The Pacific episode 7: Fuck you Peleliu
Fuck coherence. asdlkfjdl; HALDANE. ;________________;
I can't. I just. Tears, streaming down my face. Fuck fuck fuck fuck.
See, here's how this went down for me. I was spoiled by a fucking episode summary on my download comm that Sledge would have to deal with the "loss of a leader". A LEADER. ONE. I assumed it would be my bb Haldane, because he was getting all the lovely character development and bonding and this feels like the kind of series where they make us care about characters only so they can kill them and have an impact. But when Hillbilly got it, which was horrifying and shocking and awful all on it's own, I THOUGHT MY SKIPPER WAS OKAY.
And then a fucking sniper got him. Offscreen.
I just. Fuck.
I know it's all history, and this is how it's HAPPENED, so I just have - generalized rage at existence for making things play out this way. They lost their mommy and daddy on the same day! My heart, it shatters. ;____;
All in all, this was a really, really hard episode to watch. Bill Leyden getting hit by the grenade - terrible flashbacks to Tipper. Jay having his little meltdown, and Sledge just holding him. The very powerful montage at the beginning, with Sledge's startlingly young handwriting tallying the deaths. The flamethrower. The Japanese soldier Sledge shoots point blank. The pebbles in the skull (which I had read about in "The Good War" - so, so unsettling). Sledge's near trip to crazytown. CHUCKLER! ;___;
Ow, ow, ow, ow.
I can't help but think that the series would have worked fine with just Eugene's story. Starting with episode 5, essentially, with maybe a bit more home background with Sid (because omg I love them). Then we could have watched more of his training, and then he would have run into Sid and we would have been astonished at his transformation, and apprehensive of what Sledge had to face. Then we would have watched this. I think the pacing and arc of that story would have worked much, much better than trying to hammer three stories into one. (Not to mention avoiding starting with Leckie whom I never warmed up to in the least.) Sure, Sledge never went on leave in Australia and didn't fight on Guadalcanal, but Easy didn't fight everywhere either, and their story was still complete. I think Eugene's book alone would have made for a powerful series. His story is certainly not lacking in drama. ;___;
I really must say that Joe Mazzello is astonishingly good. He's just... truly, astonishing. He can convey so much without any words, and he really has become the heart and soul of the series. Every time he takes off his helmet, it feels like he's taking off one more layer of his humanity. Does that even make sense? I don't even know, but somehow he manages to convey a world of pain with that simple motion. What an excellent choice, and I will follow him to whatever other projects he decides to pursue. (I need a Sledge icon!!)
ETA: I noticed the ring Sledge was wearing on his left ring finger. Here's what Joe had to say on Facebook:Answering the "ring" question. Nobody knows why he wore it or if he wore it throughout the war. The reason they gave it to me is because there was an old picture of Eugene wearing it, but the family isn't sure if he wore it during the war cause they had never seen it before and knew that he actually didn't like to wear rings. Sadly with Gene no longer with us, we will never know.
My personal theory? It was Eugene's promise ring from Sid. SHHHH I AM ALLOWED TO DERIVE SOME HAPPINESS FROM THIS BLACK HOLE OF DEPRESSION.
Augh, fine Spanks. Have my fucking heart.
(Haldane! Jones! ;____;)