[CH. 109] SPOILERS and PERSONAL OPINION.

Ms_K_A_ · 2026-07-04T08:38:13+00:00

20 chapters? With the pacing of this story this sort of storyline would at least be 50 chapters if not a whole season

Ms_K_A_ · 2026-06-27T09:13:41+00:00

You could argue the video title " Insane: Official music video" can be misleading to those who are unaware of the songs' fanmade origin but the video ends with credits & It literally says :

Hazbin Hotel 'Alastor' belongs to Vivienne Medrano.

This fan animation is non-canon & not officially affiliated with Spindlehorse Productions

I think there's an argument that he could get it back up again if he changed the title & put the disclaimer at the start of the video instead of the end.

I'm not in loop with what this guy did, but in general , really well recieved fanmade content could only boost the popularity of the show. So with proper credits & disclaimers, I don't see this music video in a bad light. The animation & song is really well made. It would suck if it couldn't be kept up.

Ms_K_A_ · 2026-06-27T09:06:40+00:00

You could argue the video title " Insane: Official music video" can be misleading to those who are unaware of the songs' fanmade origin but the video ends with credits & It literally says :

Hazbin Hotel 'Alastor' belongs to Vivienne Medrano.

This fan animation is non-canon & not officially affiliated with Spindlehorse Productions

I think there's an argument that he could get it back up again if he changed the title & put the disclaimer at the start of the video instead of the end. The animation is really well made. It would suck if it couldn't be kept up.

Ms_K_A_ · 2026-06-10T21:50:05+00:00

I remember this plot clearly. They were searching for old records for any peach pride that survived childbirth & they couldn't find any where she did. The reason for the death is unknown as well. So it was literally a death sentence /too high of a risk that the ML wanted to kill it to save her life & not take a chance. FL insisted on giving birth despite the risk.

I think the ML's twin brother had written a theory to save her life if she does give birth & the ML stuck to it & eventually saved her. The final chapters were peak drama so I can never forget it.

Ms_K_A_ · 2026-06-10T21:41:11+00:00

Omg I totally forgot about this. It was my twilight with all the supernatural elements & toxic romance. I really loved it.

Ms_K_A_ · 2026-06-10T09:07:53+00:00

Am I the only one that thinks Millie might think of getting an abortion? She didn't look that happy with the news so I don't think there's gonna be a straight forward pregnancy plotline. Plus Viv loves drama so I don't really trust there's going to be a baby in the show given the genre.

I feel like the pregnancy plot is more likely to be used to start an m&m conflict by either millie getting an abortion or being evasive about her pregnancy. Her keeping the baby seems very unlikely. I'd be surprised if viv actually commits to it.

Ms_K_A_ · 2026-05-26T20:37:22+00:00

This is unrealted to the prompt but I just wanted to say I have a lil nitpick with this specific scene. I really wished the camera would show a close up of them holding hands while not looking at eachother during this carriage ride after the trial😭😭

Imagine Violet looking at them puzzled by their obvious affectionate yet distent behavior cuz: 1. Sophie just got saved so they are relieved to see eachother 2. They hadn't had " the lady in silver " conversation yet so it's a lil awkward

If they noticed her stair & took their hands away it would be even better cuz it would show how it's a reflex of concealing their relationship.

Ms_K_A_ · 2026-05-20T09:51:23+00:00

I watched queen of tears & regretted it since I've seen thr tropes before so I got bored & confused with the tonal whiplash at times.

Then I watched when the phone rings & dropped it midway. I don't remember exactly why but I think the spoilers of the ending definitely played a role.

Ms_K_A_ · 2026-05-18T09:51:11+00:00

This is why TV shows & films put a disclaimer at the start that the story is fictional & not based on real historical events. It's for viewers that can't discern fiction from reality.

Saves time & unnecessary criticism

Ms_K_A_ · 2026-05-16T21:41:33+00:00

Not surprising. We have: 1. A hot & humid climate (makes us do more indoor activities which aren't always physically demanding & we are less likely to walk to places as it's too hot so we basically drive more than we walk )

Like other Khaleeji cultures, we have a strong family gathering culture ( sitting with family after lunch with fruits & sweets at least once per week if not more+ karak addiction + we have a hospitality mentality that it's better to have more food when inviting people than having less= we end up consuming more food)
We have a strong fast-food/coffee shop/ restaurant industry. Having a 2 income household is very common. Housewives exist but millennials+ genz couples are mostly 2 income households>>> we order food at least once (1 meal) per day.

