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selenakFive fic cliches you're embarrassed to admit you love.
I'm not embarrassed at all, though of course with every cliché it depends on the skillful execution. Badfic, even with a favourite cliché in it, makes my teeth ache.
1.) Enemies/Antagonists teaming up against a third party. This is something I love in pro fic (i.e. films, tv shows, etc.) as well, and if a saga goes on for longer than one film, few authors will not include it at some point. The trick, of course, is not to suddenly ignore the issues which made our characters enemies in the first place and not to let them end up in blissful harmony as soon as the mutual threat is removed. You don't have to go for the ultimate angst factor of Magneto (and Mystique, which as of XMFC carries its own angst factor) using Xavier for global genocide in X2 the moment Stryker is defeated, but do remember the newly discovered ability to work together doesn't automatically remove all other obstacles. My shiny space station shows were particularly good with it, whether it's Kira and Dukat working together in s4 or Kira, Garak and Damar in s7 (Kira & Cardassians being always a golden formula) on DS9, and of course the best of the best, Londo and G'Kar in s4 of B5. (Note that the first time they saw each other again after Cartagia was gone and Londo had fulfilled his promise to G'Kar, G'Kar said "you don't exist in my universe", not "thanks, buddy, all is forgiven".) One of my favourite fanfic examples arelikeadeuce's s3 of AtS AU in which Angel has a completely dysfunctional relationship/alliance of necessity with Lilah, and penknife's X2 AU in which Scott and Charles elude capture and go on the run with Magneto and Mystique (later with Logan and the kids as well) while Jean and Ororo are captured. (And Jean is the one later used by Stryker in Cerebro.)
2.) The characters play Truth or Dare. Being German, fanfic is actually how I found out about this game to begin with. In a Highlander story, to be precise (players: Duncan, Methos, Amanda, Joe). Since then, I've loved most stories using this trope in most fandoms, and used it a couple of times myself both in fanfic (Londo and G'Kar) and rp (waves at Theatrical-Muse buddies from Yesteryear).
3.) The drunk phonecall in the early morning hours. This particular trope needs good dialogue writers (obviously) and the characters estranged but having had an earlier close relationship. Also, it's one for the short form, and when the author knows their business, can get across a lot of history and characterisation simply by the way these people talk to each other and what they do and don't tell. The results I remember fondly can range from hurt/comfort (Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr again being cases in point) to fun with a dash of angst (I remember one DW story where the (Tenth) Doctor, having ended up with Martha's cell phone at the end of s3, gets at first a lot of calls directed to her, and it ends with him calling Martha) to creepy yet somewhat endearing (if it's my guy Arvin Sloane doing the dialing, and a member of the Bristow/Derevko clan is on the other end of the line). (A lovely RPF example shall remain unmentioned but it's great.)
4.) Geeks Will Be Geeks Aka characters go fannish about something. This can go horribly wrong, especially if the unsuspecting reader has no idea what character X, Y and Z are supposed to be talking about it and the author doesn't bother to give enough information so newbies can follow the conversation anyway, and if the fic writer uses a canon established fondness but doesn't bother to do their research about whatever X is fond of). Or if the characters are simply used as mouthpieces so the writer can voice frustrations of their own without wondering wether these particular characters are likely to share them. (YMMV, obviously.) But if it's done right, I love it to bits. Most recent fic example that I've read: A story called "May the Fourth", in which Tony Stark manages to create the world's first functioning light saber. Because he totally would. And the other Avengers' reactions are dead on and a joy to read, too. I'm also fondly remembering one ofartaxastra's early X-Men stories in which a young Mystique (this was written years pre XMFC, so she's decades younger than Magneto and not Charles' sister) confesses to a soft spot for Bond films. (This story, in fact, is why I was particularly gleeful when in XMFC Raven was the one to give both Charles and Erik their superhero names; fanon confirmed, so to speak.)
