*** Clacking with Julia - BONEs: The perfection in the goodbye***

I really like her article, she puts in nice words what I thought about the finale.

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Clacking With Julia – Bones, an alternate take: the perfection in the goodbye
by Julia Hass

Ivey and I disagree on almost everything, including the 'Bones' season finale. As far as I'm concerned? It was character-building perfection.

Bones - Season 5, Episode 22 - "The Beginning in the End"

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I say the following with the greatest amount of professional respect: I am actively boggled by how little Ivey understands the characters on Bones. Really, are we watching the same show? I wonder, sometimes, if this accounts for the fact that we never agree on anything. Maybe Ivey just … lives in another reality! This is the only way I could buy his fundamental blindness when it comes to the brilliant character growth exhibited by the Bones season finale, especially in regards to Booth and Brennan. Mostly, in his belief that the show writers are keeping them apart because they don’t trust that the audience will like them together.
Seriously? That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. It’s got nothing to do with trusting the audience, and it has everything to do with the fact that this was totally the wrong time and place for them to get together. Period.
I discussed this when I disagreed with Ivey before, but when we look at why Booth and Brennan aren’t together, we don’t need to look at Booth. We as an audience have gone along with Booth as he’s fallen deeper and deeper in love with Brennan. Ivey and I also agree on the fundamental reasons why Booth and Bones left each other. What Ivey keeps failing to understand is why Brennan doesn’t get over herself and just make out with Booth already and I say, once again, that Ivey has clearly never met anyone even remotely like Temperance Brennan. Hell, he doesn’t even have to have met someone like her, it’s like he’s completely forgotten all that insight we got into her in the episode right before this one.
Let’s take a little trip down memory lane to the 100th episode. Sweets, despite his deep conviction that he was totally wrong about everything, as usual, wasn’t. Sweets is a super-smart guy. He tends to view Booth and Brennan in an idealized way, almost like he’s a fan watching them the way we are, but his insights are often unintentionally accurate. Remember when he said that Booth and Brennan could never kiss, because then the dam would break? He wasn’t totally wrong.
Oh, I know, they’ve already kissed a few times, and no dams were broken. But here’s where Sweets was right — if Booth and Brennan kissed once they were cognizant of their feelings towards one another, once they knew what kissing each other meant and it couldn’t be explained away by tequila or Caroline being puckish, then a dam would break. Or, more accurately, Brennan’s emotional dam would break, because it’s clear to anyone with a pair of eyes that Booth’s just been waiting on her to be ready for years. Where he was wrong was when he assumed that Brennan would go, “Oh, gee, you kissed me, and though I have no reasonable explanation for why, I think we should go get married and live happily ever after!” That’s not Brennan, you guys.
The dam has broken, however, in the sense that she had a revelation — she isn’t objective about Booth. At all. She even said so in this episode when she was explaining why she had to leave to Angela — she had this whole speech about how she can’t stand her job because of how emotionally involved she is in Booth’s well-being, and then summed it up by saying, “I just need some perspective so I that I can view my life with some objectivity.” And if I really need to explain why this is a terrifying concept to Brennan, you need to go back and re-watch this show a little longer.
To Brennan, getting away serves both as a way to re-gain some perspective, and an experiment. If in a year she gets back and meets Booth at the coffee cart and she still has these feelings for him, that’s proof positive that these feelings aren’t going away. Because let’s face it, if there’s one way to get Temperance Brennan to forget about something (including a guy), it’s to stick her on an anthropologically significant dig halfway around the world. And if she’s still looking at prehistoric bones and missing Booth, and she returns from Indonesia and he still loves her back, it’ll be pretty hard to explain away to herself that this is all some fleeting misconstruction of their partner relationship and not some semblance of the real deal. (Or as much as she believes in the real deal, which is to say not very much, but coming around to the idea in the face of undeniable evidence.)
But let’s suspend reality for a moment and say that when Booth came to the airport looking all An Officer and A Gentleman they had some sort of passionate makeout session. Would you really have been happy with that? Because I would not have been. The airport is arguably the worst time they could have done that. Seriously, show of hands, who thinks it’s a good idea for those two crazy kids to finally get together only to then be separated for a year? Who really wants to give Brennan a year by herself to go over that kiss over and over again only to conclude it was some sort of mistake made in a emotionally heightened situation, and then we’re back at square one? Because I think that sounds like a terrible idea. No, hand-holding and a promise was the best thing Booth could have given both of them. This way, she has time to consider her actions in an objective way before she does anything, and given himself a chance to show her that no matter where he goes, he’ll be the one who never abandons her.
I’m with Ivey on one point — I’m ready to see the story of Booth and Brennan together. I’m anticipating it with an unholy glee and, when it actually happens, it’s possible I will stroke out from sheer joy. But I don’t want a fakeout. I don’t want an Angela and Hodgins where they break up and string me along worried for a while before they get back together. When they do finally, finally kiss and surrender to the inevitable, I want it to be for real, and I want it to stick. And if they rush their getting together, it won’t.
So patience, dear Bones fans. In the words of the eternal Diana Ross; “You can’t hurry love/no you just have to wait/love don’t come easy/it’s a game of give and take.”
It’s possible that woman was a Bones fan even before the show existed. Someone should look into that.