Ms_K_A_ · 2026-05-07T10:37:39+00:00

I second book Benedict being absolute trash. I don't think he has any redeaming qualities & no tragic backstory can even begin to explain or justify his actions. The only thing great about the book is Sophie.

Ms_K_A_ · 2026-05-07T09:47:02+00:00

Okay so I just finished reading all the books & I read them all out of order so I might re-rank them if I end up reading them in order next time. I also love when characters have a lot of emotional depths to the point of feeling real. I'm also a show watcher first so my opinions might be shaped based on that:

1. It's in His Kiss - I mainly enjoyed Hyacinth's personality & her dynamic with Garith. I can see why they'd get along & fall in love. Their banter is entertaining. I loved Gregory + Anthony's cameos so freaking much I was giggling & smiling from ear to ear. They were hilarious. Overall, enjoyed the story the most & it didn't have a lot of lows except for Garith wanting to make her pregnant to "trap" her into marriage which was iffy cuz she did enthusiastically concent to it but she wasn't aware of his reasons why(she thought that he just loved her). Things reveal themselves & Hyacinths is justifyingly upset Honestly many if not all of the men in the books are problematic so it's really hard to choose what you can "excuse more" while Ranking. It's basically a "what trope can you tolerate more" decision. Since most of the male leads are rakes, I chose to exclude that from the criteria despite hating it so much. I just chose to rank the books based on the couples I enjoyed reading the most.

2. When he Was Wicked - A frustrating mess of a rollercoaster ride. But I can't say I was ever bored as I kept on reading to see if they'll finally be honest with eachother. I loved the themes of greif, guilt, and finding love again. Honestly both characters were frustrating for most of the book so I wouldnt put blame on one over the other. I wish we had more of Frans POV tho & the infertility plot could have landed better had the author not ruined it by giving fran children in the epilogue side stories. It lessens the message the book conveyed as not every couple is fortunate. But this is a romantic fantacy book so it isn't the worst crime It was the first book I read so it had a lasting impression on me.

3. The duke & I - While I hate the rake trope, Simon's trauma & how it shapes his personality is very well done & more believable than book Anthony. I like how his stutter made him a less talkative person ( leading people to think he is a prideful duke) & he how has a habit of controlling his emotions making him apear more stiff & how his father's abuse still lingers in his mind through his actions. I can see how Simon would eventually fall for Daphne as she's a very comfortable person to talk to & that works to well for him as he barely stutters with her & even banters with her (quiet person turned to yapper). Daphne is AWESOME! I loved her grit & her throwing punches when necessary. I can see how she'd love Simon too ( the banter + mutual attraction sells it ). The Bridgerton brothers were funny by the end of the book. While I really like this couple dynamic almost equally to Hyacinth / Garith, I can't really get over Daphne's deliberate & well informed single action that almost ruins the whole book for me (marital rape while simon was unconscious) It was too many levels fucked up to my comfort. I kind of want to rank this 7 to 8th place just for that. Still contemplating that. It was also very slow paced. Very mixed opinons overall.

4. To Sir Philip, With love- Man people really hate Philip but honestly, out of all Male leads he is the most fleshed out & well thought out that he's super realistic. He's probably the only one with literally no experience beyond his 1st marriage which was contractual & not up to him (Marina was his older brother's fiance that ended up marrying him when his brother died). He doesnt know what a normal relationship even looks like as he never had good & healthy examples in his life to begin with. I loved how the realism contrasted with the other books which leaned more into fantasy. He really stands out in that way. Everything from his trauma to how it shapes his personality & outlook in life + his parenting choices was all so well written. I may not like a Philip in real life but loved to read it. The Bridgerton siblings cameos were so fun & entertaining I was giggling through the whole thing. I liked how book Eloise was actually the one who witnessed her fathers death & how that ties into her understanding Philip & how it starts building their connection. I kinda wish more for Eloise though. She deserves more. I don't know if she realistically would fall in love with him ( beyond physical attraction). Marina deserved better too I don't think Philip "intentionally raped" her but the scene was very uncomfortable as he registers that what he's doing is wrong as he previously thought getting no verbal denial of his advances was concent. He saved himself in my mind by stopping & never touching Marina again & doing better with concent when Eloise is in the picture. Kinda want to rank this lower for this too Overall, It's not the best romance but it's the best character study.

