#brennan and booth

[treblrebl]

Bones: Patterns and Precedents

Almost a year after Lucifer ended, I decided to follow the Morningstar’s advice and binge Bones. Since the Devil has great taste, B&B certainly helped to soothe the heartache left by the show’s ending and its corresponding choices. Bones introduced me to another host of interesting, complex female characters, and I amused myself heartily with the thought of the Catholic altar boy interacting with the literal biblical Devil.

(And let’s be honest, fending off Satanic overtures because there’s no way Lucifer wouldn’t be head-over-heels attracted by Seeley Booth)

Streaming an older show years after its’ last airing date reveals certain patterns and dimensions to characters which would likely not have been apparent in the show’s original episodic run. Some of the most prevalent fan takes about Brennan and Booth around 2010-2011 are quite surprising, as are the general perceptions of the titular characters. Sometimes it’s understandable – weekly episodes along with the usual season hiatuses don’t really translate well to a continuous, consistent narrative in the viewer’s mind. Other times I wonder if some of the popular takes would hold water if replicated in a current show.

With that out of the way, here are some subtle patterns which seemed to jump out at me.

Brennan’s most defining relationship pre-Booth is not Sully, but Stires.

To an objective eye, Michael Stires absolutely is a creep who took advantage of Brennan’s naivete. But he is also the quintessential brilliant young professor, a certified expert in her chosen field. To Brennan, who has always only known ostracization from her peers for her genius, he is the one person who not only appreciated, but actively honed her brilliance and talent. From the perspective of a young Brennan, he is her guide, her champion, and her coach. Her relationship with him isn’t a surprise and starts to make much more sense once we are introduced to Russ.

For the longest time, Russ was Brennan’s male role model. The older brother with his own significant social capital who had no qualms extending his metaphorical protective wing over his socially marginalised little sister. The brother whose support and protection she had absolute faith in – until the day he disappeared, shattering her heart, her trust and whatever little was left of her world in one fell swoop. It would have been devastating for any neurotypical teenager, but for Brennan it was almost catastrophic.

Is it thus any wonder that Brennan’s first serious ‘relationship’ was with an older man who was her teacher in every way, and in some ways, I’m sure acted as a protector? It was obvious that in contrast to all other subsequent relationships where Brennan pulled the trigger, it was Stires who taught her that emotions were illogical distractions and have no place in a truly efficient relationship. Brennan’s survival drive had already repressed most of her emotional centers, strong as they were, and Stires’ teachings solidified her transactional view of relationships. This stands her in good stead when Stires finally shows his true colors – she was genuinely pleased to see him again initially. His betrayal put things into perspective for her and cemented her ambivalent view on relationships.

Sully on the other hand, was very clearly only a transitory figure in Brennan’s life. By Season 2, Brennan was already infatuated with Booth. Their emotional connection is yet to reach its peak, but it is there, and the physical attraction has been smoldering from the very beginning. The Girl in the Gator takes place immediately after the final Epps episode, and Booth’s infamous ‘line’ conversation. It’s only when you watch the episodes in sequence that you realise how deeply she internalised that proclamation. It was a knee-jerk reaction by Booth, brought about by his own fears and insecurities, but Brennan had no way of knowing that. From her perspective, she wants him, but he doesn’t want her back, and that’s that.

So, what happens when Sully comes on the scene? Here’s a guy who at least on the surface has all of Booth’s best qualities. He’s also an FBI agent, charming, interesting and a genuinely good guy. He’s respectful of Brennan’s abilities. And in contrast to Booth, he is open about his interest in her. Naturally, Brennan projects all the confusing Booth feelings she doesn’t have an outlet for on Sully. He doesn’t have Booth’s formidable history with her, nor does he challenge her the way Booth does. He doesn’t have that ineffable connection – but he is deferential, kind, and good to her in the short time they were together. In the end though, he doesn’t imprint on her anywhere.

I do think Gordon Gordon had it exactly right when he said that Brennan’s inability to lead a purposeless life is what made her refuse Sully’s proposal to sail away with him. What he didn’t add was that she had already found a shared life purpose with Booth, and a connection which existed on its’ own plane, beyond any labels. Before either of them could define it as love, they both knew it was the most important connection they would ever have with another person.

