There’s no denying that we love Starz VIDA here at Fangirlish. I’ve been raving about it, from Emma killing queer stereotypes to #Emico being the bees knees, for weeks! And it wasn’t until I did a rewatch of season 2 that I realized I need to spend more time talking about Lyn Hernandez, especially the scene where she confronts those punks harassing her.
Now, from day one Lyn has been a hard pill to swallow. I don’t connect with her flippant nature, her hippie vibes/style, or the conflicts in her life. (I’m definitely an Emma girl, if you can’t tell.) But season two redefined who I thought Lyn was and what she wants to do for her future, the future of the bar, and her future with her sister now that they are back home for good.
The following scene was key in that redefining of Lyn Hernandez for me.
At first I thought it was the same ol’ Lyn; hitting up her ex that she should really let go. Been there, done that! I also felt a little drum of fear for Lyn when these two idiotas started harassing her. My mind immediately went to, “Is VIDA about to take a dark sexual assault turn?” Not saying that VIDA can’t handle it, I’m saying I wouldn’t be able to handle it.
This fear grew even more when Lyn confronted the idiotas and asked them to cut it out. There was something dangerous, a possibility of something happening, in the air and I thought that these idiotas would see Lyn as an easy target. The way they laughed and said that they were just trying to talk to her was proof enough.
Lyn wasn’t having any of that and dismissed the idiotas like they deserved. Because Lyn might be desperate and she might be having a horrible night, but she’s not going to let some pendejos mess with her when she’s trying to figure shit out. And this honestly was the beginning of Lyn starting to change in my eyes. I’ve been there. Many women have. And Lyn saying goodbye to these idiotas was her taking a stand!
Things changed big time and I was on the edge of my seat when they threatened to follow her home. This is real world shit that women have to deal with day in and day out, whether it be at home, a busy area, or a lonely street like the one that Lyn was on. And because Lyn defended herself and dismissed these idiotas two seconds before, who are actually snowflakes of the highest order, they felt spurned and lashed out big time.
Little did they know that Lyn Hernandez AIN’T TAKING THIS SHIT LAYING DOWN! In fact, she’s gonna come at you with the power of generation after generation of Latinas who don’t take shit from anyone! Seriously, if she had a chancla she would’ve thrown it and somehow hit both of them because this is something that we Latinas are capable of. Instead Lyn went big and swung around her purse while going after those young punks!
This bravery, this not taking anyone’s shit, has endeared me to Lyn Hernandez and makes me want to watch season one and two all over again with new eyes and doses of perspective. Because this right here, this a warrior. This is a champion. This is a woman not letting the world around her or the idiotas in it so ruin her day, night, or life. And I need to see more of this in season three of VIDA and EVERYTHING featuring women characters from here on out.
So, thank you Melissa Barrera. Thank you Tanya Saracho. And thank you to everyone that brought this scene together. It redefined what strength means to me and I couldn’t be anymore grateful or excited to get my hands on more of this quality Latinx content!
Starz VIDA season one and two are now available to stream.
