Episode Notes: Sentinel "Spare Parts"
That squeaking sound you hear, as I'm getting prepared for watching here, is me flossing all of my preconceptions about Naomi right out of my head. I'm trying to go into this episode without *anything* cluttering up my reading of her here. So ::squeeksqueek::, I'm forgetting everything that comes up in later episodes, fanfic, etc
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Naomi teaching at the retreats is something I see as a possibility, because she apparently doesn't have a regular job, but seems to have plenty of money and plenty of time to travel to other parts of the world. She also doesn't strike me as someone who has ever worked hard for a living or been deprived at any time of her life.
One thing I can say in her favor is that, unlike many in this fandom, I don't fault her for not being around very often. After all, it's not like she lives across town. If she lives in California, it's kind of unreasonable to expect her to be dropping in all the time. When I was in college, I only saw my parents a couple of times a year and we lived in the same state. Also, her making a big deal about having not seen Blair in 6 months, implies that she usually sees him more often than that.
The time line is kind of difficult to reconcile though. It's possible that Blair could have been working with Jim and still seen Naomi. We're all assuming that it's Naomi who does the visiting, but it's also possible that Blair could have traveled to LA to see her. Of course that still doesn't explain the hair comment, since the last time Naomi saw Blair, he apparently didn't have long hair.
One minor inconsistency that I noticed was when Jim was wondering what Naomi meant by "I hear that". Jim used that phrase himself in the tag to Attraction.
Liz
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That's a very good point that I hadn't considered. Thanks! And I could see Jim being quiet in Simon's office becuase he couldn't trust himself to be polite.
She also doesn't strike me as someone who has ever worked hard for a living or been deprived at any time of her life.
Definitely. I'm liking the trust fund idea more and more. :)
One thing I can say in her favor is that, unlike many in this fandom, I don't fault her for not being around very often.
Yeah, I don't see my mom more than every 6 months, and when she lived farther away it was less often than that. On the other hand, if I'd been shot, or drowned, or drugged or any of the other things we *know* happened to Blair during the course of the series, she'd have gotten to me if she had to freakin' walk. Which, really, sometimes when I'm sick I wish she wouldn't do that, but...
The time line is kind of difficult to reconcile though.
Yeah, no kidding. For one thing does Blair's hair really grow that fast? So either 6 months to Naomi are like everyone else's year and a half and she just loses track of time (which is possible) or she was just squeeing over the hair even though she's seen it before because she likes it that much. Which is also possible. I like your thought that Blair went to visit her after he was working with Jim.
One minor inconsistency that I noticed was when Jim was wondering what Naomi meant by "I hear that". Jim used that phrase himself in the tag to Attraction.
Well, yeah. :) Sometimes it's best not to think too hard about these things. :)
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Ooooo! Savvy Jim!! I like that. :D
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But you're assuming she knew about any of that....Blair might adore her, but that doesn't mean he calls her up and tells her any time anything dangerous has happened to him - and who else is going to do it? He was raised by her, and we have evidence of him being nearly as manipulative and flighty as she is at times, and certainly quite independant. I think there's a little push-pull in their relationship :)
(Can you tell I'm having fun with this one?)
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This makes *so* much sense to me because, while I feel obliged to inform my mum when I'm sick, lord knows she's one of the last people I actually want around then. And Naomi? ::shakes head:: I'd rather fend for myself than deal with her being around when I'm recuperating from anything.
I'm not sure I'd agree with the idea that Blair's flighty, but I'd need to think about it. He doesn't seem all that flighty with the Sentinel project or with his academic studies in general.
I think there's a little push-pull in their relationship :)
At least a little. ;)
(Can you tell I'm having fun with this one?)
Yeah! :) Me too!
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There's not a LOT of back-up for this one, but he was considering chucking the whole Sentinel study to go with Eli Stoddard, and he's pretty blase about losing Larry and needing to get another research subject. Then there's the deal in Switchman where he wasn't at the meeting or whatever and asked for notes from that blonde. I think he's smart enough to be able to breeze through without having to worry about things like notes much, but it still shows a certain level of flip attitude about it.
I'm still mulling this one over too....because it does need refining. But he's got some of Naomi's traits, I think.
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Oh I could go back to the whole discussion of that in Flight--but I don't think he ever really wanted to go, I think he just wanted Jim to want him to stay. :)
Then there's the deal in Switchman where he wasn't at the meeting or whatever and asked for notes from that blonde.
Oh, I'm so going to have to look over the transcript for that again because I do *not* remember that.
he's pretty blase about losing Larry and needing to get another research subject
Now that's very true! He does seem quite calm about that.
he's got some of Naomi's traits, I think.
I agree with that 100%, but I think flightiness *isn't* one of the ones he got from her. In fact I think he was probably the more stable of the two of them.
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OH yes, that was another stellar conversation, and in all honesty, I do agree with you on this one...
Except to say that I think he considered it just for a second, but not seriously.
Oh, I'm so going to have to look over the transcript for that again because I do *not* remember that.
It's right after Blair saves Jim from the garbage truck and they're walking in the park, Blair is trying to get Jim to smell the roses in the flower seller's and the blond walks up.
"Hi Blair."
"oh, hey, how're you doin'?"
"Missed you at the meeting on Wednesday."
"Yeah...let me share your notes?"
Now, here we see that it's been MORE than one whole day (or she would have said "yesterday") and Blair has YET to worry about getting filled in this meeting that he's missed and doesn't have the info on yet. ALSO - it really appears that he probably never had any intention of getting filled in, since he's clearly using this merely as an excuse to flirt!
*snerk* Seriously...flighty might be the wrong word for what I'm thinking of here - at least on Blair's part. I'm thinking of things he's done like impersonating a doctor to get to meet a sentinel, impulsively following Jim into dangerous situations when he's told to stay put, wedging his way into Jim's loft, the ease with which he makes himself at home there, going to Club Doom when Jim specifically told him not to, using the 'thin blue line' rap on Simon when Jim told him not to, checking things out of evidence lock-up by forging Jim's signature....
Blair has Naomi's ability to ride roughshod over people, but he's not nearly as obnoxious about it, usually has better motives, and has Jim wrapped around his little finger so we're all more likely to forgive him.
(And I LOVE having to come up with defenses for these things that we don't always agree on - this is fun as hell)
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Well, having been in grad school, there were a whole bunch of boring things that happened in boring meetings that I attended even though I didn't need to. And I might have, if I wanted to have an excsute to chat with someone, asked about the notes afterwards but not really cared at all.
'm thinking of things he's done like impersonating a doctor to get to meet a sentinel, impulsively following Jim into dangerous situations when he's told to stay put, wedging his way into Jim's loft, the ease with which he makes himself at home there, going to Club Doom when Jim specifically told him not to, using the 'thin blue line' rap on Simon when Jim told him not to, checking things out of evidence lock-up by forging Jim's signature....
Hmm, I see what you mean, but I'm at a loss for the right word. Flighty doesn't seem quite right, but I'm not sure what does...but yeah, Blair's a little headstrong and he sometimes jumps in where angels fear to dread.
Blair has Naomi's ability to ride roughshod over people, but he's not nearly as obnoxious about it, usually has better motives, and has Jim wrapped around his little finger so we're all more likely to forgive him.
An excellent way of putting it. :D
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