FACULTAD DE FILOLOGÍA
TRABAJO DE FIN DE GRADO
GRADO EN ESTUDIOS INGLESES
TÍTULO:
Non e bal Communica ion in Close Liaison wi h
Emo ions: A Case S udy o he Anima ed Se ies o
A cane
AUTOR:
Ana C is óbal Na a o
TUTORA: José En ique Ga cía González
FECHA: 26 de mayo de 2025
INDEX
1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................... 1
2. NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION ....................................................................... 2
3. METHODOLOGY ..................................................................................................... 6
4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ................................................................................. 8
4.1. Non e bal cues be ween Vi and Cai lyn in Season 1 ........................................ 8
4.2. Non e bal cues be ween Vi and Cai lyn in Season 2 ...................................... 11
4.3. De elopmen al di e ences be ween Vi and Cai lyn ....................................... 13
5. CONCLUSIONS ....................................................................................................... 22
REFERENCES ............................................................................................................. 24
................................................................................................................ 26
................................................................................................................ 35
................................................................................................................ 41
................................................................................................................ 46
1
1. INTRODUCTION
Ges u es, ouch, p oximi y, glances… all hese human beha iou s a e u e ly impo an in
communica ion. Think abou when you and you iend a e awa e o wha he o he one
means jus wi h speci ic ges u es o glances, o when you a e on a da e wi h you
signi ican o he and exchange ligh ouches o ge close each ime you us g ows. This
ype o beha iou is usually seen in se ies and ilms, in which eal ac o s use hese
p ac ices o add meaning o wha hey a e communica ing e bally.
This beha iou may some imes occu na u ally in li e-ac ion pe o mances, o e en
by chance, bu in anima ed se ies like A cane, no hing is casual, each mic o exp ession
and ges u e is done pu posely, which p o ides us wi h lo s o in o ma ion abou non e bal
communica ion.
In A cane, he e a e se e al cha ac e s and each o hem displays a di e en s o y and
ways o communica ing, bu I will be ocusing on wo o he main ones: Vi and Cai lyn.
These wo cha ac e s belong o wo comple ely di e en wo lds, di e en ci ies and wo
opposi e social s andings, s a ing hei ela ion in a jailcell, ou o which Cai lyn ees Vi
o help he in an ongoing in es iga ion. Thei ela ionship e ol es om enmi y, o
iendship, o lo e s, hus hei ways o communica ing also e ol e. The e o e, I will be
analysing he e olu ion o hei non e bal communica ion om he e y beginning o
hei ela ionship (Season 1) un il he end o he se ies (Season 2).
The goal o his s udy is o analyse and demons a e how non e bal beha iou ,
specially ouch and p oximi y, inc ease bo h in quan i y and quali y as a (lo e)
ela ionship g ows be ween hese wo people, as “s udies o liking and in e pe sonal
a ac ion […] end o associa e posi i e a ec wi h close p oximi y” (Sunds om &
Al man, 1976). The expec ed esul s o his analysis include: an inc ease o in ima e
dis ances and a dec ease o social dis ances, an inc ease o physical con ac , and an
inc ease o a ious non e bal beha iou s such as pe sonal glances.
Fi s , a heo e ical amewo k abou non e bal communica ion will be p o ided
(Sec ion 2) including a able wi h he lis o all ex ac s om Seasons 1 and 2 ha con ain
e e y in e ac ion be ween Vi and Cai lyn ha will be analysed, and hen I will explain in
he me hodology sec ion a de ailed accoun o all he s eps I ha e unde aken in my
analysis. Following he me hodology, I will show and in e p e he esul s in he
2
subsequen sec ion. Finally, I ha e included 4 appendixes: Appendixes A and B con ain
he ansc ip ions o each ex ac men ioned in Sec ion 2 (Non e bal communica ion) and
Appendixes C and D con ain a ull accoun o all non e bal e bal cues in each ex ac .
2. NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION
To a g ea e o lesse ex en , i is known ha humans need om one ano he o exis and
communica e ideas, as Ris ic (2024, p.145) s a ed, “The need o social bonds is one o
he mos essen ial human needs”. Bu how many ypes o human communica ion can we
ind? P o esso Con e se Willkom (2018) s a ed ha he e a e 5 ypes o human
communica ion: e bal, non- e bal, w i en, lis ening, and isual. Ve bal communica ion
is he well-known p ima y way o communica ing wi h wo ds when speaking wi h o he s,
ei he ace- o- ace o ia elephone o using simila ways as Disco d, Zoom… Non- e bal
communica ion e e s o he ges u es, body language, acial exp essions and
pa alinguis ic ea u es (s ess, pi ch, a e and olume o he oice) ha each o us use
when engaging in con e sa ion wi h o he indi iduals. W i en communica ion is he one
ha indi iduals use when communica ing ia email, Facebook, a le e … Also, lis ening
(mo e speci ically, ac i e lis ening) is, as Willkomm (2018, pa a. 5) s a ed, “one o he
mos impo an ypes o communica ion because i we canno lis en o he pe son si ing
ac oss om us, we canno e ec i ely engage wi h hem”. And inally, isual
communica ion, which is ound in isual memes, ideos on he in e ne , ele ision…
Bu he wo main ypes o communica ion and he wo mos widely ecognised,
a e e bal and non- e bal communica ion, al hough he la e has been a bi o e looked
by esea che s. Kelmaganbe o a e al. (2023) s a ed ha aspec s o non e bal
communica ion we e no aken se iously o be s udied un il he ea ly 1960s, which is
su p ising, as he ges u es, in ona ion, acial exp essions… con ey g ea amoun o
in o ma ion ha complemen wo ds in e bal communica ion. In hei s udy, hey also
s a ed ha P o esso Meh abian (1967, p. 1) belie es ha “ h ee main ac o s play he
mos c ucial ole in communica ion: wha we say (7%), how we say i (38%), and he
body language we use (55%)”, lea ing only a small pe cen age (7%) o e bal
communica ion, ha is, only wo ds.
As exp essed by Hall, Ho gan and Mu phy (2019, p. 272), non e bal
communica ion (NVC) is de ined as “beha iou o he ace, body, o oice minus he
linguis ic con en , in o he wo ds, e e y hing bu he wo ds”. O ano he simple
3
de ini ion gi en by DeVi o (2002, p. 155), “communica ion wi hou wo ds”. In ac ,
DeVi o (2002, p. 134) s a es ha “non e bal messages may communica e he exac same
meanings as e bal messages”, and his ype o communica ion has six ways in which i
blends wi h e bal communica ion. Non e bal messages can emphasize, complemen ,
con adic , egula e, epea and e en subs i u e e bal messages, o his eason hey
canno be o e looked by any means.
The s udy o NVC includes o he a eas such as kinesics (use o a ms, legs, ace
and hands o con ey meaning), p oxemics (s udy o space and p oximi y depending on
he in imacy o powe o he indi iduals in a con e sa ion), pa alanguage (use o
elemen s like olume, pi ch o a e o he oice o exp ess emo ions) and o he s like
ch onemics (how people egula e ime in communica ion in di e en cul u es) and
ol a ics (how a pe son communica es e hnici y, social class and s a us h ough smell)
(Neuliep, 2018, p. 426). I is also impo an o men ion hap ics, which is he s udy o
ouch (Eunson, 2012). Among all hese a eas o s udy, he mos impo an ones o ake
in o accoun in his wo k will be kinesics, p oxemics, pa alanguage and hap ics.
Kinesics
Acco ding o DeVi o (2002) and Neuliep (2018) he e a e i e main ypes o kinesics
elemen s: emblems, illus a o s, a ec displays, egula o s and adap o s. Emblems,
which a e he hand(s) (o body) ges u es ha can be in e p e ed in o wo ds (e.g. OK sign)
and a e usually speci ic in ce ain cul u es (e.g. i someone makes he V sign wi h he
palm acing hei ace in England, his is conside ed insul ing, whe eas in mos o he
cul u es i is accep able); illus a o s, ha a e ges u es o mo emen s made wi h he body
ha complemen o enhance he e bal message (e.g. a ges u e o he le when e e ing
o some hing in ha di ec ion); a ec displays, which e e o he mo emen s o he body,
hands and especially he ace ha communica e emo ions (e.g. owning o body ension);
egula o s, ha consis o he beha iou s o he body ha con ol, coo dina e o moni o
he speaking o ano he indi idual (e.g. nodding o le he speake know ha hey a e
being unde s ood and inally, adap o s, which consis on ges u es ha adap and sa is y
one’s needs; hese can be sel -adap o s (e.g. sc a ching onesel ), al e -adap o s (e.g.
emo ing some dus om someone’s jacke ) o objec -adap o s (e.g. doodling on a piece
o pape ). In he s udy u he ahead, we will ocus on he ollowing elemen s: emblems,
illus a o s, a ec displays, egula o s and adap o s.
