kriadydragon (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
kriadydragon) wrote2007-06-09 04:53 am
kriadydragon) wrote2007-06-09 04:53 am
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Intermission - More thoughts on Whumping
This is an observation and minor rant.
I'd been coming across a couple of SGA stories by authors who are normally Shep-whumpers, and it felt, to me, that they'd whumped McKay a little more than they had Sheppard. Heaven forbid! Right? Well, yeah, if you're a Shep-whumper in need of some heavy Shep-whump and get McKay whump instead. It tends to be a bit of a let down.
But after thinking about it, I realized that it's all probably an "eye of the beholder" thing. The writer is trying some unusual form of whump on Shep because broken ribs have been done to death, or is focusing on mental angst instead of Shep whump (which never really cuts it for me, personally.) To some, a broken leg is more satisfactory whump than broken ribs, or a headwound to broken limbs. We all have our favorite forms of whump, so what may be considered heavy whump to one isn't squat to another.
The way I see it, however, the more-whumped character is the one who gets the injury that is more life threatening. Yes, broken fingers are different and angsty if Sheppard thinks he can never pilot again. But it's less dire and exciting than, say, broken ribs that can puncture a lung or a severe head injury. I read a story, once, by someone who was normally a Shep whumper where McKay was a little more injured than Shep, and I kept hoping for something more to happen to Shep. Not just because I wanted it to happen but because the story read in a way where I kept expecting it to, and I was rather frustrated at the end when it didn't happen.
What's funny is that I've also read stories by McKay whumpers who seem to whump Shep more than McKay. Again, all in the eye of the beholder. Some people like angst more than whump and some like certain kinds of whump.
But when a writer developes a certain reputation, say as a Shep or McKay whumper, then that's what you usually expect from them. It doesn't have to be that only that character is whumped, but it's a let down when that character isn't as whumped as they usually are by that same author. Or if all the good whumping happens to the non-fave character because that author wanted to try something different with the fave character. But, I'm sorry, if it's not life threatening then its just not all that interesting. At least to me it isn't.
The worst of the worst, however, to me, is when it's an OC getting whumped more than the fave-character *shudders*. I don't read fan-fic for someone's made-up character. I read it for the existing characters.
I'd been coming across a couple of SGA stories by authors who are normally Shep-whumpers, and it felt, to me, that they'd whumped McKay a little more than they had Sheppard. Heaven forbid! Right? Well, yeah, if you're a Shep-whumper in need of some heavy Shep-whump and get McKay whump instead. It tends to be a bit of a let down.
But after thinking about it, I realized that it's all probably an "eye of the beholder" thing. The writer is trying some unusual form of whump on Shep because broken ribs have been done to death, or is focusing on mental angst instead of Shep whump (which never really cuts it for me, personally.) To some, a broken leg is more satisfactory whump than broken ribs, or a headwound to broken limbs. We all have our favorite forms of whump, so what may be considered heavy whump to one isn't squat to another.
The way I see it, however, the more-whumped character is the one who gets the injury that is more life threatening. Yes, broken fingers are different and angsty if Sheppard thinks he can never pilot again. But it's less dire and exciting than, say, broken ribs that can puncture a lung or a severe head injury. I read a story, once, by someone who was normally a Shep whumper where McKay was a little more injured than Shep, and I kept hoping for something more to happen to Shep. Not just because I wanted it to happen but because the story read in a way where I kept expecting it to, and I was rather frustrated at the end when it didn't happen.
What's funny is that I've also read stories by McKay whumpers who seem to whump Shep more than McKay. Again, all in the eye of the beholder. Some people like angst more than whump and some like certain kinds of whump.
But when a writer developes a certain reputation, say as a Shep or McKay whumper, then that's what you usually expect from them. It doesn't have to be that only that character is whumped, but it's a let down when that character isn't as whumped as they usually are by that same author. Or if all the good whumping happens to the non-fave character because that author wanted to try something different with the fave character. But, I'm sorry, if it's not life threatening then its just not all that interesting. At least to me it isn't.
The worst of the worst, however, to me, is when it's an OC getting whumped more than the fave-character *shudders*. I don't read fan-fic for someone's made-up character. I read it for the existing characters.
no subject
As far as life threatening....I'm of two minds. I like life threatening, but that typically means Shep's not awake, but I love the worry of the others. My preference as a writer is to slowly wear him down, or have the injury take its toll, or whump more than once.
I like Shep to be 'part' of the action, while hurting, then have to deal with the aftermath of what was done to him, or eventually have it beat him down.
But I soooo agree about the OC stuff. I don't care what happens to them! Its a bit unfair, but I read for our guys. OC's enrich a fic, but when they become the central focus, it annoys me.
no subject
But I agree with on the the major whumps that lead to John being unconcious for most of the story. I prefer the whumps that keep him concious and part of the action for as long as possible myself.
If mental angst is done right then it's interesting, but few do it right. Whether the writer likes it or not, there is going to be some physical whump with the mental whump, especially with depression (loss of appetite leading to weight-loss, fatigue, susceptability to illness, etc). I've come across a lot of stories that whump the character mentally while physically they're fine, and it just doesn't work.