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One of my favorite things about Bourbon gets revealed in this chapter. It’s a secret he’s been carrying with him for a long time, and one he hasn’t really told his friends. His sexuality is out for all his friends to see, he smokes and drinks, and while that causes problems, it’s visible. Everything else from there is just little things, less important things, except this one secret.
Bourbon is a Star Trek: The Next Generation fan in a group of Star Wars nerds.
It’s a completely innocuous thing. Sooner or later, they’ll all watch Trek too, and enjoy both series for what they are. But right now, Bourbon may be, officially, the nerdiest of them all.
The thing is, I imagine TNG is really the only Trek Bourbon has ever watched. It didn’t happen on purpose. Bourbon would have been up late to see it, the local television station broadcasting reruns before new episodes of Voyager. His foster parents controlled much of his intake, culturally, specifically what he watched, except, I imagine, Bourbon had stashed away, a little portable television, one of the hand-held, battery-powered kinds, and he would hide in his room after his bed time, headphones on, maybe even in the closet, so the light from the picture couldn’t be seen, and escape into The Next Generation.
Bourbon likes The Next Generation’s sense of right and wrong, and that most, if not all episodes, were set up as moral dilemmas. He likes the diversity of the crew, no furs, of course, but an android and an alien, one of which operates the ship, the other is in charge of security. There was trust on the Enterprise, the kind of trust Bourbon longs for. He adores Picard for the way he allows Wesley Crusher to take part, tolerates and then comes to like the boy. He does not hate Wesley Crusher, because Bourbon often feels like the intruder, the object of scorn and anger, just for existing. And, yes, be would adore Guinan, the woman who seemed to know everything, and yet had the patience to dispense her wisdom.
The Next Generation is Bourbon’s escape, his refuge in a hostile house. He wouldn’t tell his friends because, yes, they’re Star Wars fans, but also because The Next Generation is his, and maybe he’s not yet ready to let people into his safe place.
As always, questions and comments are welcome.
(Thanks to Milly for inadvertently giving me the idea for this commentary today. This is what happens when you comment!)
[g]
Engage.
:D! I love it.
I have to say that I like Bourbon all the more now. I’m going to have to draw you a picture.
Pictures! I’m pretty excited. Of course, now I expect follow-through.
Also, I love that Bourbon’s rebellion includes late-night viewings of TNG.
Ahhh, yes. I like Bourbon still do escape into TNG. I have many episodes recorded on my DVR. Oh the joys of travelling the stars! Of course, my favorite episodes are those having to do with time travel and warp theory! We’ll figure it out someday! ENGAGE!
Erin kind of chewed me out on TNG, and so I was trying to think of my favorite episodes from the series. I can’t really think of one. I suppose the two-parter with Mark Twain was pretty neat (Guinan and Mark Twain! There’s a slash for you), and the finale was pretty good. I’m not sure if I have a favorite, though.
My problem with TNG is it became the Picard and Data show, and while I love Picard and have varying levels of affinity to Data, there were other interesting people aboard the Enterprise.
But Bourbon loves it, and that’s all that matters to me. =D
Have you seen the new Star Trek movie yet Grant? The casting was excellent. I had my doubts, but no more. It’s not like the Star Wars prequels where they just butchered it.