Moonlight Episode Discussion - Ep 7: The Ringer

[GuardianAngel]

I hear you gals. And I do believe Coraline did come to love Mick. In her own fashion. But earlier, I think it was more about posession. Mick was hers and she would have done whatever she needed to do to keep him. For her, it was also about winning. I don't think she could stand for him to walk away from her. In her obsession to keep him, I'm sorry, I didn't see love.

Then there is the sacrifice she made, going with Lance to keep Mick alive. That was love. And maybe some kind of apology for the mess she'd made of his life?


Phoenix, this thread is pure pleasure for me. I thank you for giving me the opportunity to host it.

[mwj01]

She probably was possessive of Mick but I see it as more just wanting him rather than winning. Nothing wrong with that. And Beth was possessive of him too, well before she had any right to be.

[allegrita]

Well, Mick brings out that kind of possessiveness in women, doesn't he?

I agree that The Ringer is a fabulous episode. The chair-through-the-window is just an inspired piece of writing, scene-setting, filming, and acting. It's gorgeous. And in a lot of ways, the scene in the cemetery is a counterpoint to that. Mick is again bested by a guy (maybe the same guy, hmmmm?) and completely thrown off-balance by Coraline. She has him guessing so much that he truly doesn't know which way is up. And both scenes end with an act of violence.

Another thing--he just LEFT her in the cemetery...HOW DID SHE GET HOME??? Way to act like the hero... NOT...

After he leaves Morgan , Mick pulls the shreds of himself together and runs home to his fortress... and ends up trying to sort it all out, talking to Beth. Beth, his anchor and his comfort zone. Mick feels secure with Beth, at least at this point in the season. She has shown herself to be trustworthy and pretty much non-judgmental where he's concerned. She obviously cares for him and she shares quite a lot of history with him too, even though she didn't know it until just recently.

Part of what makes Mick feel at ease with Beth, I think, is the fact that he feels superior to her. She's the kid he rescued--grown up now, but still young and inexperienced. She doesn't know what it's like to be burned up by a passion like the one he had with Coraline. So part of Mick's comfort here is in going back to a relationship where he feels in control. He and Beth don't have that fire, but they have something fundamental that Mick and Coraline didn't seem to have. They are friends. The kind of love that grows out of friendship is different from the kind of love that grows out of a lightning-strike.

My question--and it wasn't answered in the 16 episodes--is whether Mick will be able to stop feeling superior to Beth and let her have a more equal footing in their relationship. He keeps wavering between feeling unworthy of her love and feeling superior to her because of her callowness.

What Mick really wants is a combination of Coraline and Beth....

[wpgrace]

Well, Mick brings out that kind of possessiveness in women, doesn't he?

I agree that The Ringer is a fabulous episode. The chair-through-the-window is just an inspired piece of writing, scene-setting, filming, and acting. It's gorgeous. And in a lot of ways, the scene in the cemetery is a counterpoint to that. Mick is again bested by a guy (maybe the same guy, hmmmm?) and completely thrown off-balance by Coraline. She has him guessing so much that he truly doesn't know which way is up. And both scenes end with an act of violence.

Another thing--he just LEFT her there...HOW DID SHE GET HOME??? Way to act like the hero... NOT...

After he leaves Morgan , Mick pulls the shreds of himself together and runs home to his fortress... and ends up trying to sort it all out, talking to Beth. Beth, his anchor and his comfort zone. Mick feels secure with Beth, at least at this point in the season. She has shown herself to be trustworthy and pretty much non-judgmental where he's concerned. She obviously cares for him and she shares quite a lot of history with him too, even though she didn't know it until just recently.

Part of what makes Mick feel at ease with Beth, I think, is the fact that he feels superior to her. She's the kid he rescued--grown up now, but still young and inexperienced. She doesn't know what it's like to be burned up by a passion like the one he had with Coraline. So part of Mick's comfort here is in going back to a relationship where he feels in control. He and Beth don't have that fire, but they have something fundamental that Mick and Coraline didn't seem to have. They are friends. The kind of love that grows out of friendship is different from the kind of love that grows out of a lightning-strike.

My question--and it wasn't answered in the 16 episodes--is whether Mick will be able to stop feeling superior to Beth and let her have a more equal footing in their relationship. He keeps wavering between feeling unworthy of her love and feeling superior to her because of her callowness.

What Mick really wants is a combination of Coraline and Beth....

I agree with your whole post, Alle... but the ones in red? I identify with the first and TOTALLY agree with the last!

[allegrita]

[mwj01]

Yes, he does bring out possessiveness, and understandably so, so I don't see why Coraline should be faulted for it. She's not alone. I myself would be hanging on for dear life!

