It is fascinating how we can all watch the same media and come out with various interpretations. That's the beauty of a communal experience. Our takeaways from the same media can be coloured by our biases and our own experiences projected onto the characters and story lines we consume. A character onscreen makes easy banter, casually talks philosophy, openly expresses affection without saying so in as many words - but where one consumer sees a person who values actions over words because words are nothing if not backed by actions; another sees a person emotionally repressed because they don't use a thousand words to communicate every emotion. Perhaps the first is themselves a restrained consumer, perhaps the second is an extroverted consumer who cannot understand how important emotions can be communicated without several words accompanying a shake of the head, a touch on the shoulder, or a gift of gun lube etc.
Both readings are beautiful. And I'm sure there are way more readings than the two mentioned. More the merrier, that's what makes fandom so interesting.
As someone who finds words exhausting and often limiting (that doesn't stop me from typing a few hundred words meandering through a subject lol) I'm fascinated by characters that choose their actions. Action is hard, and once committed, can't be taken back. A word said carelessly could be apologised for and could be forgiven; but an act of denying a bridge recon can result in an ambush that didn't take out a platoon out of sheer dumb luck in the guise of a Sergeant who saw the men in the trees, another who ducked because he cared for his TL more than returning fire, and an LT who believed he was already a walking dead.
Just like an act of bringing a container of gun lube for his lead vehicle is more important for morale rather than the gun as it probably didn't last long.
It can be limiting, however, to consider such open acts of communication as "emotional repression". Maybe there is a confusion with "emotion suppression", which is an active choice. Nate chooses not to entertain his TLs' decision to offer mutiny because entertaining this emotion could lead him down a hard road of second guessing his own engagement with command for fear the men could mutiny. He needs his men to focus on the mission, so they can focus and stay alive. The LT's well being isn't their problem.
Nate is the classic example of a stoic leader - but modern media showcases male stoicism as men who refuse to engage with their emotions. Nate's brand of stoicism is older. Nate ascribes to Hellenist stoic philosophy which says one should focus exclusively on what is in one's control (actions and consequences) and accept whatever external fate throws at him. This isn't emotional repression, it is self-discipline to avoid negative passions like anger, anxiety and fear. And that's exactly why Nate looks fascinated and horrified by Captain America. Captain America is what giving into negative passions looks like; and in a war zone, that puts the entire platoon, if not others, in serious jeopardy.
The argument against Nate being emotionally repressed is right there as text too - his interactions with Mike are open, well expressed, and occassionally humourous. He sings with Mike and the lads. He asks about Walt. He smiles at Ray's antics. He empathises with Doc. But he won't forget his focus is his men and so he won't participate in gawking at the hundreds walking from Baghdad or offer to pick up their luggage and/or babies. He won't force his men to stop doing the same either.
The scene with Q-tip where Nate lays down the parameters and Q-tip argues he meets those and therefore he should not be casevac-ed is a beautiful moment of leadership by both Nate and Doc Bryan. Either of them could have made a blanket decision - Q-tip is hurt, he needs to go; but Doc cedes the floor to Q-tip who argues for himself, and Nate listens. And concedes.
I suspect some of the Nate as emotionally repressed read might come from his interactions with Brad. The story is from PoV of Brad's team as reporter was with them. So a lot of the chatter comes from Brad and his ATL's team due to proximity. But crucially. Nate has, very early on, done his own math and concluded Brad as TL of his lead vehicle is the crux. Their first scene onscreen is where Brad offers an alternative to help a wounded Marine that is openly accepted by Nate. (No repression there - there is no unconscious brushing away of a different opinion. Nate is ALWAYS making choices). Nate is uber focused on Brad, he is often very aware what Brad is thinking and what he needs. The iconic headshake followed by Brad standing down scene - this wouldn't happen if Nate was emotionally repressed. Nate actively chooses to communicate to Brad here, he puts Brad first here. Brad comes out of this mission smelling of roses, now imagine if Brad had chewed out Schwetje at that moment. Brad is too important to be NJP-ed or worse but not important for command to find ways to screw him. They still screwed him after all that.
Brad is a Recon Marine whose job is to observe. He observes and calibrates what Nate is doing. Brad sees Nate engaging with him everytime he goes to Nate about something. Nate comes to him as he doesn't go to other TLs. Nate shields his men from shit rolling downhill, whether it is Ray burning himself with the coffee machine or war related shittery. That's why Brad is visibly hurt that one time Nate chooses NOT to engage with him. "I'm in awe". And Nate has had enough of command, he doesn't have it in his fuel tank for one more chat about them, even if it is with Brad.
There are so many moments in canon where Nate engages openly with people over their feelings and occasionally bares his own. The night patrol scene - another important BradNate scene where Nate verbalises exactly what his manifesto was during the war. Bring 22 men back home alive. He does it again, in the latrine-offer scene too.
He's smarting from Pappy's leg. Oh and observe too - Nate who has barely slept in 3 days chewing out Greigo for sending Lovell and team into the swamp without their LT's permission. Nate does this rather publicly. That's a choice.
An emotionally repressed Nate wouldn't put his hand over his Captain's to stop him from calling an airstrike down on his own men. Nate is actively choosing his actions throughout the series. He actively chooses his reactions to what command is doing to him too. That's not emotional repression - that's a man who knows his own limits and would rather not test them in a war zone where 22 men's lives depend on him.
Well, I have babbled away and I could go on and on and bore everyone even more. Time to go back into the real world LOL
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