Aahana Swrup
In ‘Boots,’ the central theme of the narrative centers around Cameron’s experiences of being a closeted recruit in the Marine Corps boot camp. The show’s setting in the 1990s makes it so that the cost of his secret unraveling threatens to reap a high price, since homosexuality was banned in the military at the time. Still, between the at-times easy camaraderie and communal showers, the young teen can’t help but wonder if he’s the only one keeping such a secret. Yet, it isn’t until Sullivan enters the picture that his theory gains any real weight. Sullivan is assigned to be a drill sergeant responsible for Cameron and his platoon. Intriguingly enough, he singles the latter out as a target from early on, intentionally attempting to isolate him from his best friend, Ray, and insisting he doesn’t belong in the Marines. However, a lot of these early aggressions read like projection as a result of internalized homophobia. SPOILERS AHEAD!
Sullivan’s Experiences as a Gay Man in the Marines Frame His Narrative
The show never explicitly states Sullivan’s sexual identity. Even so, the context around his storyline makes it clear that the regent is a gay man, deeply closeted in his professional and most of his personal life. Prior to his arrival at Parris Island, the Marine was stationed at Guam, where his paths crossed with Major Wilkinson, who was assigned to a different squad than his own. Soon enough, their acquaintanceship resulted in meetings in motel rooms as the two began hooking up together. Nonetheless, their dynamic never stayed limited to a few one-night stands. Inevitably, they began to fall in love. Yet, despite the intensity of his feelings for Wilkinson, Sullivan grew fearful of being found out.
As a result, Sullivan ended up abandoning the Major and putting in a transfer request out of Guam. In an attempt to overcompensate and distance himself from suspicion, he even betrayed Wilkinson’s trust and outed him to his bunkmate, Rob. In the aftermath, as he arrives at the boot camp to train Platoon 2032 as their drill sergeant, he continues to stew in his own shame and guilt over the matter. He regrets double-crossing the man he is in love with, especially once he finds out that it had directly resulted in the NCIS opening up an investigation against Wilkinson. Parts of this guilt and self-hatred translate into the sergeant’s early interactions with Cameron, a Marine in a similar position to Sullivan, whose spirit has yet to be crushed by the military.
Even though Cameron is also closeted, the teenager poses a sense of hope that is missing in Sullivan. The former is mostly at peace with his sexuality and even has optimism regarding finding love. It reminds Sullivan of his own younger, more naive self. His love for Wilkinson is what ultimately condemned the latter. Therefore, it’s possible he blames himself entirely for allowing himself to fall in love in the first place, knowing that the Marines would eventually force him to make an impossible choice. For the same reason, Sullivan attempts to crush the softer, more open part of Cameron to either prove to him that he doesn’t belong in the military or to turn him into a perfect, iron-fisted Marine. In the end, the weight of the sergeant’s secret becomes too much to shoulder, ultimately setting him up for an uncertain fate of ambiguity. However, he manages to become a crucial cautionary tale and an example to look up to for Cameron.
Read More: Boots Ending Explained: What Happens to Platoon 2032?
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