Good morning, my fellow BONES Theorists!
I have to admit, my original MAQ was “Booth, will you marry me”, but seeing as how none of you could answer that, I decided to go with a different question.
There are honestly 1,000 things we could discuss, and I want to. I am sure we will over the next month, etc. But I have to say, I adored the end scene of this episode. Not that I was smiling…heck, I was barely even breathing, but YES FINALLY, some honesty and emotion.
We talked this week about how if B&B resolved this entire Hannah arc with soft smiles over a plate of pie that I would weep, and I’m so happy that it didn’t turn out that way.
Booth loudly and vehemently declaring that he is going to be (once and for all) JUST partners with Brennan was so beautiful to me. I saw that as him sort of standing up for himself and saying “okay, if you don’t want to love me…fine. But I’m mad, and I was worth the risk…just so you know.” For someone like Booth…to admit that he’s mad (and therefore that he is/was worth it) is incredible.
Now…I think we know that the way things are now are not how they will end (That’s why this isn’t the end!). Though Booth sort of laid out the ultimatum, the ball is now in Brennan’s court (anyone’s brain hurting trying to figure out how many times that ball has moved from her court to Booth’s?). She will prove to him that she loves/loved/will love him, and that he loves/loved/will love her.
But for now, I am pleased that he sort of drew ‘a line’ so to speak. I believe he loved Hannah. I also believe that he just wants…love, a family.
I don’t mean to censor anyone, but please do not say that Booth gave up his right to the ‘more than one kind of family’ that he had in the squints when he brought Hannah home. I’m not saying Booth has been perfect or anything; I’m just saying that as great as that ‘misfit ragtag’ family is, there is no shame (in my mind) that he just wants a wife. He wants that. He wants someone to want him, to want to share his life…to want what he has to offer.
So yeah, Booth…will you marry me?
Okay, okay…back to the real question…
If they are ‘just partners’ now, then does that confirm they were never ‘just partners’? And…if they continue to do everything the exact same (in theory), per his rules (solve cases, work together, argue, go back and forth, be good at catching bad guys, sharing a drink, celebrating, chitchat), will his ‘line’ survive? Can he do the same thing over and over and expect different results?
What was he ‘stopping’? What was he putting an end to? And how does Brennan completely understand? AND….how will everyone else react? It’s been a hot topic that the J-team seems to have accepted Hannah with no problem, but now how will they react to this? And how will they treat Brennan regarding Booth? Like it’s her turn to make a move?
Discuss…and remember,
Peace, Love & Bones,
~S
PS…here’s the link to my GMMR review, if you are so inclined. But be warned, I kind of just ask a bunch more questions! 🙂
Bones Theory 
February 11, 2011 at 7:35 am
Ok, I will have to admit that last night, when Booth was proposing to Hannah, my reaction was to tell Hannah to say no. Then she said no and the look on Booth’s face made me feal like a jerk. (I know it is tv but still). The look on his face was terrible. First it looked like shock and disbelief then cold anger. I expected shock and sadness but not anger. If I had thought about it maybe I should have considered that that would be his reaction. First Rebecca said no, he was confused about why but he accepted it. Then Tessa dumped him because she was afraid they were moving too fast. Brennan dumped him and there were some tears and sadness; but, Hannah was Booth’s last chance (or so he thinks) for marriage. Sweets pretty much told him he has waited too long and Booth, believing Sweets, felt like it was now or never. (By the way, is anyone else annoyed with Sweets? Everytime he meddles with Booths’ heart, it gets crushed). That Hannah refused him must have been the last straw, hince the anger. He doesn’t know why the women he loves keeps saying no. There must be something wrong; but, he doesn’t know what it is. From the outside looking in, I think we know why. Booth is attracted to strong, independent, career goaled women. The problem with this is that such women are not compelled to marry. They like love, they like sex, they don’t like marriage. Poor Booth.
When he was in the bar and getting drunk, I was glad that Brennan showed up. She is his friend and she knew that he was not going to react well to Hannah’s rejection. She is there for him. That he was so angry that he blasted her with it didn’t seem to phase her. She is not clueless. She knew what was going on and to me, she reaacted to Booth in the best way possible. She didn’t get angry, just went along with what he was saying. He JUST wants to be partners. If she doesn’t like that he will get her a new partner. Brennan, conidering Booth to be her best friend, had no choice. Partners it is. And yes, she will drink with him.
The ball is in Brennan’s court. She knows that now she will have to be the one with patience. If all he wants to do is what they have always done in the past, then so be it. There is time to let Booth heal and Brennan knows it.
How the squints reeact to this should be very interesting. The people that will probably reaact the most will be Sweets and Cam. They may think it is for the best or they may be angry with Hannah for Booths’ sake or both. They consider Booth to be their friend and there is no way that they will consider Hannah’s refusal as anything but betrayal. Hannah is in lust with Booth, she is not in love with Booth. Booth may never forgive her for that.
February 13, 2011 at 11:27 am
yes, i am also really ticked at sweets…booth actually LISTENS to what sweets says these days, and sweets keeps giving him crapola advice. i agree that brennan has to be the one to show some patience now, but i think the ball is still in booth’s court. he’s going to have to be the one to loosen up on his newly imposed set of rules for her to make any headway with him. i think that by the season finale, we should be seeing some real sparks flying again!
February 13, 2011 at 5:04 pm
How is Sweets in any way to blame?
They were both drunk and having a semi serious discussion, the choices Booth made are all on him.
Booth is a 40 year old man…he shouldn’t be so easily swayed by someone half his age…and i don’t think he is. I think he knows exactly what he is doing (even if his reasons are…flawed! LOL) and that it’s doing him a disservice to suggest otherwise 😀
February 13, 2011 at 5:15 pm
@Laffers18
Booth is responsible for his choices, yes. Doesn’t stop me from being mad at Sweets – it’s cruel to say something like that to Booth, given that he knows how badly things have gone in Booth’s love life in the past.
February 13, 2011 at 5:10 pm
Lenora said- Hannah is in lust with Booth, she is not in love with Booth. Booth may never forgive her for that.
Hannah is in love with Booth. But how far do you go for someone? She moved half way around the world for him because she would rather live with him then without him, and she told him repeatedly that she wasn’t the marrying kind. Should she completely change her beliefs for him? Her life choices?
Couldn’t you argue that maybe it was Booths turn to do the changing? That she had compromised, so maybe it was his turn to do the same?
Genuinely curious here 😀
February 11, 2011 at 7:50 am
Oh it was so difficult episode! I’m did not want to believe that he decided to propose Hannah! It is very important. That proposal means that he wanted to spend his life with this woman, that he wanted to grew up their children! It was a very serious decision. And … he did it.
Of course she turn him down! I was sure that she will reject him. They know each other about 8 month, it is so short term for wedding. And… I think she understand his feelings to Brennan. But … It’s difficult to me to forgive Booth. Of course I will do it… But… It was very important decision to marry other woman…
One my friend said that Booth became very selfish. She is still gambler … in a bad way. He lose Hannah because he didn’t want to understand that weddind is not for her (maybe only in that period). Then he sort of blackmailed Brennan – “we are partners, you should share drinks with me or … I don’t want see you anymore”. He was mad, very upset, but… he did hurt either womans! Why should he even did all those things!
And… Final seems like he drew a line again. He don’t want feel this pain again, especially from Brennan. “Just partners”, yes, as yet.
And one else question – do Booth still loves Brennan? I’m too believe that he loves Hannah very much. So he need time to go through it. Now he needs Brennan as a partner, as a good friend. Not more as I see. I agree – it is Brennan’s turn to make a move. To show him how much she loves him. How much and … that she will not hurt him again.
But as I was afraid – the Brennan will be like a “consolation prize”. It’s so sad… But maybe it is just real life. They will be together eventually – i sure. And they will be very happy.
As usually – sorry for my Engish. I’m still studying, but I try very much!
February 11, 2011 at 8:17 am
First of all, you are doing very well with your English! Just to respond to a couple of points you made. I do think that Booth was acting a little selfish. Hannah was right, he didn’t listen. She made it clear that she wasn’t the marrying type, but he disregarded that. BUT who can blame him? As Seels said, he just wants to be loved. He’s only human.
Also, I do think that Booth still loves Brennan, but you are totally and completely right. I am glad nothing further happened with them because he I do believe he loved Hannah and he needs time to heal. Like you said, right now he needs a best friend to be there for him, and she’s not going anywhere.
Finally, I don’t think Brennan will ever be the consolation prize. I think that he has loved her for too long for her to ever be considered that…in my humble opinion. 🙂
February 13, 2011 at 11:33 am
i think your studying is paying off…your english is pretty good for a non native speaker! i don’t think brennan is the consolation prize either, i think HANNAH would have been the consolation prize. hannah was a lot like bones in many ways, and i think booth ending up with her would have been exactly like brennan ending up with jared…neither of them should settle for the “lite” version of the real thing.
February 11, 2011 at 8:13 am
Wow — DB is as fantastic actor. He really pulled off showing us that Booth did love Hannah and that his heart is crushed. I am pleased that he was willing to be so vulnerable in front of Brennan and yes he just needs a friend, partner right now. She needs to be the strong, stable, secure one who can provide that shoulder to lean on. They will let the healing process begin and and she will be there for him — at least I hope so. I think when Booth drew the line last night he wanted to make sure Brennan knew he wasn’t ready to jump in — that he needs time and Brennan understood and accepts that their relationship won’t be a romantic one for the time being. Hopefully the J team will give him some time too and not push him. I am annoyed at Sweets for saying he didn’t want to be as old as Booth without being married. He wasn’t thinking of Booth’s best interest there for sure.
February 11, 2011 at 8:13 am
I have so many thoughts.
1. Booth’s reaction to Hannah surprised me. I guess I expected their breakup to be amicable and sweetly sad. Maybe because their whole relationship seemed so vanilla and lacking in depth. But he just coldly shut her out. He wouldn’t even look at her. And even though he said some harsh things to Brennan (“I kept whispering at my tv. Don’t be mean to her Booth!), he at least communicated with her. I think it’s because the root of their love for each other is friendship, whereas Booth and Hannah were lovers, but never friends. I also think that his hurt last night was more about his won feelings of self-worth and a pattern of rejection than they were about Hannah.
2. I don’t know if it’s because she was leaving, but I actually kind of liked Hannah in last night’s ep. I felt terrible for Booth, but I don’t think it was her fault that they wanted different things. She turned out to be exactly who she said she was. And when she turned around and came back a coupe of times to stress that she really did love him… I felt bad. I just don’t think theirs was ever a forever relationship, and apparently, she knew that, but he didn’t (or didn’t want to).
3. Part of me wanted Brennan to walk away when he gave her that ultimatum. Because it’s like he’s asking her to be dishonest and closed off. She’s gradually, over years, opened up her heart to him and has finally admitted how she feels, and he wants them to redraw the line? It just feels wrong; it feels like they’ve passed that point. On the other hand, I thought “So what happens now?” was the absolute worst thing she could have said to him at that moment. It’s not as though he’s gonna jump from proposing to Hannah to being with Bones. That question was very loaded, and I think it was the wrong time.
4. I think it was very in character for Booth to want to marry Hannah. He’s a traditional guy; he wants to be married. I don’t know how to reconcile the timing of his proposal with the looks and conversations he’s shared with Bones as of late.
5. As for whether the squints will expect Bones to make a move. Well…. none of them know what she said to Booth in the truck in The Doctor in the Photo, right? So, they aren’t even aware of the moves she’s already made or where her heart is. I’d like to see her talk it over with Angela (they are still supposedly BFFs, yes?), and have Ange push her to say something, and then have Bones admit what’s already been said… and see Angela’s take on it.
6. What does it mean for them to be just partners now? I have NO idea. They were never JUST partners. I don’t even think they know how to do that. But I think what it will really mean is for Booth to have time to heal and Brennan to put up with the pretense that she’s okay with it.
February 11, 2011 at 8:30 am
@thesciencegirl So I actually read your #2 and #3 (and posts around the blogosphere and twitter) and was really surprised at the different opinions on this episode.
With regard to what you wrote though:
“I don’t know if it’s because she was leaving, but I actually kind of liked Hannah in last night’s ep. I felt terrible for Booth, but I don’t think it was her fault that they wanted different things. She turned out to be exactly who she said she was. And when she turned around and came back a coupe of times to stress that she really did love him… I felt bad. I just don’t think theirs was ever a forever relationship, and apparently, she knew that, but he didn’t (or didn’t want to).”
I completely disagree (in the friendliest way possible ;)). I really hated Hannah after last night’s episode. (copied from my comment on Seels GMMR interview): She led him on. She knew what kind of man he was and she still followed him home from Afghanistan — made the grand gesture — only to balk at a real sign of commitment. The worst part is, she knew what he would do, and she knew that she would balk. Yet she stayed with him for all this time. She’s immature. Believe it or not, part of me wanted her to say yes to Booth’s proposal because his delivery was soooo heartfelt, so genuine. I understand now that Booth did love Hannah and my heart goes out to him.
“Part of me wanted Brennan to walk away when he gave her that ultimatum. Because it’s like he’s asking her to be dishonest and closed off. She’s gradually, over years, opened up her heart to him and has finally admitted how she feels, and he wants them to redraw the line? It just feels wrong;”
See, I felt it was totally analogous to what happened after the 100th. She asked him if they could still work together and he agreed — as much a he knew it was going to hurt him to do so, he agreed. Because they’re partners and friends first, I think. Then again, she up and left right after that so I hope he doesn’t do the same this time around…
“On the other hand, I thought “So what happens now?” was the absolute worst thing she could have said to him at that moment. It’s not as though he’s gonna jump from proposing to Hannah to being with Bones. That question was very loaded, and I think it was the wrong time.”
I don’t think she meant it that way at all. I wholeheartedly believe that when she asked that question she had his best interest at heart — as a friend. I think she accepted finally (or finally for the second time since TDitP) that he really does/did love Hannah and that now he was heartbroken and I think she hurt for him. It was written all over her face. I never once saw any indication that she thought to herself “Ooh, now it’s my turn.”
February 11, 2011 at 8:57 am
Actually, after reading some other commentary, I tend to agree re: the parallels to the 100th episode. Now it’s Brennan’s turn to do for Booth what he already did for her, stick around as a friend even though it hurts. I just hope the end result is different this time.
February 11, 2011 at 10:34 am
I don’t think she really meant it that way, but it was easy to interpet it as such, because it was kind of a weird thing to say in that moment. It seems more like the writers were deliberately drawing more parallels with Hannah by having Brennan ask the exact same question… although why they want us to think Hannah’s just like Brennan when one relationship was a failure and the other is supposed to be endgame, I don’t know.
February 11, 2011 at 11:22 am
I agree with your assessment of “what happens next”. I think Brennan was basically just asking what he wanted from her now, because whatever it was she was going to do it.
Asking “what do you want from me” however, would imply that she may or may not comply.
“What happens next” implies that whatever he says is going to happen is what will happen, she is going to be whatever he needs her to be right now. And he doesn’t have to ask for it, which is the last thing he needs right now. He’s a mess, he feels like nobody wants him or loves him, to put him in the position of asking Brennan to stay, to be his friend…I just don’t think he had an ounce of self esteem or strength to do that.
I’ve read on several forums that the ball is in Brennan’s court now, but it’s not, it’s in Booth’s. And he’s taking it and going home for the moment.
February 13, 2011 at 5:18 pm
@Catalina She led him on. She knew what kind of man he was and she still followed him home from Afghanistan — made the grand gesture — only to balk at a real sign of commitment. The worst part is, she knew what he would do, and she knew that she would balk. Yet she stayed with him for all this time. She’s immature.
This caught my eye….i completely disagree but i am intrigued.
She led him on? How so? Her reaction in…Couple in the Cave? showed that she didn’t want a marriage. And then in the scene we saw it’s clear she’s told him her views on marriage numerous times and that he KNEW she didn’t want to get married. So really, if we are going down that route, you could argue that Booth led Hannah on. He knew her feelings on marriage and still he asked her to move in. STILL he asked her to meet his son.
