Do you have mice in your pocket or tapeworm? (Sorry, Mark Twainism.) Precisely why it's ironic. Her response to him seems to be knitted brows -- a hrmph. It's also why he looks so smug when saying it. Even though I think Archer is a great character, I do think T'Pol had the upperhand on him as far as intelligence. In fact, she had the upperhand on everyone on Enterprise. I always saw Archer as a gentleman -- he offered T'Pol the blanket in Andorian Incident before he took it, let women walk into doors first, etc. But I suppose that could be another thread.
Yeah, I freely admit my own biases and try not to let that make me insulting of what I don't like. I just never got a great feeling from any of the characters, really and why not let the actor I do like get the girl? He never really 'got' the girl in Quantum Leap, did he?
So? Some of us decide the merit of the character on the merit of the character and not the actor playing them, and the same goes for the show, for that matter. I may like Jolene Blalock, but pretty much every movie she's been in sucked and I'm still more than willing to say so.
I have always found it instresting that T-Pol never called ARcher Jon except in two episodes: Civilization when she wanted to avoid calling him Captain and in twilight which was an AU dream sequences of Archers. In the seri4es she always adressed him as Captain or sir even when she was alone with him in the Rady Room or in his quarters where she might have felt cmfortable calling him Jon. If they had some kind of close personall relationship she would have used his first name on occasioon. Certainly all othere first officers in other series of Star Trek did so. Re andorian incident. Archer offered the blanket and T-Pol rejected the offer. When he offered to share erthe blanket she just covered her knees with a corner of the blanket she never got under the blanket with him. She actually wound up with the whole blanket. Given that tight Cat Suit it is no wonder Archer offered to let T-Pol go first. Actually in the military Rank always precedes at all times. but who would give up a chance to check out that amazing bum.
Trip didn't call Archer Jon either; he called him "cap'n." And they'd know each other for a decade by Broken Bow, and were without doubt friends.
I'm trying to remember if Trip ever called Archer by his first name...not coming up with anything. I think he uses "Cap'n" as a term of endearment, in a way, though...even in the most intimate of circumstances, such as the scene where the two of them are talking together in "Observer Effect" and Archer is telling Trip not to give up. The way I saw the show, T'Pol and Archer developed solid trust and friendship by mid-Season 2, but I wouldn't expect her to call him anything but "Captain," even in private. She's a Vulcan, and all the series have shown that typical Vulcans display a certain formality, especially with colleagues. I don't recall Tuvok ever calling Janeway "Kathryn" on Voyager, but it's been quite a while since I've caught an episode of that show. In "Twilight" (which, as I understand, took place in an alternate future, not a hallucination), I got the impression that T'Pol called him "Jonathan" because she was no longer his science officer or captain, but his companion, caregiver, friend. There was no more professional distance to require such formality. In TOS, Spock called Kirk "Jim" on occasion, but usually when he was under emotional duress. That famous scene in "Amok Time," when Spock discovers Kirk alive at the end, and he breaks into a grin--"Jim!"--then does his best to act as if it never happened, is priceless. One of my favorite Trek novels from way back is "The Vulcan Academy Murders" by Jean Lorrah. The Big Three go for an extended off-duty visit to Vulcan, where the social custom practiced by Vulcans is to call each other by their given names. So Spock and Sarek, and even T'Pau, call Kirk and McCoy "Jim" and "Leonard" without batting an eye, something they would never do aboard Enterprise while in their professional capacities. Nice touch.
I don't think Trip ever addressed Archer by anything other than his rank. I get the impression that although Trip might talk to Archer more candidly, he's very conscious that Archer is his superior officer/CO. I don't think he has gone to the point where he would call Archer by his first name comfortably. There's not enough development to justify her addressing Archer as Jon. I only saw the buildup of trust and first base friendship, nothing more. Maybe if the series had extened to a full 7 seasons, their friendship might have become more visibly steadfast as Kirk and Spock's. .. of course, it all depends on the writing. I think he did it once (if I remember correctly), in the Year of Hell eps, when they bade each other farewell. Just before what remained of the crew took their posts in the other ally ships, preparing for a last desperate assault on the Krenim vessel. ... and of course,,,, beeeeeep, reset button was pushed ... Sacrilage, T'Pau addressing Kirk as Jim. But it was a fascinating novel.
Despite the hokey neuro-pressure scenes, I thought T’Pol and Trip eventually developed a good chemistry on a romantic level. A chemistry that could have developed into a mature and lasting love if the storyline had permitted it. T’Pol and Archer seemed more suited for friendship.
My vote is T'Pol/Trip because they were a ggod pairing, but more importantly because T'Pol/Archer deconstructs the Captain/First Officer-Right-hand man relationship TOS so brilliantly created - a Band of Brothers-if you will. That this working/living arrangement can be achieved by a man and woman is important for everyone who needs to get beyond members of the opposite sex as only sex objects. It makes Spock's goodbye to Kirk one T'Pol and Archer can also claim - "I have been and always will be your friend."
I was never for T'Pol having a romantic/sexual relationship with any of the other officers to begin with, but if I had to bite the bullet and pick one I'd have to go with Trip.
I voted for Other (Reed) I liked that idea from Shuttlepod One and wished that they had picked up on it.
Archer/T'Pol would have been interesting, but I think Trip/T'Pol was better. More contrast, closer in position onboard ship, and they overcame considerable differences (I gather Trip would have been XO as well as chief engineer if she hadn't come on board, and they quarreled over who commanded in Archer's absence at the very start). T'Pol/Hoshi might have worked too.
I was sort of in favor of Travis/Hoshi seeing as both needed more fleshing out and development and serving almost side-by-side on the bridge likely gave them a lot of common ground.
OMG! First time I show up on the BBS in months and I find this thread! I'm having shipper war flashbacks...
It's the drugs. Hey, I'd love to hear how you're doing these days. You may be my shipper-nemesis, but ... you're a pretty cool guy.
If you wait long enough, even shipper wars go out of style. I hear they're having a snowman-building contest down in hell this week, too.
You know, I don't know exactly what the "shipper wars" were, nor do I care to find out. The only thing I can say is this: "Trip & T'Pol" = Canon "Archer & T'Pol" = Over active imagination Please accept my apologies if this posting starts another "shipper war", but it was something I just had to say.