I've been rethinking Eleanor and Woodes and whether I think she's playing him.

I think I would find it most interesting, and more accurate to the complexity of human nature, if all of our theories are true.  If she's trying to secure a position for herself AND she's trying to change to not be the person Vane accused her of being last season AND she's starting to develop genuine feelings of fondness for Rogers.  

The thing about the conversation she had with Max, Eleanor had already expressed similar fears about their partnership to Woodes before it ever began, and he dismissed them.  He didn't care what people said.  Now Max has confirmed that people are talking, that their partnership is becoming an issue, and Eleanor has to decide what to do with that information.  People are already talking, could they really even put that to rest now?  How?  She could abdicate her position as his advisor, that might stop that talking, but it might not, and Woodes would have lost a valuable asset, because whatever else she is to him Eleanor absolutely is valuable as his advisor.  And Eleanor would have lost her position of influence.  While I do think she's genuine in wanting to change and not wanting to throw over anyone for the sake of ambition, that doesn't mean she wants to be powerless and out of the action, so to speak.  So what's the other option?  Go all in.  Woodes has already said he wants her council despite what others say about it, so throw all in with him, make a commitment to him, and deal with the consequences together as a unified front.  

It directly contrasts what's happening to Max.  Eleanor is trying to become less like Old Eleanor, because Old Eleanor wound up in a jail cell awaiting execution.  Max is becoming more like Old Eleanor.  What I got from her scene with Eleanor, and her scene at the end with Madame, is that she's starting to view any genuine relationship as a liability.  Holding power means screwing over the people you care about, so don't care about them if you want to hold it.  I don't think she's fully detached herself emotionally yet, but I think she thinks she needs to.  Whereas Eleanor has decided her best course forward is to do the opposite - find a partner and stick with him, make herself invaluable to him, and deal with the burden of leadership together.  It gives her a position of power AND accomplishes her goal of personal growth and change.  

And on a related but different note, it's always fascinating to me how subjective chemistry is.  I respect the view of those who don't think they have chemistry, but I could not disagree more and I have watched their scene on a loop since yesterday morning (thank you On Demand).  Also Rogers' naked butt is currently my tumblr icon.  

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