Thoughts 4.2: TTLM: let me show you what happened...
So, for a long time I've been telling people I want to write meta about "To the Last Man", in particular, that scene, because it fascinates me. And it does.
Here's the thing, though. Many people have written about that scene. We've turned it inside out, on its head, stared at it through coloured lenses, and bored people to death with it in fic. So, my natural question is, can I add to that?
My answer is, yes and no. So, sit back and let me tell you what I think (if you want to).
That scene, also known as the snogging scene, caught my attention straightaway. Logically. And I sat up a little straighter (actually, I sat up, period, I was lying in bed at the time) and knew immediately by the end that Jack had said, "I love you", in disguise. Later, I retracted that thought for a while because I was new to fandom and no one else seemed to think so, but when I got to know Jack better, I believed it again.
Cut to July of last year, when I was reading "Anything Goes". And John Barrowman talks about Ianto's emotional breakdown in the hub. I actually had to pause and think, and finally realised what moment he was talking about. And I went, emotional breakdown? Whatever my reading of that scene, that had not been it.
I've read a lot on the scene since. Blow-by-blow metas, general metas on their relationship, fic, etc. And I've never found a fic that truly explains that scene, the emotion in it, what they're both saying. Meta, maybe. I can't remember because of how many I've read.
What I can tell you is how I see that scene, and why what's leading up to it is so important.
What's leading up to it doesn't start in the scene with Gwen, where she tells him, "cheer up, will you?" It starts, way back, in "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang", when Ianto asks and Jack replies, "I came back for you."
--
"I came back for you."
What Ianto does here is a good line in jealousy. He will continue that further down the series, particularly in Doctor Who series 4, when he asks about the soldier in a bar. And Jack does here what he does then, too; he confirms Ianto's claim and replies. Given his body language and the fact that he looks at Ianto, followed by, "I came back for all of you," it's clear to me that the first bit was directed only at Ianto. While I don't believe Ianto was his sole motivator for returning, he played an important part in Jack's decision process.
"Dinner... A movie... Interested?"
The dynamics of this scene have been worked out and explained by better minds than mine. And it comes down to Jack reaching out, nervously, wanting to rekindle their relationship and more, and Ianto being wary and cautious. This scene doesn't resolve anything between them, and that's important to note for further down. Ianto and Jack, at the end of this episode, have gained only this knowledge. Jack has shown himself willing to rekindle the flame, and take it further. He's slightly apologetic, but just how sorry he is remains unclear. He does show that he cares about Ianto, probably more than he's ever shown before. Ianto has shown that he's distrustful, that he's been hurt, and through that that he cares. But also, that he's not just going to roll over.
A note I'd like to make about KKBB is the timing of the ep. Let's face it, we see Ianto's reacton to Jack's return as it plays out over twelve hours. There's shock mixed in. He's not yet had time to sit back and think (hello, end of the world!). It's his initial reaction. And this leads in nicely to...
Ianto the weirdo
In "Sleeper", Ianto manages to dismiss Jack ("It... passed."), mock Jack (in the electric brain reading chair), and chastise Jack (radio attenna). Popular explanations of this behaviour include alien drugs, alcohol, and good sex the night before. My reading? Punishment.
I don't think Jack and Ianto are sleeping together by this point. In fact, I think they all had nicely separate hotel rooms and probably exchanged three civil words. But Ianto has had that time to think. He's working together with Jack again (Jack is clearly in charge, no awkwardness there any more), and things are back to normal. So Ianto's timing of behaving slightly more... ostentatious isn't caused by, "Yay, back together with Jack" followed by avant-garde sex, nor by never seen drugs or alcohol (alien or otherwise). But, looking at Ianto progressing from cautious and deflective to ostentatious and in your face, only taking the text as we see it, I keep coming back to punishment.
Ianto has a revenge to take. Jack, the bastard, swans back into his life. Granted, Ianto wanted him back ("It is more fun when he's around, though" // "He is dashing, you've got to give him that."), and he wants the date, albeit grudgingly, judging by his reaction. He doesn't have to like himself or Jack for wanting it, though. He's sliding back to Jack and he knows he'll go back to Jack, once he's grovelled and takes Ianto on enough dates, but he doesn't have to be cooperative and just roll over. So Ianto does what no other member of the team can get away with: he harrasses Jack, just a little. So while he'll flirt (the scene outside the interrogation room says basically, "yes, your cock is big. But I'm not that impressed, I've seen it before."), he'll also show Jack up -- in front of the others being an added bonus or a negligible side effect, I don't know. I'm willing to bet added bonus, if you must know. He's stretching the boundaries of what he can get away with, because Jack can't call him on it without risking their careful truce. And Jack wants Ianto back, badly enough to let himself be upstaged. And that must sting, if you're Jack.
"Nothing changes."
