Ultimate Jock Talk post
Hello to the 9 starving jock fans on tumblr
This is basically a giant post of me rambling about jock and my own analysis of their relationship that’s developed over the years, with some interesting tidbits on the side and every single detail/instance of them being teased, so if anyone ever asks why I ship them I can refer them to here, and other jock fans can find something new out of it. Ok? Ok.
1. Their relationship
Brick and Jo are a package deal. Sure, they’re great, entertaining characters on their own, but they shine the brightest when they’re together because of how well they contrast while being so similar. They’re perfect foils; off the top of your head you’d know they have conflicting morals and Jo is a dominating leader while Brick is naturally submissive, but there are a lot more than that.
Brick brags about his teamwork in his first confessional while Jo is more independent in hers (“I’m here for the teamwork”, “I’ll carry them to victory”), he views his team as equals while Jo views them on a hierarchy (“No one’s expendable”, “Most expendable player” + “Every team has a weak link”), he’s polite and calls others by sir/ma’am while Jo is outwardly rude and calls others by nicknames, Brick is emotionally expressive while Jo acts on cold logic, he’s loyal and she’s quick to betray her own allies (“Never leave a man behind” vs girl literally known for leaving others behind), Jo is self-serving while Brick serves others, I wouldn’t call him feminine but he does openly express his feminine traits while Jo buries them, their very different attitudes toward fashion, the list goes on. They’re like yin and yang, or a sword and shield.
The reason these differences are worth pointing out is because that’s how they challenge each other. Brick is quick to speak up about his teammates when she writes them off and Jo is equally as quick to argue back, which is mainly seen in episode 4. However, this episode is also where you can see them acting on each other’s values; Jo immediately helped Brick out of the grave instead of leaving someone else to do it, because Brick was scared and she felt bad (you can tell through her genuine expressions). Brick threw away his moral code just because Jo ordered him to, leaving the others behind to “win” for their team. If you want to stretch it further, in episode 6 he seems to agree with the others about Sam being… less useful athletically, and even calls him a funny nickname at some point (“Private pudding” Yeah Jo was rubbing off on him). That’s what makes them good rivals– they don’t just compete, they challenge each other’s views.
*I’d like to note that despite being different at their core, they also display very similar traits: they’re competitive, sometimes cocky, athletic, boast about their achievements, reject gender norms, and are conventionally unattractive in-universe.
What makes this all work, however, is the fact that they respect each other. I’d go as far as to say they like each other. It’s always felt weird to label them as hateful enemies, even when they fight (fight is an overstatement tbh she quickly shut Brick’s shit down and he accepted it), because to me they’re rivals at most.
You don’t go out of your way to talk to the person you hate every morning. You don’t automatically assume they came back for you and compliment them on their “perfume”, nor do you smile or run after them every time you see them (because yes, Jo does that a good few times). You don’t ALWAYS SIT NEXT TO EACH OTHER EVEN WHEN YOU’RE MAD AT THEM.
To me, a lot of their interactions were just that– competitive banter. The way Jo teased Brick feels very different to how she belittled Cameron (Just look at her smirking in her “Today we’re bringing the pain!” line versus the “Scrawny neck” line. Funny as shit btw). That isn't to say they never argue or have bad tension, they absolutely do, but many of their interactions are tamer than fans make them out to be. Jo doesn’t treat anyone like an equal, but Brick comes pretty close. Especially when he admits defeat and respects her position as team leader after Jo gave him a fair chance to fight for it (and assumes that he let her win rather than the obvious fact that she was stronger). I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that Jo enjoys and seeks out his company, because she quite literally does so multiple times. Brick is the closest thing she has to a friend, and that’s why I believe he’s important to her character. Jo is interesting and fun on her own, but Brick shines a light on her more complex side, one that wants human connection. Saying they’re nothing but enemies ignores the complexity of their relationship; they like each other and that matters.
2. What they represent & say about vulnerability
Brick is a giant pussy. And he’s very clear about it. He doesn’t try to hide his fear of the dark at all, nor does he have any issue with falling to his knees and wailing on international television. And although he can’t really control it, he also pisses himself multiple times. Yeah, he tries to act macho sometimes (namely in front of Jo for obvious reasons), but he sucks at upholding that persona. Brick is constantly embarrassed and confronted with his own flaws throughout his run, whether that be his own clumsiness, his fear of the dark, his pants-wetting habits, absolutely sucking at fashion or abandoning his code.
