Toy Box and its connection to KH4

I am sure I am late to the preverbal party, but while rewatching the story of Toy Box connections were made. And now, it makes way too much sense. I've often thought that the worlds of KH3 have much more to say than meets the eye. A lot is said in subtext and details. But, it seems Toy Box is more than most. The more I've looked at it, the more I am convinced that Toy Box is full of foreshadowing of future events. I think that even if my conclusions are wrong, Toy Box is meant in this way and whatever happens we'll look back and see them. Just how everything is, indicates this reading. I'm going to lay everything out though, and put my initial thoughts here. I'm sure there will be more in time as well. "The Heartless- the darkness- can only creep in when our hearts falter. Trust me. You'll be fine if you don't lose heart."

This was really got me thinking. Toy Box has themes of separation, losing heart and darkness. What is exactly going on with KH4? Well one thing is certainly separation. Sora is separated from the rest of his friends, with no clear hope that he'll ever see them again. Then, we have Yozora. Who exactly is Yozora? We don't know, yet like others the story seems to indicate that it is actually Sora, if the storyteller is being fairly overt. Could be a red herring of course, it happens. But let's go with that for now. How could that even happen? I'd assume from Toy Box, it tells us how: possession. It is from those lines above. "You'll be fine if you don't lose heart." So then, does Sora lose heart? If Yozora is Sora, then what Yozora says "save Sora" makes roundabout sense. We're talking about KH here, and it isn't like this hasn't happen before. It seems like the storytellers, MO as well, honestly. That's my sense of him. What's interesting is, when you look at the rest of the story of Toy Box, the story gives not only foreshadowing, but also hope. It gives us the antidote to what could be Sora's future. In the scene that is by far one of my favorite scenes in all of KH3 and the rest of KH Sora says this: "Distance doesn't matter. Andy's part of their hearts, just like my friends are part of mine. You can't rip that apart!"

The question is, will Sora remember? Or will he "lose heart" just like Buzz did? And even then, if someone is truly bent on possessing him, would that even matter? And just how much is Toy Box foreshadowing the future? "If we follow our hearts, we'll find him again." Woody was talking about Andy, but I can't help but think of Sora now and his friends, especially Riku as he follows his own heart to search for Sora. There is always hope. "Xehanort, you're so caught up in finding the shadows, you forgot about the light that cast them."

Do you think Jack was jealous of Pete?

Interesting question! I have a short answer and another tangent.

Short answer: I don’t think he was jealous of Pete per se. If anything, he was envious of the fact that Pete was allowed to express his feelings and was able to offer her things he can’t. But as far as Jack is concerned, it all comes down to Sam and her happiness even if it's at the expense of his.

More thoughts after the break!

Now this isn’t to say that Jack didn’t have jealous moments. He is human after all. I just don’t think it’s this underlying constant feeling festering inside him which is how I’m interpreting the question. I think Jack’s attitude towards the whole Pete situation is one more focused on the love he thinks is lost between him and Sam rather than her new love with Pete. To me, the angsty moments after Grace have more to do with this and Pete is almost an afterthought tagged onto the end like “oh yeah and she’s with someone else.”

He knows that Pete is different than the others who have shown interest in her in the past, mostly because he has no connection to the Stargate. Pete represents a life outside the mountain—a chance at a “normal” life. The kind of life they fight for others to have and the kind they all deserve but may never find—or find again at least. The guys of SG-1 have all had it in some sense, albeit way too short lived. But not Sam, and if anyone deserves a chance at that, it’s Sam.

Jack would never stand in her way if he thought that’s what she wanted. He checks in on her new relationship as if he could tell that something changed from her humming demeanor on the elevator.

And he doesn’t let her off the hook with her non specific dismissive answer either.

So first of all, I think this is one of those times where they’re having a whole different conversation than the words actually spoken. Sam’s words are talking like they’re coming from experience, but when has there been even one other time in the series where either of them would have this experience? Like who is this “they” she speaks of?

Instead, I think they’re talking about this “normal” life that Jack’s been telling her to get. She’s really saying that in the past, it hasn’t bother her that work and the Stargate have been her life because she feels like a normal life wouldn’t be compatible with her life at the SGC anyway.

I love how he picks up on the key word, “usually,” which reinforces the notion that things are different this time. (The main difference being Sam now has these thoughts from her hallucinations in her head but Jack doesn’t know that! I also think gifted kid burnout plays a role in it but that’s a whole nother thing.) Essentially, Jack is hearing that Sam wants what he can't give her.

The nail in the coffin is when Sam confirms that she also thinks this time is different, or could have been.

Which brings me to my last thoughts which kind of just circles back. One of the main reasons why I don’t think Jack was really jealous of Pete is because I don’t think it makes a difference to him who Sam's in a relationship with. Again, they were talking about Pete in the scene above, but were they really? (*the answer is no*)

All that matters is her and above all else, he wants her to be happy.

I’ve had this recurring thought when I watch this scene that perhaps Jack somehow played a hand in getting Pete clearance. (This is of course overlooking the fact that it makes absolutely no sense whatsoever that Pete gets full clearance about the Stargate, but I digress…) Sam wouldn't ask for something personal like this, and I can’t imagine Hammond just freely handing out full disclosures.

From their conversation before the mission, it seems like Sam’s relationship with Pete is over because of the secret nature of her job. To Jack, that means it’s the only thing standing in the way of her chance at happiness, and a part of me thinks that he couldn't help himself when sees an opportunity after what happens at Daniel's house. Who knows what favors he had to cash in, but somehow he gets the exemption and his only other request is that Hammond doesn’t tell her the part he played.

After their debriefing, the General calls Sam into his office to give her authorization to reveal the details of the Stargate to Pete. She gives him a questioning look. "If I may ask, sir, how?" she stammers as she tries to comprehend what this means. Honoring his 2IC's wishes, he tells her a cover story. She doesn't fully buy it, but she understands the silent implication to not ask any further questions.

Once she's dismissed, she stops by her lab and pulls out a wrapped present from her desk drawer. She thinks about the picture inside and smiles wondering if her luck is starting to turn around. Maybe this time she really can have it all.