HEY, MANFRIEND

Topher Brink is, without a doubt, one of my most favorite characters on television. Ever. And he is, perhaps, what I'll miss most about Dollhouse. I like Topher so much that I have that hoodie* he's wearing.

When I first read the pilot, well before the series premiered and I associated the role with the actor that played him, Topher's character made the biggest impression on me. And on many others, as well. I remember early reviews of my early review voicing some opposition to my idea that a lot of the Joss in this Whedon show might be coming out of this character. Others found Topher to be the most morally repulsive character in the show. And maybe that's why I latched onto him right away, but I had him singled out. I knew this was the guy that was in for a ride over the course of the series, however long it was destined to last.

We saw Topher go from being less concerned about effects of what he does as he is with the fact that he can do what he does and then coming face to face with the fact (and very few characters ever really get to do this) that the apocalypse is coming and it's all pretty much his fault. And that was only the beginning of his pain. And that pain ended, along with the series, Friday night when he solved the problem he created with a big ass 'splosion.

And in doing so, the lil' bastard left what was basically the only open question left from the series. One that was fucking created in the shows last three minutes. This isn't Jack's tattoos from three seasons ago**, this was if-Topher-didn't-turn-around there'd-be-no-unanswered-questions. I mean, "Huh?"

*And I'm a Trek guy, not a Star Wars guy. That should tell you something. What? Don't recognize it? The hoodie is patterned on Boba Fett's armor.

**A thing on Lost that WILL go unanswered.