And he grows from that. He is directly forced to face his fears in episode 7, where he walks around a dark mineshaft alone (he doesn't even piss himself here). He is confronted with the choice to follow Jo's orders or save the others, and chooses to stick by his morals. Even at the end, he loudly proclaims his desire to pursue fashion despite judgement from others and his previous failure. Brick learns from his past experiences and through being vulnerable he's able to grow and change.
Jo doesn't go through any of that. She never actually confronts her own flaws. Jo has a consistent habit of backtracking when it comes to showing personal feelings; she showed genuine concern for Brick in the graveyard, yet seems to change her mind moments after, she tries to cover up her mention of "body issues", honorable mention being her looking displeased when Brick volunteers for elimination before going back to her usual, smug self seconds later. Her being afraid of vulnerability makes sense for a lot of her actions; she always wants to be on top, is pretty harsh and emotionally distant from the people around her, any care she has is quickly cut off and in the rare instance she is terrified, it’s because someone else heard her express something personal (or because she’s being chased by giant mutant animals but you know, that’s a given). She does whatever she can in her power to not seem weak to others, even if that ‘weakness’ is showing normal human emotion.
Throughout her run in TDROTI, Jo always seems to be in control. She's never truly shaken or upset by anything... except for the sasquatch scene. That's the one time Jo stepped outside of her comfort zone because she wanted to feel pretty for once. And of course she was humiliated and laughed at in the end, pretty much like Brick. Jo, however, ends up winning the challenge through her own strength. I'm sure there's a lesson in here about being yourself and relying on your own strength instead of changing yourself to appeal to others, and I like that message. However, Jo's insecurities are never brought up again. She never confronts them, nor does she ever maintain genuine friendships without stabbing them in the back, because she never lets herself be vulnerable around others. Jo never grows or learns from her past mistakes because of pride and fear, and it ultimately bites her in the ass.
And that sucks. It's unsatisfying to see a character like Jo go home without anything changing. She's insecure and competitive to such an unhealthy degree that it harms both others and herself, and the fact that it goes unaddressed is sad.
Jo views Brick as strong. Brick is the embodiment of everything Jo thinks is a weakness, and she still views him as a worthy rival. That is so, so interesting to me. He's so openly vulnerable and she never undermines his strength. Brick is the antithesis of what Jo stands for and therefore would be the one to break down her mindset; being vulnerable sometimes doesn't make you any less strong, in fact it builds you up. Brick would know what it's like to be in an environment where you have to act masculine to not be perceived as weak; he acted this way to begin with. The conversation around Jock and toxic masculinity is intriguing since they're pretty much who sides of the same coin (though, Jo does have internalized misogyny added onto it and her being a woman brings a different perspective), and while Brick's begun to reject those ideals, Jo's still wrapped up in them.
Jo respecting him was a step in the right direction-- I just wish she kept walking.
3. Why romantically?
I want to preface this by saying yes, Jock absolutely works with different dynamics because they're just a well-written duo overall. To me they're best friends in every lifetime. However, I personally just get more out of content where romance is either subtly implied or outright stated, especially since those actually delve into their relationship.
Jo is implied to want a romantic relationship/experience. No, not even implied, she straight up does. She wants to be desired and seen as attractive. She isn’t some "slay feminist independent girlboss who doesn’t need a man", Jo wants to be loved (also loving someone should not be treated like a weakness). So it's not a stretch to like... give her a romantic relationship. Let her see someone else as a true equal and learn to cooperate. If only there was... someone out there.... who she already liked....... with shared interests.... who's also good at teamwork.... and would encourage communication......... Also falling in love with your rival is like. A really funny and fitting trope for someone as competitive as Jo. And I want someone to tell her she's pretty ok :(
There's just something appealing about Brick and Jo's relationship being symbolic of her attitude towards competition. Brick is a rival and a stranger. She doesn't know him personally and reduces him to just another obstacle in the way of her goal. Then she starts learning about him. She knows what annoys him and motivates him. She's interested in his training, his life, and begins to care about him because she starts seeing him as a person. And then shuts it all down, of course, because it's Jo. But that's her issue: she actively dehumanises others to not get emotionally attached. She dehumanises herself. You can even see it reflected in one of her labels– Take-no-prisoners Machine. Machines don’t feel, they just do. Jo rejects her own emotions, she is there for one purpose and that purpose is winning. But the concept of her falling in love with the one person she shouldn't be emotional around is so... sweet? Jo's issues with toxic competitiveness are so overlooked and Jock directly tackles them, breaking down a flaw that's the root of her character. It's shown in Brick's own elimination when he chooses others over winning, and Jo chooses Lightning (aka the competition) over him. I love exploring what could've happened if she had chosen otherwise and developed her relationship with Brick (thank you for existing Maggot in Rat's Clothing).
