sariagray

Saluting is an interesting action.

Let me explain.

A month or so ago, I finally got around to watching the "Ten" specials ("The Next Doctor," "Planet of the Dead," "The Waters of Mars," and "The End of Time") and my father stumbled into the living room in the midst of "Planet of the Dead."

Captain Erisa Magambo of UNIT had just saluted the Doctor and my father pointed out something interesting (and quite probably untrue, from what I've read).

A former US Military man (Air Force, during 'Nam), he felt obliged to tell me that the British open-palm salute is indicative of either having lost or forfeited a war. Americans salute palm-down because we have no lost (or forfeited, I'm still unclear) a war, but it's on a slight tilt because it's iffy (I think this last part is a joke). Considering that, let's do a brief review, in pictures.

Wilf salutes here, open-palmed. This is a logical thing, so I assume. He is a military man and Knows His Stuff.

More Wilf, more open-palmed saluting. And a Union Jack in the background, to boot.

Captain Erisa Magambo of UNIT also salutes with an open palm, fingers at the temple. This picture...amuses me greatly. The look on her face makes me giggle, but that's neither here nor there.

The best is when Rory salutes Americans with an open-palm and says "America salutes you." It wasn't just the British accent that was hilarious, but if what my father says is true, he is totally using the British salute. I literally laughed so hard I couldn't breathe when I saw this. Thanks, Dad. You're the reason my keyboard is now slightly sticky with spit-out coffee.

Ahh. But! Here is where it gets interesting.

What is up with Jack!? Is this...his attempt at being fake-American? Is this a Boeshanian salute? Does ANY other person (who is not distinctly from another country) salute like this in the Whoniverse? I feel like this is somehow important to Jack's character. And, even if the common belief about saluting in Great Britain versus America is untrue, it IS apparently the common belief and therefore it could be an intentional thing on the part of the actors/creators.

What does everyone else think? I'm curious.