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Date Posted: Monday, January 17, 04:33:45pm
Author: Nell
Subject: Re: So - why not?
In reply to: JayBee 's message, "Re: So - why not?" on Monday, January 17, 02:32:14pm

I'm not sure it's an either-or proposition. While I'd say the latter was her fundamental objective, she also seems to have thought Section as it was constituted worked pretty well in achieving that larger goal -- although I believe that she would be willing to try different methods *if* she could be convinced they were improvements.

Well - she and I will have to disagree about how well Section worked. ;-)

(However, you're not going to find her agreeing with Nikita about what needed to be improved.)

No, I wouldn't expect her too. On the other hand, I assume that she knows the story of hte emperor's new clothes as well as I do - and to completely disregard Nikita's blunt assesment that Section was naked in the snow has always seemed odd to me. Well - other than she took it personally and chose to be irrtated and offended rather than wonder if it might be true.

I can think of definite tactical advantages to the game-plan she chose instead -- "glory" can also make one more of a target, after all. I think she preserved a greater range of long-term options while maximizing her influence by doing things the way she did.

Oh, I can too - and I can see that this view really resonates with Madeline's character as we came to know her. I just would have liked to see some brief scene that acknowledged this...because while its absence doesn't mean it didn't happen, it doesn't mean that it does either.

Also, there was fairly clearly a personal component to her decision, as well -- while you may not like Operations much or understand what she saw in him, it's pretty clear she see *something* worthy of being loyal to.

No argument here - but I don't see that having personal ambitions would neccessarily make her disloyal to Operations. They could, certainly, but she could want to see him rise through the ranks because he earned it and would be good at it - and want more power for herself because she earned it and would be good at it.

In a hypothetical Section where there was a transfer of command from Operations to Michael, for example, would you argue that Nikita "ought to" be considering elbowing Michael aside and taking command herself, assuming (as I believe you do) that she's capable of running Section herself? And if not, why not?

Well - my answer is probably obvious, but yes. I think that any second in command who isn't thinking about their own future as well as their superior's - no matter how much they respect, like or even love their superior - is being foolish, especially if they are equally talented. Does this mean elbowing the beloved superior aside? No, that certainly isn't required. S/he could simply continuing moving on up. But - if it is required, it is.

In Nikita's case in particular - I've always thought her will to power was pretty obvious...so, yeah, I would expect her to always be considering when and how she would take command, assuming that she was indeed Michael's second.

Of course - Madeline may not really have been 'second in command' - which alters the entire picture. If she was Paul's 'chief of staff' that is a completely different role.......

Primarily, she wanted to serve her organization. While I believe she also had other wishes and desires, they all paled beside that one, and she was willing to give them up if necessary.

What do you think her other wishes and desires were? And, why did she want to serve her organization? Why did she think they were 'the best' at their job?

(Again, I'm not trying to be argumentative - I really don't have any coherent thoughts about this stuff).

As for having a private agenda? Well - I'm enough of a cynic to believe that everyone has one, almost especially those who claim not too. Madeline's apparent lack of one actually makes me quite suspicious of her. ;-)

As for what one gains? Well - assuming everything works out - what ever it was you wanted.....

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