Jo also has a few military-like traits herself; she's meant to be a hardass coach-like character so there's bound to be some overlap. She constantly yells and orders people around. She insults and nicknames everyone around her. She trains her teammates outside of challenges. Brick's drum motif has played for her before. "It's not makeup, it's war paint." She has an affinity for weapons (especially guns). In AS she was the last vulture standing + eliminated in the war-themed challenge. Her main label is the fucking Take-no-prisoners jockette. Why the hell would Brick not like the woman who reminds him of what he loves?
I know I've spoken a lot on why I think they're good for each other, but I also really really love ""toxic"" jock lmao. I don't even think their relationship would start out great with Jo's unresolved personal issues with insecurity and her inability to be vulnerable around others, and it'd be upsetting for them both. I LOVE when they fight and Brick actually holds her accountable for her shit, I think that's awesome. Brick can be patient with her but he also won't tolerate disrespect. He'll follow her orders but will draw the line if she's going too far. That's exactly what she needs, especially since Brick is one of the very few people she'd actually listen to. I also just want them to beat each other up
On Brick's end, Jo gets his shit together. She doesn't sit and coddle him because that isn't what he needs. One of Jo's best traits is knowing how to motivate people, of course she's going to act harsh towards the military-brained guy who actively enjoys being a cadet. She cares about him enough to help him out but knows how to sober him up quickly. Brick seems to also need a sense of order. Yes, he tries taking charge, and he sucks at it. He needs routine and organisation to function, and that's what Jo gives him. Their relationship is also interesting when it comes to morally complex dilemmas; what happens when sacrifices need to be made for the greater good? Jo would go through with it, but not without a huge argument from Brick. Their differences in thinking are fun to explore. Plus, Brick still has a few traditional values he needs to break down (especially with the whole Team Men thing) and that's what Jo is there for. Never met a girl stronger than me, Captain🫡 They don't swap gender roles, they discard them entirely.
To me they're soul-rivals. I just don't really see them spending the rest of their lives with anyone else. I see them living together and competing over brushing their teeth in the morning and Brick accidentally chokes on his toothbrush and dies because Jo was too busy laughing to actually help. It's romantic ok
Also there's:
-"Need to be dominated" (which quite literally refers to Jo. She's the punchline. I don't know how that goes over people's heads)
-Jo is very much implied to want princess treatment (calls herself a princess, wants to be spoiled). Brick is described by her to be chivalrous/a gentleman. He compliments her "perfume". It's like a game of connect the dots
-"Maybe Brick and Jo wanna kiss and make up?"
-They reeaaally like getting up close and touching each other's chests. Brick poked her boobs a total of 3 (three) times before she had enough. Probably the most dangerous thing he's ever done
-If you want smaller details, Brick and Jo have a habit of looking to each other whenever shit happens, especially in ep 1. The show also emphasises their reactions to each other (like zooming out to show Jo looking at him like "are you serious" at the beginning of ep 4 and Brick giving her an unamused look in the finale when she cheers), and they were caught in Larry's vine together parallel to Zoke. Awww Larry ships it. Also this
Seriously what was up with them
????? THAT'S NOT EVEN A SQUAT THRUST?????? YOU JUST THRUSTED AT HIM
Ok.
This frame makes me sick. His expression actually softens when she looks unsure they're so cute i'm gonna cry
-"It was really weird, but I once dreamed that I let a guy win because I found him 'attractive.'" - Jo, TDROTI contestant biographies
Jo's weird dream is about Brick. Like, I'm pretty sure. I always thought it was a random guy but it's weirdly specific when other dreams are like "I dreamed I was Mario" or "I dreamed I helped my team win". Brick is the only guy we know who constantly competed with + lost to her, so it makes sense within the context of her "letting him win". Plus it'd be weird to mention some random dude because what's the point when you can have her go "I dreamed I couldn't bench over 100!!"
-"Brick-- But like were they or weren't... like they, y'know, it just felt like there might've been a connection there." -Laurie Elliott, Jo's VA, who literally took part in writing their interactions (Da Bois Podcast, Ep 138). Hey please elaborate
-Hey the Social media team ships it
Mind you this artwork wasn't even posted on instagram. They saved it from deviantart just to put on their story
Idk who this commenter is but thank you because this was the only ship-related comment they liked. Even if I had to be jumpscared by my old art
And finally
-Lightning thinking they're a gay couple is funny
Moral of the story never question my love for jock again or say shippers only like it for "enemies to lovers". I know them better than you ever will. Bitch
TLDR: idk i just think they're neat
