SG-1 -- Rank Disregard
Sep. 17th, 2004 12:36 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
butterflyFirst, a random ouch -- Daniel shows specific fear of radiation poisoning in Singularity. Scorched Earth thought: Daniel's very good at recognizing that sentience and intelligence are not limited to humanity or even to biological life. Life is life -- is animation and communication. If those two elements exist, then Daniel is willing to extend his faith. Jack tends to value human life over all else -- with a few very interesting exceptions, such as Teal'c and Thor (this is also shown in that he sees life as a robot as no life at all, and that he doesn't want ascension -- if it isn't life as he knows it, then he doesn't want it).
As I was watching Scorched Earth I noticed how often Daniel completely disregards Jack's rank. He often introduces Jack only as "Jack O'Neill" or even just "Jack", even though he regularly introduces Sam as "Major Samantha Carter" or some variation thereof. He'll play the military rank game for her a lot more than he does for Jack. Possibly because Sam having a rank doesn't actually give her authority over him (especially if he is head of civilian personnel, which would not shock me, though I'm curious as to when that would have happened -- have we ever seen him report to another civilian before Weir happens?). Sam can be Major Samantha Carter, but even when they're meeting new potential allies or enemies, Jack is going to be Jack from Daniel's point of view.
Interestingly enough, this sorta goes along with how Daniel expects them to act. Daniel wants Jack to treat people the way that Daniel does. Jack is the person that Daniel probably respects and trusts the most in any world (we've seen this implied a number of times, such as The Devil You Know and Meridian). With anyone else, Daniel will eventually stop trying to talk them over to his side, if they prove too stubborn. With Jack, Daniel's absolutely certain that if Jack only tries, he'll see things just as Daniel does (just look at how he smiles over at Jack at the end of Scorched Earth, certain that now that he's found another way, Jack'll be happy with it). It's completely different from how Daniel treats anyone else that he interacts with. Of course, this was set-up in the movie, when Daniel wins Jack over to his side on not blowing up Abydos. This is probably what convinced him that Jack must be a kindred spirit, even if Jack doesn't want to admit it (just look at how hurt Daniel is whenever Jack does stand firm or block Daniel out, as in Shades of Gray and much of fourth season -- he doesn't just act hurt, he acts betrayed, as if he believes that Jack just naturally should be on his side no matter what. And then he gets pissy and petty, again, in a way that we really don't see when he's talking to other people who shut him out.). Daniel firmly believes that Jack is special (as shown in Absolute Power, when Jack is the only person that he lets close to him, and in Abyss, when he pretty much says that Jack is a superior type of guy).
When Daniel first sees Jack again, in Children of the Gods, he just says, "Jack." He's died for the man, fought with him, and trusted him to lie about Daniel staying on Abydos. Rank is meaningless. This is also a sharp contrast to how he still uses last names with the other members of Jack's team who were with him on Abydos. To Jack, he's now Daniel. To Ferretti and Kawalsky, he's Doctor Jackson.
After Sha're has been kidnapped, he calls Jack 'Colonel' specifically to point out that only one of them is military. Then, he uses it in three other early episodes, Emancipation, Cold Lazarus, and The Nox, while 'on mission' and in the early days, when Daniel possibly feels a little like he's on sufferance with the military and so should at least try to act with military protocol. After that, he mostly seems to dismiss rank as unimportant when it comes to his relationship with Jack, though when talking to other military personnel about Jack, he usually remembers to use Jack's rank (Brief Candle, Lockdown).
Daniel also usually introduces himself without his title. He rarely says, "I'm Doctor Daniel Jackson." The person that he's most often formal with is General Hammond (actually uses his rank and calls him 'sir'), who usually formal back, calling him 'Doctor' or 'Doctor Jackson'. On occasion, Hammond will call him 'son' (Solitudes). Jack calls Daniel 'Danny' (Hathor) or 'Danny-boy' (Holiday) a few times in the early seasons, before Daniel gets his hair cut and stops looking so damn much like Charlie.
In the beginning, Sam and Daniel use titles -- she calls him 'Doctor' in Children of the Gods and uses it on occasion in the first season. After time passes, she uses 'Daniel'.
He calls her 'Captain-Doctor' in Children of the Gods and Cold Lazarus; 'Captain' in Children of the Gods and Brief Candle; 'Captain Carter' in Enemy Within, The Nox, The First Commandment, Hathor (twice), and twice in There But For the Grace of God when asking for her in the alt-SGC; 'Doctor Carter' in Emancipation; 'Doctor' in Emancipation (twice); 'Carter' in Emancipation, Brief Candle, and Cor'ai.
He first calls her 'Sam' in Fire and Water, when he's trapped in Nem's home and calling out for SG-1, and then again in Singularity, when she and Jack are trapped in Antarctia. After that, she's mostly 'Sam'.
For Sam, of course, Jack was Colonel O'Neill for the longest time (and now he's General O'Neill). She has used Jack very occasionally, and he has used Sam even less frequently. Mostly, he calls her 'Carter' or uses her rank. He introduces her by her rank and last name. And note: even in the alt-reality, he says 'Doctor' and not 'Sam'.
Teal'c is Teal'c is Teal'c. For him, Daniel is DanielJackson, or very occasionally, just Daniel. Sam is CaptainCarter or DoctorCarter and then MajorCarter. Jack is first ColonelO'Neill and eventually just O'Neill. As far as I can remember, Daniel is the only member of the SGC that Teal'c ever calls by first name alone (though if I'm wrong, I'd love to know -- I still haven't seen a fair bit of six and seven).
