Something Babbled: A J/G Shipper's Slant
Finally finished (well, good enough for now anyway), here are my Jack/Gwen shipper thoughts on the last episode Something Borrowed. Full of spoilers, so beware.
Something Borrowed, Something Babbled: A Jack/Gwen Shipper's Slant...
So, since there were so many posts, reviews and wacked out theories on this episode, I decided to do just the bits which interested me with a Jack/Gwen slant.
1) At the very beginning during the flashback there is a line from Gwen that did not appear in the originally aired version. In fact, we rarely get flashbacks in this show. Why for this episode? They've been setting up the wedding by talking about it in throw-away lines for weeks, so it's not really necessary, but we get it anyway. The dialogue goes like this, with the added line in bold at the end:
J: "What's this?"
G: "That's an engagement ring, that is."
J: "You're getting married?"
G: "Yes, Rhys asked"
J: "And you said yes?"
G: "Well, no one else will have me. I need stability, Jack. Someone I can rely on."
Now, since everyone and their dog has their fun with explanations, here's my take... we had the flashback to make sure that everyone knows that there is UST between these two. With the addition of that new line, it makes it clearer that the previous line (..."well, no one else will have me") was indeed a challenge to Jack. She's settling for Rhys, and she wants to make sure that Jack knows that she was not happy that he up and left her and the team. She's goading him. Which she does several times more in this episode.
2) As I mentioned above, Gwen challenges Jack several times in this episode. When Jack arrives to stop the wedding (in a totally classic fashion), they go back to her suite for the explanation. Then she gets up from sitting on the bed and goes right up to Jack and says... "Who else? Who else would marry me, knowing that I am carrying some kind of monster inside me?"
3) When the shapeshifter holds Gwen's mum hostage, she moves into that calm, collected manner that serves her well here. She's totally focussed on her mum, and Rhys? He's arguing with her. Well she hasn't got time for that, so what does she do? She calls out, "Jack?" in a tone he absolutely understands. Jack responds with a warning in his voice in his single, "Rhys." Only then does Rhys back off. It's an interesting little scene.
4) Shapeshifter!Jack scene... I could go on and on about this, so I will. At least for a bit. Poor Gwen. She was never going to win in this scene. She thinks it's really Jack, and I know we were meant to, but as soon as he opened the door it seemed pretty obvious it wasn't him. She doesn't seem to think twice as he comes up behind her with his hands on her shoulders, and as she says, "I didn't expect to meet someone like you" she grabs one of his hands and holds fast, stroking his hand with her thumb. His cheesy line, "You're not the only one who met somebody that knocked their world outta kilter" doesn't seem to phase her.
When he leans further in though, she turns around and challenges him yet again. "Rhys has always been there for me. Through all this madness, even when I haven't deserved it." He shushes her silently and plays with her lip and other than what she's saying, she's certainly not protesting for a woman who keeps insisting that she's going to marry someone else today. "He's not afraid to tell me he loves me" she continues as he plays with her chin, tips her head up and they both lean in for the kiss.
Damn shapeshifter! I loved how quickly she reacts and head-butts him, and then grabs the only thing she can find for a weapon. Pity no one else saw this scene, then it would be even more interesting. But what we can take away for good or for ill, is that she was absolutely willing (through token protest) to kiss Jack on her wedding day.
5) Jack and his BFG come in and blow the shapeshifter away. The aftermath is awfully cute, and loved Jack's 'evil dead' remark to Rhys. He then goes off to check on Gwen and she practically leaps into his arms, and he lifts her up and around carrying her for a few steps. The grins the two exchange here are huge, and it's a moment of relief and absolute joy. Jack looks over at Rhys (who looks a little shocked and so he should be) and almost reluctantly remembers what the day is all about. He puts Gwen down and takes Rhys' hand, placing it in Gwen's. "...and the hero always gets the girl". Nicely played Jack. If I hadn't seen the last bit as a bit of a cover-up for your twirling her around in front of Rhys, it could be taken as you giving her away and really, that's okay, too. For now.
6) The wedding, take two. Jack was very polite here, clapping at the appropriate time. This is the only part of this episode (aside from the very end) that I can envision him thinking about his own past marriages. I think at this point, he's resigned that she's actually going to marry Rhys. I liked the way it was framed, that we can see Jack in the background, and that she seems to turn to him and look at him after it's over.
