Reign (TV)

Minor content warning: Reign deals with a tough and very real issue (rape) that many people may relate to. It is, however, the best way I've seen it dealt with on any TV show or movie. (Because being honest it's extremely shitty how media represents and deals with rape, usually like a plot device with no empathy for the victim). Many people were outraged about it, but I find that contempt absolutely ridiculous. Rape is featured in movies and television constantly, and it's treated as a gimick. For the first time a show intentionally captured the fall out. And yeah, it wasn't pretty. But that's because it was geniune, realistic. I read articles of rape victims applauding its treatment of the issue, so I wonder how many furious about it have actually experienced it themselves? Note: Other issues that people have with it shows complete ignorance to the culture of the time period the show is based around.

S2E7

Condé- "You are daring. And fierce."
Mary- "I feel I have to be, until others find it within themselves to be the same."

S2E9

Catherine- "I know you don't want to be touched. That's alright. But you're safe.
I don't know how you managed to escape, but you did. You are alive. You will survive this.
I know this because I survived. You know that too. They tried to destroy you by taking
your pride and your strength, but those things cannot be taken. Not from you. Not ever.
We're going to change your clothes, fix your hair. We are going to erase any 
mark of their hands on you." Fav

Catherine- "Do not let them win. Trust me. Trust me and let me help you.
Trust that I can get you through this because I swear to you that I can."


S2E10

Mary- "I thought that by killing those men I could find by way back to my old life, with Francis. But how can I? It's done, and it can't be undone- what they did to me and the events that led us here, so far from where we began."


S2E11

Greer- "If your heart wants to sleep, let it. Many things can be forced out of duty, but not the heart."

Mary- "No. Enough distance. I've been so deep in a well of my own pain, I couldn't see anything else. I forgot I'm not the only one who's hurt." 

S2E17

Mary- "I thought I needed you, needed us together in Scotland, to find the person I was. I convinced myself that in order to heal I needed you by my side. But now I know. Before you dare to trust anyone else, you must first trust yourself, your own power, that strength I'd thought I'd lost. I hadn't. It's in me still."

S2E22

Mary- "Your mother would say we are stained by such choices. Such brutal and difficult choices we've made, but we can only do our best. Can we not make another choice? One equally hard but so important? To commit our hearts to each other no matter what?"

 Francis- "If only it were that easy."

Mary- “It isn't. It's terrifying and nearly impossible. Especially if we think we can save each other. We can't. We can only love each other.”

S3E14

Mary- "Those memories are a part of me, Greer. But I am stronger than they are. My life is once again the sum of my choices NOT someone else's crimes."