Platoon Scene 10 Summary

  • The troops are gathering around what looks to be like a large, makeshift encampment. Other soldiers are getting it ready to house more troops.
  • Elias and Wolfe are quickly walking next to a higher-ranking officer.
  • Elias plans to file a report about Barnes' shooting and include Wolfe as a witness. Wolfe says he didn't see anything.
  • The senior officer tells Barnes to stop. Barnes stops. The Captain (we know he's a captain because Barnes calls him "Dai wee," which is Vietnamese for captain) tells them that there will be a court martial if there was an illegal shooting.
  • Right now, they have other problems to worry about. The troops will re-enter the bunker complex they discovered.
  • Elias and Barnes go their separate ways, but not without glaring at each other.
  • The camera shifts to the African American contingent. King, Junior, and others are gathering wood.
  • Junior thinks the white guys don't care about any of them. He's convinced Barnes would have killed anybody in his way, and that Bunny is absolutely nuts.
  • Warren chimes in: Barnes has led them this far, and he knows what he's doing. Warren is positive the villagers were all NVA.
  • Junior is skeptical. He says things have gotten way out of hand. Big Harold says he's hurting inside.
  • Meanwhile, Wolfe is walking with Barnes. He tells Barnes that Elias won't be able to prove anything and that he's just a troublemaker.
  • Barnes says Elias is just like the politicians back in Washington, "trying to fight this war with one hand tied around their balls."
  • Barnes meets up with O'Neill and Bunny. They're on Barnes' side. Bunny starts talking smack about Elias, and suggests that somebody should "frag his ass."
  • That's slang for killing an officer, and it was a real problem in Vietnam.
  • Barnes' interest almost seems piqued as he continues smoking his cigarette.
  • O'Neill asks him some questions. Bunny shuts him up, saying the sergeant will take care of things.