I thought that this might be an interesting topic for discussion. How have the characters progressed through five seasons?

Since Sarah has become a Hot topic on the board, I will start with her.

Sarah Brachnell-Bannerman:
Childhood friend of Johnny. The friendship develops from puppy love to infatuation. Future plans of marriage to Johnny.
Teaches music at local high school. Johnny is in horrible accident that leaves him in a coma for six years.
Sarah finds out she is pregnant with Johnny's child. She meets Walt Bannerman at the hospital. Sarah makes the decision to say goodbye to Johnny and marry Walt.
Did she really say "Goodbye" to Johnny?
In "Enigma" she gives Johnny the gift of the cell phone as a "Going away from Sarah" gift.
Sarah becomes jealous over Johnny's dream of another woman.
In "Destiny" she again becomes jealous over Johnny's relationship with Dana.
Sarah goes to Johnny's house late at night to re-kindle their relationship that she says "Is Over" by showing him the ring.
Sarah has a one-night triste with Johnny.
In "Descent" Sarah is confronted by Dana by Dana asking "Which man do you want to come out of the mine alive?"
In "No Questions Asked", Sarah asks Johnny to spy on Walt to see if he is having an affair.
In "The Last Goodbye" they go on a trip looking for a dead rock star as friends and Johnny becomes her "Bestfriend that would do anything for her"
In "The Heart of Darkness" she leaves a message for Johnny via a vision that she is still in love with him.

First: I like Sarah. She is a good mother. The problem with Sarah is that she can't let Johnny go!
Sarah has become a puppet master to Johnny's heartstrings. She doesn't want him close to her, but still she keeps him at a reachable distance. The truth is Sarah doesn't know what she wants!

Sarah has always had someone watching over her, Johnny, Walt and now Johnny again!
She needs to get on with her life. It is time that she stands on her own two feet.

John Robert Smith: Teacher of Science. He is madly in love with Sarah and wants to marry her. He is in a tragic accident that leaves him in a coma for six years. While in a coma he becomes a father to a son, JJ.
He awakes and finds out his whole life has changed. He hopes for a "Normal" life, but instead gets a life that is filled with "Normlessness". He discovers he has psychic abilities and with those abilities he must save Washington, D.C. from Armageddon. It is hard for him, but he finally accepts his loss of Sarah.
In "Dinner with Dana" he becomes intimately involved with Dana Bright and wants to take the relationship further.
In "Speak Now" he attempts to move on with his life w/o Sarah by contacting Rebecca!
He can't commit because it can't be free of Sarah. In "Rachel 2", the ending, Rebecca tells Johnny, "I love you!" He just smiles.
Johnny has learned to accept his psychic fate. He has attempted to move forward in his life and relationships. Johnny is confused. He hears Sarah words, that she still loves him, but she pushes him away. In many ways he is the lone gunman in fight for his life and the lives of others.
Johnny wants to be a good father to JJ, but doesn't want to hurt Walt. Now the tragedy of Walt's death looms over him. What should he do? What can he do? He must take baby steps where his relationship with JJ is concerned.
Johnny needs to distance himself from Sarah emotionally.

Hammer, this is an awesome analysis and recap of the development of the characters! It should be required -- sorry, suggested -- reading for anyone new to or or having missed significant parts of the show. I can't believe no one else has responded to this!

Can you do Bruce, Walt, Purdy, etc.? Please?

I'm working on a fanfic about a different direction Season Six might have taken, and since I don't have time to rewatch all the episodes and take notes, I'll be looking at this post again.If Johnny went off on his own, it would be neat to see her learning to do that.

I'd like to add that, as evidenced by his behavior throughout the first and second seasons, Johnny believes that he has the responsibility to help others to the best of his abilities, despite the cost and risk to himself. (This is probably part of why he became a teacher.) It's a vital part of his character and leads him to take on an ever increasing emotional burden that culminates with his visions of Armageddon.

