Meta links, and a meme

[selenak]

Thanks to everyone, especially karabair and smashsc, who linked me Serenity-related meta or fanfic in the last few days. I really appreciate it. In return, I offer some links I discovered during said period, which might be old news to everyone but me and the other Germans on my flist, but just in case they aren't:

Serenity in 2000 words or less. Very funny. And just what I need after the angst.

I just found out that Sylvia Volk, who wrote some excellent Highlander stories, is on lj as sylviavolk2000 and wrote a very cool essay about Serenity and The Tempest. The Firefly movie and its Shakespearean themes. Given Joss and his disposition with names - Ariel, Miranda - methinks she is on to something, and very stylishly so.

She also wrote an essay comparing Serenity and Astonishing X-Men - i.e. Joss' run of the later - finding common themes, and making interesting suggestions about what this says about the Alliance background people we never get to see.

****
An excellent Harry Potter essay:
Themes in Order of the Phoenix and Half Blood Prince.

****

And lastly, a meme from ashylogic:


Reply to this post, and I'll tell you one reason why I like/love/adore you. Then put this in your own journal, and spread the love.

Comments

[bimo.livejournal.com]

Reply to this post, and I'll tell you one reason why I like/love/adore you. Then put this in your own journal, and spread the love.

Well, since Christmas time is just the right season for spreading some love and appreciation... *g*

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Exactly.

*gets into position*

Even if we hadn't met, corresponded a lot, etc., I'd love you for the multifandom fanfic archive in German which was a pioneer deed. As it is, I love you, among other reasons, for not just going for the most popular characters in fandoms (though you do that, too, as with Methos and HL) but those unappreciated at the time, like early Wesley (before he became fashionable) and Cornelius Fudge.

[bimo.livejournal.com]

Even if we hadn't met, corresponded a lot, etc., I'd love you for the multifandom fanfic archive in German which was a pioneer deed.

Well, I was at the right place at the right time *g*

Did I ever tell you how eternally grateful I'll be for the fact that you trusted me enough to send me those German Star Wars stories you had written for your cousin? Such a great start to so many wonderful e-mail exchanges :-)


As it is, I love you, among other reasons, for not just going for the most popular characters in fandoms (though you do that, too, as with Methos and HL) but those unappreciated at the time, like early Wesley (before he became fashionable) and Cornelius Fudge.

Aw, early Wesley...those were the days...

As for the appreciation of underappreciated characters: It's happening again, with Doctor Who and I can't seem to do anything about it *g*. No, not enough that I don't share the universal 9th Doctor love (I like Nine just fine, but it's Five, who's truly won my fannish heart). I'm also totally fascinated by one of Five's companions. Odd looking alien boy, exiled to an English boarding school for a reason which remains hidden right up to his very last episode. Sneaky survivor, who apart from his obvious intelligence, appears to have little other skills. Has tried to kill the Doctor not just once but several times...

[selenak.livejournal.com]

As my favourite Doctor is Seven, I empathize. And the boy sounds interesting. Hmm....

Also, I only now just got the notification for your reply, curse lj!

[londonkds.livejournal.com]

I knew Joss would do something to make Xavier a Bad Guy.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

An ambiguous guy. (Compared with earlier X-Men runs by other writers where poor Charles suddenly had to confront the fact he lusted after teenage Jean back in the day when he was her freakin' guardian? This was far better and thematically relevant to boot.) Plus he devotes an entire issue earlier to highlight Xavier's good sides.

But let me put it this way: I knew Joss wouldn't let Xavier remain untainted in this particular storyline, too. Despite the fact Xavier at this point is no longer in charge of the X-Men anyway (he's off living with Magneto, I kid you not, this is not fanfic), Scott is. But of course Xavier is still the father imago, so, naturally...

[mylexie.livejournal.com]

(he's off living with Magneto, I kid you not, this is not fanfic)

Omg! How, when, where and what did I miss? *loves Joss*

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Joss deserves to be loved but had nothing to do with this particular bit of good news. Seems the previous writer of the leading X-Men comics, Grant Morrison left poor Magneto a) one dimensionally evil and b) killed off. Then the storyline split. Chris Claremont took over Xavier, last seen grieving for dead insane Magneto, and Joss took over the gang still at the school (Cyclops, Emma Frost, Wolverine, Beast and Kitty Pryde, plus later Colossus).

Claremont, who gave Magneto his Holocaust background and more dimensionality back in the day to begin with (when Claremont was the leading X-Men writer - 'twas a long, long time ago), resurrected him post haste, made him sane again, and thus he and Xavier were off doing their own thing (i.e. official canonical hurt/comfort) in a comics series named Excalibur which I still haven't read despite the allure of the pairing because the dialogue quoted is atrocious and penknife says any scene NOT dealing with Charles 'n Erik makes no sense, as does the overall storyline. But still, it's now a part of X-Men continuity, as is Xavier thinking, according to said quoted bad lines, that Magneto is the other half of his soul or something like that.

