Gwen 'Archer' Bowman

B

BlueClaw

Spaceman
If any of you have watched the Wing Commander Academy TV series, does anybody recall the emotional problems the young cadet Gwen 'Archer' Bowman had with killing opposing pilots, especially Kilrathi? She would always hesitate to pull the trigger once a target lock was confirmed, and on several occasions, this put some of her wingmen at risk. She loved to fly, but feared to kill the enemy. Her hesitancy to fight marked her a 'liability' by the Claw's psychiatrist, Dr Gothrig.
Do any of you believe that Archer was indeed a risk to her fellow wingmen, and thus should have been taken off the flight roster, or booted from the Academy entirely? Would any of you feel safe enough to have Archer on your wing?
 
His *first* name is Guthrig... quoth the WCA press release:

"Guthrig Andropolos -- A civilian analyst employed by the fleet, Guthrig is the much-despised medic in charge of the psychological evaluation of the cadets. And although cold and unemotional, he is ironically subject to a variety of phobias. "

He's the guy who wrote the Victory Streak timeline <G>
 
Iason

Hey LOAF, BTW, were the CS Iason and the TCS Iason different ships? I´ve always had that doubt. I know that the CS Iason was destroyed by the Kilrathi and the war started and so on but what about the TCS Iason?
 
Although one can sympathize with Archer, and everyone in a war shows at least some of Archers dislike in killing, I would not want someone who is that hesitant on my wing. Her quomes about killing are okay when voiced after an action or before, but during, professionalism needs to provail.

Everyone needs a little of Archer, if not to avoid just become blind automatons following orders. Too much though is a liablility. Sad but true truth.

C-ya
 
Originally posted by BlueClaw
Do any of you believe that Archer was indeed a risk to her fellow wingmen, and thus should have been taken off the flight roster, or booted from the Academy entirely? Would any of you feel safe enough to have Archer on your wing?
Click to expand...

Someone like that should not be piloting a fighter. If she's a good pilot, then transfer her out and give her a job flying unarmed small craft such as shuttles or marine transports.
 
Give Archer a break, she was a little messed up after being forced to shoot down Blizzard. Besides she's never let any of her wingmen down so far.
 
Eheh... ;) Could have been anybody though, not just Maniac... Archer really had a problem.

In that situation, I personally would have been scared to fly with her. Out there, I guess the only person you can count on is your wingman, and if he starts having second thoughts... :eek:
 
I'll have to d/l the eps and see how bad she was. So far, I've only seen 5 mins total (Ratbag programmers not showing it here)

Lol
 
Indecisiveness and hesitation like Archer's are reasons battles are lost. Stick her in a MedEvac so she can save lives instead of killing.
 
I agree that pilots should not be automatons. But every once in a while, like when your carrier is threatened, you need to stick your emotions way behind you and start firing.

Patrols and little tasks like that yeah cry for the cats if you want, but big stuff like convoys of medical supplies or a carrier and you might want to be like Seether, cold and calculating.
 
Eh, I don't really think I'd have felt that good on her wing either. I mean, as much as I hate to admit it, I'm a bit like Maniac (I tend to be my own war-machine, although I do try to help my wingmen). But even people like him need some assistance at times, and in the wrong moment, non-action is too costly. I would agree though, making her a pilot of a medical transport or something of the sort would be a good idea.
 
Wasn't Knight supposed to be a bit like Archer in the movie? (that's what the TC Handbook says...)
 
Chris Roberts just hates Knight.

On the topic of Archer... isn't it great how WCA's moral *isn't* that everyone's equal and you shouldn't kill people? The entire point of the Archer thing is that she has to mature by learning to *KILL* again! That's so great!
 
Not a great moral for a children's show, I agree, but it was in keeping with the situation in the WC universe, as Confed was tied up in an all out war. As a soldier, Gwen had to face up to the fact that her job did involve killing sometimes. She grew up by accepting that she had a choice in what she was (she could either be a fighter pilot or a pacifist, but not both) and dealing with the consequences of that choice.

Best, Raptor
 
My thoughts paralleled LOAF's as I was reading this.

If not for the sake of the show and a recurring story thread, putting her in a non-offensive role would be logical.

Slightly related point: my neighbour was a stretcher bearer in WWII. He still doesn't talk much of the war, but it had to have been less emotionally stressing than being in the battle lines shooting fellow humans.
 
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