gabriel tam
POSTED BY: wytchcroft
UPDATED: Thursday, October 11, 2007 12:56
VIEWED: 12612
PAGE 2 of 4
Yeah, Simon breaks certain laws of morality, just like everyone in the Firefly universe. That's what makes it very real—everyone knowingly messes up. What sets the good people apart from the bad is why they break the law. Is it to preserve the family name (Gabriel, if we believe what he says) or to help a family member (Simon)? I wonder if someone's written a fic where Gabriel did what he did for some honorable purpose that he couldn't tell Simon about. That would be a change.
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"My way of being polite, or however...well, it's the only way I have of showing you that I like you. Of showing respect." Simon Tam, Jaynestown
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Quote:
Originally posted by MerryK:
I like your first option, NBZ. The latter, however, is simply too easy and unlikely. No one in Firefly was evil incarnate, not even the Operative. Ok, well, maybe Niska...but Gabriel seemed genuinely nice, just not morally strong.
I agree with you there. He was designed IMO to be nice but powerless.
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'nice' i dunno that any of the Tam's are... nice.
but human - yes.
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Yeah, I see Gabriel as a basically decent guy trying to live his comfy wealthy life and getting tied up in the politics. Not inherently bad at all.
However, I do enjoy fics where he's an evil mastermind working for the government. It's a fun play on things.
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hmm-burble-blah, blah-blah-blah, take a left
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Of course, we never found out who Gabriel worked for, did we?
Maybe it's a paper company...
Seriously, for all we found out, he could be an ad exec for,say, a soft drinks franchise or a coffee company. His nice comfy homeworld has blackout zones where people aren't meant to go. Why? - because someone nicks the stereo? Or because Osiris and it's fab medical facilities are the future equivalent of Chiba? Just walking into the Capital City Penitentiary goes onto a permanent file. I got a sense of very regulated world, and one where if you do what you are supposed to do and don't question it, then everything is easy and pleasant. Most people never feel the need to question, or even realise that there might be a need to.
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Quote:OH, I have no doubt that Gabriel's world has some serious issues. And maybe he does work for an evil company, so his behavior is very much watched and he tries to follow the rules.
Originally posted by SpaceAnJL:
I got a sense of very regulated world, and one where if you do what you are supposed to do and don't question it, then everything is easy and pleasant. Most people never feel the need to question, or even realise that there might be a need to.
But I don't think this makes him inherently evil. Not every person is able to fight the system. As you say, not everyone is capable of recognizing a flawed system, even if they and theirs are being damaged by it. (A highly relevent issue in the US right now, btw...)
I see Gabriel as flawed, living in denial and unable to accept what Simon tells him. He does care for his children, but he doesn't know how to handle the turn things took, with his neat life suddenly pulled into blackout zones and a rebellious son throwing away a brilliant career. Gabriel probably thought he was helping Simon with tough love, an intervention of sorts. He was trying to be a good dad.
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hmm-burble-blah, blah-blah-blah, take a left
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i agree with both the last two posts... it leaves much to explore:)
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Nice...well, nice meaning genial, cheerful. I wouldn't mind hanging out with the Gabriel from the first scene of Safe.
--
"My way of being polite, or however...well, it's the only way I have of showing you that I like you. Of showing respect." Simon Tam, Jaynestown
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"I wouldn't mind hanging out with the Gabriel from the first scene of Safe. "
i think that's why the 'we don't know any Darbanvilles' scene frightens me so... wonky camera angles and all!:)
the first scene seems 'real' - the second... hmmm - and that's how fics get born!
keep flyin:)
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I've never given this topic any thought, but while reading this thread, I thought: X-Files. On the surface, Mulder, his sister, and his father have similarities to Simon, River, and their father. Anyone explored that?
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