Every time Weir took John down a step, she always did it in private; behind closed doors. But in Trinity, after Doranda, we see Weir screaming at Rodney in the middle of the gate room where everyone can hear.
Y'know, I must have watching that episode a dozen times for a fic I had to write and I never noticed that until you pointed it out. It's always bugged me that Weir is so easily walked all over (as it apparently bothered TH as well, judging from some remarks Martin Geo made in commentaries), particularly by Sheppard. I know he's supposed to be the devil may care, play by his own rules type, but Weir was willing to work him and he wasn't willing to work with her. There are times when John comes across as downright childish and petulant for a military commander. Although I suppose that's the 1,343,040 iteration of Who's John Sheppard Today?
Quote:
It makes me feel sad for Rodney, because things like this just kind of drill home the fact that he's loved for his brain. I would like to think his friends like him for more than that, but sometimes their actions? don't say that.
And you've hit on one of my major character issues with Rodney: how self-aware is he? I can't ever make up my mind as to whether he really is so socially awkward and desperate for friendship that he doesn't see the way John & Co. use him or if he's self-aware and nonconformist enough that he just doesn't care. It plays out a lot in fic where people like to make Rodney out to be the world's most terrible boss, yelling at people and being short-tempered, etc. etc. and that's really not what we see. We've seen him be worried about his scientists even when they've screwed up and praising them when they haven't and missing them, to some extent, when they're not around. So someone who's a decent boss like that (not to mention someone who's been involved in a romantic relationship for a few solid months) has to be somewhat self-aware, but then he does these other ridiculous things like let John treat him poorly and completely miss the fact that people care about him and it just drives me crazy. Rodney is, in my mind, either completely unaware or completely self-aware and I just can't figure out which I buy most.
Quote:
He's totally changed who he is, and while I think he likes who he is more now, I have no doubt that a lot of those changes were done so he could better fit John's ideal of a good friend.
That's a really interesting take on things. I'll have to mull that over some. Because you're right -- a function of the show or not, so much of Rodney's world revolves around John. That's a really interesting dynamic.
Re: SGA S4
Y'know, I must have watching that episode a dozen times for a fic I had to write and I never noticed that until you pointed it out. It's always bugged me that Weir is so easily walked all over (as it apparently bothered TH as well, judging from some remarks Martin Geo made in commentaries), particularly by Sheppard. I know he's supposed to be the devil may care, play by his own rules type, but Weir was willing to work him and he wasn't willing to work with her. There are times when John comes across as downright childish and petulant for a military commander. Although I suppose that's the 1,343,040 iteration of Who's John Sheppard Today?
And you've hit on one of my major character issues with Rodney: how self-aware is he? I can't ever make up my mind as to whether he really is so socially awkward and desperate for friendship that he doesn't see the way John & Co. use him or if he's self-aware and nonconformist enough that he just doesn't care. It plays out a lot in fic where people like to make Rodney out to be the world's most terrible boss, yelling at people and being short-tempered, etc. etc. and that's really not what we see. We've seen him be worried about his scientists even when they've screwed up and praising them when they haven't and missing them, to some extent, when they're not around. So someone who's a decent boss like that (not to mention someone who's been involved in a romantic relationship for a few solid months) has to be somewhat self-aware, but then he does these other ridiculous things like let John treat him poorly and completely miss the fact that people care about him and it just drives me crazy. Rodney is, in my mind, either completely unaware or completely self-aware and I just can't figure out which I buy most.
That's a really interesting take on things. I'll have to mull that over some. Because you're right -- a function of the show or not, so much of Rodney's world revolves around John. That's a really interesting dynamic.