MovieChat Forums > Billions (2016) Discussion > Wendy the manipumatrix

Wendy the manipumatrix

posted 8 years ago by The_Matrixfan
5 replies | jump to latest

Just finished my binge of season one and damn this is a fantastic show! Everyone was perfect but Wendy stood out especially. For someone who wanted to remain on neutral ground during the war, she has revealed her hand and is definitely not the person she wants to project she is.

Let me start at the beginning. In episode 1 we're introduced to a dedicated mental health professional who just wants to keep everyone focused and away from the edge. She's good at what she does and loves her job, but the impending war between her boss and husband pretty much spells out that she's not in the best of places right now. In fact later on in the season she stands her ground to Axe, "I don't want to be the shuttlecock between the two of you". That's what she says but it's in contradiction with what she wants.

See in episode one, the very first scene with her husband and the bondage puts her in a position of power. We later learn she enjoys, even excels at being in this position. There is more to it, it's not just power she loves but the feeling of being worshipped/desired. Anytime a situation presents the potential for more desire, she flocks to it like a fly to a bug zapper. Wendy loves working with Axe because he practically worships the ground she walks on and shows great desire for her to be in his life, to fix him when he needs it and to keep him focused. She loves being with Chuck for pretty much the exact same reason. Being between the two is just euphoria for her and I don't think she fully understands why that is but sub-consiosly and maybe even deliberately adds fuel to the fire.

Don't believe me? Well think back to anytime she's been offered an out. Think of the headhunter who had a job lined up to her specks and she turned it down in favour of remaining in the centre of the chaos. Hell think of the headhunter himself, she knew he was into her and we all know she's not afraid to mince words and put people in their place but she let him into her office. Let him get close and enjoyed that feeling of being desired until it no longer suited her wants.

Anytime Axe wants to pry or pull a fast one on her, she's not just looking to re-establish her independence but to rekindle that feeling of being desired. Take the pool scene, we all knew there would be a camera there. If we knew it, you can bet Wendy did too. So when she stepped in there she wasn't just offering trust, but another avenue of power over him. What is more powerful, trusting someone with your reputation or giving them the keys to ruin it, all the while anticipating what that shift in loyalty would mean? She warned Axe that if he cut her off, she was done. She knew it would make him fight harder to keep her and that my friends is what she's addicted to. The people who for various reasons want her in their lives.

To be desired is a dangerous want.

A drunk man's words are a sober man's thoughts.

[–] mister_aussie 8 years ago

The axe/wendy/chuck triangle is a little hard to swallow. Are we to believe that two people who enjoy a strictly professional relationship just jump into a pool naked together and everything is still platonic?

[–] VGsam 8 years ago

Are we to believe that two people who enjoy a strictly professional relationship just jump into a pool naked together and everything is still platonic

Probabaly not platonic, but their background has not been explored, which I hope it is.

[–] C_Hall22 8 years ago

Although I respect your opinion on Wendy, you obviously like her character a lot, I found her boring and unnecessary to the show. I don't really care that she grounded Axe, I didn't buy it, that a man like him would take ANYBODYs advise let alone the wife of the man that wants to destroy him, The scene in the hot tub made me cringe, why would a professional women subject herself to sitting naked in a hot tub because he didn't trust her, knowing that she was probably being filmed.

I don't feel that Axe desires Wendy at all. I'm not sure if it's a conscience decision or a subconscious decision, he just wants to take down Chuck in anyway possible. Even if that means getting with Chuck's wife, and if Wendy is as smart as you say she is, she should realize this and not fall for any of his BS.

I just watched episode 1 of season 2, which was released early on demand and I found her character even more annoying than ever in season 2. I love this show, but I don't want to watch Wendy hate on her husband all season, or watch Axe trying to get Wendy to back to work for him. Chuck is the father of her children, even if she hates his guts, she needs to put her children's needs first. If she goes back to work for Axe, to me it is choosing to hurt her children knowing Axe wants her Ex husband either in jail or dead.

[–] brux (14811) 8 years ago

Seems like Wendy desires Axe. That is why she made the petty remark to Lara about having set the policy. But who really cares who did it ... except that Lara was humiliated again. First was when she wanted to play businesswoman with her restaurant and now with Wendy. Lara is around all these world-class creeps and wants to think she is up there with them, but she is just a wife. But is Wendy jealous of that?

I just find this show to be complete ridiculous from the silly opening scene.

[–] Birdmant7 (202) 8 years ago

I have never liked Wendy's character, she is a manipulative and a liar, just a bitch.