A Completely Different Character Thing

[butterfly]

So, let's talk about Daniel.

First off -- his grandfather took him out for waffles after his parents' death. He probably waited until after the waffles to get into the whole "by the way, I'm not adopting you" thing.

Ass. You had a daughter, she had a son. You had a responsibility.

So, what I want to know is -- who picked the diner as Daniel's waystop? Did Daniel pick it or did Oma?

Given that the last time, it was all about the SGC, I'm going to bet on Daniel. Because, in both cases, it's very important.

The last time, he's trying to decide between life as an ascended being, where he can believe he'll do more good, and either death or a life where he'll never be 100% again. It's a non-personal decision. Doesn't mean that it's not something that he's intensely passionate about, but it's about doing good work in the galaxy, really, and not so much about a personal quest -- which is exactly why he and Oma had issues. If Daniel had really ascended for spiritual enlightenment, he might have made some different choices. He ascended because he's got a hero's complex and thought he could help more people that way.

This time, the decision is cast as incredibly personal. This time, Daniel knows that ascension won't give him any powers that he'll be allowed to use for the greater good of his friends.

And it's interesting that the Others' rule is that you can do anything that you could have done as what you used to be. This makes their non-interference in Daniel's S6 actions make sense.

So, this time, the decision can only be about Daniel. He knows that he won't be able to help his friends, but his other choice is death. Neither way does he have the choice to help his friends.

And he can't decide, because he can't believe that there isn't a third option, one that would let him help.

That's so very Buffy of him that I could just die with happiness (it's very Daniel, too, but I've known Buffy longer).

So, he keeps going over everything, trying to find a third way. And, as usually happens when Daniel pushes long enough, the person he's working on caves like a rotten apple. Daniel is definitely the best at talking people into things, he really is.

I love Daniel so much. Even if his taste in clothes hasn't improved much over the years.

Oh, and how sweet was that ending? I adore that Daniel's death made them realize that they weren't spending enough time together and that they needed to rebond as a team.

*happy sigh*

Comments

[moojja.livejournal.com]

Do you think that was the outfit Daniel was wearing the first time he went to the dinner? Naaa, Nick is not that insane.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

Now I'm imagining a wee!Daniel in a tiny little green shirt who needs a hug so badly and has no one to give one to him.

And now I'm all sad.

*pets Daniel*

Well, he is loved now.

[iamrosalita.livejournal.com]

I wondered the same thing about Nick. I just hope he didn't say, "Hurry up and finish your waffles. I need to drop you off at the orphanage so I can get back to my work." What a prick. I've never understood how Daniel could forgive him so easily. Poor baby, he's obviously starved for some kind of family connection.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

I think that part of Daniel... understands because of Maternal Instinct. Because he'd recently decided that Shifu was safer with Oma, he judged Nick's motives more highly than he should have, I think.

[skipmcgee.livejournal.com]

I gotta agree with that. I think that it's easier for him to understand than it would be for someone like Jack, whose had a child of his own and understood the responsibility and love more personally. Doesn't mean he's right (but then again Daniel quite often isn't when it comes to his own personal matters), but just that he's giving Nick the benefit of the doubt (not that Nick deserves it. I'm totally with you on this - He's an Ass.)

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

Exactly, yeah. Nick would not be winning any awards in the grandparents' sweepstakes, we'll just say that.