YES!

Thanks for sharing, Nati!

I couldn't agree more with this article - it was never going to be easy for them and we all knew that from the word go.

NatesMama and I came to the conclusion that a good-bye kiss just wouldn't have worked for the same reasons mentioned in the article:

But let’s suspend reality for a moment and say that when Booth came to the airport looking all An Officer and A Gentleman they had some sort of passionate makeout session. Would you really have been happy with that? Because I would not have been. The airport is arguably the worst time they could have done that. Seriously, show of hands, who thinks it’s a good idea for those two crazy kids to finally get together only to then be separated for a year? Who really wants to give Brennan a year by herself to go over that kiss over and over again only to conclude it was some sort of mistake made in a emotionally heightened situation, and then we’re back at square one? Because I think that sounds like a terrible idea. No, hand-holding and a promise was the best thing Booth could have given both of them. This way, she has time to consider her actions in an objective way before she does anything, and given himself a chance to show her that no matter where he goes, he’ll be the one who never abandons her.

Reading this made me tear up a bit because with all the 'issues' people had with the finale it's nice to know that there are others out there who see this as a positive step.

This article made me about four hundred different kinds of happy in all my special places.

So glad others get it as well...fantastic article!

AMEN! Loved this article - thanks SO much for posting!!

I like it.

Here's the thing - I think originally after the finale (and I should note whilst I was like DAMN! Hook up already, it didn't cut me up inside) I was a bit on the fence. The more and more I let it settle though, the finale was great, because it just creates so many possibilities that weren't there before. It's short term pain for long term gain, series wise. I've talked about how long the series will go for on other threads and I actually think this has the potential to lengthen the run of the show. What does happen when you rip our little team apart? Where are their careers going? What happens within a year? What conclusions will they come to? And I agree with the article - above all, this is in character for Bones. I will debate whether it was truly required for Booth to go back to the army, but Bones running away for a year to get her head straight is totally Bones.

Ummm..."when we look at why Booth and Brennan aren't together we don't have to look at Booth." I'm sorry, but, in my opinion, that is the lamest, BS reasoning I've heard yet. I have never seen anyone try to analyse and explain the dynamics of ANYTHING, especially a relationship, by only looking at one side of it. She doesn't want us to look at Booth because then her entire theory falls apart. . Pretty words, but sound logic, not so much.

joybrennan wrote:Ummm..."when we look at why Booth and Brennan aren't together we don't have to look at Booth." I'm sorry, but, in my opinion, that is the lamest, BS reasoning I've heard yet. I have never seen anyone try to analyse and explain the dynamics of ANYTHING, especially a relationship, by only looking at one side of it. She doesn't want us to look at Booth because then her entire theory falls apart. . Pretty words, but sound logic, not so much.

I think that she means that Booth has taken it as far as he can, emotionally speaking. Everybody has that friend that never calls them back, ya know, and after a while you just stop calling. Yeah, Brennan's made all kinds of crazy progress, but it's all been undercover, without anything being overtly stated. After a while, you have to be able to say, "You know what? I want to be with you in every way. Let's do that." You DON'T have to say that you want to be married, or state the scary L-word, or have a dozen babies, but acknowledgment that you hold the other person closest to you, and ya know, some sex does wonders for a romantic relationship.

