girl who used to have morals would demean herself so much she would basically move into a married man's house without even asking him to get a divorce first. The actress who played Sara's mother did an excellent job, the part where she told Daniel to shut the fuck up (in not quite so many words) was my favourite. I'm glad Sara reached deep into her soul and salvaged the little decency she had left by dumping Daniel.
MAMA MUNELLO DOES NOT APPROVE OF YOUR CHOICES IN LIFE.
∞ This Victoria's line to Daniel made me laugh out loud because it was just so perfect, lol:
"Sara is a soft target. Emily will crush her.
I know because I dismantled Conrad's first wife in a similar manner."
Who's excited for a showdown between Victoria & Stevie?? ME.
∞ I love this closing monologue so much because it's beautifully written & because it articulates my A/E concerns so well, see bolded line.
Many believe there is no such thing as too much love.
That its warmth is a comfort from which we never tire.
But when love turns to obsession, it consumes itself.
The flame that nourished becomes angry, merciless, an all-consuming blaze...
... leaving us confused by the chill in the air and the hate left behind.
PROMO FOR THE NEXT EPISODE, THOUGH, I CANNOT DEAL:
Click to view
"I'm going to kill them all"
SAY WHAT
EMILY IS OFF THE CHAIN & I'M HERE FOR THIS. BRB BLACKING OUT UNTIL MARCH 9.