Posted by Diorite Gabbro on
URL: https://www.shado-forum.com/Greetings-tp1509895p1509909.html

Okay, I’ve realized I’m just not going to be able to
finish the archives before this next bit comes out.
If I don’t say it soon to someone, I’m going to burst!
After finally getting the DVDs, I had an epiphany
while watching “Confetti Check A-OK”. It’s something
my younger self would never have seen. I’ve got to
share it.


It’s been stated that becoming commander of SHADO
changed Straker. “Confetti Check A-OK” is the
essential episode for seeing who Ed Straker was before
SHADO and it is here more than any other episode how
he became the man he was when UFO started. The
picture isn’t always pretty.

Who was Ed Straker before SHADO? The best evidence
comes from the section of the story from the wedding
through to the early end of the “honeymoon”. Someone
said he was a little shy. I’d never thought of it
that way, but perhaps. According to the chronologies
I’ve been reading, Straker would have been almost 30
when he got married. This could be a shy man. Seeing
him at the reception, I thought he was maybe a little
uncomfortable being the focus of attention. He was
madly in love with his bride. He was warm, playful,
funny, and affectionate in the following scenes. In
rare other instances, we’ve seen where he has concern
for and sensitivity to the feelings of others.

The timing of Ed and Mary’s wedding it appalling. The
day after they are married, while at the airport
waiting to leave on their honeymoon, Straker is
summoned to see Henderson, where he finds out he is to
present final arguments for SHADO at the UN. If he’d
known in just a couple of days he’d be appointed the
commander of SHADO, he might not have married her.

While at the UN, we and the committee see the passion
Straker feels for SHADO’s mission. That seals his
fate. It appears that he is haunted by the bodies of
the dead.

The conflicts that develop between Ed and Mary are
painful to watch because of the realistic way they
play out. We see her become shriller and more
demanding and emotionally needy as he becomes more
consumed with his work. What bothers me most about
the arguments we see is that he is always more
concerned about her feelings than she ever is about
his. (Okay, it was the end of the 60s, men didn’t
have feelings then! Just kidding!). He is quick to
apologize when he realizes he’s screwed up. In the
argument about “next he’ll just not come home at all”,
he’s quickly remorseful for what he said about maybe
not coming home would be better and apologizes, but
she never apologizes to him for what she said, which
was just as hateful. (Can you tell I can’t stand
her?)

There are what I think are key scenes in the
transformation of Straker. One is where Mary asks Ed
what is more important to him, her or whatever he does
until 3 O’clock in the morning. Ed gives her a look.
I hadn’t necessarily given it that much significance
as a teenager, but now I think that is the first hint
he has that the answer isn’t one he or she will like.
Mary goes on to tell him if he wants to be a real
father to their son, he better decide while he still
has a choice. He looks stricken. The decision about
his family isn’t one he wants to make. He still wants
a home and family.

Irony, irony. He has his final staff meeting, the one
at Nina’s apartment. He goes home thinking things are
finally going to get better. She’s leaving. Her
mother has done her worst. I think he really was
going to spill all of the beans if only she had been
willing to listen. She screams hysterically and he
slaps her. There is an exchange of looks and she
shakes her head. Then you see a realization dawn on
his face. I think it’s finally dawned on him how much
he has been hurting her without realizing it. He
acquiesces to her leaving. She falls down the stairs.


Moving to the hospital. Straker stands staring out
into the rain. The whole world cries for him as his
marriage stands in shambles, his wife and child in
danger. What is he thinking? This was the point of
the epiphany. He’s not just worrying, which I thought
as a kid. In another episode, Straker tells Foster he
solves a lot of problems by just sitting and thinking
about them. He’s thinking about his problem. He now
knows he’s hurting Mary badly, however much he loves
her. She made him mad enough he lost his
soon-legendary control, slapping her. This is the
point where the Straker we know is born. He realizes
the only thing he can do for Mary out of love is let
her go. He can’t give enough of himself to be a
decent husband. As awful as it is, and as much as he
loves Mary, saving the world from UFOs is more
important to him than his marriage or his life. Only
his job is important and he shuts himself off from
emotion. Cold logic will make his choices. End of
episode. We now know everything we need to know about
Straker.

Diorite