#ace redacted
3.11 thoughts
i don’t even know where to start about how good i thought this episode was—just overall well paced, fun, the drew crew ™ working together again so seamlessly even when they’re all kind of fraying at the edges (except bess! we live for this bess arc! drive that bus!), with a plot that both explored personal storylines as well as the overall murder mystery.
(nick! what a speech! tunji is such a good actor, i hope they give him more powerful stuff to do)
but obviously i am mainly trash for the romance plot lines so i want to talk about this moment!!
(gif from x)
the sigh, the eyeroll! it’s just so defeated and already ready to accept rejection—in the scenes, he’s worried about not only how it’ll change everything but that he’s afraid that he doesn’t match up to park. all season he compares himself—disparaging his job, his achievements, calling himself a couch-surfer with derision.
ace’s confidence has been so carefully explored but it’s actually remarkable how slowly they’ve taken it; he’s afraid of being a townie, but so softened by nancy instead calling it “growing where you’re planted.” instilling in him what all good relationships should do, platonic or romantic: show us how to be our best selves.
and it’s the little details of finding his interests—he’s clearly been drawn towards being a medical examiner since s1 with the other dude from out of town whose name i can’t remember—plotted over time. it’s just refreshing to feel little seeds growing.
but—to my point, with this gif—it represents all of that growth! it’s every fear, every insecurity he has, manifested in the most vulnerable thing he can do, which is put it (read: dishwasher, slacker, couch-surfer, as he sees himself) on the table for someone he respects and loves to reject. and he did it anyway! i’m so proud. it was such a good moment—on a romance level, on a character level. which is what romantic stories should DO
(i will prob do a companion mini meta about nancy’s own revelations last season bc i don’t think i did?? but yea i’m still spinning)
yadda yadda yadda i’m dead
This whole season has just been Ace and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Nick frowns, brows drawing together. “I can’t see it, either. It guess it makes sense that the person who eats the cake is the only-,”
“It’s gold,” Ace interjects. Nancy’s head shoots up. His voice is soft- there’s wonder saturating his words. “I thought it would be red.”The string of fate- the line that is supposed to draw Nancy to her soulmate, her other half- is wrapped firmly around Ace’s left hand. It flickers briefly before settling into a more solid form.
Couldn’t get this lovely image from @gernades‘sSoulmates AU ficlet out of my head.
Post link