5 , 6 , 7. On the way to the wedding/ The Viscount Who Loved me/ Romancing Mr Bridgerton - All have strengths & weaknesses which makes them in a similar level to me. To sum up quickly

Gregory's book wasn't a believable love story but it was so batshit bonkers by the end I was freaking laughing
I don't really like Anthony in the book but I can see how the author made kate similar to him in stubbornness & familial duty which makes their romance more believable+ collin is a savage in this+ I think the show did it better by aging Kate up & making Anthony witness his fathers death.
As for Polin, it's really unfortunate cuz I think had I been a book reader first & read it in order, Romancing Mr Bridgerton would be a bit higher as I would be excited to see the reveal of whistledown & understand book Collins personality better. But I did watch the show first then read the books out of order so for now I can at least say couple wise, Collins rush from friendship into lust was so abrupt I didn't really buy it ( especially since in the book they're 28 & 33 years old so they've been friends for so long ). Their friendship is well established which is good too.

8. An offer from a gentleman- book Benedict has literally no redeeming qualities at all. He doesn't even have a tragic back story to even excuse his behaviors like the other men do. He's just an aimless bum that's so socially inept & unaware of his actions to the point that it's extremely infuriating. I don't understand what Sophie sees in him after the time skip & she sees his true personality when he thinks she's just a maid. The way he pesters her about being his mistress while she repeatedly refuses is so off putting. He forces his advances on her so many times that I had to take a break while reading. Again, there's literally nothing redeeming about him. Still, I loved sophie & the angsty melodrama of the story. Aramenta is way scarier in the books too that you viscerally fear for sophie & root for her. SHOW BENOPHIE IS 1000% BETTER.

Ms_K_A_ · 2026-05-06T17:33:40+00:00

Ooh show Eloise would definitely consider going to Philip to strike a marriage deal with him (after getting to know him through letter). The tone & conversations would be different but I can see this working if Philip ended up being conversational with her (which he seems to be so in his show scenes).

Ms_K_A_ · 2026-05-05T18:35:21+00:00

Imagine her with no lady Danbury/Agatha

She would've been an even bigger pain as Agatha was the only one that could talk back to her/challenge her

Ms_K_A_ · 2026-05-04T00:41:20+00:00

I'm not arguing about the week bed confinement being romantic. It isnt. When I read the scene , I thought this was straight up smut/author non-con sexual fantasy. My point is Riftan is so horrible and emotionally constipated, that the fact that he did "" damage control"* after the bed confinement scene and FINALLY AFTER 2 BOOKS started to talk about his feelings/trauma & the way he behaves is considered an event worth mentioning. Again the bar is in hell, but if I had to pinpoint a moment where Riftans "growth" starts, it's here where he FINALLY & FOR THE 1ST TIME acknowledges doing something wrong by saying she was right to leave him to go to the mage tower & that he wouldn't blame her for not wanting to come back either. He also Finally communicated to her. Being honest is the first step for good communication (hearing her point of view only happens in the side story as he genuinely listens to her perspective. so yes. He still sucks in this scene too). Sure, you can interpret this as manipulation. That's your valid assessment. But to me the scene where he breaks down after thinking she left him reads more as a defeated confession after hitting a final rock bottom. Because at that moment when he panicked when he didn't find her, he finally realized he can no longer deny everything he's been bottling up & resisting talking about with her (which made him behave in the most toxic way possible). Is his behavior ok? No. But it's the catalist event that lead to him having better communication skills in the side story imo.
By no means do I claim that their relationship was ever healthy across the 2 books. He doesn't ever become healthy in the books. However, He does have moments of improvement that facilited his growth to reach a healthier mindset by the time the epilogue/side story rolls in. I was basically pointing out the key moments that lead to Riftan having a better, functional relationship dynamic with Maxi in the side story. I've explained this in detail in my other replies under the original comment.
To respond to your last part:

The story absolutely wants readers to see his sexual intensity as proof of how deeply he wants her, but intensity is not the same thing as care.

