A mutual obsession

[ladypredator]

I got that inference as well but it's speculation that he'd have allowed them to die had the transfer not been completed by the time of the jump. He says that Eli is slowing down the transfer which, I think, probably would have killed them.

I think you're right. He had no idea about the problem until Chloe tells him and he responds very quickly to her. It's Eli's interference that is putting them at risk - if he wasn't trying to stop the transfer, it would've finished faster and then Rush could've have saved them and he is willing to do that (he even does it though it means the transfer may fail). He's not really interested in Camile's attempt to seize power, he's only focused on making sure that he can stop the Colonel from foolishly draining Destiny's shields to try to use the weapons against impossible odds. And keeping the Colonel from killing him because of the tracker in his chest.

The thing that I like the most about this episode is that it involves plots within plots - Rush and Chloe are hijacking Camile's plot for a completely different priority of their own. You can tell that while they agree with her in principle, they're really just going along for their own distinct reasons, which she doesn't know. I love the layers-within-layers here.

And that's characteristic of Rush. He's a very complex person - I think he has at least three separate motivations for his decision to dial the Ninth Chevron, for example. He believes that solving these scientific mysteries is absolutely vital, that's his mission, his destiny, but he's never shown an easy willingness to sacrifice human life. He makes the point about leaving Scott in Water, but that's a case where the lives of every person on the ship was at risk. The Colonel was making the wrong decision, letting emotion overweigh reason. Rush, I think, will always utilize reason first - but he's human and that means emotions impact him too. I think he fights against his emotions, tries to keep them locked up, but no one can keep doing that, esp. after this much trauma. So his emotions are going to leak through; I think that's part of what we're seeing now. Nightmares, making the emotional connection with Chloe... even earlier, his quietly bitter reaction to Young's absurd accusation at the end of "Light" which threw his attempt to be sincere and honest with Young back in his face. That, I'm certain, was the root cause of their problems with each other - Young's paranoia and an obviously ridiculous accusation.

[EllieVee]

I agree with everything except I think the root cause started, probably over something stupid, back at Icarus. There's a reason for Young's obnoxiousness during the test and later and that filthy look Rush gives him on their arrival.

[Artemis-Neith]

I agree with everything except I think the root cause started, probably over something stupid, back at Icarus. There's a reason for Young's obnoxiousness during the test and later and that filthy look Rush gives him on their arrival.

That's also what I guess, Young's paranoid behaviour is not really understandable, unless there is something else, we still don't know, back on Icarus base between Young and Rush.

[hiro]

I think that the fact of Rush wanting to dial so desperatly and Young shuting it dow before it went crytical ( the first time ) maybe Young think's that Rush is capable of anything to reach his goals.

On the other hand Rush is the kind of cientist who spends a lot of time surrounded by books and not by people , he doesn't seems so good when Eli takes a lot of credit for his actions ( when they are eating in the Icarus base and he go to the kitchen to grab something to eat)

[Daro]

I'm not sure there is something between Young and Rush back on Icarus. I watched the expanded version of "Air" and you can see in it very clearly that Rush doesn't like the military (well, he gives Young a dirty look, anyway, but not openly) and yet he's bending over backward to please everyone. I won't give it away in case you need to see it, but one of the added scenes pretty much shows Nice Rush turning into Angry Rush. I think that he's had problems all along because he is a private person, and he is too busy or clueless to worry about being rude to those beneath him while kissing up to the military. It seems like, when he stops kissing up, he may be in revenge mode. He, after all, did exactly what he was told to do and has done nothing but suffer for it. Whether or not he was right to dial the ninth chevron, I'm just thinking about this from his POV.
I think Young and Rush never were crazy about one another, but frankly, what's been shown is enough explain that.

[EllieVee]

I think that the fact of Rush wanting to dial so desperatly and Young shuting it dow before it went crytical ( the first time ) maybe Young think's that Rush is capable of anything to reach his goals.

Rush is looking at the data on the screen. Without that, he doesn't know what's going wrong. It is logical that the lead scientist, charged with running the thing, would need to know what's going wrong and it's better to do that when it's live.

On the other hand Rush is the kind of cientist who spends a lot of time surrounded by books and not by people , he doesn't seems so good when Eli takes a lot of credit for his actions ( when they are eating in the Icarus base and he go to the kitchen to grab something to eat)

Where has Rush been upset about Eli taking credit for work he hasn't done? I notice that you slam Rush for apparently being upset rather than slamming Eli for taking credit where it is not due.

[EllieVee]

I'm not sure there is something between Young and Rush back on Icarus. I watched the expanded version of "Air" and you can see in it very clearly that Rush doesn't like the military (well, he gives Young a dirty look, anyway, but not openly) and yet he's bending over backward to please everyone. I won't give it away in case you need to see it, but one of the added scenes pretty much shows Nice Rush turning into Angry Rush. I think that he's had problems all along because he is a private person, and he is too busy or clueless to worry about being rude to those beneath him while kissing up to the military. It seems like, when he stops kissing up, he may be in revenge mode. He, after all, did exactly what he was told to do and has done nothing but suffer for it. Whether or not he was right to dial the ninth chevron, I'm just thinking about this from his POV.
I think Young and Rush never were crazy about one another, but frankly, what's been shown is enough explain that.

