Skyjacks #80
Oct. 1st, 2020 12:02 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
schneefinkI was really looking forward to this episode! And most of it was great, but it was harder to enjoy because I hated what happened in the first six minutes so much.
I was so here for Gable and Travis finally resolving (some of) the tension between them that has been building up for 200 years because they are both bad at emotions! Finally admitting how important they are each other and that they don't want to be without the other! We got that beautiful apology & promise at the end of the last episode!
And then they kissed, and that resolved the tension. Literally, with those magical strings.
What. Was that.
Okay I know that many fans ship them romantically but I emphatically do not, I was so hoping that there would not be a romance between them, I loved them as platonic soulmates SO MUCH. The most important person in your life doesn't have to be a romantic partner! All that tension does not have to be "will they won't they!" Okay that last one is a bit of an exaggeration but it could be seen that way and I hate it.
Besides, even if one wants them to end up together eventually, they're barely ready to be honest friends, how are they ready to be romantically involved!
(And on a purely meta level, when you have three main characters having two of them be in a romantic relationship threatens to unbalance it.)
I was also not the biggest fan of Margaret in this episode. Yes, she was helping Travis because she was working, and yes, fighting the Mariner is way above her paygrade – but there are so many lives at stake! Either you're too afraid to fight him – totally understandable – or you aren't, but "I'll only help save people if you pay me" is not a good look. "I'll need compensation afterwards because it'll cost all of my power" would be one thing, but that's not how she put it. I'm glad that Travis feels like I do.
Okay, now that that's out of the way, the good part of the episode: JONNIT! Facing the Mariner! When I saw the summary say "He must face a bitter truth: there is no one alive who can help him," I already suspected that he would reach out to his future self, but how did I forget about Orimar xD
Jonnit reaching out to his future self to bring back the kusarigama was super cool. I checked out a few videos on youtube and it looks like a weapon that a) is not meant for sparring because the possibility of accidental serious injuries is just too high, and also b) is very hard to learn! Especially when you're also trying not to hit an ally!
(I bet future!Jonnit always has reserve kusarigamas because he knows that one day his younger self will reach for one, but not when ^^)
Speaking of that ally – first, Toku jumping in to help but then Drowning was cool, and I hope he makes it. (Which episode did he first show up again?)
And then, Orimar Vale! Who crossed blades with the Mariner before! Defending Jonnit, fighting with inhuman strength and speed, and letting himself be stabbed straight through as a feint because the Mariner doesn't know he's dead! Fantastic.
I saw a theory that Orimar Vale is much more lively than usual because he drank (maybe Spit gave him) good bog wine, which is an interesting theory (but shouldn't that only come into effect after the festival? Eh, details.)
I loved the jump from Jonnit having so much faith in his own future that he can literally manifest his future self's weapon, to suddenly realizing that while his own survival, and future role, is(/seems) secure, that of anyone around him isn't, neither the crew nor the townspeople nor Travis or Gable (well, Travis and Gable more than most.) Interesting.
I also loved the image of Jonnit, right after joining the crew, going around asking for sword lessons and accidentally thinking Travis makes for a wise sensei, which Travis didn't even notice ^^
I was so here for Gable and Travis finally resolving (some of) the tension between them that has been building up for 200 years because they are both bad at emotions! Finally admitting how important they are each other and that they don't want to be without the other! We got that beautiful apology & promise at the end of the last episode!
And then they kissed, and that resolved the tension. Literally, with those magical strings.
What. Was that.
Okay I know that many fans ship them romantically but I emphatically do not, I was so hoping that there would not be a romance between them, I loved them as platonic soulmates SO MUCH. The most important person in your life doesn't have to be a romantic partner! All that tension does not have to be "will they won't they!" Okay that last one is a bit of an exaggeration but it could be seen that way and I hate it.
Besides, even if one wants them to end up together eventually, they're barely ready to be honest friends, how are they ready to be romantically involved!
(And on a purely meta level, when you have three main characters having two of them be in a romantic relationship threatens to unbalance it.)
I was also not the biggest fan of Margaret in this episode. Yes, she was helping Travis because she was working, and yes, fighting the Mariner is way above her paygrade – but there are so many lives at stake! Either you're too afraid to fight him – totally understandable – or you aren't, but "I'll only help save people if you pay me" is not a good look. "I'll need compensation afterwards because it'll cost all of my power" would be one thing, but that's not how she put it. I'm glad that Travis feels like I do.
Okay, now that that's out of the way, the good part of the episode: JONNIT! Facing the Mariner! When I saw the summary say "He must face a bitter truth: there is no one alive who can help him," I already suspected that he would reach out to his future self, but how did I forget about Orimar xD
Jonnit reaching out to his future self to bring back the kusarigama was super cool. I checked out a few videos on youtube and it looks like a weapon that a) is not meant for sparring because the possibility of accidental serious injuries is just too high, and also b) is very hard to learn! Especially when you're also trying not to hit an ally!
(I bet future!Jonnit always has reserve kusarigamas because he knows that one day his younger self will reach for one, but not when ^^)
Speaking of that ally – first, Toku jumping in to help but then Drowning was cool, and I hope he makes it. (Which episode did he first show up again?)
And then, Orimar Vale! Who crossed blades with the Mariner before! Defending Jonnit, fighting with inhuman strength and speed, and letting himself be stabbed straight through as a feint because the Mariner doesn't know he's dead! Fantastic.
I saw a theory that Orimar Vale is much more lively than usual because he drank (maybe Spit gave him) good bog wine, which is an interesting theory (but shouldn't that only come into effect after the festival? Eh, details.)
I loved the jump from Jonnit having so much faith in his own future that he can literally manifest his future self's weapon, to suddenly realizing that while his own survival, and future role, is(/seems) secure, that of anyone around him isn't, neither the crew nor the townspeople nor Travis or Gable (well, Travis and Gable more than most.) Interesting.
I also loved the image of Jonnit, right after joining the crew, going around asking for sword lessons and accidentally thinking Travis makes for a wise sensei, which Travis didn't even notice ^^
