Having finally caught up on S1 of Underground

[enemyofperfect]

To everyone who said it was amazing: You were right.

spoilery 1x10 flailing, bullet point style

• "ain't none of us free till we all free"
• Rosalee is just the best and bravest and I can't
• (she's beautiful too)
• Noah lying his face off for great justice
• "maybe if we can just get her to freedom"
• freeing others as a survival method -- that also has to be more than that, for survival to be worth it
• "but safety isn't real, is it?"
• everything about Ernestine ever, omfg
• CATO LIVES
• is it just me or was slave catcher dude 90% ready to die and maybe 70% sure he deserved to?
• PATTY CANNON
• "you can't kill white people, August"
• HARRIET
• Suzanna Macon is chilling as hell
• "AIN'T NONE OF US FREE TILL WE ALL FREE"

On a completely frivolous note: Cato is charismatic and gorgeous, y/n? I assumed the answer was an obvious hell yes (his ruthlessness notwithstanding), but apparently not everyone agrees. Help me out here, for science?

Comments

[schneefink]

Yes yes yes, all of this.
Cato is charismatic and gorgeous and a bastard (metaphorically), that's why I like him. I did not expect him to survive, and now I'm very curious what they'll do with him next. The one time he goes back for Noah and Rosalee instead of only looking out for himself and escaping a rich man he gets caught, left behind, and almost dies, I wonder if he regrets it. (My guess is he thinks he should but doesn't much, because of his not-even-a-crush-yet feelings for Rosalee.)

[enemyofperfect]

Yesss, thank you for this data point of validation! I'm really so glad he survived, even though he's enough of a wild card that for all I know he'll be ruining everything for everyone else I care about all through season two. The irony of him going back to rescue them and getting left behind was incredible -- and I guess the fact that he appreciated it too, even as he was lying there in the dirt with an arrow through his leg, is a big part of why I like him as much as I do.

Weirdly, I'm actually not sure anymore if I think he has crush-like feelings towards Rosalee. I totally thought he did at first, but there was something about how stricken he was in that cornfield, when Noah had to hold him back from trying to save her right then and there, that makes me feel like this is something that cuts even deeper than that. I don't know, I'm saying this badly, because I'm pretty sure we did see some stirrings of attraction, but it's sort of like... I feel like what's going to get to him way more than any romantic feelings he has towards her is just the fact that she's the first person who's managed to connect with him on a human level in who knows how long.

(Which is yet another sign of how endlessly badass she is, of course. Cato is not an easy man to reach.)

[schneefink]

Agreed, Cato's feelings for Rosalee are more complicated than "simple" romantic feelings. I thought "crush" describes it well in that regard that it's something new and unexpected and sudden and he's interested in her, even though he doesn't know yet in which way. Part of it is admiration, which I like a lot. I thought they did a very good job showing how Cato progressed from being annoyed that Rosalee joined and thinking she was useless, to respecting her and eventually feeling enough of a connection to come back for her (and Noah.)

(I don't think it's going to happen, but: if Cato gets free and keeps the money, would he give Rosalee the funds to go back and rescue Noah if she asks? I think he would.)

[enemyofperfect]

Very agreed both about respect/admiration being part of what Cato feels towards Rosalee, and about really liking that fact! And yes, he so completely did not see her coming -- although I guess in fairness to him, she also really ended up surprising herself over the course of their journey.

I feel like he'd have a hard time giving even Rosalee money without first swearing up and down that she was on a fool's errand, but I can also imagine that a bag full of cash would mysteriously find its way into her belongs, ahaha. (And/or, he'd hand over the money, but then sneakily end up following her because he can't quite resign himself to whatever trouble she might get into on her own? Basically I guess I feel like whatever happens, Cato is always going to find a way to surprise us.)

[schneefink]

Oh yes, he definitely wouldn't be happy about her going back. I also can't see him following her, he was so adamant about never getting captured again that I can't see him taking that risk. At least not for Noah; maybe if he hears about Rosalee being captured, but even then only if he has a good plan. But you're right, he'll probably always do something unexpected.