How bad is Selfridge?

Started by Spidey, April 01, 2010, 05:24:09 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Is Parker Selfridge really the bad Guy?

He hates to do the Na'vi any harm
2 (4.5%)
He's only part of the evil Crew
13 (29.5%)
He isn't evil, only kind of forced
20 (45.5%)
Deep in his Heart, he loves the Na'vi
4 (9.1%)
He hates to do the Na'vi any harm
5 (11.4%)

Total Members Voted: 42

Spidey

i think, he isn't that bad, but the way he has to handle the na'vi makes him worrie. :-\

Kayrìlien

Parker might not be the one pointing and shooting the guns, but he's certainly the person responsible for buying them, shipping them to Pandora, and giving them to trigger-happy lowlifes. At best he's an enabler, and that's giving him a HUGE amount of leeway. Selfridge knows full well what Quaritch is doing, but he doesn't care about the consequences to Na'vi life, only about how much money he is making.

They never should have let him return to Earth...I'm afraid he's going to return with an even bigger parade of ammunition at his disposal in the sequel.

Kayrìlien

Niawve Mokri

I kinda think he's just following orders. 'Cause you can tell on his face when they destroy Hometree that he feels really bad about destroying it.

Spidey

Quote from: Niawve Mokri on April 01, 2010, 05:42:41 PM
I kinda think he's just following orders. 'Cause you can tell on his face when they destroy Hometree that he feels really bad about destroying it.


that and many more details made me think like this... in his office, when quaritch explains the strategie, he gives jake and grace another hour to avoid a bloodbath, his face when hometree falls...

Neykun

It's kind of hard for me to tell.  He seems to share the greed of his employers, but as Niawve said, he appears to be upset when Hometree is destroyed.  The look on his face could also be relief though, like "ah I'm so glad it's finally over" or "why did it have to come to this, they should have just moved".  Also, when Grace is explaining to him her theory that the entire planet's forest is like a giant brain (basically) he seems to be listening intently as if he's interested, then it's almost like he remembers that he's supposed to rejecting the "tree hugger" stuff and focusing on the "cheddar".  I sort of get the feeling that he's more of a "go with the crowd" kind of character.  He hides his own thoughts in favor of what he thinks is expected of him by the majority of the group.  One last little detail - the look he gives Jake at the end when he's in line for boarding the shuttle back to earth.  It's most likely an "I hate you, you dirty traitor" look, but it could also mean that he's upset for making the wrong decision.  Who knows :P
~insert awesome signature here~

Spidey

Quote from: Neykun on April 01, 2010, 05:54:48 PMOne last little detail - the look he gives Jake at the end when he's in line for boarding the shuttle back to earth.  It's most likely an "I hate you, you dirty traitor" look, but it could also mean that he's upset for making the wrong decision.  Who knows :P


to me, it looks like: 'i know, i did bad things, but i'm sorry. will you forgive me?'
like he feels remorse...

Neykun

Yea, I guess that's what I was trying to get it with the second half of that.  Personally I think he'd have been one of the good guys if he didn't love money so much, but since he did, he let those around him push him past his own moral boundaries, so to speak.
~insert awesome signature here~

'Itan Atxur

I don't think he's the bad guy so much as I think he's the ignorant guy.

Check out more from my DeviantArt page HERE

Nanaki

Quote from: 'Itan Atxur on April 01, 2010, 08:10:23 PM
I don't think he's the bad guy so much as I think he's the ignorant guy.

This. He just follow orders from his superior.
'Itan Atxur : Just remember, NO idea is too crazy <3

Then everything changed ... I fell in love. I fell in love with the - with the forest, with the Omaticaya people... with you...
Don't thank! You don't thank for this! This is sad... VERY sad only!

Kìte'eyä Aungia

Well, unlike Quaritch and most of the marines we see, Selfridge isn't a bloodthirsty maniac just waiting for a chance to murder people, so in that respect he must be driven more by greed, pressure from above, ignorance, or xenophobia. He at least hesitates before the initial attack and appears a little remorseful afterward, and in the older script he does try to stand up to Quaritch to stop the bombing.

'Itan Atxur

That's why they say Quaritch has taken over instead of Selfridge has ordered.

Check out more from my DeviantArt page HERE

Niawve Mokri

Quote from: Kìte'eyä Aungia on April 02, 2010, 02:12:43 PM
Well, unlike Quaritch and most of the marines we see, Selfridge isn't a bloodthirsty maniac just waiting for a chance to murder people, so in that respect he must be driven more by greed, pressure from above, ignorance, or xenophobia. He at least hesitates before the initial attack and appears a little remorseful afterward, and in the older script he does try to stand up to Quaritch to stop the bombing.