4
Following wi h he s udy o he use o ges u es o con ey meaning, i is impossible
o men ion kinesics wi hou he use o acial communica ion. DeVi o (2002) in his
esea ch men ions ha Ekman, F iesen, & Ellswo h (1972) s a e ha acial mo emen s
exp ess a leas : happiness, su p ise, ea , ange , sadness, disgus , con emp , and in e es ,
which a e called p ima y a ec displays (pu e emo ions). I indi iduals we e o combine
acial displays, hese would be called a ec blends. So, o manage all hese emo ions
DeVi o men ions Maland o, Ba ke , & Ba ke ’s wo k (1989) and he echniques o do so,
as he indi idual could make use o : in ensi ying ( o exagge a e a eeling), dein ensi ying
( o co e a eeling), neu alizing ( o hide an emo ion) and masking ( o eplace a eeling
o he exp ession o ano he one).
Alongside acial communica ion, ano he e y impo an poin o conside in his
wo k will be eye communica ion (oculesis). DeVi o (2002) s a es ha he messages sen
by he eyes depend on he di ec ion, du a ion and quali y o he eye beha iou . Depending
on he place o cul u e, i an indi idual b eaks he ules o he expec ed gaze di ec ion
when communica ing (e.g. no main aining eye con ac , beha iou o du a ion o he eye
communica ion, e c.), i can mean ha he indi idual has abno mally high/low in e es , is
ne ous, sel -conscious … Eye beha iou can communica e di e en emo ions as well
( ea , disgus , su p ise …). DeVi o men ions eye con ac and a oidance oo. Eye con ac
can ei he seek eedback o in o m he o he indi idual ha you a e open o
communica ion.
Following wi h kinesics, i is also essen ial o men ion body ges u es and
mo emen . Ges u es like nodding, sh ugging you shoulde s, inge ges u es, c ossing
you legs … all con ey meaning and indulge in backchanneling, which is he non e bal
eedback an indi idual gi es o his/he pa ne in a con e sa ion (Eunson, 2012). I is also
impo an o no ice an indi idual’s o ien a ion and synch oniza ion o he body, as his
sends messages oo. I an indi idual is in e es ed in someone, hey will o ien a e hei
body owa ds hem, and when he e is a g ea amoun o synch onisa ion be ween
indi iduals, his means ha hey ha e a g ea e ela ionship.
5
P oxemics
P oxemics is de ined by DeVi o (2002) as he a ea o s udy ocused on he use o space
o communica e. Following he de ini ion o p oxemics, he e a e ou di e en p oxemic
dis ances dis inguished by Eunson (2012): in ima e (only o people he indi idual knows
e y well), pe sonal ( amilia people like iends o close colleagues), social-consul a i e
(only accep able o people he indi idual knows mode a ely), and he public (allowed
zone o people he indi idual ha dly knows o s ange s).
Figu e 1: Eunson (2012, p. 270)
Al hough Figu e 1 illus a es he app oxima e dis ance ela ed o each p oxemics
zone, i a ies depending on he cul u e (Figu e 1 belongs o middle-class No h Ame ican
o no he n Eu opean he i age).
Ano he classi ica ion o in e pe sonal dis ances was made by DeVi o (2002).
Figu e 2: DeVi o (2002, p. 142)
Pa alanguage
6
DeVi o (2012, p. 148) ela es pa alanguage o “ he ocal bu non e bal dimension o
speech. I has o do no wi h wha you say bu wi h how you say i ”. He di e en ia es
be ween a ious aspec s o pa alanguage: s ess, pi ch, a e and olume o he oice.
These di e ences con ey a lo o meaning, i can emphasize speech by adding
ange , sa casm… o e en sexual sugges i eness (Eunson, 2012). E en he olume a
which indi iduals speak can a y depending on he physical dis ance be ween speake s,
as well as he oice pi ch, which changes depending on whom we a e in e ac ing wi h o
he si ua ion ha indi iduals a e in. Fo example, indi iduals o en lowe hei pi ch as a
sign o wa ning, o hey can heigh en hei pi ch when ying o be decep i e. These
non e bal cha ac e is ics can o en be accompanied by o he non e bal cha ac e is ics,
such as eye con ac , o con ey e en mo e c edible meaning. Ano he aspec o
pa alanguage, and al hough i may no seem impo an , is silence, which can ca y as
much o e en mo e in o ma ion han wo ds. I can ei he be used o: punc ua e ideas,
e alua e o judge and exp ess w a h, ea , lo e o e en disgus (Eunson, 2012).
Hap ics
The s udy o ouch is o qui e impo ance in his wo k. As Eunson (2012, p. 267) s a ed,
hap ics “ e eals much abou human beha iou . I links ges u e, pos u e and e i o y, o
pe sonal space”. He also classi ies ouch in o i e ypes: p o essional, social, iendship,
lo e and sexual. The in e p e a ion o ouch a ies depending on cul u e, age, sex,
si ua ion and ela ionship wi h he o he indi idual (Neuliep, 2018). Touch also
communica es eelings and con ey meaning (e.g. ouching ano he indi idual o
communica e “do i ” o “I am he e o you”) bu hey can also be a o m o g ee ing o be
ask- ela ed, as helping someone ou o a ca .
Touching can con ey se e al meanings, bu ouch a oidance can ca y ce ain
in o ma ion oo. Lus ig & Koes e (2006, p. 223) men ion in hei wo k ha “ ouch is a
highly pe sonal and sensi i e ac i i y”, so i he app op ia e si ua ion o ela ionship is
no gi en, ouching migh no be seen as a iable op ion o non- e bal communica ion.
3. METHODOLOGY
In his case s udy, I will analyse he non e bal communica ion in wo o he main
cha ac e s o he anima ed se ies o A cane (Linke & Yee, 2021-2024), an o iginal Ne lix
se ies based on he ideogame League o Legends (Me il & Beck, 2009). Fo his
7
1This is he las one
pu pose, wo seasons o he se ies will be analysed in o de o s udy he ela ionship
be ween Vi (V om now onwa ds) and Cai lyn (C om now onwa ds), who bo h ha e
hei i s encoun e on episode 4 o he i s season. The ela ionship be ween hese wo
cha ac e s de elops om episode 4 in he i s season ( eleased in 2021) un il episode 9
o he second season1 ( eleased in 2024), excep o episodes 4, 5 and 7 (second season),
because hese cha ac e s a e no p esen in hese episodes. Thei non e bal cues will be
s udied and con as ed as he se ies goes on and hei ela ionship g ows. The objec i e is
o obse e how hei non e bal communica ion changes h ough he cou se o he se ies
and how i p og esses and changes as hey become close and he pe spec i e o hei
ela ionship changes. Fo his pu pose, I will use a selec ion o episodes om Ne lix. The
ansc ip ions o he ex ac s o each season can be ound in he Appendixes A (Season 1,
ex ac s 1-24) and B (Season 2, ex ac s 25-42) espec i ely. Addi ionally, Appendixes C
(Season 1, ex ac s 1-24) and D (Season 2, ex ac s 25-42) will con ain he numbe and
ypes o all non- e bal cues used and he equency in which hey appea .
In e ac ions be ween Vi and Cai lyn
Season 1
Episode
Times amp
4
Ex ac 1 (36’37’’ o 36’56’’)
5
Ex ac 2 (2:35” o 4’13”)
Ex ac 3 (4’52” o 5’05”)
Ex ac 4 (11’30” o 13’22”)
Ex ac 5 (14’27” o 15’18”)
Ex ac 6 (18’30” o 18’52”)
Ex ac 7 (21’33” o 23’00”)
Ex ac 8 (35’29” o 35’58”)
6
Ex ac 9 (9’48” o 10’45”)
Ex ac 10 (17’14” o 18’09”)
Ex ac 11 (26’10” o 27’34”)
Ex ac 12 (34’40” o 34’53”)
7
Ex ac 13 (1’06” o 1’50”)
Ex ac 14 (19’18” o 19’24”)
Ex ac 15 (21’35” o 23’03”)
Ex ac 16 (27’48” o 28’38”)
Ex ac 17 (32’20” o 32’48”)
14
iden i y he ela ion be ween hem, which is he eason ha I will no be analysing hem
in-dep h.
F equency, in his case, is e y impo an , as Season 1 has 24 ex ac s in o al.
