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Has anyone else been coming across what seems to be an influx of reviews denouncing Sheppard as a genius? Anyone else bothered by it?
It's not that I think these reviewers are wrong. Most, in fact, have a point about Sheppard being a closet math genius. I think John is smart, good at math, but definitely not on McKay's level. I also doubt he would hide his genius, especially when such genius would come in handy during an emergency (and no way would Sheppard hold it in if it meant saving others).
Still, I find it odd that this particular trope is being so heavily attacked. I mean, what about "Sheppard-the-womanizer/will sleep with anyone" trope? Or "Sheppard-hides-injuries-for-no-reason" trope? There's a lot of fanon cliches out there that don't make sense according to canon. But why is "Sheppard-the-genius" in particular being attacked?
*Shrugs* Genius Sheppard has never been my thing. However, I do love smart/clever Sheppard. Which I'm wondering if this is why it's bothering me so much that genius-Sheppard is under attack. I kind of feel smart/clever Sheppard a rarity (in that it's written, of course, but written rarely. Mostly because Sheppard is so whumped he can't really think his way out of the situation :P). And because genius-Sheppard is being attacked, there's a part of me that worries it will discourage people from writing smart-Sheppard (even though, in a way, they are two different things. Sheppard's intelligence manifests in ideas and survival skills with a touch of science/math on the side, not in science and math).
It's not that I think these reviewers are wrong. Most, in fact, have a point about Sheppard being a closet math genius. I think John is smart, good at math, but definitely not on McKay's level. I also doubt he would hide his genius, especially when such genius would come in handy during an emergency (and no way would Sheppard hold it in if it meant saving others).
Still, I find it odd that this particular trope is being so heavily attacked. I mean, what about "Sheppard-the-womanizer/will sleep with anyone" trope? Or "Sheppard-hides-injuries-for-no-reason" trope? There's a lot of fanon cliches out there that don't make sense according to canon. But why is "Sheppard-the-genius" in particular being attacked?
*Shrugs* Genius Sheppard has never been my thing. However, I do love smart/clever Sheppard. Which I'm wondering if this is why it's bothering me so much that genius-Sheppard is under attack. I kind of feel smart/clever Sheppard a rarity (in that it's written, of course, but written rarely. Mostly because Sheppard is so whumped he can't really think his way out of the situation :P). And because genius-Sheppard is being attacked, there's a part of me that worries it will discourage people from writing smart-Sheppard (even though, in a way, they are two different things. Sheppard's intelligence manifests in ideas and survival skills with a touch of science/math on the side, not in science and math).
