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After Watching "Platoon" again, which faction would you join? Elias or Barnes?
Posted on 1/15/24 at 10:47 am
Posted on 1/15/24 at 10:47 am
Elias was the noble warrior and Barnes was the "do whatever" warrior. Both were killed. Both by members of their own unit. (Elias didn't die immediately to have the Oscar Moment)..
If you were in the weeds like these guys were which team would you want to be on? Simple question.
If you were in the weeds like these guys were which team would you want to be on? Simple question.
11
Posted on 1/15/24 at 11:01 am to CU_Tigers4life
Probably the group that just wants to get high in a bunker and not rape Vietnamese women.
Posted on 1/15/24 at 11:11 am to CU_Tigers4life
I mean SSgt Barnes is one of my all time favorite movie characters. But I'm going with Sgt Elias ten out of ten times.
Posted on 1/15/24 at 11:22 am to CU_Tigers4life
Elias
Posted on 1/15/24 at 11:33 am to CU_Tigers4life
quote:
Both were killed. Both by members of their own unit.
Well that's certainly one way to put it.
Posted on 1/15/24 at 11:43 am to CU_Tigers4life
Probably Elias simply because Barnes’ crew included psychopaths like Bunny and worthless frickers like Junior.
I’d feel safer with the likes of Rhah and Elias than I would with someone who would get you killed through bloodlust or cowardice.
I’d feel safer with the likes of Rhah and Elias than I would with someone who would get you killed through bloodlust or cowardice.
Posted on 1/15/24 at 12:28 pm to teke184
There's really no comparison. Elias was every bit the warrior Barnes was and was just as capable in the field. He just wasn't completely amoral. He was also a better leader.
In an insurgency / guerilla war, sure, Barnes is more likely to get you home alive, but is that worth what it would require you to do? That's a hard no for me. Go read the book Black Hearts or Four Hours in My Lai. I'd rather die in combat than live with that kind of guilt hanging over me the rest of my life.
Interesting thought exercise on this thread. OP - you ought to cross post this to the OT or the politics board.
In an insurgency / guerilla war, sure, Barnes is more likely to get you home alive, but is that worth what it would require you to do? That's a hard no for me. Go read the book Black Hearts or Four Hours in My Lai. I'd rather die in combat than live with that kind of guilt hanging over me the rest of my life.
Interesting thought exercise on this thread. OP - you ought to cross post this to the OT or the politics board.
This post was edited on 1/15/24 at 12:29 pm
Posted on 1/15/24 at 12:58 pm to Sam Quint
quote:
There's really no comparison. Elias was every bit the warrior Barnes was and was just as capable in the field. He just wasn't completely amoral. He was also a better leader.
In an insurgency / guerilla war, sure, Barnes is more likely to get you home alive, but is that worth what it would require you to do? That's a hard no for me. Go read the book Black Hearts or Four Hours in My Lai. I'd rather die in combat than live with that kind of guilt hanging over me the rest of my life.
Interesting thought exercise on this thread. OP - you ought to cross post this to the OT or the politics board.
It was just a passing thought. For me I would be on team Elias. It's easy to be with Elias but I wonder how we all would feel in such a situation in a country totally alien to you with your life on the line virtually all of the time. You don't even know if the locals are friends or if some 5 y/o kids going to walk up to you and pull the pin on a grenade.
Posted on 1/15/24 at 1:01 pm to CU_Tigers4life
You can't say Barnes. Because Barnes was out there until he got his. He knew that and acted accordingly. Anyone attached to him would meet the same fate. Just like Dr. Cox, who was stuck in Barnes's role after Barnes demise. That's a no win situation.
I don't see Elias's situation being that much better, but if one guy is going to get you out alive, it's Elias. It would have to be independent of Barnes, because Barnes resented Elias for his attitude. Barnes was always going to end Elias because having someone in command that isn't scorched Earth is unreconcilable to Barnes.
Chris sided with Elias, but ultimately became Barnes to end Barnes. Chris got out. So the only correct answer, based on historical data, is that you need a bit of both to get back from the Nam.
We see how that affects him in the sequel to Platoon, Major League, where Chris has changed his name to Rick Vaughn, and is now a criminal. Luckily, he found baseball to fill the hole left in him from the Nam.
