“I can be both.”

Just random rant about Boots (TV)

[sullyhasissues]

It’s sad Boots has good writing acting and depth, like thought provoking. Among all the media I watched at that time, It’s the only show that has stirred some emotions in me and made me want to make posts about it.

So many shows these days just feel soulless to me people like easy, light hearted thing I get it

[cozylilacbear]

Boots | EP. 3 | 2025 Max Parker as Sergeant Liam Sullivan

[cheolieshomerun]

Netflix truly loves to self-sabotage because what the actual fuck do you mean that they cancelled Boots? The show has an incredible 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, got the whole internet going, got the gays going, offered such an easy money grab for them, had everything set up deliciously for the second season, and they do what? Cancel it while extending some shit-ass shows barely anyone watches.

And then you have HBO that announces a second season of Heated Rivalry before the show even finishes airing because they are aware of the hype the show has and the sheer potential of it, and are clearly not a bunch of nutheads.

[thisisfakesports]

This is why I have a lot of sympathy for the actors who were in 'Boots' and their frustration with 'Heated Rivalry' getting so much attention. Even if some are being snotty about it.

'Boots' is not made to hit the same niche fan communities 'Heated Rivalry' hits, but the success 'Boots' had when it came out should not have been surprising. It was a really approachable show that was still interesting and fresh. And it was well-written, well-produced. I honestly think it should have been bigger. If that show had HBO behind it instead of Netflix, I think it would have completely blown up.

Yea, 'Heated Rivalry' didn't need the HBO deal to get popular. That funding/support is helping with this second wave of incoming viewers/fans. But imagine 'Boots' getting the kind of support 'I Love LA' has received.

[sullyhasissues]

So we will never know what happened to Sullivan? I mean the first season is a complete story in itself, but I want to know what happened next :/

I guess Netflix isn’t good at creating serious modern war show(or is it? I can’t think of any good war show that made by Netflix, all I can think of is Generation Kill, created by HBO, of course)

[tokillaking13]

[vilcade]

Sullivan + NO BIG DEAL by Love and Rockets

[noneofyourbizzness]

finished watching boots. and i have a lot of thoughts i need to put into words about the show, i’ll start with sullivan though.

i’ve been rotating sullivan in my head like a microwave for like 2 days now. imo, he’s easily one of the best portrayals of repression and how masculinity and queerness butt heads especially in a hyper-masculine environment like the military.

clocking cameron the second he laid eyes on him lmao talk about a gaydar. his approach with mentoring/toughening cameron up was interesting, he seemed like a plain self-hating closet case when he directly says its his mission to take the weeds out , “if there are no f_____s in my platoon then why are you still here?”. then the moment by the trash cans felt like him realising his method had backfired a bit since cope felt like he didn’t belong. the encouragement to not “let some asshole run him out” and to claim his place revealed his intentions. some levity at the shooting range with how happy he was about camerons attempts. and how satisfied he was when jones gets his shit rocked during hand to hand combat.

i’m still curious about how much the “every man for himself” mindset impacts sullivan and if he saw cameron using ray and jones as crutches and thats why he kept trying to isolate him almost and fight for himself like he’d need to learn to do.

also gives a small window into what sullivans own experience as an 18 year old in boot camp must’ve felt like and what he was absorbing about how he should be since he evidently sees himself in cameron. the tidbit about being underweight and wanting to come back tougher to enlist only to have his recruiter cheat the system to fulfil his quota. his idealism on what the marines stand for and needing to make things right in the end shattering a bit 😮‍💨

and then wilkinson. i hate hate that i could perfectly explain every single thing sullivan did, right from maitra cornering him about the rumours and the optics of him spending time with wilkinson and then to him running away. not realising that his attempt at holding off maitras suspicions directly led to his lover being investigated and arrested.

finding out that maitra was the one who reported him based off of what sullivan told him during the wedding and all of it being after he leaves guam. so he goes back to parris island and just loses his shit. the guilt and his mess of emotions had me laying flat on the floor. it felt suffocating and him being unable to accept fajardos help just screams guilt, wilkinson didn’t have any help so does he deserve it? its all his fault anyway.

sullivans definitely an alcoholic or heading down that path quick. and the fact that he hears about aarons arrest and then drunkenly telling the recruits their ine true love will always be their responsibility as marines lowkey killed me. then the bar fight, the moment of hesitation before he swings the glass and how fast fajardo caught on that he’d rather face dishonourable discharge and jail time for attempted murder than have it anywhere on his military record that he’s gay. just kill me it’d hurt less.

what a gorgeous man. what a mess of internalised homophobia and guilt. what a bleak ending for him and the cycle continues with cameron.

