i really do wonder whether dal would be more liked if he were played by a white performer. on one hand, it’s not like he reads as a black character as written. the child-accessible, telegraphed dialogue and writing certainly make his initial stages as a cocky kid irritating to a lot of older viewers. then picard s3 happened and i was blown away by the response to jack crusher. i didn’t even want to hate jack crusher at the start, he’s not even an uncharismatic character. and yet the story just ruined any opportunity to like him by making a case for why he’s the most important special little boy in the world who gets to do horrible things regardless of consequences but that’s fine because he’s starfleet royalty and you’re just. ??? ????? how does anyone like this character after that??? and yet people do actually like this shithead still!!!!! but they don’t like dal even though he went through really well-written and realistic character development???
i don’t know. i can’t stop thinking about it. it’s weird.
I don’t even dislike Jack all that much, but it’s all true.
As a conventionally attractive white male, Jack gets all the privilege that goes with that.
In the eyes of a big chunk of society, even Trek fans, that alone indicates likeability. Even if it is a subconscious reaction. So his writing and development can get away with being maybe a little less than stellar. (His acting seemed fine with what the actor was given.)
He’s also the son of two Admirals, his father being Picard. Suddenly, not only is he likeable, but now everyone assumes he’s highly skilled and destined for legacy greatness. Even though he hasn’t actually done much. Yet he’s a “chosen one” for the Borg, for Starfleet, and now even for Q.
On the other hand, Dal is unquestionably intended to represent the equivalent of a poor minority, and the difficulties they face in society. He challenges viewers to confront their deeply ingrained assumptions. But I’m pretty sure most viewers who “can’t stand” him, either don’t get it, or don’t care to.
Dal had to fight through deep insecurities from lifelong abuse, homelessness, isolation, and exploitation. But at only 17, with no formal training, his instincts led his crew to survive several successful missions.
I’ll come right out and say it: What Dal has done is worthy of any great Trek Captain, nevermind a Cadet. He overthrew a tyrant, saved several worlds and species, they survived a Borg encounter, defeated a Tal Shiar hit squad, ran circles around an entire Starfleet armada, and offered to give his life to save Starfleet from annihilation.
And only then do these viewers even consider taking him seriously, because in their eyes, his every mistake along the way is magnified.
Both Dal and Jack came to Starfleet with extensive criminal histories. But even with his accomplishments, Dal still needed Admiral Janeway to fight for him to be admitted into even just the margins of Starfleet. Which might be realistic, except their hesitation was because they didn’t like his genetics. Contrast that with Jack’s family connections apparently wiping his history(?) and getting him through the Academy in one year, to full Ensign status, “Special Counselor to the Captain”. …Was that title created just for him?
The writers of all the shows work together, and this difference is so obvious, I’m tempted to think this was done intentionally to highlight the power of discrimination and privilege. But the fact that the characters will very likely never meet or be directly compared in-universe makes that hard to believe.
This whole thing reminds me of that one video from that sports competition, where all these kids stand in line and all the white kids get a medal for their accomplishments, one after the other, but that one black girl gets completely ignored and doesn’t get a medal when it’s her turn even though she had earned it as much as all the other kids.
About Jack and Dal meeting… Oh boy, that’s something I’d love to see. Dal is older as Jack and by the time Jack ends up on the Enterprise, Dal should have made it through the academy and made Lt. at least, maybe even Lt. Commander by then. With Janeway as mentor. And Dal might even know Seven, through her connections to Janeway. Dal adapting Janeways ‘you’ve disappointed me and all of the Delta Quadrant’ way of scolding subordinates…
Give me Dal giving Jack shit for his attitude, I’d pay real money for that.
Or the other way round, imagine Beverly appearing in Prodigy, with Dal giving little Jack piggy back rides and babysitting him. And then 15/20 years later Dal doesn’t take Jack serious because: 'Hey, I saw you crying because your pile of mashed potatos collapsed on your plate when you where five years old, so don’t give me this “but my dad is an Admiral” Bullshit.’
(via commandermeg)
