I Think We’re All On The Same Page About The Full Moon Not Just Making Mermaids Act Differently, But

I think we’re all on the same page about the full moon not just making mermaids act differently, but making them act on some kind of “true” or subconscious desire. but I wanted to look more closely at the full moon effect on all our girlies and what it means.

cleo’s larger journey is to self-assurance from where she starts as mostly an ingenue. under the full moon she is confident and has a clear ability that makes her stand out. cleo has spent most of her life as best friends of an absolute beast star athlete, and of a science whiz. in 1x20 she speaks about helping lewis like it’s the first favor she’s ever been able to offer him. her siren power is a special talent unique to her which sets her apart from her friends. she finally commands and basks in all this positive attention, instead of being embarrassed in the limelight like she was at the start of the ep.

moonstruck emma most obviously abandons all responsibility, unburdening herself for maybe the first time in her life. she is flirtatious with byron and with rikki (even drunk I’ve never called a platonic friend baby I’m just saying). she also has a big appetite, which I only recently was thinking about. emma is a lifelong athlete with an extremely strict diet. even at a slumber party she has prepared “sensible” snacks. under the moon’s influence she gives herself freedom to literally eat whatever she wants. and of course she very adamantly wants to stay a mermaid, flying in the face of her usual cautiousness, and is just enjoying that sweet mermaid life.

and rikki has much more awareness during the full moon, not just because she is controlling the effects better but because she is not usually suppressing her impulses. she generally speaks her mind and acts on what she wants anyway, so there isn’t as much for the moon to “reveal.” instead it prompts her to self-isolate, succumbing to her existing fear of not belonging or of being some kind of liability. she acts on her attraction to zane after admitting in 1x6 that she’s insecure about being liked. and she verbalizes her fears and insecurities to somebody besides her friend’s kid brother for the first time.

the full moon eps are such a fun silly way to be like, “let’s make everyone do something crazy and then immediately retcon it” but idk, even though none of these are hot takes I just like how it reveals a lot about our besties