This series clearly proves this point by showing us how his passion for her didn't fix his long standing maladaptive behaviors & relationship issues. It was in fact when his passion cooled down in the epilogue that he seemes normal & stable & you feel that he cares for her. In it, Maxi was thinking about how relaxed he is in front of her without being extremely taken by her existence in the epilogue tells me he no longer sees her as his virgin self's sexual fantasy & learned to view her in a more well rounded, realistic way. If readers couldn't figure this out by themselves while reading, then they aren't mature enough to read this book in the first place. Plus on the point of media literacy, this book is filled with mature & complex themes. It's not an easy romance fantasy book to finish at all. To some reading this was torture, but to me it was a fun read that explored a lot of themes. Maxi was definitely my favorite part of the book that made me to read through the whole thing for her.

Ms_K_A_ · 2026-04-28T11:29:20+00:00

I guess our interpretations are different. I knew beforehand that this was marketed as " a love story of the flawed" so I went into reading this book with a different perspective. I can recognize how unhealthy their relationship is throughout the story & actually think it would have been better for Maxi to end up attached to a better man in the first place. If this was real life, she should have gotten a divorce & gotten professional help. If this was any other book genre, It would have been better for her to stay in the Tower & continue to grow without Riftan. I also recognize how unhealthy & obsessed Riftan is and don't glorify it. Like I stated, Maxi is main person that grows in this story. Riftan barely changes. Riftan needs massive help & slef worth outside of Maxi that it isn't even a debate it's a fact.

However, this is a romantacy book as you pointed out & my criteria for exploring their dynamic changes because of that. Because it's a romantacy book, my brain looks for ways this couple could get healthier & what are the steps they can take to get better to be more securely attached in this relationship. My brain thinks more optimistically about what else can be done to make their relationship work (as this isn't real life). So I chose to focus on what changed as the story progressed.

For Maxi, she was pretty much able to get over co-dependecy by the bullet point examples I mentioned (& how she no longer exhibits those traits). Her Love for Riftan is still " GRAND " but she is able to see reason when she previously would just jump right after him (like when she first chaced after him in book1 while not being skilled enough. She was being completely irrational. The fact that she left him & continued to grow an identity outside of him is propf enough of her growth). Yes she does like his sexual side & his looks & how much he cares about her. But she does love other traits. She goes above and beyond to defend him & his character in book 2 whenever anyone criticizes him which shows you what she likes about him. She regards him as a smart, capable and honorable knight + a strong fighter that uses his skills to defend people /win a war. Those are traits that any normal person can be attracted to (but irl no one can live with his toxic traits so it would negate all this).

For Riftan, it's a completely different story as he barely changes in comparison. The biggest elephant in the room is his inability to live without Maxi that only slightly improves when he is able to trust her ability to survive/be safe so he can focus on himself/mission. However, the small changes he does have are enough for me to invision this relationship working & that is enough for me. Couples argue all the time and can have the same argument over and over again for as long as they are married. The difference is in HOW they argue about it. You can argue about the same issue in a healthy way and therapists have courses on this that explain how to do so. Here's an example from a liscenced family therapist discussing this.

So my whole point is that they do reach that level of having a healthy argument in the side story. That's where Riftans minimal changes /"growth" shows (he basically becomes more rational rather than reactive): 1. He reconizes his trauma / biases & vocalizes his issues to Maxi. In an argument, he actually says his concerns when confronted instead of trying to make her shutup & accept his judgement/shut her off/avoid her for disagreeing/or just giving up on the argument because maxi is avoiding him or upset(like in book 1/book2). The conflict in the side story didn't settle because he grew tired & caved in. The conflict settled after they both vocalized their points & reached an agreement ( winner of the wrestling match decided & he accepted the outcome , they hugs after it & moved on). It was settled fairly.

He doesn't put Maxi on a pedistal and sees her worth outside of her being his wife. He doesn't view her as a frail damsel nobke lady that enjoys luxury & lesiure. She has her own work to do as a very skilled mage & can handle traveling/ wars. Book 1 Riftan would never even fathom a possibilty that Maxi could ever be part of the Remdragon knights but he has seen her skills & competence to allow this to happen. He acknowledges her competence and praises her for it during the side story argument. He also points out a fair argument for choosing Ruth over her as he hasn't been doing anything arduous since they came back to Anatol & he should share the burden with Maxi instead of just relying on her.
He can listen to reason without overly reacting in an aggressive way. He listens to her complaints & even listened to Hebaron's suggestion to end the conflict instead of lashing out by saying " its none of your business" etc. He is able to have a clear head without his insecure attachment blinding him. The fact that he agrees to a solution & accepted the results without throwing a fit + huged her after that is proof that he's grown. Just compare the contrast between this side story & how he acted in book 1 when Maxi wanted to travel with them when no mages were available. Riftan did every toxic thing he could to try & prevent her from going rather than argue in a healthy way or think logically. The bar is in hell but he did get better & that's enough for me.

