Episode Notes: Magnificent Seven "Wagon Train, part 2"

[sara_merry99]

Well the folks who gave me a Chris/Vin oriented thumbs up on this episode weren't kidding at all, were they? Because OMG it is so clear to me that Vin went back to *Chris* specifically. And Chris, hurt by him leaving and withdrawing...until Vin comes tumbling down that hill. Mmmm!! ::happy sighs

Comments

[spikedluv]

Ahhhh! Wasn't this a wonderful ending for what looked like Vin leaving with Charlotte? Amazing how it could still be so slashy. Another example of the writers throwing women at the men making them look even more gay. *g*

Loved Vin needing to go back and warn Chris the others. And the first thing Chris says to him, "You back for good?" You're right, Chris totally didn't sound sincere when he said it was Vin's life, none of his business. And he was jealous and hurt when he said that it looked to him like Vin was already gone. These silly boys!

But all that is forgotten when Vin is hurt. Loved Chris rushing to his side, and the fact that they're back together again at the end. *sigh*

The thing about Ezra, Nathan and the fiddler is that Ezra was completely sincere when he told Nathan to give him whatever it was he wanted, because at that point he had no idea what the fiddler was asking of Nathan. It was only when he found out that he was offering Nathan his portion of the homestead that Ezra's avarice kicked in.

This ep is another example of how close Nathan and Ezra have become because Nathan accepts Ezra's shamelessness (though he's not afraid to call him on it *g*) as part of who he is. Loved Nathan letting Ezra be tossed into the tree branches, though. *g*

Oh, Josiah, lol, being blindsided by Miss Alice. She was one pushy broad, wasn't she? Pumpkin. *g*

Buck's bit of poetry made me laugh. Especially the fact that he was so tickled by it that he wants to remember it so he can use it. *g*

Did love Buck giving JD advice on the fight. It reminded me of Josiah's comments to him a couple weeks ago.

Chris did look gorgeous when he smiled, and Mary with the firearm was quite hot.

Loved that Vin and Buck got the first shot. So they must be the best long-distance shooters? I mean, we know Vin is a sharp shooter, so Buck must be his equal, or near second?

I wondered why no one could hear the Powder Man dancing and singing, too!

Vin shooting the fuse was pretty hot. And when the seven came riding up over that ridge? Meep! *fans self*

Loved Buck and Ezra doing the slingshot. Reminded me of the ep where they couldn't get the fuse lit, and then when Buck threw the dynamite the fuse fell out. *g*

And in conclusion, Chris and Vin make-up sex to follow, yay! *g*

[pezgirl7]

Loved Buck and Ezra doing the slingshot. Reminded me of the ep where they couldn't get the fuse lit, and then when Buck threw the dynamite the fuse fell out. *g*

I can just imagine Buck and Ezra playing together as children. I think they would get into a world of trouble!

I also like how Nathan and Ezra's relationship has progressed, although I think Ezra got over his prejudice awfully fast. Nathan took longer to accept Ezra for who he is, which is more realistic. And oh, how I love the flying into the bushes bit! "That was not kind, not kind at all" :) And Ezra getting slapped! Ouch. He reacts as if it's not the first time too! hehe I don't think even Buck has ever been shown getting slapped!

[magicom]

Ezra did *seem* to get over his prejudice rather fast, but I think it fits with his personality. Ezra keeps things that are useful to him and he found out about two-thirds through the pilot that his prejudice against Nathan (and by extension against black people in general) was not only not useful, but rather counter-productive. It also seems to be something he absorbed from society rather than something he was taught, as Maude doesn't seem to have any issues with either Nathan OR Nathan's dad. Unless it was taught by one of the bajillion relatives she dumped him with during his childhood. At any rate, I don't think it's out of character for him to discard it as soon as he realizes it doesn't help him in life at all.

Nathan, on the other hand, is a very moral and upstanding sort of a person and a lot of Ezra's behaviour that he takes issue with is amoral at best. He's also probably known a lot of people in his past who talked like Ezra and did truly terrible things. I think him zoning into that part of his past might be why he came so dangerously close to beheading Ezra in Love and Honour. Like maybe, for a second, he forgot it was *Ezra* - his rogueish, card-cheating, grifting but ultimately good-hearted buddy - and instead he saw the sort of southern white man who made him sword fight in the first place. At any rate, I think Nathan's issues with Ezra run a lot deeper than Ezra's issues with Nathan did, so it makes sense to me that Ezra got over them a lot more quickly.

