Threaded Mode | Linear Mode

SPOOK91 · 27-01-2010, 02:45 PM

I think over the course of the time that she spent in Cyprus with George and Nico, Ruth changed quite a bit. She had had a taste of the simple life, and she had had time to detach herself from Harry. As far as she was concerned she was never going to see Harry again, in which case, her dropping everything and not trying to get on with a new life would have been detrimental to her.

I do think though that the way she relates to Harry after what happened in episode 1, is different to how she percieved him before she left. Before she left, she seemed to hero worship him quite a bit, but now she has seen the other side of him, she seems to be a lot more mature about things too. She seems to be the one instigating much of the contact between them, where as in the past other than the bus scene, it seemed to be Harry who moved the relationship on.

**Silktie** · 27-01-2010, 05:39 PM

Great discussion guys! My belated contribution:

I think Ruth was fond of George, but not deeply in love with him. I do think, though, that she loved Nico deeply, and that she transferred some of this love onto George. In a way she probably convinced herself that she did love George in order to have Nico in her life. Nico was probably her last chance to know what it is like to have a child.

For this reason I think she would have gone back with George and Nico if that had been an option, but it would have been harder for her to maintain her self-delusion about how much she loved George after seeing Harry again and knowing that she could have him back. So in the long run I feel she might have chosen to go back to Harry.

I definitely think she was still in love with Harry, and that all those feelings came back to the surface the moment she set foot back on English soil. The way she asked Malcolm about Harry is very telling, as is the defensive manner in which she answers Harry's questions about George. I think she realised in that moment she had been kidding herself about what she felt for George. All these things would have made a successful relationship with George, had he lived, very hard.

**JHyde** · 27-01-2010, 05:43 PM

It's interesting actually. I don't think any of us have reversed our position from our initial impressions after 8.1.

Tea Lady · 27-01-2010, 05:58 PM

I like your points Silktie. I still felt for Ruth though when Harry was asking her all those questions about George. She really didnt need grilling at that point and I felt Harry just couldnt let it go, almost couldnt stop himself asking if she loved George. It really wasnt the moment to do that I thought, and that is perhaps why she snapped at him slightly when she responded. It really was no business of Harrys was it? Ruth had no need to feel guilty and Harry was trying to do that.

**Silktie** · 27-01-2010, 06:07 PM

I don't think he was trying to make her feel guilty about moving on. I read the situation that he believed they were about to die, and he probably wouldn't get another chance to talk to her alone, so wanted to know whether she still felt something for him. The way he said "Ruth" just before they were interrupted makes me believe he was about to tell her that he's always loved her and still did, as it might be his last chance to do so.

Or maybe I can't see the reality for my rose-tinted glasses... Big Grin

**JHyde** · 27-01-2010, 06:14 PM

I agree with Silktie that was why he was asking. He knew what was coming and rather than telling Ruth that whether she told them anything or not they would both die anyway, he snatched his last chance to talk to her, to find out what her life had been like without him. PF is so beautiful in that scene, I still think about that episode all the time.

But it was a little selfish of Harry to do so. Although after a day or two of being held, and a day in the MI5 cells being tortured before that, he probably wanted to enjoy having Ruth near as much as possible. So you can't really blame him, ultimately.

He may not have been about to say 'I love you' but it may well have been something along those lines.

lwhite53 · 27-01-2010, 06:36 PM

Yeah, I agree with Silktie, too. I don't think Harry was trying to make Ruth feel guilty (although that was obviously a by-product of his questions). He wanted to know if she still had feelings for him and, given the situation they were in, it certainly seemed like a "now or never" time to do so.

I also agree that Nico played a large part in her relationship with George.

Beatriz · 27-01-2010, 07:03 PM

I agree, but I see the point made by Tea Lady, perhaps he could have told her he still loved her, but not asking her, I think it was a bit unfair for her... Of course he didn't mean to hurt her, how could he?

Tea Lady · 27-01-2010, 10:08 PM

I am going with Beatriz there, yes it could have been their final moments so Harry should have just told her how he felt, how he still felt after all this time. What did it matter about Ruth & George? Surely if it was your last moments on earth you would want to tell the one you love how you felt, even if they didnt feel the same way. They were about to die. No more second chances.

Yes I agree that Harry was not deliberately trying to make Ruth feel guilty but he was doing a bit of a bull in a china shop impression. I think 8.1. right from the outset showed that Ruth had come back more confident in her emotions. She even openly acknowledged to Harry that there were feelings there between them, although in a heated moment when Nico was about to be killed.

SPOOK91 · 27-01-2010, 11:12 PM

So what does everyone think about the chances for Harry and Ruth in the next series. How do you think it will play out?

I'm not sure whether or not it will just develop into something more or if it will take something dramatic to push them both together. After Ruth took the initative and asked him to go for a drink with her then it could just develop, but I also think after everything has happened between them, perhaps they need something that will put everything into perspective for them.