Im bored

100%. author made tj cut off all his hair, sell the house he built for himself and ian, did sm self-reflection etc., just for tj to go against all that development in the last 2/3 chapters. i understand people don’t change overnight, but tj’s wasn’t overnight and what’s the point of building up a character just to make them the same? i expected a lot more, but it’s just the same exhausting and frustrating back and forth we’ve had all this time, it’s so disappointing and jo is still getting dragged along for nothing

How so? Im just trying to understand why you think the story is redundant and may lead to an underbaked endgame because I think the story is consistently providing development for these characters through a lot of subtext and just blatantly showing us how theyre developing through certain events. I would just to know what parts of the story you're talking about so I can understand you better

I feel that Jo has the absolute bare minimum when it comes to development. We know absolutely NOTHING about that man. Also, the author sacrificed crucial moments for potential development with tj and I really can’t understand why from a writers perspective they would choose to have a character be so one dimensional. Ian is certainly getting some development, but even that isn’t at a level that I think is appropriate for how long this story has been going on. This story prioritizes sex and shock factor, and it is quite repetitive in that aspect.

Ah I see. In my opinion, I dont think any of the characters are one dimensional, but they're definitely representatives of narratives that the author wants to show. The "repetition" of certain elements in the story, particularly the sex, is indicative of the maladaptive behaviors that both Ian and TJ indulge in and the thing that Jo accepts as it is the only form of communication Ian really knows. When have you ever seen TJ and Ian sit down and have a productive conversation? The answer is: never, lol. TJ is an extremely selfish character and never really takes Ian's thoughts or feelings into consideration, so much so that their only real form of communication is sex; Ian has been conditioned into thinking that talking is useless, and his value is in his pants. This is why Ian has trouble navigating his feelings, because hes never really had the autonomy to use his words, only his body.

This is where Jo comes in and shows Ian that communication and being heard can have more value than sex. Jo isnt a super complex character with baggage, and thats the point. Hes more self-realized than anyone else in this story and is supposed to be more vanilla than TJ and Ian because he is a representation of peace and stability. TJ is the antithesis of that, being a troubled and traumatized character that uses Ian as his coping mechanism rather than an equal partner. Ian himself is a troubled and traumatized individual who has adapted and found comfort in the dysfunction of his relationship with TJ but still wants a better life away from the violence. The things we see in each chapter carries nuance that builds to the greater story. TJ buying then selling the house without letting Ian have any say in either process, highlighting his selfish nature. Jo quitting his job to help his aunt and asking about Ian's interests while being considerate of his feelings, highlighting his loving and selfless nature. Ian being an ex gangster/drug addict unsure of how deserving he is of a peaceful life while trying to find his voice once more, highlighting his damaged spirit finding life once more. I can keep going on but ive already bombarded you with this wall of text But sorry for writing so much, I just love story breakdowns. And I am in no way diminishing your opnions because they're valid, I just wanted to share my own and offer you a different perspective!

I have absolutely no issue with Ian’s development, I think he’s at a place that is appropriate for the timeline here, but I think all of the thing you listed could’ve been emphasized earlier and without SO much repetition we can grasp that Ian sees sex as a form of communication without that having to be a theme that reoccurs every 3 or so chapters. We have also had a ton of time to resolve this unhealthy habit but it doesn’t seem like the author is really moving in that way. I’m also just a little worried here that we are going to reach an endgame without any development for Jo. It’s obviously clear that he is supposed to be the “vanilla” character but that doesn’t necessarily mean he can’t have any development whatsoever I’m moreso just frustrated with the repetition here because it feels like we’re circling the drain on a story that could’ve been finished by season 2 if that makes sense.

Yeah I get that, but it could also be because this series updates every 10 days and the chapters are fairly short that things seem repetitious. There are times were 3 chapters are only covering 1 scene, and thats not an issue, but it can warp our perception of the timeline because we're seeing 1 sequence span an entire month. Had we read this series without break, then things feel more fluid and less circular. Not to mention, a story that centers trauma and trying to break cycles is going to have some elements of repetition, lol. The times we see Ian going back and forth between TJ and Jo and pretty mecessary because we see Ian taking bits hes learned from Jo and slowly realizing he is deseving of more. I just wouldnt want a story that feels so realistic with its portrayal of navigating toxic dynamics and trauma to wrap up so easily, it loses any essence of what made it interesting in the first place! As for Jo, he just feels too self-actualized to need major development. He's a character that is secure in himself but when his innocence is challenged and corrupted by his dealings with Ian, he's been grappling with trying to save Ian whilst not losing himself completely to this underworld he is becoming more familiarized with. What other ways do you think Jo should be developing to make him a more compelling character?