Originally Posted by
SecretWarrior
Again, that's a working relationship, not being close enough to talk about deeply personal issues, like Hal does with say Ollie.
It is boot licking when it isn't ever reciprocated. A real friendship is supposed to be a two-way street. At no point did other characters ever show any interest in John's issues or what he was going through. That's why as a side character (barely even that), no parts of his past or family or goals were ever explored, as with other side characters at the time, like Guy and Kyle. John was a two dimensional cheerleader at best. Simping for people who don't give two ****s about him. The writers didn't even try to develop him. Once they were forced to move on from hitting Xanshi beats over and over again, they tried to recreate that trauma with Mogo and John being a cold-blooded killer--pretty much recycling the same lazy beat because they weren't interested in anything more with him. There's really no defending it. And as soon as the writers changed, things dramatically started to improve for John, so it's no coincidence. That said, the relationships are still canon. The history is still relevant.
In the first season of the show, I'm sure Bats wanted to, lol.