(Additionally, I find the fan discourse that Sully was wrong for leaving her behind utterly hypocritical – it was clear that his dream was a long standing one, and a relationship of a few weeks, irrespective of the pull, should never come in the way of that.)

[sononames]

Booth shouldn't have been a nice guy.

Why? He is the child of an abusive alcoholic father and a mother who abandoned him, who hid his feelings behind a cool jock persona, who then becomes a ambivalent sniper for goodness sake! He would have much more significant trauma that a mere gambling addiction. Jared is who Booth should have been, and I believe the writer’s knew it. They gave us Jared as a wink wink nudge nudge consolation prize.

By shoehorning Booth into a ‘nice guy’, they gloss over so much of what would have made the relationship between Booth and Brennan ultimately untenable. For starters, the whole ‘love at first sight’ thing between them should have been confronted head on: Booth lusted after Brennan not only because she was beautiful but also because she was what he thought he didn’t deserve. His insecurities about their relationship should have been much deeper than his occasional gambling relapse. I will accept his patience with her as her bringing out the best in him — for a time. The more emotionally assured she became, the more he would have felt threatened by her.

That is in part why I found it disappointing that it was Brennan who first refused a relationship with Booth. After writing their story and erasing it, I could have easily seen her ready to embrace a second chance. Then BOOTH would have panicked. His military service would have not been sad sack, broken heart redemptive journey, but a self destructive, dysfunctional attempt to get some distance from a relationship HE couldn't trust would work. He of course would have fallen for Hannah, just as he falls back on his gambling, and likely stayed with her, despite protestations, precisely because she doesn’t demand he make the commitment his parents did not make to him. Brennan, fiercely loyal as an abandoned child herself, might have forgiven him as a friend for his betrayal (she did not believe in monogamy after all) but never trust him again as her lover. (We still get the "Doctor in the Photo" scene of them in the car, but it's him begging for her to give him a second chance and she refusing). They would have remained partners, but with the possibility of romance firmly off the table. And none of this "she will never love again nonsense." She would most certainly have, after all the growth she had experienced. and with Sweet and Gordon Gordon's help. Sully could have sailed in (I always felt he was given short shrift) but they could have written someone else for her. (Perhaps a less stereotypical Latinx?)

So all this to say that Booth and Brennan did not make sense but the actors were so good at playing off each other that they made the improbability work.

[wolves-of-the-void]

These straggots are edging me STOP IT

[ranbling]

Is your ship really that iconic if one of them haven't been buried alive and the other haven't tried to dig them out with their bare hands?

[goodnightbirdy]

so incredibly based of the bones writers to make Brennan autistic as fuck then have every man who meets her attracted as hell to her AND they dont stop being attracted to her when she does her autism thing, in fact most of the time it makes them more attracted to her.

shes blunt, overly serious, she thinks literally and is extremely competent in her field and the men on this show go "wow that was hot"

[did-sm1-say-catfish]

i was tired of never seeing any bones memes so i just made a few :)

Thanks for coming to my bones talk

[drtbrennan]

BONES - 1.09 | 3.09

[hodginspodgins]

[insidethejeffersonian]

[jessmalia]

JO AND MAL AES IN TV AND FILM: 94/? Bones | The Headless Witch in the Woods (2x10)

[did-sm1-say-catfish]

bones is a show with just so much meme potential. That being said:

Thanks for coming to my third bones talk. See ya next time :)

[hodginspodgins]

[acebirdofprey]

Brennan: Me and Booth are having another child. Sweets: That’s amazing. Booth, pushing a document over to Sweets: It’s you. Sign here.

[notsoftysof]

Times we see Brennan truly lose her shit:

- someone threatens Booth

- the animal guy shot the tiger

- her bones are gone

[did-sm1-say-catfish]

its actually so crazy being a bones fan like wdym i cry when i hear lime in the coconut?

[kuningatarmirka]

Bones 5x12