On The Psyche of One Captain Harkness...
Oct. 26th, 2006 09:28 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fangrrl_squeesThank god for fans far more observant than I.
There were several moments in Everything Changes where Jack's behavior rang false - to me, at least - most notably when he was talking to Gwen in the bar and explaining that he'd just whacked her up with an amnesiac and would soon forget everything she'd learned about Torchwood, concluding with something along the lines of "Including me, which will be a terrible shame.".
The line was delivered so strangely that it brought me up short. The timing seemed off, Jack's expression was insincere, and his tone of voice... it just didn't gibe with his body-language. At first, I thought it was a combination of Jack being his usual aint-I-fab? self, John Barrowman having an off take and the editor using what s/he had on hand to make the best of it. A convergence of non-ideal circumstances resulting in a moment that disturbed the pace of the scene. A case of Oh well, not every scene can be perfect.
Then, lo and behold, someone far more perceptive than I described it as Jack uses narcissism to help drive Gwen away. The light-bulb goes on, and I start thinking. It all started with wondering if perhaps Jack's a lousy liar - hard to believe, given his con-man past, but it's also clear that he took a shine to Gwen right away, so maybe the idea of Gwen forgetting about him really does upset him. I'm enough of a gooey sentimentalist to find this rather endearing.
Gooey sentiment aside, I agree with the idea that Jack was, indeed, putting on airs to drive Gwen away. It's easy to forget that Jack must have a certain skill at manipulating people. He was - and in some ways, still is - a con-man. A con man is willing and able to say whatever has to be said for his personal gain, and he's believed when he says it. If seeming a bit repellent is going to help keep Gwen away from Torchwood, then so be it. I strongly believe that Jack's life to date was largely fueled by keeping out of emotional entanglements, by saying whatever needs to be said at a given moment and looking out for Number One at all times. Silly fangrrl had lost sight of all that. Oops.
Given all that, and the fact that Jack lives down a hole under the Hub (it's shown in the Declassified for Day One) and, well, I'm starting to perceive Jack as one emotionally distant fella. and I feel a little sorry for him, which I didn't expect. I tune in wanting my slightly-campy hawtness and, dammit, I start getting all sympathetic to the character and stuff. Fortunately, I dig that, too.
Mindless shagging is, of course, the best way to avoid emotional intimacy, that's a given. For all his talk of "being a citizen", Jack's physically cut himself off from the 21st century world - if the living-down-a-hole thing isn't enough, remember that beautiful and perhaps not entirely pointless, after all shot of him on some unlikely bit of architecture, surveying the landscape? You don't get much more (physically) detached than that. And, although he might blend in with the locals, he's a stranger to this place and time. The culture shock, alone...
What interests me is that Jack doesn't seem to be making an effort to fully integrate with his current home, despite having taken on the job of helping it. Otherwise, he'd be living in some cute little semi-detached and drinking something stronger than water down at the pub or at dinner with the team.
(Tangent: The question of why Jack doesn't seem to indulge in the sauce is fodder for a whole other post, but I strongly suspect it ties in to an ongoing need to exert what control he can over his life - god knows, he's been batted about by outside forces enough. Why go out of one's way to lose control again?)
Why is Jack working for Torchwood? What's in it for him? There's got to be something because the self-sufficient con man hasn't been entirely reformed by his association with the Doctor and Rose.
A steady income, a roof over his head without too many questions asked, an exciting life, an opportunity to be the first person to get his hands on time-travel equipment. Those are all valid motives and I suspect some aspect of any/all of them will be addressed during the course of the show.