First of all, I ,too, like Sarah; but she does have a serious fault: Sarah lies to herself. Both her own husband and Dana saw straight through her. I think Sarah needs someone around her that tells her "the cold hard truth". It was only when Walt left her that she got a clue, but then we finally got some sort of status quo. She finally made an overt decision to stay with Walt and start a family. She used JJ as an excuse to hide behind. Now that Walt is gone, she is so wrapped up in her problems she doesn't even see JJ. Weird twist of irony, isn't it? Granted she is a faced with alot of things. If anything, now that she is living in John's house, she should be grateful John is watching out for JJ as a father would. Why she's trying to keep John on the perimeter almost bespeaks of a control freak. She's relented some, yes, but she still seems to put conditions on things. What happened to the Sarah who told John that she always confided in him? Better to do that than put up this farce of independence. Talking it through and moving forward is good thing in getting it back together. Makes me wonder if she wants John to see her before he sees JJ? Jealous of the relationship? Guilty conscience about Walt? Sarah couldn't even make Walt stay with her at the carnival yet in an upcoming she's gonna be...well...a snit? Let's fling it back in her face that she should've made Walt stay, eh? John thought Walt was safe. I guess he should have realized that when Purdy was in the same funeral scenario that Walt was. i.e. Walt was in Purdy's place, saying Purdy's words, John should've realized that maybe Walt would be in danger of dying the way Purdy was? Walt died in Purdy's place. Maybe it should've been Purdy who died that day.

Sarah's strong points are that she is a nuturer. Walt pointed this out in "The Collector". Sarah also helped organize the clothing drive in "Vortex". We also cannot forget "Coming Home" where we see Sarah's crotchety dad who cannot live a good life without his wife. She "protected him". We know that children are like their parents in some ways, could Sarah be like her own father and maybe Johnny in that they shoulder guilt but take their negative emotions out on those around them by pushing them away and making that person think they were blamed for something? Or in Sarah's case, does she have penchant for blaming others for her own mistakes or project her hurt? We'll have to see.

Sarah does have some maturing to do though and now is the time to see that evolve. She knows she has to handle things but in her vulnerable state, living with John wasn't a good move. If everything is for JJs sake she should've stayed in that house but I guess she didn't have the financial means considering the freezing the assets under investigation. Why hasn't she gotten a lawyer to defend her husband's integrity? Why isn't she downtown demanding fairness or a gag order because of her children? Not even one phone call?

If Sarah is "a daugher of Babylon" or a representative, she'll not want to be a "widow" or suffer loss of children. She, like John, is probably not one who does well left alone. But they need to fortify their inner strengths so that they do not fall back into their old ways. I believe Sarah is would make a "politician's wife". She was even one in "Netherworld" when John was a "commissioner". She needs to use her political science degree because she has a gift in this area. She knows what people need and want. She doesn't know what she really needs and wants.

Yes, Mr. Shy Smile. The sad smile he gave even Sarah when she came to tell him about her new life and his son. John did say he loved her but he also said that it was because he loved that he would let her go. Mr. "Do The Right Thing" regardless of the cost. Such an honorable man, such a caring man. But whose beneath there? Who has the pain of lonelisness? He who plays or wants to be hero. Jack Jericho's speech to John will ever resound in my ears. So what else is going on with our gorgeous blond with the spooky eyes?

I will always return to season 3 because it outlines the hint of what lays lurking beneath a possibly thinning veneer of calm that, now Bruce is gone, can blow with the right trigger. Bruce, in crazy vision, was John's "id", his child self. John swore that he would protect Bruce (who symbolizes the "id") whatever it takes. This is equal to John pursuing a cause or should I say "obsession" of Stillson. Why the obsession?

In the book, that John Smith realized the obsession was searching for the "wild card". At least I hope I'm remembering this correctly and if so, how can one determine the meaning of this in context? Does he mean something that will give his life meaning? Some one "big" thing that becomes a life's mission? Or is someone to pit his wits against? Definition of "wild card" according to MSN Encarta:

1. somebody or something unpredictable: somebody or something that is important to a plan or course of action but whose behavior cannot be predicted ( informal )


2. extra player or team in competition: an extra player or team selected to take part in a competition although not technically qualified to do so


3. card games card of no fixed value: in card games, a card that can have whatever value its player assigns it


4. comput computer symbol representing any character: a symbol that can be used to represent any character that may appear in the same position in a computer search argument. A single character is usually represented by ? and multiple characters by *.

Biblically speaking there is something called "valley of vision" which is defined by the NETBible as the following:

VALLEY OF VISION - (ge' chizzayon): A symbolic name generally understood to signify Jerusalem as being the home of prophetic vision (Isa 22:1,5).

So if one wants to have fun with why John has been given the gift of vision it may be to find that "wild card" in the possible roles above in order to help John with that possible problem brewing beneath the face we see?