5.) The Missus and the Ex. Used gender neutral here, though I haven't seen many stories, either pro or fanfic, to pull it off with male exes and current boyfriends. Again, can go horribly wrong. But more often than not, I love it if an author instead of dismissing a previous love interest (or dismissing the current love interest, depending on where their allegiance lie) writes both characters interacting in a three dimensional way. This can include arguments as well as bonding sessions about their ex/current significant other's absurdities (again, I'm aware School Reunion the DW episode was hated in some quarters on both counts, but I loved it; ditto for the Ashes to Ashes episode in which the ex of Gene's who is not Sam Tyler shows up), but preferably should have wary respect on both sides. (Whovian sidenote: For a while post SU, having a previous companion encounter the current one and laugh at the Doctor became a DW fanfic cliché and it could go awfully over the top or veer into Doctor bashing (there is a reason why either companion travel(led) with the guy in the first place), but a lot of those were fun to read.) Often such stories can offer counter narratives to a favourite pet peeve of mine, the vilified former love interest showing up solely to make trouble, to which I say: bah. Give me my Missus and Ex team-ups already.
I'm not embarrassed at all, though of course with every cliché it depends on the skillful execution. Badfic, even with a favourite cliché in it, makes my teeth ache.
1.) Enemies/Antagonists teaming up against a third party. This is something I love in pro fic (i.e. films, tv shows, etc.) as well, and if a saga goes on for longer than one film, few authors will not include it at some point. The trick, of course, is not to suddenly ignore the issues which made our characters enemies in the first place and not to let them end up in blissful harmony as soon as the mutual threat is removed. You don't have to go for the ultimate angst factor of Magneto (and Mystique, which as of XMFC carries its own angst factor) using Xavier for global genocide in X2 the moment Stryker is defeated, but do remember the newly discovered ability to work together doesn't automatically remove all other obstacles. My shiny space station shows were particularly good with it, whether it's Kira and Dukat working together in s4 or Kira, Garak and Damar in s7 (Kira & Cardassians being always a golden formula) on DS9, and of course the best of the best, Londo and G'Kar in s4 of B5. (Note that the first time they saw each other again after Cartagia was gone and Londo had fulfilled his promise to G'Kar, G'Kar said "you don't exist in my universe", not "thanks, buddy, all is forgiven".) One of my favourite fanfic examples are
likeadeuce's s3 of AtS AU in which Angel has a completely dysfunctional relationship/alliance of necessity with Lilah, and penknife's X2 AU in which Scott and Charles elude capture and go on the run with Magneto and Mystique (later with Logan and the kids as well) while Jean and Ororo are captured. (And Jean is the one later used by Stryker in Cerebro.) 2.) The characters play Truth or Dare. Being German, fanfic is actually how I found out about this game to begin with. In a Highlander story, to be precise (players: Duncan, Methos, Amanda, Joe). Since then, I've loved most stories using this trope in most fandoms, and used it a couple of times myself both in fanfic (Londo and G'Kar) and rp (waves at Theatrical-Muse buddies from Yesteryear).
3.) The drunk phonecall in the early morning hours. This particular trope needs good dialogue writers (obviously) and the characters estranged but having had an earlier close relationship. Also, it's one for the short form, and when the author knows their business, can get across a lot of history and characterisation simply by the way these people talk to each other and what they do and don't tell. The results I remember fondly can range from hurt/comfort (Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr again being cases in point) to fun with a dash of angst (I remember one DW story where the (Tenth) Doctor, having ended up with Martha's cell phone at the end of s3, gets at first a lot of calls directed to her, and it ends with him calling Martha) to creepy yet somewhat endearing (if it's my guy Arvin Sloane doing the dialing, and a member of the Bristow/Derevko clan is on the other end of the line). (A lovely RPF example shall remain unmentioned but it's great.)
