wliberation
in
icaw
[The Many Faces of Carson Beckett]
Before I get this post properly started, I would just like to remind everyone that we only have two days of insane appreciation left. I, for one, would like to see those two days well used. So... *prompts* Post, people! Post the love! Be INSANE!
Then to the actual post.
This was supposed to be a full blown meta on the subject, but oh, so many good points have already been made in other posts this week and so thoroughly and well that I feel such a meta would be just repeating myself and others. So, we'll mostly have do with picspam and some quotes. I'm sure you're all very disappointed. :)
This is by no means an all-covering post on Carson's emotional repertoire because I simply did not have enough patience or time to cover everything but I hope it's still satisfying.
Specific examples only from S1. There are some pictures from S2, but nothing that would give away anything.
Click on the images to enlarge. Pics from Letters From Pegasus and Duet were taken from either beckett_daily or bm_daily, can't remember which. Other screencaps were made by me. Feel free to snag pictures; no need to credit, just don't hotlink.
Carson The Perfectly Charming
McKay: "Are there any side effects?"
Beckett: "Dry mouth, headache. The irresistible urge to run on a small wheel."
(From Hide and Seek)
I think we all agree that we do love his sense of humour - I know I do. I won't babble anymore about it, and dear god, isn't it beautiful when he smiles?
Also, you know, I love that scene the second picture comes from: there they are, joking away at Rodney expense, and this is where you get a glimpse of the aura of calmness and relaxation that floats around Carson when he's at ease. He's fun and cute and completely comfortable with the situation and charming. And then? Then in a blink of an eye, when he realises that Rodney might be in real danger, he chances; you can see the worry written all over his face, the worry for Rodney, his friend and his patient. And that? That is him, that is Carson. This... apparent caring just... And the fact that he just gets with the program when it's needed, you know?
I digress.
You have to admit - the man's flirting is horrible. Honestly, it is. *g* He just doesn't know that he's already charming enough without the *waves hands* whatever it is he thinks he's doing when he's flirting. Actually, it's almost endearing.
...Hmm, I think I'm contradicting myself here.
...
Okay, fine. He is charming even when he's flirting.
Carson The Caring
This isn't about making mistakes, Perna! This is about the end justifying the means. And in our professions, that's a very slippery slope.
(From Poisoning the Well)
We've all agreed on the fact that Carson's compassion, his dedication and his apparent caring of everyone around him is one of the things we love the most about him. We've been through this so many times during this week that I don't think I have to meta on the subject any longer. Just go to dark_cygnet's Three C's metas for, you know, meta because (s)he hits the point perfectly.
One thing is for sure, though: I'll be very interested to see how Carson will have to compromise his ethics (and he will, that I know) and how he deals with it.
Carson The Trusted Friend
I think we can all believe that Carson is liked by almost everybody (I say almost because, well, let's not get too positive here, shall we? I think Ford, for one, might not be one of Carson's cheerleaders). He's kind and lovable, so why wouldn't he be liked? Yet - and I could be alone with this opinion - I think that the only friend he has is Rodney. Well, at least as far as we are shown. I mean, think about it - every time we've seen the team on their downtime, eating popcorn and watching American football and such, Carson's nowhere to be seen. Sure, the others might be his pals but there's a long way from pal to friend.
But the point is, Carson is Rodney's friend, Rodney is Carson's friend, and Rodney trusts Carson completely. Just the mere fact that Carson puts up with Rodney, the fact that he's put up with him long enough for them to become friends, it's... Carson. It's completely Carson.
Just think about it. Rodney is Carson's friend. Rodney. Rodney McKay whom mostly everyone finds absolutely unbearable and annoying; Rodney McKay in whom hardly anyone really believes; Rodney McKay, the most arrogant man in two solar systems. How much does that tell about Carson as a person? Hmm?
Carson The Annoyed
Aye, and you're such a nice young lad - until you're put in charge, you cheeky little bugger!
(To Ford in The Eye)
Okay, I don't really have pictures for this, but I think the quote is enough to prove that our dear doctor isn't all mellow and vanilla. Even teddybears get gross every now and then. Which leads us to...
Carson The KickAss Brave
Push-ups, Carson! ...Okay, sorry, I don't know what that last picture is doing under this title, but the second... well, I've rambled on his courage already, so I won't again. The first, though, proves us that CARSONCANKICKASSYESHECAN!
Ehem.
Carson The Confused
I admit, I only added this as a separate subtitle because, oh my, Confused Carson does make so many funny faces and I just had to put up these pictures.
Carson The Woobie
BECKETT: What shall I say?
FORD: Uh, uh, "I miss you"? "I wish you were here"?
BECKETT: I wish who was here?
FORD: I don't know. Who do you wish was here?
BECKETT: Nobody! I wish I wasn't bloody here!
(From Letter From Pegasus)
Do I really need to elaborate on this? Do I? Really? ...Didn't think so. He just feels so strongly, doesn't he? Poor woobie. *pets*
Actually, no, I will say something (because it seems I just cannot shut up. Sorry). It's actually quite surprising, to me, how difficult Carson is to figure out. On the other hand, we see this entirely confident, relaxed person when he's in his own element - that is, practising the medical profession - and then we see this insecure, scared person when he's somewhere else. The difference is so huge, the change to quick that it's almost as if we're dealing with a dual (trial? even four...-al?) personality. It's this polarity of his emotions that interests me the most about him. Furthermore, I think it's extremely interesting how there's this constant circle of emotion, a web of different feelings where one cannot exist without the others; emotionally, he's in constant motion, like a flickering flame. I think it's fascinating.
It would seem an impossible equation to be both open and secretive, but surprisingly enough, I think Carson is both. And this aspect of Carson only makes him more interesting to me: there are so many 'why's with Carson, a lot of questions to which I'd like to figure out the answers.