Al hough he numbe o imes ha non e bal cues such as adap o s, pe sonal dis ances
and physical con ac in Season 2 a e much mo e equen han Season 1, i would no be
ai o compa e only absolu e nume ical da a as each season has a di e en quan i y o
ex ac s (i.e. Season 1, 24 and Season 2, 18). Once explained he impo ance o he
equency da a, I wan o highligh wo o hose speci ic elemen s (adap o s and physical
con ac ). Al hough Season 2 has less ex ac s, he e is a g ea e numbe o imes in which
V and C in e ac physically wi h each o he , whe he ia adap o s o me ely physical
ouch, which says a lo o hei “lo e language” and how hey exp ess hemsel es
h oughou he se ies.
In V and C’s i s encoun e , hey mee in a jailcell. C is cau ious abou wha she
migh ind, and V is e y hos ile because o he bad expe ience wi h en o ce s in he pas .
They main ain ce ain dis ance and de lec pe sonal in o ma ion wi h i ony ( e lec ed in
he ew encoun e s wi h social dis ance, jus 38% as we can see in Table 3), almos like
enemies. Al hough hey do no know each o he pe sonally, hey belie e o ha e opposi e
belie s and do no hink abou ge ing along, so e en when V accep s o help C, hey do
no le hei de ensi e walls down, s ill main aining some pe sonal dis ance. V seems
mo e con iden in he sel , and while hey s ill do no us each o he , C sees ha , V a e
all, is ying o collabo a e. The i s close encoun e ha hey ha e is in episode 5 (Ex ac
7), whe e V sho es C o a wall saying he iconic line “You’ e ho , Cupake”. This is a
blun decla a ion, s ill lacking pe sonal eelings, ha makes C ealize ha V migh be
a ac ed o he and ice e sa. This nickname becomes a ecu en way o bonding
be ween bo h cha ac e s, jus as physical con ac . Helping each o he ou and ge ing close
o suppo become hei ways o exp essing closeness in hei ela ionship (as we can see
in Table 3 wi h 46% o pe sonal dis ance and he 54% o in ima e dis ance). Wha a i s
is me ely a way o su i ing, hen becomes a way o exp essing hei lo e and a ec ion
owa ds each o he . In episode 6, when V is hea ily wounded and is hesi an o accep C’s
help, he e is ano he e y impo an scene ha , in e ms o hei non e bal
communica ion and ela ionship, is wo h men ioning: when C is inally able o help V
ou by gi ing he ‘shimme ’ (a d ug), C calms down V a e he ini ial shock (ex ac 11).
In his si ua ion, hey bo h in e change glances a each o he ’s lips, ollowed by C shaking
15
he head no o le u he hough s o ge o he (133% o adap o s as we can see in Table
3). Amanda O e on (w i e and co-p oduce o he se ies) (2024), commen ed abou his
scene in an in e iew:
One o my a ou i e no es Ch is ian ga e me was du ing episode six whe e Cai
and Vi lean in. She’s gi ing he a po ion o heal he wounds, and she holds he
ace. They hold hei aces oge he . And Ch is ian was like, ‘I hink hey can hold
ha pose a li le bi longe ’ du ing he anima ic phase because he wan ed he
anima o s o ha e ime o gi e ha eac ion she does o being lus e ed, because
she is a ac ed o his woman.
C ealises ha , in ac , she is a ac ed o V, and ha is a huge s ep in hei language
e olu ion and ela ionship.
They u he con inue o de elop hei ela ionship and us each o he mo e while
he season con inues, he spec a o can e en obse e when in episode 7 (ex ac 13) C is
comple ely conce ned abou V when she calls he name wi h a wo ied one and ies o
escape o help he (one o he easons ha causes a change o olume and s ess abo e
a e age ha con ibu e o he pe cen ages o 46% and 17% espec i ely in Table 3). V’s
ela ionship wi h C also g ows, showing he a ec ion by (now) p o ec ing he (ex ac
15) ins ead o pushing he away, opposi e o be o e. Nex ex ac (16) is also e y
impo an , as i is he i s ime C and V hug. This kind o physical con ac had no aken
place be o e, and i is a clea sign o de elopmen in hei ela ionship, lea ing oom o
mo e in a u u e. V e en ca esses C’s ace be o e lea ing, which is also a clea sign o
oman ic in ol emen . A his poin he e is no sign o hose s ange s ha me in a jailcell,
and we could call hem “ iends”. C hen e en b ings V o he house (ex ac 20),
de ending he and allowing he o ha e an in ima e momen in he bed, whe e hey con ess
some pe sonal in o ma ion abou hei pas while being e y close and ha ing a lo o
physical con ac (which builds un il o ming he 63% o physical con ac in Table 3). In
ac , when being asked “when did hey (C and V) ealize hey had eelings”, Amanda
O e on (League o Legends, 2025) s a ed:
I hink, hones ly, hey ealized hey had eeling eally ea ly on. E en in he i s
momen when she (Vi) saw Cai lyn, you know, kind o enaciously s umble down
he lanes and, like, land nex o he . She, you know, you could ell she was
imp essed in ha momen bu she pushes i down. I hink she’s a ac ed o he in
16
he b o hel and she pushes i down. She spends ha whole season kind o blocking
i , which is why I hink ha momen o in imacy hey sha e in he bed oge he is
such a u ning poin o hei ela ionship.
This momen was he calm be o e he s o m, as a e his scene comes ex ac 21.
This is he momen when hey ha e hei i s ough a gumen , hei body language he e
is colde han usual, main aining hei dis ances, using a high olume and di e en pi ch,
no physical con ac … is like all hei p og ess is gone, and now hey a e no e en pa ne s
anymo e, al hough C ies o keep hei ela ionship, V pushes he away (which is he only
occasion wi h a public dis ance be ween hem, cons i u ing he 4% in Table 3).
The nex scene is when hey see each o he is sea ed a a able, bo h cap u ed by
Jinx (ex ac 22). C has e en been held cap i e and o u ed by he , so she seems e y
igh ened. V ies o con ince Jinx no o hu he (C), as i is e y clea ha hei
a ec ion has g own, and V would ne e wish C o ge hu . They do no in e ac di ec ly
wi h each o he un il hey escape om ha si ua ion and V is holding C while hey obse e
he ocke Jinx has launched agains he council (ex ac 24), killing C’s mo he , which
will be he main eason ha will d i e C o change d as ically in Season 2. This scene has
no sound, bu he way in which hey exp ess hei emo ions wi h jus a ec displays ( ha
as I men ioned, happen wi h a equency o 317% in Season 1, Table 3) is e y imp essi e.
Also, he way V holds C shows hei closeness and how V is he only suppo in hose
momen s.
A e Season 1 ends, V and C ha e hei i s encoun e in Season 2, episode 1
(ex ac 25). A e C’s mo he bu ial has aken place, C c umbles in V’s a ms. She e en
ies o smile o a momen , bu o once, she shows he sel as ulne able wi h he only
pe son ha she allows o be he sel wi h, li e ally le ing he sel all as she knows ha V
will ca ch he , demons a ing again wha a g ea connec ion hey ha e o med in such a
li le ime and how hey show hei a ec ion in physical ways as physical con ac and
such an in ima e dis ance (which in Table 4, compa ing i wi h Table 3, in ima e dis ance
has g own in equency a 18%). As o V’s eac ion, she seems su p ised ha C is us ing
he so much, and e en a i s she eels a bi hesi an o hug C, so she keeps he is s
clenched un il she eels ha she is allowed o ouch he ully, as his is a e y ulne able
momen o C. Then hey sha e a momen o isual con ac be o e e u ning o a pe sonal
dis ance, p oceeding o ha e a ough con e sa ion abou hei plan o cap u e Jinx. This
con e sa ion is ull o adap o s (which in Table 4 ha e a equency o 256%) and a ec
17
displays, po aying a g ea a ie y o uses o non- e bal communica ion. Then his alk
akes a bi e u n as V ejec s C’s p oposi ion abou joining he en o ce s, causing V o
eel be ayed and o ge away om C in o a public dis ance, which is a big s ep back in o
he de elopmen o hei ela ionship. Public dis ance, as well as in ima e dis ance, has
g own, and i has gone om a equency o 4% in Table 3 o a 17% in Table 4.
The nex ime hey see each o he is in a e y icky si ua ion. In he middle o a
memo ial o all he people ha los hei li es because o Jinx, he “enemies” o Pil o e 4
a ack he ce emony, ge ing C in o a dange ous si ua ion, un il V a i es o sa e he .