I believe John has a special role as Gene forsees but not in using John as a commodity to gain money which is what is happening and John has not stopped it. John is somewhat responsible for the legacy his mother leaves yet he takes no interest in it. He only threatened Gene. If it comes to that it may be too late.

John has strong emotion he keeps under tight control. He loves Sarah but I think he has a yen for "femme fatales" and hence the attraction to Dana and even the one coming up in "Switch". Come to think of it, Stillson likes those "innocent girls" but settles for "femme fatales" and John may be opposite? Another way they are alike? Just a guess. I mean, why is John attracted to this gal coming up in the next ep and Sarah is possibly available?

A must read in depth character analysis for newcomers and show loyalists alike. Great work! I would very much like to read your take and breakdown of the other characters as well!

Good question. No one is perfect regardless of how much we would like them to be. I am not suggesting in any way that Johnny intentionally blew it when it came to saving Walt. But, you can not save everyone and there are consequences for trying to alter everyone's destiny (e.g., control everything in order to get the most desirable outcome according to one individuals beliefs about what is right). We saw this in Re-Entry. Stillson would have been justified in blowing the shuttle up because it posed a greater risk to more people than those aboard the shuttle alone. Johnny was judgemental and willing to take a risk to more people to save a few. Johnny, though he may not realize it, will eventually learn that you can not save everyone. Walt is an example of this. I also think it is an example or foreshadowing of things to come.

It should have been Purdy who died on that day. I think this is the beginning of Johnny's future awakening that he is incapable of manipulating every scenario according to what he believes is the "right" scenario...because he can not always be right! For instance, hypothetically speaking, what if Johnny knew two people would die - but he could only save one. Who would he choose? What gives him the right or how can he be justified in making such a decision regarding the fate of two individuals and still be in the right when one dies? Johnny struggled with such a scenario in the Season Two Episode Playing God. What would Johnny have done, or who would he have chosen, if he had to choose between Purdy and Walt on that particular day?

Oh, I'm sure something like that will play out in the end or should. As matter of fact that very situation played out in "What It Seems" when Johnny was trying to save Allison, but instead wound indirectly causing the death of another woman because the killer was bound and determined to kill that night. After finding that woman's body, John asked Bruce how do you choose? As Bruce said, he couldn't answer. How can one answer? I would say that if one believes that his visions are telling what to do or warning of something, than shouldn't he choose the person in whom the visions were about? Like Walt for instance?

If John had known whether it was Walt or Purdy, who would John choose? How much does John see or want to see? No one knows how John's visions work. Like they say, "I wish I had a rule book" concerning the visions. All John says is that his visions show him what he needs to see. He used to say too that his visions lead him to where he is needed or can be of use. If John's visions were of Walt, wouldn't it be Walt to be the one to save? Then he had one of Purdy very suddenly where John had no time to save Purdy and thus asked Walt to go over to see him. In hindsight John could've wondered why he called Walt to begin with. Why didn't he (John) just go straight over. John had no clue that Walt was that close to seeing Purdy, did he? Yet, John himself could've just taken off and tried to find Purdy. I guess it was just coincidence eh? Definitely timing by seconds. If John had not called Walt then Purdy would've been under the large wooden beam instead of Walt. Walt would've been a fraction of a second too late.

So really, there is no right or wrong answer unless the situation was one like that in "Re-Entry" where one can save the most people. Time certainly plays a huge role because if one cannot correct the thing going wrong one must choose the "greater good" so to speak.

It's interesting to see how the visions play out, particularly when John becomes that person in a vision. Why does John become the person in a vision? Is it for a lesson? A hint at what is going on deep down inside? For example, could I associate John becoming that hood and wanting Walt dead or out of the way so he can have the prize which would be Sarah/JJ. Does that violent thug represent something in John? Why else become that hoodlum if it wasn't for a specific reason? Or was it just to make things interesting? John should feel what that person feels for a reason. Not just for cheap vision thrills.