7) The dance... I have read so many opinions, fanwank, theories and justification that the mind truly boggles. Here's my take... Jack takes his opportunity to claim a dance with the bride. Is he committing a faux-pas by cutting in on them? Absolutely not. It's late at the reception, and after the bride dances with her new husband, her father and her father-in-law, the best man, any ushers etc... then it's all fair game. And Rhys didn't have a problem with it either:
J: Mind if I cut in?
R: Why not? I'm danced off my feet. Going to find a beer.
They dance very closely, smiling while he tells her to enjoy her honeymoon. She promises she will and asks what he'll do while she's gone. The usual, he replies. "Pizza," which garners an eye roll. "Ianto," which earns giggles from them both. "Save the world a couple of times," so par for the course. She then asks if he'll miss her, and without a beat he says, "Always".
You get the feeling that he means it as only an immortal man can. He'll miss her while she's gone on that honeymoon, miss the opportunity that they never were romantically involved, miss her as she grows old, and miss her when she's passed on. It's a meaningful answer with multiple layers.
Jack then goes on to say lots of really nice things about Rhys. How he's the perfect husband, loyal, brave. It's if Jack is trying to convince both himself and Gwen that she's made the right choice. At this point they are staring into each other's eyes so intently, it seems almost too much for Jack that he makes light in his next point - that Rhys has a hell of swing on him. But Gwen doesn't blink, doesn't laugh, doesn't take her eyes off him. So, he continues his speech... "and best of all, he really loves you." She tells him that she knows, and they continue their intense eye thing for a few more beats. They are so off in their own little bubble that when Ianto walks up they don't even see him.
Ianto says, "May I, uh?" They still don't hear him, or they're totally ignoring him. Ianto has to clear his throat, and still wait a beat or two before they're willing to break away to let him cut in. When they do, Gwen assumes that he wants to dance with her, and then covers her mistake and goes over to Rhys. After Jack takes up the dance with Ianto, he glances over at Gwen, his attention is quite obviously not on Ianto.
Interpretation on this scene varied. I know the way I saw it. I saw two people dancing together who didn't want to let go of the moment. I saw Jack try to convince both of them that she'd made the right choice in marrying Rhys. I saw Gwen refuse to look away from his eyes. I saw jealousy from Jack in droves. Jealous of Rhys, mostly. But I can see a bit of jealousy of the normal life thing going on.
What I don't see is the major Janto angle, which seems to be that he spent the dance reminiscing about his own wedding or marriage or lovers. Nope, not a chance in hell. Sorry. Actually, he didn't really have much time to do that during the dance (he saves it for later when he gets back to the Hub). Between the conversation, there wasn't really a whole lot of time, and by the way he was staring into her eyes, he was probably thinking about the woman in his arms.
The other big take on it, is that it's more of a brotherly or father-of-the-bride dance. Seriously, I'd be really worried if that's how a father looked into his daughter's eyes. Whereas some of the bits in this episode could be construed that way, this simply isn't one of them.
I think the most amusing take is that Ianto, being the demi-god that some of the fandom has elevated him to, is being so self-less that he cuts in on them to save them from themselves, and from taking their behaviour too far. Though, at least this take requires that someone postulating it can see that the dance is framed quite romantically. I did not see them as reaching in for a kiss, and that has also been posted.
8) Near the end after the dance, Team Torchwood and Rhys are sitting around the table. Jack tells them about the retcon, and then Rhys and Gwen get up to go. Gwen kisses Owen. Then she kisses Ianto as she thanks him for the dress. But no kiss for Jack, and no real goodbye either. But, I'm guessing that she wouldn't dare kiss Jack in front of Rhys (and after the whole Jack/shapeshifter almost kiss moment she just wasn't going to go there), and that they had already really said goodbye during their dance.
Random Bits:
"Do not bring my bloody hormones into this, Mister Jack Harkness!"
- You tell him, Gwen! He backs down nicely after this.
"What I don't understand is if people are going to make such a big deal about getting married why come all the way into the middle of nowhere where no one can find you to do it? That to me suggests inner conflict."
- Ummm, Jack? This does suggest inner conflict. Yours. ; )
Loved the photobox at the end of the episode filled with pictures of Jack. Nice to that one of them was a wedding photo with a woman, and I think that's the reason he went into the box. It's possible that that's the only time he ever got married during his last 140 years on Earth. It's also possible that since that photo is a very early one, maybe the late 1800's, that at this point, he might even have thought that he would grow old with her...
