User blog comment:WildJackal/Sam beating Freddie a sign that she loves him?/@comment-3092491-20110717231929

I don't look at it as anything much deeper than a silly, little, somewhat overused trope of the tough girl berating the guy she secretly likes, or even isn't aware she likes yet.

I'm not gonna point at every instance of Sam making a jab at Freddie or pushing him out of a chair and say - "Aha! At that very moment in time she is masking hidden feelings for him! LOVE!"

That's ridiculous.

I fully admit that. But at the same time its not ridiculous to recognize that its a common trope for a girl that treats a guy like that to end up liking him or do it because she doesn't want to show a softer side around this one particular person for whatever reason - pride, probably - especially when little moments of weakness and development are shown in that direction - iWDF, iKiss, iRWM, iTTK, iSD, iOMG and a few others.

I'm not looking into comedy "deeper" and saying its hidden feelings of love when she messes with him - I'm just recognizing the pattern of a comedic trope.

On the other hand its not any comedic trope I know of that a girl hitting a guy and laugh track playing is really the very real relationship of an abuser and their victim. Sockstarpleasereadthiscomment.