And I do totally agree that it's really nice and sweet the way that Nathan isn't bothered by Ezra being Ezra anymore. I love their friendship.

[sassyinkpen]

Like maybe, for a second, he forgot it was *Ezra* - his rogueish, card-cheating, grifting but ultimately good-hearted buddy - and instead he saw the sort of southern white man who made him sword fight in the first place.

I love this interpretation, and I think it's very plausible. Look at Working Girls when Nathan was practically frothing at the mouth over Ezra "selling women off like chattel", when that's not really what Ezra was doing. Ezra's marriage brokering was going to be a win-win for everyone, I think, since he clearly DID care what happened to those women.

[magicom]

And I think, too, that it's pretty clear that Ezra cares about the treatment of women in general. I've said it somewhere else as well, that he seems to take it particularly hard when harm is done to women. I think in his way (and, of course for a percentage) he really thought he was helping those girls.

[sassyinkpen]

Yes, exactly. He was so stricken when Claire Mosley was killed in Manhunt.

I don't think he would have set any of those women up with anyone terrible - I mean, look at the gomers he actually had signed up at the end of that ep. :)

[magicom]

He did say he'd be vetting all candidates personally. I'm sure he went for mild-mannered sorts with more money than brains. Makes sense for the grifting side of things as well ;)

[sara_merry99]

Exactly! Best for both him and the girls if he didn't go for the best and the brightest, just the nicest and the richest. :D

[sara_merry99]

Exactly, he was setting them up with nice little nebbishes with lots of money. A far better life than prostitution, realistically speaking.

[sara_merry99]

I think in his way (and, of course for a percentage) he really thought he was helping those girls.

Oh, well, really he certainly was. Then as now being a prostitute is an unenviable and insecure life. Far better to the the bride of a nice, wealthy, nebbishy man. :D (As sassyinkpen points out, did you see the gomers he was trying to hook them up with.)

And it's not as though Ezra was extracting any of the price of his marriage-brokering from the *women*, who had little. He was getting it from the men, who had much.

[sara_merry99]

I think it's quite possible that Nathan, very humanly and realistically, can't always see beyond his own limitations.

[sara_merry99]

Ezra keeps things that are useful to him and he found out about two-thirds through the pilot that his prejudice against Nathan (and by extension against black people in general) was not only not useful, but rather counter-productive. It also seems to be something he absorbed from society rather than something he was taught, as Maude doesn't seem to have any issues with either Nathan OR Nathan's dad.

Oh, now this is a *really* good point!! And it does explain why he got over his prejudice so quickly.

Also, in my experience with racist Southerners today, even if they don't like blacks in general, most of them will make exceptions for individuals they've gotten to know. And it doesn't really, take away from their prejudice. My grandmother died believing that "blacks can't be trusted", but would have fought to a standstill anyone who cast aspersions on the honesty or trustworthyness of Otis or Annette or Mary or any of half a dozen other folks she had personal relationships with. It's the difference between the nameless "other" and a person you may respect.

He's also probably known a lot of people in his past who talked like Ezra and did truly terrible things. I think him zoning into that part of his past might be why he came so dangerously close to beheading Ezra in Love and Honour.

Did I miss this?? I don't remember Nathan coming close to beheading Ezra in Love and Honor! Where was I? Obviously I wasn't properly paying attention. Moop!

Nathan's objections to Ezra are rooted in more substantial personality issues than a superficial racism, yes. I totally agree with you there.

Which makes their friendship even more charming, IMO.

[magicom]

When Nathan was sparring with Ezra in the church to, basically, help determine who should train Buck, Ezra seemed very good natured about it when he dropped the gauntlet, almost like it was play. The final blow that took out the candles only missed Ezra's head because he ducked at the right time. You don't really get the impression from the amount of followthrough in the blow that the sword would have stopped at Ezra's throat if he hadn't. It's not a dispersion on Nathan - it's probably his intensity in the training that saved Buck's life, but I think for a second he was really caught up in the moment.

And I agree about their early issues making their friendship more charming. They're fantastic in scenes together, I'd love to see more fanfic focusing on their friendship. They play off each other so well throughout the second season, even when they don't agree. There are some bits in the upcoming episodes where we see more of this. I can't wait until the next review!