You can argue either point and i think it’s unfair to claim that either one led the other on. They were two people in a relationship with insurmountable differences. That’s all…it happens.
February 11, 2011 at 3:28 pm
I just wanted to say in reference to the “What happens next?” question, I don’t know if I really think this, or if I just hope I think this, because I don’t want to believe that Brennan could be so kind of insensitive, but I was under the impression that “What happens next?” was in reference to what happens next with him and Hannah, as a concerned-friend kind of question. Especially since her line directly before was, “Hannah called me.” So “Hannah called me. What happens next?” to me meant, what happens with you and Hannah, and Booth, in his relatively drunk anger responds as if she means between the two of them. Did anyone else get that?
February 11, 2011 at 8:15 pm
I got that too mrg873. I think Brennan really just wanted to know what Booth’s next move would be in general. She wasn’t expecting anything from him, she just wanted to be there for him. She probably just didn’t know what to say, so she asked a practical question. It’s a very Brennan thing to do if you think about it.
February 11, 2011 at 8:19 am
I disagree.
It’s all well and good that Booth wants the family thing, my problem is that he has a metephorical ‘mold’ (see what they did there) that he expects a family to fill. He wasnt asking Hannah for a marriage. He was asking her for a certain life and no-one can give another person a ‘life’ in that sense.
Booth is always going to be disappointed with what he has this way.
I’m not saying his mold is a bad thing but if he wants it he is going to have to find a differnt type of woman and he is going to have to settle as well. He is an FBI agent, thats a scary dangerous job, can he honestly see himself fitting into his own mold.
Just partners, we will see how long that lasts….
They have never done it before so it will be intresting to see.
Booth having put up these walls to protect himself in my opinion hasnt put the ball in Brennans court he has basically taken the ball and built a wall around his court so she cant get it back. He has ensured his control over the situation.
He didnt give Brennan an option to take control as she said “Those are my only two options?”. he is playing the defence not allowing anyone to have that much control over him. Which is reasonable because he has had his heart broken twice in year.
However he is going to realise (I hope from my shipper heart) that this wont work, Brennan already has control over his heart no matter what. I can see this comming to a head when Brennan gets herself into troble again (Which is very likely because she is Brennan) and Booth can’t bare the thought of loosing her.
He may have loved Hannah, but he kept Brennan after he broke his heart. He can’t be without her and he will relise this at some point.
February 11, 2011 at 10:19 am
There is some post in BT when author compared that Sully and Booth offers to Brennan. Sully gave her a choice, Booth only pressed her. Last night Booth gave her choise bit it was mostly an ultimatum and new pressure. But it is normal in his situation. He is upset, angry, he only need an understanding friend which Brennan is.
February 11, 2011 at 8:21 am
Wow. I was definitely not asking “Booth, will you marry me” after last night. I’m really…I’m really feeling unsettled this morning, I guess is the most neutral word I can use.
I know that B/B are endgame but I don’t trust the writers anymore to bring that about in a believable manner.
Booth said and did a lot of things tonight that are going to be very hard to explain away, IMO. Assuming they are explained (the show has a habit of not following up on the heavy stuff), I don’t trust the writers to do it in a way that makes me happy with B/B.
I’ve said this before but if Booth wants to get married, he needs to stop falling in love with women who repeatedly and clearly say they do not want to get married. I have never liked Hannah until last night. She said from the start that she was a nomad, she freaked out when she thought he was proposing before. He had no reason to believe that she would say yes.
And when she repeated what she’d told him right from the start – he threw her out of their shared home. I’m sorry but that? That is cold. Just as with Bones, the offer is out there for less than a minute, it’s all or nothing, you say no, he’s moving on, just like that. Hannah sacrificed a lot for him. She left her job, she flew across the country not knowing if he’d even want to see her again. She took a huge risk for him and she loved him. But apparently all that is worthless because she doesn’t want to get married. His way or the highway, literally.
Maybe, Booth, nobody wants what you are offering because what you are offering kind of sucks. Maybe it’s time to compromise, listen to what the other person is saying, and understand that your version of love and how someone demonstrates their love isn’t the only acceptable version out there.
If this show really wanted to be brave, it would end with Booth realizing that “being married” isn’t the be all and end all and that being with the person you love is enough. He’d actually learn something from the women he chooses to be with instead of lecturing them and demanding they change their fundamental beliefs in order to be with him.
I’m feeling very, very down on Booth right now. Kudos to DB, for a splendid job of making me simultaneously hate and pity him.
It’s not like I can’t see where this is going…Brennan chose to stay, to do what Booth did for her last year and accept the offer of partners and nothing else. Booth will come around after a while and this whole ugly season 6 will have served to make them “equal” again. They both risked, they both got hurt, they are both ready to try again, etc etc
But here’s what I am not sure I can get over and what I don’t trust the writers to “fix”. After telling Brennan she was his One and he knew from the start and she’s the standard and this is fate and as recently as last week Brennan was the one he loved the most for whom he’d always be there…after all that, as of last night, she’s just another one of his disappointing exes. I just don’t see how that bell is gonna be unrung. Saying he was drunk and upset is not enough, at least not for me.
Before this episode I said that if Booth went through with the proposal and Hannah was only gone because she turned him down, I was never going to buy a future B/B romance. I still believe that, because I just don’t see how Booth rectifies all this somewhere is The One and Fate from the start and Love You Most with proposing to someone else less than a year later.
I just have a sick, sinking feeling that the rest of the season is going to be Booth being bitter and down on love while Brennan urges him to hang in there because he convinced her that love is real and worst of all, eventually marrying him because that’s all he’s ever wanted and blah blah blah.
They are supposed to be intelligent adults and I want an intelligent adult romance and I’m rapidly losing faith that the writers can give us that.
February 11, 2011 at 9:56 am
Thank you for so eloquently expressing the jumble of thoughts and feelings I’ve had since watching last night. I agree with every point you’ve brought forth. And as much as I’d like to see Booth genuinely developing as a person, realizing that the fault lies less with these women who’ve all rejected him out of hand and more with his own unrealistic expectations and inability to hear what the women he supposedly loves are saying to him, I’ve about lost all faith that these writers are capable of giving us that.
February 13, 2011 at 11:50 am
i agree…i’ve been very, very down on booth for a while now. he comes out with these great “love is patient, love is kind” b.s. speeches, but he doesn’t practice what he preaches. how many times has he told brennan that love is eternal and that your true love will always be there for you, and then turns around 11 seconds later and does the exact opposite of what he’s just said. pfffffttt on you, booth.
i also agree that i’m starting to question whether the writers are going to be able to pull this off in a believable way. i know they don’t want to ruin the show by putting them together and all, but it’s almost getting to the point where they’re going to ruin it by dragging it out a whole lot longer. season 6 is making my stomach hurt.
February 11, 2011 at 8:27 am
I personally liked the final scene. I liked that Booth seem to take stock of himself….What’s going on with me?
I don’t think he treated Brennan harshly. He’s in pain…..in the moment, he’s telling her what he needs to survive, Brennan’s friendship. He seemed more broken up giving her Choice #2 (walking out of his life) than he did with Hannah actually walking out of his life.
I guess I’m enjoying this season. I’ve never thought Booth was big white knight savior with all the answers to life. He’s a man…with issues that are now starting to show.
I’m loving this journey. Nothing worth fighting for comes easy!!!
February 11, 2011 at 9:21 am
I think you are absolutely right! Booth was taking stock of himself, and I think that he need to do that. Also, this right here —> “I’m loving this journey. Nothing worth fighting for comes easy!!!” Yessss! Go back and listen to Rock and the Tide by Joshua Radin from last week’s episode. SO perfect. 🙂
February 11, 2011 at 9:48 am
You’re absolutely right! Her voice in that moment that he told about Choice #2 was so full of pain! Brennan is the most important person in his life. All time when he was in another relationships, his women mostly disappeared from his life after break-up’s. But only Brennan stood by him this whole time. She’s the only one that has put Booth’s happiness before hers. She’s the only one has admitted her mistake. She certainly will help him to feel better.
February 11, 2011 at 9:49 am
oh, sorry, his voice, of course! (my bad english)
February 11, 2011 at 8:29 am
I could keep rewatching that ending scene all day. It was beautiful. DB was awesome. “Hannah” was appropriately heartbroken yet unmoved in her resolve. ED was… there. I think she was completely in tune (finally) with everything that had happened, the pain Booth was in, and yet her lips were partially open the entire time she listenend to Booth and it was perfect (she wanted to say something, but held back. For him).
He turned back on her all that she had asked of him in the 100th- nothing changes. Partners. Although he did so with a little bit of resentment when he made it an ultimatum (which he had every right to do given his “evidence”). Part of me wanted her to get up and leave, to prove that she wanted him, the different outcome, etc. but I think she understood the ramifications a little more than I do; his ultimatum was that she could have partners, or nothing at all. And hopefully, as you pointed out above, she’ll be determined to prove she loves him.
Poor Booth. My heart broke. Why doesn’t anyone want what he has to offer? Poor thing.
It seems an appropriate end to the relationship that kept Brennan and Booth apart. It will take time, but they’ll be there for each other and the distance that has come between them will begin to shrink. Sometimes it’s the second time around in a relationship that makes things work- when the couple finally agrees to the same things out of life. I’m personally attending a wedding in a couple weeks of dear friends that didn’t make it through the first time they dated, but this second time? Amazing! They came to appreciate the differences in what they wanted out of life and agreed that they wanted the same thing: to be together. Thick and thin. Sickness and in health. They came back stronger the second time around.
I’m looking forward to that with our beloved Booth and Brennan. 🙂
February 11, 2011 at 8:33 am
I love everything that you said.
February 11, 2011 at 8:45 am
Wow, we’ve got a lot to talk about, eh? I have a feeling this is going to be a long one…sorry about that. Well, DB really hit it out of the park last night, as always. I know I always say this, but it needs to be said again, that man doesn’t even need words sometimes. He says it all with his facial expressions. And what a face he has…*sigh*….Oh, ok, I’m back now.
I was either crying or holding my breath for the entire last ten minutes of last nights episode. It started when Booth was about to propose to Hannah. I knew it was going to work out for a few reasons, but before I got into those reasons, let me stress that I really do think that Booth loved Hannah. Ok, the first reason I knew it wouldn’t work out was because I feel like Booth was proposing for the wrong reasons. Like I said, I know that he loved her and I know that he is the kind of man that wants to be loved and have a wife, but I almost feel like he was proposing to prove something. Now, I am not blaming Sweets at all. I don’t think he is to blame for *anything*, but I do that that when he said that he didn’t want to end up as old as Booth without being married, it may have caused Booth to want to prove something…and that is when he decided to propose… I don’t know…just throwing it out there.
The second reason I knew Booth’s heart would be crushed is because Hannah was right, she made it clear that she was never the marrying kind. He didn’t listen to her. However, I was a bit angry at Hannah because she admitted she knew it was going to come to this and she just thought she would have more time. She was leading him on, but maybe if Booth had listened he would have figured that out earlier BUT maybe he didn’t because he’s a bit of a romantic. He was in love. Now that I am done arguing with myself…
Like Seels said, I wasn’t smiling during that last scene or anything, but I do think that it was perfect. Booth finally got angry at the world. Good! I think he should be! Even if he may bring it upon himself sometimes, isn’t his guy EVER going to catch a break?! I mean really this poor man! I think what happened between B&B was great. I am so happy that nothing more happened between them. As people have said already, he needs a friend right now. And she stayed to be that for him even though we know now that she wants more. Just as Booth stayed for her in the 100th. She’s not going anywhere, and like Avalon said, sometimes you have to settle for second best for awhile, but it will all work out in the end.
Finally, this is my last point and I’ll shut up. Haha. I think the most heartcrushing moment last night was when Booth said, “I’m not a drunk.” Ugh! That killed me. Here he is sitting all alone drinking. You *know* this is not how he wanted his life to go. I could help thinking of these Springsteen lyrics, “I was bruised and battered I couldn’t tell what I felt. I was unrecognizable to myself. I saw my reflection in a window and I didn’t know my own face…” The Boss speaks for Booth…it’s so true sometimes.
February 11, 2011 at 9:06 am
That part about being a drunk killed me too. You know that he was thinking of his dad when she asked him that. Here he is: angry, drunk and alone, and I can just see the wheels turning in his head. He doesn’t want to be that guy, he’s made of better stuff (which he totally is) but I think that sometimes he forgets that. He’s being defensive, not to her, but to his own haunting thoughts. Once I work through this, there’s a total oneshot there that I’m going to have to write down.
February 11, 2011 at 9:41 am
Oh my gosh. What you said is *exactly* what I was trying to say! Lol. He was probably reminding himself of his dad and he is totally made of better stuff. And I can totally see why he was being defensive. Thanks for saying that so well! 🙂
February 16, 2012 at 9:15 am
I think the reference to not being drunk is because 2 nights in a row he is drinking himself silly. First with Sweets, then now. That is why I think he clarified that he is a bit ‘drunker’ (not a real word I’m sure) than usual but not a drunk.
February 11, 2011 at 8:59 am
DB was faaaaabulous in that end scene last night. My heart was in splinters on the floor when he was basically asking why he’s such a failure and no one wants him. Um, Booth? I WANT YOU! I’m not upset with the way he was acting. Maybe, if he were more rational, he would have realized he should consider Brennan’s feelings and all that. But you know what? He was heartbroken, slightly drunk, and really, really mad. I’m totally okay with what he said. I didn’t take his ultimatum as an end-all. She asked “What happens next?” (Btw, I really wish she hadn’t asked that–not because I thought she wanted him to jump in the sack with her, but because everyone always asks Booth what to do next and that can be really draining, as it obviously was last night.) He told her what happens next. He wasn’t saying that’s what happens forever.
And no, I don’t believe for a second that “line” (if it’s really even there) will survive. We know one thing for absolute sure about B/B: they cannot stay away from each other. There was no way on this planet Brennan was going to leave him and get a new FBI guy. Not a chance. And I think Booth knew that. He needed some validation after the emotional upheaval of having a marriage proposal rejected for the second time, and Brennan was right there to give it to him.
As for Hannah…they’re both to blame. A. She told him she wasn’t the marrying kind and he didn’t listen, but she did sacrifice for him by leaving her job in Afghanistan. But on the other hand…B. She KNEW (everyone knows!) he wanted to get married. She said, “I thought we’d have more time before we got to this.” So…what? She knew it would end this way, but she thought they’d get to have more sex first? That is so not okay. And I think the reason he was so cold and harsh to her (“How much time do you need?” OUCH!) was because he had to seal himself off. He tells Brennan he’s over it (total lie, and not even a convincing one) because he can’t stand to feel all that rejection and heartache. He has to put distance between them so he doesn’t break into a million pieces.
All in all, I thought the last 10 minutes of the episode were spectacular, and I, for one, am a okay with how it went down.
February 11, 2011 at 9:36 am
I agree with you. I thought Booth handled the situation the best way he could. He is human and anger, though unexpected, is probably what he should feel. I wasn’t too happy last night when Hannah pretty much said she expected the proposal, she just thought she would have more time before it happened. I also felt that she was using Booth in a bad way. She DID know that he loves the idea of marriage. Yes, she did tell him she was a Nomad; but, she moved in with him. She gave him a sense of hope. Not very nice. I didn’t blame Booth for asking her go move out. What could he do? Tell her it is ok to break his heart? That they can still live together? What for? I couldn’t live with someone who doesn’t think I am worth investing their love in. I aso agree that Booth is now trying to seal off his heart from Brennan. He is hurting, he is upset, he is mad. He obviously still wants Brennan around (on his terms this time); but, he has to think about what he really wants in life. Anger will help him think it through. It is better than apathy. Better than just rolling with the punch. You have to learn from situations and acceptance can sometimes be a detterance. Good old fashioned anger can be a catalyst.
