and a few preliminary reactions

[kindkit]

My first reactions to the end of TMA S4, .

1) Oh, fuck.

2) Elias, I don't think I like you any more.

3) How the hell can there be a fifth season???

4) Oh, fuck.

5) At least Jon and Martin got a little time together. Not a lot (a couple of weeks?), but some time. There is, indeed, life before death.

Comments

[rydra_wong]

There is, indeed, life before death.

YES. And they're together going into whatever-the-fuck Jonny has planned for S5.

A couple of ep responses I like:

https://dathen.tumblr.com/post/188725241689/you-think-i-wouldnt-be-relieved-by-an-episode
https://cirrus-grey.tumblr.com/post/188724520199/on-a-more-serious-note-though-im-actually

3) How the hell can there be a fifth season???

I KNOW RIGHT??? (You may be amused by my ep response here: https://rydra-wong.dreamwidth.org/734411.html )

And I'm elated by it, because as we know there has been a Five-Year Plan from the very start; they're not winging this, they know what they're doing, but I really don't.

Not a lot (a couple of weeks?)

Definitely several weeks; three seems to be a widespread assumption, but I can't remember off the top of my head if that's textual or not.

If nothing else, it's a generous and thoughtful Fanfiction Gap to help keep everyone going until April.

[kindkit]

they're together going into whatever-the-fuck Jonny has planned for S5

I found myself happy to hear, in the Q&A, that the relationship would be more in the background in S5, because hopefully that means we won't get a lot of Relationship Angst. Not that I expect or want their relationship to be perfectly smooth, but I don't want Jonny to break them up to create drama, or something. I don't think he would, but it's still reassuring to know that the focus will be on other things.

[rydra_wong]

Yeah, once you've ended the world, you really don't need Relationship Angst on top to add any extra emotional pain and drama!

(And after 160, I think Jon's going to have to be getting some emotional support to be even semi-functional.)

I like the idea that S4 has the big romantic drama arc, and in S5 they're an established thing and the focus is on dealing with the apocalypse.

(I mean, I'm braced for one or both of them dying heroically, trying to save the world and/or each other, but that's different.)

[kindkit]

By the way, thank you for helping get me into the fandom, sharing my squee, and talking me down a couple of times. It's definitely the kind of show where it helps to have a little moral support!

[rydra_wong]

I hope I managed to walk roughly the right line between being supportive and not being spoiler-y! I was having sympathy pains because I completely understand why you'd be hypervigilant about certain issues.

I realize that, given this canon, literally anything could be going on, ranging from "Martin and Jon actually get together and it's the one bit of happiness for them in the whole dreadful world"

For the record, I am REALLY PROUD of maintaining my virtual poker face when you said that. *g*

[kindkit]

the right line between being supportive and not being spoiler-y

Exactly the right line, thank you! My particular combination of story-anxiety and spoiler-aversion isn't easy to navigate, for me or for people innocently trying to bring me into fandoms.

I am REALLY PROUD of maintaining my virtual poker face when you said that

*laughs* It must have been tempting. Especially since at the time, I considered the other scenario--that Jon is eaten by the Stranger--more likely.

[rydra_wong]

There is, indeed, life before death.

AND. *flails*

You see why it's not THAT FUCKING STORY (previously discussed), and why it's so important and meaningful to me that it's not. It's a cosmic horror universe, and nightmarish things are going to happen, up to and including the end of the world, but: love still matters. Connection is possible, and it changes the course of events again and again. People can find moments of happiness and joy together, and the audience isn't wrong for caring deeply about that.

I like this comment from someone who knows Mechs canon well:

https://space-mouse.tumblr.com/post/189645904334/i-think-the-reason-the-tmamechanisms-tragic

[kindkit]

I was so relieved. Everything that happened between them was better than I dared hope for. (Though I confess, I didn't actually 100% love the Scottish Cabin scenes between them. The energy felt a little bit off, simultaneously too settled and not quite intimate enough. It wasn't entirely surprising when Alex said in the Q&A that he'd been having an awful day when they recorded that scene and he really struggled with his performance.) Watsonian-ly, I am attributing it to the sense they must have had that they were on borrowed time. They were probably trying to rush a lifetime's worth of relationship (not just their future, but their past as well and the whole "getting to know you" period they never had) into their two or three weeks.