Why Lance Is Dead (SPOILER-RICH, SO DON'T READ THIS TILL AFTER EP. 6!)
Lance Sullivan, the character on CUCUMBER, is dead.
The character he was trying to have sex with, Daniel Coltrane, killed him. Picked up a golf club and swung at his head like Tiger Woods going for the 18th hole.
These are the facts.
And I know from having read spoilers, that in the closing episodes of CUCUMBER coming up, Lance's sister will lay the blame for her brother's brutal death at Henry's feet, because he refused Lance's marriage proposal.
If you believe in predestination, though, she's 100% wrong. From the first time they met at the aquarium and shook hands, Daniel was destined to murder Lance, just as sure as the sun will rise and set tomorrow. And there's not a damned thing anyone could've done about it. And - let's be real, shall we? Lance was definitely in love with Henry, and Henry returned that love - in his own "Henry Best" way, of course. Lance probably thought that marriage was some kind of catalyst - like a set of jumper cables - that might be the doorway to a healthier sex life for the two of them. Henry refused, not just because the thought of that kind of commitment terrified him (which it did, of course), but because he knew instinctively and immediately, that it would never work between them.
Once they HAD been married, I imagine that when Lance discovered that marriage was NOT the answer to their problems, he still would've ended up sooner or later with Daniel on Canal Street. Still would've gone to his flat, almost had sex with him, had his head bashed in.
Predestination.
But if you DON'T believe in predestination, then what is the answer? Who is to blame for Lance's death, if not Daniel? What could've happened to possibly change the course of events that led to the tragedy?
Here's my take:
Without predestination as a factor, then Lance's sister is right about blaming Henry as much as Daniel...but only by half. Because LANCE HIMSELF has to accept his share of the blame. There were a million little signs and signals, and some huge red flags - the biggest coming from Daniel himself - that told Lance time and time again, that something was wrong. That pursuing anything other than a casual at-work friendship with Daniel was the best way to go - work mates, nothing more. Lance 'chose poorly', as they would say in INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE. He decided to ignore the signs, made the wrong choice and paid for it. That he paid for it with his life is not fair, but most of life isn't.
But getting to the point: the blame for Lance's death without the handcuffs of predestination, falls on Lance AND Henry, 50/50.
Why? Simple. Because they were GROWN-UPS, who failed to act like ADULTS. BOTH OF THEM.
They did all the right things as 'grown-ups.' They had decent (if not posh) jobs, settled into a flat together, paid bills, went out, established certain bonds and rituals as couples do, gay OR straight. Like GROWN-UPS.
But ADULTS? That, dear reader, is another matter entirely.
Because ADULTS would have never waited for NINE EFFING YEARS to have 'the talk.' Especially on Lance's part. Lance was the more sexually aggressive, Henry the more passive of the two of them. But Lance should have never allowed Henry to wriggle out of having "the talk" as often as he did, and Henry was right to point that out to him when they split up. Lance was just "too nice" about everything.
AS ADULTS, they should have sat down at some point and had "the talk", which is about sex. And let's just have a 'real talk' moment about that, shall we? For a good half of couples, married, partnered, dating long-term, whatever, the sex at first may start off *beep* MIND-BLOWING. Wall-climbing, toe-curling, Forth of July fireworks, atom bombs going off, the whole lot. But it never stays that way for most. Not once the 'settling in' phase begins.
What was once a virtual five-day-a-week event, may decrease at first to every other day. Then twice a week. Then once. Then maybe a few times a month. Then maybe just on holidays and birthdays...if that.
At some point, if a couple loves, respects and cares for one another, they will sit down and have "the talk", when the time is right, and it's different for everybody, but unavoidable...if you want to stay together. You have to let each other know where you stand. What you want, what you NEED, what you're not getting, and how the two of you can work something out...a compromise maybe, since all relationships are negotiations about compromise at their core. We KNOW this as ADULTS, and if we are to act as RESPONSIBLE ADULTS, we address it accordingly.
Or - as it was in Lance and Henry's case - we don't. And you see what happens when we don't.
Lance Sullivan is dead because he and his partner did not have 'the talk'. And to Lance's credit, I think he did try to start it, and Henry deflected it on several occasions. And then Lance let him off the hook too easy.
If the blowout that resulted in their split had happened much earlier in their relationship, before Lance ever met Daniel Coltrane, Lance would've been a happier man. And probably still breathing. And with someone else instead of Henry; someone who would have given him exactly what he needed.
And that's my take on it.