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Thinking about Him (David's drawing of Paddy from Gavi.)

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the dreamer & the madman poet

the most "hear me out" post of all time, but David and Paddy have beautiful chemistry and I think reducing their relationship to pure hatred and antagonism completely misses the nuances and profound respect they have for one another, while also driving one another completely spare. <3 two things can be true at once.

under the cut because I got carried away.

firstly, I'm particularly offended by the implication that the famous tent scene constitutes some sudden wellspring of homophobic sentiment on David's part. I will return to this, but first, let me preface this post with the following:

David is utterly neutral about the sexuality of his men. Even Dudley Clarke receives no negative reaction from David when he openly confesses in ep. 6 to David that he has 'found someone' (which David understands the full meaning of, given that later in s2 Paddy remarks that around a fire in Jalo he learned about Dudley's cross-dressing proclivities, and doubtless his others). In fact, the only person to say anything openly, as it were, 'homophobic' is Paddy. "Just not the right bloodline. Just a yeoman farmer. They'd have had me as a beater [...] those landowning, gentrified, boy-buggering toffs would never have countenanced my presence."

This is obviously more about Paddy asserting himself as more of a 'man' than David, based on class division, he's using 'boy-buggering' as a way of effeminising the gentleman class to which David belongs. It isn't as simple as internalised homophobia, though of course that is obviously an enormously important part of his character. In this scene, he weaponises homosexuality to undermine David. Which David then takes in his stride when he repeats this comment verbatum as he leaves. But I digress, the point of this post is that it is obvious, from the first moment we see David on screen, that this is often how they operate. They fight, because they both have something over the other that makes the other man feel inadequate; for Paddy, David's birth makes him feel common, and for David, Paddy's courageousness makes him feel unfit for the task, but they have a respect for one another. Firstly, the fact that Paddy inquires about what happened to David and Jock demonstrates he cares about them, and so does his hesitation when he finds out about David's parachute malfunctioning. When Paddy talks about David to Eoin he flashes the chip on his shoulder about class, but he also makes some sensitive and revealing remarks about their grudging respect, and even friendship. PADDY: See the problem with Stirling is that he is a dreamer. EOIN: So are you, Paddy. PADDY: He is from that class of men who do things imagining that they are writing it down in their autobiography. Until their biography reaches an unexpected full stop. [pause] If he dies, I will attend his funeral. Because, for some reason, he actually liked me. It seems fairly obvious to me that we are meant to understand that, for all Paddy finds objectionable about David, he also likes him. This is a sentiment that runs both ways, 'for some reason, he actually liked me' as if to say, 'for some reason, I actually liked him'.

That is more or less the state of play up until recruitment. The shot-reverse-shot we get of David and Paddy when David hands around the blank pages more or less visually tells us this:

This is a conversation in a room full of men that momentarily sharpens into an intimate exchange between two men in particular, who both know they have no other place in the British Military.

This sentiment is repeated when David promotes Paddy, and then gives him a little boot up the arse about undermining him. they antagonise one another, but there's always a grinning playfullness under the surface.

When Paddy loses Eoin, David understands the significance of that loss. He almost touches his arm to comfort him but changes his mind and opts instead to urge Paddy to sit and have a cup of tea. It is a remarkably subtle, and to our modern eyes a complete underestimation of the significance of the event, but the subtlty of the thing I think is what makes it such a potent example. David doesn't know how to comfort Paddy, and also knows that whatever comfort he offers will be inadequate. We also know David finds it difficult to express himself emotionally, Eve tells us openly in s2.

Later, when Paddy asks David to stay behind, David grants him permission. He even then asks Paddy if he found Eoin's body, even though on-screen, we never saw Paddy tell David this. Either Paddy confided in David that he was going to look for Eoin, or David intuited it.

Later, when Paddy is in deep mourning for Eoin, though he's unwilling to admit it, David calls him out on it. It's extremely painful, of course, but ultimately that is the point. David is trying to incite Paddy both because he is Paddy's superior officer, and needs Paddy operational, and because it is ultimately cathartic for them both. David isn't, as I've seen some people imply, expressing veiled homophobia, particularly when he makes the "sulking like Achilles in his tent" line. First of all, we have evidence from earlier in the show that David is a bit obsessed with Homer, that makes sense for his class-background, education, and standing. Second of all, the acknowledgement of Paddy and Eoin's bond as being like Achilles and Patroclus is an allusion that speaks to Paddy. It is literally poetic, in the sense that it invokes epic poetry, and it also acknowledges the signficance of Eoin to Paddy, while underscoring that, like Achilles, Paddy's grief doesn't exist in a vaccuum. The Greek army needs it's best warrior back. David's frustration with Paddy earlier in their conversation and his own admittance that he feels the need to compete with Paddy is tacit acknowledgemnt that he thinks Paddy is the best of them.

I don't mean to suggest that David handled that situation with all the sensitivity and nuance that modern psychology would dictate, but these are soldiers in a high-pressure environment with an existing sense competitiveness. The fact that Paddy confesses that he didn't find Eoin to David underscores that, even if it wasn't the most sensitive approach, David has gotten through to Paddy, and Paddy still trusts David enough to reveal these intimate details.

Of course, they fight again after this. David's plan to help the ships heading to matla starts another intense argument, but that's simply how they operate. Never forget.

The last time that David and Paddy interact, it is in such peace, as equals. When Paddy approaches, he touches David's shoulder, completing the gesture David offered toward him in the desert when he found out about Eoin. It is significant that he touches David, here, and that David not only accepts it, but almost reaches up to touch Paddy in return. He drops his hand, again. but Paddy maintains the contact, he is touching David on purpose, and even if David is too shy to return it (and I use that word intentionally) he doesn't shrug it off.

They end in such intentional visual harmony, and clink cups. thus completing the cycle from frenemies to lovers. yes this post was covert paddy x david propaganda, but even if you have absolutely no interest in that ship, please, consider spicing up your understanding of David and his relationship with Paddy by peppering in some nuance.

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I LOVE DÓNAL SO MUCH I CAN'T

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Dudley clarke and Eve's relationship is literally gay man and his lesbian friend which leads me to believe David is literally Eve's girlfriend. Yeah hes a woman now. Eve and her masc girlfriend

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the way david got to on-screen kiss a man on the mouth before paddy... violence

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John Keats, “Ode to a Nightingale”

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getting a kick 🫏 out of each other

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Death sits easy on your shoulders, comrade. Turns out... we drink from the same well after all.

SAS Rogue Heroes 1.06

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What is he doing?

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I suspect some of you will come to really dread the tolling of the bell.

SAS: Rogue Heroes | 2.02

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can’t stop thinking about this

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boosting morale 👌

SAS: Rogue Heroes | 2.05

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SAS Rogue Heroes - Season 2 Episode 3

SAS Rogue Heroes Season 3, you have one job:

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"Jock didn't make it." "What-what do you mean?"

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SAS Rogue Heroes - Season 2 Episode 1

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sas warriors big ol' softies