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 can take how she handles Sheppard more easily than how the character is handled as a whole. I mean, she's supposed to be this great diplomat and negotiator, and that hardly ever presents itself. Wasn't it in the Game, where she was trying to negotiate a peace treaty between Sheppard's and McKay's people and after about five minutes she just kind of threw her hands up in despair? Come on. She was supposed to have been world famous for her skills, so much so that the President of the United States looked her up for *help* and she can't even help these people get over their petty differences? I also find Weirs character nieve in so many ways, and with the history we've been given of her she *shouldn't* be. Like she's not used to people disappointing her, or breaking the rules, or not listening to reason. If she was negotiating treaties in the Middle East, for the UN, how could she have not run across this kind of stuff before.
There are times when John comes across as downright childish and petulant for a military commander. OMG yes. I know they had Weir fight to keep him in charge because it was needed for the show, but I have to wonder if it were real if she would have, although I could see her being worried over who they would choose to replace him.... And, I know it's been mentioned in fics a gazillion times, but in real life, how often does the military commander actually spend time on the front lines? In SG-1 Hammond went off world only a handful of times, the commander is supposed to be more of a paper pusher (I'm hoping that's what they'll do to Carter when she comes over). And from all accounts John isn't even all that good at paper work (remember his performance reviews?).
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. I think he cares, but he's probably spent his whole life with people judging him on his brain. Kids wanting to be his friend for projects, or to get his "help" on homework; bullies beating him up. Colleagues jealous of his work and brilliance, others wanting a chance to learn from him. I think his personality grew from that. HE made himself abrasive so that he's *know*. He would have an excuse for those who hate him, and it would give him a buffer to help him realize that those that like him, probably aren't there for *him*. So he's used to people using him. With Atlantis though, with John, I think he kind of lets his guards down and lets himself forget that they mostly just want his brain. But every once in a while, you can see Rodney's hurt shining through. The most obvious example is McKay and Mrs. Miller. We see how hurt he is to see his team interacting so casually with Rod. I think though, he's more afraid of being alone than of being hurt by them. I know that *I* do that sometimes. I make excuses for my best friend when she hurts me, I put up with things that I sometimes shouldn't, because I feel I need her more than she needs me, and don't want to rock the boat. I think that's the way it is with Rodney. (I can't tell you how long it took me to write this, and how many times I deleted and had to start over...).
That's a really interesting take on things. I think you're always affected by your friends, and the closer you are the more you may change. A lot of the time the changes are ones that bring you closer to who you really are, or have you doing things that you enjoy more, it's not always a bad thing, but it makes me wonder if John knows how much power he has over Rodney. Because he can be so careless with him, and if he knows, that just makes John a huge asshole, but other times he seems to *use* that power over Rodney, and well, those times often make me think he's an asshole, so, hm....
Re: SGA S4
I can take how she handles Sheppard more easily than how the character is handled as a whole. I mean, she's supposed to be this great diplomat and negotiator, and that hardly ever presents itself. Wasn't it in the Game, where she was trying to negotiate a peace treaty between Sheppard's and McKay's people and after about five minutes she just kind of threw her hands up in despair? Come on. She was supposed to have been world famous for her skills, so much so that the President of the United States looked her up for *help* and she can't even help these people get over their petty differences? I also find Weirs character nieve in so many ways, and with the history we've been given of her she *shouldn't* be. Like she's not used to people disappointing her, or breaking the rules, or not listening to reason. If she was negotiating treaties in the Middle East, for the UN, how could she have not run across this kind of stuff before.
There are times when John comes across as downright childish and petulant for a military commander.
OMG yes. I know they had Weir fight to keep him in charge because it was needed for the show, but I have to wonder if it were real if she would have, although I could see her being worried over who they would choose to replace him.... And, I know it's been mentioned in fics a gazillion times, but in real life, how often does the military commander actually spend time on the front lines? In SG-1 Hammond went off world only a handful of times, the commander is supposed to be more of a paper pusher (I'm hoping that's what they'll do to Carter when she comes over). And from all accounts John isn't even all that good at paper work (remember his performance reviews?).
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.
I think he cares, but he's probably spent his whole life with people judging him on his brain. Kids wanting to be his friend for projects, or to get his "help" on homework; bullies beating him up. Colleagues jealous of his work and brilliance, others wanting a chance to learn from him. I think his personality grew from that. HE made himself abrasive so that he's *know*. He would have an excuse for those who hate him, and it would give him a buffer to help him realize that those that like him, probably aren't there for *him*. So he's used to people using him.
With Atlantis though, with John, I think he kind of lets his guards down and lets himself forget that they mostly just want his brain. But every once in a while, you can see Rodney's hurt shining through. The most obvious example is McKay and Mrs. Miller. We see how hurt he is to see his team interacting so casually with Rod. I think though, he's more afraid of being alone than of being hurt by them. I know that *I* do that sometimes. I make excuses for my best friend when she hurts me, I put up with things that I sometimes shouldn't, because I feel I need her more than she needs me, and don't want to rock the boat. I think that's the way it is with Rodney. (I can't tell you how long it took me to write this, and how many times I deleted and had to start over...).
That's a really interesting take on things.
I think you're always affected by your friends, and the closer you are the more you may change. A lot of the time the changes are ones that bring you closer to who you really are, or have you doing things that you enjoy more, it's not always a bad thing, but it makes me wonder if John knows how much power he has over Rodney. Because he can be so careless with him, and if he knows, that just makes John a huge asshole, but other times he seems to *use* that power over Rodney, and well, those times often make me think he's an asshole, so, hm....