However, all said and done, two things happen. One, Ianto's universe reminds him that he's not always a happy camper, because he has a past, and two, that he wants Jack around for more than sex. Basically, Tommy being defrosted means Ianto's archivist duties are needed -- and history, with all its death and destruction, spreads out before him. He probably knows, like Jack, that Tommy's going to die or is likely to die. Add on top of that a nice moment with Gwen going sour because of the reminder that Lisa Torchwood operatives die, and you have, hey presto, depressed!Ianto.
"And I wouldn't change that for the world."
Ianto's depressed, sad, down, whatever you want to call it. He's unhappy, certainly, and does what he wants to do or what he knows will help: he goes to see Jack. Given the conversation they have, Ianto is definitely there for reassurance. He's asking Jack, "Are you going to leave me?", and he's willing to trade something; his emotional openness ("Yep," I would miss you) is something he hasn't shown Jack since Jack came back. Jack, with his own issues, is initally obtuse; he doesn't give Ianto the reassurance he's looking for straightaway. But when he finally gets it, boy, does he get it.
Ianto knows this. Concretely or instinctively I don't know, but Ianto senses it. And does he answer Jack? No. Instead of getting reassurance, he gets something he wasn't ready for: I love you. And Ianto can't cope. It's too much. He's depressed, he's upset, he's unsure where he stands. But what he does want, most definitely, is Jack. So he snogs him, because that can be read in a myriad of ways without ever needing explanation. And it gets him Jack back.
Much has been made about Ianto sitting on the table in this scene. And it is relevant. Power position wise, Ianto comes in, asks questions, is dominant, demands. He sits on the desk and looks down on Jack, asking a lot of Jack. But Jack, really, has a large share of the power, too. He may be sitting down, giving Ianto the lead (he doesn't get up, for instance). But he answers Ianto's questions. This is not Jack being submissive, in my reading. This is Jack telling Ianto, like with the "I came back for you" line and the soldier in the bar, "you're allowed to demand something from me -- we're equals". And Ianto bares his emotions to Jack, even between the lines. He's letting Jack know how much Jack means to him, by coming in and demanding assurances before getting back together with Jack.
This dynamic, the switching of the roles, makes me love this scene, and hate whenever I try to tackle it in fic. For me, this happens and causes them to sleep together. I don't believe they slept together prior to this moment.
--
So, that was it. Now for sources: Meta: the case for smitten!Jack/wary!Ianto by phaetonschariot, Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang Scene Analysis by antelope_writes, and the hilarious both of us do by fodian. I've read others, but these I drew upon most predominantly.
Here's the thing, though. Many people have written about that scene. We've turned it inside out, on its head, stared at it through coloured lenses, and bored people to death with it in fic. So, my natural question is, can I add to that?
My answer is, yes and no. So, sit back and let me tell you what I think (if you want to).
That scene, also known as the snogging scene, caught my attention straightaway. Logically. And I sat up a little straighter (actually, I sat up, period, I was lying in bed at the time) and knew immediately by the end that Jack had said, "I love you", in disguise. Later, I retracted that thought for a while because I was new to fandom and no one else seemed to think so, but when I got to know Jack better, I believed it again.
Cut to July of last year, when I was reading "Anything Goes". And John Barrowman talks about Ianto's emotional breakdown in the hub. I actually had to pause and think, and finally realised what moment he was talking about. And I went, emotional breakdown? Whatever my reading of that scene, that had not been it.
I've read a lot on the scene since. Blow-by-blow metas, general metas on their relationship, fic, etc. And I've never found a fic that truly explains that scene, the emotion in it, what they're both saying. Meta, maybe. I can't remember because of how many I've read.
What I can tell you is how I see that scene, and why what's leading up to it is so important.
What's leading up to it doesn't start in the scene with Gwen, where she tells him, "cheer up, will you?" It starts, way back, in "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang", when Ianto asks and Jack replies, "I came back for you."
--
"I came back for you."
What Ianto does here is a good line in jealousy. He will continue that further down the series, particularly in Doctor Who series 4, when he asks about the soldier in a bar. And Jack does here what he does then, too; he confirms Ianto's claim and replies. Given his body language and the fact that he looks at Ianto, followed by, "I came back for all of you," it's clear to me that the first bit was directed only at Ianto. While I don't believe Ianto was his sole motivator for returning, he played an important part in Jack's decision process.
"Dinner... A movie... Interested?"
The dynamics of this scene have been worked out and explained by better minds than mine. And it comes down to Jack reaching out, nervously, wanting to rekindle their relationship and more, and Ianto being wary and cautious. This scene doesn't resolve anything between them, and that's important to note for further down. Ianto and Jack, at the end of this episode, have gained only this knowledge. Jack has shown himself willing to rekindle the flame, and take it further. He's slightly apologetic, but just how sorry he is remains unclear. He does show that he cares about Ianto, probably more than he's ever shown before. Ianto has shown that he's distrustful, that he's been hurt, and through that that he cares. But also, that he's not just going to roll over.
