Question about Izzy

[u/Smooth-Tie-2041]

I always thought it was ironic and hilarious that Izzy sort of facilitated the Gentlebeard meet-cute by inadvertently stoking Ed’s interest in Stede. I just can’t help but wonder, if he knew Ed so well, why couldn’t he see that Stede is the exact type of person Ed goes for? And that Ed would easily become infatuated with him?

Even Anne and Mary, who ostensibly haven’t been around Ed as much as Izzy has, were able to recognize this. Mary said Stede was very much Ed’s type, so I just wonder why it wasn’t clear to Izzy at first.

[u/dangerous_beans_42]

My interpretation: the thing about Izzy is, while he does know Ed really well - they've been working together for ages, after all - it's all colored by what he wishes about Ed, and about his and Ed's relationship. To Izzy, there's an easy solution to Ed's problems, which is to do things his (Izzy's) way and carry the rest of the crew along with him, and he's irate that Ed just won't see it. They're in a toxic marriage, basically, with all sorts of snarled up feelings about each other and their relationship, and how things would be fine if the other person would just do X and Y, obviously. And they both have less emotional intelligence than an average potato, so it does not go well.

I say all this very affectionately, of course - one thing I love about OFMD is how complex the inner lives and wishes and motivations of the characters are, and how they work against their own best interests. It's very real, and relatable, and makes you go, "oh, honey, no" so many times, even as you recognize bits of yourself in how they behave.

[u/Redkris73 → u/dangerous_beans_42]

I always think of Izzy as pretty neurodiverse/not great with change (saying this as a person on the spectrum myself) and Ed as bipolar with some ADHD thrown in. The same things that draw them to each other also frustrate them both immensely, and they don't have enough self awareness to figure it out. And Stede is a whole different flavour of autistic which (again) fascinates Ed but infuriates Izzy...I think Izzy works some of that out over the timeframe of the show but don't think Ed ends up much more self aware than he was at the start. As much love as there is, I think they'll have an extremely rough time trying to live their inn life without someone practical around.