True enough. Unfortunately, Johnny already blew the decision in relation to the greater good of humanity in the Season Four opener. As you recall in Tipping Point, or the Season Three Finale, FJ warned present day Johnny not to save Rebecca Caldwell (my opinion - this is an example of Johnny's visions showing him, not what he wants to see, but what he needs to see). In spite of his own advice and future visions, present day Johnny ignored his own advice (future advice knowing both the outcome and what was at stake) in order to save Rebecca. I believe Johnny did this because he believed that somewhere down the road he would be able to manipulate circumstances to achieve his most desired outcome (Rebecca lives as does humanity). Perhaps Johnny will do just that. Christopher Wey had his doubts about Johnny for seemingly good reasons. Johnny is uncertain on occasion, and overly confident on other occasions. His vision, or future vision and/or interaction with himself, told him what the right thing to do was. He did not listen...not even to himself! I love our hero. But, can we really trust him to save humanity if such a scenario should arise again? He should have played it safe, listened to his future self, and ensured the survival of humanity by allowing Rebecca to kill Stillson even if it meant her own demise. Maybe the only way Johnny can save humanity is by sacrificing himself as in the movie and book.

FJ is or was untrustworthy. He refused to tell John what happened in the future to justify murdering Stillson. We have no idea if John himself played a role in the events leading to Armageddon. FJ sure didn't want to seem to own up to any responsibility for it. He did say that John couldn't make the choice but Rebecca could. John never had any choice to at that time that would lead him to kill Stillson. As Bruce once said, "Did you actually see Stillson doing something". John said, "No". He only said that he was sure that Stillson was responsible. That was only a "feeling" and as Sarah observed those feelings could be wrong. Just like John was wrong about Greg Stillson killing Rachel. Remember how sure he was that it was Greg who killed Rachel? John only wanted to get evidence to support that belief. He never saw a vision showing him otherwise. He never even entertained the thought it could've been one of Stillson's thugs acting on their own accord.

FJ is also a culmination of many things. He turned out to be just as dangerous as what John thought Stillson was at that time. Or maybe even Janus, who knows. I do believe you though about John manipulating things to get the outcome he wants, but is he doing that on a conscious level?

John's visions showed him that Rebecca would've been successful in killing Greg but John couldn't have seen if it stopped Armageddon because he would've had that brain surgery that stopped his visions. It still could've happened despite Stillson's death. Janus would've just have to reset his timetable and picked up another candidate. Their is plenty like Stillson, I'm sure.

FJ spoke with a hatred of Stillson. In light of what is going on now, it seems hostilities have ceased but they may flare up again. Did Stillson steal something of John's? Did John feel Stillson cheated him out of something? It could have been anything like what we saw where the two men disagreed on how to act. They were on opposite sides of the fence, but how do you go up against the POTUS? Do you dare go into open opposition? The events of the future are still hard to predict. All we can say is that Greg and John are going to learn to hate each other again. But murder? Stillson may be ruthless and such but he has not yet done anything as heinous as to contemplate murder.

In the book Stillson was a crazy guy. Really out of his mind insane. John saw the destruction of everything in one clear and long vision. Our John has not. In the book, it was said that Stillson does something to aggravate a conflict. He said something like 20 countries go against the USA and that he thought the conflict started in South Africa (at the time they were having apartheid).

So, I'm thinking that the spark will be over civil or human rights. Racial hatred. I think Bruce will be involved that conflict and meet his death. I think that all of them will meet a death in a similar way we saw Walt. John may fail and come to hate his visions because they betray him. They don't show him all that he needs to know to save them, or they show the death but not why or how to stop it. What is he supposed to learn from that? All of these situations would be tied to Stillson. Right now Walt's death is tied to it, albeit indirectly until we see something more positive. So, in FJ's mind if all the events of his friends' deaths are tied to something about Stillson and John's own inability to stop them despite his so-called gift, he may project onto Stillson and think annihilate the common denominator - Stillson.

It's kind of a garbled reasoning but if someone has so much tragedy involved with or in association with one person, it's natural to project all of one's hatred and pain on that one person and to want destroy what they stand for or that person himself. FJ may be right, but until we see more than what he says, I would say John couldn't trust that version of himself because he wouldn't come out and tell the plain truth before Rebecca shot stillson. John would have to wait until after but then maybe that FJ would have long gone and JOhn would never have known and that could be the reason too. To wipe the future clean of one of the people who may have lit the fuse to Armageddon.

Great post! You made some great points. Very good things to think about in the overall picture. Stillson has murdered before though, and has threatened to murder others directly which qualifies as surpassing contemplation (e.g., remember the episode in which Stillson and his goon were going to throw a reporter off a high rise building for printing negative publicity about him after Stillson's attempt to blackmail the reporter failed?).