I've read some speculation that Jack's in Cardiff because he's waiting for the Doctor to find him. I like that theory, as it makes a lot of sense, given the evidence so far. Jack's staying close to theHellmouth space/time rift, because he already knows that the TARDIS finds it strangely irresistible. There's the not entirely-unreasonable notion that the Doctor might track down and want back that hunk of genetic material currently bubbling in a jar. If Jack's got the clearance (and it's likely he does) to know the story of Torchwood's foundation, then he's got a reason to believe that the Doctor and Rose are still gadding about together, after they left him on Satellite 5 - because wouldn't have Rose mentioned meeting Queen Victoria, had it happened in her subjective past? Of course she would - no-one can resist dropping that sort of name. It adds up, in its way.
Why is Jack waiting for the Doctor? There are several potential reasons:
- The Doctor has a time machine. Jack's out of his element in the 21st Century, and wants a ride to somewhen more of his suiting.
- Jack simply misses the Doctor and Rose, and wishes to return to their gallavantin' ways.
- Contraiwise, Jack may indeed be a fully reformed character, but isn't as sure of himself as he appears, and craves the approval of his role model(s). He wants reassurance and an attaboy.
- Jack wants to give the Doctor a piece of his mind after being left on Satellite 5. Ditto Rose and just what the bloody hell did she do to him? Indeed, it might be Rose that Jack really wants to see again, and oh dear, that won't end well, will it?
This has been burbling in my mind for a couple of days and, if nothing else, it's given me stuff to chew on for![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
jack_harkness_ (no luck finding a Torchwood RP for him yet, sigh. There might be something in early December). I'm looking forward to seeing Jack's character explored a little more over the course of the show. 'Course, my regular readers know I'm a character junkie.
All this because I thought Barrowman had an off delivery in a single shot. Silly fangrrl forgot the first rules of filmmaking - everything is deliberate and don't waste anyone's time.
PS, I realize how ironic this post is, coming immediately after my rant about fans who over-speculate. Oh well, I never pretended to be perfect, or even consistent.
There were several moments in Everything Changes where Jack's behavior rang false - to me, at least - most notably when he was talking to Gwen in the bar and explaining that he'd just whacked her up with an amnesiac and would soon forget everything she'd learned about Torchwood, concluding with something along the lines of "Including me, which will be a terrible shame.".
The line was delivered so strangely that it brought me up short. The timing seemed off, Jack's expression was insincere, and his tone of voice... it just didn't gibe with his body-language. At first, I thought it was a combination of Jack being his usual aint-I-fab? self, John Barrowman having an off take and the editor using what s/he had on hand to make the best of it. A convergence of non-ideal circumstances resulting in a moment that disturbed the pace of the scene. A case of Oh well, not every scene can be perfect.
Then, lo and behold, someone far more perceptive than I described it as Jack uses narcissism to help drive Gwen away. The light-bulb goes on, and I start thinking. It all started with wondering if perhaps Jack's a lousy liar - hard to believe, given his con-man past, but it's also clear that he took a shine to Gwen right away, so maybe the idea of Gwen forgetting about him really does upset him. I'm enough of a gooey sentimentalist to find this rather endearing.
Gooey sentiment aside, I agree with the idea that Jack was, indeed, putting on airs to drive Gwen away. It's easy to forget that Jack must have a certain skill at manipulating people. He was - and in some ways, still is - a con-man. A con man is willing and able to say whatever has to be said for his personal gain, and he's believed when he says it. If seeming a bit repellent is going to help keep Gwen away from Torchwood, then so be it. I strongly believe that Jack's life to date was largely fueled by keeping out of emotional entanglements, by saying whatever needs to be said at a given moment and looking out for Number One at all times. Silly fangrrl had lost sight of all that. Oops.
Given all that, and the fact that Jack lives down a hole under the Hub (it's shown in the Declassified for Day One) and, well, I'm starting to perceive Jack as one emotionally distant fella. and I feel a little sorry for him, which I didn't expect. I tune in wanting my slightly-campy hawtness and, dammit, I start getting all sympathetic to the character and stuff. Fortunately, I dig that, too.