February 11, 2011 at 10:34 am
Poor Booth, none of his women wants be married 🙂
February 11, 2011 at 11:13 am
I’ll today stand up to Hannah. I recall right now what Angela said once, when brennan told her Daisy was cheating on Sweets. Ange said “If she were cheating on him, he’ll know” (not exact quote) and yes, we kind of always know and I’m not talking about specifically cheating, it’s about how you feel about a person, where are you both at in the relationship. Hannah might have expected a serious commitment and that’s why she warned him she didn’t want to get married. As for Booth I think he also knew (we all know booth would KNOW) she wasn’t ready, that she wasn’t good wife material. And I totally get that Booth needed to try again, but he just did’t listen to his heart a little deeper, he went all the way with it not even thinking if hannah would be ok with it.
As for brennan, I loved her even more in this ep. I think it’s because nothing in her is false or misintentioned that her love expressions come so clean. As time passed after the 100th, I got to understand how brennan always checks carefully (of what she is aware of) what she does in order to protect Booth. That’s why she said no in the first place… later on, she accepts and embraces the idea of B&H even supporting him, and now She chose to stay, not for self-satisfaction, but for taking care of him.
February 11, 2011 at 9:00 am
First of all, I totally agree with the “just partners” NOW part of your post. The fact that he’s drawing a line means that he’s finally angry, and it’s taking him long enough to get to that point. He needs to get angry so he can move on. We all know that Booth has this simmering layer of rage tightly controlled all the time and the fact that he’s finally letting off the hurt and the pain from his past was amazing to see last night. I was heart-crushed at the end, because I didn’t want Hannah to have to say no and hurt him all over again. I wanted him to come to his senses before that, but I knew that wasn’t going to happen. DB played his role to a T last night and I’ve never been more moved by his acting.
Second, I think that Brennan is finally in a place where she can be there for Booth emotionally. It’s her turn to be selfless, ie just a partnership rather than more, just as he did for her at the end of Season 5. (And yes, she slipped up and repeated Hannah’s line of “What happens now?” which was terrible for him, but it was completely realistic.) The way that she patiently sat there with him in that last scene made me so proud of her development as a character. She is going to fight for him. You could see it in her eyes. She believes that he is worth the fight, which is something Booth couldn’t do for her. He told her to drink or move on, and she chose the drink. In the same situation, Booth basically chose to move on. Even if she didn’t say it, I got the impression that she’s going to learn her lessons and wait for him. Such a steep learning curve. 😉
February 11, 2011 at 9:09 am
Okay but can’t Booth learn some lessons too? I feel like this season is all about punishing Brennan for not doing the right thing last year and making her more like Booth so Booth will take her back.
Booth needs to learn a LOT of lessons. Like, be honest with yourself. If marriage is what you want, stop getting involved with women who tell you right upfront they don’t want to get married. Like, maybe consider there is a happy medium between “say yes to whatever I’m offering” and “get out of my life immediately”.
It’s never just one person’s fault when a relationship ends. I can see that Booth needed his pity party last night but once the hangover wears off, he needs to do a little serious self-examination.
If nobody wants what he’s offering, maybe he needs to look at just what he’s offering (which to me appears to be life and love on his terms only, no compromise).
February 11, 2011 at 10:42 am
You are right! Why he break-up immediately with woman, which said him “no”? Some “all or nothing” manner. Like with Brennan in Founding Fathers last night. “You should be my partner or I will find another FBI guy for you tomorrow!”. We all love B&B bickering, but maybe Booth should try to hear and to respect that “his woman” says and thinks.
February 11, 2011 at 2:50 pm
I totally agree that Booth needs to learn some lessons. And I do believe that he will learn them as his storyline progresses. I think Hannah’s point that she was honest but that he just wasn’t listening was a totally valid observation. Maybe it’s because the show is named “Bones” but I feel like there hasn’t been a lot of times where Booth’s storyline took front and center. We know very little about him and his past. What we do know, we only have seen because of other people’s interactions with him. We only ever see him through the lens of the team, or through Sweets, or through Brennan. I’m excited to see how this and the Sniper arc flesh out all of those secrets that the writers have only been hinting at the last 5 and a half seasons. I want to know all about Booth’s dark and scary past and now that I know for certain that DB can act it the way he can, I’m even more excited to see it play out on screen.
February 16, 2012 at 10:11 am
So, has Booth learned his lessons by now? I think he has. Even when he really wanted them to move in together and Brennan didn’t feel ready, he came back and apologized for pushing but stated his reason why. And he is happy with living with Brennan, having their own house, and there aren’t any plans right now to be married. He did manage to let her know that he would still love to get married, but took the pressure off of her to accept by saying she will be the one doing the asking. It will be interesting to see how that turns out, since right now she claims it’s “ridiculous.” But she also thinks fate is ludicrous, and look where they are today. Not that she believes in fate, or ever will, but that doesn’t stop them from eventually getting on the same page.
February 11, 2011 at 9:37 am
“We all know that Booth has this simmering layer of rage tightly controlled all the time and the fact that he’s finally letting off the hurt and the pain from his past was amazing to see last night.”
This.
February 13, 2011 at 11:58 am
wow, i hadn’t even thought of what you just pointed out. in a similar situation, booth chose to move on, she chose to stay. hmmmmm, i’m gonna have to go mull that over for a few days.
February 11, 2011 at 9:06 am
Here’s my two cents:
It seems like some people are upset that Booth proposed to Hannah at all…thinking that somehow, that it means that he isn’t really dedicated to Brennan, but maybe it really shows that Booth’s definition of love isn’t full enough.
What started me thinking about this was the conversation in the diner, the morning after Sweets and Booth had their drinking binge. Hannah, Booth, and Brennan are talking about the “guy conversation.” Brennan says that Booth has a highly idealized, romanticized idea of love, implying to me that Booth’s idea of love is unrealistic.
Combine his highly romanticized version of love with his tendency to go with his gut on everything means that he plunges feet first into everything that he does—even romantically. He doesn’t stop to evaluate (i.e. The woman I’m in love with says she never wants to get married. Hmm). He just goes with his gut—and that gut, three different times felt like proposing (Hannah), felt like starting a relationship (Brennan), felt like getting married (Rebecca).
In each of those cases, some external force or circumstance or conversation put pressure on Booth to act on his romantic feelings. Rebecca was pregnant. Brennan was the irresistible gamble. Hannah was around when Booth wanted to finally get his “happily ever after.”
Don’t get me wrong, I think Booth is a great man—the quiet man, Brennan toasted him as, but I think he has the wrong idea in his mind of what love is. Booth constantly has been arguing the case for love—even the forty, fifty, sixty-years type of love—but he has never really acted on anything other than Brennan’s endorphin-fused definition of love.
The forty, fifty, sixty-year love is a chosen commitment not based on fleeting feelings—not a result of impulse or external pressure. In a way, although they’ve never really said the three magic words “I love you,” Brennan and Booth are committed to each other, which I think is more powerful than rushes of feeling or endorphin-induced smiles. That kind of love will last. Booth craves “love” and marriage, but he decides everything romantic in his life based on his emotions—his heart, when it really takes your will—your brain to choose to love over a long period of time.
Favorite love quote time:
“Being in love is a good thing, but it is not the best thing. There are many things below it, but there are also things above it. You cannot make it the basis of a whole life. It is a noble feeling, but it is still a feeling…
Knowledge can last, principles can last, habits can last; but feelings come and go… But, of course, ceasing to be ‘in love’ need not mean ceasing to love. Love in this second sense — love as distinct from ‘being in love’ — is not merely a feeling.
It is a deep unity, maintained by the will and deliberately strengthened by habit; reinforced by the grace which both partners ask, and receive, from God… ‘Being in love’ first moved them to promise fidelity: this quieter love enables them to keep the promise.
It is on this love that the engine of marriage is run: being in love was the explosion that started it.”
–C.S. Lewis
February 11, 2011 at 9:50 am
That quote was really beautiful, Anna. So beautiful in fact, that I just updated my facebook status with it ;).
February 11, 2011 at 12:04 pm
This was incredibly insightful and beautiful!
February 16, 2012 at 10:19 am
Very beautiful quote. There was a lot of fuss about whether Booth was still in love with Brennan last year. I think he was, but others didn’t see evidence pointing to that. But I always feel that no matter what, Booth and Brennan will always love each other, whether it’s because they can’t help it, or it’s a choice they make. They are committed to their relationship even if they don’t feel particularly “loving” at times.
February 11, 2011 at 9:07 am
I have one else question 🙂 If Booth loves Hannah so much that her rejection hurt him so much – why he didn’t agree when she asked him to return to moment of their meeting and forget about proposal? Because of she don’t loves him enough to marry him? Or he slightly realized that she is not that girl which he wants to love 30, 40 and 50 years?
February 11, 2011 at 11:34 am
I don’t think that Hannah had a shot once she said no. Booth couldn’t go there with her because there wasn’t enough there for him to return to, love and all….
Let me explain: Wasn’t that exactly what Brennan asked of him in the 100th? To just go back to the way things were before? There is a lot of talk that Booth wasn’t hearing Hannah all along, and she even said so herself, but in a way this relationship was for him to prove he can live without Brennan in his life (like that). Right or wrong. And he loved her and the romantic notion he could have a life with someone, forever. And in the end, the kind of intimacy/friendship/relationship that can just ‘ignore’ such a pivotal moment is one that you have assurances in; that has lasted the test of time and circumstances. Maybe you (or I, or Booth) can only have so much patience and trust in a person like that because you know there is still something solid there. So, when Hannah asked him to pretend it didn’t happen, he couldn’t. The only thing she was to him was a person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. (I realize this is sounding far more inconsiderate of her on his part than I intend).
With Brennan, their relationship has withstood so many life-altering experiences (hopefully this is not someone’s true reality- all that they’ve actually been through). Booth was able to soldier on with Brennan after the 100th, and DitP, because there is more to their relationship than the romantic notion of living together forever, unlike with Hannah. Their relationship has a solid foundation, assurances and certain expectations that aren’t just romantical.
I personally met and married my husband within a year. It was whirlwind and incredible immature, no doubt. I look back on it now and wouldn’t advice anyone to do the same. 😉 But together we have chosen, made active decisions, to commit, love, endure, develop patience and trust with one another. Life has helped a lot, too, as circumstances and situations have produced these aspects of our relationship. (We also didn’t have a Booth or Brennan in our lives- we only had each other). It’s been 8 1/2 years and we still make those decisions- and our foundation is much more firm than when we first began.
But for Booth, when you know you can’t have what you desire, and you only have what you have, why stick around if there isn’t something more to the depth of the relationship? Something worth sticking around for that you trust and have assurance in? (Hence bye-bye Hannah. And not Brennan)
February 11, 2011 at 4:23 pm
Thanks, great answer! I’m glad for your solid family with husband! I was married last summer after one year of deep relationship and I am happy 🙂 It’s a pity that B&B have so much problems in their way to each other. But… it is a TV series for our pleasure. And all will be fine eventually 🙂
February 11, 2011 at 9:53 am
Personally, I think that Booth is so screwed up right now I wouldn’t want him within 100 feet of Brennan emotionally. Which is why the end scene rubbed me the wrong way. Couldn’t he have found anyone – anyone! – else to talk to? Did he have to dump all his ‘No one loves me’ whine on Brennan? Part of me wishes she’d walked out on him, just like someone else here said it. Yes, some of it is her fault. No, not *all* of it is her fault, but she will probably blame herself that it is.
I don’t know, it’s like… they used to be young once, and energetic, and awesome. Now they’re just middle-aged and tired and settling for second-best or for nothing at all. Or perhaps it’s just me.
February 11, 2011 at 11:35 am
I have to disagree; she went looking for him, not the other way around. He was drinking heavily after a crushing rejection-she must have known what to expect. To her credit, she didn’t abandon him though because she knows how often he’s been there for her before.
February 11, 2011 at 10:14 am
I feel like I’m the only one who just got totally pissed off watching this episode. I feel as angry as Booth looked when barbie doll turned him down!
So many things wrong with this episode – a high end, prime real estate jewelry store in DC that has a no returns/no exchange policy? Please. Do the writers ever get out into the real world?
More of the ‘no really, we’re BFFs-4-evr!’ forced friendship between Hannah and Brennan that is so transparently false. Again, writers/real world/fail.
Booth to Brennan – take it or leave it, baby. Wth? I wanted so much for Brennan to pat his back, tell him it’s been nice, and walk out the freaking door.
I’m still pissed, writing this. All over again. Ugh. This season just continues to spiral downhill. I’m just…..ugh….arghh….grrrr……
February 11, 2011 at 10:37 am
General Custer called in reinforcements. Lots of them. I wonder how long they’ll last…
Last night’s episode was…well, in some ways it was horrible. Necessary, but horrible. I cried. It hurt to watch (man, DB is such a good actor). I expected Booth’s relationship with Hannah would come down to a proposal long before the spoilers actually alluded to it, so the proposal itself wasn’t a surprise (nor do I think it was out of character). But the way it went down…I was hoping it would be different. Less painful. But then, when has any really important development on Bones ever NOT been painful? And this was a VERY important development.
I wondered how this episode would feel coming right after The Sin in the Sisterhood, and I think I’m okay with it. I alluded to actions and reactions in my post yesterday, and I think this episode was a logical “finish” to the pendulum pattern (Brennan-Hannah-Brennan-Hannah) we would have seen if the last four episodes had been aired in their intended order. It’ll be interesting to see if Booth keeps swinging back and forth between Brennan and solitude now or if the motion stops and he moves forward in a different direction for awhile. For the record, I also think it was necessary to show Booth’s “reactions” to Brennan in The Bullet in the Brain and The Sin in the Sisterhood, because it gives credence to the “he never stopped loving her” theory (proving that she never was, and never will be, second best).
Also, did anyone feel like there might have been a bit of foreshadowing in those last two scenes? I’m specifically talking about Hannah saying that she didn’t think she and Booth were finished for good and Booth insisting he didn’t have a drinking problem. Booth is pretty much being torn apart personally and professionally right now and with his addictive personality and family history of alcoholism, I don’t think it would be a stretch to see him develop a drinking problem. I always figured he would go back to gambling, but you never know. As far as what Hannah said, it kind of makes me wonder if we haven’t seen the last of her. Personally, I wouldn’t mind seeing Booth actually choose Brennan over Hannah at some point later this season, but maybe I’m reading too much into her comment.
I think it’s interesting that Booth’s ultimatum boiled down to the partnership. I’m not sure he expected her to walk out that door, but I do wonder if he would have tried to stop her if she had. He was angry and maybe not thinking clearly, but even in that kind of an emotional state, I don’t see him letting her walk away just like that. Clearly, she would have fought for him if he had let her, but he didn’t. He was honest in a way he should have been a long time ago. I think it broke her heart a little bit more, but I also believe that this time she’ll fight for him. She accepted what he offered her (just as he accepted what she offered him in the 100th episode), knowing that it was going to have to be enough…for now. The thing is, now she’s in a perfect position to prove to him that he’s worth fighting for, worth loving, and eventually (I believe), worth marrying.
February 11, 2011 at 10:48 am
Oh I don’t think he would have gone after her at all if she’d left! One, I don’t think he was sober enough to get off that stool without assistance (and how Booth gets home and where he goes is a fanfic begging to be written!) but Two, I think he was absolutely, 100% DONE with making any effort with any woman for any kind of relationship. He was in full on self-pity mode and her leaving would have just reinforced his belief that nobody wants him.
February 11, 2011 at 11:09 am
I don’t know why, but I hadn’t consider that the drinking was foreshadowing, but I definitely see how it could be. Alcoholism runs in the family, it seems (‘My dad drank.’, Jared), and Booth is so distraught right now because to him it seems like he can’t do anything right. I can see how falling into drinking could happen as much as he doesn’t want it to…as much as I don’t want it to happen to him. As Cynthia says below, “He also may be afraid because he knows addiction is a life-time thing, not something that is going to be “cured.”” I’m just afraid he is ready to give in. Maybe that is one of the reasons why he was so defensive in saying “I am not a drunk.” He doesn’t want to be like his father, but he feels it happening. I don’t know…maybe. That is one of the reasons I am so happy he has Brennan. She’ll be there for him even if it is just as a friend for a while.
Interesting. I wonder if anything will come of it.
February 11, 2011 at 11:22 am
I agree. I think we will see a Brennan over Hannah moment!
