SG-1 -- Daniel, Ke'ra and coping

[butterfly]

I've seen this more than one place, but it's been bugging me, so I'll ask and hope that the Stargate fen on my list can help me understand the position.

Why is Past and Present considered lacking in continuity?

The entire episode feels steeped in Daniel's grief for his wife, at least from what I see. He even tells Ke'ra that he's probably doing this because his wife just died and he's vulnerable. He's pissy with Jack and Teal'c at various points in the episode, which also feels like it comes directly from him coping with his wife's death.

Now is kissing (and possibly sleeping with, though I'm not sure when they had time) someone else soon after your spouse's death the best way of coping? Probably not. But considering that Daniel had been missing Sha're for so long and now she was actually, truthfully out of reach... yeah, I can understand him reacting to this woman.

His words in Need (back in season two) were also harsh, but there's a point to them -- how long is he supposed to wait? And he did. He waited, he kept faith, he searched for her. Only for her to die in front of his very eyes.

He's a widower and he's hurting and Ke'ra was very likable. Yeah. It made sense to me.

And, of course, Sha're's death is the beginning of the end of the 'golden years' period in Daniel's life with the SGC. Before her death, he had the hope of a happy ending to hold onto. Without that, everything else started to slip away.

Comments

[concernedlily.livejournal.com]

I think for me, it's kind of external: because I know that P&P was originally supposed to come before FiaD I assume the continuity must be negligible, if that makes sense. But I think it does work where it is; it makes sense that Daniel, rebounding from Sha're's death, latches on to another woman who is 'possessed' by a sociopath, who he *can* rescue. He definitely seems to attach to her more as a cause than personally - he doesn't have any trouble letting her go.

(P&P also didn't really work for me because when they discovered she was Linea I was like, 'no she's not! She's Mulder's sister!', but that's neither here nor there *g*.)

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

I think for me, it's kind of external: because I know that P&P was originally supposed to come before FiaD I assume the continuity must be negligible, if that makes sense.

But... that wouldn't make any sense. Why was Daniel snippy with Jack and Teal'c? Why did he mention his wife's death? My world is a question mark.

But I think it does work where it is; it makes sense that Daniel, rebounding from Sha're's death, latches on to another woman who is 'possessed' by a sociopath, who he *can* rescue. He definitely seems to attach to her more as a cause than personally - he doesn't have any trouble letting her go.

Right, she's the one that he does save (which I think he really needed after FiaD). Daniel is forever trying to save people. Out of guilt, out of love, out of a genuine desire to help. Daniel's a 'fixer'. Which is part of why his path as an ascended being was doomed to be short.

[concernedlily.livejournal.com]

But... that wouldn't make any sense. Why was Daniel snippy with Jack and Teal'c? Why did he mention his wife's death? My world is a question mark.

I assumed those were lines added into the script once it was clear that it was going to fall after FiaD. The info that it was supposed to come before is from the s3/4 companion; according to MS, Daniel/Ke'ra didn't feel quite right to him because it was so soon after Sha're's death. (Which says a lot to me about how TPTB view characterisation on SG, incidentally; I can't imagine a character's throughline being messed around with quite so cavalierly on, say, BtVS.)

I suppose a slightly different take on Daniel might not think he would rebound romantically - he didn't from Sha're's loss, drugged alien encounters aside. I don't think he slept with her, which makes it more of a temporary aberration and less of a big thought-out thing. But that's more of a characterisation issue than continuity... *tries to remember the original question*

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

I assumed those were lines added into the script once it was clear that it was going to fall after FiaD. The info that it was supposed to come before is from the s3/4 companion; according to MS, Daniel/Ke'ra didn't feel quite right to him because it was so soon after Sha're's death. (Which says a lot to me about how TPTB view characterisation on SG, incidentally; I can't imagine a character's throughline being messed around with quite so cavalierly on, say, BtVS.)

Which makes sense to me. After all, it doesn't make Daniel look very good. But MS is a very good actor, so he took what he was given and made it work, even if he would have preferred a different reaction.

