The Big Question

[cactuswatcher]

Even if you are not a fan of Bones please read on. Last night's episode had an interesting theme to go along with an interesting crime. I'm giving the usual spoiler warning, but unless you intend to watch the show later I have a question for you now.

For those who may not know, the female lead Temperance "Bones" Brennan has been dating an FBI agent named Sulley for a few months. Last night's show began with Brennan about to spend a vacation with him on the beautiful sail boat he is renting and hoping to buy. They don't even plan to leave the dock, just spend the time together alone. But naturally a crime occurs and Bones is called away to look into it. Turns out the corpse has had all it's bones removed. Since bones are her specialty, she feels free to pass the case on to her colleagues and to get back on vacation. Another FBI agent Sealy Booth, the main male character, keeps finding ways to go interrupt them and bring her back on the case. After a few of these incidents, Sulley decides to ask Brennan "The Big Question." As Sulley starts to talk, Brennan believes he is going to ask her "The Question" and it's fairly clear from her expression the answer is going to be yes. But he doesn't ask her to marry him. He says he's leaving. He asks her to leave everything behind and sail away with him on a romantic adventure for a year. Instead of asking will she tie her life to his for the foreseeable forever, he essentially asks does she love him more than everything else in her life. It's fairly clear immediately what her answer will be. But in his long preface Sulley has asked her to take time to think about it. She does think about it seriously.

She asks both her co-worker/best friend Angela and her partner Booth what she should do. Angela, the romantic, tells her she should definitely go. From his manner Booth shows he doesn't want her to go. But he does tell her, if it's what she wants, she should go.

It's no surprise when she finally tells Sulley, she won't go. As part of the final scene, as Brennan watches from the dock, Sulley sails away revealing that he's named the boat after her. (It's both a romantic ending and not, because it's not only saying he'll remember her always, in showing her he's done it, he's also subtly saying, it will always be her fault.)

I'd like to ask - Do you think this kind of major ultimatum ever turns out well?

Comments

[deevalish.livejournal.com]

A world of no.

I haven't seen that episode but I only tune in randomly. But judging from the few episodes that I've seen with Sulley in them, he's always made it clear that what he was doing now, working for the FBI, was a temporary thing. That he had other things that he wanted to do with his life, other interests and passions that he definitley wanted to experience. He was always a bit confused by the "one trickness" of Brennan.

And like Bit says, Sulley already made all these decisions for himself. Despite how "ideal" he might have been he didn't really seem to consider what Brennan might want. And I'm going to say it, I hate. Hate! The nickname that he calls her. Tempe! What kind of nickname is that? Yuck. Whoo. I just had to say that to someone.

[cactuswatcher.livejournal.com]

To me Tempe (stress on the last syllable) is the suburb on the other side of Phoenis where Masq may move. As a nickname (stress on the first syllable) it's pretty foul in my ears, too.

;o)

You're right about him not considering what she might want. Which is what makes it so sad that she did have feelings for him.

[deevalish.livejournal.com]

When I first heard the "endearment" *shudders*, I thought, "Like the city?"

[cactuswatcher.livejournal.com]

He wasn't the first one to call her that on the show. But I hope he's the last.