#she deserves all the happiness

A big theme featured in this season for me was ‘choice’, which seemed to be at odds with the symbolism that the past is perhaps cyclical and echoes into the present. For me, the moment when Ralph openly defies his parents and declares his love for Princess Carolyn is a direct parallel to the finale when Hollyhock chooses to keep Bojack in her life. Both PC and Bojack have been damaged by past experiences: Bojack has never had any positive or healthy relationships with family members and PC has never dated anyone who really cared about her and wasn’t an asshole. In both scenes, we see their first reaction is surprise. Neither character expects to be chosen or wanted, they’re so hardened by past hurts that to hear someone choose them for who they are, or despite who they are, is shocking. In this scene, PC is thinking that the past is repeating, another relationship has failed and she is going to be alone. Only for Ralph to wholeheartedly choose her over his family and to blast her past experiences out of the water. In their respective moments we see a prolonged focus on the emotions flashing across their faces. And for once we see them both truly and purely happy.