In Defense of Brennan

There's been so much Brennan hate lately on this site as well as others. I can understand that- sometimes she can drive me crazy or I get mad at how much hurt she causes Booth. But while re-watching old episodes today, I realized that I was being unfair to her.

A big complaint about her is the entire 100th episode deal and her inability to just admit she loves Booth. But I realized that maybe that isn't necessarily a bad thing. People who avoid taking a leap in a relationship are people who know how important it really is. Have you ever loved anyone so much, that the first time you told them it was incredibly difficult because- unlike with other people- this time it would mean something huge? People get so angry at the end of the 100th episode that they forget how truly remarkable that scene really is. The message I took away was that sometimes you love someone so much that the possibility of losing them is too great a risk to take. Too much to lose.

Another thing that people get irritated about is the things she says. What we have to remember is that she truly is trying. She has good intentions. That doesn't mean she's perfect, she makes lots of mistakes, but I don't think her character is ever meant to appear malicious or purposely insensitive. Sometimes I'll watch an episode of Bones and Brennan's effort to learn how to relate to people really touches me. I know that in the real world, there are people struggling with the same problem. In fact, we all are to some extent. We're trying to learn how to find happiness and connect to another human being.

My point isn't to criticize anyone who was complaining about Brennan (or the show for that matter). Like I said, I've had my moments too. My point was to say that all these characters, with all their flaws, are what makes the show we love so amazing. And that's something we can all appreciate.

dreamerktm411 wrote:There's been so much Brennan hate lately on this site as well as others. I can understand that- sometimes she can drive me crazy or I get mad at how much hurt she causes Booth. But while re-watching old episodes today, I realized that I was being unfair to her.

A big complaint about her is the entire 100th episode deal and her inability to just admit she loves Booth. But I realized that maybe that isn't necessarily a bad thing. People who avoid taking a leap in a relationship are people who know how important it really is. Have you ever loved anyone so much, that the first time you told them it was incredibly difficult because- unlike with other people- this time it would mean something huge? People get so angry at the end of the 100th episode that they forget how truly remarkable that scene really is. The message I took away was that sometimes you love someone so much that the possibility of losing them is too great a risk to take. Too much to lose.

Another thing that people get irritated about is the things she says. What we have to remember is that she truly is trying. She has good intentions. That doesn't mean she's perfect, she makes lots of mistakes, but I don't think her character is ever meant to appear malicious or purposely insensitive. Sometimes I'll watch an episode of Bones and Brennan's effort to learn how to relate to people really touches me. I know that in the real world, there are people struggling with the same problem. In fact, we all are to some extent. We're trying to learn how to find happiness and connect to another human being.

My point isn't to criticize anyone who was complaining about Brennan (or the show for that matter). Like I said, I've had my moments too. My point was to say that all these characters, with all their flaws, are what makes the show we love so amazing. And that's something we can all appreciate.

AMEN! I totally agree with you.

thanks.

Yes! i very much agree with this too

I agree! [Only admins are allowed to see this image] You know one moment I always think of when people bash Brennan?... Remember in "Mayhem on a Cross" (one of my all time favorite epi's) when Gordon Gordon is telling B and B that Sweets wants to 'belong' etc... (the imprinted like a baby duck moment)... when Booth asks "What are we, the land of misfit toys?" and Brennan says (with very moist eyes) that "WE could find a permanent place for him" How very human and sweet for her to immediately rally to Sweet's defense and try to do something to alleviate his suffering ONCE THAT SUFFERING IS POINTED OUT TO HER. She simply doesn't always see it herself, but there are sooooo many cases where she tries to "save" somebody once she's aware they are hurting. And it is purely altruistic, does not benefit her in the slightest... she just can't bear to see other's in pain. (I think)

You're so right. The moment I was thinking about when I posted this was the last 30 seconds of the Con Man in the Meth Lab, where she's sitting on the bench outside with Booth. They hardly talked, but it was so obvious that she loved him.

