Old West Character analysis
by Lara B. and Lee
This is not really astory, but a first draft
to analyse the old west characters. It’s far from being complete yet and
neither spellchecked nor otherwise tempered with J . Feedback is appreciated.
Chris Larabee
He is the nominal leader of the seven. Chris has an open agressive
potential, but he warns like a rattlesnake. Unless stuck in a situation that he
or the others can't survive without foul play, you can count on his highly
developed sense of honor. He tries to threaten people away from a gun fight,
but he has no problems with getting into a fist fight (see The Collector). He
tries to look for the least lethal method to difuse a conflict. He has overcome
his death wish that he suffeered from after the death of his wife ("I have
to pick my fights carefully nowadays", One day out West), and usually
tries to avoid direct confrontations. Chris can control his anger effectively,
but there is a point when it gets out of control. The amount of alcohol is an
important factor. Chris is dependant on Vin to hold him back from losing self
control.
Normally, Chris is an extremly private person (see Vendetta, see every
episode where he in stuck in a conflict between his men and the town). It needs
a while until he takes position, but once he makes up his mind he pulls a thing
thing through. Due to his private streak, he's the one who would skip or leave
the group easiest.
Chris and Mary: The two share a
bond, but neither of them is over the death of their former partners yet. Chris
is still lost in memories and undigested feelings concerning the tragic
circumstances of his family's death and the first signs of him coming to terms
with his past is when he tells Buck (in Vendetta) that he no longer can see
their faces or hear his son calling him pa. The memories are fading with the
passage of time.
Why is Chris in the team? He founded the
team for one purpose: The Indian Village. The team was never supposed to last
beyond that point, and that's how he picked his men - to fight and defend
together. Without the offer for the 30 days protection period of the town (and
Chris' sense of responsibility taking over after his talk to the judge and
seeing how other people's homes got destroyed by power hungry ranchers), he would
have left with Vin Tanner. After the thiry days, the family man Chris Larebee
unconsciously wanted a new 'home', though he's actively going against the
thought of settling down in the first season. However, in the second season he
even buys a piece of land and builds a shack, clear signs of that he has the
wish to settle down.
Vin Tanner
Second in command. He's the charismatic leader of the team and the
others back him up even if Chris isn't around. Takes over command when Chris is
unable to do so (see Inmate 78). He's pulling the strings in the background,
but never lets Chris look bad. He backs him up, but corrects more or less open
(depending on the situation) if he thinks that Chris is going into the wrong
direction. He can put job and private feelings apart very well, maybe a
leftover from his time as a bounty hunter. Agressive potential, dangerous if
you push the wrong buttons (Manhunt, Achilles, Serpents and other eps). He
doesn't have problems to shoot someone in the back (see Nemesis, Obessions).
He thinks about himself sometimes and reflects about his ways of living
(see Nemesis, New Law, Sins of the Past, Serpents).
Vin is a bit shy, since he didn't have much contact with women other
than maybe working girls (see his comment to Casey about 'sowing his wild oaks'
in Lady Killers), but he's in no way a whimp and gets what he wants (Wagon
Train).
Why is Vin in
the team? One of the main reason why Vin is still with the team
would be Chris Larabee. The two share an instinctive friendship and watch over
each other. They function as a unit, balancing each other.
Another reason would be that the team offers him some protection. In
the pilot, Vin was on the run, hiding in Four Corners. Now he found a place
wher he could lean back and relax a bit, not being forced to always keep an eye
open and look behind his back, because he has friends watching over him.
Buck Wilmington
Buck is the most contradictional man of the Seven. On one side, he's
open, full of humour and very gentle. On the other side, he can be cruel,
aggressive and deadly serious. He has a long standing friendship with Chris
Larabee and kept an eye on him during the time after Sarah's and Adam's death.
Buck still harbours a lot guilt from that time, blaming himself for keeping Chris
away from home that day. Buck has adopted JD as a sort of little brother/son
and tries to help him survive. Buck can be stubbern to the point of risking his
own life just to prove a point (see "Love and Honor"). He stands up
for his friends and is willing to die for them if there's no other way. He is
very loyal. His weak point are women - he forgets everything around him if his
eyes fall on an attractive member of the opposite gender. This doesn't keep him
from being there when his help is needed.
Buck functions as a balanace/glue to the group, often
disarming/disfusing arguments. His wicked sense of humour coupled with his
sometimes childlike playfullness are a more or less welcomed change from the
boredom in Four Corners.
Why is Buck in
the team? Buck joined the seven right in the beginning to help his
friend Chris. Then he met JD and immideately felt some sort of responsibility
towards the young man. Buck never was much of a drifter, contrary to Chris.
Four Corners soon began to feel like home, with the seven as the surrogate
family (see 'The New Law"). Now, the little town is a place where he likes
to stay, even if he's slowly running out of females to court.
Character Interactions
Chris and Vin share a special friendship. They recognized each other as
two sides of the same coin, both standing up against injustice. They also
function as 'two sides of a coin', one supporting the control and 'emergency
break' for the other to let out anger.
Vin and Nathan - two philosophers amongst themselves. They might not
say much, but when they talk, it has impact.
Vin and Ezra - Vin subtly directs Ezra to do what he wants him to do.