The one where I actually talk about Kings

[dragojustine]

Don't get me wrong: I loved that pilot utterly beyond all reason. Even if the show goes on to plumb new depths of heretofore unseen suckiness, I will still burn that pilot to DVD and cherish it forever.

I am struggling with Kings right now. I mean, I have squeed and flailed all over everybody in ridiculous all-caps because it is brilliant and beautiful and perfect, and so now, naturally, I am rewatching and struggling with it.

1. Jack's character. That last scene of him in the car with William... look. There are things that have to happen in this story. David has to marry Michelle. Silas has to turn against David. And David and Jack must be loyal to each other. These things are non-optional. Right now, I don't have a bead on Jack's character at all- because he was so heartbreakingly sympathetic during that incredible, creepy, frightening, intense confrontation with Silas- but then to see him in the car with William? I do not understand. I don't believe that of him. I need to understand how he gets from here (from this contradiction of his character- his pary lifestyle and disregard for the respect and trappings of rank and yet his apparent desire to be king, enough to confront his father when his father seems to be sidelining him- what does he want, really?) to a place where he loves David, and how does that path go through scheming with William?

On this front, by the way, I am both encouraged and really not encouraged by the somewhat spoilery, somewhat adversarial afterelton interview.

I mean, if I TRUST the show to do this arc- where Jack changes so radically into the Jonathan we know, and David also changes so radically into the flawed and power-hungry and manipulative politician (or, rather, into someone who at least has the potential to become that politician in a few more years)- that would be extraordinary. But I... oh God, I'm so worried. What if that isn't the arc? What if they really are just naive-innocent-David and total-bastard-Jack?

(I will still kind of love total bastard Jack anyway)

2. I don't have Silas' voice. I won't, for a long time, or maybe ever. It's a wonderful voice, full of these strange leaps of register, from the scriptural and poetic and grandiose right back down to snide and gruff and careless, so that the choices of and leaps in tone convey nearly as much as the words themselves. I don't think I could ever write that. It's brilliant. Or it's just uneven, and Ian McShane is brilliant. That's more likely.

3. I really want there to be fic where Samuels is more than the mystic figure. I want fic about Samuels as political manipulator. I want to see how he put Silas on the throne and why he feels he can replace him. I am not calling his motivations or beliefs into question here- he could be, but does not necessarily have to be, cynical, but Samuel of the Bible is kind of a bastard and in any case, Samuels HAS power. I want to see that, I want to see where he feels that power comes from and how he has used it and how he feels he has the right to use it and what that actually ENTAILS, in this world. I can't write that.

4. And the main problem with writing anything here: Is it Kings fic or Bible fic? Especially a problem what with the character of Jona-Jack (yeah, I'm gonna keep doing that, I think). Silas is perfect- achingly, utterly perfect, brilliant and complicated and powerful and terrifying and human and I would never want to write about Saul rather than him- but for the rest... Is it Bible fic or Kings fic? Especially as I have more contact with this story than the strictly average American (who is astonishingly clueless, actually), but not nearly enough to be actually educated about it or have all the references at my fingertips- I can't do bible fic justice.

So if only I could figure out Jack, maybe I could do Kings fic, but I'm afraid of a bastard child right in the middle. For example: The thing with Jack giving Daniel a suit to wear for the banquet made me cry a little inside. Way to WASTE that, writers. But if I re-write that, if I make it something it isn't in the show- well. Hell, everything about the Jack character- if I jump the two of them straight over whatever arc gets Jack from point A to point Z (because he has a LONG way to go), does that mean I'm just ignoring the show? Or is getting Jossed the only risk? Or, for that matter, is the writing good enough that Jack's arc will actually be interesting to explore on its own merits, once we see more of it?

(Speaking of heavily symbolic clothing things that they WASTED- I MOURN that Samuel's coat didn't tear. They gave us coat-grabbing- would just a little more have been anvilicious?)

5. I almost forgot: David's big speech to the tanks. You guys. YOU GUYS. This was acted badly and written utterly over the top and I LOVED IT BEYOND ALL REASON.

And this is why: The first confrontation with Goliath is anti-climactic. It comes too early and is over too soon and the pacing seems weird- but that is because this, this here at the end, is the real Goliath confrontation. Not to downplay the very real emotion David feels over his brother, something has happened to him. David does not see himself as a hero for that first battle; he surrendered, he failed, he sees himself as, at least a little, a coward. More to the point, he sees himself as powerless before the tank. It was pure luck, not his own doing, that gave him that victory, and so he protests his heroic treatment because he sees himself as powerless.

Then Silas gives him power. Not real power, not real position- Silas gives him a very specific sort of power, one that David has never had before, has understood or tried to wield or even thought about. Silas, in trying to use David, taught David that he has the power to make people pay attention to him.