Anyway. Joss didn't use Xavier until the second half of his second arc over at Astonishing X-Men. Magneto does not show up at all, but is referenced by Xavier (just so we readers know they're together *g*). It's essentially an guest-starring thing, and a very good one, as Xavier gets first to save the gang (all defeated by the antagonist of the arc) in a great demonstration of why he's the scariest and most impressive mutant ever if he wants to be (most times in either comicsverse or movieverse, the poor guy gets knocked out at once which always annoys), and then is forced to reveal something highlighting his moral ambiguity (turns out he's ultimately responsible for the villain in more ways than one).

As the X-Men leave to return to the school and Xavier stays where he was before (on an island named Genosha, with Magneto), I guess it's likely he won't show up again in the next Joss-written arc, but then again, who knows?

[mylexie.livejournal.com]

canonization of Magneto/Xavier.. *sighs* Ah, we 'shippers shall soon rule the world.

[londonkds.livejournal.com]

That's not Joss's idea ;-)

It's in the Excalibur comic which I believe is written by Chris Claremont.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

*points to lengthy explanation above*

Also, I forgot in my reply to your earlier one: you have my adoration for always, always making me think with your posts.

(And on occasion see canon in a new light, as with a certain season 7 DS9 episode...)

[londonkds.livejournal.com]

I think we commented at about the same time.

Thank you for the adoration ;-)

[mylexie.livejournal.com]

It's still a great idea, only by someone else then *g*

Hold it, hold it...

[londonkds.livejournal.com]

A middle-aged man has a big angsty redemption storyline about the fact that he felt naughty thoughts for an unrelated, very attractive teenage girl? So long as he didn't do anything dodgy about it (I assume he didn't, as this was 1960s Marvel and not Vertigo), I'd have thought he'd have had to be superhuman not to have had some animal response.

Hold it, hold it...

[selenak.livejournal.com]

According to Andraste (who is my source of all things Xavier), no, he didn't do anything about it; the whole thing came to light when someone had the bright idea of combining Xavier's dark side with Magneto's dark side and thusly create an Übervillain, who promptly spilled it all to Jean.

However. Again with the qualification that I have this second hand - this apparantly started a trend of letting Xavier have a thing for young female teenagers for a while in the comics. Since he was Jean's guardian and father figure and also the headmaster of the school and supreme authority figure for those other girls, this squicks me. Sure, they didn't let him act on it (thankfully!), but it still squicks me. Big time.

So, perhaps this is a skewered reaction, but between Xavier presented as having been willing to exploit an artificial intelligence despite having become aware it got sentient and Xavier being presented as a potential Humbert Humbert, I find the second a more undignified and character-degrading thing.

[monanotlisa.livejournal.com]

Cool links, thank you!

::replies::

[selenak.livejournal.com]

You're welcome.

And loved, among other reasons, for your icon-making skills even minded-ness and utter lack of anything resembling character-bashing in whichever fandom.

[monanotlisa.livejournal.com]

& :-)

[mylexie.livejournal.com]

Reply to this post, and I'll tell you one reason why I like/love/adore you. Then put this in your own journal, and spread the love.

:)

Promise not to forget to comment in my entry!

[selenak.livejournal.com]

How can one not like someone who loves Edgar Allan Poe and Picard? *g*

[mylexie.livejournal.com]

Heh :)

(I only got this now.. LJ is finally catching up with email comments, it seems.)

[selenak.livejournal.com]

I know! I'm getting weeks-old comments, too...

[likeadeuce.livejournal.com]

well, you already adored me in this very post, [well -- thanked me, anyway] so I'm being a glutton, but go for it! And look at some pretty Wesley. This icon is so amazing, I can't stop staring at it. I might put "staring at Wesley in his red shirt of pain that he got from Buffy's mom" into my user interests.

Thanks much for the link. Everything is about "The Tempest," of course. If I ever write that "Wesley takes Connor to Q'ortoth" story, it will be about the tempest (really, how could it not be?)

[selenak.livejournal.com]

You being a Shakespeare fangirl alone would secure you my enhanced sympathy, but how could I not adore one of the funnest rp partners ever who gave the Immortal a personality which no mere Joss Whedon will ever erase in my mind?

Tempest, Wesley, Connor, Quor'toth: NATURALLY!

[likeadeuce.livejournal.com]

Todd will just deny everything that Joss character says, anyway. What
he know?