I don't see Elias's situation being that much better, but if one guy is going to get you out alive, it's Elias. It would have to be independent of Barnes, because Barnes resented Elias for his attitude. Barnes was always going to end Elias because having someone in command that isn't scorched Earth is unreconcilable to Barnes.
Chris sided with Elias, but ultimately became Barnes to end Barnes. Chris got out. So the only correct answer, based on historical data, is that you need a bit of both to get back from the Nam.
We see how that affects him in the sequel to Platoon, Major League, where Chris has changed his name to Rick Vaughn, and is now a criminal. Luckily, he found baseball to fill the hole left in him from the Nam.
Posted on 1/15/24 at 1:42 pm to migui8618
In Chris’s own words at the end:
“There are times since, I felt like a child born of those two fathers”.
We all have a touch of Barnes (self preservation) but hopefully more of Elias, who was a true leader that was looking out for his men. Having said that…team Elias.
“There are times since, I felt like a child born of those two fathers”.
We all have a touch of Barnes (self preservation) but hopefully more of Elias, who was a true leader that was looking out for his men. Having said that…team Elias.
Posted on 1/15/24 at 2:29 pm to TrapperJohn
If you watch Barnes makes good decisions. He includes himself and his best guys in most all of the patrols. They just make Elias more likeable so its easy to lean towards him. Now lets talk about Bunny the madman.
Posted on 1/15/24 at 2:39 pm to AtticusOSullivan
Next SUMBITCH I catch copping ZZ's in the bush. I'm personally going to take an interest in watching him suffer. Doc. Tag him and bag him!
Posted on 1/15/24 at 2:42 pm to AtticusOSullivan
Barnes was likable until he killed the honcho’s wife and then murdered Elias in an attempt to cover up his crime. Before that he would have been someone I would have followed into combat without hesitation. He cared for his men in his own way but put the mission before everything else.
Posted on 1/15/24 at 4:48 pm to RollTide1987
quote:Yeah, how is it even a question?
Barnes was likable until he killed the honcho’s wife and then murdered Elias in an attempt to cover up his crime
Posted on 1/15/24 at 4:51 pm to CU_Tigers4life
Canada
Posted on 1/15/24 at 4:56 pm to Big Scrub TX
How many US soldiers were killed by viet cong using the civilian card? Probably a good bit. In my mind Barnes has seen his friends fall to this on mulitple occassions. There in the village and they just lost Manny to viet cong in thw area. They find weapons in the rice etc. Barnes in his mind connects the dots. These are his enemies, thwy helped kill manny and other GIs. He didnt shoot a civilian farmer he shot a viet cong agent who had aided in the death of his men. For him he had had enough of it. Thats just the flip side to rhat argument I guess.
Posted on 1/15/24 at 6:00 pm to CU_Tigers4life
Posted on 1/15/24 at 7:58 pm to CU_Tigers4life
Elias was jus as much of a badass as Barnes but wasn't a piece of shite. Easy choice, also because Barnes' crew were psycho retards.
And weed.
And weed.
This post was edited on 1/15/24 at 10:34 pm
Posted on 1/15/24 at 8:11 pm to AtticusOSullivan
quote:
If you watch Barnes makes good decisions. He includes himself and his best guys in most all of the patrols. They just make Elias more likeable so its easy to lean towards him
He executed an unarmed woman.
Posted on 1/15/24 at 8:13 pm to AtticusOSullivan
quote:
How many US soldiers were killed by viet cong using the civilian card? Probably a good bit. In my mind Barnes has seen his friends fall to this on mulitple occassions. There in the village and they just lost Manny to viet cong in thw area. They find weapons in the rice etc. Barnes in his mind connects the dots. These are his enemies, thwy helped kill manny and other GIs. He didnt shoot a civilian farmer he shot a viet cong agent who had aided in the death of his men. For him he had had enough of it. Thats just the flip side to rhat argument I guess.
Yeah that's murder, bro. Viet Cong or not. You can't execute prisoners.
Edit - would love to hear from the brave men downvoting me for thinking murder is wrong.
This post was edited on 1/16/24 at 2:36 pm
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