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The robot falls in love (and so do I)
As promised, a Late but nonetheless Proper Fangirl Response to Seeker 2.19, Extinction. Or rather, a love letter to Cara's character arc and C/K. I should warn that this is EXTREMELY image heavy, and contains spoilers for the promo of 2.20 (but nothing beyond, because I'm still... obtaining it).
First, before I start waxing poetic about Cara and Kahlan, can I just express my undying love for Craig Parker in this episode? Because seriously, GUH. I love that he is so unapologetically evil and at the same time likes being around Richard because he is family. ♥
But anyway, when I was really young—five, six—one of my favourite stories was one about a little girl called Gloria and her pet robot, Robbie, who plays with her and listens to her stories. And one day, the girl's parents decide that she's hanging out too much with a soulless robot and sends off the robot to… somewhere, and the girl is inconsolable. And then she goes to a robot construction factory and finds—SURPRISE—that her BFF now works there! In her eagerness to be reunited with her BFF, Gloria is nearly run over by a moving vehicle, but THAT'S ALRIGHT because Robbie SAVES HER LIFE! And then her parents realise that Robbie is not a SOULLESS MACHINE and THEY ALL LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER (the mother may have been evil, I forget, it's been a while). I did not know who it was written by (Asimov), or what the story was even titled ('Robbie'), except that I LOVED it and read it over and over again, because it was so wonderful. Many years later, I found fandom and discovered that my love for robots discovering feelings had not diminished—and and why would it? I cried BUCKETS watching A.I, BUCKETS (you can stop mocking me now). Words cannot express my love for Caprica Six learning what is to be human, or Cameronbot trying to be a person—or, for that matter, Discworld's Death and his endless fascination with humans and feeling, or Lady LeJean in Thief of Time finding life too beautiful for her to bear.
Over this period, I also discovered that I really love redemption storylines, and even more so when they feature awesome female woobies (Faith). One more thing I also like? For my favourite female characters to have meaningful interaction and have meaningful relationships with each other. Therefore, you must understand why this season of Seeker and Cara's story arc has felt, on more than one occasion, a love letter written to me by TPTB. Because seriously, it was not enough that Kahlan was—is—pretty much all my narrative kinks rolled into one gorgeous Bridget Regan-shaped package, but then they had to give us Cara and fabulous Good Girl/Bad Girl dynamic with a Good Girl who is not that good (except when she is) and a Bad Girl who is also a psychotic puppy in need of a hug (Kahlan's kiss can destroy people; Cara's can bring them back to life).
They begin on a hostile note:
Kahlan does not trust Cara and puts up with her for Richard's sake. Cara would not be welcome in the forest of the Nightwisps if it weren't for Kahlan's presence, because again, as Zedd points out, they would not trust her at all. She is Mord'Sith, she cannot be trusted. (Her delight, and the way her face falls afterward, oh my heart. ♥)
But what is really interesting is that in the course of things, Cara decides that Kahlan--and not Richard—is her model for How To Be Human and Have Feelings, and it's MAGNIFICENT.
This is 2.02, shortly after being lectured by Kahlan about showing compassion. You can SEE her think, and agree to be 'compassionate' to Flynn in spite of herself.
Of course, Flynn was lying. And in the next episode it turns out that Cara killed Dennee and Kahlan goes into the Con Dar and then tries to kill Cara forvengeance justice and stops only when Cara sheds one perfect tear and asks Kahlan to kill her (this will be a theme).
AND THEN, Dennee comes back and Cara apologises. Kahlan observes from a distance, and wibbles ever so slightly (this will be a theme as well). Because apologies are important. One should always apologise to the people they've killed in the past if they are TRULY remorseful.
AND THEN AND THEN, Kahlan decides that she needs to take Cara under her wing and nurse her back to health, and it's INCREDIBLE. Because apart from the mad hot chemistry that B and Tab have, it makes storytelling sense that Cara's redemption has to come through her relationship Kahlan, and not Richard, because Richard already believes that she is capable of change, already believes that she is worthy of being one of them—he would do that for most people, that's what makes him Richard. But Kahlan is the skeptic here, and Kahlan is the one who needs convincing and convince the viewers in the process.
B plays this so beautifully, from Kahlan's angry lecture in the first cap (2.02) to her smiley, patient, 'Oh, you' face in the last one (2.19).
Also there was this.
Remember that episode in Angel where Faith lets Wesley inject her with Orpheus so that Angel can be saved from Angelus, nearly damning herself in the process? THIS IS (ALMOST) IT.
And that brings us to 2.19, which is basically a Seeker equivalent of that sub-genre of fanfiction where a stoic, usually male character finds himself in possession of a baby/kitten/puppy and reveals his inner squishy core. What do you get when you put a fierce Mord'Sith andTinkerbell the FRAGILEST CREATURE IN THE HISTORY OF CREATION (with a penchant for psychoanalysis) in the same room?
Spoiler alert:the robot falls in love FEELINGS, THAT'S WHAT.
Yes, yes, in 'Eternity', Rahl will break Cara and break OUR hearts in the process—it's her test, by fire, and she is human and vulnerable, as we know all too well.YOU MIGHT ALSO WANT TO GOOGLE THE NAME OF THE NEXT EPISODE IN CASE YOU DON'T KNOW ALREADY.