A note I'd like to make about KKBB is the timing of the ep. Let's face it, we see Ianto's reacton to Jack's return as it plays out over twelve hours. There's shock mixed in. He's not yet had time to sit back and think (hello, end of the world!). It's his initial reaction. And this leads in nicely to...
Ianto the weirdo
In "Sleeper", Ianto manages to dismiss Jack ("It... passed."), mock Jack (in the electric brain reading chair), and chastise Jack (radio attenna). Popular explanations of this behaviour include alien drugs, alcohol, and good sex the night before. My reading? Punishment.
I don't think Jack and Ianto are sleeping together by this point. In fact, I think they all had nicely separate hotel rooms and probably exchanged three civil words. But Ianto has had that time to think. He's working together with Jack again (Jack is clearly in charge, no awkwardness there any more), and things are back to normal. So Ianto's timing of behaving slightly more... ostentatious isn't caused by, "Yay, back together with Jack" followed by avant-garde sex, nor by never seen drugs or alcohol (alien or otherwise). But, looking at Ianto progressing from cautious and deflective to ostentatious and in your face, only taking the text as we see it, I keep coming back to punishment.
Ianto has a revenge to take. Jack, the bastard, swans back into his life. Granted, Ianto wanted him back ("It is more fun when he's around, though" // "He is dashing, you've got to give him that."), and he wants the date, albeit grudgingly, judging by his reaction. He doesn't have to like himself or Jack for wanting it, though. He's sliding back to Jack and he knows he'll go back to Jack, once he's grovelled and takes Ianto on enough dates, but he doesn't have to be cooperative and just roll over. So Ianto does what no other member of the team can get away with: he harrasses Jack, just a little. So while he'll flirt (the scene outside the interrogation room says basically, "yes, your cock is big. But I'm not that impressed, I've seen it before."), he'll also show Jack up -- in front of the others being an added bonus or a negligible side effect, I don't know. I'm willing to bet added bonus, if you must know. He's stretching the boundaries of what he can get away with, because Jack can't call him on it without risking their careful truce. And Jack wants Ianto back, badly enough to let himself be upstaged. And that must sting, if you're Jack.
"Nothing changes."
However, all said and done, two things happen. One, Ianto's universe reminds him that he's not always a happy camper, because he has a past, and two, that he wants Jack around for more than sex. Basically, Tommy being defrosted means Ianto's archivist duties are needed -- and history, with all its death and destruction, spreads out before him. He probably knows, like Jack, that Tommy's going to die or is likely to die. Add on top of that a nice moment with Gwen going sour because of the reminder that Lisa Torchwood operatives die, and you have, hey presto, depressed!Ianto.
"And I wouldn't change that for the world."
Ianto's depressed, sad, down, whatever you want to call it. He's unhappy, certainly, and does what he wants to do or what he knows will help: he goes to see Jack. Given the conversation they have, Ianto is definitely there for reassurance. He's asking Jack, "Are you going to leave me?", and he's willing to trade something; his emotional openness ("Yep," I would miss you) is something he hasn't shown Jack since Jack came back. Jack, with his own issues, is initally obtuse; he doesn't give Ianto the reassurance he's looking for straightaway. But when he finally gets it, boy, does he get it.
Ianto knows this. Concretely or instinctively I don't know, but Ianto senses it. And does he answer Jack? No. Instead of getting reassurance, he gets something he wasn't ready for: I love you. And Ianto can't cope. It's too much. He's depressed, he's upset, he's unsure where he stands. But what he does want, most definitely, is Jack. So he snogs him, because that can be read in a myriad of ways without ever needing explanation. And it gets him Jack back.
Much has been made about Ianto sitting on the table in this scene. And it is relevant. Power position wise, Ianto comes in, asks questions, is dominant, demands. He sits on the desk and looks down on Jack, asking a lot of Jack. But Jack, really, has a large share of the power, too. He may be sitting down, giving Ianto the lead (he doesn't get up, for instance). But he answers Ianto's questions. This is not Jack being submissive, in my reading. This is Jack telling Ianto, like with the "I came back for you" line and the soldier in the bar, "you're allowed to demand something from me -- we're equals". And Ianto bares his emotions to Jack, even between the lines. He's letting Jack know how much Jack means to him, by coming in and demanding assurances before getting back together with Jack.
This dynamic, the switching of the roles, makes me love this scene, and hate whenever I try to tackle it in fic. For me, this happens and causes them to sleep together. I don't believe they slept together prior to this moment.
--
So, that was it. Now for sources: Meta: the case for smitten!Jack/wary!Ianto by phaetonschariot, Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang Scene Analysis by antelope_writes, and the hilarious both of us do by fodian. I've read others, but these I drew upon most predominantly.