Am I the only person who thinks that if Wilson had to relive that moment of asking House to do the deep brain stimulation five different times he would have had five different thoughts about whether to do it? To me, the scene didn't play that way. I thought the pacing of the scene, with Wilson haltingly explaining what he wanted, House waiting a beat and then carefully, explicitly making sure he and Wilson were understanding each other, and Wilson taking a beat and then nodding, were to underscore the point that Wilson does know what he is asking. I think if he relived that moment, he'd ask the same thing again. He cares for House but its Amber he can't bear to lose. It was a stripped bare moment, acting from the heart. I don't think he'd have a different stripped bare moment. If Foreman hadn't gone to Cuddy to override House's call to wait for cultures, he wouldn't have pushed for it. If they hadn't already been convinced that two other diseases were the cause, he wouldn't have pushed for it, if Amber's brain activity hadn't changed he wouldn't have pushed for it ... I don't think this DDX process is different from any other one, and Wilson knows what they are like. I think the bottom line for Wilson was not doing absolutely everything possible to lower Amber's risk, and I don't think he'd have felt differently if they'd only come up with one possibility, as long as there was no definitive test for it. It's the lack of definitive test to be absolutely sure that warming her up would cure her that Wilson couldn't accept without having tried everything else, and I don't see anything to suggest anything would have made him feel otherwise. For him, in this instance, House was a means to an end, and I don't think he was going to change his end goal.

it rings so false to me that House should take responsibility for the bus crash and hopefully use his guilt to make him change his life. Not only is he not responsible for the random series of events that led to the crash, but he also is not an evil rotten friend because he misses Wilson and tries to keep their old pattern going one night when he's lonely. I don't think House is a bad friend (I've thought differently in the past) but there is nothing wrong with missing your best friend. I don't think he should take responsibility for the crash, I'm just saying that due to the circumstances surrounding it, I can see him feeling like he has to. Rationally, this was not his fault, but I would definately feel guilty about it anyway if I was in House's shoes. I still think the two will be friends again, but there's a different dynamic that I can't see reversing. If it weren't for how the show has treated their rifts in the past, I would agree. But, I didn't think they could just be the same after Tritter after everything that happened, but after it being awkward for a while, they were completely back to normal by S4, heck by AYA. I don't think they're going to just drop this, I think they're both going to have a lot of issues to work out with each other and I think it will be different for a while, they can't possibly be as "light" and "jokey" with each other as they normally could, but I'm willing to be that by S6 (unless RSL leaves) the Amber fiasco will go the way of Tritter. They may still mention her from time to time but I expect it will be after Wilson accepts that it was an accident and he can talk about her without opening up wounds and anger. *If* we accept that Amber was indeed Wilson's lover and that he really LOVED her, then the idea that he could go from her death bed where he had to turn off her life support machines and hold her in his arms as she died to being able to offer meaningful emotional comfort to House is just too unrealistic in my opinion. ITA, that would make him a superman who is able to bury his own (very fresh) grief to be there for someone else and I don't buy that he's perfect like that. I know Wilson is far from perfect and I thought it was totally believable for Wilson to be able to watch House while he was sleeping but when he woke up it got to be too much. I thought that scene played out very nicely.

She got to play a wide range of emotions with both HL and RSL, had a well-written role in a fascinating finale and she did a fantastic job with it. She also got to make out with both of them! On a serious note, on rewatch I was struck even moreso by the acting choices. I love how RSL collapses into bed at the end, he looks like a little boy.

