Owen and brains

[beccaelizabeth]

Been thinking about Owen, brains, and women. Yes, we know he doesn't apply brain when it's about women. And also he has big brains and ... hmm, doesn't use them to attract women? I just thought that, I'll poke it later. But what I mean is actual brains, as in the squishy skull contents. He's seen the brains of way too many women.

Mostly I'm thinking about 1-08, and a bit of 2-12. Suzie freaked him the hell out, scared him enough he admitted it out loud. And a guy who does autopsies for a living has plenty enough reason to be scared of the walking dead. But I was thinking, at the start, Suzie was walking around with her brain hanging out. You could see right into her head. It was pretty cool, in a gross kind of way. And Suzie at least implied that she and Owen had been involved. So he's having a bit of a crap year already.

He saw Katie's brain too. It was the last thing he saw of her. Dead lady with her brain hanging out.

Gwen was dead when Owen got to her in 1-08. He didn't try and treat her, just held her. That says that there's nothing to be done. Also that he's kind of messed up about it. Maybe they're just shagging, but, he's sitting there cradling her corpse. Not cold.

Gwen was also developing the injuries that originally killed Suzie. Her head was bleeding. I know what we saw - head full of hair - but logically what would also happen?

Gwen with her brain hanging out.

And Owen really up close to that.

Owen is kind of a wanker, but, you can kind of see why.

So after 1-08 it's difficult to figure if they're even still together. Whatever Gwen and Owen are doing we don't so much see it. Owen's a bit of a sneery bastard to her in 1-09, he gets involved with someone else in 1-10, and they officially break up in 1-11.

So Owen sees Gwen dead, pulls back, then gives her cause.

Fear makes him fight, makes him aggressive and mouthy and a bit more of a bastard, especially the kind of fear that doesn't have a specific course of action. When there's something to do he will focus, go calm and centered, but the rest of the time being wound up comes out in all directions.

The specific fear that messed up him and Gwen?

Well, the brains thing couldn't help...


Not having an Owen to play with is annoying. He's got so many great ways to wind him up and set him off. And all that weren't even dealt with. Sure, he can handle the possibility of his own death, but if he turns out super resiliantly undead, Jack style immortal and outliving people... Owen having to cope with Toshiko's death would be story gold, specially if you try and get it so he's got a new relationship, or if he tries shagging Jack on the rebound because at least there's one guy he won't have to do an autopsy on, or... lots of things.

They never did enough with Tosh, there's bits about family and honor that can be found and spun into story, but I can see why letting her go might feel worky.

But there was so much more milage in Owen cause they'd messed him up so good already.



Atomic zombie Owen who's too radioactive to interact with anyone in person (except Jack) would be kind of fun too.

... Owen related plot bunnies seem to be the only sort I get lately.

No, I do get Ianto and Mickey ones too. Teaboy and Tin dog issues. Living your life for someone else, letting someone else define you. Following them into a career you'd never quite imagined. Becoming someone that seemed cool when they were in the movies.

Martha bunnies have to be coaxed out. There's a whole strand of overconfidence, people dying to save her, and being expected to kill people. That could be explored productively too.

Gwen and Jack are the least interesting to me. Gwen has Buffy issues, save the world vs normal life while defining normal real weird. Jack has Duncan issues, everyone he loves dies. I think I've kind of been there done that with those threads. I can get political with Jack, have him realise the path he's been on for so long is not the right one, that be fun. Gwen needs to learn a little diversity, that the ways of being human are infinite. But she also needs to learn more about her local normal being pretty damn cool. It's kind of like she needs to travel with the Doctor and then come home, but without the actual leaving Earth bit. Also defining human=good and alien=bad needs breaking up. But with what she's seen and still kept hold of that it's more plausible it just needs demonstrating to be a mess. She doesn't seem to budge on that. Is a bit annoying.

There's lots of themey strands in Torchwood to pick up and play with.

Comments

[echo-fangirl.livejournal.com]

Nothing wrong with Owen bunnies, you can just live in denial like I do! ;) Interesting observation about the whole brain thing... Fascinating!