Portrait of a Character – Jeremiah Logan (Joss) Beckett
Jeremiah Logan has a great story line.
Origins
Joss originated in Together, as a sweet toddler, very Mommy-centric and very, very bereft when Lili and Doug are kidnapped. For Temper, I saw him as a teenager and then, in Fortune, and in some of the HG Wells stories, such as He Stays a Stranger, I began to see him as an adult.
Portrayal
As an adult, Joss is portrayed by Matthew Perry.
Matthew Perry as Jeremiah Logan (Joss) Beckett – image is for educational purposes only
I like how Perry comes across as an intelligent person, but also as, at times, quite a bit of a screw-up. Joss is no screw-up, but he’s got a certain kind of vulnerability that I believe Perry also has.
Joss also needs to be the somewhat reluctant leader of the family. Tommy is the military man, Neil is in business, and Declan and Marie Patrice are artistic. Joss has to be the one who, quietly and responsibly, gets things done.
Personality
Affable and kind, Joss is an animal lover from the very beginning. At a precocious age, he already knows that he wants to become a veterinarian. Eventually, he opens up his own clinic on Lafa II, the Beckett Veterinary Hospital.
While in the Mirror Universe, there is no love for animals, so Joss instead channels his considerable talents into playing mirror baseball. This is one way that he can keep from having to become a soldier and a killer.
Relationships
Jia Sulu
Joss’s only true relationship is with Jia, who he meets when they are very small children. They flirt in Saturn Rise, and go to their prom together in Consider the Lilies of the Field.
While in the mirror, because Jia is not there, Joss is alone. As the other children group and regroup, Joss remains on the sidelines. He does not try for Takara (even though she is a little bit interested) or Tripp‘s daughter, Betsy Tucker.
Theme Music
Joss’s Temper theme is the haunting Love Will Tear Us Apart, by Joy Division.
Mirror Universe
Jeremiah Logan playing baseball in the Mirror Universe
A mirror universe version of Joss is impossible. This is because he is a cross between a prime universe mother and a mirror universe father. However, he did spend time in the mirror.
Because Joss (and his siblings) had nearly no adult supervision, and he was the eldest, he took it upon himself to look out for everyone. This is only partly successful.
With Marie Patrice, she’s fairly well out of control, and he has little influence. The same is true of Tommy. With Declan, however, he is able to exert some influence. Then again, Dec is more or less being abused by the Empress‘s family. If Joss doesn’t watch out for Dec, sensitive Dec could easily become phaser fodder. Joss doesn’t want that.
Quote
“I am so not interested in her, not any more. She was – I mean, I’m a guy. I can’t help but to react to her, how she looks, what she wears and all.”
Upshot
I’ve enjoyed exploring several aspects of Joss’s life. He’ll be back.
