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4.2 My Best Friend’s Wedding



1. I find it weird that Tracy is so Christian but would be fine with Felicity doing the ceremony and not his own minister.

2. Felicity sporting that hickey grosses me out as it highlights the inappropriate cheating.

3. Sean continues with the inventions (now condoms for weddings) and interesting seeing Javier around the group way more, even at the loft. Where is his husband?

4. The Meghan and Sean bet is not fun. It only tortures Sean.

5. I love that Felicity told Noel very matter-of-fact she loves Ben.

6. Elena saying no to sleeping with Tracy is definitely a sign the wedding isn't happening.

7. Pavone is a Sage.

8. Richard noticing Noel had sex, Elena and Tracy noticing the hickey… proof that secrets are hardly ever kept... a secret.

9. Felicity, please just tell Ben. Get it over with. Ben will break up but Felicity could explain she is messed up and has been for a while... the Avery nightmare was never fully discussed (like why were you even confused about Avery), her parents are giving her hell about career, and she messed up with a friend she bonded closely with during the Avery nightmare, during the summer... he was safe, they both struggled together over career, and it happened... a big mistake... not due to being in love with Noel. Ben would definitely be devastated but at least she could fully explain and they could eventually pick up the pieces.

10. Felicity is not covering up her guilt and turmoil at all. I am shocked Ben doesn’t see how odd Noel is acting as well.

11. Everyone is lying to Ben. What an awkward conversation between Ben and Noel.

12. Meghan trying to kiss Tracy is weird, even for a joke.

13. Sean needs to stop the fortune cookie insanity.

14. Felicity is jealous of Janet... good.

15. Notice how Noel is giving Felicity advice like a best friend would... since they are meant to be friends...

16. Richard figured out that Noel and Felicity slept together. Not good.

17. Felicity breaks up with Ben. I will get into this more below.

18. Poor Ben. He actually offered a beer to Noel and they are sitting together. Noel, you should feel like the manipulative prick that you are, dude.

19. I can see why Meghan is a psychology major. She nailed the Elena situation and told Elena as much. She could have done a better job of explaining why she tried kissing Tracy, however.

20. I hate how Felicity is worried about her friendship with Noel and this is after she dumped Ben and he has no idea what’s going on. Who cares about Noel right now, Felicity.

21. Sean is totally right about Meghan testing people and pushing them away. This is why they work so beautifully together. They really bounce off each other nicely. They may argue like crazy, but it doesn’t matter because they’re just really good for each other. They bring out the best in each other. They call each other out when the other is doing and saying something stupid. Sean and Meghan truly are meant to be.

22. Elena is predictably having doubts. Meghan is right and I knew from the start Elena and Tracy would not get married.

23. Tracy’s aunt and uncle are literally speaking to Felicity about Ben and her love for him. Forgiveness is what gets you through and the heart gets stronger when you use it.

24. Pavone thinks Felicity wants to be with Ben, but also wants to be with Noel...

25. You’re nervous, Elena, because you don’t want to get married.

26. Felicity is correct telling Elena to follow her heart.

27. Elena and Meghan conversation is so great. Megan sweetly apologizes. Meghan has evolved so beautifully.

28. Noel suggests to Felicity that they forget about the cheating...

29. I knew Elena would stop the wedding.

30. What a twist having Sean and Meghan get married! I love it!

31. That scene with Ben looking so damn sad and then the looks between Felicity and Ben as he puts his head down and then she puts her head down is devastating.




The Act (No)


So we open immediately after The Act, and talk about awkward… the definition of awkward, the definition of regret… Felicity’s face says it all.

Felicity gets out of there in a hurry, and while Noel is understanding, I still hate him right now (well, a lot of the time), and of course she heads downstairs to find Ben, ready to apologize and be sweet. Ben wants to have dinner and talk, but she bails, and she continues to avoid him over the next couple of days while she figures out where she stands on everything. I find it interesting that Noel is still the reassuring friend that she needs right now in spite of the awkwardness, and he tells her that he has no expectations, and that if she wants to tell Ben, he’ll support that decision, even though it means Ben will probably kill him. Noel also brings over a bunch of stuff to try and help Felicity hide the hickey he gave her, but none of it works, so she just wears a series of turtleneck sweaters throughout the episode. Noel even offers to make a pact: that they both completely forget that it happened.



Pavone


Felicity goes to Pavone (thank god!), who breaks it down for her: yes, she feels guilty, but there’s another level here, another element to the story. “There’s a drawer.” When Felicity asks her what’s in the drawer, Pavone replies, “I don’t know. It’s your drawer.” After a couple of sessions Felicity finally looks in the drawer and sees Noel there.