Wesley didn't think to bring any books with him, but fortunately he has a lot of the plays memorized from when he was in amateur theatrics at the watchers' academy (of course, they made him play Miranda, but he had everybody else's lines down, just in case). And since Connor's not very good for conversation those first few years, Wesley can pass the time writing on cave walls. Because that's what you do in crazy evil dimensions. Naturally. I also like to think he would have found an Ariel somewhere in all of Q'ortoth (and been nicer to him than Prospero was --)

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Naturally. Also, if Connor is Miranda and Wesley is Prospero in this AU, who would qualify for Caliban and Ferdinand respectively? You know, given the way things went in "our" universe and Wesley's darker tendencies, you could write Justine being dragged into Q. as well and have her as Caliban, for Wesley is certainly capable of enslaving her....

and the evil genius strikes again. . .

[likeadeuce.livejournal.com]

Justine: Fetch your own damn wood.
Wesley: I'll take away your bucket.

OK, here goes:

Wesley survives Justine's attack, grabs her and Connor, shows up in time for Sajahn's Mwahahahaha, gets into it with Holtz, and they ALL go through the portal. Once there, Wes manages to despatch Holtz (Sycorax), so he's left with Connor/Miranda and Justine/Caliban. Eventually, Cordelia's soul is lifted by the higher powers, and she requests a transfer from boring heaven to Qortoth where she (incorporeally) serves as Wesley's Ariel (or Tinkerbell, take your pick).

Back home, the gang manages to trap Sajahn and Lilah somehow covers up her own role and makes a truce with Angel. A week later (but 18 years in Qortoth) Wesley/Prospero -- who has been working on his magic like whoa -- figures out how to "shipwreck" the gang via portal. Angel=Alonso, Lilah=Antonio, who finds an angle to persuade Gunn=Sebastian into an anti-Angel coup. They are foiled by Lorne=Gonzalo. Meanwhile, Fred=Ferdinand (look at the names! It's perfect!) washes ashore elsewhere, and falls head over heels for Connor. Wesley still likes her, of course, but he makes the sacrifice with Oedipal undertones (besides, he wasn't having much luck on that front himself, and this way he can stick it to Gunn). Meanwhile, Harmony & Spike (Stephanie and Trinculo) make a madcap dash around the island, which only ends when Wesley & Cordelia put on a light show, Wesley generously forgives everybody, presides over Fred & Connor's wedding, and hooks up with Lilah at the reception.

QED.

[artaxastra.livejournal.com]

*fishes for love*

It's that kind of day....

[selenak.livejournal.com]

*gets virtual megaphon in hand*

I love you because you are my long-lost good twin and bring history and myth to life and write the bestest Mystique and Magneto ever!

[smashsc.livejournal.com]

Ooh, I hadn't seen that Serenity & The Tempest essay, thanks.

I can always use some adoration. (-:

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Your incredible episode and song sharing generosity lifts me from the pit of transatlantic despair to the height of sharing fannish joy on a regular basis! In short, you rock! (To Springsteen tunes, of course.)

*preens*

[honorh.livejournal.com]

Well?

Re: *preens*

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Shall I compare thee to a fannish day? Nay, fairest flower of Alaska's youth: thine wit and loyalty unparalled, I loved thee through ye Scottish days of yore, when first thy feedback spoke to my vain heart, through nearly a decade of shared joy and woe, and shall not let thee go for decades more.

Re: *preens*

[honorh.livejournal.com]

. . . and all of a sudden, I'm reminded of why I love *you*. Wow. Now I want to marry you. Think it'd work?

[ashylogic.livejournal.com]

Reply to this post, and I'll tell you one reason why I like/love/adore you. Then put this in your own journal, and spread the love.

Comments.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Your seductive roleplaying skills come to mind.*g* No, seriously, you're inventive, have a great sense of humour, and are utterly fabulous to play with because you always get across your character's three dimensionality, their flaws and quirks as well as their virtues, and your Angel and Harry each would ensure adoration by their lonesomes.

[deborah-judge.livejournal.com]

Woo, fun meme. Sure, I'll take some admiration. ;)

[selenak.livejournal.com]

You literary made me see the Minbari characters with new eyes. Not that I hadn't liked Lennier and Delenn on the show, but I just hadn't been very interested in them, or indeed much of the Minbari background and storyline. After your journal comments and stories, though, I just happened to start my rewatching courtesy of the DVDS, and suddenly, I was fascinated. All your fault, and the first, but not last, reason to admire the hell out of you!

[hobsonphile.livejournal.com]

I think you've already told me why you like/love me, but I'm feeling tired and sore again today, so...

[selenak.livejournal.com]

You have that same sweetness and kindness Vir has. You really do. And that's just for starters!