[paperieerandom]

^^^ Yes to all of this including the tags (below). I'm desperate to know Sullivan's backstory (and I want a hopeful future for him) but I fear we'll never know. I think his story is done as far as the show goes. He royally f*cked himself. My writer's mind could definitely find a way for him to return, but in reality, in 1990, he's screwed. 😭

(Edit: I say this primarily knowing that most of the main actors' options were extended, but Max Parker's was not. So watching him disappear into the woods might be a more symbolic way to end his story since we already know he's essentially ruined his life. I personally think there's a place for Sullivan in a continued story, or even a redemption arc, but it may require a parallel path type storyline outside of the Marines, or during/after his trial, while the boys are shipped off to the Gulf.)

The tattoo is especially heartbreaking in its duality; always faithful. To who? He chose the Marines. I believed Sullivan when he told Wilkinson he loved him. I think he really did. But he grew up in the 70s and 80s and even though, deep down, he truly believed he could be both lover and warrior, society did not. He DID make his choice when he ran away. But he also hated himself for it. There's that excruciating pause before he beats the guy in the bar. He knew what he was doing.

OP's tags:

#im endlessly interested in what the connection sullivan has with wilkinson and the military cuz that tattoo being a marine motto#and also a marker for their romantic relationship like whats the overlap in sullivans mind? between love and duty to country?#him imagining a conversation about how he can be both a lover and a warrior but aaron saying he needs to choose and hes made his choice#sullivan putting off enlisting feeling like he has no future or place in the marines after guam and saying hes not the guy on the poster#despite wanting to badly be that guy? like whats his backstory what does he think of himself his service and who he is away from that#he wants both but it cant co-exist and hes making a choice when he doesn’t want to and hes suffering th consequences

[vilcade]

Generation Kill Episode 2 vs. Boots Episode 1

Close enough?

The said dragon commercial I wish Boots had included so we could have had the perfect parallel.

[vilcade]

Uniform details for Boots!

I noted these for myself, but I thought I'd share if someone else needs it/is interested as well! Do point out mistakes in the replies if you find any!

I examined the uniform details of Sullivan, Wilkinson and Fajardo.

See below~

First of all, pics used for research and reference: (Left to right) 1. Rank insignias 2-3. Chest insignias 4. Ribbons 5. Medals 6. Markmanship badges 7. Service stripes

The Ribbon chart can be downloaded as a PDF with explanations in it. (Though it was very jargon for me and English isn't my first language either, so personally I'll need to look deeper into the exact meanings, hehe.)

1) Sullivan:

Rank insignia: E-5 Sergeant (non-commissioned officer)

Breast insignias: Scuba Diver Insignia Navy and Marine Corps Parachutist Insignia

Ribbons: 1. Silver Star - also a medal (see the same color and pattern) 2. Navy & MC Commendation - also a medal 3. Combat Action Ribbon 4. Joint Merit Unit Award 5. Merit Unit Citation 6. Good Conduct - also a medal 7. Sea Service Deployment Ribbon 8. Navy & MC Overseas Ribbon

Markmanship badges: Rifle Expert - 2nd Award Pistol Expert - 2nd Award

"To wear the 2nd Award Rifle Re-qualification bar the Marine must have qualified as an Expert in the previous year then re-qualify as an expert on a re-qualification detail."

Lastly, he has 2 service stripes (given after every 4 years served), just like Maitra:

Moving on to:

2) Wilkinson

It will be a short one since he doesn't have a clear picture on his ribbons sadly:

But at least we can see his gold-colored oak leaf Major badge and medals!

So:

Rank: O-4 Major (commissioned officer)

Medals: Merit Service Navy & MC Commendation Navy & MC Achievement

If someone spots anything more on his uniform, do tell~!