February 11, 2011 at 10:38 am
Okay, so I have watched the ep twice now, and the last ten minutes four times, and I’m still just in a complete state of “wow”. First off, and I know it’s been said, but I need to add my voice to the chorus of cheers for David Boreanaz. I was moved to tears and stunned silence. I mean WOW. Just WOW. Bravo, sir. Bravo. And whomever decided to just let DB do his thing and let actions and reactions speak louder than words… and when he did speak? OMG. Just superb all the way around.
I have to say, I love that Hannah called Brennan to tell her what happened. Maybe I love it because I had a passing thought several weeks ago that if/when Booth ever proposed and Hannah crushed his heart (because c’mon, we knew it was going to happen, right?) that Hannah would show up at Brennan’s door and tell Brennan about it. And of course, at that point the only reaction Brennan could have would be to go to Booth. So yeah, totally love that Hannah called Brennan. I think it demonstrates that both of these two women know how much the other means to Booth and demonstrates the amount of respect they have for each other. And that Hannah knew the only person who could pick up Booth’s pieces is Brennan says a lot about everything that’s been going on between these characters all season.
I also think that the juxtaposition between the questions that Hannah and Brennan asked Booth is important. Hannah asked him “what happens NOW?” At which point I wanted to smack her. I mean, what do you think happens now, Hannah? He’s bared his soul, he’s holding his crushed heart in his hands and you knew it was coming and didn’t try to get out before now, and told him so? Geez. Time to just walk away.
But, Brennan she takes it all in and then quietly asks him “what happens NEXT?” Similar question but so very, very different. I like the way Booth responded to the question. It hurt and it was painful to watch, and it was a little messy, but it was real. And when he said he was mad at all of them, and the way his voice cracked just a little… just, ugh, Booth. Wow. But I think that in those few moments, it’s the most honest he has been with Brennan and more importantly, with himself, in a very, very long time. And the fact that she just listened and acknowledged her part in his heart crushing despair? That says a lot about how far she’s come and how far they have come together, because she knows she just needs to let him be and say his piece.
But then, “next”, he gave her an out. He laid it all out for her and let her decide. It was basically “take me, or leave me, but this is all I have left and this all you get to pick from”. He let her decide what “next” is. And I think (or maybe it’s hope?) that in the long run, THAT – the fact that she stayed by his side when given a huge out – is going to be the thing that sticks with him and ultimately makes them stronger together.
February 11, 2011 at 11:15 am
“But then, “next”, he gave her an out. He laid it all out for her and let her decide. It was basically “take me, or leave me, but this is all I have left and this all you get to pick from”. He let her decide what “next” is. And I think (or maybe it’s hope?) that in the long run, THAT – the fact that she stayed by his side when given a huge out – is going to be the thing that sticks with him and ultimately makes them stronger together.”
Love this part Jade. You sum everything up so very well.
February 11, 2011 at 11:29 am
I agree. It is her turn to love unselfishly and unconditionally.
February 11, 2011 at 12:41 pm
“But then, “next”, he gave her an out. He laid it all out for her and let her decide. It was basically “take me, or leave me, but this is all I have left and this all you get to pick from”. ”
Yeah, He’s very good at ultimatums like that.
*sigh*
February 11, 2011 at 1:04 pm
I think it’s significant that Booth could have told her to just leave, since she technically was part of the cause of his anger. And yet, he didn’t really want her to. He didn’t want to talk, but he was willing to let her stay if she didn’t try to make him talk about it. And someone else pointed out how he expressed himself to Brennan, not Hannah. The anger and self-reflection was good, but I hope Booth takes this as an opportunity to learn from his mistakes. At heart he’s a good guy. He’s flawed, yes, but he needs to do something about his big denial issues and impulses about big decisions and take-it-or-leave-it approach. Does Booth maybe operate too much from his “heart”? Maybe Pops should have told him to not forget about his brain.
February 12, 2011 at 1:23 am
Thanks, Stephanie! 🙂
A, I agree. Brennan’s got a big lesson here. And so far, she’s passing with flying colors as far as I’m concerned.
Festina, I didn’t think of it as an ultimatum, so much as, a restating of his “I’m done” statement to her right from the start. He is spent. He has been through the wringer emotionally and he just can’t deal with another thing. She can sit and be quiet and have a drink, or she can go. But those are the only two options he can take at that moment. Her choice.
C-bones, I totally agree that the anger and self-reflection on Booth’s part was good. He needs to be in that headspace right now. I missed whomever said that he expressed himself to Brennan but not Hannah, but what a good catch. I think that speaks volumes. Even though Booth is giving her an out, even though he’s mad at her and he’s hurt and he’s devastated, he still trusts Brennan with what he’s feeling. And she doesn’t leave him. She stands by him and does what he needs her to do. Which is to just sit and have a drink.
February 11, 2011 at 10:42 am
I’m still processing, but one of the things that intrigued me was that when he entered the bar and sat down, out came the poker chip and the gold lighter that are always in his pocket. I know they’re always there, but is there any explanation as to why they’re always there?–is it just so that he’ll remember his sobriety…like talismen?
Now, while I’m not entirely sure that the writers are this sophisticated, I wondered if he’s really on the edge in terms of his addiction. Part of an addiction is self-loathing (which leads you to do something that makes you feel better but always leads to you feeling worse). He’s struggling with a couple of things here–not only the rejection from Hannah but the patterns that he sees…and on top of that, in the back of his brain, it might feel like with this gamble, he’s fallen off the wagon again.
Cause I think he knows it was a gamble, just like he knew it was a gamble in 100. So he’s not only sad because he keeps losing…he’s sad and angry at himself because he keeps acting out his addiction in other manifestations than pool or cards. He also may be afraid because he knows addiction is a life-time thing, not something that is going to be “cured”.
He and Brennan both live their own fairy tales. He has the fairy tale in his system of romantic love (as Brennan pointed out earlier) that believes happily ever after without a strong dose of reality is possible. He’s got this over-eager expression on his face like it’s going to be for better or better rather than for the ascent and struggle. Brennan has had her own fairy tale systematically picked apart by Booth over these last seasons (the fairy tale that pure, logical rationality can be made into a relationship guide). But Booth is not ready to give up his own version of the fairy tale. I wonder what might be the equivalent of Brennan at some point saying to Booth from her vantage point “there’s someone out there for you…you just have to open your eyes.” What does that statement look like coming from Brennan to Booth…because it’s going to have to do more than just echo him–it’s going to have to cut into his fairy tale in an equivalent way.
February 11, 2011 at 11:07 am
Yes, yes and yes.
I think Brennan’s equivalent of “there’s someone out there for you…you just have to open your eyes” would be some variation of “what does the evidence tell you about what and who you care about in your life?”
I’m very excited about this idea that he’s acting out his addiction in other areas of his life. Maybe he chooses these women, who clearly don’t want a commitment, because he needs the stakes to be that high. He doesn’t want to “win” against easy odds, he wants to win against the highest possible odds.
Yesterday, I posted that I thought he was essentially addicted to Brennan, that his need to have her in his life on some level causes him to make all sorts of decisions that he ultimately regretted and felt guilty for. In a sense, she’s the highest odds of all, because she not only isn’t interested in marriage, she doesn’t even believe in love or temporary monogamy.
I am also thinking of the doctor in DitP. When her life got too stressful, she would go do something risky, like buy cocaine. Booth’s life has been a mess these last few weeks between Brennan’s confession and the sniper and his own feelings. So maybe the proposal was his “something risky”.
February 11, 2011 at 11:33 am
I have to agree with you on that, @Barbara. I couldn’t help but thinking that Booth HAD to expect a no from Hannah. I think he has heard her, but he wanted to push it a little too far too soon because he needed reassurance about his status in her life. I think this is what he idd with Brennan, too. I don’t think he’s consciously trying to torpedo the relationships he gets into, but, he’s a very impatient gambler (and insecure lover).
February 11, 2011 at 11:59 am
Great, great points Barbara and Cynthia; I missed the poker chip but there’s no doubt that it probably signifies something. I loved the idea of his gambling against great odds, and the fact that he might be fearing that this kind of addiction will never go away- thus dooming him to failure every time. I also think that in many of his relationships he truly comes across as the child or spouse of an addict; you know the person will not change their behavior (in his case not marrying, not wanting you completely) yet you stick around hoping that if you work hard enough, bend a little more, love enough, the behavior will change. And when it doesn’t, you blame yourself for being a failure. It’s probably what he saw his mother do and what he did himself with his dad.
February 11, 2011 at 10:57 am
Brennan has a chance to love him unconditionally. She can be his best friend and show him “it is worth the risk to love her one more time!”
All is good. They just need their friendship back and we will get there.
February 11, 2011 at 11:21 am
OMG-the final 10 minutes of this episode truly took my breath away; I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything as heartcrushing on Bones before, not the 100th, Not Judas, not Doctor. This was truly the pit of despair, the bleak cavern of doom. I must have watched the end at least five times and every single time it left me feeling vaguely ill. I mean, in how many ways can Booth hear the universe tell him that he’s not good enough? The unasked question at the bar for Booth was really not, what is wrong with this picture?, but what is wrong with me. And as to the answer to Brennan’s question about being drunk- my heart sank right down to my feet. I totally agree withMFLuder and RositaLG about how awful it was. He’s alone, drinking, his mind caught in some terrible loop involving his alcoholic dad and all the women that keep getting away. His answer made me want to cry: “I am not a drunk.” It’s said almost as if he needs to convince himself of that. In my opinion this was DB’s absolutely most powerful performance ever and I was literally both cringing and wanting to hug Booth the entire time. I think his breaking voice, so unbearably painful to hear, almost did me in.
Regarding the proposal, Booth is a romantic guy, yes, and maybe he has unrealistic expectations about love but the fact is that there are many people out there who do stay happily together for 30, 40, 50 years; I don’t think it’s wholly insane for him to picture himself in that situation. I can’t blame a guy who wants to believe that there is that kind of love out there even when he has never once experienced it in his own life, other than maybe through his grandfather. I mean, what role models has he had in this department to follow? So he might be at fault for picking the wrong women- I don’t know. But the fact is that people in lasting relationships tend to change things about themselves in order to better mesh as a couple, and often you don’t know what or when the change will be in yourself or the other person until you’ve been together for a while. In good relationships, both parties make adjustments and may willingly do things which may not have been all that appealing before because it brings happiness to the other person-I’ve done it. In fact, I don’t see how things would work without both parties compromising. Is it fair to blame Booth for thinking that a career woman might make compromises for him once she knew him better? He certainly tried to change for her. I’m with Cockybooth; he might be to blame because he wasn’t listening, but she must have had a pretty good indication of where he was heading with this (she hinted at it) and didn’t necessarily address it in the clearest of terms because she didn’t want to give up the fun.
As to him shutting Hannah out, what can we expect from a guy who feels that it wasn’t just a proposal which got rejected but him as a man? As if she took one good look at him and found him wanting? Good for a roll in the hay, but not so much for anything else? Our Booth is entlted to get really angry at least once at the unfairness that seems to be his life. His abusive dad, his abandonment, the killis he’s made, Rebecca, Cam, Tessa, Brennan, Jared and now Sweets calling him a loser (really guys-really???!!!); it all got distilled into that one moment of barely controlled fury with Hannah. It’s unfortunate that she took the brunt of what was essentially rage at the cosmos, but not for a second am I going to begrudge Booth his anger; he’s earned it. Just as he earmed the right to call the shots in the bar. He’s never really grown a set with Brennan because he’s always been so protective of her, always letting her dictate the terms of their relationship, but yesterday was the breaking point-it’s now a matter of sheer survival for him. And even though I ‘m not entirely sure what the “partners” choice means and probably neither do they, I think it ultimately boils down to a plea for normalcy, for the return of a pre-revelations time when life seemed a little simpler. I also think he was daring her to leave, to confirm for him once and for all the fact that he’s not worth it. And Brennan, wonderful Brennan, not only didn’t take the bait but agreed to the only thing that she knew would keep him in one piece: to stay under his terms, vague as they might be, just as he stayed for her before.
Sorry about the long post, but this episode is exactly why I love Bones. The situation as it played out was unexpected, and as things now stand, I’m dying to see how HH and the writers get B/B out of this one. Never what you think, but so good anyways!
February 11, 2011 at 12:07 pm
Maria, I loved what you wrote. I don’t begrudge his anger either.
February 12, 2011 at 10:46 am
I completely agree with everything you’ve written here.
I think Booth is very aware of what happens when someone gets angry (his father being the obvious example) which is why he tends to keep his under wraps (hence Sweet’s remark about him having a deep well of repressed rage – or whatever it was he said, can’t remember the exact words) so to see him letting some of that out can only be good for him, I reckon. His anger was still controlled, though (again unlike his father’s).
February 11, 2011 at 11:35 am
Given the limits he set look an awful lot like what they’ve had – especially this season – I think he’s still trying to control his feelings for her, with a strong side order of “I’m not going to do this again, not going to risk feeling this way again, about you or anyone else.”
Will he succeed? Not a chance in heck. I don’t see how he won’t, when he sobers up and gets past the initial shock and pain, know that Brennan still loves him and wants him…and is sticking with him, despite the pain.
That’s not to say he’ll want to risk himself anytime soon, but as he heals, her response will matter. It can’t not, given him, her, and who they are together.
February 11, 2011 at 11:57 am
What other options could Brennan have come up with?
I think it’s pretty clear that “What happens next?” was in regard to him and her. She made it clear she knew what had happened (Hannah had called her). She asked “what happens next?”. This was in no way connected to a case or an impression she had that he was going to change anything else. It was about him and what he was going to do with his heart. He pretty much answered her flatly- nothing. I’m angry with all of you. She began to say something and he stopped her. Partners or nothing, take it or leave it.
I find it comforting that she asks if these are her only options- because she’s listening and weighing what he said very closely. Ultimately she deferred to him, trusting him once again in the matters of the heart, but she was clearly disappointed in his options. For now, she stood by his side, willing to give him what he wanted. It was her reasonable act of loyalty and love- he’d done it for her.
But, what other options did she have in mind?
I can’t wait to hear the conversation they have once this comes to a head. Once they start really tackeling these barriers between them she may voice what else she had in mind this night, the other option she considered so important. I can’t wait to hear and I don’t think enough like her to presume…
Once they start having that conversation- wow! I wager it will be a beautiful confession of all that she’s come to learn about love from him. It will be a battle (or argument), as all things Booth and Brennan are- in their own delightful way 😉 – but it will epic. Telling. And wonderful 🙂
February 11, 2011 at 12:26 pm
The tears started welling yet again when I read your article. I’m still hurting from watching the episode last night. I like the points you make. Booth’s pain is real. He is mad and I’m very glad he’s finally admitting it. I also agree that there’s nothing wrong with him wanting a wife. As for your questions regarding whether or not his line will survive and what he’s stopping…I think Booth is going to go into a major protection mode. He’s been burned too many times now. That line is going to survive for a while I’d say. He’s not going to let himself show his heart. He probably won’t trust it either. I mean, Hannah obviously never had any intention of their relationship going any further. She thought she’d have more time before they got to that point? Which means Booth didn’t get it, didn’t see it, didn’t want to hear it…whatever you call it…but still, it’s going to be a blow that she thought that way. (My heart broke when he asked Brennan why women didn’t want what he had to offer.) I’d hazard a guess that for the time being, his walls are going to be almost as tall and well constructed as Brennan’s were. He’ll definitely need time to heal. In answer to one of your other questions…can he do the same thing over and over and expect a different outcome? No and Yes. No…Booth & Brennan will walk down the same path and he’ll remember that he loves her and why he loves her and they’ll end up right back where they started. Yes…because we have HH’s guarantee of a different outcome: they truly do get together…eventually.