And ya, Booth has issues. We all do. I just think that it's Brennan's move now. Booth can't do anything more until she says she wants to try this, so Brennan has to get to a place that she can go for it. She has to be willing to try with him. THEN they can move forward.

joybrennan wrote:Ummm..."when we look at why Booth and Brennan aren't together we don't have to look at Booth." I'm sorry, but, in my opinion, that is the lamest, BS reasoning I've heard yet. I have never seen anyone try to analyse and explain the dynamics of ANYTHING, especially a relationship, by only looking at one side of it. She doesn't want us to look at Booth because then her entire theory falls apart. . Pretty words, but sound logic, not so much.

As of 100th episode, the reason why Booth and Brennan aren't together is totally on Brennan. You can't have a Booth and Brennan with just a Booth..and he went all in and got burned.

[quote="happylama2"]

joybrennan wrote:After a while, you have to be able to say, "You know what? I want to be with you in every way. Let's do that." You DON'T have to say that you want to be married, or state the scary L-word, or have a dozen babies, but acknowledgment that you hold the other person closest to you, and ya know, some sex does wonders for a romantic relationship.

I completely agree with you. After the 100th a lot of people said that Booth gave up too quickly and that he should have offered to meet her half way but if this is IT for them, their once-in-a-lifetime-never-gonna-need-another-grow-old-and-grey-together love they can NOT go into it half a$$. They have to be all in and she's not ready for that - not yet.

And when I say 'all in', I don't mean marriage and a brood of blue eyed, brown haired rugrats because honestly, at the end of the day I don't think Booth wants that. I think he just wants her in any and every capacity he can have her.

crzy4bones wrote:

joybrennan wrote:Ummm..."when we look at why Booth and Brennan aren't together we don't have to look at Booth." I'm sorry, but, in my opinion, that is the lamest, BS reasoning I've heard yet. I have never seen anyone try to analyse and explain the dynamics of ANYTHING, especially a relationship, by only looking at one side of it. She doesn't want us to look at Booth because then her entire theory falls apart. . Pretty words, but sound logic, not so much.

As of 100th episode, the reason why Booth and Brennan aren't together is totally on Brennan. You can't have a Booth and Brennan with just a Booth..and he went all in and got burned.

I disagree. Booth, who knows Brennan, sometimes better than she knows herself, approaches Brennan talking about "people who've been married 40 , 50 years." Like, really? It was like he'd never met her! No pressure, Brennan, let's give this a shot, we're going be like people who've been married for 40 or 50 years. Of course she freaked out! This is the guy who gently and subtly got her to reconcile with her dad, spend Christmas, not only with a cousin she'd just met, but have the ENTIRE Jeffersonian team over for Christmas dinner. Yet, he jumps from giving it a shot to talk of 40 or 50 years and marriage? I'm sorry, the words were pretty, but for someone who knows and loves Brennan the way he does, that speech made absolutely NO sense. Leaving it as canon, Brennan, as much as she has changed, upon hearing that speech, has nowhere to go BUT panic.

This is why I hated the 100th. The Booth who knows Brennan would NEVER have followed up "let's give this a shot" the way he did. The entire scene was basically a set-up to reset the relationship. If you DON'T look at Booth and his character, then, yeah, Brennan choked. When look at the scene in the context of the show's entire history it's like, WTF was that!?

Good Point!

happylama2 wrote:

joybrennan wrote:Ummm..."when we look at why Booth and Brennan aren't together we don't have to look at Booth." I'm sorry, but, in my opinion, that is the lamest, BS reasoning I've heard yet. I have never seen anyone try to analyse and explain the dynamics of ANYTHING, especially a relationship, by only looking at one side of it. She doesn't want us to look at Booth because then her entire theory falls apart. . Pretty words, but sound logic, not so much.