Al hough hey ha e had no ime o alk a e hei igh , hey s ill demons a e hei
a ec ion owa ds each o he h ough physical con ac and a ende look om V owa ds
C when she helps he ge up (ex ac 26).
This scene is ollowed by he a e ma h o he igh (ex ac 27), whe e C seems
deeply a ec ed by his sabo age, showing an en aged look and oice when exp essing
how she eels when alking o V, meanwhile she ies o calm he down main aining a
pe sonal dis ance no o in ade he space oo much while ang y. C is ob iously g ie ing
he mo he and is ying o p ocess he emo ions h ough all his poli ical u moil, and V
is he e o help he cope, wi h a i ming wo ds and ende physical con ac .
A e his alk, V inally accep s o join he en o ce s and ap Jinx once and o
all, e en i i is agains he belie s. Nex scene in which C and V in e ac wi h each o he ,
is when hey en e a place looking o Jinx, unsuccess ully. E en wi hou wo ds, in ex ac
28, hey show hei closeness and eliance when V shows C some suppo when ouching
he shoulde as a way o elling he ha i is ok.
C and V keep looking o Jinx (ex ac 29), and when hey ind a suspec ha
con esses some impo an in o ma ion o hem, V eels C ou o he no mal sel ,
main aining a social dis ance wi h he . E en in he nex scene (ex ac 30), hey appea o
main ain he social dis ance men ioned be o e, as hey ha e los some o hei closeness.
When V con esses o C ha she hinks app op ia e o con inue wi hou hei eam, C seems
o disag ee. A e V explains he easons o his, C s ops ac ing coldly and sho ens he
dis ance, e u ning o hei ways o communica ing. She uses an in ima e dis ance wi h V
o ca ess he cheek, and a e al e ing he gaze be ween V’s eyes and lips se e al imes,
hey kiss. Seconds be o e he kiss, V also seems o look a C’s eyes and lips al e na ely,
he b ea h ge ing shakie wi h e e y cen ime e ha C sho ens be ween he , a e inally
4 Pil o e (whe e Cai lyn is om) is a p ospe ous ci y-s a e si ua ed abo e he ci y o Zaun (whe e Vi is
om) (Rio Games)
18
accep ing ha his momen has inally come. Following his kiss, hey le hemsel es eel
his momen ha was wai ed by hem bo h du ing all Season 1, V le s he gaun le s all,
and hen, g abbing C passiona ely, hey kiss again, ha ing plen y o physical con ac and
wi h no sigh o he social dis ance ha was seen be o e. I we look a Table 4, momen s
like his one a e he one ha made he pe cen age o physical con ac in Season 1 go om
63% o 89% in Season 2.
In ex ac 31, e en hough hey main ain a close dis ance be ween hem a e hei
a ec iona e encoun e , V seems p e y a ec ed by wha hey a e abou o do ( ace Jinx),
as, a e all, she is he sis e . C also seems p eoccupied, li ing he pi ch in he oice and
g abbing V’s a m o keep he close , bu his ime, he one who b eaks hei closeness is
V.
A e C and V ha e an in ense igh wi h Jinx and he appea ance o an unexpec ed
cha ac e (Isha, a li le kid), hey almos ha e he (Jinx) cap u ed. In his scene (ex ac
32), C and V ac mo e like job pa ne s han lo e s. A his poin , C is e y us a ed wi h
he si ua ion, she jus wan s o annihila e he mo he ’s kille and V is p ohibi ing he om
i ( he e is a child, Isha, on op o Jinx, making i dange ous o shoo ). V main ains a
public dis ance om C, cons an ly ying o calm he down wi h non e bal messages, and
a e ge ing sho by C, she manages o ge close o he , aising he oice be o e he
imminen dange and s opping he om shoo ing again. Th ough a ec displays, hey
po ay he emo ions hey canno exp ess wi h wo ds in his ense momen , looking a
each o he as i hey we e no he same people ha we e sha ing a kiss momen s ago.
E en in a momen o disag eemen like his, V does no doub o help C when his si ua ion
akes a u n o he wo s , ge ing apped in one o he unnels hey we e in.
Nex scene (ex ac 33) is a c ucial u ning poin in hei ela ionship. A e ge ing
apped by Jinx’s aul , hey ha e a con e sa ion abou wha jus happened. V can be seen
open o discussion, ge ing he glo es down and ge ing close o C, bu C is seen wi h an
agg essi e and us a ed beha iou , e en ying o a oid eye con ac wi h V. Then she
ies o ge away om he , bu V g abs he , i s wi h a s ong g ip, bu hen she so ens i ,
showing ha al hough she is ense, she s ill ca es abou he . C s ill e uses o look a V,
and a e aking a ew shaky b ea hs and he lip embling, as i ea ing wha she is going
o do nex , she hi s V in he s omach wi h he gun and looks a he om abo e, making
V all o he knees. This is qui e impo an in he s o y, as hey ha e (almos ) always
looked a each o he a he same heigh , bu now C eels mo e powe ul han V, as i she
19
is he only one who is igh and he es is w ong; she is ull o supe io i y. C gi es he an
ang y look ha ans o ms in o a eg e ul one o a b ie momen , gi ing a hin ha a pa
o he migh be al eady eg e ing ha . C hen ge s away om V, lea ing he comple ely
desola ed and c ying. This ac no only hu V physically bu b oke all he us ha was
buil be ween hem. Thei a ec displays he e a e e y impo an , as hey show wha hey
eel a e wo ds canno be used, being a clea example o why he pe cen age o a ec
displays is so high in his Season (411%).
Ac ually, a e his in ense scene, V and C ake di e en pa hs. On he one hand,
V ge s so dep essed abou losing C ha she becomes a clandes ine boxe , igh ing o
money. He way o coping is hu ing he sel . On he o he hand, C go manipula ed by
ano he cha ac e , Ambessa, in o becoming a (almos ) dic a o , allying he sel wi h he
empi e o Noxus5, decla ing he ma ial law o in ade Zaun, being blind by engeance.
She also ge s in o a ela ionship wi h ano he woman, Maddie, so we can deduce ha he
way o coping is o ge a ec ion om o he people (con a y om V ha does no allow
o ge pleasu e o he sel in any way), po en ially hu ing hem in a u u e. In e es ingly,
bo h o hem engage in a ype o coping wi h hei p oblems called a oidance-o ien ed
coping (Song e . Al, 2023), which lead hem o employ di e en dis ac ing ac i i ies as
a way o ixing hem, which is conside ed o be maladap i e.
C and V do no ha e ano he encoun e un il episode 6, whe e V is casually
walking by, looking a he su oundings, when C assaul s he and holds he o he g ound.
A i s , nei he o hem ecognises each o he , bu when hey do, hey bo h so en hei
gaze a leas o a momen . Conside ing ha he las ime hey had an encoun e i ended
e ibly, he i s con e sa ion ha hey ha e now is no going o be pleasu able. Almos
like in Season 1, V sho es C’s a m away om he and C looks a he con usedly and a bi
con emp uously, e en wi h a ha sh one in he oice. I is no un il V calls C “Cupcake”
ha C’s a i ude changes. This causes C o look a V wi h a e y so and emo ional way,
as i emembe ing all he a ec ion and momen s li ed oge he . Then she b eaks his
in ima e momen o ge up and wa ch hei su oundings o make su e hey a e sa e, a
momen ha V uses o ell he why she is he e. When C ealises ha V is he e o sa e
he amily, which is a e y impo an ma e in he li e, he exp ession changes and
ealises ha she mus help he achie e he plan. This scene lacks om a ec i e adap o s
o physical con ac , which is always e y p esen in hei ela ionship, bu ei he way hey
include se e al a ec displays, once again po ayed in he 411% in Table 4.
5 Noxus is “a powe ul empi e wi h a ea some epu a ion”, homeland o Ambessa and Maddie (Rio
Games)
20
In ex ac 35, he spec a o migh eel be ayed by C, as his scene shows how C
has cu ed V and handed he o Ambessa, he supe io . We can see ex emely odd
beha iou be ween V and C a his poin o he s o y, as hey look a each o he wi h ha e
and a sense o be ayal, V e en spi s a he ; bu be o e C lea es V he e, we can see some
hin s ha help us deduce ha C s ill ca es abou V, as o example, he looking a ound o
see i he place whe e she is lea ing V is eally sa e o he o be on he own. Again, his
exce p lacks om he usual in ima e dis ance, a ec i e physical displays o al e -
adap o s.
A e i is e ealed ha his was all a plan, he e is a b ie scene (ex ac 36) in
which he spec a o can see some momen s be ween C and V p epa ing hei scheme in
which C hi s V in he ace a e she ges u es he o do i , o wha C esponds wi h a sh ug.