And I loved Jack blowing the confetti into the Hub.
Fabulous episode: 9.5/10
Something Borrowed, Something Babbled: A Jack/Gwen Shipper's Slant...
So, since there were so many posts, reviews and wacked out theories on this episode, I decided to do just the bits which interested me with a Jack/Gwen slant.
1) At the very beginning during the flashback there is a line from Gwen that did not appear in the originally aired version. In fact, we rarely get flashbacks in this show. Why for this episode? They've been setting up the wedding by talking about it in throw-away lines for weeks, so it's not really necessary, but we get it anyway. The dialogue goes like this, with the added line in bold at the end:
J: "What's this?"
G: "That's an engagement ring, that is."
J: "You're getting married?"
G: "Yes, Rhys asked"
J: "And you said yes?"
G: "Well, no one else will have me. I need stability, Jack. Someone I can rely on."
Now, since everyone and their dog has their fun with explanations, here's my take... we had the flashback to make sure that everyone knows that there is UST between these two. With the addition of that new line, it makes it clearer that the previous line (..."well, no one else will have me") was indeed a challenge to Jack. She's settling for Rhys, and she wants to make sure that Jack knows that she was not happy that he up and left her and the team. She's goading him. Which she does several times more in this episode.
2) As I mentioned above, Gwen challenges Jack several times in this episode. When Jack arrives to stop the wedding (in a totally classic fashion), they go back to her suite for the explanation. Then she gets up from sitting on the bed and goes right up to Jack and says... "Who else? Who else would marry me, knowing that I am carrying some kind of monster inside me?"
3) When the shapeshifter holds Gwen's mum hostage, she moves into that calm, collected manner that serves her well here. She's totally focussed on her mum, and Rhys? He's arguing with her. Well she hasn't got time for that, so what does she do? She calls out, "Jack?" in a tone he absolutely understands. Jack responds with a warning in his voice in his single, "Rhys." Only then does Rhys back off. It's an interesting little scene.
4) Shapeshifter!Jack scene... I could go on and on about this, so I will. At least for a bit. Poor Gwen. She was never going to win in this scene. She thinks it's really Jack, and I know we were meant to, but as soon as he opened the door it seemed pretty obvious it wasn't him. She doesn't seem to think twice as he comes up behind her with his hands on her shoulders, and as she says, "I didn't expect to meet someone like you" she grabs one of his hands and holds fast, stroking his hand with her thumb. His cheesy line, "You're not the only one who met somebody that knocked their world outta kilter" doesn't seem to phase her.
When he leans further in though, she turns around and challenges him yet again. "Rhys has always been there for me. Through all this madness, even when I haven't deserved it." He shushes her silently and plays with her lip and other than what she's saying, she's certainly not protesting for a woman who keeps insisting that she's going to marry someone else today. "He's not afraid to tell me he loves me" she continues as he plays with her chin, tips her head up and they both lean in for the kiss.
Damn shapeshifter! I loved how quickly she reacts and head-butts him, and then grabs the only thing she can find for a weapon. Pity no one else saw this scene, then it would be even more interesting. But what we can take away for good or for ill, is that she was absolutely willing (through token protest) to kiss Jack on her wedding day.
5) Jack and his BFG come in and blow the shapeshifter away. The aftermath is awfully cute, and loved Jack's 'evil dead' remark to Rhys. He then goes off to check on Gwen and she practically leaps into his arms, and he lifts her up and around carrying her for a few steps. The grins the two exchange here are huge, and it's a moment of relief and absolute joy. Jack looks over at Rhys (who looks a little shocked and so he should be) and almost reluctantly remembers what the day is all about. He puts Gwen down and takes Rhys' hand, placing it in Gwen's. "...and the hero always gets the girl". Nicely played Jack. If I hadn't seen the last bit as a bit of a cover-up for your twirling her around in front of Rhys, it could be taken as you giving her away and really, that's okay, too. For now.
6) The wedding, take two. Jack was very polite here, clapping at the appropriate time. This is the only part of this episode (aside from the very end) that I can envision him thinking about his own past marriages. I think at this point, he's resigned that she's actually going to marry Rhys. I liked the way it was framed, that we can see Jack in the background, and that she seems to turn to him and look at him after it's over.