I suppose a slightly different take on Daniel might not think he would rebound romantically - he didn't from Sha're's loss, drugged alien encounters aside. I don't think he slept with her, which makes it more of a temporary aberration and less of a big thought-out thing. But that's more of a characterisation issue than continuity...

It think that it works for me because it is so clearly a rebound -- he's not attached to Ke'ra as a true romantic interest, he can just see something of what he loved about Sha're in her (he speaks so glowingly of Sha're's curiosity and bravery in... is it CotG?) and she won't be staying. She belongs with her people, so it's safe to kiss her, because she'll be leaving.

[spacedmonkey.livejournal.com]

Thank you, thank you, thank you. It's been bugging me for years as to who she was! Mulder's sister. D'oh. Now I can stop pondering.

[iamrosalita.livejournal.com]

Now is kissing (and possibly sleeping with, though I'm not sure when they had time) someone else soon after your spouse's death the best way of coping? Probably not.

But not at all unusual. I have a friend who ended up sleeping with her fiance's best friend not long after the fiance's death. They were both upset and comforting each other and one thing led to another. It happens.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

Yes, it does. I completely agree. Comfort sex happens.

[katie-m.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm with you.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

Very cool.

[casapazzo.livejournal.com]

::startled blinking::

Guess that shows how not-involved w/ fandom I am....it's thought to be lacking? Like you, I thought it seemed a very natural rebound thing.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

It seems to be a "Daniel's wife just died! How can they not remember that! His wife died and that's totally a love interest!" thing. Which I would have thought was the point, but yeah.

[casapazzo.livejournal.com]

Clearly they've never been in Highlander fandom, where just one episode after all the tragedy of Tessa's death and the angsty "Dust in the Wind" montage, etc, etc., Duncan has comfort sex w/ an old immortal friend of his.

(Who then tries to kill Richie, but who didn't on that show?)

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

Clearly they've never been in Highlander fandom, where just one episode after all the tragedy of Tessa's death and the angsty "Dust in the Wind" montage, etc, etc., Duncan has comfort sex w/ an old immortal friend of his.

Amanda? Methos? Someone I don't know? (Amanda and Methos are the extent of my knowledge, really).

Who then tries to kill Richie, but who didn't on that show?

Yeah, I was so disappointed when I found out about him. A friend showed me the first episode, I adored his character, then the boom was lowered.

[casapazzo.livejournal.com]

Nah, she was a one-off. I actually can't remember her name, but she was IRA - Richie'd interfered in an attempted assassination, resulting in her (mortal) husband getting killed. blah blah blah revenge-cakes.

Man, be grateful you found out about it after the fact. When "Archangel" aired, it wasn't pretty. I cried so much I gave myself a head cold.

[scrollgirl.livejournal.com]

Yay! Somebody else who thinks P&P is actually good continuity! I've argued before that I think Daniel did sleep with Ke'ra (http://www.livejournal.com/users/scrollgirl/134103.html#cutid5), but I'm not totally wedded to the idea. You're right that they didn't have a whole lot of time, and it's a more conscious decision. But the point I've tried to argue (http://www.livejournal.com/users/scrollgirl/85115.html?thread=724859#t724859) is that Daniel sleeping with Ke'ra was continuity, even if we don't like what it says about him. Glad to know I'm not the only one :)

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

I agree that if he had slept with her, it still wouldn't make him out of character. I think that his addiction fueled rant in Need did come from inside him, though it was twisted and magnified by the sarc's effects -- how long is he supposed to wait? He's feeling the immediate grief of Sha're's death, but he's been living with the grief of her loss for some time.

[scrollgirl.livejournal.com]

I think that his addiction fueled rant in Need did come from inside him, though it was twisted and magnified by the sarc's effects

Totally. I believe Daniel loved Sha're, was in love with her, strongly and wholly. But he would've had moments of doubt, like anyone else, and I don't think it's unrealistic for Daniel to have wanted to give up hoping, once in a while. And not unrealistic for him to want something to ease the pain.