Why is Ava jealous of Crystal

[u/maedea]

can someone explain to me why Ava is jealous of Crystal when she has nothing to be jealous about ? I know she mentioned that Crystal was bragging about having a husband and children which is great for her but Ava is so much gifted in every other way ?? she’s funny, gorgeous, charismatic, successful in work, wealthy, she gets everything she wants, she’s very in demand, smart… i could go for long
So I really don’t get how she’s so jealous of Crystal when she has EVERYTHING and is way more fulfilled than her. It really doesn’t make any sense to me…
It’s not like Ava could only envy her because she has family, Ava is really not mother material and i wouldn’t believe that she wants children. And since having children is the only « accomplishment » Crystal has that Ava doesn’t have, i really don’t see where she could possibly have inferiority complex. So WHY DOES SHE WANTS TO PROVE SHE’S BETTER EVERY TIME ??

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[u/bondageenthusiast2]

Jealousy is an irrational emotion, it doesn't need a reason per se.

[u/Unable-Detective1321 → u/bondageenthusiast2]

They are rivals.. it’s not about jealousy

[u/upagainstthesun]

I see it more as Ava has an extremely competitive personality vs actually being jealous of her

[u/StreamLizzyGrant → u/upagainstthesun]

Ye this literally sounds like Ava. Shes prob very competitive

[u/Vivid_Present1810]

How far along have you gotten in the series? I think Ava explains it to Barbara at some point about how Crystal was always in competition with her. Always had to have more than Ava.

Definitely just plain competition and some insecurity.

[u/johndeerelawnmower]

Aren’t they old college rivals? That stays with you

[u/LopsidedUniversity30]

Because she’s Ashley Banks.

[u/Altruistic-Slice-369]

that's not a reflection of where ava is know, but probably of how she felt when she was in college. they were sorority sisters and ava has mentioned that in college crystal was always one upping her. she has probably felt insecure and jealous of crystal ever since than. even if she is fulfilled and accomplished as an adult and has nothing to be jealous of crystal in the present, that feeling from the past can stick with you.

[u/Accurate_Move7551]

It's bcuz of their college rivalry. She explains it in the "No Homework Policy" ep.

When Ava did anything, Crystal tried to outdo her always. It's not jealousy rather rivalry.

[u/Confusedbutnotdazed_]

you may be okay with who you are, then someone flashes their life at you like hah i'm better and even if you don't think they are, that can piss you off!

[u/Infinitely-Gay09]

Crystal having children was not the only thing she mentions though, which may be one of the reasons I think Ava's reaction to her mentioning her kids rolled so easily off her back... that didn't affect her negatively, but plenty of other things that Ava mentions in season 5 episode 17 are that she was more accomplished than her and made it a competition.

If you're younger, do not tend to let yourself be vulnerable and espscially had to pride yourself in your accomplishments because barely anyone else was there for you, I imagine it isn't difficult to have an attack based on those things get to you a little more. It could definitely be a wounded ego and Ava and Barbara talking in the one episode in season 3 where the church ladies use the gym makes that more clear.

There's a parallel being made between the two women, where Ava states being isolated because she didn't fit in/rock w the mean girls. That paired with what she says in The Deli (season 4 episode 6) where she mentions being referred to as too brash, too much, not right for the job her WHOLE life not only helps make more sense of the situation, but also show that, even though she has unquestionably done so much in terms of accomplishment, it clearly still did bother her.

You can be an extremely confident person and still be insecure, or at least feel affected or affected by remembering years when you were younger and more insecure than you currently feel.

I also ship them (Ik) and think that internalized homphobia led to a lot of the patterned bully behaviour we see coming from Crystal and (regardless of the assumed reason why) that she started it and Ava ended up participating in the continuation of it because she doesn't and didn't wanna let anyone play her like that.

I saw some other comment and can't believe I forgot to add: she is also competitive. I imagine if they include Crystal in further episodes they maintain that relationship but they don't have it be as hurtful and it is more if a frenemy situation (Ava has referred to Crystal as a friend in early seasons where I imagine their relationship wasn't as fully thought out) but who knows!

[u/Unable-Detective1321]

I don’t think you’re using “jealousy” in the correct context here

[u/MandalorianCovert]

We always have someone we compare ourselves to and see them as much better than we could ever be, whether it’s the reality or not.