Am I the only person who thinks that if Wilson had to relive that moment of asking House to do the deep brain stimulation five different times he would have had five different thoughts about whether to do it? I think one's answer to this depends upon where you think Wilson was emotionally and logically at that point. Me, I think it is possible, yes, because I think he was operating from a sense of overwhelming fear and panic; he was acting on impulse and instinct and was in a very bad place for rational or reasoned decisions, which is WHY he should not have been allowed to try and pressure House for anything. However, everyone else is so emotionally invested in Wilson, they had trouble saying no. (Glad Taub tried...) Like a family member who tries to run back into a burning building to save a loved one. The risk is great, but the need to *do* something is even greater. I think the idea of the DBS occurred to him just outside House's office, and he immediately turns back to ask. One can only speculate whether he would have asked the same thing had he had a longer time to consider the consequences. What if he had been on another floor, and had to ride up in the elevator thinking about it for a few minutes and letting the possible consequences sink in? I don't know. He was desperate to save Amber, but he does love House - so given more time he might have reconsidered. However, I also think he *knew* on some level what he was asking. He just really did not *want* to think it through and have to deal with the possible consequences of that choice. Some might say he had time to reconsider as they were setting up for the operation - and that is true, he could have called it off. However, at that point House had agreed and House is someone who consistently pulled a rabbit out of his hat. I think Wilson is just willing to trust that House will pull a whopper of a rabbit out of his hat this time as well, save his girlfriend, be just fine and all will be right with the world. So in short, I think it possible, but not necessarily probable that he would have done things differently.

I'm just saying that due to the circumstances surrounding it, I can see him feeling like he has to. Rationally, this was not his fault, but I would definately feel guilty about it anyway if I was in House's shoes. Yes, we agree that House probably will. I guess what grabbed my attention in some posts (and I'm not even sure if they were any of yours) is the notion that House is morally responsible and it will be a good thing for him to take this responsibility and change his lfe, as if irrational survivor's guilt is something to encourage and House will open up and have better relationships based on this guilt. I hope Cuddy, because I doubt that it will be Wilson (may be wrong, of course) helps him to lift that guilt, not embrace it. If Wilson helps him lift it, that would be very dramatically satisfying to me. If it weren't for how the show has treated their rifts in the past, I would agree. There is a possibility of a reset button, alright. But on the other side, DS did say that the finale would change everyone's relationships forever and season five would start with everyone in a new place, so he may planning on following through with this one to a greater degree. I know we will end up with some kind of friendship between the two--they really would have to be crazy as showrunners not to. But TPTB have shaken up the show before in ways that astonished some fans.

I guess what grabbed my attention in some posts (and I'm even sure if they were any of yours) is the notion that House is morally responsible and it will be a good thing for him to take this responsibility and change his lfe, as if irrational survivor's guilt is something to encourage and House will open up and have better relationships based on this guilt. I don't think I've said that and if I implied it, that's not what I meant. I don't think this is an oppurtunity for House to change his life, I just think it will make House think twice next time, he might leave others out of it all together next time he decides to go out and get drunk. He didn't actually need a ride after all. But I do not think that this is a good thing by any means. I hope Cuddy, because I doubt that it will be Wilson (may be wrong, of course) helps him to lift that guilt, not embrace it. If Wilson helps him lift it, that would be very dramatically satisfying to me. I think Cuddy will try, I can't see anyone laying a guilt trip on House (maybe Wilson out of anger at first) but that's not what he needs. He doesn't need for her to tell him that it wasn't his fault, because she's not the one who got hurt by this. I think only Wilson telling him it wasn't his fault will help House get over it, though he'll always harbor some guilt about it. And I do think that House and Wilson will get there eventually, it will just take some time. DS did say that the finale would change everyone's relationships forever and season five would start with everyone in a new place, so he may planning on following through with this one to a greater degree. Yeah, but DS says a lot of things. Unless I get a concrete spoiler, I try not to dwell on the "House is in a new place" and "everything will change" comments because they start out true but they don't last. When he changed things with CCF, that seemed to be a spur of the moment, "you know what would be cool?" idea. There wasn't a lot of build up to it, it seemed like he just wanted them out of the way, except Foreman who was the only one who got realy build up to his leaving. I don't think this is like that. To get Wilson out of the way, they could have easily just gotten him closer to Amber to the point where he really didn't spend time with House at all anymore and that could have just as easily made way for Huddy. But they chose this route instead, I just don't believe that House and Wilson are never going to be close again.

