Pose: Season 2, Episode 3 “Butterfly/Cocoon” – Recap, Review (with Spoilers)

As we are given multiple reasons to celebrate, there is one major blemish that will likely ruin the in-house parade you’ll be having.

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Don’t Tell The Boss, The Client Is Dead!: Euphoria, Ms. Orlando, Elektra, Blanca, Candy

Well, remember that freaky young man who liked to do drugs while beaten by Elektra? He dies. One of the drugs he consumes, coke, poppers, who knows what else, causes him to OD and he ends up choking on his own vomit while in a sex swing. This leads to Elektra going to the only one she knows she can rely on, Blanca, but when she doesn’t give the answer she wants she goes to Candy.

This leads to Candy going to Euphoria for some third party advice since Blanca is for calling the cops and Candy thinks that is one of the dumbest things to come out of Blanca’s mouth. So, as for what Euphoria says? She makes it clear the cops won’t do anything to help Elektra, whether she has her gender confirmation or not. So, Ms. Orlando, who gave Candy bad injections, they go to her to handle the body, and that is just what they do.

Wet N’ Wild: Ms. Ford, Papi, Angel

Ms. Ford and Angel have a bit of an uneasy relationship. She is a gatekeeper, and Angel isn’t desperate to cross over but doesn’t hide her interest. Making her, originally, being rejected hard to handle. Yet, with Papi’s encouragement, and love, a kiss included, Angel rebounds from feelings of rejection. But, the rejection doesn’t last for long, at least for her. For within a few days, or weeks, Ms. Ford calls and offers Angel the chance to do a campaign for Wet N’ Wild lipsticks and get her face in pharmacies across the country.

A Papi After My Own Heart: Papi, Angel

However, the cost of all this seems to be Papi’s affections. You see, Papi says he has loved Angel since they met and while he understands and supports her choosing her career over him, on a pre-planned date night, he is hurt. Yet, that one incident isn’t enough to squash his affections. He still has feelings, and I’m talking feelings beyond what Angel is used to with the idea that good chemistry means let’s have sex. Papi wants something real which is something foreign to Angel. Especially after her situation with old boy in season 1 who seemed more curious about Angel’s life and who she is than wanting to truly be with her.

Other Noteworthy Facts & Moments

• It Is May 1^st, 1990 as of the beginning of this episode.

Highlights

Papi & Angel

When it comes to media featuring trans women, unfortunately, there isn’t a huge amount of romance. Even in director Janet Mock’s books, until she met her husband Aaron, there was maybe one or two real romances, and those were a bit sketchy. As for the rest? They were like what we saw with Angel in season 1, and what she was willing to initiate after kissing Papi. Heck, another example would be Gun Hill Road and the relationship in that movie.

So, taking into consideration what is sadly common, you have to love someone like Papi genuinely in love and wanting to romance Angel. Not in the sense of buying her but wanting as much to be worthy of her as much as share her with the world. So the world too can know her greatness.

Blanca & Elektra

While Elektra has a volatile personality, what you have to appreciate is that whenever things go south, she knows she can run to Blanca. For even after she stormed out, there is something to their relationship which allows for healing – if enough time passes. Making it so you really come to realize the whole mother, daughter, and terms similar aren’t just to show affection but are as they see one another. Since, for better or worse, they each have assumed that role, and as chosen family, while it may give them an easier out to abandon one another, their survival makes it where it is in neither person’s interest to do so.

Close Ranks

With the balls and houses often being places of competition and shade, it is easy to forget sometimes the whole purpose of the systems made is to create a sense of family, unity, and safety. So it was really beautiful that despite what Elektra has done, how selfish she has been, even she wasn’t left to her own devices when in need. In fact, granted for a whole lot of money, many dropped what they were doing to give advice or get their hands dirty.

Some Relief From The Aids Crisis

While this wasn’t a comical episode at all, it is nice to be reminded, even if it requires some madness, there is some chance or ability for these women to survive. It may not be easy, but being presented with one less reminded how challenging things are provided some momentary relief.

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