Felicity & Ben


So Felicity has dinner with Ben and he tells her he thinks he knows why she’s pulling away: because now he’s the one with direction and she’s the one who’s lost. Felicity’s like, “sure, yeah, THAT’S it,” and then she breaks up with Ben, telling him she just needs time to herself. He looks stunned and heartbroken, but in my mind, that is not remotely why Felicity is breaking up with Ben. More later.



Elena & Tracy + Meghan and Meghan & Sean


Tracy and Elena’s wedding is days away, and they ask Felicity to officiate. But stuff keeps arising between the two of them – they almost have sex again, and then don’t (again), and Elena is SO nervous, more than a normal amount of nervous. What a surprise... not.

Meghan makes a bet with Sean that she can get Tracy to kiss her. She tries and fails spectacularly, and when Elena confronts her, Meghan cruelly sows seeds of doubt, telling Elena that if she and Tracy were having sex regularly, there’s no way they’d be getting married. Sean gives Meghan a talk about how she always pushes away the people she cares about, and if she isn’t careful, she’ll end up alone. It works, and she goes to Elena on her wedding day, finding her radiant in her dress, and apologizes sincerely and beautifully. Elena forgives her without hesitation, and they hug, and it’s wonderful. Then Elena admits that she’s still feeling doubts about the wedding, and points out that Sean and Meghan are perfect for each other, and should be the ones getting married...

Tracy’s been picking up on Elena’s doubts, and they talk before the ceremony, and he tells her he loves her and wants to spend the rest of his life with her, but he suspects that she’s just marrying him because she’s afraid of losing him. It’s clear that he’s right, and so Elena tells everyone there’s not going to be a wedding – and then AMAZINGLY, Sean and Meghan get married instead. Like, right then, in front of Tracy and Elena’s families. They just straight up steal that wedding! It’s PERFECT, the perfect way for these two meant to be crazies to get hitched.

The episode ends with Sean and Meghan’s reception. Everyone’s having a great time and dancing like crazy (Javier dancing is so funny), except Ben, who’s staring mournfully at Felicity (and she stares right back) as we go into credits.



FINAL THOUGHTS


1. I totally called Elena not getting married. I knew it from the moment Tracy proposed. J.J. Abrams writes creatively but always with a spiritual angle with Felicity. It was obvious she was never getting married. I’m kind of glad but now Elena and Tracy are messed up again.


2. I did not remotely see the twist of Meghan and Sean getting married! Believe it or not, I was not spoiled. It’s so hilariously appropriate for these two. And thank God for Meghan and Sean given all the other drama going on between everyone else.


3. I don’t agree with Pavone that Felicity deep down has always wanted to be with Noel as well. I don’t believe that at all. I know that I should because we have been taught that Pavone tells the truth, but I just don’t see it. Felicity hasn’t even thought of Noel in a romantic way since S1. Has Felicity maybe questioned if she would have been better off going with Noel instead of Ben early series? Maybe. But only because she has guilt over hurting Noel and maybe when things are tough with Ben she might think about that time when she had a decision and left Noel at the airport alone. But I don’t believe her heart has ever been in love with Noel. She’s always only been in love with Ben.

Pavone said Felicity could have leaned on anyone during this time period. Sure, but who else? Meghan was in Europe with Sean, and Elena was in Buffalo. Who else was around? Even Molly is gone and funny how we do not even know if she's back in England or not. But the circumstances at the end of S3 lead Felicity closer to Noel and then spending the summer alone at the loft with him all the more had them bonding. It was more about circumstances over Felicity seeking out Noel. That is how I see it. Could she have some lingering doubt overall? Yes. But I just don't think she has been torn between Ben and Noel this entire time. I am not buying this because the series has never inferred as much until 4.2.


4. Regarding why Felicity broke up with Ben… I think it’s too simple to say she broke up with him because for right now his life is in order and hers is not. I don’t think that’s what’s going on. I feel like once again they did not work through anything at the end of S3, combined with her life in general being unstable in many areas, and add in the fact that she cheated so she broke up with him due to guilt over what she did. I think it’s a matter of punishing herself and doing something that Ben would have done regardless once he found out she cheated. And I can’t even imagine what it’s going to be like once he does find out. She needs to tell him.