When he changed things with CCF, that seemed to be a spur of the moment, "you know what would be cool?" idea. There wasn't a lot of build up to it, it seemed like he just wanted them out of the way, except Foreman who was the only one who got realy build up to his leaving. To me, it looked like he built it up without our necessarily knowing that was where it was going. Chase got a lot of development on his inner confidence and his ability to say no, personally and professionally, Cameron got a lot of build up on where she was in regard to House and Chase, and Foreman had his issue with House's methodology brought to the forefront. I thought it was a nice touch that we all thought Foreman might leave but didn't know that actually Chase and Cam were the ones where the logical next step would be leaving the team. It all hung together for me--and I was MAD at House when he fired Chase. It didn't take long to realise that Chase really was ready to leave. Like you, I believe the friendship in some way will survive. I do think that the slashy overtones may not survive this finale--the friendship was a boundary breaking odd all encompassing thing that was hard to categorise. I'd never heard of the term "slashy" before finding the House boards, but I knew this friendship didn't seem to fit easily into any one mould. It would take a lot to make me feel the same way now. I suspect that may be deliberate on the part of the writers and they brought those themes to the surface for a reason. I may be wrong.

What interests me is what we saw on screen, what the writers and actors told us that the story is, not what it might have been had it been something else, so that's where I'm focusing my comments. It's interesting to see that in "House's Head" before he knew who the patient was, Wilson didn't think House should even undergo relatively benign hypnosis since it might further stress his injured brain. It was House who felt the need to find this person, who understood how important it was. He pushed and pushed because even his subconscious knew that this person was very, very important. Wilson was protective of his friend throughout HH and horrified that he'd taken the Alzheimer's drug just to get at this mysterious truth. He was against House pursuing this until they found out who it was. Then everything changed. At first, Wilson was conflicted about House's efforts, agreed with Cuddy that he shouldn't try the DBS and then, as he realized more clearly what was going to likely happen, finally realized that it was Amber's life that meant more. I don't think it's laying blame on Wilson to say he made a choice (that's a whole different piece) but I think that's what we saw on screen very clearly and deliberately portrayed. The asking and the agreeing. He cared about House, was against House endangering himself until the tables were turned and he went from being concerned friend/physician to family member: and when push came to shove, he chose Amber, his heart, and House fully understood that choice and went ahead with the DBS. I think the writers meant this to be a devastating situation for both, made it complicated, difficult and with long-lasting repercussions. Maybe one of them was meant from way back to "push it till it broke" (from Doris Egan's earlier SoCG) and here (in DE's story) it happened. That said, what's broken can be mended (both House's Head and Wilson's Heart, one hopes) but they can never be exactly the same again. It's a fascinating psychological place for a tv series to be in to start a fifth season.

jair wrote: I believe the friendship in some way will survive. I do think that the slashy overtones may not survive this finale Funny, I had the exactly opposite impression... When they killed Amber they made sure Wilson would never find another one to put in House's place. Maybe I'm wrong... But I agree with LMC, if they wanted to keep Wilson apart from House the most simple thing was to let Amber live. House would be free to find another pathological friend (good luck with that, House!) and H/Cuddy could happen in a much more easy way. The way the story unfolds, things will be much more complicated now, but I really doubt that the H/W friendship or whatever they call it, will be destroyed. It may change, but changes are not always a bad thing...

