At times, Shameless feels like a “guilty pleasure” show. There are layers upon layers of scandal, major character growth, toxic relationships, and, of course, one cannot forget about the dysfunctional core that holds together the Gallaghers. Regular everyday things, such as lying, stealing, and scheming, make fans question whether a character is actually brilliant or just plain foolish. This show will have just about anyone questioning their own morals. From secret marriages to fake identities, the storylines in Shameless know no bounds. When a Russian sex worker gets thrown into the mix, nothing feels out of the ordinary for the series. However, when she works her way into a main role, dynamics begin to shift among characters.

Shameless has a great diverse representation of characters who do what they need to do to get by in life. By bringing in Svetlana, the series further enhanced fans’ interest. Svetlana is smart as well as sexy. She may have been sold as a sex slave and forced to have sex with and later marry Mickey Milkovich, but she quickly learned how to play the game. Not to put down the other women characters in Shameless, but Svetlana consistently proves that she is the smartest when it comes to acquiring what she wants.

The Creation of the Throuple

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After Kev and Veronica split up for a short time, Svetlana moves into their house. She insists to Kev that she will “cook, clean, and perform wifely duties.” Unbeknownst to Kev, that means taking care of his sexual needs. When Veronica returns home and takes a nap in her own bed, she finds Svetlana performing oral sex on her and citing the same expectations of her role in their house. Svetlana sees sex as a business proposition, but instead of money, she receives a roof over her head, a job at The Alibi, and someone to help raise her child. The physical actions soon turn into an emotional affair between Svetlana and Veronica, and the two get married to keep Svetlana from being deported.

The three individuals learn to live, work, and raise their babies with one another. A romantic relationship is not shared between Kev and Svetlana, but she makes sure that a friendship is present while they are a family. When Debbie begins to worry about finding a job to support herself and her own baby, Svetlana advises her to find someone to “keep her.” Svetlana points out that she is a kept woman, though not in a conventional sense, and she has everything she needs.

Related: Shameless: Every Season Ranked

She Plays to Her Strengths

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While working in the bar, Svetlana lets it be known that she is good with numbers. A couple regulars test her with some math questions, and she proves herself to be a bit of a genius. As a permanent part of the throuple, Svetlana takes over The Alibi’s finances and discovers that Kev and Veronica have put themselves heavily in debt. She notices how Kev frequently gives out free drinks, and she does her best to address the financial problems he has created. Unfortunately, Kev does not seem too concerned with the books, so Svetlana takes matters into her own hands. She tricks both Kev and Veronica into signing over The Alibi to her by telling them that the papers are adoptions forms for their children. Though her intentions were good, or so she says, it was still a sneaky yet smart way to further solidify her role in the family.

Unfortunately for Svetlana, Veronica finds out about the lie. She and Kev feel betrayed, and when Svetlana refuses to sign the bar back over to them, Veronica calls immigration and has her arrested. Even behind bars, Svetlana is able to talk her way back into Veronica’s life. The latter bails out her wife on the premise that the bar will be split three ways, Svetlana will take care of the three children three nights out of the week, and she will teach Veronica how to manage the bar and finances. Though they are not a throuple any longer due to lingering resentment, Kev, Veronica, and Svetlana find mutual ground.

Related: Shameless: 10 Best Characters in the Series, Ranked

She Makes Her Own Happily-Ever-After

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When a beautiful blonde woman, Freelania Alexeyevich, walks into The Alibi sporting a white fur coat and Russian accent, tension immediately rises. She asks for Svetlana, throws some insults at her, drops $4500 on the floor, and walks out. Come to find out, Svetlana previously helped smuggle the woman into the country, and they were sex workers together. Since their last encounter, the woman has managed to find herself a senile old man who is willing to marry her and give her the lavish lifestyle both women have always wanted. Needless to say, Svetlana is jealous. She begins trying to find herself a sugar daddy, and once Kev and Veronica discover her plan, they help.

At first, the couple tries to have Svetlana meet older men in the bar as well as high class establishments. Given her tougher nature, Svetlana fails before the relationships can begin. Seeing that Freelania’s fiancé’s mentality has rapidly declined, Svetlana concocts a plan to stand in Freelania’s place at the wedding. On the day of the wedding, Svetlana beams with happiness. Like sex, she sees her marriage as a business deal, and she happily leaves Freelania with nothing. In the end, Svetlana leaves the show and still proves that she always gets what she wants.