mswyrr:

Some people really dig interesting villains who are *personal* to the heroine (or hero) – there’s a contradiction there, between social/political ethics and interpersonal ethics.

What if your villain truly loves you? Not the fake, possessive love of Lorca, but Philippa’s genuine appreciation for Michael. So much so that she took pride in the thought of dying knowing that Michael would “find a way home.”

It’s so tempting that Michael had a moment of selfishness (which I LOVE. I LOVE IT; let her have moments of weakness!) and couldn’t let go of Philippa. Refused to allow this woman her dying wish about how she wanted to go out!!

If you’re into that shit, it’s FASCINATING. And it lets the heroine have more shades and colors than 100% selflessness all the time. There was something Michael wanted, a connection, inside Philippa and she violated *interpersonal ethics* to glomp her and keep it alive; though not larger ethics, Michael does her job and she does it well.

She saved everyone in every single universe. But she took something for herself too.

And that is GREAT. The tension between interpersonal ethics/love/connection and broader ethics and the way those balance between the two of them.

And it lets a villain have more shades than 100% Evol all the time, which highlights the nuances of how there is “darkness inside” everyone and every society that has to be wrestled with. The other part of there being darkness inside everyone is that EVEN A TYRANT CAN LOVE but that does not erase the harm they’ve done. It just makes it freaking fascinating.

Also: a ton of us find Philippa/Michael scorching hot.

I’d like to think the relationship between mirror Phillippa/Michael might not be all flowery and gentle, but a more intense version of prime Sarek/Michael parent/child relationship. Phillippa does care for Michael in her own way and probably raised her as her successor (like all emperors do), it’s definitely more genuine then Lorca who’s apparently pulled a Hikaru Genji* on Michael.

I’m curious to see how Phillippa and Michael’s relationship will be after the new episode. Because I don’t think Phillippa will appreciate Michael saving her. She will be no one, have nothing, in a universe where she has to follow the others’ rules (that she will certainly despise). I think she’ll even be resentful to Michael, at least for a while. And she’s not used to the genuine expression of feelings either, except the time when she’s sure she’s going to die. They will have a lot to deal with, which will be great to see. I do wonder if Phillippa can change, not to become a whole different good person, but compromised and maybe just a bit better because she has to.

*Basically, this dude from ancient Japan literature kidnapped a noble girl and raised her to be his ideal wife. We use the phrase “Hikaru Genji Project” to describe adult man who grooms young girls so that the young girls will be obedient and see him as the center of their life.