What if the positions were reversed in this story. What if House was near death and there was a life risking action that Amber could take that might help to save him. Would Wilson dare to ask her to do such a thing? The only reason I would say that he wouldn't ask her is because they haven't been together that long (I still stand by my argument that he can love her without being with her for years) but they don't have that level of trust and history that House and Wilson do. They don't know each other as well as House and Wilson do. And again, House expressed an earlier willingness to try the DBS, I don't think Amber would have. I can see Wilson asking her if the situation was dire enough (which Amber's was btw) but given that the relationships are different and the person being asked is different, I can just as easliy see him not asking. I think Wilson trusts House and believes in him in a way that he doesn't with Amber.

What if House was near death and there was a life risking action that Amber could take that might help to save him. Would Wilson dare to ask her to do such a thing? Would she even consider doing it? I think the answer to the first question is probably not, to the second, almost certainly not. Interesting question. If the positions were exactly the same, maybe not, because I don't think he would have asked it of House except that House had already mentioned it. However, if it were a *similar* situation, where they would be a risk to Amber, he might ask because again, it might not seem such a strange request to him, as I have no doubt he would do the same for either of them. I probably should have been clearer with my earlier post... about the life or death situation. I never viewed it that way because I don't think *WILSON* viewed it that way. I do not think he consciously was choosing one life over the other.... even though he was *risking* one life over the other. I think as he looks back at event, he will realize that he was making such a decision, but at the time, I do not think he was making a choice about who he would prefer to live. As for House's disbelieving half-laugh when Wilson basically said, yes, to the risk...I know some have interpreted that as House's realization that Wilson values Amber over him, but I saw it more as House's half-amused realization that Wilson was capable of asking such a thing of someone. More a realization that Wilson was showing a side of himself that was *new* and closer to selfish than self-less. This is not to say that House does not realize the risk. I think he is very aware of just how much he is offering when he nods an affirmative. The expression in his eyes is just so heartbreaking. For me, it says, "See how much I do love you?" And when they get ready to start the stimulation and exchange another glance, I think I see acknowledgement in Wilson's eyes of what House is doing for him. But that may just be wishful thinking on my part. And yeah, we're not all going to agree on interpreting that scene/situation, but I guess we can agree that it was a powerhouse finale. Absolutely agree! I mean, I may differ with interpretation with some of y'all, but at least I am not reading a bunch of posts about what a melodramatic yawnfest this two parter was and how HouseMD has totally jumped the shark and should be put out of its misery. An opinion which just does-not-compute. :? BTW, does anyone feel as though I am *arguing* with others? If so, please let me know because that means I have not been as careful with my wording as I should. For me, argument suggests a lack of respect and bad feelings. I consider this more of a *discussion* - granted, one in which not everyone agrees, but see - I LIKE that kind of discussion. I don’t see dissent as necessarily negative. I grew up in a family of highly educated egg-heads, and family dinner discussions were often not unlike Parliamentary debates. As my dad used to say, "You are entitled to ANY opinion you want, but you better be prepared to back it up!" And you learned to do just that, or the other member of the family would cut you down to size very quickly. I find such discussions stimulating!