I think that she means that Booth has taken it as far as he can, emotionally speaking. Everybody has that friend that never calls them back, ya know, and after a while you just stop calling. Yeah, Brennan's made all kinds of crazy progress, but it's all been undercover, without anything being overtly stated. After a while, you have to be able to say, "You know what? I want to be with you in every way. Let's do that." You DON'T have to say that you want to be married, or state the scary L-word, or have a dozen babies, but acknowledgment that you hold the other person closest to you, and ya know, some sex does wonders for a romantic relationship.

And ya, Booth has issues. We all do. I just think that it's Brennan's move now. Booth can't do anything more until she says she wants to try this, so Brennan has to get to a place that she can go for it. She has to be willing to try with him. THEN they can move forward.

I do agree that the way things are now the next move is Brennan's. What tends to infuriate me is the idea that the ending of the 100th was completely in character for them, and it's all Brennan's fault. That ending WAS a reset. It was written with Booth acting like he didn't know who he was talking to. The entire dynamic was off. Brennan's freakout is somewhat plausible, but honestly, the fact that she doesn't simply say that she's scared is a bit surprising. The fact that Booth doesn't see that she's scared, equally so. Julie's arguing that this was brilliant, in-character writting and NOT something put together just to keep B&B apart, comes off as BS if you look at Booth. That's why she doesn't want people to look at him, because it becomes obvious. It's a reset. It's stupid and it sucks. Now, let's move on and see what they do with this mess.

joybrennan wrote:

happylama2 wrote:

joybrennan wrote:Ummm..."when we look at why Booth and Brennan aren't together we don't have to look at Booth." I'm sorry, but, in my opinion, that is the lamest, BS reasoning I've heard yet. I have never seen anyone try to analyse and explain the dynamics of ANYTHING, especially a relationship, by only looking at one side of it. She doesn't want us to look at Booth because then her entire theory falls apart. . Pretty words, but sound logic, not so much.

I think that she means that Booth has taken it as far as he can, emotionally speaking. Everybody has that friend that never calls them back, ya know, and after a while you just stop calling. Yeah, Brennan's made all kinds of crazy progress, but it's all been undercover, without anything being overtly stated. After a while, you have to be able to say, "You know what? I want to be with you in every way. Let's do that." You DON'T have to say that you want to be married, or state the scary L-word, or have a dozen babies, but acknowledgment that you hold the other person closest to you, and ya know, some sex does wonders for a romantic relationship.

And ya, Booth has issues. We all do. I just think that it's Brennan's move now. Booth can't do anything more until she says she wants to try this, so Brennan has to get to a place that she can go for it. She has to be willing to try with him. THEN they can move forward.

I do agree that the way things are now the next move is Brennan's. What tends to infuriate me is the idea that the ending of the 100th was completely in character for them, and it's all Brennan's fault. That ending WAS a reset. It was written with Booth acting like he didn't know who he was talking to. The entire dynamic was off. Brennan's freakout is somewhat plausible, but honestly, the fact that she doesn't simply say that she's scared is a bit surprising. The fact that Booth doesn't see that she's scared, equally so. Julie's arguing that this was brilliant, in-character writting and NOT something put together just to keep B&B apart, comes off as BS if you look at Booth. That's why she doesn't want people to look at him, because it becomes obvious. It's a reset. It's stupid and it sucks. Now, let's move on and see what they do with this mess.

I agree with the article in regards to the finale. I liked the finale. Had few problems with it and do think it needed to be done.

The 100th thing I disagree with like joybrennan. I don't think either of them were in character in that instance. but then again, one could argue booth really hasn't been in character since the coma dream. Yes, he took a gamble. Yes, he lost (or assumes he has) but....he did it all wrong. He knows bones better than anyone (at least he did before the coma/dream) He knows you can't just rush her and talk about 50 years when she doesn't even know if love can exist at all. But, he took that gamble anyway....and she ran. AS HE KNEW she would. Who knows, maybe it was done on purpose. Maybe sweets would say deep down inside booth hoped she'd have that reaction because the timing wasn't right and he knew it. I have no idea, but I don't think the 100th was in character. I liked it, don't get me wrong. But that last scene still makes me cringe.

I keep going back to the "insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result." what does that mean for them now that we know about the finale? Did they do this year apart because it's different and will break that insanity mold? I really think that was one of the most important lines of the episode that has been over looked a lot.

I did like her article and thank you for posting it. This board needs some positivity.