This is one o he ew scenes in which he e a e wo emblems (2/3 emblems in Table 4,
meaning ha emblems happen wi h a equency o 17% in Season 2). A e wa ds, i is
shown how C pu s V’s hood on. While she does his, i can be guessed ha she is ocusing
on he lips ( hei eyes a e no on ame), which is why she has o close he s, no o
concen a e on he pa ne ’s anymo e. The e is no e bal communica ion in his exce p ,
which demons a es once again how much can be said wi hou wo ds and how his
beha iou is ac ually mo e “ hem”, showing a li le imp o emen in hei ela ionship.
Thei nex in e ac ion is again e y b ie (ex ac 37). When hei plan succeeds
and V is inally euni ed wi h he amily, V and C sha e a look in which V seems happy
and elie ed, and C seems mo e con used. This scene is also ollowed by ano he b ie
one (ex ac 38), bu e en hough i is no long, i holds alue. A e be aying Ambessa,
his igge s a huge igh be ween in Zaun and Noxus in which V is hea ily wounded. C
can be seen wi h an exp ession o ex eme e o whils unning owa ds V. I can be
app ecia ed how much she ca es abou he and how li le she ca es abou hei p e ious
igh as he mu de e o he mo he (Jinx) who she has been acking since he e y
beginning o he se ies, passes besides he , e en pushing he , and she does no e en ca e.
As men ioned be o e, e en hough his scene has no e bal messages, he a ec displays,
al e -adap o , in ima e dis ance and physical con ac demons a e ha he a ec ion
owa ds V is no gone.
Thei ollowing in e ac ion happens when, a e he men ioned ba le, V has
al eady been medically ea ed in C’s house and suddenly wakes up, disco e ing ha ,
e en when Jinx has inally changed and helped hem achie e hei plan, C has a es ed
21
he and pu he in a cell. They a gue abou his ma e and h ow complain s abou each
o he ’s ac s. This is a beha iou ne e seen be o e be ween hem and he e is no sigh o
an in ima e dis ance, good a ec i e displays o e en physical con ac . They main ain a
social dis ance, which appea s wi h a equency o oughly 44% pe cen as shown in Table
4 h oughou hei con e sa ion and hen V lea es, us a ed. C can also be seen showing
physical signs o us a ion, as bi ing he inside o he cheek.
The nex scene I am going o commen on is one o he mos impo an ones o
bo h cha ac e s (ex ac 40), as hei ela ionship eaches a e y high poin o us . A e
he p e ious a gumen , C akes he decision o gi ing V he possibili y o le ing he sis e
go wi hou V knowing. When C a i es a he jailcell and sees ha V has done wha she
hough she would do and V ealises, she g abs C’s neck and kisses he passiona ely.
When C le s V ha she has no be ayed he in any way when saying “You eally hink I
needed all he gua ds a he Hexga es?”, his becomes he sign ha V needed o know o
us C again, inally o ge ing abou all he ex e nal esponsibili ies and le ing he sel
enjoy o once. This kiss ge s C o gua d as we can app ecia e in he a ec displays, in
which we ha e 11 o hem in his scene, being ex emely impo an in hei
communica ion. They a e also seen glancing a each o he o make su e hey a e eally
enjoying he kiss as a o m o consen . A e a ew seconds, C decides ha i is now ok o
make use o mo e physical con ac be ween hem and pulls V close o he . A e his kiss,
C pulls away and con esses o V ha in he mean ime, she has been seeing someone else,
o which V eplies wi h ano he kiss, showing how li le she ca es and how she p e e s o
app ecia e ha momen . This con ession makes C eel guil y, ne ous e en, as we can see
in he acial exp essions, ying o a oid V’s eyes and s u e ing. Th oughou he es o
his scene, we can app ecia e how hei usual physical con ac makes an appea ance again,
e u ning o he poin o hei ela ionship ha hey we e be o e. They show a g ea
quan i y o in ima e dis ance, a ec displays like smiles, owning, acial exp essions like
su p ise, sel -su iciency… and mos o all, (p olonged) physical con ac , being he scene
ha ep esen s mos he 89% pe cen age in Table 4. O e all, his scene is whe e hei
physical closeness peaks, as i is some hing hey ha e been imagining o a long ime,
being he clea es p oo o he e olu ion o hei ela ionship. I is also wo h men ioning
ha he e is a pa allelism be ween his scene and he i s ime hey see each o he
(Episode 4, Season 1, ex ac 1) when V is acing he ba s be o e she u ns he head
22
owa ds C (AMajes icPo o, 2024), which I conside i o be ano he sign allowing us o
compa e he de elopmen o hei ela ionship.
Following his scene, ex ac 41 ollows. This b ie in e ac ion be ween bo h
cha ac e s akes place in a eunion wi h mo e cha ac e s o decide how o app oach he
wa ha hey a e in, whe e once again, hey com o each o he h ough physical con ac
and a ec displays.
Ex ac 42 con ains he inal scene o he se ies and he culmina ion o he
ela ionship o hese wo cha ac e s. I shows how a e he wa , hey ac ually li e
oge he . In he scene, V appea s humming a song in he li ing oom when C hea s and
decides o accompany he , gi ing he a li le push as a lo e demons a ion. Then hey bo h
emain in a e y in ima e dis ance wi h each o he , sha ing some a i ming wo ds and
mo e a ec i e beha iou owa ds each o he . Wa ching his scene and compa ing i o he
i s ime hey me o e s an ob ious change o beha iou om bo h o hem and shows
he esul o he de elopmen o hei ela ionship.
5. CONCLUSIONS
A e all his esea ch and analysis o he non e bal beha iou s be ween V and C and he
e olu ion o hei ela ionship, i is ema kable how ges u es and physical ouch can
e ol e so much. The physical ouch hey i s sha ed, as an agg ession, has now u ned in
ligh ca esses o lo e. The dis ance hey main ained as a secu i y measu e, is now
inexis en , and he ges u es made o main ain each o he away, now wo k as s ess
elie e s.
As I heo ised, in he same way as V and C’s ela ionship has g own, hei
non e bal communica ion also has. The dis ance be ween hem has become ema kably
close , he momen s o physical ouch ha e inc eased, as so did hei a ec ion and way
o adap ing hei messages owa ds each o he . This c ea ed an indissoluble and s ong
ela ion be ween e bal communica ion, non e bal communica ion and emo ions,
c ea ing a i m py amid o med by h ee co ne s ha a e no able o wo k wi hou each
o he .
Due o my p e ious in e es in he se ies and use o non e bal communica ion,
his p ojec has been e y in iguing and ascina ing. To make i as dynamic and enjoyable
as possible, I ha e in es iga ed and lea n abou he mos impo an and in e es ing ac s
23
abou non e bal communica ion o apply i o my al eady acqui ed knowledge o he
se ies, c ea ing a pleading esul .
On accoun o he lack o space and mo e speci ic and scien i ic esea ch, I was
no able o p o ide mo e in o ma ion abou he changes in s ess, pi ch, a e and olume,
and because o i , ocalics, which a e a “code o non e bal communica ion ha include
elemen s such as olume, pi ch, ocal a ia ion, a e, pausing, and one” (Wine e . Al,
2023), could be conside ed o a u u e esea ch.
A e all, e en wi hou his analysis, A cane p o ides a ma ellous ep esen a ion
o he e olu ion o wo cha ac e s who no only build and imp o e hei ela ionship om
0, bu also change hei way o communica ing wi h each o he no jus using hei wo ds,
bu hei emo ions in close liaison wi h hei bodies.
30
Jinx: Who a e you?
Vi: I 's okay. She's a iend.
Jinx: Se ika wasn' lying? You' e wi h an en o ce ?
Cai lyn: You sis e is Jinx?
Vi: Cai lyn, jus lis en, we can wo k his ou .
Ex ac (13)
Cai lyn: [g un s] I knew i was a mis ake us ing you.
Vi: You' e been a eal picnic you sel .
Cai lyn: I'm no he one who walked us in o, no one, bu wo o Silco's aps. [g un s]
Vi: This isn' Silco, i 's someone else.
Cai lyn: How do you know?
Vi: 'Cause we'd al eady be dead.
Cai lyn: Oh, e y nice. When we e you planning o ell me ha you luna ic sis e wo ks
o him?
Vi: Jus as soon as you came clean abou wha he hell you' e eally doing down he e.
Cai lyn: I old you he u h.
Vi: Bullshi . Wha was ha glowing s one?