You realise you're going to now get asked for examples of this bending over backwards ...

[Daro]

....yes. What a fool I am. Here is the example of the transition scene I was speaking of, so as not to be mysterious. I'll put it under spoilers. Those who need more details can go shell out fourty bucks like I did for the DVDs.

Spoiler:

The main scene they added shows Rush's conversation with Gen. O'Neill when he used the stones, the one he'd soon claim placed him in charge. Rush and O'Neill meet, and Rush starts babbling excitedly about what he's found. O'Neill is horrified that Rush has stranded himself and all the others, and proceeds to explain that to Rush (in the way Jack explains things to scientists, you know. Loudly.) Rush's face just transforms into that now all-too familiar sneer and he snarls back that he took the only chance he thought they'd ever have of reaching the ninth chevron destination. It's like Rush thought O'Neill would understand, which of course isn't the case. I think that is the moment that solidifies all this rage Rush has at the military, SGC, etc. Still, O'Neill says at the end of the conversation "Rush, you get those people home." Which may be why Rush thought he was in charge.

As for bending over backwards, that'd take longer. I believe the expanded version shows Rush just completely sucking up to authority. It made me blink, because I don't remember it quite so clearly from when I first watched the tv version. Kiss-up Rush is kind of scary to watch, because we know now that in no way does he believe that he should be kissing up to anyone. Personally, I like Angry Rush better because, ya know, we're learning who he really is. I wonder if the upcoming Rush-centered episode will confirm my belief that Rush was not just a good man, but a nice man, before his wife died. Still convinced he's a good man either way, just a very flawwed one.

[hiro]

Where has Rush been upset about Eli taking credit for work he hasn't done? I notice that you slam Rush for apparently being upset rather than slamming Eli for taking credit where it is not due.

Agree it's Eli fault to take credit and be a little modest , but the fact that Rush is not in the dinner ( or they where lunching ? i don't remember) i guess that he's a little obsessed with his work. This make him a little .... well .... a little rude with the others

[xxxevilgrinxxx]

Rush says to Young that the aliens are obsessed with Destiny. Considering that he quite obviously is too, and must at some level realize that, do you suppose he sees something of himself in them? Is he sympathetic to them at all, or does he just see them as rivals? I mean, they did torture him (and Chloe) to get what they wanted. Unless there's something we don't know yet about them, they seem to have no respect for life. They use people to get what they want. Maybe Rush saw that and maybe he realizes how inhuman his obsession could drive him to be? Anyone else have thoughts on the obvious parallels here?

that word obsession stood out for me too, as I see Rush as being obsessed with the ship.
Torture? I wonder about that, if they actually tortured him, I saw them having similar purposes, so who knows. I'm willing to watch and see (and it's Friday, woohoo!)

[EllieVee]

Agree it's Eli fault to take credit and be a little modest , but the fact that Rush is not in the dinner ( or they where lunching ? i don't remember) i guess that he's a little obsessed with his work. This make him a little .... well .... a little rude with the others

Recall that Young walks in and takes Eli out for dinner. Rush was not invited.

[hiro]

wow nothing then ! i didn't remember this part ... i'll have to watch it again =D

[Daro]

Recall that Young walks in and takes Eli out for dinner. Rush was not invited.

Maybe that's what this is all about. All of this boils down to Rush getting snubbed on dinner. I mean, it'd make sense to me. His project, yet Eli gets the glory and also gets to sit with the senator and Chloe. I'd be furious. Rush at the time could only go cry in his room about it, but now? Now it's payback time.

[Daro]

that word obsession stood out for me too, as I see Rush as being obsessed with the ship.
Torture? I wonder about that, if they actually tortured him, I saw them having similar purposes, so who knows. I'm willing to watch and see (and it's Friday, woohoo!)

FRIDAY! WHOOOHOO!

*ahem* Sorry.

So anyway, I think Rush was tortured. I mean, he may not remember all of it, but we saw that even having contact with the alien neural interface was painful, and more so for the sender (Young fell in the floor and screamed in pain.) Plus, the implant might have been done while Rush was under sedation, but I doubt they gave him much for the post-op pain. And torture here also means mental anguish, not just physical torture. Namely, Rush is very afraid after his return. Afraid that Young will finish the job, afraid the aliens will come back, afraid that any attempt to remove the implant will result in his death. He's so afraid that he comes up with his worst plan ever, deciding the aliens will give up and go away if the shields hold. Rush knows better than that. I think, before "Justice," he would have faced the problem and had the implant removed, ideal coniditions or no. I like seeing when Rush is afraid, personally. It makes him that much more human.

[EllieVee]

Maybe that's what this is all about. All of this boils down to Rush getting snubbed on dinner. I mean, it'd make sense to me. His project, yet Eli gets the glory and also gets to sit with the senator and Chloe. I'd be furious. Rush at the time could only go cry in his room about it, but now? Now it's payback time.

Nope, it's not that. I get the impression he was used to it. After all, Becker hands him a tray so he doesn't go to dinner at all, if he ever did. I also don't think he's the jealous type.