7) The dance... I have read so many opinions, fanwank, theories and justification that the mind truly boggles. Here's my take... Jack takes his opportunity to claim a dance with the bride. Is he committing a faux-pas by cutting in on them? Absolutely not. It's late at the reception, and after the bride dances with her new husband, her father and her father-in-law, the best man, any ushers etc... then it's all fair game. And Rhys didn't have a problem with it either:
J: Mind if I cut in?
R: Why not? I'm danced off my feet. Going to find a beer.
They dance very closely, smiling while he tells her to enjoy her honeymoon. She promises she will and asks what he'll do while she's gone. The usual, he replies. "Pizza," which garners an eye roll. "Ianto," which earns giggles from them both. "Save the world a couple of times," so par for the course. She then asks if he'll miss her, and without a beat he says, "Always".
You get the feeling that he means it as only an immortal man can. He'll miss her while she's gone on that honeymoon, miss the opportunity that they never were romantically involved, miss her as she grows old, and miss her when she's passed on. It's a meaningful answer with multiple layers.
Jack then goes on to say lots of really nice things about Rhys. How he's the perfect husband, loyal, brave. It's if Jack is trying to convince both himself and Gwen that she's made the right choice. At this point they are staring into each other's eyes so intently, it seems almost too much for Jack that he makes light in his next point - that Rhys has a hell of swing on him. But Gwen doesn't blink, doesn't laugh, doesn't take her eyes off him. So, he continues his speech... "and best of all, he really loves you." She tells him that she knows, and they continue their intense eye thing for a few more beats. They are so off in their own little bubble that when Ianto walks up they don't even see him.
Ianto says, "May I, uh?" They still don't hear him, or they're totally ignoring him. Ianto has to clear his throat, and still wait a beat or two before they're willing to break away to let him cut in. When they do, Gwen assumes that he wants to dance with her, and then covers her mistake and goes over to Rhys. After Jack takes up the dance with Ianto, he glances over at Gwen, his attention is quite obviously not on Ianto.
Interpretation on this scene varied. I know the way I saw it. I saw two people dancing together who didn't want to let go of the moment. I saw Jack try to convince both of them that she'd made the right choice in marrying Rhys. I saw Gwen refuse to look away from his eyes. I saw jealousy from Jack in droves. Jealous of Rhys, mostly. But I can see a bit of jealousy of the normal life thing going on.
What I don't see is the major Janto angle, which seems to be that he spent the dance reminiscing about his own wedding or marriage or lovers. Nope, not a chance in hell. Sorry. Actually, he didn't really have much time to do that during the dance (he saves it for later when he gets back to the Hub). Between the conversation, there wasn't really a whole lot of time, and by the way he was staring into her eyes, he was probably thinking about the woman in his arms.
The other big take on it, is that it's more of a brotherly or father-of-the-bride dance. Seriously, I'd be really worried if that's how a father looked into his daughter's eyes. Whereas some of the bits in this episode could be construed that way, this simply isn't one of them.
I think the most amusing take is that Ianto, being the demi-god that some of the fandom has elevated him to, is being so self-less that he cuts in on them to save them from themselves, and from taking their behaviour too far. Though, at least this take requires that someone postulating it can see that the dance is framed quite romantically. I did not see them as reaching in for a kiss, and that has also been posted.
8) Near the end after the dance, Team Torchwood and Rhys are sitting around the table. Jack tells them about the retcon, and then Rhys and Gwen get up to go. Gwen kisses Owen. Then she kisses Ianto as she thanks him for the dress. But no kiss for Jack, and no real goodbye either. But, I'm guessing that she wouldn't dare kiss Jack in front of Rhys (and after the whole Jack/shapeshifter almost kiss moment she just wasn't going to go there), and that they had already really said goodbye during their dance.
Random Bits:
"Do not bring my bloody hormones into this, Mister Jack Harkness!"
- You tell him, Gwen! He backs down nicely after this.
"What I don't understand is if people are going to make such a big deal about getting married why come all the way into the middle of nowhere where no one can find you to do it? That to me suggests inner conflict."
- Ummm, Jack? This does suggest inner conflict. Yours. ; )
Loved the photobox at the end of the episode filled with pictures of Jack. Nice to that one of them was a wedding photo with a woman, and I think that's the reason he went into the box. It's possible that that's the only time he ever got married during his last 140 years on Earth. It's also possible that since that photo is a very early one, maybe the late 1800's, that at this point, he might even have thought that he would grow old with her...
And I loved Jack blowing the confetti into the Hub.
Fabulous episode: 9.5/10