February 11, 2011 at 12:42 pm
I enjoyed the emotional part of the episode. I think I forgot the case already, but that’s nothing new for me since I started watching the series. DB was incredible, ED was wonderful. Their portrayals of Booth and Brennan I believed to be true and I felt for them. But Hannah…I tried to be nice about her, but the whole thing about thinking she had more time…to break his heart? Felt too much like stringing him along. Would have gotten more sympathy if she said she just wasn’t ready or it was too soon. IMO, the day they both revealed their opposing ideas on marriage is the day that relationship should have ended. I do think that Booth doesn’t listen to what he doesn’t want to hear. I can’t speak for Rebecca, but Brennan and Hannah didn’t have subtle indicators and their reactions were in line with their beliefs. Still, I say poor Booth.
In Booth’s eyes, all the rejections are the same. But to me, Brennan’s was different. I felt that she was the only whose “No” came from a place of putting Booth first and thinking about what he wants/needs.
More and more, I don’t think that it’s “her fault” that she “lost” Booth, but maybe because I’m really rational, too. She didn’t feel like she could give him what he wanted/needed. I think she regrets not even trying to work something out, but I think she still has issues with Booth’s romanticized, ideal version of love. In BitB, she told Booth she still feels close to him despite all their contradictions. Booth said those didn’t really matter. Brennan responded that sometimes, looking at it through HIS eyes, she believes that. But Brennan has her doubts about (romantic) love conquering all. Now, Brennan knows she loves Booth, but she must struggle with whether Booth believes her love to be enough.
The biggest thing going for B&B is that their love for each other isn’t just romantic. At this point, I don’t even know if I can bear to think about them being together when they have a long way to go to get to that point. More important issues are on the table. Booth was taking it pretty hard. He moved from not being worth it in personal relationships to not being worth it in a professional manner. Was he standing up for himself? Maybe, but I don’t know. It sounded more like he was doubting himself. His “ultimatum” for Brennan came from a place of hurt. Like he wouldn’t be surprised if she didn’t want to work with him anymore and was trying to give her an easy out. When I watched it a second time, I did notice how she was struggling with her reaction to him. It was really hurting her to see him so hurt. I’m sure she never wanted to make him feel like he was worth it; she thought he deserved so much more than what she could offer (which may have been true at the time.) Maybe she will begin to see that she can love him better than anyone else can, and in fact, she does.
So much speculation goes on in this blog, somebody’s bound to be right 😉 I think Sarah has been of the belief that in the end, Brennan will be the one saving Booth. It’s definitely starting to look that way.
February 11, 2011 at 1:15 pm
I found myself pondering today when I wanted to claim that Brennan was the ‘first love’ that Booth was referring to in last week’s episode. I thought, well why is she the first when technically, by the sounds of it, Rebecca was the first. This led deeper into, why is Brennan ‘the one’ for him? There is no doubt in my mind that Brennan is the one for him and I think there are a million reasons for that. However, I think what you said here really proves it. “In Booth’s eyes, all the rejections are the same. But to me, Brennan’s was different. I felt that she was the only whose “No” came from a place of putting Booth first and thinking about what he wants/needs.” It proves that Brennan *is* different from all of the rest. This is obviously conjecture because we don’t know all of Booth’s past, but I think that what they have with each other is deeper than what either them have ever had with anyone else. And that really counts for something.
February 11, 2011 at 1:27 pm
He didn’t say “the first” last week, he said the one you love the most. It’s confusing because they are talking about it in the context of the polygamists first wife, which also happened to be the one he loved the most. I do agree that Brennan is different though.
February 11, 2011 at 4:59 pm
In S2 Truth in the Lye, Brennan asked Rebecca why she didn’t marry Booth. Her response was that she didn’t want to be one of those women who gets married out of need. She was too independent and thought it would change her. She acknowledged it may not have been the right decision, but it was too late when she did. So she was thinking of her needs at the time, not his.
February 11, 2011 at 2:12 pm
I agree that Brennan’s “No” was because she didn’t think she could give him what she deserves. I know think she realizes that she just might be able too. I have often thought Booth needed to give a little as well from the idealism of love. Sometimes it is the commitment that gets you through it not the love and feelings.
Their beginnings and relationship are based on a deep friendship and understanding of each other. Booth will risk his heart again. I have no doubt. This will all come full circle. The teacher (Booth) will become the student on love and the student (Bones) will become the teacher. She will remind him just like she did when Jared was getting married that his actions do not fall in line with what she knows he believes. This is all gonna be ok.
I think we might see Hannah again and Booth will be able to tell her no. Then Brennan can see that she (bones) is not his second choice. That Bones has been his only choice for a long time. I hope one day soon, Brennas will say that she said no in the 100th because “She was protecting him from her!” I hope he will realize that and realize it was love that lead her there….not just her rejecting him.
The line has been there before and they just danced around it. He put it there in the beginning because he knew how he felt about her. All will be will. They are on equal ground. He loves her, she loves him, and one day we will get to see it. I am way more confidant now than I have been in a long time. :):)
February 11, 2011 at 2:14 pm
Should have read “she didn’t think she could give him what HE deserves. “
February 11, 2011 at 1:04 pm
1) As has been said before: David Boreanaz was magnificent. What he can do with just his eyes or a tiny hitch in his voice. It just crushes the heart. I’ve watched that last scene several times now and I see more every time and my heart is crushed even more every time. He remains wildly under-appreciated by his peers. (Not to mention for the amazing director he’s turning into.)
2) Anyway, I’m glad we are rid of Hannah, but I am still not convinced about eventually because now I don’t see how you dig Booth out of this in a way that feels true to him and his pain and doesn’t take five more years. I mean how does the guy ever open his heart to any woman ever again? How does he not just turn on Brennan in a rage, blaming her for all this? Rejecting him, abandoning their partnership, and leading him to think he meant no more to her than anyone else in their team leading him to find comfort with another woman.
It’s been exhausting and painful to watch. Where does Booth get the strength to keep going at all? Why doesn’t he run away, if only metaphorically? Why doesn’t he find something with the Bureau that allows him to withdraw from everyone — write up training manuals or something? Will we see him spiral down into gambling again or some other addiction?
I still don’t see why (nearly) destroying these two (and what they had built) was the only way to bring them together.
I guess I see “just partners” as another device given where TPTB took the story nearly a year ago. Within that context, it is necessary, and it undoubtedly will give us more amazing performances from David and Emily. I just want to know whether they are going to drag this out longer than necessary and in a way that just depresses me further or wrap it up in a way that seems too quick and easy. I just don’t trust anything TPTB do any more, even that they will maintain the integrity of these characters and their storyline.
3) I find it interesting that no one has really commented on Sweets’s role in all this. This is the second time he has egged Booth on into a gamble with his heart and the second time it has been a disaster for Booth.
I love Sweets and think he is a good psychologist, but he keeps giving one of his closest friends a push into the worst possible action.
Is he not thinking the possible consequences through? Is this his way of trying to get B&B to face their feelings? (Kind of risky, I think.) Was he channeling Brennan when he said he didn’t want to be 40 and like Booth — being brutally, thoughtlessly honest?
I may hate what they’ve done to Booth (and Brennan), but I must admit they did what they needed to do to keep me watching (get rid of Hannah).
February 11, 2011 at 1:53 pm
I agree with you about Sweets, Angelena.
Like you said, Sweets has steered Booth the down path of hurt. I watched it again and I was angry at him. Sweets was gung-ho about proposing to Daisy, again – then chickens out. Not cool. I feel like Booth listens because he gets caught up in the romance. Clearly, that hasn’t worked out so well.
Ohhh, and when Hannah turned around and came back – I yelled.
I wonder what’s going to happen with the telephone Hannah gave him. I mean yeah, from her but Brennan planted the idea.
February 11, 2011 at 1:07 pm
OK, I have now watched the ending about 20 times and I still don’t know if I can make a coherent comment. I do feel that I totally get Booth, or, at least, I am not questioning any of his actions at all. I think in the 100th, he took the biggest blow of his life. He stayed with Brennan as partners, but when he met Hannah and it was so easy with her, the anger and hurt from Brennan’s rejection festered even more. Why couldn’t she give him that? It just ate at him which caused the distance and even meanness we witnessed in tiny doses over this season. I get that. The proposal to Hannah was knee-jerk. Speaking of knees, he didn’t even get down on one. He was desperate, it showed. He was trying to go forward with his life they only way he could and it just unraveled in front of him.
I just love the end scene. ED was just….luminous. She was like old Hollywood, doe-eyed wonderful the way she was looking at Booth. It was amazing. And DB was just perfect. The anger, the tears, all made sense to me. This is a hurt and hurting person. He never healed from Brennan and this just tore the scab off and it is bleeding all over the place.
Did anyone else notice that when he was listing his loves for Brennan, he mentioned her in the present tense. He said, “And then the next one, she’s…..and just trailed off. He didn’t say “she was you”….he said “She is…” and Brennan finished it. I am holding on to that!
February 11, 2011 at 9:19 pm
“Speaking of knees, he didn’t even get down on one.” I kept waiting for him to do so, but he didn’t, and that seemed out of character to me. This evening, I watched “The Skull in the Desert” from season one in which Brennan tells Booth that he is a “stodgy traditionalist when it comes to relationships.” Sounds like she would expect him to get down on one knee too!
And I completely agree that ED was luminous (perfect word) and DB was perfect. They ARE Brennan and Booth. They owned that scene. And you and I know what we’re talking about because together, we’ve seen it about 40 times! 🙂
February 11, 2011 at 1:42 pm
I’m jumping on the bandwagon apparently seeing as I must be late to this party, but still, I have to say my piece!
David. David David I’ve loved him through Buffy and I’ve loved him through Bones and MAN, he’s grown! And no not in just muscular body tone, but of course as an actor. Never ceases to make me not have sympathy pains no matter what it is. So of course, I was stunned and close to tears like everyone else and I was angry along side him; so much so that when he threw the ring and my mother went off on a tyrant that “she couldn’t believe he just did that!” I actually yelled at her to “shut up”. I shouldn’t have, but this was a crucial moment and I wasn’t about to miss a word! …I should probably remember to apologize later today. But anyways back to the episode!
The last ten minutes of this one made me more nervous and sad than anything else. I mean, with him drinking like mad I got worried there because I know how much he doesn’t care for his father’s horrible addiction, and I know how much he’d probably hate himself for becoming like his old man. I mean come on, he even got on to Jared in “Con Man itML”.
Now I have faith in Booth, but I also know he’s human and he’s been hurt. It wouldn’t be hard to take up old habits and want to wash away sorrows with alcohol. So I most likely share my worries with everyone else.
But I did love Brennan. Not that I never did, but this season has given me a new found respect for her. I’m not sure how to explain it without contradicting myself by thinking of instances before where she did this and that, but I just know that by her being there for him, instead of deciding that she shouldn’t get involved or something, was a wonderful thing that I’m sure Booth, even while intoxicated to some degree, appreciated beyond belief. I mean I bet if he wasn’t so mad and busy downing those shots he would have happily given her a hug.
Or at least, if he wouldn’t, I would have!
But let’s just say after 9 minutes and 50 seconds of worry lines and a downcast heart, that last 10 seconds where she agreed to choice number one made me smile again. Cause for me, I think for a moment the roles had reversed. Most of the time it’s Brennan who needs Booth’s shoulder or beautiful hugs, but in this case it’s Booth who’s in need of someone’s shoulder and who’s saying, “They’re not going anywhere.”
Yes I used that line. But it fits for this friendship again and I love it so much, even if you don’t see it that way.
But wrapping it up — I’m glad Brennan chose to drink.
February 11, 2011 at 1:55 pm
Too funny! I shushed my husband and practically shoved him into the kitchen during the same scene! Lucky for me he knows how insane I get on Thursday nights and he just rolled his eyes and left… How’s that, kicking out a real husband for an imaginary (but yummy) FBI agent…
February 11, 2011 at 2:23 pm
I’ll start off saying that I could not sleep for hours after watching this episode. I watched the ending 10-15 times before I could step away. I’ve read the reviews, comments, and tweets of many other viewers and one point keeps getting repeated: Booth didn’t listen when Hannah said she wasn’t the marrying kind. True is it very important to note but I refer to her first episode when she asked for a transfer to be with him. She said she’d never do that either. Not only that but she moved in with him after a very short period of time. Two steps he probably thought would never happen did happen. So why wouldn’t the possibility that, if she loved him enough, she would change her mind about marriage be on his mind. Like Brennan said, he gives himself completely.
What struck me most were the parallels to the 100th episode. I apologize if others have addressed this more eloquently but I couldn’t believe the similarities and contrasts. For one, odds were not in his favor either time. With Brennan, he knew it was not likely but he was imploring her to give them a chance. Not marriage, just trying to find a way to be together was his objective. The proposal to Hannah was an all or nothing shot because they were already together. Of course, her question “What happens now?” is so reminiscent of Brennan’s “Can we still work together?” yet mean completely different things. Brennan knew they couldn’t pretend this conversation never happened but he was too important to her to let him go. Hannah hoped he could go back to having a good time and pretend she hadn’t rejected him. His reactions were just as telling. Hannah’s No was finite in that she thought she had been clear enough. Therefore, he saw it as he was good enough to sleep with but not good enough to marry. His lack of gentleness or caring in her pain was obvious and very different from his dejection with Brennan. It was also in character for their whole relationship. Fast and furious is the best way to describe the beginning and end of it. In the 100th, Brennan told him that she didn’t believe she could change and she was protecting him. I mean it took him 5 working relationship years to get to the point where he made his move. When he said he knew, he also knew she was not a believer in lasting relationships. He didn’t like her answer but knew, outside of a romantic relationship, he was of value to her as a person. That statement could be considered a contradiction to his monologue in the bar but he was hurting and venting. He grouped those women together because it was still a rejection. If she was the same as Rebecca or Hannah, Booth would have not given her an option. He redrew the line from Season 2 and was very clear. It was now business only with the celebratory drinks when they catch the bad guys. It kind of reminded me of his territorial speech about Wong Fu’s. It seems like we’re back at square one but that’s not true. They both know their real feelings. Brennan didn’t dismiss his anger or hurt but accepted what he offered. He did the same for her in the 100th episode. The difference being she has changed and so has he. Where those differences will lead them is the next part of the journey.
A more direct answer to your question of being just partners is that they have never truly been equal partners during the previous seasons. The attraction was always there. The respect grew over time as did the affection. They had reached a certain comfort level without actually acknowledging any true feelings in Season 4. The finale blew that to bits. Brennan began to realize how important he was to her and it frightened her. Of course, Booth realized and admitted to himself (and Cam and Gordon Gordon) that he did love her. So Season 5, as previously discussed, was his journey to erase the line. Season 6 has been intended to do the same for Brennan (based on interviews and some speculation). Maybe now with all their thoughts and feelings laid on the table, they can truly be partners. No pretense, no misunderstandings, no eggshells, just working together towards one goal. No, I don’t really want to wait until Season 7 for eventually but wouldn’t have wanted them to be like Hodgins & Angela either. They got together halfway through Season 2 then planned a wedding, spent Season 3 looking for her ex-husband, broke up to start Season 4, then got married in a jail cell near the end of Season 5. They took seasons 2-5 to get it right so why would two more emotionally damaged individuals such as Brennan and Booth be expected to just fall together quickly. Once B&B get together, I don’t want that type of stuff to happen. I don’t expect it to be all happily ever after all the time just real. Disclaimer: I have only been watching live episodes since S5. I own all the DVDs so them getting to this point has not been as long for me as others and I am probably more patient for that reason. I’ll take slow & powerful over impulsive and silly any day.
February 11, 2011 at 2:47 pm
I absolutely loved this episode. I think it is probably the best of this season. What I really appreciated was the controlled anger that Booth exhibited in that final scene. FOr me, it was high time he got angy. I felt not one single bit of sympathy for Hannah nor did I object to Booth’s refusal to even look at her after her rejection. There was not going to be any “negotiating” that relationship at all in Booth’s eyes. I also loved the controlled anger he had with Bones. I didn’t feel he lashed out at her but his angry determination to control his life at that point was the only way he was going to make it through that night. He had to be controlled. He had to be angry. Because let’s face it…there is nothing horribly wrong with the guy….as Angela said…he’s one of the good ones. The fact that he was sitting there probably wondering what the hell is wrong with HIM that these women reject him is what broke my heart. This combined with his history as an abused and abandoned child…controlled anger was much needed. He’ll have to figure out what’s wrong with him before he can move on, again. As Bones said…he has an idealized romantic notion of love…as far as who he is a character…his failing is that he trusts to easily with his heart. (Hmm?…maybe I have an idealized version of Booth …lol.) The guy just wants to be loved…can someone please love him!!!