I wouldn't exactly say he just left her at the cemetery. She hauled a$$ and security were moving in, so I'm not sure how he was supposed to get her home safely. Was there any chance at that moment that she'd have gotten back in his car? He was heroic with her many times in later eps whenever the opportunity presented itself.

I'm sure it's true that Beth was often his comfort zone, although he looked anything but comforted in the ending scene. In fact he seemed impatient and to get more agitated while talking to her. She tried though. He does sometimes treat her as if they aren't on the same level, without meaning to. I doubt this would ever change for them given their history.

[GuardianAngel]

I wouldn't exactly say he just left her at the cemetery. She hauled a$$ and security were moving in, so I'm not sure how he was supposed to get her home safely. Was there any chance at that moment that she'd have gotten back in his car? He was heroic with her many times in later eps whenever the opportunity presented itself.

I agree there. There wasn't a chance in hell Morgan was going to get in the car with him. More likely she would have siced the guards on him so he needed to haul ass.

She obviously cares for him and she shares quite a lot of history with him too, even though she didn't know it until just recently.

Actually, she doesn't know yet. As illustrated at the end of the episode, Beth still doesn't realize Coraline is the one who kidnapped her or that Mick was her rescuer.

[allegrita]

She obviously cares for him and she shares quite a lot of history with him too, even though she didn't know it until just recently.

Actually, she doesn't know yet. As illustrated at the end of the episode, Beth still doesn't realize Coraline is the one who kidnapped her or that Mick was her rescuer.

You're right! Not till next episode. I guess I'm looking at it from Mick's POV anyway. HE knows the history he shares with Beth, and I guess that's why I see her as comforting. But I agree--he doesn't seem comforted in this scene. Maybe Beth just invaded, as she is wont to do. Mick's completely torn up about what happened, and he's still struggling to come to terms with everything, including guilt about having attacked a friend of Beth's and worry about whether he's completely nuts.

BTW, about leaving Morgan at the cemetery--I agree that there wasn't much he could do about it...my point was that it's just another thing for Mick to feel guilty and flustered about. I'm sorry if I didn't get that across properly. I absolutely agree that there's no way she would've gone with him. Maybe Mick called Beth and asked her to pick Morgan up. That's comforting, so I'll go with that.

[GuardianAngel]

Maybe Mick called Beth and asked her to pick Morgan up. That's comforting, so I'll go with that.

Totally plausable. We know from the beginning of Mick and Beth's conversation that Beth spoke with Morgan. She'd asked her what happened but Morgan wouldn't tell her anything. Which is why she wants Mick to explain.

And you're right, Alle, Mick would feel guilty about leaving Morgan there, especially after terrorizing her.

[wondergirl9847]

Mick getting frustrated with Beth is VERY much true to life. Heh. That happened a few times throughout the series. He wanted to connect with Beth, but like he said in Fever, "It's complicated." It's difficult and there is miscommunication (hellooooo Sonata and the whole biting Simone issue!) galore, but that is why we love this show. It's not easy to have relationships with people...it's messy sometimes, especially with those you care for the most.

I love the part when he's asking her about an intense affair and she.does.not.get.it. LOL She wants so desperately to connect there, but can't at the moment.

[mwj01]

The problem with the Simone feeding was that she did get it that time! He was totally busted being a naughty boy and their dating relationship was just getting off the ground. In the "intense affair" talk, I didn't see him trying so hard to connect, just flustered and then dismissive when she couldn't keep up. He was trying to get a handle on everything that was going on in his head and didn't have the energy to explain to her to help her understand.

[allegrita]

Yep--I agree, he blew her off completely there. It was one of those, "Beth, you don't know! How could you know?" moments...

[wpgrace]

Yep--I agree, he blew her off completely there. It was one of those, "Beth, you don't know! How could you know?" moments...

Alle, you are on a roll today.. or you are putting me on one...

[wondergirl9847]

The problem with the Simone feeding was that she did get it that time! He was totally busted being a naughty boy and their dating relationship was just getting off the ground. In the "intense affair" talk, I didn't see him trying so hard to connect, just flustered and then dismissive when she couldn't keep up. He was trying to get a handle on everything that was going on in his head and didn't have the energy to explain to her to help her understand.

Yeah, Beth got that for sure, but her miscommunication came in the whole conversation after in front of the frat house. Him saying it wasn't a big deal and yet in Fever, it WAS a big deal.

With Simone, he had no feelings for her, so in his mind...no big deal. Feeding from Beth was a big deal since he had feelings for her.

By connect, I mean, in a communicative way, not emotionally. Sorry I didn't explain that very well. He wanted her to understand and she wasn't.

[mwj01]

Oh, gotcha and ITA!