Lastly:

3) Fajardo

Rank: O-3 Captain (commissioned officer)

Breast insignias: Basic Parachutist Insignia

Ribbons: 1. Navy & MC Commendation with a golden star - meaning she got awarded twice - also a medal 2. Navy & MC Achievement (same as Wilkinson's 3rd medal, probably it's the light hitting it weirdly as it does on the BTS photo - at least this is my only guess!) - also a medal 3. Joint Merit Unit Award 4. Merit Unit Citation 5. Good Conduct with what appears to be a bronze star - meaning she got awarded twice (again) - also a medal 6. National Defense Service - also a medal 7. Navy & MC Overseas Ribbon

Markmanship badges: Rifle Expert - 2nd Award Pistol Expert - 2nd Award

Service stripes: Do tell if you see it somewhere!

~

Happy reading up on these if you are interested!

[sullyhasissues]

Capt Fajardo wants to help Sullivan (she said twice they will deal with it if it comes to it) but the way she does is to be indifferent—whom you love is not my business, but it doesn’t help Sullivan when he desperately seeks a human connection, anyone that can understand. If she said “I understand” when Sullivan asked her, are things going to end up differently?

[sullyhasissues]

Thinking about the phone call Capt Fajardo had with her mom, how she said her sister(?) can’t live without love in a disapproving way. It seems to me she prioritizes her career over having a relationship/family, maybe because she doesn’t have much choice as a woman officer in the military. But it is a contrast to Sullivan who wants both, a military career and love. Sullivan messed up and ends up having none.

Fajardo is like an ideal superior officer like she is supportive, yet a little emotionally cold but that’s because she knows where to draw the line.

[softwetmoss]

One unassuming little Boots moment that absolutely breaks my heart at the end of episode 7

(kind of spoilers under the cut)

When Sullivan is grieving, drinking, and uses the payphone at the bar, he calls Fajardo. We know he doesn't have any family to go to, but this is a point where he's hurting and vulnerable and the only person he feels like he can safely go to is his captain. The only person he can trust with his situation and even then, that trust wasn't gained willingly - he had no other option.

The call starts and ends with him apologising for calling her - one person in the world he can go to for support and even then, he doesn't think he deserves.

But this is the kicker:

"It's none of their business. And it's none of mine, either."

Fajardo might think she's being kind. But what's she's doing is reminding Sullivan that she is his superior. They do not have a personal relationship and she doesn't want one. Sullivan cannot open up to her, he cannot expect emotional support from her.

He showed so much vulnerability in this moment and she pushed him away.

He is alone.

[woodswallow]

Yes, so true. And it's not only that he has no (supporting) family, it's also that he has no (supporting) friends - Maitra is the only friend we see and he's a homophobe. Fajardo is the only person, who knows about the investigation and who signaled support to him - but as you said, that trust was forced on him. And also, there's a power imbalance, because Fajardo is his Captain.

Yes, there's the apologies - he doesn't feel worthy to be supported, he feels so uncomfortable that he is (almost) FORCED to turn to his boss because he sees no other way out.

I misread that scene the first time, thought "how sweet of her to not report him even if he basically confessed!" - but you see Sullivan break after her saying that it's not her business. His last straw breaks.

And suddenly he's reminded that, fuck, she is his Captain - and feels deeply ashamed for crawling to her like that, calling her drunk in the middle of the night, how embarrasing and pathetic (he surely thinks). The way he wipes his tears away, steadies his voice, is all in his military role again - of course he can get home by himself, doesn't need Fajardo's help for that - it's so heartbreaking.

As you said - he's alone.

[vilcade]

[vilcade]

Who knew she could sing?

[sullyhasissues]

Sullivan/Wilkinson head canon:

what if when Sullivan first met Wilkinson he was mostly inexperienced with men, and before Wilkinson he didn’t know there were man like him in the marine and he just came back from combat so he was lonely and had a hard time adjusting. But on the other hand Wilkinson saw this directionless younger sergeant and took him in. He knew from the start it was stupid and problematic but since when people are rational.

[vilcade]

[farannir]

i'm starting a rumor

nash & slovacek • boots (2025-)