Raised to Be Ruthless

by Liz

July 30, 2000

There are some lines in this story you just don't forget. When we talk about Manny, we're fond of yelling out "Morning Sexy" or "I am a Man" or "You-know-why." But there are other lines that so clearly point to the issues I think lie at the heart of this story. Lines like "Danny was raised to be ruthless," uttered by Aunt Meta in the Bauer Kitchen last Spring.

I've always been intrigued by that characterization of Danny ... that no matter how well-educated and charming Danny may be, he was raised by Carmen to do whatever it takes to get the job done. He may be a good man by nature, but he has had a different set of rules drummed into him.

Didn't we see that when Danny was trying to get rid of Ben and went to get Phillip Spaulding's help to set him up? Didn't we keep seeing it during Michelle's arrest and trial as always chose the roundabout way to try to free her. (I know, I know -- he didn't threaten the ice cream man, but tell me he didn't know how nervous his last name made Len!)

Didn't we see it when he shot (Jesse) first -- just like Mama and Papa taught him -- and asked questions later?

I know he promised to change for Michelle and I think he's tried to convince himself he can, that he has.

At the police station after they returned to Springfield, he asked Michelle "Don't you think I can change...from how my mother raised me?"

And Michelle said she trusts him. He says she's made him a better man. I think he even probably believes it.

But is he a better man? For all his trying, can he really change the way he was brought up?

Let's bring it down to this. Will he avenge his mother's death?

You know, Michelle has received a lot of flak for begging Danny to "let it go." How the hell, we ask, can she expect him not to look for his mother's killer? Some of us have answered, well, she's afraid for his life (that's what she told him) and she's afraid he'll get sucked back into the mob. A lot of others say, well, THAT's who he is -- why is she always wanting to change him?

But is that really why she wants Danny to let it go? Isn't the real answer because she knows Danny won't stop with just finding out who did it? Who among us believes Danny would get the name of the shooter and turn it over to the authorities?

Nope, Danny was raised to believe in "an eye for an eye." We know he doesn't believe in the Justice System, especially in this case. He told Michelle he would have killed whoever had murdered his brother had it not been her.

And this is his mother. What kind of a son would he be if he didn't do anything? How could he live with himself? (His words)

So, can today's Danny -- despite all his talk of change -- avenge Carmen's death?

When Carlos tells him he knows who shot Carmen, will Danny be able to "let it go"? Or will he do what he thinks a loyal son must do? Has he changed or is Danny still his mother's son .. the one she raised to be ruthless?

And doesn't this put us right back to the core issue of Danny and Michelle's two different worlds?

Liz