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On names and naming

  • Aug. 27th, 2006 at 9:23 AM
jic: Daniel Jackson (SG1) firing weapon, caption "skill to do comes of doing" (Default)
One of the things I learned back in EFM yr 1 was that in some (ancient) cultures the practice of giving captives new names was in order to demonstrate power and control over the captives.  E.g., Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were assigned new names Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo when they were captured by Nebuchadezzar (Daniel 1:1-7).

I think of that every time John Sheppard names a Wraith: Steve, Bob, Michael.

And so I found it extra significant that Sheppard didn't assign a name to the Wraith in Common Ground, with whom he conspired, joked, and escaped -- and to whom Sheppard did not break his word.

Comments

[identity profile] quettaser.livejournal.com wrote:
Aug. 27th, 2006 07:34 pm (UTC)
I totally agree. It really feels like a sign of respect (remember how Michael was treated by his queen when she found out he was given a name?) and the Wraith was respectful in turn, using John's full name at the end of the episode.
jic: Daniel Jackson (SG1) firing weapon, caption "skill to do comes of doing" (Default)
[personal profile] jic wrote:
Aug. 27th, 2006 10:24 pm (UTC)
If by "it" you mean John not giving him a name (it's dumb how long it took me to make that connection), oh, ABSOLUTELY.