But meanwhile, there's this. The Nightwisps come out for Cara, because she has earned their trust, and Kahlan's face lights up when Cara offers her hand, this is how far they've come.
♥
PS: I want a Peter Pan AU where Peter (Richard) and Wendy (Kahlan) are out on a quest to save Tinkerbell (Sha'ar), and happen to be joined by Captain Hook (Cara), who does not believe in fairies.
Comments may have futher spoilers.
First, before I start waxing poetic about Cara and Kahlan, can I just express my undying love for Craig Parker in this episode? Because seriously, GUH. I love that he is so unapologetically evil and at the same time likes being around Richard because he is family. ♥
But anyway, when I was really young—five, six—one of my favourite stories was one about a little girl called Gloria and her pet robot, Robbie, who plays with her and listens to her stories. And one day, the girl's parents decide that she's hanging out too much with a soulless robot and sends off the robot to… somewhere, and the girl is inconsolable. And then she goes to a robot construction factory and finds—SURPRISE—that her BFF now works there! In her eagerness to be reunited with her BFF, Gloria is nearly run over by a moving vehicle, but THAT'S ALRIGHT because Robbie SAVES HER LIFE! And then her parents realise that Robbie is not a SOULLESS MACHINE and THEY ALL LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER (the mother may have been evil, I forget, it's been a while). I did not know who it was written by (Asimov), or what the story was even titled ('Robbie'), except that I LOVED it and read it over and over again, because it was so wonderful. Many years later, I found fandom and discovered that my love for robots discovering feelings had not diminished—and and why would it? I cried BUCKETS watching A.I, BUCKETS (you can stop mocking me now). Words cannot express my love for Caprica Six learning what is to be human, or Cameronbot trying to be a person—or, for that matter, Discworld's Death and his endless fascination with humans and feeling, or Lady LeJean in Thief of Time finding life too beautiful for her to bear.
Over this period, I also discovered that I really love redemption storylines, and even more so when they feature awesome female woobies (Faith). One more thing I also like? For my favourite female characters to have meaningful interaction and have meaningful relationships with each other. Therefore, you must understand why this season of Seeker and Cara's story arc has felt, on more than one occasion, a love letter written to me by TPTB. Because seriously, it was not enough that Kahlan was—is—pretty much all my narrative kinks rolled into one gorgeous Bridget Regan-shaped package, but then they had to give us Cara and fabulous Good Girl/Bad Girl dynamic with a Good Girl who is not that good (except when she is) and a Bad Girl who is also a psychotic puppy in need of a hug (Kahlan's kiss can destroy people; Cara's can bring them back to life).
They begin on a hostile note:
Kahlan does not trust Cara and puts up with her for Richard's sake. Cara would not be welcome in the forest of the Nightwisps if it weren't for Kahlan's presence, because again, as Zedd points out, they would not trust her at all. She is Mord'Sith, she cannot be trusted. (Her delight, and the way her face falls afterward, oh my heart. ♥)
But what is really interesting is that in the course of things, Cara decides that Kahlan--and not Richard—is her model for How To Be Human and Have Feelings, and it's MAGNIFICENT.
This is 2.02, shortly after being lectured by Kahlan about showing compassion. You can SEE her think, and agree to be 'compassionate' to Flynn in spite of herself.
Of course, Flynn was lying. And in the next episode it turns out that Cara killed Dennee and Kahlan goes into the Con Dar and then tries to kill Cara for
AND THEN, Dennee comes back and Cara apologises. Kahlan observes from a distance, and wibbles ever so slightly (this will be a theme as well). Because apologies are important. One should always apologise to the people they've killed in the past if they are TRULY remorseful.
AND THEN AND THEN, Kahlan decides that she needs to take Cara under her wing and nurse her back to health, and it's INCREDIBLE. Because apart from the mad hot chemistry that B and Tab have, it makes storytelling sense that Cara's redemption has to come through her relationship Kahlan, and not Richard, because Richard already believes that she is capable of change, already believes that she is worthy of being one of them—he would do that for most people, that's what makes him Richard. But Kahlan is the skeptic here, and Kahlan is the one who needs convincing and convince the viewers in the process.
B plays this so beautifully, from Kahlan's angry lecture in the first cap (2.02) to her smiley, patient, 'Oh, you' face in the last one (2.19).
Also there was this.
Remember that episode in Angel where Faith lets Wesley inject her with Orpheus so that Angel can be saved from Angelus, nearly damning herself in the process? THIS IS (ALMOST) IT.
And that brings us to 2.19, which is basically a Seeker equivalent of that sub-genre of fanfiction where a stoic, usually male character finds himself in possession of a baby/kitten/puppy and reveals his inner squishy core. What do you get when you put a fierce Mord'Sith and
Spoiler alert:
Yes, yes, in 'Eternity', Rahl will break Cara and break OUR hearts in the process—it's her test, by fire, and she is human and vulnerable, as we know all too well.
But meanwhile, there's this. The Nightwisps come out for Cara, because she has earned their trust, and Kahlan's face lights up when Cara offers her hand, this is how far they've come.
♥
PS: I want a Peter Pan AU where Peter (Richard) and Wendy (Kahlan) are out on a quest to save Tinkerbell (Sha'ar), and happen to be joined by Captain Hook (Cara), who does not believe in fairies.
Comments may have futher spoilers.
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And yet, here we are.
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I'm going to watch the next episode in another five minutes or so, it's going to be SO HARD.
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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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