Revolution: Tom Neville's Journey

I miss those glasses. They were awesome!

               Tom Neville has had a harrowing journey that unlike most of the characters has left him in a worse place than when he started. We see that Tom had some real anger issues to work through that he channeled for negative purposes but we also saw that what he did he did for his family even though he and his son Jason did not end on good terms. 

Tom goes from mild mannered to bull dog

         Before the Blackout Tom was a quiet, unassuming, not the argumentative type. He just kind of kept it all bottled up inside, taking his anger out on a punching bag. But because of Tom's self control he abhorred violence. He would say: "We hit the bag we don't hit people." Then the Blackout happened and suddenly the bullies of the world were running the show. It was kill or be killed. No police, no law, no justice system and Tom realized that hitting a bag was no longer an option. He knew he was cunning and clever but didn't think he had the cold, calculating brutality needed to fully rise to prominence. Tom sort of transformed letting out all of his resentment and anger but still I could see he cared about his family and the men under his command. Tom comforted his dying soldier and was very angry when Danny scoffed at the funeral. But he was no longer the hug out your problems type. Tom became all about tough love.

Don't move!

          When he was serving the Monroe Republic, Tom didn't have much of a conscience when he tortured Rachel mentally. He was a loyal attack dog even though Julia tried to get Tom to cause a coup and over throw Monroe then take his seat. Tom may have craved power but I didn't see him as the type who could lead a whole empire. He had the iron will to navigate the nest of vipers that was politics but I could only see him as a close second that you'd want to have to do the things you don't want to do. Anyway Tom may have been loyal to Monroe but his family's safety always came first. He even threw another man and his family under the bus to save Jason from going to California (which was worse than execution). And I know it looked harsh but Tom let Monroe believe Jason was dead so he could live. Of course Tom's tough love methods with his son did not make them close.

Do your worst...

           Jason sort of resented Tom for making him into a soldier that hurt innocent people. They would come to blows even. They hit a real rough patch when Jason let his father be captured even though it would be the death of his mother. Fortunately Tom got away in time to get Julia out of Philadelphia, saving her from Monroe's wrath. So like a snake that sheds its skin Tom switched over to Georgia's side. What Tom wanted most was to be appreciated for his efforts and President Foster gave him that. However, that didn't mean Miles was appreciative of Tom's presence. For Miles it was like an alcoholic getting back together with a drinking buddy and opening that whiskey bottle again. Tom's brutality against Charlie though was all Miles needed to sober up and kick Tom in the behind. Tom hates people who assert that they're smarter than him, it reminded him of the days before the Blackout when he was the little guy. Yet Tom loved his son enough to refuse to let his son die alone. Tom thought that they finally turned a corner and were on the same page again but then he saw Charlie and Jason kissing. 

Leaving my only son to die alone
is where I draw the line

            I think Tom always saw Charlie as a threat because he was afraid that she would get Jason killed. I'm sure Tom would have preferred Jason to find a girl in the city and not a criminal of the Republic but when has a son ever done what his father wanted? So Tom did his best to drive a wedge between the two love birds and Charlie going into the Tower was the best thing Tom could think of. With Jason backing him, Tom was able to start a coup and take over the militia. Of course Tom wanted to keep Jason on his side so he promised to let Charlie and Rachel live but Tom couldn't keep that promise.

I figure this would be like Christmas morning for you

     It didn't matter in any case because after the bombs dropped Tom was devastated because he thought Julia, the love of his life, the only person he cared about, was dead. The only thing on Tom's mind was finding her and he had Jason to lean on. But then Tom thought about ending it all and just killing himself. He figured that Jason would be happier but Jason decided to use some tough love on his dad and it worked. Tom found something else to live for: revenge. 

Good morning sunshine...

         During the first part of season 2, Tom was back to his old conniving self that would make Machiavelli cringe. He was a raging bull dog with no mercy. Then he found out that Julia was alive. As always Tom adjusted to the situation and saw what would benefit him and his family. Although Tom wasn't happy about seeing his wife be with another man he reasoned that once they got what they wanted he would cut the husband's throat. He didn't get to slash it but Tom was able to strangle the man to death. Before that Tom and Julia were found out and they made Tom a deal that if he went and captured Sebastian Monroe then his wife Julia will be safe. Needless to say Tom jumped at the offer without hesitation but only if his son could come with him. Once again father and son were on a mission. But this time Tom's stubbornness would be the last straw for Jason. 

Bleed Red, White, & Blue...

         Tom knew that Jason was suffering from the Patriot's brainwashing and although Tom refused to abandon Jason when he was trying to kill him (showing that if he lost one he would never let go of the other) he wasn't about to let Jason's "weakness" deter him from saving Julia. But Jason had enough. He walked away and then he died. Tom was left with nothing. He figured that he and Jason would have worked it out then hug later but Tom realized that he would never hold his son again. Left with nothing, Julia dead, Jason dead, Tom became a man without a cause. What did he have to live for now? Tom suddenly turned on the Patriots and joined Monroe and Connor. But that didn't mean Tom was free of his cunning ways. He wanted revenge and no one was going to stand in his way, except maybe Monroe and Miles's twisted bromance.

"You are the biggest pain in my ass"

       I don't think Tom pointed his gun at Charlie because she killed Jason, as he said Charlie may have pulled the trigger but the Patriots loaded the gun. Tom just wanted to get Miles out of the way or even show Connor that Bass cared more about Miles than he did about their plans of world domination there by causing a rift between them. So Tom and Connor formed an alliance, but this alliance was not fortunate. Tom ended up locked in a shed with Connor while Monroe made off with the Patriot President. Tom was defeated.

"Is your ass made out of candy?"
Did you mean that to sound creepy?

            I have no doubt that had there been a Season 3, Tom would have gone down a much darker road. The nano tech appeared to him as Jason. Tom regretted not listening to his son before but in Season 3 he would have probably done everything Nano Jason had said. Tom's anger led him down a very bloody dark path that in the end left him in a worse state than he felt before. Once again Tom felt helpless and weak like before the Blackout with nothing but regret and his sins to haunt him forever.   

Tom's happy place...