Cai lyn: [sighs]
Vi: Tha 's wha I hough .
[me al c eaks]
Cai lyn: [g un s] Wha 's going on?
Vi: Hey, s op! Ge you hands o o me!
Cai lyn: Lea e he alone!
Vi: Le me go!
Cai lyn: Vi?
[doo bangs]
Cail yn: Vi! Vi! [pan s]
Ex ac (14)
Cai lyn: [gasps]
31
Vi: My he o.
Cai lyn: You' e…Bu I hough you… I hough hey we e hu ing you!
Ex ac (15)
Vi: Ekko, she belie es wha she's saying, okay? She's no you enemy.
Ekko: [sco s] Oh, yeah? Then wha 's his?
[objec ills]
Cai lyn: You go i . You ha e o le me ake ha back. [sighs]
Vi: Wha is i ?
Cai lyn: I 's a Gems one. I was s olen du ing he a ack. By you sis e .
Vi: You jus o go o men ion ha ?
Cai lyn: Wi h his, someone wi h he igh knowledge could build…any Hex ech de ice.
I en o ce s a e becoming mo e… agg essi e, ha 's why.
Ekko: We could bea Silco wi h his.
Cai lyn: Tha won' sol e hings.
Ekko: Easy o you o say. You people a en' dying all a ound you.
Cai lyn: Ekko, i 's w ong wha 's been done o you. You'd be well wi hin you igh s o
keep i . I couldn' blame you. Bu … i you do, his cycle o iolence will ne e s op. This
is ou bes sho a se ing he eco d s aigh . This ci y needs healing. Mo e han I e e
ealized. Please, le me help you.
Ekko: You go a plan?
Cai lyn: I ha e a iend on he council. Le me ake he Gems one o him. He'll lis en o
me. You people wouldn' ha e o hide anymo e.
Ekko: One condi ion. I'm he one who gi es i o hem.
Ex ac (16)
Ekko: Vi?
Vi: I can' lea e he again.
Ekko: You can' change he .
Vi: I ha e o y.
Ekko: [sco s] Don' ge you sel killed.
Vi: [chuckles] No p omises.
I 's been eal, Cupcake. Thanks. Fo e e y hing.
32
Ex ac (19)
Vi: Who li es he e? Ano he Councillo iend o you s?
[doo bangs]
[cocks gun]
Cassand a: Cai lyn!
Tobias: Oh. We we e so wo ied. Thank goodness you' e sa e!
Cassand a: And you ound a s ay.
Cai lyn: This is Vi. She's om he unde ci y.
Cassand a: So I see. Could we ha e a wo d, Cai lyn? In p i a e.
Ex ac (20)
Cai lyn: We'll p esen ou case o he Council onigh .
Vi: You did all his you sel ? Wi hou e en going down he e? [sighs] And I hough
Powde could ge obsessed. [sco s]
Cai lyn: Wha happened o he , i 's no you aul .
Vi: When my pa en s we e s ill ali e…me and Powde used o sha e a bed like his.
Excep , maybe, hal he size. We played a game whe e we p e ended o be bigge and
bigge mons e s. So she would say, "I'm a slug mons e wi h enom o ooze." And I'd
say, "Well, I'm a slug-ea ing c ab wi h azo spikes." Some imes, I… I'd ge ca ied away
and she'd ge sca ed. I didn' wan he o s a c ying and wake my pa en s up, so…I
p e ended o chase my own mons e s away. I'd say…"No mons e 's gonna ge you when
I'm he e." Then a eal mons e showed up. And I jus an away. I le he .
Ex ac (21)
Cai lyn: Uh…
Vi: He name is Jinx.
Jayce: This Jinx has he Gems one? Then we ha e o go in by o ce.
Mel: Tha could igge wa .
Cai lyn: The e a e good people down he e.
Councillo 1: Hmph. Bad ones oo.
Councillo 2: E en i we wan ed o in ade, hey ha e Shimme .
Jayce: We ha e Hex ech.
Cai lyn: Wha happened o you?
33
Jayce: We' e been alking abou alking o weeks now. They' e s ill cleaning he blood
o he b idge. When do we say enough is enough?
Mel: Jayce, you don' know wa . I do. I mus be ou las eso . The e may be a diploma ic
solu ion.
Salo: She’s igh .
Jayce: [sighs]
Vi: Wha ? You wan o nego ia e wi h him?
Cassand a: I may be he only way o a oid u he bloodshed.
Vi: This is insane. Did you lea n no hing? You can' alk o him! He ha es you. E e y hing
you s and o . He will ne e back down.
Salo: En o ce s, please esco hem ou .
Vi: Fo ge i . I emembe whe e you ancy damn doo is.
Cai lyn: [sighs]
Vi! Wai ! Wai ! Whe e a e you going?
Vi: I don' know. Back whe e I came om? Seems like ha 's wha e e yone up he e wan s.
Cai lyn: I can ix his.
Vi: You can' ! This is how hings a e. How hey' e always been. I was so s upid o hink
i could change.
Cai lyn: The e mus be some hing else we can do. Some o he way. We'll make a new
plan. We ha e o y.
Vi: We ied. Okay? I wasn' enough. Topside and bo om. Oil and wa e . Tha 's all he e
is.
Cai lyn: Wha abou us?
Vi: Oil and wa e . Wasn' mean o be.
Cai lyn: [sighs] You' e jus saying ha .
Vi: Do you sel a a ou , Cupcake. Go back o ha big, shiny house o you s and
jus … o ge me, okay?
Ex ac (22)
Vi: Powde ! Lea e he ou o his.
Ex ac (23)
Vi: No! S op!
34
Jinx: [g un s]
Cai lyn: D op he gun.
Vi: [b ea hing shakily]
Jinx: [g un s]
Vi: Wai ! She's my sis e .
Cai lyn: Vi, she's oo a gone.
Jinx: [snicke s]
Vi: [shaky b ea h] No, no, no.
Jinx: [giggles]
Vi: Look ou !
[Cai lyn yelps]
Ex ac (24)
[Cai lyn sc eams inaudibly]
35
SEASON 2
EPISODE 1
Ex ac (25)
Vi: Hey.
[Cai lyn sobbing]
You we e igh , Cai . Powde 's gone. I can make his igh . I you ge Jayce o ix he
gaun le s, I can do his mysel . No one else needs o ge hu .
Cai lyn: No. No mo e ogue mission. No mo e eckless plans. My mo he was igh . My
a ogance led me o ake on mo e han I could handle, and she paid he p ice. They' e
sending all he En o ce s a e Jinx. I’m going wi h hem.
Vi: Please, I ha e o help.
Cai lyn: You can, as one o us.
Vi: Cai , I can' wea his.
Cai lyn: People a e calling o blood. The Council won' s op hem. You can show ha
no all o Zaun suppo s Jinx. We can show hem. Toge he .
Vi: I wa ched hem kill my pa en s. Do you ha e any idea how ha eels?
Cai lyn: Yes. I do. I hough you we e on ou side.
Vi: You didn’ hink a all.
Ex ac (26)
Cai lyn: [yells]
Vi: [yells]
Ge he counsello s ou o he e. I ha e an idea.
Cai lyn: Wha a e you doing?
Ex ac (27)
Vi: Though you we e gonna ge you sel killed.
Cai lyn: A memo ial. Wha kind o animals?
Vi: They wan ed he spec acle. They' e ying o sca e you. You… You need o ind a way
o call o he in asion.
Cai lyn: Wha ?
Vi: This ba le was on you soil. Down he e, you'll be on hei e ms.
36
Cai lyn: None o his is on ou e ms.
Vi: Maybe you should change ha .
Cai lyn: I don' know how, okay? She dies and lea es his gian hole, and I'm jus supposed
o ill i . Like she was ne e he e o begin wi h.
Vi: Hey. You won' . The hole ge s smalle , bu ... you ne e ill i .
Cai lyn: I was w ong o sp ing he badge on you. I 's jus ... e e y way I slice i , i I go
a e you sis e alone, one o us comes back in a box. I 's all coming apa .
Vi: No, i isn’ . We won’ le i .
EPISODE 3
Ex ac (29)
[Heeno sneezes] [b ea hes hea ily]
Thanks, I hough I was a gone .
Vi: You’ e Smeech’s man.
Heeno : Was. No anymo e. Name’s Heeno . I… [sneezes] Oh, I decided i was ime o
me o e i e.
Cai lyn: Looks mo e like someone decided o e i e you.
Heeno : Yeah, well, iming was ne e my s ong... [sneezes] So y. So y, i 's... I 's he
G ey. I gi es me he... [sneezes]
Cai lyn: Tell us how you wound up he e.