THE END. (Finally.)
("Meep," says Carson.)
Then to the actual post.
This was supposed to be a full blown meta on the subject, but oh, so many good points have already been made in other posts this week and so thoroughly and well that I feel such a meta would be just repeating myself and others. So, we'll mostly have do with picspam and some quotes. I'm sure you're all very disappointed. :)
This is by no means an all-covering post on Carson's emotional repertoire because I simply did not have enough patience or time to cover everything but I hope it's still satisfying.
Specific examples only from S1. There are some pictures from S2, but nothing that would give away anything.
Click on the images to enlarge. Pics from Letters From Pegasus and Duet were taken from either beckett_daily or bm_daily, can't remember which. Other screencaps were made by me. Feel free to snag pictures; no need to credit, just don't hotlink.
Carson The Perfectly Charming
McKay: "Are there any side effects?"
Beckett: "Dry mouth, headache. The irresistible urge to run on a small wheel."
(From Hide and Seek)
I think we all agree that we do love his sense of humour - I know I do. I won't babble anymore about it, and dear god, isn't it beautiful when he smiles?
Also, you know, I love that scene the second picture comes from: there they are, joking away at Rodney expense, and this is where you get a glimpse of the aura of calmness and relaxation that floats around Carson when he's at ease. He's fun and cute and completely comfortable with the situation and charming. And then? Then in a blink of an eye, when he realises that Rodney might be in real danger, he chances; you can see the worry written all over his face, the worry for Rodney, his friend and his patient. And that? That is him, that is Carson. This... apparent caring just... And the fact that he just gets with the program when it's needed, you know?
I digress.
You have to admit - the man's flirting is horrible. Honestly, it is. *g* He just doesn't know that he's already charming enough without the *waves hands* whatever it is he thinks he's doing when he's flirting. Actually, it's almost endearing.
...Hmm, I think I'm contradicting myself here.
...
Okay, fine. He is charming even when he's flirting.
Carson The Caring
This isn't about making mistakes, Perna! This is about the end justifying the means. And in our professions, that's a very slippery slope.
(From Poisoning the Well)
We've all agreed on the fact that Carson's compassion, his dedication and his apparent caring of everyone around him is one of the things we love the most about him. We've been through this so many times during this week that I don't think I have to meta on the subject any longer. Just go to dark_cygnet's Three C's metas for, you know, meta because (s)he hits the point perfectly.
One thing is for sure, though: I'll be very interested to see how Carson will have to compromise his ethics (and he will, that I know) and how he deals with it.
Carson The Trusted Friend
I think we can all believe that Carson is liked by almost everybody (I say almost because, well, let's not get too positive here, shall we? I think Ford, for one, might not be one of Carson's cheerleaders). He's kind and lovable, so why wouldn't he be liked? Yet - and I could be alone with this opinion - I think that the only friend he has is Rodney. Well, at least as far as we are shown. I mean, think about it - every time we've seen the team on their downtime, eating popcorn and watching American football and such, Carson's nowhere to be seen. Sure, the others might be his pals but there's a long way from pal to friend.
But the point is, Carson is Rodney's friend, Rodney is Carson's friend, and Rodney trusts Carson completely. Just the mere fact that Carson puts up with Rodney, the fact that he's put up with him long enough for them to become friends, it's... Carson. It's completely Carson.
Just think about it. Rodney is Carson's friend. Rodney. Rodney McKay whom mostly everyone finds absolutely unbearable and annoying; Rodney McKay in whom hardly anyone really believes; Rodney McKay, the most arrogant man in two solar systems. How much does that tell about Carson as a person? Hmm?
Carson The Annoyed
Aye, and you're such a nice young lad - until you're put in charge, you cheeky little bugger!
(To Ford in The Eye)
Okay, I don't really have pictures for this, but I think the quote is enough to prove that our dear doctor isn't all mellow and vanilla. Even teddybears get gross every now and then. Which leads us to...
Carson The KickAss Brave
Push-ups, Carson! ...Okay, sorry, I don't know what that last picture is doing under this title, but the second... well, I've rambled on his courage already, so I won't again. The first, though, proves us that CARSONCANKICKASSYESHECAN!
Ehem.
Carson The Confused
I admit, I only added this as a separate subtitle because, oh my, Confused Carson does make so many funny faces and I just had to put up these pictures.
Carson The Woobie
BECKETT: What shall I say?
FORD: Uh, uh, "I miss you"? "I wish you were here"?
BECKETT: I wish who was here?
FORD: I don't know. Who do you wish was here?
BECKETT: Nobody! I wish I wasn't bloody here!
(From Letter From Pegasus)
Do I really need to elaborate on this? Do I? Really? ...Didn't think so. He just feels so strongly, doesn't he? Poor woobie. *pets*
Actually, no, I will say something (because it seems I just cannot shut up. Sorry). It's actually quite surprising, to me, how difficult Carson is to figure out. On the other hand, we see this entirely confident, relaxed person when he's in his own element - that is, practising the medical profession - and then we see this insecure, scared person when he's somewhere else. The difference is so huge, the change to quick that it's almost as if we're dealing with a dual (trial? even four...-al?) personality. It's this polarity of his emotions that interests me the most about him. Furthermore, I think it's extremely interesting how there's this constant circle of emotion, a web of different feelings where one cannot exist without the others; emotionally, he's in constant motion, like a flickering flame. I think it's fascinating.
It would seem an impossible equation to be both open and secretive, but surprisingly enough, I think Carson is both. And this aspect of Carson only makes him more interesting to me: there are so many 'why's with Carson, a lot of questions to which I'd like to figure out the answers.
THE END. (Finally.)
("Meep," says Carson.)