8 Thoughts I Had While Watching Love Island Season 8 Episode 21
- Leon
- Jun 27
- 5 min read
Updated: Jul 2
Trust, betrayal, and "I'm Titi".
"Well, that's degrading."
Hearing the boys express themselves in Casa Amor was just nefarious. The way KC talks about having some sort of "power" to explain his desirability is beyond delusional. His complete disregard for Aniya, followed by saying that he is "finally getting what he deserves," is so shocking that I almost forgot how insincere Sincere really is. The last person I thought about was Sincere because we had KC going head-to-head with Corbin for gold in the Red Pill Olympics.
Then came the conversation about the women in Casa, as if they were entitled to their affection. That made it clear to me that they are there to have fun and collect brand deals. Do these men not realize this show is largely watched by women? We don't want to see them treat women this way, and historically, that behavior hasn't translated into brand deals or lucrative fame in any way. Hopefully, they experience some brief recognition... at the Fiji airport.
"She's so cute when she's with him."
For the first time, we get to see Aniya look comfortable. I enjoyed seeing this version of her with Carl. Their dynamic was sweet, but I had a feeling she wasn't going to choose him. She strikes me as someone who values quality time, and three days is not enough for her to make any drastic decision. I mean, she didn't choose KC at first and expressed he was not top of her list.
After the recoupling, I'm optimistic she'll see that KC is going to put in the work... to book those brand deals. Thus far, Carl seems respectful and is ok with the pace she is setting. If he returns to the villa, I hope he is open to continuing his connection with Aniya and that at some point she hears exactly what KC had to say about her, since "Titi" did most of the talking.
" Why do I get the feeling these are just words."
As Aniya, Melanie, and Kayda sat at the fire pit talking about self-respect, I began to develop a sense of hope for them. Hope that Kayda would find a man that isn't trying to guess the next game play so he can move accordingly, that Melanie would find a connection that allowed her to stay carefree, and that Aniya would choose a man who appreciates her pace. It was refreshing to hear it from Melanie, but something about it felt like production had a hand in it.
As they stood up for the recoupling, one by one, they disappointed me. Once again, they were trapped with the men who made them feel inadequate, except for Aniya, who escaped by a single hair on Sincere's chin.
4." She chose to humiliate herself?!"
There is something culturally relevant about Melanie sitting next to Sincere with her head hanging, after she expressed that she deserves better, but chose him once again.
When asked if he knew she'd be standing there, he replied, " I know Melanie," which echoed exactly what she said earlier: no matter what he did, she'd still be waiting when he came home to her. There is a Hispanic woman somewhere also waiting for her husband to come home so she can question his whereabouts. It's the misogyny that still runs rampant in the Hispanic culture that reinforces this relationship dynamic. Women are taught to stay with men who are consistently disingenuous in hopes that "love" will be enough eventually. I don't think it ever plays out that way, and based on his "forgetting about her" comment in Casa, it won't in this case either.
He was grateful she chose to stay loyal because they'd "been through a lot", but the 'lot' they've been through has just been him. I hope she gets to see him saying he was forgetting about her before the show comes to a close, and I get to see her finally choose herself.
" Zack only cares about Kayda when he's left with no couple."
The more I pay attention to Zack, the more I get the impression that he is choosing the "safe" option to win the game. He is far too focused on what picture of him Kayda saw on the postcard and how she may or may not move.
His discussion with her before leaving for Casa Amor made no sense either. I don't think it was Kayda exploring Caleb that annoyed him, but rather the possibility of being on the chopping block if she does. It's like he can see how much she likes him and plays into it when it benefits him; otherwise, he doesn't seem that invested.
Needless to say, I do not trust him and am curious to see how the "closing off" conversation plays out (if it does).
6. "I'm so proud of Kenzie."
Out of all the people in that fire pit, Kenzie impressed me. She moved on from her connection with Corbin and chose somebody else. I have respect for her cut-off game because she has not rekindled any prior connection that made her feel inadequate.
The ball has always been in her court, and for that reason, I think she's having the best Love Island experience out of everybody. I hope the other girls realize that they should also move on from old connections that aren't serving them.
7. "Maybe they really do enjoy each other."
The only couple to evoke a tear from me and all the islanders at the fire pit: Brinity. At first, I was skeptical about their connection, not only because Nic and Olandria were favored by the public, but at times it did not seem like they were emotionally invested in each other.
After what I've witnessed tonight, Bryce and Trinity are taking the win thus far. I would like to see Bryce tested one more time with someone who is genuinely gunning for him, just to see if he's not simply defaulting into a couple with Trinity for what is a very obvious win.
8. "But where's the respect in all this love?"
I want to see women choose partners who are happy to be with them. I am deeply disappointed to see, time and time again, women recognize they can have better and still choose less in the guise that it will somehow work out. When someone does not respect you, they never will and it has nothing to do with you.
I want a season finale where I don't have to choose between the lesser evils. I want to be excited to vote for a top three that love and respect each other, even if it's just as human beings. I'll take friends over some of these couples.
I think this reflects the expectations of love that are ingrained in women through media from a young age. It starts in cartoons where a princess gives the cruel prince a chance until he "changes" for her, and can later manifest as a toxic relationship where the woman is expected to be permissive.
People don't notoriously function in "change", but rather in patterns. Someone who has a pattern of being disrespectful will likely continue that behavior with you as well. If the women on the show choose men who make them feel respected, this season wouldn't have to feel like a lesson in misogyny. Instead, it would be a lesson in what healthy relationships look like and how people should be valued in them.
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