Gren (Cowboy Bebop)
Title: Just Gren
Author: snapdragon76
Spoilers: Well, I pretty much cover everything...
Well, let's see. Due to a mix-up, I was supposed to post this here in November, but I e-mailed it instead, so I did do it by the due date! I was going to post it on Friday, bur RL interrupted and I never got the chance. So here it goes:
Let me see, how was I first introduced to Gren? Hmm, I guess it’d have to start with that I had heard of so many people who had seen (and raved) about the anime, Cowboy Bebop. So, being curious, I decided to check it out and see what all the fuss was about. I liked it. Really liked it. Then, I saw “Jupiter Jazz” for the first time. I guess you could say, I was drawn to the character of Gren. His tragic plight, his betrayal, and then, ultimately, his death. When the second showing of CB came around, I made particular sure to pay attention to JJ as I saw it again. And then eventually again.
As for his strengths, I’d say the one he has the most would be compassion. After all, he did save Faye from those goons. He could have hurt her if he wanted to, especially after she found out his secret, but he didn’t. In fact, he told her his story. He must have seen something in Faye that compelled him to be able to trust her with his secret, and she, in turn, was forever touched by it.
Does he grow throughout the two episodes he’s in? I think so. Especially at the end. At first, the only thing on his mind was revenge against Vicious who wronged him. I suppose you’ll need a little background then, eh? It seems, Vicious and Gren fought together in the war on Titan, one of the moons of Jupiter. Once, between battles, Gren heard music. Being the musician he is, he was curious and went to investigate. Turns out, it was coming from a music box owned by Vicious. Gren commented that he liked the tune and asked if he could play it on his saxophone when he got back home. Vicious’ only reply was to give him the music box. Gren tries to start a conversation with Vicious, only to have a knife come at him in response. Turns out, Vicious saw a scorpion about to strike and he killed it. Afterwards, it turned out Vicious framed Gren and then testified against him when on trial. Gren was convicted and thrown in jail. During his imprisonment, he (along with others) was given drug therapy as a test. This caused a unique side effect. His hormones went out of whack and he grew breasts. He eventually escaped and therefore had a bounty placed on him. He tried to get on with his life by living on Callisto and playing his sax at the Blue Crow. This is when he runs into Faye, who’s left the Bebop in self-pity. She touches him in a way that no other woman (except for Julia as we find out later) has. I think he sees the same loneliness in Faye that he sees in himself.
Vicious is another matter entirely. At first, he sees a loner and figures he’d get to know him a little. Reach out. Maybe he had a bit of a crush? He’s compelled mostly by the music he hears coming from Vicious’ music box. Only later, does that association turn ugly. It turns out a transmitter was found to be inside the music box. Julia found it after Gren mentioned where he got it. That was how he was framed. He feels bitterness and betrayal towards Vicious who turned on him and sent him into a life of torment. Which is why I feel he set Vicious up. A bit of retribution on his part. Retribution to the man who he feels is responsible for how he came to be who he is now. He wants answers. As to why Vicious saved him from the scorpion only to betray him later. He sets up a drop for Red Eye so he can maybe find some answers. Spike, who has some questions for Vicious of his own, interrupts their exchange. Vicious escapes in a hail of gunfire. Gren tries to follow, only to crash his craft after getting hit. Gren set an explosive (in the music box) in the supply of Red Eye to try and take out Vicious, only to have the craft he was escaping in suffer minor damage. After Gren crashes, Spike goes over to try to help, only to find there isn’t any to give. Gren speaks to Spike, regaling what Julia told him about Spike and his two different colored eyes. Gren then asks Spike to put him back in his craft and tow him over Titan, where he feels he should have died in the first place, along with his comrades from the War on Titan. Spike does so.
Why do I like Gren so much? I guess I’m touched by his story. About how he was seeking friendship and gets betrayed in the end. How such a deep, sensitive, caring, artistic person could still maintain that which still makes him what he is, despite all the tragedy he went through. I weep every time I watch the last of “Jupiter Jazz” hoping there would be some way to save him in the end, for him to obtain a little bit of happiness. But, I guess, in the end, he finally finds it.
Shrine:
Mr. Saxaphone. Only one so far. There was another, but it's not active anymore.
LJ Community:
gren_lovers
Fanfiction:
The Conscript. written by blue_mew There are more likely to be others, but this one is really good so far. Check it out.