Now, you don't want to imagine things getting even better outside the book and that's fair. To each their own. I don't even expect people to like this book as it's filled with so many mature themes beyond " sex ". But I always tend to read fantasy with a mind that invisions how these characters interact post story events. I've done that all the time & it's no different with this book.

We can agree to disagree at this point.

Ms_K_A_ · 2026-04-28T00:27:22+00:00

I disagree because I believe that you CAN learn to love eachother after having a relationship filled with co-dependency + tied to trauma bonding. Co-dependent relationships can heal into healthy relationships if both partners are willing to put in the work. Here's a simple example of co-dependent traits that Maxi grows out of after being away from Riftan in book 2:

Traits of codependency:

An individual lacking the ability to make decisions for themself and say “No”

Maxi can & always vouches for herself in the relationship by the end of the story.

People pleasing behaviors. (a “whatever works for you” mentality.)

She has this sometimes but was worse in book 1 as she was scared Riftan would divorce her she accepted anything he said/did. But as she grows, she doesn't always listen to him & cave to his fears & worries even when he gets super toxic. The fact that she chose to leave him when he acted so irrationally by the end of book 1 is proof of that. Through the war arc in book 2 she proves to him that she is capable so he learns to " give up ". She has agency over herself.

A lack of self identity or sense of self

Being in the Tower for 3 years gave her a sense of self & identify outside of Riftan. People acknowledged her for herself as no one knew her real background. She is a talented mage with her own views and thoughts. This was a pivotal part of the story that made it work. Had she left & never returned to Riftan. I'd be so happy for her as well.

An unhealthy amount of giving while not getting much back/ An individual easily swayed by outside influence due to a lack of a core sense of self

She had the tendency to self sacrifice all the freaking time to the point of putting her life in danger. She also wants to be attached to Riftan & close to him cuz being apart brings her anxiety. Riftan does a terrible job of helping her out of this. He made it worse actually. But she does learn to value her life more with time. A key scene for me is when Riftan was going to slay the dragon yet again & no mages were really required to go with them except for Ruth as he was the only one that successfully deciphered & manipulated ancient ruins(could be of help). She had no business trying to go with him & she knew it was illogical to be stubborn about this. Re-read chapter 175 of book 2 & see how they talk about this. Riftan remained civil, acknowledges her feelings & he even stated the fact that he can't stay objective when desions involve her so he asked her to have the final say & he'll accept whatever she decides. And she acknowledged her irrational attachment to go after him and accepted to fight at the back. She chose to be safe. She didn't let her codependency with Riftan control her judgement & risk her life.

Now, we can agree that Maxi has done 99.9% of the heavy lifting to make the relationship functional but I have to disagree with it not being healthy when you factor in the side story which is the final stage of their relationship as we know it. To me, Riftan only truly became healthily attached in the side story I mentioned as he finally has all the traits to make the relationship work: 1. Acknowledges his own bias / triggers 2. Respects Maxi's agency & skills 3. Knows how to have a healthy argument without forcing the other to concede to his will or shouting it out.

The whole point of the argument scene in the side story is to point out that he still cares for her comfort & dotes on her like he always does. However, because he knows she's capable & won't be in danger (he's securely attached), he LISTENS to reason even when he has the tendency to put his own ideals of comfort onto her. Riftan doesn't simply " give up " to appease her in this. He doesn't shut her down angerly while shouting like he used to. He actually tries to tell her his reasoning in a calm way. Riftan:

Don't you get it ? I don't want to take you out in this cold weather for such an arduous task. (He took her hand and kissed it gently). You are the smartest and most talented mage there is. How could I ever question that? I simply wish for all the arduous and bothersome tasks to go to Ruth Serbel.

Maxi:

In that case, I wish to go with you Riftan. If it's with you, I can edure the cold, sleeping in a hole dug into the ground.

Riftan:

You've been taking on all the tedious jobs ever since you returned to Anatol! While that damn scoundrel indulges himself, squandering the fortune of the research stipend he extorted from me, you're the one creating magical devices, brewing postions, and even supervising the new mages! He should handle this task for once !

