MovieChat Forums > The Man in the High Castle (2015) Discussion > Is it possible that Smith [spoiler]

Is it possible that Smith [spoiler]

posted 7 years ago by mikexmene
13 replies | jump to latest

Is it at all possible that Smith is still American at heart and trying to work his way up the German chain in an effort to break the Germans down from within or else to infiltrate and help an American revolution?

Granted, I understand that he committed atrocities for the Germans, let his children and wife be indoctrinated toward the German cause, etc etc etc. But did he do this in order to rise to leadership and gain trust with the Germans?

He refused to bomb Savannah, and outed Joe's father who wanted to go to war with Japan. He's also going to see the tapes and see that there was an alternate version of history with American winning the war.

So is this a possibility?

[–] FateTheMagnificent 7 years ago

I guess anything is possible, but I certainly hope not.

[–] ehaas-3 7 years ago

I don't think he sees a contradiction between loyalty to America and Germany. His idea of the definition of an American is probably based on being a descendent of the original white colonists or related Northern European peoples.

He sees the Greater Reich as a good thing and America as benefitting from being part of it. He probably thinks that if the US had stayed independent, it would all look like the Neutral Zone.

[–] jswhalen1 7 years ago

I don't think he sees this as benefitting the whites that live in North America, but that's his reality at this time. He's a man of duty (a previous US Army Intelligence Officer) and he does it.

But, as season 2 ends and he watches the Fuerher's film collection, what will change? How does that impact his opinions of his reality, of the Nazi Reich? Will seeing a victorious America and the life in that reality cause him to change those opinions, and of his duty? Who knows, but I'm looking forward to see what Season 3 brings.

[–] alligatoruk 7 years ago

I think once he's watched the films there's two ways he can go...either he realises that the alternate world where the allies won means a better life in the US and he tries to bring down the Nazi regime from within (although this could see him tried or executed for the atrocities he has committed) OR he feels he has to defend the Nazi way of life and he commits to rising up the ranks and destroying all those who do not fit into their regime.

I'd like to think that being an American means more to him, so he will go with the former. This is better for his family and also offers him some redemption. Also, if his son does end up being killed for his illness, that might make him wake up to the skewed views of the Nazis. I believe he has been self-serving to a point but ultimately he's become part of the governing force of the country in order to provide the best life for his family.

They could even have Joe going the other way and becoming an all out Nazi in a bid to avenge his father's death. That would be an interesting spin.

[–] wormholeboy 7 years ago

Is it at all possible that Smith is still American at heart and trying to work his way up the German chain in an effort to break the Germans down from within or else to infiltrate and help an American revolution?

I hope not, because that would be too "Hollywood" an ending for my taste.

[–] runit73 7 years ago

I'm wondering if he eventually becomes the Chancellor in a later season (3+).

[–] NelsonMandillo 7 years ago

He's not German, so Chancellor is out.

Bumping threads with my tail...

[–] johnsonium 7 years ago

Hitler was Austrian.

[–] eyespy-75480 7 years ago

I'm hoping that Smith sees an alternate version of him and his family living happily, perhaps due to a critical decision he made during WWII. perhaps in this alternate reality his son is healthy, and, seeing this, prompts Joe to rethink his life.

Could be an interesting character arc for Joe to take.

[–] Lilibetp 7 years ago

You don't think Thomas would be ill in all the alternative realities? I can see him living until his illness kills him in the non-Nazi version.

[–] NotASpeckOfCereal 7 years ago

Yeah, I think a better alternate reality is where Thomas is still sick, but that's okay. They take care of him and his quality of life is good, plus he doesn't feel that he's a useless eater.

RIP IMDb message boards!

[–] ehaas-3 7 years ago

Smith could turn on the Reich, but I don't see where he could have been a deep cover agent. For one thing, his contributions to the success of the Reich were so significant that he's on speaking terms with upper level Party leaders in Berlin.

If he'd wanted to help the Resistance, he would have done better to lead it while the new government was less stable and there were more Resistance fighters.

He also committed atrocities on a huge scale. It's unlikely that an infiltrator would participate in genocide to maintain his cover. He didn't accept bombing Savannah because it seemed unnecessary to him where he sees his immediate postwar activities as unpleasant but necessary.

[–] ScreenwriterVA (4) 7 years ago

Ah, but Thomas walking to his death could really change John Smith. He already challenged the Nazi eugenics policies by killing his doctor. IMHO that will be an arc for Season 3.