North and Jack's Relationship
I got a lovely ask about what I think all the Guardians think of each other. Now, that’s a big assignment, so I’m taking it one piece at a time. Who to start with?
First of all, a little about movie-North.
North is used to being important and being the boss. He is a man of great conviction, which makes him a good and decisive leader, but can also swing into pushy and overbearing territory. He is bold, daring, determined, supportive and charismatic, drawing people into his energy.
Jack sees North as excitable, wise, adventurous, kind, eager to have fun like him and rather crazy and out-of-touch sometimes, but he basically likes that about him.
Jack looks up to him as a mentor who 1) seems to unconditionally believe in his potential, and 2) kindly and wisely gives him direction on all the things he has doubts on.
After 300 years of having no support whatsoever, I think this makes a huge impression on him, and he very naturally opens up and draws close to the positive and affirming relationship North offers through his words and actions. It doesn’t take long before he really cares about North’s good opinion of him.
At first, North sees Jack as someone Manny has chosen, and that’s good enough for him! You’re hired!
But in that first globe room scene when he actually starts interacting with Jack, I think he (slowly) comes to realize that… this is a person, a kid, who is actually dealing with some complicated self-actualization issues.
Side note: If you pretend North’s movie backstory is anything like the books, you realize North can relate. (Here’s a quote from the first book that just, like, stabs you in the eye: “North had no mother or father or family that he could remember. He’d never been tucked into bed. He’d never known the safety of a home or the tenderness of a mother’s embrace, nor the happy camaraderie of a father’s company. His boyhood was spent in the wilds, aware of himself only as both predator and prey. There are skills that develop when one grows up forgotten and wild: keen eyes, light steps, impossible quickness.” After becoming a bandit, he then goes through this whole period where he does something heroic to save some children, and then everyone is trying to convince him that he is good, and he argues that he is “the Bandit King! Nothing more or less!” And then, haha, we get this great line: “There was something in their faces that he was barely beginning to fathom. Something he had never seen before: kindness. And though he fought it, he was soothed. His pain eased. Not just the pain of battle wounds, but the wounds he’s always ignored—the deep, lonely hurt of a loveless life.” I mean COME ON!!!)
I think it doesn’t take very long of them talking together for North to genuinely care about Jack- sees him as a good kid with a defensive barrier and a whole lot of potential. I think part of North’s immediate affection is because Jack responds to his ‘teachings’ very genuinely, fully engaging in the discussions, and he can see Jack would actually really like to figure out who he is.
Jack and North’s relationship:
There is a reason so many people characterize the relationship as father/son. In several instances throughout the movie, North takes it upon himself to give Jack guiding advice- in fact, he’s the only one to do so, really (Pitch does NOT count). And he does it in such a way that he tries to give context and encouragement, but not easy answers (even though North thinks he DOES have the answers). It’s up to Jack to really figure himself out. This is what good parents do.
The way this relationship unfolds in the movie I thought was extremely interesting. At first, North is just his boisterous self, acting like, ‘Of course Jack would like to be like me!’
And by the end of that first scene in the globe room, he realizes he’s being too simplistic. Through Jack’s words and actions towards them, especially Bunny and the Moon, he realizes this is actually a complex and delicate situation, with a lot more baggage, and it needs to be handled differently. North is the one who identifies what Jack is really struggling with, and tries to help.
(I like the fact that Sandy kind of knew North should be the one to handle it.)
He switches completely from ‘Here, this is what you are! A Guardian like me!’ to, ‘Ah, I see, you need to figure this out yourself. Here, let me see if I can help. And I 100% believe you can do this. And by the way, I’m still convinced you belong with us.’ To me, this whole scenario is very parental.
(this is just such a gentle gesture, squee!)
I also adore that North really does immediately include Jack and shows confidence in both his character and his abilities. He trusts Jack to figure out his Center.
He trusts Jack to drive his sleigh.
He’s the one who invites Jack to help them with the teeth.
After Sandy’s funeral, which Jack did not join in on by the way (now what does THAT say about his sense of guilt and feelings of isolation, eh?), North is the one who checks on Jack and pulls him back in, comforting him.
Of all the Guardians in the movie, North is the one who fights the hardest against Jack’s head trauma and self-loathing. Gives him a path away from the most painful situations (Bunny’s words in the globe room and Sandy’s funeral) and gives him space to reflect and someone to talk it through with (North’s office, post-funeral, after defeating Pitch).
I think North was genuinely hurt/disappointed when he thought Jack had betrayed them, which killed Jack.
There was a tiny moment in the last battle, easily overlooked, when North was without his powers and Jack steps forward to protect him. It felt very much like an, “I shall take my father’s place,” sort of gesture, and North seems seriously distressed at the idea of Jack going up against Pitch alone.
I love North’s line at the end… “Are you ready now, Jack? To make it official.” Like, you’ve been one of us all along, really, just need to fill out the paperwork here, swear you in and such.
And Jack’s face as he’s finally confident enough to make that commitment. ^_^
I think where they had/could have challenges with their relationship in future is instances where North is a little too oblivious and pushy (out-of-touch boss mode) or where Jack doesn’t think things through before he acts and the results disappoint North, which of course disappoints Jack even more. Or where, in trying to be protective, they miss something important or misread each other.
I can COMPLETELY see them getting crazy ideas and going off and doing mischievous/fun things together. I think they can go from very genuine, quiet and deep moments of connection to wild joyrides that let off steam and build bonds in other kinds of ways.
I believe North would be both indulgent and protective of Jack, and Jack would seek out time with him, confide in him and be protective back, in his own way.
I think North will always be a guiding light for Jack, and I believe Jack has a lot to teach all the Guardians, including North. I’m strongly convinced Jack has his own wisdom and insight- he endured a terrible life situation for a very long time, but is still a very good person. That doesn’t happen without some strong inner qualities. I mean, there is no malice in any of his actions or attempts for attention, which I think is extraordinary- imagine the frustration that would have built up over the years. Wouldn’t you want to lash out?
Their Centers are extremely compatible, but it’s even more than that. I also think North being a Guardian of a winter holiday is a happy and relatable example for Jack. At least in my headcanon, Jack does have some past angst with being Winter, the season people most see as destructive. North represents an undeniable Good in Winter, something that makes people really look forward to the season. And because their time of the year coincides (in the Northern hemisphere), I can imagine they’ll do some interesting things together in the future. I was actually a little surprised they hadn’t interacted a little more up to that point (Jack didn’t even know what North’s sleigh was like?!). That’s something I create backstory for in my fic. :D
Anyway, that’s my Jack and North! Love ‘em both!