Also, I think I recall reading somewhere years ago that the big confrontation between Ezra and Nathan in Working Girls was as harsh as it was because Tony Starke wanted it to be. I think he and Rick Worthy didn't want to totally dismiss their early friction so quickly. And I think it did help the development of the characters and the relationship between them.

[sara_merry99]

The final blow that took out the candles only missed Ezra's head because he ducked at the right time. You don't really get the impression from the amount of followthrough in the blow that the sword would have stopped at Ezra's throat if he hadn't. It's not a dispersion on Nathan - it's probably his intensity in the training that saved Buck's life, but I think for a second he was really caught up in the moment.

Huh!! I just didn't read the scene that way. I read it as a bit of showing off, but also that Nathan was in control and he would have done *something* to keep from hurting Ezra if Ez hadn't ducked at the right time.

That's an interesting reading of the scene!

They're fantastic in scenes together, I'd love to see more fanfic focusing on their friendship. They play off each other so well throughout the second season, even when they don't agree.

I personally find them a bit daunting to write, unfortunately. Particularly together. Particularly Ezra.

But yeah, I'd love to see more of it!

[sara_merry99]

Wasn't this a wonderful ending for what looked like Vin leaving with Charlotte? Amazing how it could still be so slashy. Another example of the writers throwing women at the men making them look even more gay. *g*

Oh *gosh* yes!! Because he so *obviously* left her to go back to Chris!! Which was just the most wonderful thing in, like, *ever*! And I loved him being so upfront about having changed his mind about her, and about them.

And the first thing Chris says to him, "You back for good?" You're right, Chris totally didn't sound sincere when he said it was Vin's life, none of his business. And he was jealous and hurt when he said that it looked to him like Vin was already gone.

I really think that comment about Vin already being gone, and that he needed to know when he could count on Vin, were what made Vin realize what he'd be losing (Chris) to gain Charlotte. ::hums happily::

But all that is forgotten when Vin is hurt. Loved Chris rushing to his side, and the fact that they're back together again at the end. *sigh*

Rushing to his side, then holding him with his arm around Vin's chest! ::swoons::

It was only when he found out that he was offering Nathan his portion of the homestead that Ezra's avarice kicked in.

Oh, I thought Ezra'd heard the Fiddler's request that Nathan take his portion of the homestead, so that he was motivated by avarice right from the start. :D

This ep is another example of how close Nathan and Ezra have become because Nathan accepts Ezra's shamelessness (though he's not afraid to call him on it *g*) as part of who he is.

I love that because there's so much affection behind the "Lord, don't you have any shame, Ezra." They have such a feel-good kind of friendship.

As do Ezra and Buck and that whole scene with the dynamite is just *awesome*!

Buck's bit of poetry made me laugh. Especially the fact that he was so tickled by it that he wants to remember it so he can use it. *g*

That was so funny!! Though he really has *no* idea how to court a girl like Casey. :D

Did love Buck giving JD advice on the fight. It reminded me of Josiah's comments to him a couple weeks ago.

Yeah, and yet it was so very Buck. "You'll still be dumb tonight so maybe your luck will hold out." Hee!

Loved that Vin and Buck got the first shot. So they must be the best long-distance shooters? I mean, we know Vin is a sharp shooter, so Buck must be his equal, or near second?

Well, that's what folks kept saying before I'd seen this ep, that Chris uses Buck also as a sharpshooter here. But he's firing a sawed off shotgun...which is *not* a sharpshooting weapon. No shotgun is, and a sawed off has a bit wider pellet spread than a regular shotgun. So it's almost like they were giving him a weapon that *couldn't* miss at the range he was shooting at.

Vin shooting the fuse was pretty hot. And when the seven came riding up over that ridge? Meep! *fans self*

Oh, *gosh* yes!! And did you catch him growling at the people attacking Charlotte?? I found that quite hot as well. :D

And then after he shot the fuse, he went tumbling down the hill and wound out in Chris's arms, which just made that whole thing ever so much better!

And in conclusion, Chris and Vin make-up sex to follow, yay! *g*

Yep yep yep!! Hot and sweaty and kind of sweet, I'm thinking. :D

[farad]

Ahhhh! Wasn't this a wonderful ending for what looked like Vin leaving with Charlotte? Amazing how it could still be so slashy. Another example of the writers throwing women at the men making them look even more gay. *g*

This is awesome - and so wickedly true! Thanks for the observation!

And in conclusion, Chris and Vin make-up sex to follow, yay! *g*

Must have - so where are those stories????????