Yes, but unless he really did throw the guy over, it wasn't yet murder. Stillson manipulates things to his advantage. If we are to assume that John manipulates the outcome to his advantage then he is no different than Stillson. I meant to add this point to my last post but decided to put it here. FJ, in essence, was eliminating Stillson and not himself. He could insult himself (our John) all he wanted but in the end FJ would still have won things to his own advantage via Rebecca if she succeeded. John wouldn't have had to do a thing because another form of him had made things the way he wanted them. The only thing was is that FJ couldn't be assured of the outcome. Only that his opponent was dead and he didn't get the blame and it still worked out the way FJ wanted them. IT's like John had told himself. It wasn't Fate who was doing this, but John himself. FJ had told John to do nothing and let Fate take its course because most likely FJ believed that is what needed to be done.

I want to know when John contemplated taking up a gun. As FJ said, John couldn't make "the choice". When was this choice given?

Something else to think about. Rebecca thinks Stillson is still going to destroy Washington. John forgot to tell her it was over. What if she decides to interfere with Stillson's bid for the White House? What if she somehow stirs the pot via some strong political and economic connections her family may have...all based on what John told her?

Stillson did not kill the reporter because the reporter was so afraid of dying that he gave Stillson exactly what he wanted. No more bad publicity. But I do believe Stillson would have had the reporter killed if he felt there were no other options. Both Johnny and Stillson manipulate outcomes for very different reasons. Johnny uses his abilities to manipulate situations for the good of others, or rather, to help other people (but it does not always work). Stillson manipulates people for power and political means. Johnny is not a bad person for trying to help others. I do not believe his attempts to manipulate situations, for the greater good of others, is either a conscious or unconscious attempt to promote self gain or for self benefit. I am just saying that it may not always work and, as a result, someone (perhaps a lot of people) may pay the price. I do not think Rebecca has any serious connections. But I do agree she is still out there with two motives to kill Stillson. Motives include the death of Rachel and Johnny's vision of Armaggedon which he communicated to Rebecca that he believes Stillson causes.

I do not think FJ had time to communicate any more information to present day Johnny. The building was shaking and JJ indicated that they had to go as "if they had been found". I do not consider this a reason not to trust FJ. The only thing I wonder about FJ is why he had poor Christopher Wey shackled to the chair. Plus, FJ and present day Johnny were only able to meet on one occasion.

I think you are making a lot of assumptions about FJ. We know so little about him.

I may be mistaken - but I do not recall FJ ever speaking much about, or in great detail about Stillson, to present day Johnny. I do not recall FJ stating that he even hated Stillson...though it may be implied? Again, I think we are making a lot of assumptions about FJ whom we know so very little about. I do not know if Janus would have been a political factor if Stillson were not around. I think this may be an assumption as well.

Closure - I think we got off key a little bit with the whole FJ thing. Probably my fault for citing him as an example to prove a point. I think FJ is a mute point since Johnny threw his cane in the river.

It is possible that FJ is a moot point, but unfortunately I've never been one to believe it. I go by this premise, if our John, by Fate, connected with his past self to save himself, then I believe that another "visitation" is possible to go back and fix the mistake that needs to be fixed. Wey is still in the picture. The canehead may still return. Why do I believe this, particularly why throwing the canehead means nothing? Again, going back to "Collision" Johnny did not use the canehead to talk to himself. So, throwing the canehead away does not mean that John cannot connect to himself at some other point down the road. The canehead is only an object that belonged to John so that Wey could contact John just as the knife was the reason John and Shaman could connect. But with John's "self connection" it was the place of the accident OR it was the person he was touching which wound up being the person who was the object of FJ's plans. Ironic too that a psychologists job is to help one "connect" with themself, eh?

Anyway, also, FJ's warnings of what may be happening are valid. His warnings of everything John is afraid of happens and his friends dying which doesn't necessarily mean they died in Armageddon. The pattern of events in John's life could very well still be following FJs. John throwing away the canehead ensured that he, himself, would know nothing about the future. He broke his connection to the future to "figure it out for himself" even after seeing what that "end product" looked like.

The information I gleaned about FJ is subjective, yes. But his tone of voice fairly snarled when he told John that Rebecca had to kill Stillson. Regardless of what we assume about FJ, we cannot forget his warnings to John. We also cannot forget episodes like "Shadows" or "Babylon" that show a hint of what is underneath John's sweet smile.