That is an excellent theory.

Taw Atan

I think he is a good guy but corrupt by greed

Muzer

The problem is, although Quaritch doesn't seem to have emotions, Selfridge obviously does and actively oppresses them. In a way you could say this makes him worse than Quaritch, as he knows what he is doing is wrong yet still continues doing it!
[21:42:56] <@Muzer> Apple products used to be good, if expensive
[21:42:59] <@Muzer> now they are just expensive

Teyl Maktoyu Ayfìwopxä

Quote from: Taw Atan on April 18, 2010, 11:41:05 AM
I think he is a good guy but corrupt by greed

Partially correct, for me, he wants the money, yes, but does he really hate the Na'Vi?
He insults them, calls them blue monkeys rolling in the mud,
but maybe that's just because otherwise he wouldnt get his money,
When at the start of the war, Quaritch walks into his office, he seems to be doubting.
But eventually says to pull the trigger, but when Jake, Norm and Grace are going for him in the HQ,
to give Jake a last chance to try and get the Na'Vi out of Hometree, He does!

Have you seen deleted scenes? There are scenes where Quaritch threatens Selfridge.
Who's THE bad guy now?
And responging on Taw Atan, he is greedy. Indeed :p

Kayrìlien

Well, you could also consider that fact that the entire back-story of the film is based on the premise that modern man is responsible for the crappy condition of the Earth in 2154. You could say that Selfridge is actually just trying to improve living conditions back on Earth. But, seeing as the ASG tells us that the RDA is directly responsible for the majority of the pollution on Earth anyway, I'd say Selfridge knew full well what he was getting into. It's like an oil company executive saying he's never seen an otter covered in oil before. Total B.S.

Now, you could say that Selfridge didn't know the magnitude of the atrocities his company was responsible for, and is actually surprised by the situation on Pandora, but even that's a stretch. You don't think his bosses told him exactly what was going on and what needed to be done, given how much money was at stake?

Yeah, while he's not quite the twisted maniac embodied by Quaritch, Selfridge is definitely the type of person that is trying to squelch his emotions for the sake of profit. He gets no sympathy from me.

Kayrìlien

Eyamsiyu

Here's my viewpoint: he was driven the whole movie by money.  "There's one thing that shareholders hate more than bad press, and that's a bad quarterly statement."

However, up until the last moment before the attack on Kelutrel, he was in favor of the Omaticaya being moved before that happened, hence why he let Jake back into his Avatar to try to get them to move the hour before the attack.

So, in the end, even though both were to save his own back, he wanted neither bad press or a bad quarterly statement.

He still gets very little to no sympathy from me, because though his intentions to relocate the Na'vi was to keep them from being attacked, his own back was the true focus here.


"... The only people that are going to have a chance to make a living playing music is the people who do exactly what they believe in ... they have to believe in this so much that they are ready to die for it." - Jojo Mayer

On indefinite leave.  Will be back periodically. Feel free to say Kaltxí: I'll get back when I can. :D

My facebook.  Please mention you are from LN if you ch

Toruk Makto

Giovanni Ribisi had a tough role in this one, but I think he did a great job. He manages to maintain that elusive ambiguity that I *bet* is exactly what Cameron wanted for this character. I predict he will be back and on the side of the Na'vi.

Lì'fyari leNa'vi 'Rrtamì, vay set 'almong a fra'u zera'u ta ngrrpongu
Na'vi Dictionary: http://files.learnnavi.org/dicts/NaviDictionary.pdf

Eyamsiyu

Quote from: Txepsiyu on April 26, 2010, 12:25:30 PM
Giovanni Ribisi had a tough role in this one, but I think he did a great job. He manages to maintain that elusive ambiguity that I *bet* is exactly what Cameron wanted for this character. I predict he will be back and on the side of the Na'vi.

His roles don't usually consist of money-hungry world-ruling execs, so I will have to agree.  He certainly pulled off the d****e-ness of his character quite well.


"... The only people that are going to have a chance to make a living playing music is the people who do exactly what they believe in ... they have to believe in this so much that they are ready to die for it." - Jojo Mayer

On indefinite leave.  Will be back periodically. Feel free to say Kaltxí: I'll get back when I can. :D

My facebook.  Please mention you are from LN if you ch

pbhead

Ima think Ima deside when the deleted scenes come out... but from the 2007 script, he seems to be a preety ok dude.