I think this was said before but I’ll say it again. I believe the difference between Brennan vs Hannah and Rebeccas is that Brennan’s actions in the 100th episode were 1) she didn’t know if she was capable of love and thus couldn’t change 2) she was protecting Booth. Hannah and Rebecca’s decisions were purely selfish — Hannah because she’s not the marrying kind and is a good time girl and Rebecca because she wanted to be independent. This is what sets Bones apart from the other two women he had loved…and yes…I do believe he loved Hannah…but it was based on unreal expectations and an inability to see who she really was. Why? Perhaps as Bones said..he’s got an idealized romantic notion of love. When Hannah entered the picture he was still hurt by Bones’ rejection. As he said last night…he was looking to just have a good time. But when she went to DC to be with him…that changed things. He never expected to see her after he left Afghanistan and her surprise change in address turned his world upside down. He was probably astounded with the knowledge that someone had essentially given up a job and moved across the world for HIM. This had never happened before…so he was living in a haze of love because of Hannah’s move. That was the one thing she gave him that no one else had. But how do you go from seeing this woman as a “good time” to proposing to her? Because his overwhelming need to be loved and have a family was stronger than really seeing what was in front of him. After Rebecca and Brennan, Booth was in love with the idea of being loved and having a family of his own. That’s not the same, to me, as being in love with the right person. I think the high divorce rate in this country is indicative of the fact that people get married for stupid reasons. This is why I don’t see Brennan as second choice or the rebound girl (if they ever get together) as so many are already describing her in other forums.
What did I love about Brennan in that final scene? 1) She wasn’t afraid to seek out Booth after the phone call from Hannah. She KNEW he needed comforting. Isn’t this HUGE for her? 2) She acknowledged that SHE was one of the women Booth had LOVED. Again…is this not HUGE for our sometimes clueless Brennan…or rather our Brennan that believes love is just chemical reactions in the brain? I loved it. What does this tell me? More change is happening in her life. And why is this good? Aside from the obvious, my hope is that Booth will see….if Brennan is actually able to change her ideas about LOVE….then…what does this mean about how I felt for her….she’s becoming a person that is open to love…how do I fit in in her world? Do I give it another chances? See…the obstacle of Brennan’s inability to change is slowing being removed….and they will hopefully be on the same page at the same time. How do you move them together? Brennan has to continue to be open about her feelings and continue to change…and she has to show Booth all of this. Maybe not immediately…but, she’s with him everyday…something is bound to break down the walls that are currently up around Booth’s heart. This is my shipper hope at play here… 🙂
February 11, 2011 at 3:30 pm
This is going to be a long post, so apologies in advance.
My first reaction last night was that I couldn’t believe that Booth actually proposed. It broke my heart a little bit to see him go that far with Hannah, especially after the longing looks he’s being throwing Brennan’s way the past few episodes. So I backed off and tried to consider from a purely intellectual point of view to see what I could come up with.
When Booth is in the bar wondering why all the women in his life don’t want what he’s offering, I had two reactions. One was to feel badly for him, because we’ve all been in that spot. But the second reaction was to put the question right back to him. So I ask Booth, you’ve just listed off three major unsuccessful relationships in your life, what is the common factor? That comes off a little harsh, but what I really mean is that maybe it’s time for him to examine HIS role in each of these relationships and decide his responsibility. Up until now, many of us thought that this show was the story of Booth teaching Brennan lessons about love. After last night, I think it’s equally about him learning some lessons as well. Brennan’s blind spot regarding love is her overintellectualization of its existence to guard herself from its potential hurt (brain). Booth’s blind spot is his overromanticizing what love should be without allowing for the fact that love is not a black and white picture, but rather endless shades of gray (heart).
I simultaneously felt bad for Hannah and blamed her somewhat for last night’s scene. When she pointed out that all along she said she was not the marrying type, but Booth hadn’t listened, it showed how little he knew her. When she mentioned that she knew this was coming but wished they had more time before it happened, it showed how little she knew him. Both were subconsciously hoping that their different views would magically reconcile, which almost never happens. Again, this is realistic, as I’ve known so many people who hope against hope that the “things” that they don’t like about their romantic partner will somehow resolve themselves or become not important.
Lastly, Booth’s proposal (at least to me) failed because it was about him as an individual, not him and Hannah as a couple. He got the idea based on Sweets statement about his age and not wanting to end up like him, he had the idea of marriage as something he wanted for himself, and even his proposal to Hannah was based on him loving her for making him feel loved again (He said something like when he met her he had thought he’d never find anyone right for him at that point in his life). Everything that drove the proposal was a “ME”-based thought, rather than an “US” based thought. You marry because you and your romantic partner are equally invested in a lifetime of partnership and love and want to recognize that formally. You don’t marry because it’s something you always saw for yourself and it seems like the person you’re with would be a good fit with that idea.
I think I have officially run out of steam!
February 11, 2011 at 4:35 pm
Now for something completely different…
I have nothing to add to the (brilliant) comments above. I have a question about chronology.
I know they film in advance, but fercryinoutloud, it is OCTOBER in this latest ep. What is the timeline here? Was it May at the airport, was it December when they returned (“Seven months later”), when was DitP, is it friggin’ October now, and, above all, since reportedly next week’s episode is specifically a V-Day affair for the first time ever, is it going to be February next week, and is everybody going to be as emotionally raw as if it’s only been seven days since these events (not that I expect them to be addressed)? I am just all sorts of confused.
February 11, 2011 at 4:59 pm
I have been thinking about this too. I don’t get it! I am trying to figure out a way in my mind for them to still meet at the coffee cart one year later, but I can’t figure out how long it’s been and what season it is!!!
February 11, 2011 at 5:12 pm
I find it more enjoyable to watch the show by not holding them to a strict timeline like that. If you do, HH would say good luck with that. I think it’s to allow them more flexibility with storytelling.
February 11, 2011 at 8:04 pm
Well I decided that the scene last season at the airport took place in February. No evidence of that, it’s just what I decided to make things fit for me. They really never did give us a date. If it was February, then 7 months later would be September, then we’d have DitP in October. Then this last episode sometime between October 2010 and February 2011. So we’d stil have time for the coffee cart on the anniversary, but not much time at all.
Of course there is also the fact that in Queenbee they said Brennan graduated in 1994 and it was her 15 year reunion, which would have put that in 2009. So who knows when we are now. I don’t think even HH or SN know.
February 11, 2011 at 5:07 pm
Oh, Seels! I’m going to try and stay on-topic here; I tried to respond at your GMMR review first, because I have a lot of off-topic stuff going on inside of my head, but I got about a third of the way through the responses over there and realized that I was thoroughly irritated and sad. People here are so much more reasonable, civil, and so much less dramatic and hysterical! It makes it much easier for me to want to respond. So. Here we go.
First, I just…I wouldn’t wanna marry Booth. I mean, my heart’s not even mine to give any more, but even if it were…jeez. He knows how to pick ’em. Hannah repeatedly freaks out at the notion of more intimacy and he ignores it, then proposes? I will admit that it took me a few readings of your 100 Reasons post and several repetitions of happy songs like “No Envy, No Fear” and “Collide” to still the indignant-for-fellow-woman dragon that took residence in my head. I am calmer, now, and can rationally sit back and say: Poor, stupid Booth. It is a shame that his man-brain informs him that he must get married and that hey, even though the woman he loves hasn’t ever seemed to keen on it, SURELY she still wants to marry him? It really is. He doesn’t deserve it. Well. He sort of does, but I’m trying for reasonableness, right now.
Ignoring the calm-but-still-there dragon in my head who reminds me that Hannah was crying too, the tears in his eyes at the bar are what did me in and kept me from hurling a shoe at the TV. That and the fact that yeah, he was sitting there, angry drunk and alone — but he’s not a drunk. He’s made of much better stuff than his old man, even though he is a man, and as I’ve been told since I was five, “If it has a (we’ll say man-parts since I’m not certain how strict the censor-ness is here…*g*), try to avoid it.” because they invariably only bring pain, even when they’re Booth. Okay! Okay. Enough of my crying about all that. That’s not on-topic, but it might help explain some of my feelings for the questions…
If they are ‘just partners’ now, then does that confirm they were never ‘just partners’? And…if they continue to do everything the exact same (in theory), per his rules (solve cases, work together, argue, go back and forth, be good at catching bad guys, sharing a drink, celebrating, chitchat), will his ‘line’ survive? Can he do the same thing over and over and expect different results?
I’m sick and blooming tired of lines. …ahem. Uh. Hey, if they’re ‘Just Partners’ even now, I will eat my hat. They never have been and never will be ‘Just Partners’, no matter what either of them think. It’s just not feasible that two people who are so close, who are such good friends, could be…and you know, there isn’t even any ‘Just Partners’, because ‘Partner’ is a very, very loaded word. Lots of different meanings. And well, he’s clearly insane, but generally the best people I’ve known are a little bit on the insane side, so uh…maybe they can make it work for them. I don’t know. Probably not? There need to be more angry conversations. More anger on both sides. More working things out.
What was he ‘stopping’? What was he putting an end to? And how does Brennan completely understand? AND….how will everyone else react? It’s been a hot topic that the J-team seems to have accepted Hannah with no problem, but now how will they react to this? And how will they treat Brennan regarding Booth? Like it’s her turn to make a move?
You know, Brennan and I usually seem to think along the same wavelengths — I understand what she says. What she means when she says things, at least. HOW she knows what he meant, though, I haven’t the foggiest. I definitely don’t know what he thinks he’s going to be putting a stop to, but the man is insane if he thinks he’s going to succeed. Then again, we’ve already been over that. Hm. I don’t know how the team will react, either. I hope Cam catches wind and tears Booth a new one, though. Maybe Hannah too, but I still feel really awful for Hannah for the most part, sooo. I hope that Ange and Brennan have a heart-to-heart, and my strange little heart REALLY hopes that Daisy is involved, because I have issues and love Daisy and think it would be cute. That, or Cam. I love me some Cam, too. OR. Or Hodgins. Because Hodgins and Brennan bonding time has always been about the cutest thing ever (beyond him eating Cam’s lunch, probably because Angela ate his…*g*). Heck, if she had a breakdown and cried on Clark’s shoulder, that would be pretty great, too. I just don’t want it to be swept under the rug.
Dude, I’m going to shut up now. My bad. Ha. This wasn’t even HALF of what’s going on in my head, but it’s all I’ve got that’s even close to on-topic, so…
February 11, 2011 at 5:15 pm
I’m new to posting here but have been reading for a while and what a great site! Thanks for taking the time to create and update it! There is soooo much to say on this episode but I think everyone has touched on one thing or another. To me, four things stood out:
I’m new to posting here but have been reading for a while and what a great site! Thanks for taking the time to create and update it! There is soooo much to say on this episode but I think everyone has touched on one thing or another. To me, three things stood out:
1) Booth’s utterly cold anger towards Hannah. What a contrast to his reaction to Brennan in the 100th. I think it’s really indicative of the different levels of feeling he had for both women. I think he proposed to Hannah for the same reason that he kept declaring his love for her this entire season (and consider how private he is/was about Brennan and his feelings for her). Instead of “thou does protest too much” it was “thou does declare it too much.” It was a man trying to convince himself that he could move on–and he didn’t and he can’t.
2) The obvious parallels between Brennan’s response to Booth here and his response to her in the 100th.
3) Booth’s description of their partnership when he gave Brennan the ultimatum. He made it sound so….superficial (“chit chat”??). It reminded me of how, when they first met Sweets, they said that if they weren’t partners they would “just grab coffee”. Riiiight. The truth is that their partnership was always more than just mere catching bad guys, celebrating with a drink and chit-chatting. They have a friendship that most people only dream about and I think it was curious and telling that he made an effort to demean and/or reject THAT with his words. It’s not like he said “I just want to be friends” or even “I just want to partners.” It was “I just want to be a work colleague who you make small talk with after we catch a bad guy.” Of course her mere presence there blew the notion that that is all they will have, right out of the water but still, he said it. So why did he do it (or am I the only one who felt he DID do that)? Is it just because he’s really pissed? Is it because he thinks that THIS will be how he will get over her (yeah right)? Is it because he’s somehow testing her to see if she will take even a slight piece of the pie if she can’t have the whole thing (like he did in the 100th)? I think we’ll need to see his behavior in the episodes that follow, but I’m curious about what everyone thinks.
February 11, 2011 at 5:18 pm
All angles have been covered already. Just this: I am fed up with Hanson & Co. and their arrogant, bullyish treatment of their fans. This is no longer believable, this whole season so far has been nothing but a poorly-executed stalling exercise. I’m quitting Bones for my own self-worth and sanity. By the way, see how the comments here as well as at the GMMR review are almost totally split in either loving it/DB was great, or hating it with a passion? Emotion from the fans is good, sure, but not when it becomes a war with two diametrically opposed camps, one of which is (about to) jump ship altogether. TPTB’ve killed the goose that lays the golden eggs.
February 11, 2011 at 7:28 pm
Um, actually most folks here seem to have loved it. I don’t know how you can call the staff bullyish…this is their show as much as it’s always been, and creators shouldn’t cater to their fans, IMO. Fanservice is fun but ultimately empty, and has almost never been something the Bones folk give into. And the one time they did (Season 4 finale), everyone crowed about how it was cheap and forced. I mean, if the show is only about them getting together, haven’t all six seasons been a stalling tactic?
I don’t mean to start a fight, I just don’t understand the intense negativity.
February 12, 2011 at 1:25 pm
I don’t understand the negativity either. The writers and producers know where they want to take the show. The fans are along for the ride. It may be a wild ride; but, wow, I love it.
February 11, 2011 at 5:20 pm
Woops, I’m technological kryptonite. Sorry for a repeat of the first paragraph, no clue how that happened (and it isn’t even all word for word the same…weird!).
February 11, 2011 at 5:25 pm
So this episode left me absolutely gutted but I will try to be coherent. I feel compelled to write something but I will try not to add to what you all have said beautifully. I was absolutely heartcrushed for Booth, just like in the 100th but it was worse for some reason. In the scene with Hannah I started to hear Angel’s voice and then I was all like “poor Booth!” “poor Angel!” “poor Booth!” and then I was pretty much a mess for the rest of the night. I don’t understand why these women keep turning him down because I’d have said yes to Booth last night. I’m already married but I would’ve said yes and just dealt with it later. 🙂 I felt bad for Hannah but I was still angry with her. I felt like she wasn’t committed to him at all, if she were she would have said I can’t marry you but I’m committed to you, I’m still in it for the long haul, whatever. Like in Four Weddings and Funeral where Charles asks if she would be willing to “not marry me. And would you be willing to not be married to me for the rest of our lives.” (or something like that) And then the whole “I was hoping we’d have more time”. More time for what? To shag before I break your heart? Brennan warned her and H insisted she was serious. I guess not that serious… And people keep bringing up that Booth goes for “strong independent women” and that’s why they won’t commit to him. I know plenty of strong independent women who can marry and have committed relationships. They’re not mutually exclusive! “Booth’s” women all have issues with commitment in relationships. It has little to do with being strong and independent. And my last point… Last night I felt like B&B were even farther from being together than ever. After the Bonesology chat last night, (they talked me off the ledge again), reading posts today and re-watching, I feel better. In that last scene once I got past seeing Booth so hurt, I really saw Brennan’s resolve and her commitment and her calm. She was truly there for him. Right in that horrible moment with him and she was hurting herself but she was able to be strong and just be what he needed without her feelings getting in the way. They are still there for each other. I think that’s the main point to take away from all this.
February 11, 2011 at 6:34 pm
‘I really saw Brennan’s resolve and her commitment and her calm. She was truly there for him. Right in that horrible moment with him and she was hurting herself but she was able to be strong and just be what he needed without her feelings getting in the way.’
