Fanfic Does it Again

[kriadydragon]

It's a bit of a pet peeve of mine when a writer twists canon just enough in order to make their favorite character more interesting and another character less interesting. 

For example, in one story I came across, Rodney was an expert skate-boarder. Okay, whatever - if that's what the writer wants to do then so be it. What annoys me, though, is when they twist canon again in order to make another character a little less. For another example, Atlantis loves Rodney because he fixes things, but only grudgingly loves Sheppard - except when he's being mean to poor Rodney.

To have Atlantis love both Rodney and John is all fine and dandy, it gives Rodney a little extra something without taking away from any of the other characters. To have Atlantis love Rodney more and Sheppard less... I mean, is that really necessary? And this is what I mean by subtle character bashing, because there's really no need to take anything away from any of the characters just to give your favorite a little extra something to boost their personality and interest. And I'm not just playing favorites myself, either, when I say this. Were I to read a story it which Sheppard turned out was, secretly, a better piano player than McKay, it would make me squirm, because the piano is McKay's thing, just like skateboarding is Sheppard's thing. We know this for a fact, canon has confirmed it for us.

So it tends to bug me when a writer pretty much takes away what is one character's trait to give to another (well, unless that's the actual plot of the story). Because that means, in order for your favorite character to be a little more intersting and unique, someone else's favorite character has to be a little less interesting and unique. And, really, there's no reason for it.

Comments

[black-raven135.livejournal.com]

in order for your favorite character to be a little more intersting and unique, someone else's favorite character has to be a little less interesting and unique

I find that more and more prevalent......but think of how Jackson hijacked LOTR, so guess it is no less possible for
SGA writers to do same and often time it is NOT just a thing that is traded, but a demeaning of the character to enhance another. That part REALLY annoys me.
It is not so much piano playing or skateboarding as
character that is demeaned........so Sheppard ends up being
something less than he really is.......
Am I making any sense?????
I have, unfortunately, read pieces where I know, deep in
my heart, that THAT is not the Sheppard we know.

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

"It is not so much piano playing or skateboarding as
character that is demeaned........so Sheppard ends up being
something less than he really is......."

Very true, which is why I consider it a kind of subtle character bashing. Not in the sense that the writer is actually out to bash the character, but they end up making it pretty clear who their favorite and least favorite are.

[black-raven135.livejournal.com]

YES in order to enhance another, they end up bashing the one who has had his identity stolen.......and IMO when the delete characteristics from Sheppard to enhance Rodney that is exactly what happens as a result.
I am just tired of it.

[karri-kln1671.livejournal.com]

*nods* And I'll add that I think diminishing a character trait from one character and giving it in another sometimes diminishes the character to whom it's been added by making him less of the canon character that we love, especially as the borrowed trait tends not to 'fit' particular well with the rest of his personality. (Ie. Rodney would be much too anxious about injury to ever step on a skateboard, let alone take the number of tumbles required to become proficient at it.)

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

Excellent point. It does seem to take more away from the character than actually add to them. I've read some well-written fic that about tossed me out of the story when the author gave Rodney a talent or trait that was the complete opposite of who he was, practically demoting him to the level of Mary Sue-dom. It's one thing to give a little extra to the character but it shouldn't be at the expense of what already makes that character unique. It's what I enjoy about fanfic - expanding on what's there, plugging in what seems to fic, not blowing the character's out of proportion.

[novembersga.livejournal.com]

Agreed. Propping up a character or giving them something more than what they are and taking something from the other is a slight against both characters. (IMO)

[jujuberry136.livejournal.com]

Oh that's lame :(

I mean, I can understand making Rodney want to learn how to skateboard (maybe he saw Sheppard do it and thought it'd be fun), but why the bashing with Atlantis loving X more than Y?

Not necessary...

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

It all comes down to kinks, which I can understand. But this one feels too much like shouting out "Look how much cooler my character is compared to yours! Look how much better my character is!" but cheating in the process by making the character better at what is rightfully another character's trait.

It's also bad writing. If a writer wants to make a character more interesting they need to enhance the traits that are already there, not add to them by taking away from another. There are tons of fic where Sheppard rocks at math, but still can't fix ancient tech or build things the way Rodney can.

[jujuberry136.livejournal.com]

I agree with you on the bad writing- it's essentially turning a 3-D character into a Gary Stu :(

[ninja007.livejournal.com]

I agree with you there Chica. It's very frustrating.

I always thought these stories were being written by immature teenage girls, but I was recently shown that I was wrong. They are written just be immature women/men, who are acting out through their fav character, Rodney. Just like Wright and Mallozzi have done in scripts (I won't give credit to any episode they've written).

I refuse to read those fics, just like I refuse to read McShep.

PS: I just recc'd every fic you've ever written with special recommendations for your three most recent and my fav of all time, Wrong End of the Leash. The reader was looking for great, long fics, but no slash.

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

"I always thought these stories were being written by immature teenage girls, but I was recently shown that I was wrong. They are written just be immature women/men, who are acting out through their fav character, Rodney."

In some cases, with some stories, I totally believe this. With other stories and writers I feel it little more than a blatant act of favoritism. And that's not to say Sheppard fans aren't guilty of the same. Though when it comes to Sheppard fans, from what I've seen - mostly with new writers - they're more guilty of being heavy-handed with the fanon cliches.

