AilaAolani
11-11-04, 08:48 PM
I was cheering for Sayid through the torture scene. Sorta. But COME ON. Bamboo shoots under the fingernails? This is a technique we've known and joked about since elementry school! Please tell me Mr. Iraqi Republican Guard trained in torture techniques could do better than this? Or certaintly that he could do better than "well lets see if you like it when I cut your eye out @#%$!" I mean really there's a fine art to being able to torture someone without permanently maiming or killing them that would have, I think, been more in character for ex-Republican Guard member. I loved that he just cheerfully started the whole thing saying "Good morning!" all chiipper like. hehe talk about @#%$ up. Probably a part of his training though.
Then Sayid goes and leaves to walk around the island. Because he promised himself he'd never torture anyone again. One assumes that this promise comes after leaving the Republican Guard thus explaining why Sayid was in the RG during Gulf War 1, and then in Australia during Gulf War 2. Sayid's government has tried to make itself a part of religion - including by adding Saddam's name to the call to prayer. Has his realization that torture is wrong lead to a complete loss of faith and thus allowed him to cheerfully eat wild boar? I'm not convinced. I think that growing up in Iraq would make eating pig quite a bit like eating dog for an American... not just "oh well I'm not in America anymore so I can eat dog!" but rather "uh dog is disgusting and until I'm certain that I will never be rescued and run out of fish, plants and edible fingernails will i consider eating Vincent..." And for someone who is high enough in RG to be involved in torturing American soldiers to suddenly turn his back on everything? I wonder if that girl in the picture is not a wife, but rather a sister who became a victim of his government?
So anyway, Sayid leaves, and kisses Kate on the hand while saying "I hope we cross paths again someday." because he has no right to live in society with "what he did today." So Sayid is going on his own walkabout. Interesting "new" theme to the show... Interesting. Also vital to keeping the character likable. If Sayid were (still?) able to torture someone without feeling remorse for it I'd feel towards him much like I feel towards Sawyer. What is this? Sayid/Kate ship? Poor Kate! LOL Every guy on the island is falling for her. Actually, that's kind of annoying, but the hand kissing thing... Yeah.
now if I were actually on a deserted island with this guy who just proved himself capable and willing to torture someone, I'd be very uncomfortable. Of course, being me I'd also ensure that I stayed on Sayid's good side from then on, but I think I would be very releived that he left, and wouldn't particularly like him. When I say i like Sayid it means more that I like what the writers are doing with him. He's not the stereotype, but he's also not not the stereotype. I genuinely care what happens to him, and what happened to him to bring him to this point. The writers have (intentionally) gotten me cheering for someone who I should be viewing as "the bad guy" which is a sign of excellent writing. In otherwords, I like the character, not the person, and this makes me happy. :)
Then Sayid goes and leaves to walk around the island. Because he promised himself he'd never torture anyone again. One assumes that this promise comes after leaving the Republican Guard thus explaining why Sayid was in the RG during Gulf War 1, and then in Australia during Gulf War 2. Sayid's government has tried to make itself a part of religion - including by adding Saddam's name to the call to prayer. Has his realization that torture is wrong lead to a complete loss of faith and thus allowed him to cheerfully eat wild boar? I'm not convinced. I think that growing up in Iraq would make eating pig quite a bit like eating dog for an American... not just "oh well I'm not in America anymore so I can eat dog!" but rather "uh dog is disgusting and until I'm certain that I will never be rescued and run out of fish, plants and edible fingernails will i consider eating Vincent..." And for someone who is high enough in RG to be involved in torturing American soldiers to suddenly turn his back on everything? I wonder if that girl in the picture is not a wife, but rather a sister who became a victim of his government?
So anyway, Sayid leaves, and kisses Kate on the hand while saying "I hope we cross paths again someday." because he has no right to live in society with "what he did today." So Sayid is going on his own walkabout. Interesting "new" theme to the show... Interesting. Also vital to keeping the character likable. If Sayid were (still?) able to torture someone without feeling remorse for it I'd feel towards him much like I feel towards Sawyer. What is this? Sayid/Kate ship? Poor Kate! LOL Every guy on the island is falling for her. Actually, that's kind of annoying, but the hand kissing thing... Yeah.
now if I were actually on a deserted island with this guy who just proved himself capable and willing to torture someone, I'd be very uncomfortable. Of course, being me I'd also ensure that I stayed on Sayid's good side from then on, but I think I would be very releived that he left, and wouldn't particularly like him. When I say i like Sayid it means more that I like what the writers are doing with him. He's not the stereotype, but he's also not not the stereotype. I genuinely care what happens to him, and what happened to him to bring him to this point. The writers have (intentionally) gotten me cheering for someone who I should be viewing as "the bad guy" which is a sign of excellent writing. In otherwords, I like the character, not the person, and this makes me happy. :)