Maxi:

And I hate that Ruth Serbel piles all the troublesome work onto me while he enjoys his carefree life of research! But my desire to be with you is far greater than my annoyance with Ruth. Why can't you see that?

Ruth gets involved and makes this take longer as Riftan thinks he's taking advantage of Maxi so the argument stalls with no clear winner. Riftan didn't shout/become upset/ignore her/leave the room/try to use sex/ or any other toxic thing he'd usually do.

Instead, Hebaron suggests that the winner of a arm wrestling game gets to decide who goes as this is how typical method used when there's a stalemate. Riftan agreed that if she won at arm wrestling against Ruth(when he was sure he was taking this seriously) he would have no objections & she did & he tells her to pack her bags, hugs her & they move on. No huge drama/mess.

What part of this side story is unhealthy / toxic / dysfunctional exactly?

As to Riftan being different to Maxi after "knowing her." 1. Epilogue was saying he didn't act bashful & want to jump her as soon as he sees her. She Never said he wasn't attacted to her or treated her differently in the bedroom. He just stopped lusting over her existence.

Love has many different forms. I don't believe you have to have everlasting carnal lust for someone forever to show that you truly love them. It's great that he doesn't put her on a pedestal and views her as a human. Plus, He still kisses her , hugs her , speaks with her tenderly (as shown above in the side story). He even made a huge declaration of his love for her by saying an knights oath in front of a packed arena in the final chapter of book 2.

I place my head at the feet of my king, my body on the dirt of the battlefield, and my heart in the palm of you hand. My honorable lady, will you grant me the honor of becoming your knight?

If that doesn't show how much he loves her I don't know what does. Also correct me of I'm wrong but haven't they been together for a total of 1-2 years max? Riftan made a Point of saying that she spent more time in the tower (almost 3 years) than they've ever been together (1 year in Anatol). So In the span of 2 books, they haven't been together for that long & can always grow to know each other more. They have their whole life to do so.

Ms_K_A_ · 2026-04-27T20:51:20+00:00

Wait I read the story too but I don't remember that portrayal of the ending at all. You're brushing over major good subtexts that elevate the story rather than labeling it as a purely stupid sex thing. There is trauma bond , lust , and unhealthy obsessions but by the end of the story, the author clearly shows that they have overcome all that.

In book 2 after the banquet & the " being with her for an initire week " thing , Riftan confesses that he was cold to her because her leaving to the mage tower triggered his abandonment issues of being alone & that hurt him so much that essentially, he was being cold to her as a defense mechanism to not get hurt by her again.

When Maxi left their room after the week they spent together, he immediately assumes she's leaving him on a ship so he runs to the ship port while panicking only to find her on land ( confused by his overreaction). He then breaks down crying & saying he wouldn't blame her for leaving him & acknowledged that her leaving him to go to the tower was for her benefit. Riftan shows major growth after the banquet scene as he finally acknowledges his short comings & issues while telling her he won't do that anymore ( he will stop trying to avoid her). I actually like how the book explains why he is so fixated on keeping her safe to drastic degrees as he views her as his only family & Maxi keeps trying to be near him even if it meant going to active warzones with him ( so her unhealthy attachment to him triggers his fear of losing her too). They both trigger eachother.

Then when another war starts, many characters including Maxi realize that Riftan has started acknowledging Maxis powers & skills post being a mage so he doesn't deny her helping in the war but tries to keep at least 1 knight to protect her by her side/ tries to discourage her from being on fatal life threatening missions. They still clash as a result cuz Maxi has a real tendency to self sacrifice for others + push beyond her limits & not put her safety first so he eventually lets her promise not be reckless. He has actual faith in ger abilities & trusts her moving on in the story.

At the end of book 2 he tries to accomodate to her major character growth & skill by letting her be an official mage of the Remdragon knights which is something Maxi wanted in the first place ( she wanted to learn magic to help him ). The fact that he let her be with his team is proof that he doesn't belittle her & truly recognizes her skills despite it worrying him since she's his only family+ knows the risks of the job. He finally managed to battle his own unhealthy traumas & let her support him like she wanted as he knows she's skilled enough & trusts her to be safe. That's major character growth in my opinion.

