In defense of Mitchell (Spoilers)

[sgatelvr]

To all of you who assume that I hate O'Neill, riddle me this:

If I hate O'Neill, why did I choose to quote him in my signature? Don't you think it is possible that I have GROWN to love the character? Stop reacting on emotion and act on what is actually written.

[sgatelvr]

I know nothing about the military, but always wondered how someone with O'Neill's casual--not to mention disrespectful--attitude could make it to his rank. I always attributed it to the fact that maybe his missions usually succeeded, so he got results. But it was interesting to hear that your Dad, a career military man, couldn't watch the show because O'Neill was so out of line most of the time.

Of course, the show is, well, a show, and despite the claims of "reality" (which I have disputed many times on the forum to a less than happy reception!) it picks and chooses what areas of real life it wants to emulate closely. O'Neill might not have made it in the "real" air force, but he follows in the great American tradition of characters who make their own rules--cowboys, cops, PIs. We see it in the movies all the time. It's part of our mythology. I also suspect that RDA shaped the character he was comfortable with, rather than shaping his performance to the character as originally written in the movie. It might not be real, but it was entertaining. At least for me. I can see where someone who wants more reality might be disappointed, though. I get real every day just looking out my window, so less real is fine by me.



Well, a lot of fans keep comparing the two, which makes me wonder...I think the biggest problem with Mitchell is that outside of Babylon he hasn't been given enough screen time to communicate much of anything. We're all scrambling to hold up a line here, a look there, to give us insight. We just need to see more of him.



They're too terrified of turning off RDA fans who complained early on that they didn't want the show to turn into the Cam Mitchell show. As if it wasn't the RDA show...





LOL! Crabby is a good word...



Yeah, I liked that part, too. But, you know, going to other planets, fighting aliens...it can be so ho-hum.




Love your attitude, dude. Yeah, it's nice to see a bit of optimism, even naivete, if that's what it is. Will be interesting to see whether or not that changes for Cam. Whether or not Cooper/Wright will give him enough screen time for us to see what happens.

[/QUOTE]
Thank you! I'm glad you saw where I was going ...

They're too terrified of turning off RDA fans who complained early on that they didn't want the show to turn into the Cam Mitchell show. As if it wasn't the RDA show...

YES, YES, YES!!! I, for one, wish they would get over it!!

[Lilith]

quite frankly, i like O'Neill.... true, his methods are somewhat unorthadox, but they work..... because he so independant and loves to "stick it to the man", he has been able gaint he respect of his fellow officers.... his sarcasism, is his way for coping with charlie's death....as the series moved forward, he became less of a jackass because being apart of SG-1 has healed him on some level....

ok that i've defended O'Neill, on to Cameron.....

If you've noticed, Sheppard is also a hardass like O'Neill, he's committed some of the same mistakes as O'Neill, as revealed in Rising, Part 1.... i think TPBT are trying to bring a part of O'Neill into both Cam and John because he was such huge fav of the show.... Though they do have their differences, TPTB aren't ready for them to express it. John acts much like O'Neill did at the beginning of SG-1 with the exception that he's a bit more mature and isn't surrounded by two scientist..... Cam, being still Green to Stargate, is more following the team's lead.... Next year, though, i believe he will be more independant and care-free, more in charge, because by then, he'll know what to expect. Right now he's taking his ques from the Veterans, learning all he can... at the same time, he has to figure out how to fight the Ori, and he has less to go on than O'Neill did when he faced the gou'ald.

When O'Neill faced the gou'ald, he had Teal'c, nuff said. Then he had Daniel, who understood the culture and aspects of the different Gou'ald.... Carter was just there to back Daniel up and figure out all the techie stuff..... All Cam has is whatever knowledge, as little as it is, that Daniel has... Teal'c and Carter back him up out of habbit and well earned trust. Cam doesn't have inside info, doesn't have his refence book, so if he's going slow, it's because he's wary. He can't afford not to be.

well, that's my two bits....enjoy....

[Kelt'ar]

while I don't think the character is a disgrace....are you serious with this line? :wtf: have you ever met an air force colonel?

Dead serious.
While I haven't had the honor of meeting an airforce colonel, I have met army colonels. But that is irrelevant. I am pretty sure that they all have different characters and behaviors. The fact is that O'neill proved himself over and over again when it counted.

[the Fifth Race]

I think Col. Mitchell is just fine in his role. I like his character alot, he has really grown on me. I loved RDA as O'Neill and you are right sgatelvr that O'Neill was a self professed non-military type. His years of being in the special forces and seeing all the evils of that job turned him off of the military, not to mention his son finding his gun and killing himself accidently with it. I think the writers and powers that be wanted Mitchell to be like an O'Neill type, have a sense of humor, not follow all military protocol blindly and know how to have fun. He reminds me alot of a young O'Neill.