As far as John not liking Stillson in the past, I think it would be safe to say that John did not like Stillson. He has seen too much of what that man would do to become President. He knows he killed his father but not why. The problem is now is that John seems to laid back and not bothered enough about the rise to power. I know he hasn't seen Armageddon anymore, but John knows the mans type of politics. Who knows, maybe Greg has changed, but wouldn't it be hard to get over the fact that Stillson 1) killed his own father, 2) may have allowed Miranda's murder, 3) knowingly participated in the murder of the VP, 4) violated political ethics with voting fraud, 5) involved in land fraud, 6) extortion of Purdy, etc. These are not things easily swept under the carpet.

Both men can believe the "bad" things are over because of Janus dying, but Janus told Greg that he never underestimated him. What if Janus set things into motion that happen on a time table that will naturally pit John against Greg. Janus said he was a great study of the human being or phrased with a similar meaning.That is how he can set up his very detailed plans, he's fairly sure of the reaction from the players involved to the "stimulus". Hammer had once put forth a theory on the boards that may be it was possible that there may something in the works of drawing John into the conflict later by using Sarah because John wouldn't join the "army" so to speak for Armageddon. A conflict between John and Greg may be the intended trigger for Armageddon. And maybe in this conflict or at least in dealings with Stillson, John will start seeing the warnings of FJ begin. We've already lost Walt and under strange circumstances. Whose next?

Ok, gotta give an answer as to why "the woman" is necessary in John's case and if FJ is full of rage. If FJ or John is or does manipulate things to his desired outcome, then he is "playing God" because of his gift. With Stillson it's bad enough that he would do such a thing, but he doesn't have the power to see like John does. Heaven help us if he did.

Anyway, we see the topic of rage or, to put it Biblically, "wrath". If John's "wrath" leads to "end times" and "Revelation" then we need a harmless to pour out "wrath" so that it falls harmlessly to mankind. Thus, we need to give John a 'savior" who is sent to the cross or is "crucified" for the misdeeds of whomever. Who ithis done? By murder? No. That is the foundation of "New Testament". Alot of the imagery in revelation can used as a metaphor for psychoanalysis and I think has been done so by some famous psychologists like Carl Jung. You kind of tell us story to illustrate points about human psyche using archetypes and various things. There's a pattern to follow. The Bible kind of follows the pattern of Egypt such as in freeing the slaves from bondage. But anyway, if John is projecting all of his emotional baggage onto Stillson and thinks he is like stillson which is possible, what will that do? Make him a hypocrit and a liar to himself? How does he deal with that? Will he own the responsibility? "Make the choice" as FJ says? The choice that Rebecca made, once pulled back from the abyss, is to accept blame for what she was about to do and fix it. Dana too, realized her problems about men and sought help. John is very, very reluctantl to do so. He says people should help themselves. Isn't getting help like this "helping youself"? Admitting there is something wrong?

Anyway, John's "savior" must be someone he can scream at. Maybe even for a time blame for the problems he's having in finding a solution. But in the end his wrath falls or should fall harmlessly on the woman because he loves her. And if she'd done wrong, it is a mutual forgiveness because in most couple situations, the repsonsibility for the relationship is tied to both.

I know in the past writers guides they suggested the movie "The Last Temptation of Christ" and in that movie it shows how that christ gave up a life with Magdalene for a "higher calling". I think that is ok in the beginning for DZ but not the later. John needs to replace what he has lost because "In the beginning" was Adam and Eve" and they fell from grace. BUT, in the end, a new Adam and a new Eve arise, once that "curse" was lifted. The price was paid by someone being the 'scape goat' in order for "wrath" to be poured out. But the scenario of the elements of "revelation" and "christ" can be portrayed alot of ways. Just an idea.

I know I'm late to this party but I thought I would toss in a couple of words.

To the issue of choice. In s4's Vanguard John was again put in a position of trying to save a friend and failing. I think that was the first real shake up of his life following the saving of Rebecca. I do think that John feels he can beat the odds. John is not a religious man. He says phrases like "Oh my God' reflexsively, not because he has a great deal of faith. He talks about operating on proof, logical for a former science teacher. He understand faith as evidenced by his comments to Purdy in "The Inside Man" Faith is the belief in something in the absence of proof. But I honestly don't think he's there yet in regards to his purpose in the world. He thinks he can manipulate, despite situations like the bloody boy in "Scars", and that belief is what scares him sometimes when he contemplates the similarities between Stillson and himself. It's the reason he goes against the rules, like in "Grains of Sand". It's also the reason that he questions his place in the grand scheme, like in Indepedence Day. He can change the future for the better but sometimes wonders if he should or even why he should help as he told Nina in "Ego".