Thanks for rec'ing me :D

[novembersga.livejournal.com]

I agree completely. It's irritating for a number of reasons. It can be distracting enough to lose interest in what could otherwise be a good story. (IMO)

Even though i have a favorite character, I like most all of the Atlantis characters for various reasons. They each have their own place and talents and are great in their own right.

I don't like character bashing and it really irks me when they pick on my fav. But as i just said i don't like it even when it's in favor of my favorite character.

Each one has their own strengths and weaknesses. It's what makes them who they are and why we love them so much. They are UNIQUE.

Maybe I should just shut-up but this has been bugging me for 'forever' and it's happening more and more... so please forgive me because I love Teyla, I really do, she's a great character, but I came across numerous stories, where everyone is hot, sweaty, dirty, so on and so forth and everyone 'stinks of sweat and dirt' (even the other female expedition members) but Teyla smells like cinnamon or spices or something weird like that. It makes me want to scream!

FACT: Everyone sweats when they are hot and everyone's sweat stinks. I mean come on....

(sorry i shouldn't use your post to vent...please don't hate me *hides under desk*)

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

Oh no, vent away :D That's what these posts are for. Besides, you have a point. Character bashing is bad enough but I honestly think it worse when you elevate a favorite character on a too-high pedestal.

For example, I hate it when a writer describes a character - such as Sheppard - as muscular, referring to his chest as his "muscular chest" or his arms as "muscular arms". Yeah, he has muscle, he's toned, but he's not some kind of body builder. He's lean and muscular, which is what the majority of his fans find hot about him. To say he's muscular is too generic and, personally, makes my mind go straight to bodies like those of professional wrestlers - ridiculously huge.

What I really hate, though, is when the character goes through a physically grueling trial - illness, torture, starvation... and he's still muscular! (ran across a Supernatural fic that did that :P)

[novembersga.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Sheppard is what you would call lean and toned. Strong but not 'muscular'. To me muscular is Ronon or bigger. Even Ronon is not all that big. He's tall and he is more muscular than Sheppard but the word muscular to me means more 'bulk' (Am I saying that right?)

There's also fics that call Sheppard skinny. Maybe I'm being too literal, but I've seen skinny guys, and those I would call skinny are really thin and gangly. Sheppard is what I would call 'Lean' Now after being abused and or imprisoned, it probably wouldn't take long for Sheppard to get really 'skinny' seeing as the man doesn't seem to have an ounce of fat on him. Without food, the body burns fat first then starts in on the muscle tissue......

(Under all those layers, Dean - Supernatural - also has a lean build, if you've ever seen him in just a t-shirt and jeans. But I think Sheppard has him beat.)

I know what u mean. Illness, torture, starvation would leave one very weak and wasted. It would take time to rebuild muscle mass. It's kind of a let-down when the story ignores all the known laws of physics. A little realism on the basics wouldn't hurt.

It's been a long time since I read a Supernatural fic but they used to be real bad about inflicting serious life threatening injuries (the kind that require surgery in RL in order to survive) and they go back to a filthy motel room, put in some stitches and call it good. Um...yeah.

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

Heh, I like skinny shep ;) To me, skinny has always been more accurate than muscular, because I think Rodney and Ronon would give Sheppard a bad time about that just to give him a bad time. When Beckett harps on him about it, however - saying he's too skinny and needs to eat more - then that's pushing it. We see from canon that Sheppard has a healthy appetite, and is healthy, period. If Sheppard is having eating issues, then there needs to be a reason for it - such as illness or injury.

I've been pretty guilty about pushing Sheppard's injuries. Really, in some of my stories, he should probably be dead. I'm trying to be more careful about that ;)

[novembersga.livejournal.com]

LOL I have to admit, my favorite remark in a story has actually been when Rodney tells Sheppard that for a skinny guy he sure is heavy. ;D

Oh no! Don't you dare change the way you write/whump in your stories. They are awesome!!!!! Each and every one of your stories have a place in my Favorites folder. I don't see anything wrong with the way you whump that boy. :D

[crashbarrier.livejournal.com]

I think I get where your coming from. Personally I often have these sort of issues with some of the writing I come across. I get a familiar feeling regarding your description of the scenario and I think I may have also come across this story. I think I dismissed it as out of canon mary-sue and didn't finish it.

I agree with what you mean regarding "character bashing" I don't think there is any real need to do that especialy in a writing forum where the characterisations are dictated by an outside third party (Namely the series established canon) A writer can always just pull the character they want to concentrate on to the fore and push the others to the back a little without having to break canon.

Mind you i now have an intersting mental image of McKay stood on a skateboard complaining as Sheppard pushes him round Atlantis:D.. I may have to explore this..

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

Some character bashing, I think, is subtle, in that the writer doesn't realize they're actually doing it. And some is in the eye of the beholder. But what I described in my post I feel to be obvious character bashing at most, obvious favoritism at the expense of other characters at least.

I've read stories where roles were reversed - for example, I once read a story in which Sheppard was a Runner found by Ronon, and brought to Sateda to rest and recuperate. It's a wonderful story, well handled in a way that doesn't make me cringe at all. Why? Because in the story, Sheppard was only a runner for a few months rather than seven years, and Ronon was still Ronon, still able to take Sheppard on and win when sparring. To me, that's one way of reversing roles without taking away from a character.

Heh, there is a story where Sheppard tries to teach Rodney how to skateboard. It's really cute. Now to find the link...