Nikola Tesla/Jonathon Young Thunk/Discussion/Appreciation

[atlantis_babe34]

oh Nikola and Helen... Leather and lace

[tze]

But I really do think he loves her. He just doesn't know how to show it...which actually relates well to his historical counterpart, since the real guy was pretty awkward with people.

I do think he loves her, but I wonder how much of that is because he has had four 'real' friends his entire life (or at least, only four real peers) and Helen is the only woman? As Helen said, Tesla is 'an acquired taste.' It seems like only the other members of the 5 could bear to be around him for any length of time, so I think Tesla is an incredibly lonely man (not that he'd ever admit it, of course).

Remember, he only attacked Druitt and Helen after each had rejected him; his first instinct was to try to get each of them to join them. He was clearly not happy when Watson died. Essentially, Tesla is this evil mad genius who just desperately wants his friends but is too proud (and obnoxious) to admit it.

[Swimmingcook]

Well I don't think that he ever planned on sharing with Druitt. He probably planned on killing him. But Helen yes.

[CKO]

oh Nikola and Helen... Leather and lace

yes its very nice

[LiliJ]

I do think he loves her, but I wonder how much of that is because he has had four 'real' friends his entire life (or at least, only four real peers) and Helen is the only woman? As Helen said, Tesla is 'an acquired taste.' It seems like only the other members of the 5 could bear to be around him for any length of time, so I think Tesla is an incredibly lonely man (not that he'd ever admit it, of course).

Remember, he only attacked Druitt and Helen after each had rejected him; his first instinct was to try to get each of them to join them. He was clearly not happy when Watson died. Essentially, Tesla is this evil mad genius who just desperately wants his friends but is too proud (and obnoxious) to admit it.

Hey, we hooked in a clever one! Good work, troopers!

[DutchIndeed]

I do loved all your answers about the love thing

[atlantis_babe34]

yes its very nice

i'm seeing a vid to that song sometime soon.. anyone? lol

I have my own life... and I am stronger
Than you know
But I carry this feeling
When you walked into my house
That you wont be walking out the door
Still I carry this feeling
When you walked into my house
That you wont be walking out the door

[Mimzy]

I do think he loves her, but I wonder how much of that is because he has had four 'real' friends his entire life (or at least, only four real peers) and Helen is the only woman? As Helen said, Tesla is 'an acquired taste.' It seems like only the other members of the 5 could bear to be around him for any length of time, so I think Tesla is an incredibly lonely man (not that he'd ever admit it, of course).

Remember, he only attacked Druitt and Helen after each had rejected him; his first instinct was to try to get each of them to join them. He was clearly not happy when Watson died. Essentially, Tesla is this evil mad genius who just desperately wants his friends but is too proud (and obnoxious) to admit it.

Welcome, tze!


Anyhoo, I hadn't thought about it that way before, but again, based on his historical counterpart (you can all tell I'm a total nerd now, right? ), that all makes complete sense. The real guy led a terribly lonely life and really had trouble with people, even though some of his closest friends (of which there were very few) had him mingle with the social elite of his day. And as a child, he grew up craving love and appreciation from his family and society (because he felt they had abandoned/ignored him after his brother's death), which probably explains why his work rate was so ridiculously obsessive. He had this fervent and desperate need to please people because, from what I can gather, their praise was the only thing that made him feel adequate. So the character needs that outside recoginition, and in a sense, love, from others, but yet is terrified of exposing that vulnerability--which results in his obnoxious attitude. And in terms of love for Helen, the real Tesla really ever mentioned (in writing) being "in love" once, and that was as a young man in Serbia--he had met a girl at church named Anna whom he described as being "tall and beautiful [with] extraordinary understandable eyes." Sadly, after he returned to school, she ended up marrying someone else *is crying at this point* However, in terms of the Tesla character, I can totally see Helen reminding him of Anna. Or, perhaps, needing someone like Anna who can fill the void she left after he lost her to another man But of course, he would never admit that he has that void for fear of exposing his vulnerability (which would then of course expose him to possible exploitation).

I can also see him being fascinated with Helen's defiance of the social restrictions imposed upon women in the 19th-early 20th century. The real man was fascinated with similarly strong women like poet/musician Marguerite Merrington and New York socialite Katharine Johnson (who apparently was madly infatuated with him for an extended period of time...despite the fact that she was already married).

Anyway, that's my historical discourse on his love life for today...here's some more interesting facts about the historical Tesla that actually have scary relevance to his character on the show:

Nikola Tesla descended from a well established frontier zadruga [ancient Slavic clan] whose original family name had been Draganic. By the mid-1700s the clan had migrated to Croatia, and the Tesla name arose. It was a "trade name like Smith...or Carpenter," which described a wood-working ax that had a "broad cutting blade at right angles to the handle." Supposedly, the Teslas gained the name because their teeth resembled this instrument.



Though hidden, Smiljan [Nikola's hometown in Croatia] was centrally located, fifteen miles east of the tiny seaport of Karlobag, six miles west of the bustling town of Gospic' and forty-five miles southwest of the cascading wonder known as Plitvice Lakes, an interlinking chasm of caves and streams and magnificent waterfalls that lie at the base of the Dinaric [mountain] chain.

Umm...that just reminded me of elly's fic... Vampires like caves, don't they?

