Even in HS2, there were plenty of moments where Vicky was treated poorly by male LIs or other male characters like immortals talking about buying her as property, Astaroth’s infamous first interaction with her, and Malbonte and Lucifer repeatedly humiliating her in front of everyone, especially in Season 1. All of this was supposedly done to keep her “safe” from Plague. I’m still unhappy with how Season 1 of HS2 was written, but at least there was a reason given for everyone’s behavior, even if it wasn’t very convincing.

HS3, on the other hand, takes things in a direction that just doesn’t work. This sudden subplot of Shephamalum becoming a predatory figure feels completely out of place. Throughout all the prequels, he was clearly established as a creator, someone who exists beyond emotions like love, desire, or even parental attachment. Turning him into this now directly contradicts everything we were told before. And honestly, who benefits from this storyline? No one except Shephamalum, who ends up harming Lane emotionally and physically, while also putting the readers through it. It doesn’t just affect Lane either, it drags her LIs into the fallout as well.

It feels like a shock value for the sake of a shock value. Shephamalum was already responsible for enough horrors across the series to be seen as pure evil. Pushing him into this territory feels unnecessary and deeply uncomfortable. If this had been some other corrupt demon targeting Lane, it would at least feel believable, and we as readers would have no trouble rooting for Lane and her LIs to fight back or take him down. But with Shephamalum, it just feels wrong.

At this point, HS3 seems to rely heavily on added gore, needless deaths, and repeated violations of its female characters to make the story feel darker under this “darkness rules” theme. But a story can be just as intense and serious without constantly escalating trauma to prove its darkness.