Question #4---Why does Mike go back.

Rating: 8/10 (8 May 2010)

After Steve's wedding, Nick starts running down the street while stripping. Mike chases him and asks Nick what is wrong. Nick tells Mike that he loves the town they live in. He makes Mike promise that he won't leave him over in Vietnam. Mike promises to bring Nick back whether he is dead or alive. These men are as close as brothers.
In Vietnam, the men get separated and then met back up. Mike gets Steve and Nick out of the prisoner of war camp with his sheer strength and brain power. When the men get separated again, Mike sees Nick playing Russian Roulette, but Mike cannot get Nick to stay with him. Mike goes home without Nick and feels extremely bad about it. He knows he broke his promise to Nick and he has a hard time facing his friends.
Mike realizes Nick is still alive when he goes to visit Steve and sees all the money Steve is receiving in the mail. Right away he knows it is Nick sending the money he has won in Russian Roulette to Steve. Mike goes back to Vietnam because he made that promise to Nick and he feels the guilt of breaking the promise. He knows Linda needs Nick and he needs his friend too.
When he finds Nick, Nick is still playing Russian Roulette. Nick has been doing drugs and is pretty messed up. He doesn't seem to remember Mike at first. The only way Mike can talk some sense into Nick is if he plays him in Russian Roulette. They play and Mike is too late because Nick finally has reached the end of his luck and he shoots himself in the head. Mike has to live with the guilt of leaving for the rest of his life, but at least he knows he went back to try and save his best friend. At least he kept the promise to bring Nick home even if he was in a casket.