Early/Extended Access: Hannibal 1x08

Yes, Mads is so beautiful, but Gillian. I’ve had the longest crush on her and she is killing it here! Perhaps literally. Who knows with this show.

cinder

This is one of my favorite episodes of Season 1! I really wish we'd gotten Will taking out a handkerchief and cleaning blood off Hannibal's face. But I also understand why that was cut. Too soon, too obvious.

Rhast

I love the narrative foil (is that the right word? I know nothing about media analysis lmao) between Will and Tobias. Tobias is everything you'd expect Hannibal to want—a fellow killer who is classy and distinguished, who shares his world views and his hobbies (of both the murderous and non-murderous kind) and wants to be friends/partners in crime—and yet, when Hannibal is presented with that friendship, it rings hollow purely because Tobias isn't Will. Will is nothing like what Hannibal would have expected to want. He doesn't fit in with Hannibal's lavish lifestyle or his pretentious hobbies or his rich "friends" like Tobias would, yet Will is the person Hannibal wants. Yes, he's interested in Will because of all the possibilities for darkness and violence that lie dormant in his mind, but I think the most seductive thing about Will to Hannibal is his keen sense of empathy, which is something Hannibal himself lacks. To Hannibal, they're like opposite sides of the same coin, both with potential for darkness and violence but in different ways. Hannibal isn't interested in being friends with the Walmart version of himself, he wants someone he sees as his equal, who can both understand him and challenge him, and that's what he sees potential for in Will. Hannibal took one look at this sweaty FBI agent covered in dog hair and went "That one. That's the one I want" and no one else was ever good enough for him again after that😂 I also think this episode is the first time Hannibal truly realizes that Will isn't a replaceable plaything, and that the idea of losing him actually genuinely upsets and worries Hannibal. He sent Will after Tobias on almost a whim, probably as a way to test him (and also probably bc he was a little bit salty about the whole "I kissed Alana Bloom" thing lmao), but when Tobias shows up at his door and Will is nowhere to be seen, Hannibal is forced to face a reality where Will has died and he finds it deeply unsatisfactory and upsetting. Which is why he's so relieved and happy when Will shows up later, and why he can't stop looking at him with a frankly disgusting amount of adoration on his face. (Seriously, how the fuck do you control your eye twinkles, Mads?? What kind of fucking sorcery is this???)

HeathenPotato

Uuh, one of my favorite episodes :D Thank you for the wonderful reaction! Couldn't agree more to your analysis, Hannibal was definitely given a choice here, and he chose Will :) with as genuine emotions as he is capable, which are surprisingly deep.

Lisa Kleine

You're not the only one who finds Mads extremely hot during fights. There is more hotness to come and yes Hannibal looking at Will in the end ... he literally had heart eyes 😍 you're gonna love the next episode