Heeno : Hey, wai , wai . Jinx is o he ails, e en o he . She's go a eal i e li unde
he ass. She's planning some hing big, igh he e in he pipewo ks.
Vi: I 's a p e y big place down he e.
Heeno : [g un s] She was headed owa ds he old unnels. Some hing abou e ou ing he
en s.
Cail yn: This is i , hen. Cu him.
Heeno : Hey, I old you e e y hing I know.
Cai lyn: You' e a con essed c iminal. You'll spend you e i emen in a cell. Check you
gea . This is wha we' e ained o .
Vi: Can I ge a minu e?
Ex ac (30)
Vi: I hink we should cu he o he s loose.
37
[Cai lyn sco s]
Vi: Lis en, i ha Heeno idio is elling he u h, Jinx is gonna ha e su p ises in s o e o
us.
Cai lyn: All he mo e eason o b ing backup.
Vi: She'll smell hei ne es a mile away and ind a way o use hem agains us. Tell me
I'm w ong.
Cai lyn: I can' le he ge away again. A e you su e you' e eady o...?
Vi: My sis e is gone. The e's only Jinx now. I has o end. I'm so so y abou you mo he .
I'm so y I can' b ing he back, bu please jus ... E e yone in my li e has changed.
P omise me you won' change.
Cai lyn: I won’ .
Ex ac (31)
Vi: Cai . I you see an opening… ake he sho .
Cai lyn: Vi.
Ex ac (32)
Cai lyn: Ge away om he .
Vi: Cai .
Cai lyn: Mo e.
Jinx: Sc am, kid.
Vi: Cai , she’s a child.
Cai lyn: Mo e. She’s no ge ing away again.
Vi: Cai .
Cai lyn: Mo e.
Vi: Cai !
[weapon i es]
[Isha whimpe s]
Jinx: No, no, his isn' how i 's supposed o...
Ex ac (33)
[Cai lyn g un ing]
Vi: Cai .
38
Cai lyn: You s opped me.
Vi: I shouldn’ ha e had o.
Cai lyn: I had he sho .
Vi: Tha was a kid. Wha i you missed? Wha 's w ong wi h you?
Cai lyn: I keep elling mysel ha you' e di e en . Bu you' e no . I 's he blood in you
eins.
Vi: Then why a e you he one ac ing like he ?
[Vi g un s] [whimpe s]
EPISODE 6
Ex ac (34)
Vi: [g un s] On he job, I see.
Cai lyn: You can’ be he e.
Vi: Oh. He e, like whe e I landed when his ich, unhinged mongoose jus ackled me?
Cai lyn: Mongoose? You hai . You look like an ang y oil slick.
Vi: [sco s] Don’ suga coa i , Cupcake.
Who’s ou he e?
Cai lyn: We acked some so o new chemweapon down he e. A blood hi s y mu de ous
beas . Wha a e you doing he e?
Vi: T ying o sa e… my dad.
Ex ac (35)
Vi: So much o happy eunions.
Ambessa: Well done Cai lyn.
Singed: I ’s ime.
Ex ac (36)
[Vi g un s, hen gasps]
Cai lyn: Wha e e you do, don’ unde es ima e Ambessa.
Ex ac (38)
[Vi sc eams]
EPISODE 8
Ex ac (39)
39
Vi: A es ed?
Cai lyn: I can handle his, Maddie. Check on my a he ? Vi.
Vi: She sa ed you li e.
Cai lyn: I you will calm down o one…
Vi: Knowing you'd ne e ha e done he same o he .
Cai lyn: We'll ne e know, will we? You didn' le me in on ha pa o you plan.
Vi: Clea ly he igh call, since you s ill can' us he enough no o sho e he in a box.
Cai lyn: T us ? You belie e I'm so da I can' ecognize a con ingency? She wasn' he e
o my bene i . You didn' us me o ollow h ough.
Vi: Can you blame me? How long we e you sidled up wi h ha shi y, sel -se ing wa
pig? She oinked poison in you ea . You jus a e i .
Cai lyn: I know. The only hing Jinx ca ed abou was ge ing you o sa e y. Then she jus
su ende ed. I didn' e en ha e ime o hink be o e hey hauled he o . She's being held
in he bunke while I decide wha o do. I was wai ing o you o eco e .
Vi: Cai , she’s changed.
Cai lyn: We can’ e ase ou mis akes. None o us.
Vi: Who decides who ge s a second chance?
[Cai lyn sighs]
Ex ac (40)
Cai lyn: Had a eeling I migh ind you he e.
Vi: I eally belie ed she'd help. Say i . You old me so. I was an idio o us he . I wen
behind you back. I choose w ong e e y ime. And because o i , I' e los e e yone.
Cai lyn: You eally hink I needed all he gua ds a he Hexga es? So y o say, you' e
g own a bi p edic able.
Uh, lis en, while you we e gone, I saw someone...
Vi: Cai . I don’ ucking ca e.
EPISODE 9
Ex ac (42)
Cai lyn: Is ha … singing?
Vi: I 's jus a une my mo he used o hum.
Cai lyn: A e you s ill in his igh , Viole ?
46
In his Appendix we can ind a classi ica ion o he ypes o non- e bal cues used in he
in e ac ions be ween Cai lyn and Vi wi hin he second season o he se ies A cane. I will
ollow DeVi o’s (2002) classi ica ion. As o he pa alinguis ic ea u es, I will conside
only hose cases o s ess, pi ch, a e and olume in which hey a e abo e o below he
a e age le el o he con e sa ion.
Season 2
Ex ac 25
9 a ec displays when V owns sadly looking a C; when V pou s
looking down ashamed; when C ies o show a smile; when C owns and
s a s o c y; when V looks su p ised a C c ying; when V looks a C
owning, empa hizing wi h he ; when C looks a V sadly; when V looks
up wi h a su p ised exp ession; when C owns ang ily a V
6 illus a o s when V ies o each C o con ince he o he plan while
shaking he head; when C shakes he head no deny V’s plan; when C holds
V o emphasize he s a emen ; when V squeezes C’s hand o le he help;
when V sh ugs o emphasize he s a emen while shaking and ouching
he head; when V sighs o show us a ion
9 adap o s: 3 sel -adap o s when C wipes he ea s away; when V walks
backwa ds, away om C because o he shock; when V walks away wi h
he hands inside he pocke s
2 objec -adap o s when V leans on he window; when V le s he badge all
4 al e -adap o s when C h ows he sel in o V’s a ms; when V hugs he ;
when V ca esses C’s ace; C and V hold hands o com o each o he
Physical con ac V and C
Physical con ac V and C
1 public dis ance
2 social dis ances
2 pe sonal dis ances
2 in ima e dis ances
2 changes in pi ch abo e a e age when V g ee s C; when C explains
he sel o V; 1 change in olume and pi ch below a e age when V
admi s ha C was igh ; 2 changes in pi ch below a e age when C s a es
he decision; when C eels be ayed; 1 change in s ess abo e a e age
when C con i ms V ha she can help; 1 change in pi ch and s ess below
a e age when V e uses o wea he badge; 1 change in pi ch and
olume below a e age when C ies o con ince V o help he ; 2 changes
in olume abo e a e age when V exp esses he sel ; when C answe s V
Ex ac 26
3 a ec displays when C owns when looking a V showing esen men ;
when V opens he eyes wide in su p ise a he o e o C; when C o e s
V a sad look
2 adap o s: 1 objec -adap o when V a acks he machine o p o ec C
1 al e -adap o when C o e s V he hand
Physical con ac V and C
1 pe sonal dis ance
1 in ima e dis ance
47
1 change in pi ch abo e he a e age when C asks V o he plan,
p eoccupied
Ex ac 27
6 a ec displays when V’s ace saddens while looking down; when C
clinches he ee h showing dis ess; when C owns o show us a ion;
when C owns and opens he mou h in disbelie while looking up; when
V so ly owns and widens he eyes looking hu ; when C looks up o V
owning wi h a sad exp ession
4 illus a o s when V o ces a smile while elling a joke; when C shakes
he head in disbelie ; when V ges u es wi h he a m o exp ess he sel ;
when C ges u es ene ically wi h he a ms and hands o exp ess
hopelessness and us a ion
5 adap o s: 3 sel -adap o s when V keeps he hands on he pocke s; when
C ouches he o ehead in dis ess; when C wipes he own ace; 2 al e -
adap o s when V wipes C’s ea om he ace; when C ca esses V’s hand
wi h he cheek
1 pe sonal dis ance
1 in ima e dis ance
Physical con ac V and C
1 change in pi ch and s ess abo e a e age when V jokes wi h C; 1
change in olume and s ess abo e a e age when C insul s he
a acke s; 2 changes in olume below a e age when V ies o con ince
C; when C calms down a e exploding; 1 change in olume abo e
a e age when C explodes o s ess
Ex ac 28
1 al e -adap o when V ouches C’s shoulde o demons a e he suppo
