But there are more immediate concerns than politics as Rush endeavors to learn as much about the ship and how it operates as fast as he can, and teams of civilians and military explore the ship for whatever might be of use. Although nobody trusts Rush, and our hacker-slacker Eli Wallace (David Blue) is beginning to gain the trust of everyone, it is Rush who has the knowledge to put it all together and find a solution to their common dilemma. But can they trust him? It's almost beside the point, since their survival depends him. As Scott says, for now they need him.
The immediate concern is identifying a way to close shuttle door, necessary to isolate the leak. But who would volunteer for this suicide mission? And how can anyone order another human being to death for the greater good? But someone must go, and someone must give the order.
Here's where the difference in style, personality, and leadership begin to come into high relief between nominal hero Col. Young, nominal villain Nicholas Rush. Dr. Rush is a pragmatist; objective, perhaps Machiavellian, he is not only willing to sacrifice a life for the greater good of the crew but begins to compile a list of those he would consider as candidates: those perhaps less valuable to their survival. Sacrifice of someone whose skills might allow them to survive either in the short or long term makes no sense to him. On the other hand, Col. Young is only willing to sacrifice himself, noting that he is injured, and furthermore he could not ask anyone to make such a sacrifice. Rush points out that "politicians order soldiers to sacrifice themselves every day for the greater good." How is this different? Who is right? By sacrificing himself (or Rush offering to sacrifice himself), Young would deprive the survivors of their leader. Is that the right thing to do, either?
The point is made moot when Chloe's (Elyse Lévesque) father, Sen. Alan Armstrong, dying of internal injuries, disappears from his cabin. He knows he's dying, and makes a decision for himself, knowing, I would suspect, that no one would have suggested it to the powerful man. Even Rush says he would not have chosen him. Despite the understanding that Armstrong is not long for this world whether or not they survive this crisis.
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Article comments
1 - Outtie
Somehow I never saw Rush as the 'villain of the piece', just more of an internal person who tended to keep his thoughts, plans and emotions hidden from public view. As for his famous pragmatism - he was basically right about most things, he just tended to forget that other people aren't him.
2 - barbara barnett
I also don't think of Rush as the villain (personally, I see Telford as ultimately the villain, since it was likely his intelligence that led to the original attack by the Lucian Alliance). And that's the reason I call him the "nominal' villain--the person who, on the face of it, is to blame for their predicament, is untrustworthy, etc...
Yes, he's right about a lot of things--nearly everything. But he does have his own agenda that excludes the consideration of others on the ship.
Rush is by far and away my favorite character.
3 - Paul
I liked the conflict between military and civilian. Rush is right if this is a scientific exploration, that he should have ultimate decision. But if this is a warship, the military have to control it.
I never saw Rush character as the problem. He clearly was the one to follow. I saw everyone else as the problem.
If I was to be critical, I would say many characters had no business being on the top secret Icarus base or Destiny. They struck me as neither scientist nor military.
4 - barbara barnett
Wray was the IOA representative, and Chloe, her dad and Eli were just visitors to the base, but other than that, I think all the civilians were science personnel or engineers of one kind or another.
5 - Paul
Perhaps but they didn't act like any scientist or military I've seen.
6 - Outtie
I was pretty firmly in the 'civilians should be running the ship' camp for most of the shows run. Towards the end they were finally coming together with all the groups working together rather than at opposing purposes.
Personally I'd have been Team Rush all the way. Young was hardly worth listening to until about 'Twin Destinies'.