Completely agree. She didn’t run – she stayed, and I have a feeling that this is how she has grown since the 100th. She showed such strength and I think that she can be Booth’s rock now.
February 11, 2011 at 6:01 pm
Last night, I tweeted, “I’m more optimistic now than I was after the 100th. No one’s running away. They’re catching bad guys together. This is good.”
This comment is not really on topic, and I apologize for how long it ended up being. I just had all these thoughts in my head, and I eventually had to work through them and throw them out here.
Upon reflection, I’m ok with the proposal itself. I’m just trying to understand why it came down to a proposal in the end. Early in the episode, Brennan told Booth, “You have an idealistic and highly romanticized notion of love.” I’m not sure I agree with that exactly, but Booth’s notion of love does seem to include marriage. Or does it?
Booth and Hannah met in Afghanistan, right after Booth took his biggest gamble, romantically speaking, and left the world he was building around Brennan, half a world away. Leading up to the all important question, Booth told Hannah that when he met her, it was at a time when he wondered if he was ever going to meet anyone again. It wasn’t Hannah’s fault that she came along at a time when Booth was low, lonely and alone. Maybe all he wanted was a pleasant distraction under a fig tree.
But then Hannah moved to DC, found a job that is clearly not her passion, and moved in with Booth. She became part of his world. Maybe she’s not the marrying type, but she committed to Booth in her own way. I believe they loved one another. But despite Hannah telling him repeatedly that she is not the marrying type, Booth still decided to propose. Maybe it was the gambler in him that couldn’t resist taking that chance.
Hannah knew it was coming. She expected a proposal in an earlier episode and was relieved when it didn’t happen. Then she told Booth that she thought they would have more time before they got to this (meaning the proposal). It seems a lot of people think that she was merely stringing Booth along until an inevitable proposal derailed the good thing they had going. I don’t think that’s the case. I don’t think this strong, independent career woman would have sacrificed her freedom and career (to a certain extent) if she didn’t love Booth. Maybe Hannah thought that she and Booth could commit to one another without being married, and if enough time passed during which they loved one another and were committed to one another, maybe Hannah thought Booth would no longer think marriage was necessary. He told her he was the marrying kind, and she said, “I know.” I think it took the proposal to convince her that he is the marrying kind, and nothing short of marriage will do.
At the end of the episode, when Booth tells Brennan about the women he is mad at – and he goes with evidence over anecdote – he starts with Rebecca, then “the next one, she’s…” When Brennan said “me,” it literally took my breath away. I just can’t help but wonder what Booth would have said about her had she not cut him off. And why was it present tense? I don’t think he was going to say something as mundane as, “She’s sitting next to me.” She’s what, Booth? I really wish I knew what he wanted to say.
Then I started really thinking about each of Booth’s relationships. If Booth’s notion of love includes marriage, then I think it’s important to look at the circumstances surrounding the chances he took with each of the three women he loved/s. Booth brought it up, so let’s go with it. He wanted to marry Rebecca. Marriage was important to Booth’s notion of love because it would bind him to Rebecca and Parker and make them a family. He wanted to marry Hannah. Here, marriage was important to Booth’s notion of love, but why? Because Sweets convinced him that at his age, it was sad that he had never married? Maybe. Because despite everything Hannah said against marriage, her actions conveyed commitment, so he took a chance? Maybe. Because his gut told him he should marry Hannah? Maybe.
However, in the 100th, when he made his “proposal” to Brennan, Booth talked about older couples who have been in love for 30 or 40 or 50 years and told her that he needed to find someone who would love him like that. He never talked of marriage. (Although he has dreamed of being married to Brennan.) But this all leaves me wondering if Booth’s notion of love has to include marriage or if his notion of love is just that it will last – 30 or 40 or 50 years – and the love itself will be enough.
I applaud the writers for how subtly and expertly they handled each woman’s reaction to the changes taking place. Hannah asked Booth, “What happens now?” Now, meaning in this moment, not some time in the future. Because the choices made in that moment will define them. They don’t have a future, despite the fact that Hannah doesn’t think they’re done. Brennan asked Booth, “What happens next?” Next, meaning in the moment after this one. Because the choices made in that moment will define them too. But they have a future. Next implies a future. Brennan is so nervous when she asks Booth what happens next. It reminded me of how she seemed late in their conversation in the 100th. Both times, I think she was afraid to lose her partner. But she didn’t lose him. After the 100th, they ran away from one another. This time, no one’s running. Booth gave Brennan the chance to run. She didn’t take it. Therefore, I’m optimistic. But I’m giving it time.
My hope now is that a scientist can change and a gambler cannot.
February 11, 2011 at 6:07 pm
“My hope now is that a scientist can change and a gambler cannot.” THIS!
I love that you mentioned the “now” and “next” difference between Brennan and Hannah. It was extremely telling. I also would love to know what Booth would have said. However, I have the feeling it’s better when we don’t know. Keeps us watching.
February 11, 2011 at 9:04 pm
Thanks! It’s my new mantra. I just keep repeating it to myself over and over again.
You’re right – it is better that we don’t know what Booth would have said. Maybe he’ll say it (and more!) “eventually.”
February 11, 2011 at 6:31 pm
yes yes yes! the subtleties in the differences between the 3 women is a stand out.
February 11, 2011 at 7:56 pm
One thought I had on why Booth asked Hannah to marry him even though she’d told him many times that she was not the marrying kind was because she had also said that she couldn’t follow him back to the states then she did just that. I think he thought that she’d do the same thing when presented with a marriage proposal. She change her mind and say yes. I don’t think he realized she’d already compromised/changed as much as she could for him.
When rewatching I really felt that he did latch on to the idea of proposing then because Sweets comments awakened in him the need he has long held to be married. It’s something he has said for a long time that he sees in his futher. When Sweets said what he did it made Booth realize that time was slipping by and he decided now is the time. Now don’t get me wrong I’m not saying Sweets is at fault for this because he is not. It was Booth’s decision, and it’s what he wanted, he desperately wants to be married.
February 12, 2011 at 6:34 am
Excellent article (not just comment, I love BT for great articles and great comments most of all are like articles). And what about “she is…”. Oh I’m too want to hear that Booth would say. Maybe “she is only who admitted her mistake, she is only who was always with me…”. I like how you mentioned the “now” and “next” difference. And like was mentioned earlier in coments – Brannan was only one woman about he said in present tense. SHE IS. And they are have interesting future!
February 11, 2011 at 6:13 pm
I just have to comment again…
I totally believe that Brennan’s rejection was because she knew she could not give him what he wanted. Or at least she didn’t think he could. She would not even go there because she couldn’t give him forever.
It looks like Hannah knew it would come to this. So did Hannah know she could not give him what he wanted but went down that road anyway?
I think there is a difference. Hannah said no because it is not her. Brennan said no because she didn’t want to hurt him. I really do believe Brennan’s no was more noble.
I can remember after a bad break up saying “I hate men!”” I am never dating again. Add some or a lot of alcohol to it…There is no telling what I said. Booth is pissed. I understand. He is thinking “What is wrong with me?” Why is being married to me so terrible?
Give him some time. This is all going to be fine.
I have re-watched the last scene several times. I don’t hear “We are JUST partners. Nothing is ever gonna happen. I am done. Take it or leave it.” I head “I don’t want to talk about it. Stay and drink or leave.” I hear “I hate women. I hate all of you!” Stay and be my partner and friend or leave and I will find you a new FBI guy.” I never heard “I am putting the line back. We are ONLY partners for ever and nothing more.”
He needs a friend and Brennan is that friend. No matter what. That is love people.
February 11, 2011 at 6:28 pm
When I was watching this last night I kept egging Booth on saying, “don’t do it, don’t propose,” and then when he did I was egging on Hannah to say no. And then she did, and I saw Booth’s expression and was heartbroken. He looked just like a lost little boy. The saddest part, though was when Hannah was trying to get him back, suggesting they could just start over, because in that moment I realised I’d grown to love to hate Hannah (I still loved her in someway, just like TPTB said. They were right!!) and I realised then that Booth really needed her, but then also was probably better without her if she had thought they would’ve had more time, so she could just crush his heart later. I was confused (unless you haven’t worked that out from the jumble of words above). And it was horrible, and cruel. But I loved it, and I couldn’t have thought of a better way to end the Burley/Booth arc.
I was so relieved when Booth told Brennan that he was “more drunk then usual” but that he was “a drunk.” Before that I had been so worried that he was going to turn into his father, even though I knew Booth would never do such a thing, and even when he was becoming enraged with Brennan sitting right there I was worried for her. And for him. I was so glad when he was just honest with her though. It was so close to a fight that I thought BT was predicting the future haha. I just… his complete confusion and frustration over every woman he has ever loved rejecting was so realtistic. A few weeks ago I was rewatching episodes and I asked myself on lj why it is that Booth is always attracted to women with commitment issues. I laid out all the evidence, from all the relationships he’s had that we know of and I still couldn’t come to one conclusion, so I’m so excited that they addressed it on the show. Okay i’m getting off topic, point is DB was AMAZING, and I can’t believe Bones still hasn’t won an award with the amount of award-winning, emotionally draining performances that have arisen in this season alone.
I think Booth’s “partners” speech was him just trying to get a chance at his old normal life, before Aghanistan, and the 100th. However, they have never been “partners”, they have always been “just partner” (there’s a difference in my mind. Yes it’s just a phrase, but that one little difference can mean a lot), and I doubt B&B can stay “partners” for very long. They pretty much already default to “just partners” due to their natural UST and confessed feelings and the fact that I believe now Brennan is going to be the one to teach Booth to use his heart again.
I find your question regarding the J-teams reactions really interesting. I’m not sure what they’ll do. They can’t get mad at Booth, obviously, but I don’t really feel as if they can push Brennan too hard either. Yes Hannah’s gone and all that jazz, but I think that unless Brennan asks for advice, they should just let her be. She knows Booth better then anyone else, and she knows her ways of charming him. She’ll be fine.
Okay, hope at least a little bit of that made sense, I think after all the emotions of it I just needed a muse and wrote. I will finish on one thing though, I am so happy that Bones is still Bones. Everyone is completely to character, everyone is just acting as they should. It is times like this when I sit back and understand just why I am obssessed with this show soo much.
February 11, 2011 at 6:59 pm
Forgive me, I haven’t had a chance to read all the comments yet – and knowing the insightful and intelligent folk that meander round these parts I’m sure everything interesting I have to say has already been said; like I mentioned – forgive me.
That said, I can’t help but dive in with 3 things…
1. David Boreanaz – you rock my world. I LOVE how he embraces a big scene. Such understatement. Such subtlety. Through the eyes and the cracking voice he reveals a lifetime of pain. ‘I’m not a drunk’. Has ever a more heartfelt statement been said on TV? Amazing. Beautiful. Moving.
2. Did anyone notice how when Booth arrived at the Founding Fathers and walked up to the bar, the first thing he threw on the bar was his poker chip? A split second, he spun it in his fingers and set it down and it spoke VOLUMES to me about where the character was in that moment, the internal struggle. Incredible attention to detail. I love this show 🙂
3. I don’t think Booth can afford to throw a ring like that in the river (or pond or lake or whatever it was) Sure it’s dramatic, but Booth – think of the future! haha.
Loved the first 2 and last 10 minutes of this episode, the middle left me a bit dry, but the rest makes up for it. I think when Hannah said she thought they’d have more time before they got to that – she meant she thought she’d have more time to reconcile him to the idea that she wanted a life with him that doesn’t involve marriage, but that still involved love and commitment.
On watching a couple of times, I’m struck that, man, Booth was cold with her after she said no. He couldn’t believe he’d got into that position again. But he was beautiful in his anger and honesty at the end – I can fully believe that he’s done. He’s lost the faith. He finally believes, thanks to all the evidence presented to him, that’s he’s not worth it. He’s done. And it’s going to be up to Brennan. She who never believed in love, or monogamous relationships or marriage or transcendent or eternal love, is going to be the one to make him believe again. That’s beautiful. And I love her for staying with him at the end. She’s with him always.
February 11, 2011 at 7:33 pm
Hmmm maybe they did this so that Brennan would have her reason for marriage. In Goop she said that she had never found a reason for getting married, so now she’ll have a reason, it’ll be to prove to Booth that he is worth it. It’s a thought.
February 11, 2011 at 7:45 pm
Oh, I so hope you are right!! That is a beautiful thought!
February 11, 2011 at 9:10 pm
I agree. It’s a beautiful thought. It fits into the whole redemption concept. Brennan’s redemption through Booth, and then Booth’s redemption through Brennan. I recently jumped on the redemption bandwagon, and the folks there said there’s plenty of room for more!
February 12, 2011 at 6:44 am
Excellent thought! I love it! Hope we will see it
February 11, 2011 at 10:10 pm
It suposse to be the reflecting pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial.
Looks a bit different then in real life.
February 12, 2011 at 12:59 am
What if… as apart of the whole “redemption concept” Brennan actually voices the first true, “I love you” to Booth? Seems plausible to me at this point… just a thought.
@Marle Barle, I live in the D.C. area and love the shots, but the way the camera/set make D.C. appear, is so not what it looks like. Haha. They were standing in front of the Lincoln, looking out onto a pool like the Tidal Basin–with the Jefferson Memorial across the way.
February 11, 2011 at 7:11 pm
Also – I heard a beautiful song this week – ‘Someone like you’ by Adele, and a snippet of the lyrics seem to suit our Bones world right now…
Don’t forget me, I beg, I remembered you said:-
“Sometimes it lasts in love, but sometimes it hurts instead”
Have a great weekend everyone x
February 11, 2011 at 7:52 pm
I’ve already made my insightful comments. I just wanted to say it’s funny (sarcasm here) that Booth was trying to act like he didn’t need or want Brennan anymore. He told her she could leave, where the door was, and he would find her another FBI agent. As if he would really let that happen! Now, I am glad (and proud) that Brennan stayed for him like a good friend, and she didn’t force a conversation with him at this point. But part of me wanted to see what would have happened if she had walked out that door, and how long it would have taken for Booth to go after her and her offer of friendship. Ok, mini-rant over.
February 12, 2011 at 6:42 am
I don’t think he would have let her really walk away either. Maybe in the moment, but not when the haze cleared. That would have essentially been abandonment on both their parts and I just don’t see that happening at this point. Don’t get me wrong, I think he meant what he said, but the way his voice broke when he told her she could walk out the door and he’d find her a new FBI guy tells me that he wasn’t prepared for her to exercise that option.
February 11, 2011 at 10:59 pm
I took Booth’s ultimatum at the end to be that he wouldn’t blame Brennan for walking out as he wasn’t good company right then and he was so down on himself. I’m glad she was able to understand that right now he just needs someone to be on his side and listen to him and she can be that kind of friend for him.
Hannah just seems like she was in the relationship for herself and what she got out of it and not as an equal partner. She thought they had more time? Before what? Before Booth would realize that she was only a good time girl and not in it for the long haul?
I thought I wouldn’t like it if Booth proposed but now that he has, I get what TPTB are doing. I am trusting that our B & B are in good hands.
February 11, 2011 at 11:19 pm
Can I just say you all just rock! It is so nice to come to a site a read insightful, thoughtful, intriguing, positive comments. I have quit every other Bones site I used to visit because of the constant bashing and negativity. I am in heaven here. Thank you all so much for sharing!
February 12, 2011 at 11:24 am
I am in complete agreement with you addicted2bnz, I, too, have abandoned most of the other Bones sites for the same reason. This is like an oasis in the desert!
February 11, 2011 at 11:22 pm
I was too busy with RL…in the ER/hospital with my mom yesterday and today (she’s good now), or I would have posted sooner. Somehow I managed to work in seeing this episode twice…and re-watching the end several times, but I don’t have the time or energy to go into all the reasons I loved this episode…and most of my thoughts are here somewhere in other posts…but I had to quote “Jade” on THIS…
……..”I’m still just in a complete state of “wow”. First off, and I know it’s been said, but I need to add my voice to the chorus of cheers for David Boreanaz. I was moved to tears and stunned silence. I mean WOW. Just WOW. Bravo, sir. Bravo. And whomever decided to just let DB do his thing and let actions and reactions speak louder than words… and when he did speak? OMG. Just superb all the way around.”………
I couldn’t have said it better, Jade. DB. Just. Blows. Me. Away. My heart is still reeling from the emotions in that scene!