1 pe sonal dis ance
1 in ima e dis ance
Physical con ac V and C
Ex ac 29
2 a ec displays when V looks C while ising he eyeb ows conce ned
o C; when C is owning bu so ens he look a bi when seeing V
showing in e es
1 social dis ance
1 change o olume below a e age when V eques s C o alk
Ex ac 30
8 a ec displays when V sighs showing us a ion; when C sco s and
owns in disag eemen ; when C looks away no o main ain eye con ac
wi h V; when V looks down accep ing a ha d u h; when V s a s o ea
and close he eyes because o he sadness; when V owns in con usion;
when V looks a C owning showing p eoccupa ion; when C owns a e
e asing a li le smile showing de e mina ion; when C owns hen aises
he eyeb ows wi h sadness owa ds V; when C c ies
1 egula o when C ies o alk
1 illus a o when V shakes he head in disappoin men
5 adap o s: 1 sel -adap o when C holds he hands oge he o main ain
composu e; 3 al e -adap o s when C ca esses V’s ace; when C kisses V
while holding he back o he head; when V g abs C and kisses he ; 1
objec -adap o when V le s he gaun le s d op
1 social dis ance
1 pe sonal dis ance
1 in ima e dis ance
Physical con ac V and C
Physical con ac V and C
48
2 changes in pi ch abo e a e age when V explains he icky si ua ion;
when V exp esses he sel o C; 1 change in olume below a e age when
V accep s he si ua ion
Ex ac 31
2 a ec displays when C owns wi h a sad look when alking o V; when
V looks down de e mined and sad
Physical con ac V and C
1 change in olume below he a e age when V ells C o ake he sho ;
1 change in pi ch abo e a e age when C s ops V
Ex ac 32
1 emblem when V holds he hands up o indica e C o s op
3 a ec displays when C enses he ace and owns in dis ess; when C
opens he eyes wide and he mou h in disbelie owa ds V; when V opens
he eyes and mou h and looks a C wi h ea
2 illus a o s when C indica es he way wi h he weapon; when C shakes
he head holding he weapon
1 objec -adap o when V holds C’ weapon o he g ound
1 public dis ance
1 pe sonal dis ance
Physical con ac V and C
2 changes in olume abo e a e age when C gi es o de s; when C
ema ks he si ua ion o C
Ex ac 33
4 a ec display when V owns us a ed and sad; when V owns and
looks C up and down no ecognising he ; when C owns and pou s
us a ed wi h he sel ; when C b ea hes hea ily and he lip shakes
showing ange
1 illus a o when C ges u es wi h he hand o emphasize he con idence
4 adap o s: 2 sel -adap o s when C es s he head on he ock; when V
g abs he side om he hi , c unching in he g ound; 1 objec adap o when
V d ops he gaun le s; 1 al e -adap o when V s ops C
1 in ima e dis ance
1 pe sonal dis ance
1 social dis ance
Physical con ac V and C
1 change in olume abo e a e age when V calls C; when V g abs C’s
w is ; 2 changes in s ess abo e a e age when V emphasizes he
dange ous si ua ion; when C goes away om V
Ex ac 34
6 a ec displays when V owns ang ily and g ins he ee h when being
h own and hen so ens he exp ession ealizing who h ew he ; when C
owns and opens he mou h con usedly; when C owns and g ins he
ee h while yelling a V ang ily; when C aises one eyeb ow in con usion
when obse ing V; when C opens he eyes wide when V calls he
“Cupcake”; when C mo es he gaze side o side and so ens he eyeb ows’
exp ession when ealizing wha V is doing he e
1 al e -adap o when V pushes C
1 in ima e dis ance
1 pe sonal dis ance
Physical con ac V and C
2 changes in s ess and olume abo e a e age when C yells a V; when
V con on s C
Ex ac 35
2 a ec displays when V owns showing ange ; when C main ains a
s a ic ace owa ds V showing de e mina ion
49
1 illus a o when V shakes he head
2 sel -adap o s when C wipes V’s spi o he ace; when V ies o b eak
ee owa ds C showing ange
1 pe sonal dis ance
Ex ac 36
2 emblems when V poin s and ges u es wi h he inge o C o come a
he ; when C sh ugs
3 a ec displays when V opens he eyes widely in su p ise; when C aises
he eyeb ows wi h a p eoccupied look a V; when C closes he mou h a e
obse ing V p eoccupied, con incing he sel o go on wi h he plan
1 pe sonal dis ance
1 in ima e dis ance
Physical con ac V and C
1 change in s ess abo e a e age when C wa ns V
Ex ac 37
2 a ec displays when V looks a C wo ied hen elie ed; when C looks
a V owning, showing con usion
1 social dis ance
Ex ac 38
1 a ec display when C aises he eyeb ows and opens he mou h
signi ican ly wi h a e i ies look in he acing seeing V
1 al e -adap o when C checks on V when wounded
1 public dis ance
1 in ima e dis ance
Physical con ac V and C
Ex ac 39
6 a ec displays when V en e s owning wi h ange ; when V g ins and
owns while a guing; when C aises hen owns he eyeb ows epea edly
o show i ony; when C owns a V’s s a emen s eeling o ended; when
V opens he eyes wide and g ins a acking C wi h he wo ds; when C sighs
in us a ion a e V lea es
3 illus a o s when V ges u es wi h he a ms showing ange ; when C
ges u es wi h he a m ying o explain he sel ; when V ges u es in a
gene al di ec ion hen owa ds C when e e ing o Jinx
5 adap o s: 4 sel -adap o s when C c osses he a ms; when V paces
a ound he oom, ne ous; when V es s he hands on he hips; when C
bi es he inside o he cheek while looking away; 1 objec -adap o when
C h ows he li le boa
1 social dis ance
2 changes in olume abo e a e age when V en e s; when C esponds o
V’s a ack; 1 change in a e abo e a e age when V con on s C; 3
changes in pi ch abo e a e age when C con on s V; when C esponds
agains C; when V explains he si ua ion o he sis e o C
Ex ac 40
11 a ec displays when V hea s he keys and owns, hen aises he
eyeb ows when she disco e s i is C; when C keeps a s aigh exp ession,
looking dis essed; when C smiles a V wi h sel -su iciency; when V
looks a C wi h he eyes wide open in as onishmen ; when C opens he
eyed wide wi h su p ise a V’s kiss; when C owns when con essing o
V; when V and C smile while kissing; when C smiles b ie ly and blows a
hai ou o he ace showing sel -su iciency; when C looks sadly a V’s
wound; when C and V laugh a V s uggling wi h he bel ; C closing he
eyes enjoying he si ua ion
2 illus a o s when C when C es s he body and head on he wall; when
V shakes he head o show C ha she does ca e
50
7 adap o s: 2 sel -adap o s when V es s he a m on he wall; when V
holds he back o he neck wi h bo h hands; 5 al e -adap o when V g abs
and kisses C; when C holds V while kissing he ; when V ca esses C’s
back; when C ca esses V’s wound; when V g abs C’s a m o kiss he again
1 social dis ance
2 pe sonal dis ance
2 in ima e dis ance
Physical con ac V and C
P olonged physical con ac V and C
1 change in olume below he a e age when V exposes he sel o C; 1
change in pi ch and s ess abo e a e age when C esponds o V’s
con ession; 1 change in a e below a e age when C con esses o V
Ex ac 41
2 a ec displays when V looks a C wo ied, hen looks away; when C
looks a V owning, also wo ied
1 al e -adap o when C g abs V’s hand
1 pe sonal dis ance
Physical con ac V and C
Ex ac 42
4 a ec displays when C smiles o V; when V smiles o C; when V smiles
and owns o C showing con idence; when C keeps a s aigh ace ull o
unce ain y
1 illus a o when V es s he head on he shoulde assu ing C o he
s a emen
1 egula o when C encou ages V o alk o he
2 adap o s: 1 objec -adap o when V holds he glass; 1 sel -adap o when
C es s he head on V’s shoulde
1 in ima e dis ance
Physical con ac V and C
1 change in pi ch abo e a e age when C opens he con e sa ion wi h V;
1 change in a e and pi ch below a e age when C asks V
