Love in the time of the Wasteland is a dangerous game in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.
This article containsFuriosa: A Mad Max Saga spoilers.
Furiosas world is not a romantic place.
George Millers post-apocalyptic Wasteland is barely habitable and fit for the toughest of survivors only.
Dementus wants to know where Furiosas home is.
That is what love gets you: vulnerability and pain.
Like we said: no romance.
Its shrewd, important, poignant, and a million miles from the unnecessary movie romance subplot trope.
This is not that.
Left as the last two survivors, Furiosa threatens Jack and tries to hijack the truck.
Instead he boots her out and leaves her on the road with nothing.
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Except he doesnt.
He shows her compassion.
He waits for her.
Promises to help her get skilled up, tooled up, get a vehicle.
He wants her to help him finish his deliveries.
It makes sense for both of them.
When she first invites him to come with her to her home, he turns her down.
Their friendship/romance is slow, sincere, and earned.
Furiosa and Jacks relationship isnt about lust or sex.
Furiosa, as a movie, is pleasingly, and perhaps surprisingly, sexless.
Its a horrible image but its not as basely lusty as some dystopias.
So Furiosa and Jacks closeness is particularly delicate and poignant.
Its beautiful and meaningful.
Dementus knows it, and cant bear to look at it.
They are not the same.
The reprieve the audience is given, is that we dont see him die either.
It would be too cruel, and Jack should not become Furiosas woman in the fridge.
Instead we understand he is gone, and Furiosa must move on.
Has her love for him made her weaker?
Its important to note that this care that she feels does not make her safe.
Miller takes pains to make it so.
This happens inAlienswith Newt, and inAlien 3with Clemens, which arguably makes her a slightly less interesting character.
Furiosa is in cinemas now.