See, I just don't see this... this makes it seem as though the choice was Amber's Life or House's Life. One or the other. I never had that impression at all. Wilson wasn't choosing which one would live and which one would die. For me it was more the type of choice a parent might make if they have two children, and one child needs a kidney transplant and the other child is a match. If you decide to use one child's kidney to save the other, does that mean you love one more than the other? Not in my mind. It just means the need of the one child is more immediate than the potential risk to the other. That analogy only holds up, as Boffle pointed out, if the donor child has just had a life-threatening crisis and the doctors are telling the parents the donation will have a good probability of killing the child. It is a life risking donation. Also, to chime in on another post, no I don't define this as arguing at all! It's discussion on a fantastic episode, and it's typical of House that we can have so many interpretations. I never viewed it that way because I don't think *WILSON* viewed it that way. I do not think he consciously was choosing one life over the other.... even though he was *risking* one life over the other. I think as he looks back at event, he will realize that he was making such a decision, but at the time, I do not think he was making a choice about who he would prefer to live. As for House's disbelieving half-laugh when Wilson basically said, yes, to the risk...I know some have interpreted that as House's realization that Wilson values Amber over him, but I saw it more as House's half-amused realization that Wilson was capable of asking such a thing of someone. More a realization that Wilson was showing a side of himself that was *new* and closer to selfish than self-less. This seems to me to be skipping over the way House looked at Wilson and carefully asked whether Wilson was asking if he should risk his life for Amber's. And Wilson looked away for a moment and then slowly looked back and said yes. I think there's more to process there--or I hope there is--but he did know that the procedure was life-risking for House. I also didn't see House as amused in that scene. The little breath he blows out looked more like processing a realisation--and not a pleasant one. He made the decision at that point to pursue the DBS even if it killed him. So again the "Wilson chose Amber over House" line doesn't hold up. House already knew the risks and had been expressly willing to take them - he HAD offered to risk his own life already. House didn't back off from the DPS because he was suddenly concerned for his own health, it was because he thought he had the answer of Amber's diagnosis. It turns out he didn't. This was not something Wilson thought of out of the blue and begged House to try - it was something House had wanted to try. Wilson's asking was more about him realizing that he was wrong to want to take the "safe path," that if Amber had any hope he needed to let House do what he wanted originally. And Wilson was right: the tragic thing was that they got the correct answer, but it couldn't save her life. House did offer to do the DBS but he also backed off when Cuddy pointed out it would most likely be fatal with his skull fracture and he should go and get some sleep. He went and got some sleep. From there we had the series of events that led up to the incorrect diagnosis and House wasn't pursuing the DBS at any point. However, my point isn't that House would not choose to risk himself for a diagnosis--he has and would again. It's that in this case, he isn't choosing to do that, and Wilson is the one asking him to do it. He's willing to use House as a means to an end of saving Amber, despite the risk. And like Boffle, I think that brought the relationship into focus for House, and it does change it. I also don't think this ep showed us that Wilson would have asked Amber to risk her life to save House. If he felt that way about House, he would have risked the warm up with Amber, because he had no extra information House didn't have to make him suspicious of the diagnosis. He just wasn't willing to risk Amber's life until he'd pulled out every stop and one of those stops was a risk to House's life. If he's willing to do that, I don't think it makes emotional sense for him to also at the same time be willing to risk the reverse. He's willing to risk House's life before Amber's. That was his choice.

This seems to me to be skipping over the way House looked at Wilson and carefully asked whether Wilson was asking if he should risk his life for Amber's. You may be right - but I will have to rewatch that scene more carefully. *Not that I can for a while. The whole finale was just too intense for me to watch it over just yet. I am personally glad I have a couple months to recover before season five! I guess when I was watching that scene it just struck me that Wilson was asking something "selfish" and House was willing to do something "self-less" which brought back events from Frozen when it was noted by the psychologist, that underneath the gruff exterior, House is nicer that he appears and underneath the pleasant exterior, Wison is not as nice as he appears. (Not to mention the whole, "I don't do self-sacrifice" from House earlier in theseason) All in all, I thought the scene re-touched on those themes nicely.

I agree! :D It did. The whole season linked together beautifully, despite the impact of the strike. Good luck with the re-watch. I've managed a couple of rewatches now, but it is gruelling in places. I'm still trying to decide if this one or HH is the best one for HL to submit. I think it's probably this one, except that big emmy loving emotional speeches were Wilson's, not House's. Even House's last scene is rather quiet. I think he's brilliant, but I'm not sure people not invested in House would see why this was Hugh's submission when it's such a clear tape for RSL. On the other hand, this IS the one that gives us the bigger peek inside the man. Hmm. And wouldn't it be a shame if they hadn't finished it enough to be able to submit for anyone by the deadline?

*revives jair.* I think HL's last scene with Amber on the white bus was wonderful and I personally think the best scenes with him were from this ep. as opposed to H'sH, (the DBS was also amazing.) however you make a good point about RSL. He definately got the bulk of the emotional scenes here, and he did it fantastically. I'm so glad that it's not me who has to make this decision. I just want to say how much I love the writers right now. It's so great that they made the situation grey enough to where there are so many (valid) interpretations. Excellent job all around.

I just want to say how much I love the writers right now. It's so great that they made the situation grey enough to where there are so many (valid) interpretations. Excellent job all around. Oh yes, very much seconding that (and thanks for the smelling salts, sniff). How to wait for September . . .

Rewatching...
A couple of things: One, Amber only took one pill on the bus. I know, one was enough. It's just that some people were saying she was taking more than one and that it was irresponsible of her. I watched the scene frame-by-frame in slow motion, and while she shook the pill bottle twice, only one pill fell into her hand. Two, on the bus House asks Amber "Are you doing this for me, or for Wilson?" Amber clearly states "For Wilson." I'm not sure if House stated the conversation aloud exactly as it was happening; he seemed to, because as soon as Amber says "flu" Wilson chimes in with "That's it?!" So I have to wonder if House, or Wilson, will take that into consideration... I also wonder if that's part of why the note under the pillow is so powerful: Wilson knows that Amber was taking on some of the responsibility that he had assumed in the past: taking care of House. I thought it was notable because none of Wilson's wives had been shown to do this. Amber handled it differently. She was strong enough to handle his friendship with House, which is another reason it's sad she's gone. ETA: As far as taking a break before Season Five, I'm really glad the filming is continuing without a break, and I hope the writer's strike doesn't screw up the storyline S5 is supposed to start with!

