Amac Productions

This is one of my all-time favorite fan videos. It sums up these two characters so well.

Fun fact: I discovered this couple by accident. I was watching Clexacon footage for Wayhaught and Carmilla and I saw Amy Acker. Who I have loved since forever ago on Angel as Fred. So I thought, hey, let’s check out her video.

I then fell into a rabbit hole on Youtube of clips of Root and Shaw.

Then I binged the entire series on Netflix as I discovered not only did, I love them, but I loved the show too.

Now I’m here.

Telling you all about it.

Root and Shaw are such an interesting couple to me.

Root – on the one hand – is extremely emotional. She’s ruled by her emotions. Tends to wear her heart on her sleeve and is out of her mind most of the time. She also has no moral compass to speak of until The Machine instills one into her.

Shaw – on the other hand – isn’t ruled by any emotions. Hers are turned down so far, it’s like they’re not there. Except they are. They’re just quieter. She also has no true moral compass, content to be pointed in whatever direction her employers take her as long as she gets to kick ass and use guns.

They honestly couldn’t work with anyone else.

They compliment each other.

Root is loud enough for the both of them. While Shaw is quiet enough for the both of them.

They lack morals and are both a little psycho. With The Machine guiding them… Yikes. They would have been a truly frightening team. One we see several times throughout the series.

Root and Shaw work seamlessly together even when they’re not getting along.

But the thing I love most about them is the utter acceptance of each other.

Root wants Shaw.

It’s no secret in the series. She has a thing for her. Very clearly shown.

Shaw is more complicated.

Except she isn’t.

She wants Root in her own way.

In season three, she’s concerned for Root’s wellbeing. So much so she abandons the current mission she’s on with John, to ensure Root doesn’t get herself killed.

Something she doesn’t typically do.

We see her attempt it again for John in season four when he’s stuck in a building with people trying to kill him. Though Root interferes to ensure Shaw’s safety.

But Shaw trusted Root so implicitly she didn’t see the double cross coming.

She risks her own life to help Root again when in season four, Root goes to have a meeting with the evil AI Samaritan.

In season four when Root has a shootout with Samaritan’s operative and disappears through a window, her fate is unknown. Shaw asks about her wellbeing. Given an answer she doesn’t seem to care for.

She kisses Root goodbye when she sacrifices herself.

And the biggies in season five when she doesn’t kill herself because Root sends her a message and the only person in all the fake realities she couldn’t kill was Root.

She killed John.

The one other person we’ve seen her truly worry and care for. But not Root.

And when Root does die, Shaw is upset. Unable to cope. She even tries to get herself killed by Samaritan, hoping it’s a simulation she can start over. She even mentions to someone that they have people they can love, yet they choose to be a bad person.

Wishing she herself could feel love like others do.

Except, she does love Root.

Over the course of the series, it’s clear Shaw cared for her father. She gets irritated when people speak about him. We even see how he died and how Shaw was told. She didn’t blink or cry.

But when The Machine delivers a message from Root to Shaw after her death, Shaw cries.

Out of everyone in the world, Root never asked for more than Shaw was willing to give.

Toss out the background allisions to them sleeping together and all the things we think happened off camera. Everything that happens on camera tells a great story.

Root wanted Shaw exactly as she was.

Quiet emotions and all.

She didn’t ask her for romance she couldn’t give. She didn’t push for affection or anything Shaw wouldn’t be comfortable with.

She simply existed with her.

And Shaw let her, because for the first time, no one was demanding more from her. Root didn’t ask her to be kind or stop being gruff or be ladylike or stick around when people wanted to thank her.

Root intercepted that. Opened her food when she was handcuffed. She operated within what Shaw gave her.

With that, Shaw gave a bit more and more every time.

A true love story played out on our screens and while I’m excited to see how people think things unfolded offscreen, the onscreen love story for a show that clearly never set out to tell a love story, was pretty amazing.

Wouldn’t you agree?

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Want a hint for tomorrow’s couple?

They were never canon and never will be canon since the series has ended. If you’re thinking Supercorp, you’re wrong. Right show though. 😉

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