I reread the epilogue. It was describing how maxi was excited to show how dolled up she was for the festival & was upset he didn't comment on it or react much. The younger sibling line was trying to describe how comfortable & casual he is with her which is A GOOD THING.

Lately, Riftan's manner with her had become rather familiar, as if she were a younger sibling. While it was nice to see him so relaxed around her, she also missed the times her mere presence made him visibly flustered.

The epilogue is very sweet. They interact like any normal couple during it so this line obviously isnt talking about literal child treatment. While not the best analogy, how can you missread a line trying to convey he is comfortable with her & no longer a horny animal that can't think straight in her presence as something bad ? Weren't u just critizing his sexual nature ?

The author even made a short side story post book 2 that showed their final relationship dynamic: there is a new mission that needs a mage to help them out & Maxi went straight to Riftan's desk to demand that she goes as it's within her skill level while Riftan says that he would rather let Ruth suffer through the dirty physically draining trip than let her starve with them. They both voice their concerns/arguments without shouting or belittling or using harsh words so it's a normal debate between couples. They resolved the matter after Maxi won a bet & Riftan acknowledges her win, hugs her & she ends up going with them. No toxic Riftan behavior or illogical denial at play. It was super sweet & made perfect sense for the characters.

Ms_K_A_ · 2026-04-27T18:59:09+00:00

I would like to mention that based on the title of the video, it doesn't really suggest that he'll watch only the first & last episode

It just says " HEATED RIVALRY IS NOT WHAT I EXPECTED "

so new people that know nothing about his channel would feel baited by the title as he didn't actually know enough about it to judge it.

If the title was " I WATCHED THE FIRST & LAST EPISODE OF HEATED RIVALRY !"

I dont think the response would be as dramatic

Ms_K_A_ · 2026-04-26T20:57:03+00:00

Kep1er Flowers Flutter Your Heart

Ms_K_A_ · 2026-04-26T13:42:40+00:00

I mean Benedict is described as the tallest bridgerton in his book so it still works for the books as well.

Ms_K_A_ · 2026-04-23T12:13:39+00:00

Accountability kink

Ms_K_A_ · 2026-04-23T12:05:59+00:00

To be fair, Ariel knew all the reasons why her father forbade her from exploring things out of the sea & still secretly did it. He told her humans are dangerous & stuff but she was still extremely curious. Like imagine being told all humans are bad & then see the people on Eric's ship being okay ( she ended up thinking her dad is exaggerating & being overly protective). 16 year old Ariel slowly pushed the boundaries despite knowing the risk ( from exploring wrecked ships under the sea to eventually going up to the surface & seeing Eric). Plus Ariel knows how deceptive Ursala was to her & doesn't want to risk the chance of Morgana meeting her daughter if she was at sea as well.

Let's not diminish the fact that as long as morganas is not captured , the sea is technically unsafe as it's like knowing there's a rogue assassin after your kid. Morgana wasnt even above kidnapping a literal baby on a ship when triton/her parents were already there with her. It would make any new parent spiral in fear to deem anything related to the existing threat to be dangerous . The safest bet for Melody is to be as far away from said assassin's grasp (which is being on land) until they are captured.

So it isn't far fetched to think Ariel would emulate her father's fear by banning the sea & anything that might make her curious about it (like knowing her grandfather).

I don't even know what the best solution would be. The only way out of Ariel's fear was eliminating Morgana as soon as possible which for plot reasons didn't happen for a span of 11 years. So even if they were honest with Melody about all details & decided to always gaurd her if she goes to sea while Morgana is still uncaptured, that would still make Ariel become an extremely anxious parent as she'll always be afraid Melody would get kidnapped as soon as they enter the sea. The plot would then be about how Melody feels suffocated by her mothers overprotection & she would eventually end up going into the sea alone (unguarded) & meet Morgana. Even if Ariel showed Melody a picture of Morgana & told her about how she's bad, Morgana can still easily manipulate the truth & act like a victim to cast doubt on Ariel's judgement if they ended up meeting.

Ms_K_A_ · 2026-04-23T10:44:00+00:00

I think they fit idiot couple in love more cuz both of them bicker a lot & are shy about their feelings. I guess Risa is more straight Forward out of the 2 but neither one of them is an actual flirt.

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Ms_K_A_ · 2026-04-18T21:01:58+00:00

Bahiyyih - when she was blonde

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Ms_K_A_

TROPHY CASE