Rugbyrat Wrote:OK, "air of authority" may not have been the best choice of words. I'm referring to RJs ability to take charge of a situation, whether the situation was planned by him, or whether he is improvising to meet changing circumstances. Its RJs ability to meld seamlessly into so many situations to which I was referring.
In the RJ story where Jack and other customers are taken hostage in the pharmacy/market (the title escapes me atm), RJ took control of the situation and exerted authority over his captors by pointing out the security cameras when his former co-workers was close to being killed. Was it authority in the traditional sense of the word? Not really, but exercising influence over circumstances does equate to authority, IMHO.
I can't see Reynolds convincingly perform such authority. That's why I stand by TJ as Jack.
Interlude at Duane's (the Duane Reade pharmacies) is the name of the short story.
I would call what you are referring to as mettle, competence or supreme self confidence in his abilities in that type of situation (maybe all of the above).
The conundrum is that Jack doesn't exhibit this type of self confidence most of the time. He looks and acts ordinary...his survival depends on it. He doesn't stride down the street exuding testosterone, like Conan.
I can buy Reynolds or Fillion as ordinary far more easily.
-Wapitikev
Axioms Jack seems to live by (inadvertantly or not):
Why he does what he does: "I chose this life. I know what I'm doing. And on any given day, I could stop doing it. Today, however, isn't that day. And tomorrow won't be either." Bruce Wayne, Identity Crisis
On Rasalom: "Water's wet, the sky is blue...and good old Satan Claus, Jimmy...he's out there...and he's just gettin' stronger." Joe Hallenbeck, The Last Boyscout