Cowboy Bebop Symbolism (SPOILERS)

[Stormbringer]

I've got to disagree with you. I don't think Spike's death is tied to the death of bounty hunting or anything like that. You're reading into it too much. The crew's broke and on the edge because Watanabe was using the 1920s detective (or the classic portrayal of) as the basis for Spike and Company. They're always on the ragged edge of finiancial disaster. It's a trait lifted from the movies, same as the smoking.

That still doesn't address the crux of my argument; that governments and corporations are beginning to reassert control over space, thus making it more difficult for bounty hunters and syndicates to do their business.

But there's not much evidence for that assertion. Bounty hunting doesn't seem to be suffering much. They're common enough all over the business itself seems to be booming. It's just the Bebop gang have bad luck and expensive habits.

[Joe]

I've got to disagree with you. I don't think Spike's death is tied to the death of bounty hunting or anything like that. You're reading into it too much. The crew's broke and on the edge because Watanabe was using the 1920s detective (or the classic portrayal of) as the basis for Spike and Company. They're always on the ragged edge of finiancial disaster. It's a trait lifted from the movies, same as the smoking.

That still doesn't address the crux of my argument; that governments and corporations are beginning to reassert control over space, thus making it more difficult for bounty hunters and syndicates to do their business.

But there's not much evidence for that assertion. Bounty hunting doesn't seem to be suffering much. They're common enough all over the business itself seems to be booming. It's just the Bebop gang have bad luck and expensive habits.

Big Shot gets cancelled. The Bebop crew regularly competes with the ISSP or corporations for bounty heads (and usually loses). I'm not saying that bounty hunting is going to go completely head up, but it's clear that government is beginning to replace Spike's world, the world of syndicates, bounty hunters, and outlaws with a more conventional system of rule, much like the Wild West at the end of its era.

BTW, delete the above post. Accident.

[DPDarkPrimus]

You're looking too much into it.

[Stormbringer]

Big Shot gets cancelled.

That might because they're not that useful. All we see them give out is publically availible information and they never seem to have any clues at all. Big Shot doesn't mean much.

The Bebop crew regularly competes with the ISSP or corporations for bounty heads (and usually loses).

Not that regularly. Only in Eps two, four, and the movie do they compete directly with the ISSP or a corporation. Certainly the ISSP is looking for the bounty heads but we don't see them actively doing it very much.

And coporations, never. The only cases where they were involved was when they were trying to cover their tracks. The rest were incidents where corporations hired them.

I'm not saying that bounty hunting is going to go completely head up, but it's clear that government is beginning to replace Spike's world, the world of syndicates, bounty hunters, and outlaws with a more conventional system of rule, much like the Wild West at the end of its era.

Except there's no real evidence that any one that's happening. If anything the situation is getting worse since the ISSPs up for sale and all the government officials are on the take.

And the syndicates don't seem to be declining. If anything they're still pretty powerful. The shear wealth they have seems to suggest they're quiet well off. The peace meeting simply suggests that people Vicious (who's veiwed as a violent throwback) are simply costing them more than they're worth. Violence isn't good for business. Not that they're desperate to maintain their power.

As far as I can see the evidence isn't there.