In the TV show “Bones,” a pivotal piece of evidence that recurs throughout the series is a belt buckle. Only, it’s not really just any belt buckle. Oh no, it becomes this huge deal of a symbol and such a seriously deep personal connection for the characters, mostly with Seeley Booth played by David Boreanaz. His belt buckle is very characteristic: the proud rooster on it is very stylized, and the buckle is more than just a piece of clothing; it’s actually some kind of reflection of Booth’s character and his attitude towards life and his work.
Booth is headstrong, the former sniper now FBI Special Agent, who works with Dr. Temperance Brennan (Emily Deschanel) and her team of forensic anthropologists at the Jeffersonian Institution, cracking crimes. The belt buckle is more than often brought into view and speaks visually for his confident swagger and somewhat rebellious nature through his many scenes and situations. It’s these small things that really say so much about who he is: a guy who is always cocky, always sure of himself, but at the same time, a guy with deep morality—sure that he should be doing right by others.
The significance of the belt buckle extends beyond just personal style or a quirky character trait. That’s character Booth and the way he develops it throughout the show. Early on in the show, Booth makes no doubt about it, through some sort of lone hero, cocksure and independent, much like the rooster on his buckle. The buckle takes on added meaning as the show progresses. It comes to signify not only Booth’s machismo but also his vulnerable self, struggles, and change of character. It’s a reminder of his past, his military service, and the burdens he carries from that time.
It is also the buckle that establishes the tie Booth has with Brennan: they start off on opposite sides, hers with reason, science; his with intuition and contradicting. But as they start taking each other into full trust and understanding, the belt buckle becomes the symbol of their partnership. It’s one of the physical symbols of Booth’s special contribution to the pair, as opposed to Brennan’s lab coats or the forensic tools of her and the other squints.
The buckle puts the balance of science together with instinct and logic together with emotion, and sums up not only the working relationship but also their whole show. In a broader sense, the belt buckle also reflects the show’s themes of identity, belonging.