This seems to me to be skipping over the way House looked at Wilson and carefully asked whether Wilson was asking if he should risk his life for Amber's. And Wilson looked away for a moment and then slowly looked back and said yes. ... he did know that the procedure was life-risking for House. I also didn't see House as amused in that scene. The little breath he blows out looked more like processing a realization--and not a pleasant one. ... It's that in this case, he isn't choosing to do that, and Wilson is the one asking him to do it. He's willing to use House as a means to an end of saving Amber, despite the risk. And like Boffle, I think that brought the relationship into focus for House, and it does change it. Agreed. In that scene, both Wilson and House learned the score. Wilson's hurting in this ep which makes harder for some to hold him accountable, but ultimately, Wilson valued Amber's life over House's life. What's more, House values Wilson's happiness over his own life, his own happiness, his own intellect. That's a pretty unhealthy relationship, and it explains a fair bit of why House has low self-worth. The question, to me at least, is not whether Wilson put Amber above House. It's obvious he did. Everyone knew the risks of the surgery, and unlike the viewing public, Wilson does not have the reassurance of a fifth season. Amber, like all guest characters, was a plot device to learn more about the main characters. In the finale, we learned that Wilson, at the beginning of relationships, puts the new romantic interest ahead of House. Eventually, Wilson gets bored and goes back to House. (For whatever reason, they decided to martyr Amber instead of letting that play out.) It's not unreasonable or mean toward Amber to question the value of Amber and Wilson's relationship. Wilson has a pisspoor track record, and they were still in the honeymoon phase. His relationship with House is far from perfect, but it has withstood the tests of time. If I were House I'd feel incredibly betrayed, and that was the vibe I got from the bitter scoff in that scene. Knowing Wilson does this, it's a bit clearer why House sabotages Wilson's relationships. So, the 64K question, why does Wilson do that to House at the beginning of his relationships? What is it about the hope of romantic relationships with women that alters Wilson's actions so?

If I were House I'd feel incredibly betrayed, and that was the vibe I got from the bitter scoff in that scene. Very interesting post, and as you know, much I agree with, though Amber was a different kettle of fish than Wilson's previous wives and I don't think we know that the relationship would have gone the same way. We saw Wilson change some of his ingrained habits. I think I also have a different view of House's reaction to Wilson's question. His scene with "Amber" (himself) in the bus didn't read like bitter betrayal to me, it read like acceptance of his own lesser worth. I think he was hurt by the realisation that Wilson puts Amber first to that extent--risking House's life---but I think he also accepts it. He worried about whether he has any part of Wilson left at all in the bus and thinks he should have died instead of Amber. The saddest part of this for me, and the part I haven't been able to picture working out next year (but of course know the writers probably have a good handle on it) is that I agree that House's attitude is not healthy and as long as he has it and Wilson either accepts or perhaps even propogates it, I no longer see these two as good together. They've always had huge issues, but I thought of all the relationships on the show, they had the one that felt the most "right." Now it doesn't.

Well, one answer is close at hand. Though I don't see a Huddy pairing as a long term thing, I think they genuinely care for and respect each other and clearly have sizzlIng chemistry. Clearly, his subconscious is into her. Maybe they do kind of complete each other in a personal way: they seem to in a professional way. I dunno, maybe that's the long-term direction and Wilson's character may be the more damaged one for a while. Lots of fodder there for great drama...

I don't question why House so willingly went along with Wilson's request. Despite his comments about self-sacrifice, remember what he said to Stacy in "Three Stories." He wouldn't cut off his leg to save his own life, but would do it without a question to save her -- to save someone he loved. Now that's not to say that he loved Amber, but House does love Wilson, and because Wilson needed it (not physically, but in every other sense) he did it, without hesitation. I keep coming back to something Lisa Edelstein said in an interview, that House undoubtedly loves both Wilson and Cuddy, though not necessarily in exactly the same way that they love him. And really, so much of what happened in "Wilson's Heart" began out of love. Not the getting drunk part, but Amber came because she loves Wilson and wanted to do it for him. Wilson asks what would normally be unthinkable out of love for Amber and House undergoes the procedure out of love for Wilson. (That's not to say that Wilson doesn't love House because he asked him to do the procedure. He's proven time and again that he does. Not was Wilson's request rational, but let's face it, love and rationality are rarely compatible.)