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ejbronte (55)
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I politely disagree (forgive misspellings, I can't spellcheck right now):
We witness the effect of Luke's death on all the major players, and can gauge character status and development from their emotional and their political responses.
We see at least two sides of Aegon's character: foolish inattention at the Small Council; attempts at charity in the throne room; back to silliness and inattention.
We see the various emotional, faith related and political knots begin major ensnaring for Aliceinte.
Cracks are already beginning to form within coalitions on both sides.
This is the start of wind-up. Personally I am willing to patiently wait to see to what pitch it winds before it spins out of control.
Ages ago I read a New Yorker article about how hard it was for clothing franchises to get started in NYC as opposed to other locations. One spokesperson observed that, while, in other cities, colors were the norm, here in NYC, "it's black, black, and more black." I'm a native New Yorker (by way of Brooklyn) and I can vouch for that!
It's up to both of them to act like intelligent people.
As far as this specific situation goes, she explains that he came onto her twice; she refused twice. In retaliation, he ignored her and her work, which would have been detrimental to her career:
Because he would not be advancing her culinary education with his attention and advice.
Because it might incite the others to treat her badly too, and isolate her within the team.
Because if she quit in response to this treatment, he might take it upon himself to write a negative review to a future employer, thus further damaging her future.
Because there is a general understanding about relationships in the workplace, which this incident violated.
Plus: no way should you get rid of Edward G. Robinson before you absolutely have to.
George ruined it: you're not supposed to tell your wish or it won't come true: he told Mary every bit of his wish. Mary, on the other hand, reminded him that telling would cause the wish not to come true. She kept silent, he was expansive.
So, well....
I'm thinking the Bailey family may have gone into its own crisis after Harry's death (and my mind is kind of embroidering on my idea that Sam Wainwright may have carried guilt over encouraging little Harry). It might be that Peter Bailey (and Ma Bailey, for sure) started declining after the death of their only child; Peter may not have had the wherewithal to fight Potter, and may have either given up the B&L or may have died earlier than in the actual timeline. We don't know of course; but for sure the Baileys would have been horribly affected, and they wouldn't have been the people we know in the actual timeline.
Here's a little character note for Mary, incidentally: she is a witness to the Gower-capsule scene. George isn't the only one who kept Mr. Gower's secret.
I don't say that Mary is trying to take Potter down. By the same token, in the actual timeline, the Baileys aren't trying to take him down either. They are simply attempting to offer a viable alternative to his slums and economic control. Similarly Mary would not necessarily be trying to take Potter down but to offer a viable alternative to that loud, messy, greedy world thriving under his hand: a place where a person can simple *be*; think; perhaps formulate a way out of Pottersville.
Also, of course, a place where a person can read, absorb ideas, think critically, argue intelligently. Perhaps it is in this way that Mary does the most harm to Potter, if harm she intends.
We assume she is miserable; we do not know. We see she is guarded, and protective against this world as she ventures outside, but this doesn't have to add up to miserable, unmarried woman. It can add up to a woman who knows she has to be on her guard on these streets - I'm a New Yorker; similarly, I also know I need to be on my guard in some areas of this city. That doesn't make me miserable, and I certainly don't consider myself such.
Oh. Something else occurred to me: In the absence of George, why was little Harry at the ice pond? From what George announces, it sounds as if there are mostly older boys there. If that's the case, Harry isn't tagging after his brother but after someone else. Maybe joky, funny, Hee-Haw Sam Wainwright. In which case, Sam is indirectly responsible for the death of the Bailey's only child. Perhaps indirectly responsible therefore for an early death for Peter Bailey. It may be, then, that this preys on Sam's emotional state of mind, and there may not be a fun, successful Sam for Mary to consider for marriage.
How's THAT for speculation...?!
But letting the opposition understand that opposition exists.
Thanks!
Of course this entire conversation is assumption and speculation, so I feel free to go at it.....
If Mary is at all alert in the former Bedford Falls/Pottersville, she would be aware of Potter, what he is, what he wants and how he gets it. If she has any of the integrity we see of her in the actual timeline, she wouldn't approve of Potter or what he has done. She would be that one out thousands for the same reason that Peter Bailey was. Peter Bailey could also have been far more comfortable and probably have lived longer without the B&L, and fighting Potter, but he did anyway. Why him among the thousands in Bedford Falls? Because he understood injustice and thought he had a way to counter it. Who's to say that alternate Mary, in the absence of the Baileys, didn't fall into this slot?
The B&L need not exist for a person to form a sense of outrage against Potter: Mary would not necessarily have needed the inspiration or example of the B&L to form her own outlook and ideas of counteracting.
Mary, though, is not George, and she need not be walking the down the same path of reluctance and obligation. We don't know how or why she reached whatever decision she made or rejected in the alternate time. Maybe she *is* resentful of her position. Or maybe she isn't: we don't see enough of her to know what she's truly feeling here. You may be right; or I may be right; or, in this little fan fiction (as this feels to be!), maybe there's something completely different motivating her. We know, in the actual timeline, that she is happy in Bedford Falls, is comfortable in a small town setting, and loves old, broken things that can be made whole. She may have seen this sort of life disintegrate as Bedford Falls turns into Pottersville, and maybe this is the start of her crusade.
Potter is also doing pretty well despite the B&L. In any case, it isn't necessarily the certainty of victory that can propel a fight, but (need to do part II)
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