BigShot Jordan
31-10-00, 07:20 PM
Jet Black is, more or less, Cowboy Bebop's father figure. He strikes us as the sort of man who likes to think he's taking
care of everyone at the Bebop (although Faye's really way older than him and Jet doesn't particularly love her), while everyone is really just running around on their own and,
maybe, hoping Jet will always be there. Like a father, Jet scolds Spike for jumping head first into danger and worries if anything happens to him. There are several scenes in the series where we can see Jet has stayed up all night, waiting for Spike to come back "home" safely. When he feeds Ein bean sprouts (which are really not that bad, if you cook 'em), he says the very paternal line of "bean sprouts are good for you." To complete the picture, Jet owns the Bebop, so, like most fathers, he can remind everyone that it's "his ship," and that his word should be obeyed.
As a character, he has several faults, most of which include his chauvinistic treatment of women as lying, untrustworthy, and talkative. Several times during the show he makes it quite clear that he could care less if Faye stays or goes, leaving her out of important decisions and wishing she'd just shut up. This stereotypically male attitude spills out into his habit of smoking (although most characters in the series smoke like chimneys). Like many a macho, Jet treats smoking more like a cool stance than as the mere inhaling of nicotine. When his ex-partner turns down the cigarette he offers in ep. 16, he acts as if the decision to quit smoking is for losers. At the end of episode, when his ex-partner asks for one last smoke, it struck us as if Jet wasn't completely happy until his friend smoked again (although, of course, this wasn't the only reason Jet was happy). This obsession with the inherent coolness of smoking seems like a tired male stereotype.
Despite these less than admirable traits, though, we still like Jet. Regardless of his tough guy bravado, he does care for the people that come to be his "children," even Faye. He could have just left her at Callisto (ep. 13) after she ran away with "his" money, but he brought her back to the Bebop. That he never said a word when he realized she was depressed can be interpreted as a sign that he granted her at least some respect and understanding, however gruff he was about it. Some people simply have a hard time showing love without being gruff.
Also, Jet cooks! And does laundry! Willingly, to boot. It was a very pleasant surprise. These traits balance out his machoness. He never says things like "cooking's for women" or "do I have to do the laundry?!" He just does it, and does a good job at it (notice the love with which he smoothes out those sheets!), and that's it. It rounds him out as a character, while otherwise he would have sunk down into stereotypes.
care of everyone at the Bebop (although Faye's really way older than him and Jet doesn't particularly love her), while everyone is really just running around on their own and,
maybe, hoping Jet will always be there. Like a father, Jet scolds Spike for jumping head first into danger and worries if anything happens to him. There are several scenes in the series where we can see Jet has stayed up all night, waiting for Spike to come back "home" safely. When he feeds Ein bean sprouts (which are really not that bad, if you cook 'em), he says the very paternal line of "bean sprouts are good for you." To complete the picture, Jet owns the Bebop, so, like most fathers, he can remind everyone that it's "his ship," and that his word should be obeyed.
As a character, he has several faults, most of which include his chauvinistic treatment of women as lying, untrustworthy, and talkative. Several times during the show he makes it quite clear that he could care less if Faye stays or goes, leaving her out of important decisions and wishing she'd just shut up. This stereotypically male attitude spills out into his habit of smoking (although most characters in the series smoke like chimneys). Like many a macho, Jet treats smoking more like a cool stance than as the mere inhaling of nicotine. When his ex-partner turns down the cigarette he offers in ep. 16, he acts as if the decision to quit smoking is for losers. At the end of episode, when his ex-partner asks for one last smoke, it struck us as if Jet wasn't completely happy until his friend smoked again (although, of course, this wasn't the only reason Jet was happy). This obsession with the inherent coolness of smoking seems like a tired male stereotype.
Despite these less than admirable traits, though, we still like Jet. Regardless of his tough guy bravado, he does care for the people that come to be his "children," even Faye. He could have just left her at Callisto (ep. 13) after she ran away with "his" money, but he brought her back to the Bebop. That he never said a word when he realized she was depressed can be interpreted as a sign that he granted her at least some respect and understanding, however gruff he was about it. Some people simply have a hard time showing love without being gruff.
Also, Jet cooks! And does laundry! Willingly, to boot. It was a very pleasant surprise. These traits balance out his machoness. He never says things like "cooking's for women" or "do I have to do the laundry?!" He just does it, and does a good job at it (notice the love with which he smoothes out those sheets!), and that's it. It rounds him out as a character, while otherwise he would have sunk down into stereotypes.