Mindless shagging is, of course, the best way to avoid emotional intimacy, that's a given. For all his talk of "being a citizen", Jack's physically cut himself off from the 21st century world - if the living-down-a-hole thing isn't enough, remember that beautiful and perhaps not entirely pointless, after all shot of him on some unlikely bit of architecture, surveying the landscape? You don't get much more (physically) detached than that. And, although he might blend in with the locals, he's a stranger to this place and time. The culture shock, alone...
What interests me is that Jack doesn't seem to be making an effort to fully integrate with his current home, despite having taken on the job of helping it. Otherwise, he'd be living in some cute little semi-detached and drinking something stronger than water down at the pub or at dinner with the team.
(Tangent: The question of why Jack doesn't seem to indulge in the sauce is fodder for a whole other post, but I strongly suspect it ties in to an ongoing need to exert what control he can over his life - god knows, he's been batted about by outside forces enough. Why go out of one's way to lose control again?)
Why is Jack working for Torchwood? What's in it for him? There's got to be something because the self-sufficient con man hasn't been entirely reformed by his association with the Doctor and Rose.
A steady income, a roof over his head without too many questions asked, an exciting life, an opportunity to be the first person to get his hands on time-travel equipment. Those are all valid motives and I suspect some aspect of any/all of them will be addressed during the course of the show.
I've read some speculation that Jack's in Cardiff because he's waiting for the Doctor to find him. I like that theory, as it makes a lot of sense, given the evidence so far. Jack's staying close to the
Why is Jack waiting for the Doctor? There are several potential reasons:
- The Doctor has a time machine. Jack's out of his element in the 21st Century, and wants a ride to somewhen more of his suiting.
- Jack simply misses the Doctor and Rose, and wishes to return to their gallavantin' ways.
- Contraiwise, Jack may indeed be a fully reformed character, but isn't as sure of himself as he appears, and craves the approval of his role model(s). He wants reassurance and an attaboy.
- Jack wants to give the Doctor a piece of his mind after being left on Satellite 5. Ditto Rose and just what the bloody hell did she do to him? Indeed, it might be Rose that Jack really wants to see again, and oh dear, that won't end well, will it?
This has been burbling in my mind for a couple of days and, if nothing else, it's given me stuff to chew on for
jack_harkness_ (no luck finding a Torchwood RP for him yet, sigh. There might be something in early December). I'm looking forward to seeing Jack's character explored a little more over the course of the show. 'Course, my regular readers know I'm a character junkie. All this because I thought Barrowman had an off delivery in a single shot. Silly fangrrl forgot the first rules of filmmaking - everything is deliberate and don't waste anyone's time.
PS, I realize how ironic this post is, coming immediately after my rant about fans who over-speculate. Oh well, I never pretended to be perfect, or even consistent.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2006-10-26 05:54 pm (UTC)All that to say... He's going to collect people like Gwen or Rose and they will all serve the same role from *his* perspective (which is fairly random and fleeting.) But they are completely different characters on their own.
no subject
Date: 2006-10-26 06:22 pm (UTC)I agree with you in that the only similarity I see between Gwen and Rose is that they're female, smart, and somewhat independent.
And, as mentioned before, I'll take that over a gal who screams, twists her ankle and frequently needs rescueing.
Forsooth, Jack is a rolling stone, so to speak.
You say that the Con Man aspect isn't going to change - what motivation is there for that aspect to remain, do you think? I mean, is Torchwood just another con for him, or what? (Not trying to be argumentative, I'm honestly curious as to your opinion)
no subject
Date: 2006-10-26 06:38 pm (UTC)To me, the "con man" in Jack is his underlying personality - Sure we mature and change and age and have morals which ultimately guide us but I think there will still be the "con man" impulse in every action. I think Jack is always triple-thinking, I think Jack is always looking for the "clever" way to do something - everything is a chess game, I think Jack is *always* looking to make it out of the situation by the skin of his teeth (because that's a rush,) I think Jack's primary interest is to live lush and have fun. Whether this be about picking out what restaurant he's going to eat at that night or how he's going to defeat the Dalek fleet.