"Power corrupts, absolutely power corrupts absolutely." An old axiom that applies best to the FJ we met in Tipping Point and Broken Circle. It's another way of looking at how John got to that point. I think FJ has disappeared in part because John tasted failure-in Vanguard-and the reality of his past-in Babble On. He realizes that he is not infallible and that his past must be addressed before he can ever completely move forward. Had Rebecca killed Stillson we don't know what John would have done. He could have been so bitter and distraught if she were murdered by the Secret Service that he might have retreated completely and never discovered the truth about Herb or reunited with Alex Connors. He might have pushed everyone away and not been there when they needed him, so their deaths were inadvertantly his fault. FJ heaping on the guilt by saying John would kill them all because he felt guilty for his own inattentiveness. FJ does not say that Bruce, Sarah and Walt died as a result of Armageddon, just that they died because of something John did. Or didn't do?

I think the John of s6 is hoping Armageddon is over. He has so much on his plate right now that it would be a relief to not worry about it. In "Interred" we get a hint of how bad he feels about Walt's death. There is the guilt of responsibility, the sorrow at having lost a friend, the anger of feeling powerless and perhaps the tentative-and guilt laidened joy-of contemplating a future family. John's reaction in Re-Entry proves he's still on guard and not at all surprised when he gets a vision of Stillson shooting the shuttle down. He is quick to accuss Stillson of playing the situation for personal gain. So while he is obviously distracted he is also quite convinced that Stillson is still a negative force.

Looking towards the future and possible dalliances with Nina the psychiatrist or the blond on the train in Switch. I think John is still assessing who he is and who he wants to be. He has alot to address emotionally as Nina pointed out and I think it's about time he did. I think he should confront Sarah about the fact that she never really let him go. Yes that's a sweet love story and all but neither of them are the same people they were in 1995. People-in this case well drawn characters-grow and change. She hasn't a clue what her clingyness has done to him. She was never decisive but always finding ways to keep him connected to her life. By the same token, John never really reached out and held on to anyone else. He tried with Rebecca but she just wasn't strong enough to handle his realities. I think she really loved him but was too distracted by obsession-justifiable IMO-concerning Stillson and her sister's death. I think if John had been paying attention he would have seen a changed Dana in "Articles of Faith". A woman that could help him in his pursuit of Stillson and was very willing to deal with the emotional/psychological repercussions of his visions. Again, John has issues. Personally I get tired of hearing how tragic the John/Sarah story is. Yes, it's sad, but it's also in the past. Walt got short shrift for alot of years and he didn't deserve it. So did John because Sarah couldn't make up her blessed mind. What? Me irritated? Naw. Anyway....

I don't see FJ or the canehead coming back into play for the series. It was a great concept and should have been followed through. Not to say that I haven't loved some of the episodes in the last three season. But many of those stories still could have been played out with a darker, moodier John. *shrugs* Spilled milk and all. Overall I see a character who was scared, unsure, bitter and not a little angry at the turns his life took in the pilot. He has gone through a period of extreme self doubt and a great deal of success and is now back to a place of questions. They are just different questions.

Thank you. I am going strictly off memory from the series because I really don't have too much time. I quess you can say it just a personal or play by play commentary on the characters.