Author: snapdragon76
Spoilers: Well, I pretty much cover everything...
Well, let's see. Due to a mix-up, I was supposed to post this here in November, but I e-mailed it instead, so I did do it by the due date! I was going to post it on Friday, bur RL interrupted and I never got the chance. So here it goes:
Let me see, how was I first introduced to Gren? Hmm, I guess it’d have to start with that I had heard of so many people who had seen (and raved) about the anime, Cowboy Bebop. So, being curious, I decided to check it out and see what all the fuss was about. I liked it. Really liked it. Then, I saw “Jupiter Jazz” for the first time. I guess you could say, I was drawn to the character of Gren. His tragic plight, his betrayal, and then, ultimately, his death. When the second showing of CB came around, I made particular sure to pay attention to JJ as I saw it again. And then eventually again.
As for his strengths, I’d say the one he has the most would be compassion. After all, he did save Faye from those goons. He could have hurt her if he wanted to, especially after she found out his secret, but he didn’t. In fact, he told her his story. He must have seen something in Faye that compelled him to be able to trust her with his secret, and she, in turn, was forever touched by it.
Does he grow throughout the two episodes he’s in? I think so. Especially at the end. At first, the only thing on his mind was revenge against Vicious who wronged him. I suppose you’ll need a little background then, eh? It seems, Vicious and Gren fought together in the war on Titan, one of the moons of Jupiter. Once, between battles, Gren heard music. Being the musician he is, he was curious and went to investigate. Turns out, it was coming from a music box owned by Vicious. Gren commented that he liked the tune and asked if he could play it on his saxophone when he got back home. Vicious’ only reply was to give him the music box. Gren tries to start a conversation with Vicious, only to have a knife come at him in response. Turns out, Vicious saw a scorpion about to strike and he killed it. Afterwards, it turned out Vicious framed Gren and then testified against him when on trial. Gren was convicted and thrown in jail. During his imprisonment, he (along with others) was given drug therapy as a test. This caused a unique side effect. His hormones went out of whack and he grew breasts. He eventually escaped and therefore had a bounty placed on him. He tried to get on with his life by living on Callisto and playing his sax at the Blue Crow. This is when he runs into Faye, who’s left the Bebop in self-pity. She touches him in a way that no other woman (except for Julia as we find out later) has. I think he sees the same loneliness in Faye that he sees in himself.
Vicious is another matter entirely. At first, he sees a loner and figures he’d get to know him a little. Reach out. Maybe he had a bit of a crush? He’s compelled mostly by the music he hears coming from Vicious’ music box. Only later, does that association turn ugly. It turns out a transmitter was found to be inside the music box. Julia found it after Gren mentioned where he got it. That was how he was framed. He feels bitterness and betrayal towards Vicious who turned on him and sent him into a life of torment. Which is why I feel he set Vicious up. A bit of retribution on his part. Retribution to the man who he feels is responsible for how he came to be who he is now. He wants answers. As to why Vicious saved him from the scorpion only to betray him later. He sets up a drop for Red Eye so he can maybe find some answers. Spike, who has some questions for Vicious of his own, interrupts their exchange. Vicious escapes in a hail of gunfire. Gren tries to follow, only to crash his craft after getting hit. Gren set an explosive (in the music box) in the supply of Red Eye to try and take out Vicious, only to have the craft he was escaping in suffer minor damage. After Gren crashes, Spike goes over to try to help, only to find there isn’t any to give. Gren speaks to Spike, regaling what Julia told him about Spike and his two different colored eyes. Gren then asks Spike to put him back in his craft and tow him over Titan, where he feels he should have died in the first place, along with his comrades from the War on Titan. Spike does so.
Why do I like Gren so much? I guess I’m touched by his story. About how he was seeking friendship and gets betrayed in the end. How such a deep, sensitive, caring, artistic person could still maintain that which still makes him what he is, despite all the tragedy he went through. I weep every time I watch the last of “Jupiter Jazz” hoping there would be some way to save him in the end, for him to obtain a little bit of happiness. But, I guess, in the end, he finally finds it.
Shrine:
Mr. Saxaphone. Only one so far. There was another, but it's not active anymore.
LJ Community:
gren_lovers
Fanfiction:
The Conscript. written by blue_mew There are more likely to be others, but this one is really good so far. Check it out.