Possibly aware of the proximity of Transylvania to Tesla's birthplace and a resurgence of interest in the tales of Vlad Dracula, the fifteenth-century alleged vampire who lived in the region, Edison inquired whether or not the "neophyte [Tesla]...had ever tasted human flesh?"



(excerpts taken from Wizard: The Life and Times of Nikola Tesla, Biography of a Genius by Marc J. Seifer)

[ellymelly]

Welcome, tze!


Anyhoo, I hadn't thought about it that way before, but again, based on his historical counterpart (you can all tell I'm a total nerd now, right? ), that all makes complete sense. The real guy led a terribly lonely life and really had trouble with people, even though some of his closest friends (of which there were very few) had him mingle with the social elite of his day. And as a child, he grew up craving love and appreciation from his family and society (because he felt they had abandoned/ignored him after his brother's death), which probably explains why his work rate was so ridiculously obsessive. He had this fervent and desperate need to please people because, from what I can gather, their praise was the only thing that made him feel adequate. So the character needs that outside recoginition, and in a sense, love, from others, but yet is terrified of exposing that vulnerability--which results in his obnoxious attitude. And in terms of love for Helen, the real Tesla really ever mentioned (in writing) being "in love" once, and that was as a young man in Serbia--he had met a girl at church named Anna whom he described as being "tall and beautiful [with] extraordinary understandable eyes." Sadly, after he returned to school, she ended up marrying someone else *is crying at this point* However, in terms of the Tesla character, I can totally see Helen reminding him of Anna. Or, perhaps, needing someone like Anna who can fill the void she left after he lost her to another man But of course, he would never admit that he has that void for fear of exposing his vulnerability (which would then of course expose him to possible exploitation).

I can also see him being fascinated with Helen's defiance of the social restrictions imposed upon women in the 19th-early 20th century. The real man was fascinated with similarly strong women like poet/musician Marguerite Merrington and New York socialite Katharine Johnson (who apparently was madly infatuated with him for an extended period of time...despite the fact that she was already married).

Anyway, that's my historical discourse on his love life for today...here's some more interesting facts about the historical Tesla that actually have scary relevance to his character on the show:

Nikola Tesla descended from a well established frontier zadruga [ancient Slavic clan] whose original family name had been Draganic. By the mid-1700s the clan had migrated to Croatia, and the Tesla name arose. It was a "trade name like Smith...or Carpenter," which described a wood-working ax that had a "broad cutting blade at right angles to the handle." Supposedly, the Teslas gained the name because their teeth resembled this instrument.



Though hidden, Smiljan [Nikola's hometown in Croatia] was centrally located, fifteen miles east of the tiny seaport of Karlobag, six miles west of the bustling town of Gospic' and forty-five miles southwest of the cascading wonder known as Plitvice Lakes, an interlinking chasm of caves and streams and magnificent waterfalls that lie at the base of the Dinaric [mountain] chain.

Umm...that just reminded me of elly's fic... Vampires like caves, don't they?

Possibly aware of the proximity of Transylvania to Tesla's birthplace and a resurgence of interest in the tales of Vlad Dracula, the fifteenth-century alleged vampire who lived in the region, Edison inquired whether or not the "neophyte [Tesla]...had ever tasted human flesh?"



(excerpts taken from Wizard: The Life and Times of Nikola Tesla, Biography of a Genius by Marc J. Seifer)

dammit mimzy, you caught me out! i was going to set, 'seven cities of gold' in tesla's home town. *sigh* talk about BUSTED.

i really really really REALLY hope that they do his character justice. mind you, with JY as Nikola, I think he'll push for an exception script

[Mimzy]

dammit mimzy, you caught me out! i was going to set, 'seven cities of gold' in tesla's home town. *sigh* talk about BUSTED.

i really really really REALLY hope that they do his character justice. mind you, with JY as Nikola, I think he'll push for an exception script

What's this? ANOTHER Nikola fic?? lol YAY

Anyhoo, I agree. They had better do him justice...someone make Damian Kindler allow JY to write an episode

I could...suggest it on facebook...lol

Apparently Damian HAS heard about the introduction of Tesla's wireless technology recently, so that might actually show up next season...which they happen to be filming now Something about Amanda Tapping driving Damian's car in a high speed chase...

[ellymelly]

What's this? ANOTHER Nikola fic?? lol YAY

Anyhoo, I agree. They had better do him justice...someone make Damian Kindler allow JY to write an episode

I could...suggest it on facebook...lol

Apparently Damian HAS heard about the introduction of Tesla's wireless technology recently, so that might actually show up next season...which they happen to be filming now Something about Amanda Tapping driving Damian's car in a high speed chase...

WIN WIN WIN OF WIN

and yes... sequel of a sequel fic Tesla finds a way to really bring vampires back and it kind of goes south from there - helen is NOT impressed

[Mimzy]

WIN WIN WIN OF WIN

and yes... sequel of a sequel fic Tesla finds a way to really bring vampires back and it kind of goes south from there - helen is NOT impressed

HAHAHAHAHA

But...she's got to find his geeky excitement somewhat cute. Like Rodney. Except vampiric with crazy hair.

[ellymelly]

[Swimmingcook]

I thought I was the only one who read the book The life and times of Nikola Tesla. I actually am looking at it right now LOL. Yes JY must write an episode.

[CKO]

very cool quote