So basically how I analyze the break up is Felicity confronted Ben on Janet and of course Janet kind of was into Ben but he told her he had a girlfriend, and was not interested... it feels like Felicity wanted Ben to say they kissed or he messed up because it would absolve her from the guilt of sleeping with Noel almost.. like an eye for an eye, we’re even. When Felicity found out he was so faithful she completely freaked out and broke up with him. She looks like she cannot stand being around him right now because the guilt and pain consumes her too much. That is why she broke up with him. I just hope she has the courage to tell him that she cheated very soon. It is not fair to just break up with him without being completely honest. You are already hurting him, Felicity, by breaking up with him... he deserves to know the truth about what you did with Noel. Only then will you be able to start to heal together.


5. Tracy's relatives are clearly J.J. Abrams showing that Ben and Felicity will work it out. The talk about forgiveness and the heart growing stronger once you use it screamed Ben and Felicity figuring things out in the end. Forgiveness gets you through and using the heart makes you stronger.

ds44

I honestly think the writers forgot about the avery angle and really wanted to play with the triangle again. Even if you take in the avery stuff. I think 4A Felicity is SO MUCH WORSE THAN anything involving avery. I think while she was leaning on Noel as a friend she didn't think he was an option until he kissed her. Most people would cut off the friendship right there. I don't think she is in love with Noel, but loves the idea of having him as an option if things with Ben don't work out. That in and of itself is wrong. It would be like Ben still having contact with Avery after everything that happend between felicity/avery/ben. I also think that she was a tool to make this stupid triangle happen again. But, I do think that 402 was the end. The rest is Noel just being a psycho.

zoomaces

Oh hell yes, 4A Felicity and her actions = so much worse than those S3 Avery episodes.

Avery was an excuse to get Felicity around Noel more and play the triangle game. For sure.

I don’t like anything about this, and Felicity’s actions certainly are awful.

1. If some of it did have to do with Avery (and I do think there’s a seed that was still planted there) then she should’ve broken up with Ben or discuss everything.

2. She had no business spending an entire summer around an ex-boyfriend like that even if she was seeing him as a friend. She knew he was seeing her as more, and he tried to kiss her. She never even told Ben that Noel tried to kiss her. Guaranteed if Ben knew that he would not have been OK with Noel and Felicity alone together all summer.

3. Felicity should have told Ben instantly she cheated.

4. Felicity should have worried about Ben post-cheating, not Noel. I mean, she was worried about both, but she should not have been worried about her stupid friendship with Noel at all.

5. Cheating is bad enough, but trying to keep it from Ben is just ridiculous.

Yes, I’m glad Felicity Porter is not Joey Potter, the perfect angelic woman Audrey even makes fun of to a group of people… Felicity has made a boatload of errors right now.

Ben bailing on her at the beginning of S2 wasn’t cool. Ben has hurt Felicity before in the past.

But that doesn’t give Felicity a right to cheat. Felicity is REALLY messing up right now.

ds44

I'm fine with it and even the story that happens later cause of this. It's ok to mess up if you learn from your mistakes and are held responsible for them.

zoomaces

Exactly. Same.

What do you think of Pavone saying Felicity wants to be with both? I agree with 99% of what she says but to me this is the 1%.

I agree with you that Noel is like a back up plan. But at the same time I don’t think consciously or even subconsciously Felicity wants both.

ds44

I think they used her to try and imply a triangle when its in fact DEAD. She def does not want to date them both. She only wants Noel if she can't have Ben.

Alexa

Michelle I responded to the stranger things stuff on the OT2 thread
https://www.fanforum.com/f104/ot2-19...usic-63281216/
#15 - https://www.fanforum.com/111095421-post15.html

zoomaces

Perfect! Thanks for that.

zoomaces

^ This is the answer.

Alexa

I think its just the writers wanting to drag out b/f as long a they can cuz they didnt know what else to do with them just existing as a happy couple.

zoomaces

It makes sense. I just wish they would have done it Ephram and Amy-style with no cheating and neither of them in other serious relationships before reuniting.

Everwood was great with “triangles” since they were PG-13.

Colin was technically in a triangle with them but he was sadly dying. Reid was in a triangle with them and Amy dated Reid for two seconds and kissed him once. Then there’s Stephanie who Ephram didn’t go anywhere near either but the Amy jealousy was fun.

Oh well, it is what it is. Up until the end of S3 I didn’t even feel a triangle between Noel/Felicity/Ben. Felicity hadn’t thought of Noel in that way for years. It just feels like it came out of nowhere.

ds44

it was def a case of we don't know what to do with some of these characters.

zoomaces

It just sucks because they knew at this point the series was concluding after 4 seasons too. Should have left Ben and Felicity alone while focusing on making Noel less unstable.

Alexa

thats such a poor excuse too. there are plenty of things they could have done with noel, and really positive things.

ds44

its so dumb