(Source: sheldony)
science bros.
There are no words to describe my feelings about this relationship. But I’m going to try.
First of all, their parallels. Both geniuses, top of their field. Both suffered an accident that physically changed them, forever, and not in a wholesome Spider-Man kind of way. Both try to do what they can to help others despite their own issues; Banner heals people, Tony works on developing clean energy. And both struggle, in their own way, with duality; Tony and Iron Man, Bruce and the Hulk. Two identities, one body. Only difference is Iron Man’s bad side is Tony.
I mentioned somewhere that Tony sees a bit of himself in Banner because they both have a monster inside them that they can’t control, a creature that springs fully formed from the id, the base impulses and the nasty stuff at the back of the mind. Bruce’s is a giant green rage monster. Tony’s trashed a party in Iron Man 2. Banner has a control over his that Tony hasn’t quite achieved yet; don’t think I didn’t notice Tony pouring himself a whiskey when confronting Loki. Tony is envious, fascinated, and most of all, impressed by Bruce’s control.
So he doesn’t walk on eggshells around Bruce like the others, because that’s not what Bruce needs. Tony sees Bruce’s restraint, sees the quiet, brilliant man making self-deprecating jokes in the corner of the room, sees the way people look at him like he’s going to snap any second, and thinks “nope”. Tony does what no-one else aboard that Helicarrier does. He trusts him. He makes jokes and jabs him and teases him and above all, treats him exactly how he would treat anyone else— he has a great regard for Bruce’s brilliance, and tells him so, but he doesn’t try to ignore the Hulk in the room. When he says “wow, you’ve really got a handle on this, haven’t you?” he’s not saying “gosh, it’s incredible you haven’t snapped yet and killed everyone on board” he’s saying “I know you have a handle on this, you wouldn’t be here if you didn’t, so I’m gonna poke you with this sharp object to prove it”. And you can see Bruce relax, and smile, and trust him back.
But then Tony goes even further, and invites Bruce to come to his R&D department. I’m pretty sure the two of them drive off together in Tony’s car at the end of the movie to do just that. And, okay, sure, Bruce is smart, but Tony’s tech is his baby. How many people get invitations to come and see his work? He invites Bruce because he recognises his brilliance, yes, but there’s another reason. He’s inviting Bruce to come down and work with him after this is over. He’s giving Bruce something to do next, a purpose, an alternative to disappearing into the ether to be alone with his monster. Tony knows from experience that being alone with your issues doesn’t end well, so for what’s only the third time in his life he extends the hand of friendship to a guy he’s known barely an hour.
And then, he tells Bruce to let the beast loose. Not just because they need him to fight, but because it will help him. If Bruce can take this thing that he sees as a curse and turn it into a gift, well, that’s going to lift him out of a very dark place. I’m not saying Tony knew about Bruce’s attempted suicide, but I think he had a suspicion that Bruce had been, in his words, “low”. So he encourages Bruce to take all that crap and pain and the Other Guy and use him to help people; after all, that’s what he did.
And it pays off. Nobody— nobody— thinks Bruce is going to turn up for that final battle. You can see the look on Natasha and Steve’s faces when Tony asks if Bruce turned up yet. They’ve counted Bruce out. Guy’s a mess, right? He’s too volatile. Doesn’t play well with others. He could never work as part of a team. No-one thinks he’ll come through when it matters. Except Tony. He has faith in him, and that faith is rewarded. It’s no wonder the Hulk is the one to catch Tony. Tony’s the one who helped let him out. He’s just returning the favor.
posting for incredibly thought-provoking commentary. yes.
