On The Psyche of One Captain Harkness...

Thank god for fans far more observant than I. ( Definitely a bit spoilery for Torchwood eps 1 and 2 )

Caving In...

I've tried to fight it, I really have but... Jack really is trying to be The Doctor, ain't he?

Let's see...

• Valiantly doing the right thing, apparently just because it IS the right thing
• Emotionally distant. (Hello, lonely god/Doctor/whathaveyou)
• Makes an effort at said distance
• Has taken a shine to smart, feisty female who's stumbled into his life, and his emotional distance seems to already be under threat by said shininess
• Shows fab taste in retro gear

I vaguely remember Campbell having a lot to say about heroes always being alone, ultimately - which could be a factor in the whole physical/emotional isolation thing - but I'd have to return to my books to sort that out, because there's also the archtype of shared responsibility for the shared good to think about - as manifested by the Torchwood Cardiff team as a whole.

I understand wanting to emulate a mentor, but really, isn't this going too far? If it is going too far, what does this imply about Jack's mental state? Let's be honest here, the lad can't be entirely stable - imposed immortality must be quite unpleasant, in many ways. If Jack is stable, he's got some iron-clad coping mechanisms in place (of which the isolationism is no doubt a part) and I'm of course immediately wanting to see those coping mechanisms put under pressure. I don't know why I want to see my darlings suffer, but I do. 'Tis probably tied in with my whole perfection/infallibility-is-boring thing. :)

I know, I know, Jack's behavior probably goes far beyond emulating a role model, but it's an interesting thought to pursue down various avenues.