Redial the Gate: some thoughts on Fragile Balance

[fignewton]

The recap for Fragile Balance at redial_the_gate just went up! Here are a few thoughts of my own:

Kid who played mini!Jack was FABULOUS. He channeled Jack better than RDA. :)

I'm not just annoyed at the flyboys who disrespected Sam; I am seriously annoyed at JACK. Sam was actually holding her own when Jack showed up against orders to take over the briefing. And Sam backed him up. Jack not only didn't back her up (was it really necessary for him to disparage a point she's already made?), but he didn't show her any respect at all. It's a far cry from the Jack in S5 who deliberately chose her to show Kaytano that Tau'ri weapons and soldiers were a lot better than the Jaffa assumed. Must I be charitable and put it down to raging insecurity issues? And yes, that's the charitable interpretation!

I like that Daniel sometime needs an interpreter, heh. Actually, I loved Daniel in this ep (raise your hand if you're surprised). His snark at mini!Jack, his casual listing of all the bizarre stuff that has happened, his determination to save Jack even if he has to drag him kicking and screaming, his wimping out of telling Jack that he's a clone... Ah, Daniel. I liked Jonas a lot, but it is good to have you back!

Why is mini!Jack able to move when Loki beams him back up when everyone else was paralyzed?

I utterly cannot fathom mini!Jack wanting to go off to high school. I have to believe he lied about that to get Jack off his back and ducked immediately out of sight, and that the reason he wasn't either summoned at the end of S7 to work the Antarctic chair or shipped off to Atlantis is that they couldn't find him.

Have to say this is a fun ep, and a nice way to get classic team back into business. :)

Comments

[zats_clear]

Jon glanced back over his shoulder as the truck drove off, stranding him at high school. High school fercryinoutloud. Who the hell did they think they were? Who did they think he was? Obviously, O'Neill was in denial. He noted the not-so-subtle black car with a man and a woman sitting across the street.

Oh.

Well, maybe they do know him.

He waved. The woman, blonde, short-haired, and that was just mean-spirited on so many levels, waved back. Jon sauntered off at the bell and headed into first period.

****

The apartment over the garage wasn't so bad. At least the family they put him with acted like he was an adult. Still wouldn't buy him beer. But they would buy him time.

It was somewhat disconcerting how history had changed while he was an adult. His textbooks now read more like an apology than a lesson in world civilizations.

****

Four months down. The black cars still showed up, but not every day. In fact, they had a schedule that he'd been able to determine pretty easily. Three days on, two days off, one midnight drive-by, one day of a "substitute teacher" in one of his classes when school was in session otherwise it was another drive-by around 10pm, three days off, then it would start all over again. Jon looked out the window as the Chevy Suburban paused near the mailbox. 12:00. It was gone in a few minutes.

He double checked the timer on the desklamp, grabbed his duffle bag, and slipped outside.

****

"Jack," Daniel called down the hallway.

Jack continued walking.

"Jack!"

"Yes, Daniel?"

"We still need to talk about this," Daniel continued.

"No, Daniel, we don't."

"You can operate the chair."

Jack raised his eyebrows, giving Daniel a look.

"Ergo he can operate the chair."

Jack turned, walking down the hallway, hoping it was an effective answer.

"Therefore making finding him vitally important to this mission."

Apparently, it was not.

Daniel grabbed his arm, halting him in the hallway. "If you won't let me go, at least find Jon," he stared hard at Jack.


(tbc)

[fignewton]

Wheeeeeeeee!

Oh, GLEE. :D

Shall I link to this as commentfic at fanworks, or are you going to be posting it on your LJ... with that tbc continued, of course? ::hint hint::

Love Jon waiting oh so patiently for the surveillance to slacken! Perfect. :)

[zats_clear]

I probably won't be posting it to LJ until it is a complete work, there will be a tbc but have too many ideas on where to go from here and need to sort it out. It just hit me and I had to do it.

I am so glad you liked. Feel free to link!

[fignewton]

Excellent, will do!

Oh, and I forgot to mention:

It was somewhat disconcerting how history had changed while he was an adult. His textbooks now read more like an apology than a lesson in world civilizations.

LOVED this. Because there is no way Jack would accept Howard Zinn's views.

[lilyleia78]

I'm with you! I liked high school just fine, but there is NO WAY I'd do it again - esp at my age (which is still younger than Jack by a fair bit). College, though, I'd do that again in a heartbeat - learn something new this time around.

[fignewton]

High school is just... inconceivable. But yes, I think Jack might be interested in college - as an adult, knowing what skills he needs. But can't you just imagine Jack O'Neill looking at the possibilities and discovering how much college has changed since he got his master's? And that he probably take a course on critiquing The Simpsons? :D

[thothmes]

I have sooo many issues with the idea of Mini!Jack heading back to high school, starting with the whiff of pedophilia that permeates that last scene. It may be a kid's body, but that's a 50-odd mind, and even if one is not inclined to ship Jack, I don't think any of us expects him to remain a total monk! Jack, who would suffer anything for the sake of a kid, walking off trying to impress - which he has got to know will lead to attracting - high school jail-bait? Eeeeeewwwwww!!!!!! Major squick!

Then there is the whole question of Jack-the-alcoholic with his desperate beer-seeking behavior. One hopes it is more out of a sense of sticking it to the Man, and a desire to have one beer to unwind, rather than a need for a drink!

And Jack, who has always respected Sam and let her show her strengths, undercutting her in the briefing? He'd better be pretty DAMN insecure to do that. To me it seems completely out of character for him to publically undercut any member of his team, no matter what the personal cost It would be far more like him to break in, prove who he is, and then rip another one for those who are disrespecting Sam, but insist on contributing to the Q&A at the end, or simply butt in with those few things that only experience can add. This would take time the ep didn't have, but it was a poor choice by the writers to go down this path to get the laughs. It cheapens a major character.

All in all, marvelous Jack characterization by the kid who played him, really bad Jack characterization on the part of the writers. I still like the ep, though, for all the reasons you list, and for the kid's marvelous job in the role. It's just a joy to watch.

[fignewton]

Whee, your icon!

Jack, who would suffer anything for the sake of a kid, walking off trying to impress - which he has got to know will lead to attracting - high school jail-bait?

YES YES YES YES. This, exactly. I mean, for crying out loud! :)

It would be far more like him to break in, prove who he is, and then rip another one for those who are disrespecting Sam, but insist on contributing to the Q&A at the end

I think you should write that ep fix right now. ::nods firmly:: Because it's perfect!

All in all, marvelous Jack characterization by the kid who played him, really bad Jack characterization on the part of the writers.

Succinctly and nicely put. :)