And it's very, very easy to get onto a first name basis with Daniel. Don't be an asshole, and he'll probably be fine with a "Daniel". He's a very reassuring presence.
As I was watching Scorched Earth I noticed how often Daniel completely disregards Jack's rank. He often introduces Jack only as "Jack O'Neill" or even just "Jack", even though he regularly introduces Sam as "Major Samantha Carter" or some variation thereof. He'll play the military rank game for her a lot more than he does for Jack. Possibly because Sam having a rank doesn't actually give her authority over him (especially if he is head of civilian personnel, which would not shock me, though I'm curious as to when that would have happened -- have we ever seen him report to another civilian before Weir happens?). Sam can be Major Samantha Carter, but even when they're meeting new potential allies or enemies, Jack is going to be Jack from Daniel's point of view.
Interestingly enough, this sorta goes along with how Daniel expects them to act. Daniel wants Jack to treat people the way that Daniel does. Jack is the person that Daniel probably respects and trusts the most in any world (we've seen this implied a number of times, such as The Devil You Know and Meridian). With anyone else, Daniel will eventually stop trying to talk them over to his side, if they prove too stubborn. With Jack, Daniel's absolutely certain that if Jack only tries, he'll see things just as Daniel does (just look at how he smiles over at Jack at the end of Scorched Earth, certain that now that he's found another way, Jack'll be happy with it). It's completely different from how Daniel treats anyone else that he interacts with. Of course, this was set-up in the movie, when Daniel wins Jack over to his side on not blowing up Abydos. This is probably what convinced him that Jack must be a kindred spirit, even if Jack doesn't want to admit it (just look at how hurt Daniel is whenever Jack does stand firm or block Daniel out, as in Shades of Gray and much of fourth season -- he doesn't just act hurt, he acts betrayed, as if he believes that Jack just naturally should be on his side no matter what. And then he gets pissy and petty, again, in a way that we really don't see when he's talking to other people who shut him out.). Daniel firmly believes that Jack is special (as shown in Absolute Power, when Jack is the only person that he lets close to him, and in Abyss, when he pretty much says that Jack is a superior type of guy).
When Daniel first sees Jack again, in Children of the Gods, he just says, "Jack." He's died for the man, fought with him, and trusted him to lie about Daniel staying on Abydos. Rank is meaningless. This is also a sharp contrast to how he still uses last names with the other members of Jack's team who were with him on Abydos. To Jack, he's now Daniel. To Ferretti and Kawalsky, he's Doctor Jackson.
After Sha're has been kidnapped, he calls Jack 'Colonel' specifically to point out that only one of them is military. Then, he uses it in three other early episodes, Emancipation, Cold Lazarus, and The Nox, while 'on mission' and in the early days, when Daniel possibly feels a little like he's on sufferance with the military and so should at least try to act with military protocol. After that, he mostly seems to dismiss rank as unimportant when it comes to his relationship with Jack, though when talking to other military personnel about Jack, he usually remembers to use Jack's rank (Brief Candle, Lockdown).
Daniel also usually introduces himself without his title. He rarely says, "I'm Doctor Daniel Jackson." The person that he's most often formal with is General Hammond (actually uses his rank and calls him 'sir'), who usually formal back, calling him 'Doctor' or 'Doctor Jackson'. On occasion, Hammond will call him 'son' (Solitudes). Jack calls Daniel 'Danny' (Hathor) or 'Danny-boy' (Holiday) a few times in the early seasons, before Daniel gets his hair cut and stops looking so damn much like Charlie.
In the beginning, Sam and Daniel use titles -- she calls him 'Doctor' in Children of the Gods and uses it on occasion in the first season. After time passes, she uses 'Daniel'.
He calls her 'Captain-Doctor' in Children of the Gods and Cold Lazarus; 'Captain' in Children of the Gods and Brief Candle; 'Captain Carter' in Enemy Within, The Nox, The First Commandment, Hathor (twice), and twice in There But For the Grace of God when asking for her in the alt-SGC; 'Doctor Carter' in Emancipation; 'Doctor' in Emancipation (twice); 'Carter' in Emancipation, Brief Candle, and Cor'ai.
He first calls her 'Sam' in Fire and Water, when he's trapped in Nem's home and calling out for SG-1, and then again in Singularity, when she and Jack are trapped in Antarctia. After that, she's mostly 'Sam'.
For Sam, of course, Jack was Colonel O'Neill for the longest time (and now he's General O'Neill). She has used Jack very occasionally, and he has used Sam even less frequently. Mostly, he calls her 'Carter' or uses her rank. He introduces her by her rank and last name. And note: even in the alt-reality, he says 'Doctor' and not 'Sam'.
Teal'c is Teal'c is Teal'c. For him, Daniel is DanielJackson, or very occasionally, just Daniel. Sam is CaptainCarter or DoctorCarter and then MajorCarter. Jack is first ColonelO'Neill and eventually just O'Neill. As far as I can remember, Daniel is the only member of the SGC that Teal'c ever calls by first name alone (though if I'm wrong, I'd love to know -- I still haven't seen a fair bit of six and seven).
And it's very, very easy to get onto a first name basis with Daniel. Don't be an asshole, and he'll probably be fine with a "Daniel". He's a very reassuring presence.
