more thoughts

[beccaelizabeth]

The important things about Jack, as far as I can see, start with the fact he's a fighter. Not a head on fighter, necessarily. Last man standing was not his favourite moment. He's sneaky and charming and... I don't know, full on? More so in DW than TW, like he's pacing himself. But when he tries to do stuff he's all make the plan, execute the plan... he's not going to stop before he's got plan, and once he's got plan he's not going to stop at all. That's Jack in my head, how he works.

Plus, and I realise there's remotely plausible ways to not see this but in my head this is definitely true, he's poly.

If he comes back and the person he loves is seeing someone else?

He is not going to just give up.

He will charm. He will smile. He will try and see what they see in whoever, and see if there's room for one more.

He won't just mope and drink and wander off again. Really, really, won't.

The bit about letting someone have a 'normal' life... okay, yeah, he values that for Gwen. But... I don't see him giving up on someone for that. At least without a conversation.

And define normal! If they're still working at Torchwood, if they haven't told outsider person what they do, there's some Issues there.

Trying for that kind of blind 'normal' feels like giving up. Better off as a coward? Really not.



Also also, there was nothing in there about duty. We've seen love & duty both in his story. If he leaves because of love? Where's duty?



Also also also - note to self: am fed up of the Doctor's driving being the reason Jack stays away a long time. I realise it has ample grounding in canon, I just... okay, if all that's going to happen is the between seasons break, we don't need to see it and bad driving is plenty enough reason. But if that break is going to drive the whole plot? That kind of makes the Doctor the reason. And... having him be an absent reason isn't very satisfying.

So I'm going to have to come up with some kind of Important Plot Reason to bring Jack back after a bunch of time instead of right away.

Because doing stuff I'm already fed up with is Not Clever.

Comments

[faded-memories.livejournal.com]

am fed up of the Doctor's driving being the reason Jack stays away a long time

Yes! I cannot tell you how tired of this I am. If the Doctor really wants to get the date right, he can do that. Hell, if he knows he's crap at driving, he can always let Jack off down the street so the man can see a damn newspaper on his way back, you know? And then they can try again.

I have half a mind to write that, lol.

"No," Jack said, pushing open the door and stepping inside the TARDIS. "But you're getting closer this time. We're only eight months off this time."

"Well," the Doctor said with a nod. "Maybe the fifth time's the charm."

Okay, so I didn't say it would be a good fic, now did I?

[beccaelizabeth]

But if Jack got found by Team Torchwood wandering around Cardiff with a stack of future newspapers in his pocket it would at least be a more interesting detail than 'oops, is that the time?'

[faded-memories.livejournal.com]

Also, just want to say that I think you're spot on about Jack and finding out that a previous lover was seeing someone else. I would kill to read that story.

[beccaelizabeth]

I add it to my plot bunny pile.
But... it would either be Jack/Doctor/newgirl (who doesn't technically exist yet), or I'd have to invent an original character for Ianto, or of course two original characters from his past, and really... too much inventing.

[louiex.livejournal.com]

I have to concur with what you said, I love the idea of Jack seeing that someone he cared for is with someone else and rather than moping in the corner at the loss, he'd smile and see if there's space for him. Like you said, fighting doesn't mean a one-two punch, fighting can be an everyday activity that others around you might have no idea about.

Love it, love it :D

[beccaelizabeth]

:)