#this isnt even abt me being sad about aging but i don't like the idea of spending over half my life in absolute fucking misery

[butchvamp]

sigh

[beej-hunnicutt]

Stevie and I got into a Potter Ramble, which made me think of this and I just— Potter was a kid that joined WW1. The story has changed with the shows inconsistencies. But from ages 15-18 is the idea of when he joined. He talked about lying about his age to get in. And this is his response to a news reporter who came in to ask them their feelings, and the first screen was their question to him, and the bottom is his response.

I cannot stress enough the importance of Potter's POV that we were given throughout the show. We were giving an old RA man coming to terms as he's seen more, and has gotten older, things just aren't as they seem. And Potter is by no means perfect, he still sees some glory in what he has done. I think back a LOT to his dream in S08E22 'Dreams' when you see he's riding on the horse (he was in the cavalry back in the day) and he hits the grenade and that causes fireworks to go off. That is still apart of him— I expect that from an old dog like him. But he doesn't let that fully shape his views.

Like, these other moments are things that stand out for how much his own views has changed, there is a lot more. As there are plenty of other times he's fallen into the idea of the character is sad and burnt out from the hardships of the wars and what he has seen, but then there are also times where he let's Hawk speak his mind and allowing Hawk's own form or rebellion. (Potter is the CO btw) but I digress.

Two that REALLY stood out to me, aside from the screen cap one above are:

Potter makes sure to clarify this isnt a Police Action, It is a War. Even saying something along the lines of, 'just as much of a war as any other I've been to'. I think there is something so strong abt him being RA and seeing him rlly making sure to callout the U.S.' bullshit on this. He's been through these type of things. No it never gets easy. But he has seen it all. And especially with the KW, how U.S. were able to justify sticking our noses in places is shouldn't have been is something that could be talked about for awhile.

Another part, when they're talking about Christmas and he makes a toast along the lines of 'the christmas we should have been home by'. This one fills me with so much dread. Seeing his own opinions really change as he gets older and as more he sees and I really like they made sure to have HIM be the one to say it. Especially as KW, had 158 Peace Talk-esque meeting over the span of 3 years, it makes sense that this would be a moment that is reflected upon in the show. As they also bring up peace talks that lead to nowhere throughout the show.

One additional one is when he talks about the phrase of WWI, how it's the 'War to End All Wars' and how clearly that just wasn't true. This one is a lil more fuzzy, as I don't quite remember the rest of the scene but I think of this too. So this is gonna be more of a ramble than a talk of Potter. But that being a phrase from WWI is absolutely beyond me, because we know how that'll never be true. It's even more of a punch in the gut when the series reminds the viewers, and alludes to the Vietnam War. Which as the time of the show, was happening and was recently ended by the time the show had. But a war that is barely even a decade after the Korean War. The irony of a statement like that. It causes such a dreadful feeling.

I just really love Potter's character. And he is a definite favorite of mine. And I think he just offers a lot of reflections and from a rather POV than we usually see (the draftee doctors). While both are incredibly, I appreciate that they made sure to have an approach like Potter's as we did not get that when Henry was leader.

Also ending it with this. Because though he's dressed a lil goofy, it still pulls at me heart. Especially the look in his eyes in the last gif.

(screenshot credit, feuer-bluete || gif credit, lucindadixon)