i don’t go here but it’s come up on my page and i find it funny how every argument I’ve seen made against edwin x the cat king is ‘they’re toxic/unhealthy’ as if that’s not the likely reason people ship them in the first place 😂

not trying to be a party pooper but I’m a little concerned about first and khaotung getting very similar characters (and a similar dynamic as well) to their last roles. I know first said he’s the one flirting this time but at the end of the day it seems like they’re very… sandray-ish regardlesss. And I already thought sandray had similarities to akkayan so 🫠 but i guess i should probably wait till it actually comes out. just want better than typecasting for them.

what did you guys think about that apology scene? because it was beautifully acted as always, but i have Some Thoughts that i know will clash with the general audience opinion.

watching two men play the world’s most convoluted game of tug of war with sand sparks joy. i hope he gets to kiss both. as a treat.

on sand in that fight scene

and ramblings about why ray is such a great character

i genuinely feel like we have to be watching different shows and it’s starting to slightly bother me. these are just some thoughts on what ive seen said about sand (and ray) in light of the recent episode, specifically the fight scene.

let me start with the following: sand hasn’t ever thought his love was gonna heal ray. i honest to god don’t see how you could ever reach that conclusion. one of the main things about episode 10 is that he’s pushing him to get professional help - he’s under no impression that he could ‘fix’ ray by himself.

‘he made everything about himself during the fight scene’ doesn’t sit right with me at all. saying that he cares about ray is not making everything about himself. it’s just the truth. you’d EXPECT a person to say this when someone’s berating them for not caring, especially if it’s someone they love. saying ‘you think i have no dignity’ isn’t making everything about himself, it’s a reply to ray accusing him of only caring about money. you’d EXPECT a person to be hurt at that kind of comment - to voice it - especially a person like sand, who’s made his stance on money when it comes to his personal relationships clear.

i’ve said this before, but during the fight scene, the worst thing sand did is not explain clearly - saying he was hired but not explaining the context. surprisingly, just like you can see the reasoning behind ray’s actions, empathize with them, you actually CAN see the reasoning behind sand’s too! might be shocking but he’s actually not an asshole just for fun!

i understand being annoyed at sand for not talking. i even understand thinking that maybe there’s something he has to apologize for. but claiming that in his self-centeredness he - and the show - are always making out ray to be the asshole who needs to apologize is almost uncomfortable for me. not only because sand is just… not self absorbed, but also because - and i know some people might not want to hear this - ray HAS been an asshole, and he SHOULD apologize. not just for last episode.

ray’s reaction to finding out sand had ‘duped’ him is so honest that it’s almost devastating in its rawness, in its intensity. his feelings are valid and expected, but your feelings of pain being valid and expected doesn’t ABSOLVE you of being hurtful towards someone else. if you’re an asshole while at an emotional high, you’re not excused for it. you’re not blameless. the right thing to do is apologize.

saying ray’s feelings are being dismissed by the narrative is borderline outrageous to me. in the last scene, his feelings ARE acknowledged, they’re spelled out for the viewer - ‘i was so angry because I care for you’. in the last scene, the viewer is MADE to empathize with ray, to understand him in case they hadn’t just yet. they’re also made to understand that he HAS ultimately made mistakes and most importantly - that he’s sorry for them. that he wants to apologize.

this approach to ray of ‘he’s always made out to be the asshole’ ‘his mistakes are a result of someone else’s goading’ is so reductionist and it bothers me because I feel like it’s a genuine disservice to his character. ray is such compelling character BECAUSE he’s not perfect, not DESPITE it. because he messes up, and he feels things that are painful and reacts to them. because he’s human. his faults are a part of his journey - a part of his recovery. we don’t need to erase them to love him.

oh firstkhao are TAKING IT

i will say this - some of the takes i’ve seen seem to borderline imply that sand being flippant to ray about their relationship and dishonest about his feelings (i would never be your boyfriend/we were never friends, etc) is comparable to ray actively degrading him (you’re a whore, twice), objectifying him (you’re mine), and forcing himself on him. it is not!