Yup Yup! Booth is the one she's the most protective over, to be sure! Countless times (her saying to Gordon G "There's nothing I wouldn't do for Booth"... her being so mad at herself for believing Jared even momentarily about Booth....her willing to LIE [I think that is HUGE for her] about the JFK bones to protect Booth's feelings and self worth! The list goes on and on!)

But there are so many others she defends too... anyone who is alone or hurting... foster children with no one to speak for them when others treat them like "throw aways", mothers who may have to bury there son alone at Christmas, gang member who can't afford to bury his father and sister, a town who needs a bridge to recover it's "life", her father (the trial, OMG!)... This post could be sooooo long so I'll stop! I just think they really portray her as having a real protective streak... just like Booth does. I think it goes along with Gordon G's comment to Sweets that B and B are in no way "opposites"... just one of the ways! LOL

YES, agree with everything said here

Preach to the choir, all of you. I've been so sick of all the Brennan-hate. Sure, we all wish that she had been able to take that leap and attempt a relationship with Booth, but would that have been in character? No. And that's why I didn't really understand how people were so incredibly upset with the 100th episode; it stayed true to their characters 100%!

I have to admit, I am not the biggest Brennan fan. I'm a Boothling to the core BUT I have never blamed her for what happened in the 100th or the finale. She has to come to the conclusion that she can open her heart and share a life with someone on her own and I think that this year away from her 'real life' just might give her time to figure that out.

We love this show because of these beautifully flawed characters and we can't get mad when they behave in character - it's who they were designed to be.

Temperance Brennan was created as a complex, multi-layered, maddening and staggering woman (something you don't see on network TV very often) and I would hate to see them deviate from those qualities just to satisfy the 'shippers.

I hope they let her find her own way to love. It'll be fascinating to watch.

Thank you for this! I love Brennan and ED's way of portraying her. If she wasn't true to her character, then the B&B chemistry would be lost. I honestly never understood how people can say they hate Brennan. She is the main furkin character, the person the show is based around. I mean that's like watching Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman and hating Dr. Quinn... (I just aged myself, didn't I? )

Im quite happy with this thread and really don't understand the hate either. I think that whatever happenend during all seasons where we got frustrated or mad at her, she was totally in caracter. Honestly, there is nothing she has done in all those years I was suprised about the way she handles it because I see her as she is ment to be seen ( or at least I think I do) I love Brennan, and what ED does to make the caracter come to live and she deserves this support.

I REALLY like this topic. I never understand why people hate Brennan's character. I have always wondered why people even watch a show that is all about the main character if they hate the main character. Do they even find this show and the characters interesting? And she shouldn't be blamed for what happened in the 100th and the finale because it was completely in her character. If she was completely normal who would run into Booth arms and tell him how much she loves him (just like every other girl would) then she wouldn't be Temperance "Bones" Brennan, she would just be some girl.

HermioneGirl101 wrote:Preach to the choir, all of you. I've been so sick of all the Brennan-hate. Sure, we all wish that she had been able to take that leap and attempt a relationship with Booth, but would that have been in character? No. And that's why I didn't really understand how people were so incredibly upset with the 100th episode; it stayed true to their characters 100%!

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THIS THREAD!
Booth says it best - she's Iceland, cold on top, but all volcano underneath. One of my favorite B&B moments is when Brennan is on the stand testifying at her father's trial. She's misleading the jury into thinking she could have been the killer. She is total Iceland on the stand and they cut to Booth. He looks like his heart is breaking as he watches her implicate herself to try and save her dad - the man who abandoned her, who's criminal past goes against everything she believes in. It's still her dad. Booth watches her doing this and whispers, "That's alot of heart, Bones." Frankly, that's the moment, for me, that he KNEW he loved her.

I also didn't hate the 100th because of Brennan. I've said why in enough threads - no need to do so in this thread Just saying it had nothing to do with Brennan.
LOVE HER! (love Booth too, but that's a different thread - we can talk about his ass..sets some other time )