I think one's answer to this depends upon where you think Wilson was emotionally and logically at that point. Me, I think it is possible, yes, because I think he was operating from a sense of overwhelming fear and panic; he was acting on impulse and instinct and was in a very bad place for rational or reasoned decisions, which is WHY he should not have been allowed to try and pressure House for anything. However, everyone else is so emotionally invested in Wilson, they had trouble saying no. (Glad Taub tried...) Yes, I do believe that Wilson's decision was driven by emotion, and not logic. He certainly was able to process the medical information and know what he was asking House to do on an intellectual level, but he wasn't working on an intellectual level at that point. It was instinct. It was emotion. Just as he was reacting emotionally to House's reckless need to push himself further and further for the answer in "House's Head" and felt the need to try and stop him on some level, in "Wilson's Heart," he's driven by the emotional fears of Amber, and operating almost with a tunnel vision in that area. Not saying that it's right or wrong, just saying that logic and intellect aren't necessarily coming into play on an emotional decision. Think of it this way. In "Insensitive," House's emotional and personal desire for freedom from pain drives him to the point of risking both his own long term health and obviously the health of his patient to grow himself a new set of nerves. It's Wilson who is able to be the voice of reason -- to get House to step back and think about what he's doing, and not just react. In "Wilson's Heart," there is no one there who is capable of doing the same thing to stop Wilson from making a decision based on emotion and personal desire. (Of course I'm going with the supposition that Cuddy was never informed of the plan for the deep brain stimulation, otherwise she would have halted it as she had before.)

It didn't take long to realise that Chase really was ready to leave. Yeah, I can see Chase's setup, but not Cameron's. It was clear to me in AYA that her and Chase would be revisited eventually, but I didn't think there was any decent setup to her quitting. Plus, House was okay at the end of HE, he accepted that they were gone. He's clearly not okay with this. I still don't take DS' comments as gospel. He said that S4 would focus on the House/Cameron relationship and that didn't happen, so I believe specific spoilers and what I see in canon. When they killed Amber they made sure Wilson would never find another one to put in House's place. ITA, I don't think Wilson will find somebody else like Amber. Now, the slash probably won't be there for a long time, I doubt we're going to be getting any "we're a couple" lines for a while. However, I don't see why the slash has to die altogether, that doesn't make sense to me. If they're friendship survives, the subtext will too, even without the words, HL and RSL just bring that, YMMV.

Yeah, I can see Chase's setup, but not Cameron's. It was clear to me in AYA that her and Chase would be revisited eventually, but I didn't think there was any decent setup to her quitting. I didn't have an issue with it because I read Cameron's sexcapades in the hospital as coming after the kiss because House's response made her go for broke and see if she could make something more happen. At the same time as she has to come to terms with House not giving her what she was hoping for, she realises she has more with Chase than she thought. I didn't find it strange that after the sexcapades, she felt the need for a clean slate with both House and Chase. ITA, I don't think Wilson will find somebody else like Amber. Why? Amber clearly was not a proxy for House. Amber's big quality that helped that relationship was an honesty about emotions and motivations. I don't think she's cornered that market. I hope Wilson finds someone like Amber because I don't believe that House is what he's looking for on that level. He's had 20 years with House, he doesn't have to get to know him better. If they're friendship survives, the subtext will too, even without the words, HL and RSL just bring that, YMMV. I actually did not find RSL bringing it in the last two episodes. He seemed to have a somewhat harsher attitude toward House right from the beginning of HH. In "Insensitive," House's emotional and personal desire for freedom from pain drives him to the point of risking both his own long term health and obviously the health of his patient to grow himself a new set of nerves. It's Wilson who is able to be the voice of reason -- to get House to step back and think about what he's doing, and not just react. In "Wilson's Heart," there is no one there who is capable of doing the same thing to stop Wilson from making a decision based on emotion and personal desire. Yes, there was: House. House asked Wilson to think about what he was asking. Wilson did and asked anyway. House did exactly what Wilson did to him. The decision was different. Also, House always knew the danger of him wanting something so badly that he was not working in the girl's best interest--we saw him following up every lead meticulously, trying to salve his conscience. All it took was one short conversation with Wilson where he asked if House was really working in her best interest to stop him. House has that same type of "stop and think for a moment about what you are really asking for and what it may cost me" moment with Wilson, and Wilson still goes for what he wants. Wilson had another chance to stop the DBS when House says to ratchet up the dial and Chase says it's too dangerous. Wilson supports House with no soul searching, despite Chase's voice of reason. I don't think we saw Wilson not have anyone ask him to think about what he was doing. I think Boffle said it upthread very well: I don't think it's laying blame on Wilson to say he made a choice (that's a whole different piece) but I think that's what we saw on screen very clearly and deliberately portrayed. The asking and the agreeing. He cared about House, was against House endangering himself until the tables were turned and he went from being concerned friend/physician to family member: and when push came to shove, he chose Amber, his heart, and House fully understood that choice and went ahead with the DBS.