Bruce Lewis: Son of a preacher. He leaves home because he has a fight with his father over his not wanting to be a preacher himself. He works in Maine as a physical therapist in the hospital that Johnny Smith awakens from his coma in. Bruce finds out about Johnny's abilities during a therapy session when Johnny tells Bruce not to worry about the water, man! As Johnny attempts to walk the bottle of water on the railing spills and they look at each other. The two become good friends. There is a comraderie between the two. On the ride home from the hospital Bruce gives Johnny a pair of leather gloves because Johnny's visions are touch induced. Bruce tells Johnny, "If you don't want to touch anyone, you'll look good while your not touching, my brother." The leather gloves were a one time deal, you see them and than the gloves are gone forever due to a network decision. Also on the ride home Bruce tries to convince Johnny to go to a local casino. Bruce says to Johnny, "My twenty bucks and your talents". Johnny just smiles and shakes his head.
They develop a friendship, but it is in "Zion" where Bruce comes to the realization that he is here to watch over Johnny. He finds that if he were not in Johnny's life the scenario could be very different for Johnny. A Johnny that loses touch with reality and becomes the thing he is fighting not to become "a killer." Also in "Zion" because of Johnny's visions Bruce is able to re-attach with his father, though his father is dead they get to reunite as father and son again via Johnny's visions.
Bruce has always told Johnny he has his back in all things and he means it.
The depth of their friendship is tested when Johnny in "Shadows" sees a vision of himself killing a man, only to discover the reason why, because the man murdered Bruce. Johnny is able to change the outcome of his vision to save Bruce. Johnny also was able to change the direction of his visions in "Independence Day" when he saw Bruce getting killed in an auto accident.
Bruce is always questioning Johnny's ability to change the future, as to say, "is Johnny changing history by changing a person's destiny".
Bruce is a true friend to Johnny, so to speak "A voice in the darkness."
Season 6 saw Bruce leaving and taking a job in Boston as a sports therapist for athletes. He did tell Johnny that if Armageddon ever comes up again he will be there to help. Bruce for right now is away, but not gone from the series.
Johnny told Bruce about his visions of Armageddon and Stillson.

Others can jump right in and describe the other characters of Walt, Purdy, and Stillson. It would be great to see their characterizations of these individuals.

Thanks Hammer. I would add that the fight between Bruce and his father was about more than being a preacher. Bruce questions his faith and the wisdom of believing in any sort of God. "How can you believe in anything we preach on Sunday?" Bruce has been on his own personal journey throughout the series. His development seems to have stalled out somewhere around the end of s3 as he became more of a sidekick to John and pursued his own quests less overtly. I'm referring to the mentions of Zen meditation and the like that we heard in the early parts of the series. I do love the mirror of the two characters however. John and Bruce both searching for different reasons and inextricably linked by that journey.

I think Dana Bright has been the only other character to point out exactly who Bruce is to John.

Articles of Faith,
Dana: "He takes his job seriously."
John: "What job is that?"
Dana: "Taking care of you."

The friendship between the two characters has always been a high point of the series for me. I miss it and when I read descriptions for upcoming episodes with Sarah in that role of support/comrade-in-arms I cringe because no matter how much John cares for her, Sarah will never fill that role in the same role Bruce did.

I miss Bruce too!
When Bruce and Johnny were together, a person could find themselves engrossed in a cornucopia of feelings that the two brought to the little screen.
I loved the humor and the sentiment.
In "Grains of Sand" when Johnny saves the baby. Bruce's date never happens because of his devotion to Johnny and his visions. He is supportive, but yet annoyed.
The humor with the choice of Baby clothes.
Johnny: "The baby needs a different outfit, this looks dorky on him."
Bruce: "How about one with puppies, no how about Duckies?"
Johnny:"The one with the duckies."

Bruce gets left with the Baby while Johnny goes in search of the father.
Johnny:" "I gotta go, Uncle Bruce."
Bruce: "Yeah, Uncle Bruce, I'm the grand babysitting master, Jack." He sniffs around the baby and tells johnny, "Hurry back Man!"

This is the kind of sidekick humor I truly miss.

The trueness of Bruce's friendship to Johnny. In "There Be Monsters" even though Johnny got angry and told Bruce to leave because Johnny had a vision of Bruce getting beat up. Bruce still turned the car around to be with Johnny only to have the vision come true.

They talk about being different in "The House" .
Johnny: "People walk their dogs on the other side of the street!"
Bruce: "Good news for your lawn, my Brother!"
Johnny: "People walk on the other side of the street because they think I'm wierd and don't want me in their neighborhood>"
Bruce: "People don't want me in their neighborhoods either!"

I hope that in "Switch" that Bruce will have more than just a cameo appearance, but it looks as though it will be Johnny, the girl based. "Sigh"

I never understood why they get so phobic about highlighting the supporting cast. We loved them so much that we would've enjoyed a more personal story. It seems the each got one then nothing. There's always some family story or heirloom that has an incomplete story or legend which may or may not be true. I loved the way "Enigma" unfolded!