Month: November 2013

awabubbles:

jazzforthecaptain:

I just realized that there are major parallels between Sam’s relationship with John and Jack’s relationship with the Doctor.

Jack wants the Doctor to approve of and be proud of him, but doesn’t agree with his approach and isn’t certain that earning the Doctor’s appreciation (and love) is worth sacrificing his own personal purpose anymore. So there’s this conflicted tug of war inside Jack, going on whenever they meet, because Jack can’t help but love the Doctor even though he has major doubts and also some resentment for being abandoned. The Doctor would tell him that he had something else pressing going on, of course, that Jack couldn’t possibly know about. Which Jack will accept and believe, although a cold accusatory part of him will always think, “of course you prioritized everything else over me.”

The resentment will never go away, and it makes a hard scar that will always stay between them. They may have good reasons for what they’ve done, but while they may be able to justify it to one another, forgiveness is something else entirely.

Now replace ‘Jack’ and ‘The Doctor’ with ‘Sam’ and ‘John.’

I love this! But I also think there’s some major parallels between Jack and the Doctor and the way DEAN and John relate.

Specifically because Dean and Jack are both soldier-types. Jack and Dean both unquestioningly follow that other person, sometimes with almost starry-eyed affection despite the consequences. I agree that Jack has some resentment for being left behind, but we pretty much never see it expressed (except perhaps as his final choice to leave the Doctor at the end of Saxon!Master).

And Dean has obvious resentment against his father (for the lifestyle, for putting all of this responsibility shit on him, etc) but Dean never has a chance to express that resentment until John is actually dead (I’m thinking specifically of when he confronts his demon!self in the dream world and he finally admits he doesn’t deserve to die).

I think they both dedicated themselves to someone they thought was bigger and better themselves and they were let down.

I think Jack follows the Doctor because he’s trying to prove to himself that he’s not a bad man (essentially for redemption from what he’s done before, being a conman, what he can’t even remember, etc.), and he’s looking to the Doctor for that confirmation. In the same way Dean is following John because he wants to be the loyal son, and because he has it in his head that the more loyal he is the more safe Sam will be (and he’s obviously seeking redemption for THAT ONE TIME he fucked up as a kid). Jack and Dean NEED this approval, in a way I don’t really see Sam needing it. Wanting it, sure, but not needing it to confirm their identity in the way Jack and Dean do.

I also don’t think Jack ever suffers the same rebellion that Sam does. I guess you could argue leaving the Doctor for Torchwood is a separation of sort but it doesn’t have the animosity with which Sam left hunting behind. Whenever the Doctor shows up Jack will jump in to the fray, he always does. And I see Dean doing the same too, but Sam will never readily say “yes sir” unless he’s personally sure of the orders. There’s just this sort of “favorite son”, “trained soldier” trope they both fit into in regards to the Doctor and John.