So this second battle with Goliath - it is awkward, and humble, and contrived and obvious and unpolished, but this is David claiming this new power of his. This is David fighting the battle again with this newly discovered weapon and finding himself not a coward and above all not powerless. This is David discovering that he can now conceive of himself as a hero, this is David taking what the king has done to him and thinking, "I can use this. I can do this. I want this."

That is hugely fucking important, and I LOVE THIS SCENE OMG SO MUCH.

Comments

[green-grrl.livejournal.com]

Yes, to all of it. :-) I think I'm going to wait to read fanfic? Because I'm looking forward to Kings fic, but I want it to see the Jack/David when it's actually plausible in the show.

[dragojustine.livejournal.com]

*considers* see, that is sort of my problem. Because I am already in love with David and Jonathan- deeply and forever in love; they are one of my favorite stories, and I have indeed already read fic on that front-

So fic about David and Jack NOW is really fic about David and Jonathan- it is forcing Kings closer to bible. Which... well. I'm so in love with their story already, I want to do that. But if we wait to see how it happens in the show (already significantly different from their arc as presented in the bible), then it would be fic about David and JACK- Kings fic, not bible fic. Maybe a whole different pleasure. But... well. I don't know yet. But I see what you're saying, is all I mean.

[green-grrl.livejournal.com]

There's some Jonathan/David Bible slash at Yuletide, but if you know of any others, please rec me! I'm going to pretty much keep Bible slash and Kings slash in different compartments in my brain. (Much as I've read King Arthur-the-Clive-Owen-movie slash, and it's not related at all to Merlin slash. :-)

[dragojustine.livejournal.com]

Right- I'm not so good at that. (Like how my Rome fic really bleeds over into historical fic- I couldn't manage to keep them separate)

[littlewings04.livejournal.com]

Actually, David's speech in front of the Goliaths the second time, the cadences sort of reminded me of how King James translation flows. The same sort of rhythm to it, that sense that this, this is important, even if it is flawed and awkward. I think it probably had power because it was flawed and awkward. After all, we get it put home again and again how young David is, and this is the first time David is speaking words of consequence that are his own, not reading off a teleprompter or talking about Michelle's health care initiative. They're his halting words, and they're overblown and they're desperate, just like he is in so many ways.

I'm really hopeful Jack will come around. I don't think we could accept Jack and David being buddy buddy from jump. It's too politically expedient, too easy. After all, he's hiding who he is for the chance to be king. Wouldn't you resent beautiful, golden David coming in, saving your ass, and getting in line for your job? I think Jack has to overcome some hostility. And I hope they do it well. With a whole lot of UST, too.

[dragojustine.livejournal.com]

this is the first time David is speaking words of consequence that are his own,

*loves* yes.

[shortsweetsoul.livejournal.com]

So this second battle with Goliath - it is awkward, and humble, and contrived and obvious and unpolished, but this is David claiming this new power of his.

You have perfectly articulated what I couldn't! I watched it with my friend, and she was tragically unimpressed by that scene. I absolutely adored it, but I couldn't explain it. BUT THAT'S IT.

I, too, await for when they do some really great character development and fix work with Jack's character. I didn't like the last scene with him in it AT ALL. D:

[dragojustine.livejournal.com]

No. Him scheming with William? Suckage. The writers are going to have to do SUCH a good job with his character to keep me on board with that. But maybe they will!

[roga.livejournal.com]

WORD ON ALL YOUR POINTS. Except for the fifth :-) I loved the scene too, but for slightly different reasons, that have more to do with the actor's (god I need to find out his name) acting that was mediocre-but-perfect-for-the-moment, than the meaning the moment had for his character development.

[dragojustine.livejournal.com]

*nods* but liked the scene, right? Because it seems like everybody thought it was ham-handed, and I end up sitting there flailing trying to say, "no! Brilliant!" even though I have to admit to mediocre acting and ham-handed writing.

[roga.livejournal.com]

Hee, no, I did like it, but like I said, my reasons were different, and had to do more with David's ability (perhaps subconscious at this point) to play on people's heartstrings, than with the personal journey he was going through. I'll quote from my ep reaction:

His acting is so dramatic and over the top – but even though I don’t know if it was the intention of the show here (okay, probably not), I could actually PREFECTLY IMAGINE Biblical David during this scene. Being dramatic and over the top with his huge gestures, putting on a show and looking so heartbreakingly honest about it – that totally fits the bill, that’s how David manipulates. And not knowing whether this David is really, really dumb or really, really brilliant reminds me of another redheaded king by the name of Carrot Ironfoundersson, to whom my love knows no bounds. So this scene, as cheesy as it looks at first, is actually to me pretty freaking cool. If this is the kind of negotiation I’m going to have to read the show text through all along, I can live with that.