I actually did not find RSL bringing it in the last two episodes. He seemed to have a somewhat harsher attitude toward House right from the beginning of HH. I said it wouldn't be there for a while and it's not there every episode. I just don't understand why slashy subtext will be a part of their friendship forever sacrificed because of this. That makes no sense to me and I don't really see what it has to do with any of what happened. Amber clearly was not a proxy for House. Amber's big quality that helped that relationship was an honesty about emotions and motivations. I don't think she's cornered that market. No, she's not the only one out there like her. But, Wilson's been looking for his entire adult life and she's the only one he's found so far. I just have a hard time picturing him finding someone who can put up with House, care about Wilson looking after himself, and overall just getting him. It's not only her Houselike qualities here, it's that she had a prior relationship with House, she already knew how to deal with him, she could play his game. So, unless Wilson ends up with Cuddy, Cameron, or 13, I just don't see him having what he had with Amber with anyone else. Actually, Amber's death takes me back to my original vision of the series end, House and Wilson both romantically alone but with each other. We won't agree on Cameron because that just seemed sloppy and tossed in at the last moment again. Looking at it the way you do, it seems to be her, once again, letting her romantic life dominate her professional life. Not that I care, I was just happy to see her gone and very happy to have her time be so limited this year.

I just don't understand why slashy subtext will be a part of their friendship forever sacrificed because of this. That makes no sense to me and I don't really see what it has to do with any of what happened. I guess because for me, it's only there if it feels emotionally truthful. I don't get it because the two actors are in the same scene together no matter what. Right now, it does not feel emotionally truthful to me that Wilson actually does feel the way I assumed he felt about House, though he certainly cares, and it doesn't feel emotionally truthful that House will ever open himself in that way to Wilson. The friendship is there, but not the slash. For me, the slash was always grounded in that to me, these two looked like the way they cared for each other was the most likely and truthful path to anything like a real relationship for House, one that could go the distance. And I didn't need to see it spelled out. I'd have been happy ending the series with House and Wilson walking down the hallway together, bumping shoulders. But that's because I had an idea of what they actually felt for each other, which didn't have to openly acknowledged to feel like they didn't fall under normal guy friend boundaries. Now, that same scene would be a fitting bookend in some ways, but I'd feel very sad because I'd know that House is still alone in terms of a real relationship. So is Wilson. It would not feel slashy. Despite the above, I've always been open to House having other relationships, but I've never seen anything on the show that looked like it would do anything other than crash and burn, and that's difficult to get invested in. I thought Cameron was a non-starter from House's point of view and have no desire to see a redux. I think he and Cuddy have tons of potential but her job is too necessary and I don't see how she can be his boss and his lover. I think the exploration will be fine, but again, difficult to invest. Though I'm ready to and have a small hope the writers may surprise me. At one point, I was thinking, "Cate!" because I liked what I saw there, but Mira Sorvino has just signed on for another series, so . . . Now I'm thinking House ends the series sad and basically alone, which, while not a surprise really, makes me sad. I KNOW dramatically it makes sense, but of course, I want him to be happy. I just have a hard time picturing him finding someone who can put up with House, care about Wilson looking after himself, and overall just getting him. But what about the finale makes you think House and Wilson will go back to that relationship where House is possessive of Wilson, interfering in his relationships and Wilson priorises House, especially if he's avoiding issues in his own relationship? Why would Wilson make an ability to get House a priority, now that he knows what he wants in a relationship? We won't agree on Cameron because that just seemed sloppy and tossed in at the last moment again. Looking at it the way you do, it seems to be her, once again, letting her romantic life dominate her professional life. Well . . . yeah. That seems out of character to you? I think of it more Cameron having to deal with the consequences of having let her personal life dominate her professional life and making changes to start with a clean slate.