I also agree with everything else you said. And…my own two cents…
Booth’s angry gesture of throwing the ring in the water just screamed at me that he is done…that’s it. The ring represented that commitment he wants so badly, so no matter the expense, it holds no value now.
I think when HH said we’d end up loving Hannah may be the point you made, Jade, that you – and I – loved that she called Brennan to go be with Booth. But this is the only time I can say that.
Brennan’s ability to just sit and listen to Booth was very touching, reminiscent of “The Soldier on the Grave.”
Booth’s declaration that he’s “over it” means he will quickly shut down, possibly as soon as he leaves the bar, appearing on the surface to be going about business as usual, while burying the true bitterness and anger he’ll still carry inside. It’s bound to re-surface…which is what needs to happen, so he can begin to understand the “why” of it all and begin to heal.
So…it’s up to Brennan now…her turn to be there for Booth…and I’m excited about the possibilities. What does happen “NEXT”??????????
February 12, 2011 at 12:49 am
I’m sorry you had a stressful day yesterday, but I’m glad your mom is doing better, Shrinky. 🙂
I’m still reeling a little myself. Those last ten minutes were just so incredible. Mere words almost don’t seem to suffice. And I totally hear you on DB blowing you away. I feel the same way. He is just amazing. And yet, amazing doesn’t seem a good enough word for his talent. I honestly think he is one of, if not the, biggest unsung talent in entertainment today.
And speaking of unsung talents after a few more viewings, I feel like I was seriously remiss in not acknowledging how amazing Emily Deschanel was in that scene as well, because as intense as DB was, her simple, quiet balance to his intensity was equally breathtaking. I was so caught up in watching DB’s performance and my reaction to it, that I feel I didn’t give her the acknowledgment she deserves. So brava, Emily. Brava.
Okay, I feel better now. 😉
The throwing the ring away, I was thinking “oh no, he’s going to throw the ring in the water… Booth don’t do it! That was expensive!” but when he did it just felt right that he had. And you are so right about it being symbolic. He is DONE. He even says it to Brennan – he doesn’t want to talk about it, he’s DONE. I think it’s important that Booth got to that point, too. I think he’s finally hit rock bottom. And I think you’re right, he is going to shut down and bury stuff, because that’s what Booth does. He doesn’t deal with anything and he has the baggage to prove it. But he’s going to have to deal with it and all the rest of the baggage he carries around on a daily basis if he expects to move on from this. And I think that’s where it’s important that Brennan sat right there and had a drink with him. Even if he doesn’t think it right now, he’s not alone.
I hadn’t thought of what HH said about us loving Hannah in the end, but I think you’re on to something there. Good catch!
And yeah, Brennan’s ability to just sit there and let him be, was heartcrushing in and of itself. I, too, thought of the scene from “Soldier on the Grave” when she sat down next to him at the bar. And I thought it was very important that Brennan didn’t reach out to touch Booth in any way this time. I think if she had tried, he’d have knocked her hand away. He needed to just BE and she recognized that. And I think it just added yet another layer of depth to a scene that was just so very well done.
The other thing I thought of while she was just sitting there letting him say what he needed, is what Pops said to her at the end of “Foot in the Foreclosure”: “He’s big and strong, but he’s gonna need someone. Everyone needs someone. Don’t be scared.”
I love that Brennan is in that position now. Even though she faced her demons in DitP, I think she’s still got a ways to go, so Hank’s “don’t be scared” and his “you understand”, may well end up being quite prophetic. I am excited by the possibilities, too! I’ve had ideas about what might happen “NEXT” running through my head all day.
February 12, 2011 at 6:30 am
I’m not sure he’s hit rock bottom yet. As bad as he seemed in Thursday’s episode, with the sniper arc still developing, I’m thinking still it’s going to get worse.
February 12, 2011 at 8:46 am
Thank you, Jade…the world is a little brighter today after the last two. 😀 It occurred to me that with all I had to deal with, I still got my Bones “fix”! Nothing deters me from my obsession…and in a way it helps take my mind off RL. And let me add that I totally agree with you on every bit of praise for DB’s acting ability. He doesn’t get a chance to shine on here that often, which is a shame. I’ve been a little put off by the lack of action for Booth these last two seasons, in particular, so those last 10 minutes were a welcome gift! More please….
I find it interesting that everyone was so anxious to get rid of Hannah that when she finally does leave, we really aren’t thinking about her at all. You know? We were immediately shifted into Booth’s anger and despair so, at least for me, I forgot all about Hannah.
I remembered Pops and his talk with Brennan in The Foot in the Foreclosure, too…and although this appears to be what Pops was talking about, I think there will be more to it in the future…and yes, it’s prophetic. The sniper arc is just beginning, which on top of this situation, will cause Booth more pain and guilt. This may look like Booth has hit rock bottom right now…but I’m thinking it will get worse. If the Jake, the sniper, kills or hurts anyone else, Booth will immediately take on that guilt-trip, having let Jake get away…so I don’t think we’ve seen the bottom yet…and Booth will need Brennan more than ever. I have to go back to something that was said in The Bones That Weren’t when one of the suspects, I believe, says that when the UST and his work both went south at the same time, that’s when things really fell apart. I think that statement is prophetic, too.
I, too, noticed that Brennan did not try to touch Booth and appropriately so. Booth’s first gesture when she arrives and asks him if he’s drunk is to wave her away…telling her don’t patronize me…don’t say anymore…just let me be…I can’t be comforted right now. The fact she could sense his need to be left alone shows how she’s grown this season. Her normal reaction would be to start in talking and rationalizing his feelings, and that was definitely not what he needed to hear. Plus…she’s never really seen Booth like this before. Yes, he’s been angry, mad, upset…but never like this. This is extremely personal and deserves her undivided attention, without words…which she does, never taking her eyes off Booth (kudos to ED…she was beautiful in that scene). Even in the 100th, he handled that situation with a little more control (than I expected to be truthful)…so this is a whole new side of Booth that he’s never allowed to come to the surface. He’s been holding all this pain inside for so long…since Rebecca…with more pain piled on top since then…so it’s no wonder he’s now in a very low, dark place. All those bottled up emotions have come crashing down on him at once, and he’s crushed under the weight of it all. True, this isn’t the healthy way to deal with emotions, but Booth never allowed himself to deal with this pain or any other. He’s always been the protector of everybody else, but now he’s the one who needs protecting. Brennan to the rescue!
February 13, 2011 at 1:45 am
Stephanie, you’re right, it probably is going to get worse. I wasn’t thinking about the sniper arc, but at that moment in time in the bar, I think Booth was the lowest he has ever been. The thing about holes, is that they can get deeper. Poor Booth…
You’re welcome, Shrinky. 🙂 I can totally relate to the obsession helping to take the mind of RL. It’s a nice little escape for a while. Everyone’s gotta have a happy place. 😉
I know what you mean about Hannah. I didn’t necessarily dislike her, but I certainly wasn’t going to be sorry to see her go. But yeah, I was so focused on what Booth was doing after she wasn’t standing next to him, I didn’t pay attention to how long it took her to actually be out of frame until my fourth or fifth viewing of the scene.
I agree that there will be more moments for Brennan to be that “someone” for Booth. And for her to hold him, as Pops said earlier in FitF. I really hope the writers and powers that be follow through with that thread, because there is so much potential in it to really help Booth figure himself out. And so much potential to let DB and EB be amazing. And I’m always up for more of that.
Like I just said to Stephanie up above, I think you’re right that it is going to get worse. I hadn’t thought about Booth holding himself accountable for Broadsky’s actions by having let him go, but you are so right, that is totally what Booth would do. And I forgot about that line of dialogue, but you’re right, very prophetic. And we know that Hart and Co do nothing by chance… they are such evil geniuses. And I mean that in the nicest way possible. 😉
Love what you said in that last paragraph, and I concur – Brennan to the rescue!
February 12, 2011 at 3:48 am
Such a tortured, poetic, beautiful ending.
I’m not going to reiterate the many amazing things that have already been said, other than to say I can’t wait to see what happens now, and to see Brennan step up to the plate. This is her chance to be Booth’s rock, to show him he is worth it.
I love that she is the only one of the ‘3’ that is still there in her role as his friend. Hannah is gone, and Rebecca is there because of Parker, but Brennan was given a choice and stayed.
She amazed me at the end…and when she says ‘are those my only options?’ I do wonder what else she would have offered.
What a fabulous journey. I can’t be angry at anyone because of this. I feel too sad , yet hopeful.
Oh, and yeah I would marry Booth…Hannah’s loss.
February 12, 2011 at 7:31 pm
Out of the many questions you asked (of which were all swirling round my brain too, just in incoherent thoughts) this one stuck out the most to me: “Can he do the same thing over and over and expect different results?” Because in the 100th Episode it is continuously repeated that “The definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over again expecting a different outcome”. From this I conclude that it is INSANE of Booth to expect him and Brennan to be ‘just partners’. They never have been and never will be. Even if they don’t get together in the end (But they HAVE to! Lol) they were never just partners, were they? Right from the start they had more than that. There’s so much more I know I should be reminding myself to write, but it’s late so I’m just going to leave this comment at that.
February 15, 2011 at 4:24 pm
Great point. They’ve never been just partners. Also, Brennan has to ask Booth to marry her and take the next step in their relationship.
February 13, 2011 at 9:59 pm
You know, I love Brennan for staying. But I am really not surprised that she did. Her decision was pretty quick so you could tell that leaving wasn’t even an option for her. I can’t even say so much that I was impressed, because it was a totally Brennan thing to do, which is why I love her in the first place. She’s usually been pretty good for being there for Booth when he’s going through a hard time, and that goes back to Season 1.
Throughout the series, anytime you see Booth hurting, you see Brennan’s concern. Booth revealing guilt of his sniper past, guilt of killing on the job now, whenever he’s injured or shot, when he’s in the hospital, when he’s worried about his relationship with Parker, Jared, or Pops, when he’s unsure of his goodness. It’s not the first time she’s given him support – silent or spoken. I’m not trying to downplay what she did here, because this is a critical moment, but I just wish people would give my girl Brennan more credit for her presence in Booth’s life. We have solid evidence of why Brennan is the most important person in his life (besides Parker) and his rock. How many people around him give him their unconditional love?
February 18, 2011 at 1:11 am
Things explode and catch fire between people or they just explode and thats what we wanted..Keep in mind just because shes gone it doesnt erase what has gone down in these first 13 episodes of the season. He quickly answered Id never tell you that..He was however more willing to talk about whether he thought it was conceivable Booth and Brennan could be single together for a bit and whether they think BB can be an actual couple for an extended time during the series. .Since Hannahs presence had taken away some airtime away from fan favorites will they be featured more now that shes gone?
February 16, 2012 at 1:49 pm
**Sorry – Rally, really long post. Could not stop.**
Like a few people have said:
“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results”.
Booth had one more card to play and and he gambled again and lost. (I still think he proposed to Hannah knowing full well she would say no). Booth never thinks things through. he jumps in head first and then starts to think about the consequences once he’s there. In BitB, he ran after Broadsky and got hurt – still not sure what he hoped to achieve by going after Broadsky alone.
Booth reads people really well. Hannah had said many times she is not the marrying type. He told Hannah about Brennan’s declaration and she does not even delve deeper. I think after the DitP –> BulletitBrain –> BodyitBag, DitM was his sort of redemption – the only recourse he felt was available to him. As far as we know, Hannah was not having doubts about the relationship and was happy the way things were. Booth must have been having some to have pushed for a proposal.
Some have blamed Sweets but he backed down and nothing stopped Booth from backing down too but he must have felt it was a way out for him. It was all part of his gambling nature and he knew it was a yes or no situation – you either win or lose and he lost again. So luck flies out the window.
I have always been baffled as to why he was so angry afterwards. But looking at the whole setup, he hurt Hannah who was the innocent party in all the mess he was tied up in. Guilt amongst other things made him quite angry – angry at himself, at Brennan, at Rebecca and even Hannah. Why did she transfer to DC to be with him? Booth finally got to a stage where he decided he was done with emotional stuff. We will see him change and the idea of getting married would still be great but we will not see him pushing it again – why? Because he is finding out that you can be in long term relationship and be in love but not be married. He was in such a relationship with Brennan and he never offered her marriage in the 100th. IMO, if they both wanted to assuage their desires, they could have gone down the friends with benefits route but because they felt so much more for each other and Booth did not want to ‘assault’ Brennan with his advances due to what she went through at a younger age, he did not propose it.
Booth did not start venting till Brennan got to the bar. We know from past experiences that the only person he will open up to is Brennan so when she showed up, it was like ‘you must be kidding me’ and then from force of habit, he let her have it – still wonder what happened to everyone in the bar in that last scene. They all seemed to disappear ; I digress.
If Brennan had not shown up, he would have had his drinks and gone home. But he needed to get the anger and frustration out. It is the first step of healing.
Choices or no choices, Brennan would have stayed. They have a solid foundation and had regained it in the previous episode so there was no way she would leave her partner sitting at a bar, slowly getting drunk because he was upset. She skated all night to keep him awake, she moved everything she could to find him in HeroitHold and lost Jared his job – well sort of, she told GG that there was nothing she would not do for him – of course she would not walk away even if he tells her to.
Because of tequilla, she did not sleep with him when they first met and was angry because he got her drunk to sleep with her – she is aware of what drinks can do to a person. If she had met him before he was that drunk, she may have put up a fight but what is the point of arguing with a drunk person? To have a sane conversation, he needs to be sober.
Booth was not drawing a line. he was angry and the only thing that he was certain he could offer was partnership. Asking Brennan to leave if she wanted was just his way of saying a romantic relationship is just not on the table not after he just messed up someone’s life.
I’m glad he got angry and actually took time to re-evaluate things. Change occurs and we need to evolve with it. Brennan did so it’s now his turn.
August 13, 2014 at 5:35 pm
“Booth had one more card to play and and he gambled again and lost. (I still think he proposed to Hannah knowing full well she would say no). Booth never thinks things through”
Totally agree with you Tonia– He knew she would say no– that’s not to say he proposed to purposefully break up — he just had nowhere else to go. After reconciling that Brennan was the one he loved the most and telling Cam you should give the “one” lots of chances– it seemed he may have felt trapped. How could he just break up with Hannah after she had been so great to him? And wouldn’t that mean Brennan had been hurt over nothing. But with Sweets goading– how could he also stay in a relationship that he knew on some level was not going to give him his dream. So he did the only thing he did do– but he didn’t really think of what would happen after. That’s Booth’s flaw– he doesn’t think things through.
Once Hannah said no– I think it just made him acknowledge how wrong everything was. But it also reminded him of Brennan’s rejection and how hurt he was– which is what the whole bar scene was about. For the first time in months he was totally vulnerable to his feelings for Brennan and he was a little scared. So he pushed the one thing that scared him the most– that she would leave. He knew she wouldn’t but he needed that reassurance that things between them hadn’t been completely ruined.
Booth had never dealt with how he had felt over the 100th, which is why his relationship with Hannah was so ill thought out. Booth and Hannah both had gotten in to the relationship looking for a good time (as he admitted). Hannah basically took the gamble that Brennan turned down. That was the flaw of Booth and Hannah’s relationship that neither thought things through before leaping. That’s why Brennan is a better fit for him than his “perfect” girlfriend because she makes him think. Booth didn’t think about what moving in meant. It took him months before he introduced Parker to her and that too because Parker said he hated her. It was Brennan’s confession that made him reveal anything about him and Brennan and that too just the bare minimum. His proposal was clearly instigated by Sweets. To say Booth ever thought about where his relationship with Hannah was going or what her moving meant seems a little out of character for him. The guy doesn’t think about his relationships. He reacts. Even with Rebecca– he only thought of proposing because of pregnancy. With Brennan he only realized his love as a result of a coma dream and then only acted because of Sweets. He had never thought about what he would say or what the right time was. He just gambled.