As a follow-up to my musings about Steve’s childhood (to recap: Indiana boy born in 1882 to a military father and suffragette mother who grew up with a bunch of older sisters), here’s some more conjecture about Steve’s backstory.
The evidence base I’m using for these imaginings come from:
1. Steve is a male feminist fantasy, so no fuckboi traits allowed
2. Steve is good at soldiering; “sir” comes very naturally to him
3. You can do something or you can do nothing, and Steve’s already tried nothing
4. Pine’s description of the character: “rogue-ish,” “cynical,” “realist,” “worldly,” “charming”
5. History and stuff
Education (1900-1905): Steve is a smart cookie, so I can see him doing well in school and taking classes at Butler University, at his mother’s insistence that he learn a few things about the world before the army fills his head with nonsense. At around 19, Steve would enroll in West Point, the United States Military Academy. It’ll be the first time he’s lived outside the Midwest — and the first time he’s seen the ocean. His, “Why wouldn’t I know how to sail?” comment makes me think he got teased at some point in his life for not knowing his way around the water. He probably played football and got really into the Army-Navy rivalry. Hazing was a big issue at this time, with the older classmen wanting to teach the “plebes” a lesson. Integrating southern and black cadets was also an issue.
Abridged Military Career (1905-1910): After graduation, Steve would begin phase one of his military career. At this point in history, the US is caught between isolationism and imperialism, sending soldiers to the Philippines, Nicaragua, Mexico, etc. The last conflicts of the Indian Wars were also continuing. No glory, no honor. Steve grows disillusioned with the military. His father, though privately upset by imperialism, is nonetheless deeply disappointed when Steve takes a honorable discharge and announces his intention of seeing the world without a gun in his hand.
Rogue Explorer (1910-1915): Let’s say it’s around 1910 when Steve sets off to see the world. He uses his natural charm, his smarts, and his military understanding of supply and trade routes to become a smuggler — but only to fund his travels and fun. Steve is a ladies man because he genuinely loves women. He falls for them on a regular basis and knows his mercurial nature well enough that he only pursues women who know what they’re about and can teach him a thing or twenty. He isn’t a heartbreaker; he’s spot of fun to be remembered fondly.
Steve meets Chief first and the two from a strong bond (one that acknowledges the heavy cultural baggage they left the US with). Steve meets Sameer next, probably because Sameer needs that face of Steve’s to pull off a con. The two begin to work together and bring Chief into their group. They meet up, go off on their own, meet back up — they see the world alone and together. Charlie they meet just as WWI is kicking off. He’s a soldier in the British military, and their contact for sneaking in their smuggled goods. At first, the war is good for business. It’s the “do nothing” approach. Steve tells himself that smuggling goods is helping the boys on the front lines, he’s doing a service. Besides, the US is neutral. Why shouldn’t he be? Charlie re-joins the war effort first. Then Sameer offers his services to British Intelligence. Chief stays neutral, and they all understand. Steve, who can’t stand the horrors anymore, returns to the US.
Soldier-Pilot-Spy (1915-1918): Piloting was just in its infancy when Steve begins his soldiering life again, but he takes to it like a duck to water. The US won’t officially join the war until 1917, but years before they’re offering pilot training and recruiting all the officers they can find in anticipation. That picture of Steve was probably taken in early 1917. After proving himself a competent pilot and a capable officer, British Intelligence would come knocking at his door on Sameer’s recommendation. As a white man and an officer, Steve would get an office in London, a personal secretary, and a place at the table with the brass. His father might indirectly find out his son is now a spy not a soldier and have some thoughts about that ignoble line of work.
But Steve is good at it. He speaks enough languages (at least French and German) to be useful, and his natural charm makes him a valuable operative. He proves more than effective as a honeytrap. (see: scene with Dr. Poison). Spying is an ideal blend of his rogue-soldier dichotomy. While he’s proud of his success and emphatically does not want to suffer, he harbors a deep guilt that other men — better men — are bleeding and starving and dying in the trenches. He grows cynical and numb executing his duty. The armistice and the notebook recall him to life, giving him a mission that he can believe in. Diana, of course, awakens his idealism even further.
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Well out of the blue I just remembered today the time I accidentally joined the cast of a production of The Princess Bride….in the middle of the production.
And you’re gonna just leave us there
I mean, if you guys wanna hear the story, it is a pretty fun one
Okay, so this is what happened,
Some years ago (6? 7 years ago, I think?) there was a pirate exhibit at the state museum. We had actual artifacts from the Queen Anne’s Revenge, creepy wax dummies, historical costumes etc, it was awesome.
I was really into Pirates of the Caribbean at the time, because I played the mmorpg with some high school friends of mine (and some of their parents sometimes, who also got addicted to it), so of course when they announced “Pirate Night at the Museum”, in which visitors were encouraged to dress up, I was over the moon. So I’m there with my friends, my parents, and my sisters, running around the exhibits after the museum is technically closed.
They replaced the creepy wax dummies with people in costume at this point, and it was pretty epic.
The highlight of the night would be a showing of The Princess Bride. The movie would play on the big screen while actors would be on a stage below, acting the whole thing out word for word and shot for shot as it happened. Any audience members who knew lines were encouraged to shout them out as they heard them.
Here’s the thing. My parents love that movie. Like you don’t understand they were quoting it to us in its entirety when we were still in highchairs. I could reenact the battle of wits scene before I ever actually watched it. So my family sits in the front row, behind the railing, quoting everything right along with the actors and film.
And then comes the part in the Pit of Despair with the Albino. And the cast didn’t have anyone on the stage with Wesley. I don’t know if the Albino couldn’t make it that night, or if they’d never cast him, but it was really weird to see Wesley just lying on the stage awkwardly while the Albino is supposed to be treating his injuries.
I started twitching. My mom and sister look at me and they’re like “do it.” And one of the ushers is like “you know the part? do it”
So I launch over the railing, run up onto the stage, and take over from there, doing my best impression of the character. Being that I was a 5′2″ blonde girl in a corset and puffy sleeves, Wesley had some trouble keeping a straight face.
Then they got to the scene with Humperdink telling the guard to clear out the Thieves’ Forest, and…they didn’t have the guard either. So my twin sister up in the audience is like “hang on, I got this” and then she launches over the railing to make sure Humperdink isn’t just sitting awkwardly talking to thin air.
This meant that yes, I got bopped on the noggin by Fezzik, and yes, my sister got to do the “Give us the key.” “What key?” “Fezzik, tear his arms off.” “Oh, you mean this key!”
They made up stay on stage and take a bow with the cast when it was over, it was hilarious. Then the next year, since they still had the exhibit, the museum called my sister and was like, “So….that was super fun last year. Do you and your sister want to be audience plants and do it again this year?”
The answer, naturally, was heck yes. Since we had new volunteers playing Count Rugen and Inigo this time, this also led to my sister actually choreographing their fight scene herself. Which was awesome.
My favorite part is that this is entirely in tone for Princess Bride.
Goldnwulf 