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The Magicians Fans Are Really Upset About What Happened to Quentin
Considering what happened to the SyFy show's bisexual character in the season four finale, they have every right to be.
WARNING: Major spoilers for The Magicians ahead!
SyFy's The Magicians has been praised in the past for its inclusion and representation of a diverse range of characters—particularly the bisexual protagonist Quentin Coldwater—but this week's season four finale of the popular fantasy series has many fans feeling (rightfully) betrayed.
To make a long story short, Quentin (played by actor Jason Ralph) was a bisexual magician who suffered from depression. Queer people who suffer from mental illnesses are hardly, if ever, represented on-screen, so for a show to have a leading character like Quentin was groundbreaking. Unfortunately, after four seasons of getting to know him, during the finale of the fourth season, Quentin was killed off, leaving many fans very, very upset at yet another awful example of the Bury Your Gays trope.
\u201c@MagiciansSYFY Yeah, killing off your queer and mentally ill character was not cool or brave. It's something we've seen a thousand times before and are honestly sick off. Wanted new and innovative? Letting him LIVE would have been that.\u201d— The Magicians (@The Magicians) 1555563601
\u201cIt's not edgy or exciting to kill off your main queer character especially not by SUICIDE. I'm so sorry #TheMagicians fans, I don't even go here but you deserve better than this crap. We all deserve better than this crap.\u201d— \ud83d\udc9a\ud83d\udc99Saz\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\ud83c\udff4\u200d\u2620\ufe0f\u2764 (@\ud83d\udc9a\ud83d\udc99Saz\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\ud83c\udff4\u200d\u2620\ufe0f\u2764) 1555575565
\u201cy\u2019all... a relationship between a dude and a fuckin talking sloth was canon and we couldn\u2019t even get a lgbt+ relationship that didn\u2019t end in death. im furious.\n#themagicians\u201d— l (@l) 1555560672
\u201cThis finale legitimately makes me never want to watch my favorite show ever again. I have no words that haven\u2019t been said already. This finale is has #BuryYourGays and has a successful su*cide like what the literal fuck #TheMagicians\u201d— Zo\u00eb Marcel VA (@Zo\u00eb Marcel VA) 1555557480
\u201ckilling off a character who's suffered with depression & overcoming so many obstacles, to just have him killed off in such a rushed, weird way, it was almost insulting. i'm out, i'm fully out. have fun with season 5. #themagicians\u201d— cal kestis lovebot \u2661 (@cal kestis lovebot \u2661) 1555557429
\u201cThings that aren't "subverting tropes" and "realistic storytelling":\n- A queer, depressed boy killing himself to be a hero\n- Continuing to refuse a rape victim bodily autonomy\n- A strong, dynamic female saying "all I wanted in life was to be [his] girlfriend"\n#TheMagicians\u201d— Maggie Masucci (@Maggie Masucci) 1555576034
\u201cI am not exaggerating when I say that this was the grossest way I've seen an lgbt character or relationship treated in a long time. Absolutely no consideration from the writers. Not even a minute's worth. #TheMagicians\u201d— detective donut is a supervillain \ud83c\udf69 (@detective donut is a supervillain \ud83c\udf69) 1555552624
\u201cEliot Waugh: I'm a queer man from an abusive home who's been through a lot of tragedy the past 3 seasons. I've been struggling to love myself and allow myself to be loved by others, but this time I'm going to be brave and tell the man I-\n\n#TheMagicians writers: nah he's dead now\u201d— detective donut is a supervillain \ud83c\udf69 (@detective donut is a supervillain \ud83c\udf69) 1555562635
\u201c#TheMagicians Like I find myself asking what was the point? What was the point of 4x05? What was the point of initially doing so well in showing a mentally ill character? What was the point in showing Quentin and Eliot\u2019s lingering feelings for each other? What was the point??\u201d— \u2764\ufe0f\ud83d\udc96\u2764\ufe0f (@\u2764\ufe0f\ud83d\udc96\u2764\ufe0f) 1555572090
None— Ashley (@Ashley) 1555570358
\u201cMY DUMBASS REALLY WAS HYPING UP QUELIOT FINALLY GETTING TOGETHER TONIGHT LMAOOO #TheMagicians\u201d— Gianna \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08 (@Gianna \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08) 1555552926
\u201cdamn they really brought up the reality of queliot possibly being an actual thing and then having eliot finally admit his feelings for Q while knowing the whole time they were just going to kill him...that\u2019s pretty shitty tbh #TheMagicians\u201d— Gianna \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08 (@Gianna \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08) 1555553585
To make matters worse for The Magicians fans, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Quentin actor Jason Ralph has also officially exited the show, crushing any hopes of the character somehow being able to come back to life.
A Change.org petition has been started by fans for the showrunners to bring Quentin back for season five of The Magicians.
Raffy is a Los Angeles-based writer, editor, video creator, critic, and digital director of Out Magazine. The former editor-in-chief of PRIDE, he is also a die-hard Rihanna and Sailor Moon stan who loves to write about all things pop culture, entertainment, and identities. Follow him on Instagram (@raffyermac) and Twitter (@byraffy), and subscribe to his YouTube channel.
Raffy is a Los Angeles-based writer, editor, video creator, critic, and digital director of Out Magazine. The former editor-in-chief of PRIDE, he is also a die-hard Rihanna and Sailor Moon stan who loves to write about all things pop culture, entertainment, and identities. Follow him on Instagram (@raffyermac) and Twitter (@byraffy), and subscribe to his YouTube channel.