Of course, now he's recovering from a rather intense, dark experience and he's a bit more subdued than usual - I'm completely *thrilled* about exploring how this starts to evolve/change for him as he struggles with the survivor's issues of coming back from death - How his new, darker self finds a balance with his basic instinct to *live* like a pirate.
Torchwood a con? No - It's the right tool for the job (he has to figure out his "condition" and find the Doctor and kill some time) - But how he conducts his life, and relationships, and day to day interactions... At any given moment I think you need to think, "Can I trust what he's showing me or am I just a tiny cog in a bigger game?"
Bleh! You'd think I'd given this some thought or something! Really, just running off at the mouth on the fly - I'm sure I'll think of just the right way to express myself tonight... Lying in bed at two in the morning. :::rollseyes:::
no subject
Date: 2006-10-26 06:42 pm (UTC)Been there, do that on a regular basis.
It's even worse when I'm writing. My husband has great fun telling our friends about how I talk in character in my sleep when I'm really chewing hard on a story point that's giving me grief. Mind you, I scared the life out of him once, when I started talking as one particular character (a lovely, charming, narcissistic sadist of my acquaintance) and so he's eased up a bit on the teasing. ;)
no subject
Date: 2006-10-26 06:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-10-26 06:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-10-26 06:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-10-26 07:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-10-26 07:14 pm (UTC)As for opinions not fitting, that's disappointing to hear, 'cos fandom should, ideally, have room for *all* opinions. Y'know, the whole "I might not agree with what you're saying, but you can say it safely here amongst your peers" sorta thing. :(
I remember (with decreasing clarity, I admit) the heyday of Trek fandom when the community tried very hard to keep an open mind with all fans - IDIC in action, of course - and even then, they had their hiccups. Still, at least they gave it the ol' college try.
I see the same sort of striving-for-open-mindedness with the Firefly fandom, which is nice - and will be even nicer as they get past the growing pains of a young fandom. ;)
no subject
Date: 2006-10-26 07:27 pm (UTC)Who and Trek have always been problematic for me - It might have to do with gender issues as well as personal preference, I don't know. It's not that I've *ever* been made to feel unwelcome or uncomfortable, it's just that no one seems to see things like I do. If I was better at lurking there wouldn't be a problem. But as it is... YACK YACK YACK... Can't keep my mouth shut for 10 seconds. ;-)
no subject
Date: 2006-10-26 07:33 pm (UTC)"The Professionals"? I thought that was them in your icon. Very cool! :-D
Ever watch "The Sandbaggers"?
Anyways, back to fandom, are you active with any of the local RL groups? (wait, hang on... are you Bay Area or elsewhere? I've forgotten)
no subject
Date: 2006-10-26 07:50 pm (UTC)I'm in WI now - I *was* in the Bay Area for 15 years. But I've been here in WI for 14 now...
Don't worry - I'll find my place in the Whoverse eventually... Not like I have the time right now anyway. ;-) I'll tell you what I *miss*... All those lovely, intimate B7 conventions that used to be around - Scorpio, ORAC, etc. That was my family. All sort of changed now. {{{Insert cranky old lady babble here}}}
I'll be going to TARDIS Chicago next month - I'll meet lots of people there!
no subject
Date: 2006-10-26 08:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-10-27 12:47 pm (UTC)I mean, there is a VAST difference of opinion for how to interpret various situations in the series so far and it's only two episodes! But it's refreshing, even though I generally don't like over-speculating.
I do like reading viewpoints from others on episodes. It's like being in class and you're all reading the same book and someone maybe latched on to something and came up with a view that you didn't see that ends up providing even FURTHER insight to the situation. I love that. It's not speculation exactly, it's just trying to find a better understanding of what's going on NOW. And that tickles my brain in a great way.