4.) Geeks Will Be Geeks Aka characters go fannish about something. This can go horribly wrong, especially if the unsuspecting reader has no idea what character X, Y and Z are supposed to be talking about it and the author doesn't bother to give enough information so newbies can follow the conversation anyway, and if the fic writer uses a canon established fondness but doesn't bother to do their research about whatever X is fond of). Or if the characters are simply used as mouthpieces so the writer can voice frustrations of their own without wondering wether these particular characters are likely to share them. (YMMV, obviously.) But if it's done right, I love it to bits. Most recent fic example that I've read: A story called "May the Fourth", in which Tony Stark manages to create the world's first functioning light saber. Because he totally would. And the other Avengers' reactions are dead on and a joy to read, too. I'm also fondly remembering one of
artaxastra's early X-Men stories in which a young Mystique (this was written years pre XMFC, so she's decades younger than Magneto and not Charles' sister) confesses to a soft spot for Bond films. (This story, in fact, is why I was particularly gleeful when in XMFC Raven was the one to give both Charles and Erik their superhero names; fanon confirmed, so to speak.) 5.) The Missus and the Ex. Used gender neutral here, though I haven't seen many stories, either pro or fanfic, to pull it off with male exes and current boyfriends. Again, can go horribly wrong. But more often than not, I love it if an author instead of dismissing a previous love interest (or dismissing the current love interest, depending on where their allegiance lie) writes both characters interacting in a three dimensional way. This can include arguments as well as bonding sessions about their ex/current significant other's absurdities (again, I'm aware School Reunion the DW episode was hated in some quarters on both counts, but I loved it; ditto for the Ashes to Ashes episode in which the ex of Gene's who is not Sam Tyler shows up), but preferably should have wary respect on both sides. (Whovian sidenote: For a while post SU, having a previous companion encounter the current one and laugh at the Doctor became a DW fanfic cliché and it could go awfully over the top or veer into Doctor bashing (there is a reason why either companion travel(led) with the guy in the first place), but a lot of those were fun to read.) Often such stories can offer counter narratives to a favourite pet peeve of mine, the vilified former love interest showing up solely to make trouble, to which I say: bah. Give me my Missus and Ex team-ups already.
no subject
Date: 2012-08-18 02:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-08-18 04:20 pm (UTC)Any time Sloane and Sydney have to work together is GOLDEN. As is Jack, Soane, Vaughn and Laurel teaming up to break Sydney out of prison mid-s3 complete with one of my favourite Jack and Arvin scenes ever when Jack makes his emergency operation afterwards.:)
no subject
Date: 2012-08-18 03:41 pm (UTC)I take it Wahl, Wahrheit oder Pflicht wasn't a thing in your group(s), huh? Gosh, I hated it so much.
no subject
Date: 2012-08-18 04:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-08-18 07:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-08-19 03:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-08-19 04:35 am (UTC)ETA: found my description of the scene in question back when the episode was broadcast:Jack's post-coital/drunken phone call to Gwen and the way it goes, first from "missed you" and shared thoughts of the ones they've lost and then taking that turn which separates them - Jack wanting to turn their relationship into a "you and me, we don't need anybody" kind of thing while Gwen simultanously gets presented with her husband and child, and sorry Jack, no contest at all. That she's so utterly delighted to see them again that she forgets Jack while he makes his "you and me" claim is simultanously devasting (for Jack) and fantastic. (Especially if you ship Gwen with Rhys like myself.) It's also what I think saved Gwen from dying young or becoming bitter like Lucia: she loves Jack, but not more than anyone else, and her other ties connect her to life. (Someone stop me before I get into Spike's speech about Slayers and their death wish and the vital difference the Scoobies and Buffy's mother make.)
no subject
Date: 2012-08-19 07:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-08-19 07:40 pm (UTC)(Though I am pretty sure Roy would call Hughes from the bed of a guy he picked up in a bar -- he'd totally have a good, work-related, reason, though, and Hughes would appreciate the excuse to talk about his baby, so it all works out. Also, Roy would never do the same thing to Hawkeye, because he knows she'd kill him).
no subject
Date: 2012-08-19 06:38 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-08-19 01:32 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-08-19 04:38 am (UTC)