| Lawyer: | "Was that the same nose you broke as a child?" |
| Witness: | "I only have one, you know." | ----- |
| Lawyer: | "Now, Mrs. Johnson, how was your first marriage terminated?" |
| Witness: | "By death." |
| Lawyer: | "And by whose death was it terminated?" | ----- |
| Accused, Defending His Own Case: | "Did you get a good look at my face when I took your purse?" | The defendant was found guilty and sentenced to ten years in jail. | ----- |
| Lawyer: | "What is your date of birth?" |
| Witness: | "July 15th." |
| Lawyer: | "What year?" |
| Witness: | "Every year." | ----- |
| Lawyer: | "What gear were you in at the moment of the impact?" |
| Witness: | "Gucci sweats and Reeboks." | ----- |
| Lawyer: | "Can you describe what the person who attacked you looked like?" |
| Witness: | "No. He was wearing a mask." |
| Lawyer: | "What was he wearing under the mask?" |
| Witness: | "Er...his face." | ----- |
| Lawyer: | "This myasthenia gravis -- does it affect your memory at all?" |
| Witness: | "Yes." |
| Lawyer: | "And in what ways does it affect your memory?" |
| Witness: | "I forget." |
| Lawyer: | "You forget. Can you give us an example of something that you've forgotten?" | ----- |
| Lawyer: | "How old is your son, the one living with you?" |
| Witness: | "Thirty-eight or thirty-five, I can't remember which." |
| Lawyer: | "How long has he lived with you?" |
| Witness: | "Forty-five years." | ----- |
| Lawyer: | "What was the first thing your husband said to you when he woke that morning?" |
| Witness: | "He said, 'Where am I, Cathy?'" |
| Lawyer: | "And why did that upset you?" |
| Witness: | "My name is Susan." | ----- |
| Lawyer: | "Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?" |
| Witness: | "No." |
| Lawyer: | "Did you check for blood pressure?" |
| Witness: | "No." |
| Lawyer: | "Did you check for breathing?" |
| Witness: | "No." |
| Lawyer: | "So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy?" |
| Witness: | "No." |
| Lawyer: | "How can you be so sure, Doctor?" |
| Witness: | "Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar." |
| Lawyer: | "But could the patient have still been alive nevertheless?" |
| Witness: | "Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practicing law somewhere." | ----- |
| Lawyer: | "What happened then?" |
| Witness: | "He told me, he says, 'I have to kill you because you can identify me.'" |
| Lawyer: | "Did he kill you?" |
| Witness: | "No." | ----- |
| Lawyer: | "Now sir, I'm sure you are an intelligent and honest man--" |
| Witness: | "Thank you. If I weren't under oath, I'd return the compliment." | ----- |
| Lawyer: | "You were there until the time you left, is that true?" | ----- |
| Lawyer: | "So you were gone until you returned?" | ----- |
| Lawyer: | "The youngest son, the 20 year old, how old is he?" | ----- |
| Lawyer: | "Were you alone or by yourself?" | ----- |
| Witness: | "He was about medium height and had a beard." |
| Lawyer: | "Was this a male or a female?" | ----- |
| Lawyer: | "I show you Exhibit 3 and ask you if you recognize that picture." |
| Witness: | "That's me." |
| Lawyer: | "Were you present when that picture was taken?" | ----- |
| Lawyer: | "Were you present in court this morning when you were sworn in?" | ----- |
| Lawyer: | "Do you know how far pregnant you are now?" |
| Witness: | "I'll be three months on November 8." |
| Lawyer: | "Apparently, then, the date of conception was August 8?" |
| Witness: | "Yes." |
| Lawyer: | "What were you doing at that time?" | ----- |
| Lawyer: | "She had three children, right?" |
| Witness: | "Yes." |
| Lawyer: | "How many were boys?" |
| Witness: | "None." |
| Lawyer: | "Were there girls?" | ----- |
| Lawyer: | "You say that the stairs went down to the basement?" |
| Witness: | "Yes." |
| Lawyer: | "And these stairs, did they go up also?" | ----- |
| Lawyer: | "What is your brother-in-law's name?" |
| Witness: | "Borofkin." |
| Lawyer: | "What's his first name?" |
| Witness: | "I can't remember." |
| Lawyer: | "He's been your brother-in-law for years, and you can't remember his first name?" |
| Witness: | "No. I tell you, I'm too excited." (rising and pointing to his brother-in-law) "Nathan, for heaven's sake, tell them your first name!" | ----- |
| Lawyer: | "Did you ever stay all night with this man in New York?" |
| Witness: | "I refuse to answer that question. |
| Lawyer: | "Did you ever stay all night with this man in Chicago?" |
| Witness: | "I refuse to answer that question. |
| Lawyer: | "Did you ever stay all night with this man in Miami?" |
| Witness: | "No." | ----- |
| Lawyer: | "Doctor, how many autopsies have you performed on dead people?" |
| Witness: | "All my autopsies have been performed on dead people." | ----- |
| Lawyer: | "Were you acquainted with the deceased?" |
| Witness: | "Yes sir." |
| Lawyer: | "Before or after he died?" | ----- |
| Lawyer: | "When he went, had you gone and had she, if she wanted to and were able, for the time being excluding all the restraints on her not to go, gone also, would he have brought you, meaning you and she, with him to the station?" |
| Other Lawyer: | "Objection. That question should be taken out and shot." | ----- |
| Lawyer: | "And what did he do then?" |
| Witness: | "He came home, and next morning he was dead." |
| Lawyer: | "So when he woke up the next morning he was dead?" | ----- |
| Lawyer: | "Could you see him from where you were standing?" |
| Witness: | "I could see his head." |
| Lawyer: | "And where was his head?" |
| Witness: | "Just above his shoulders." | ----- |
| Lawyer: | "Any suggestions as to what prevented this from being a murder trial instead of an attempted murder trial?" |
| Witness: | "The victim lived." |
(Source: inthenameofjoy)
