Fanon Cliche list

[kriadydragon]

I'm doing this list mostly for myself due to the trouble I had with fanon cliches in Castles in the Sky (I'm pretty sure some managed to weasel their way through.) If you have any cliches you're tired of seeing or feel have been officially blown out of proportions, please feel free to mention them.

Mind you, this isn't for criticizing purposes. Some fanon cliches are annoying, yes, but others have their merits. Some have even been recently proven as canon (infirmary escapes, for example.)

Stoic, stubborn, uncooperative Sheppard - this gave me so much trouble in Castles, you have no idea.

Sheppard disregarding his own health - I can only see this happening during a crisis and possibly if he's at the end of his rope and going through some kind of breakdown. I stress possibly.

Heightmeyer, Sheppard's arch-nemises.

Caldwell, same as Heightmeyer - though he is sometimes good to use as a thorn in Shepaprd's or Weir's side, that doesn't make him some type of badguy. He's more sympathetic to the expedition than he lets on.

Rodney, the emotional answer man - I'm not saying he doesn't have it in him, but I doubt it would come so easily as I've seen in some fics. But that's just my opinion *shrugs*.

Ronon, more stoic than Rambo - I think the big guy has it in him to feel sad or worried from time to time. This one kept trying to muscle into At His Fingertips.

Rodney is in the firm belief that Sheppard is an idiot - I've never heard Rodney call John an idiot in the show, but irks me far more when someone has Rodney belittle John by insulting his intelligence, and John doesn't defend himself. That's more a personal annoyance.

Sheppard has suicidal tendancies - mustn't forget that one.

Poor, pathetic, helpless Rodney - Rodney is anything but helpless.

Sheppard is a moron for risking his life to save others - yeah, really appreciative there. Can't you just feel the love? *rolls eyes* Another personal annoyance.

Most of these are ones I have trouble with in my own fics, and the rest just plain bug me. I always say (to myself at any rate) that if you want a story to be at least remotely unique, do the opposite of what's being done to death. Or, in the case of fanfiction, be aware of those pesky fanon cliches that can be just a little too easy to give into.

Comments

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

I've never seen Sheppard as suicidal, but as a soldier. Soldiers know they can die. They don't willingly kill themselves unless, as in "Siege," they see it one death will save hundreds.

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

The suicidal thing is one of those taken out of proportion, sort of like "Sheppard's a seriel killer because he killed all those Genii." Both a one time thing that many writers just can't let go of. And we know Sheppard isn't suicidal as we've seen him hesitate when he's unsure if something is safe. He does what he has to but also keeps his own well-being in mind.

I've never seen Sheppard as suicidal, but as a soldier. Soldiers know they can die.

Which is why I sometimes kind of find it disrespectful when someone has Rodney or someone else accusing John of being suicidal, or getting after him for not taking his own life into consideration. It's John's job to protect, which makes it just plain wrong to get angry at him for it.

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

I think Rodney can get angry if he thinks there was definitely a better way than putting Shep putting himself in harm's way, but in "Siege," you could see that Rodney understood what Sheppard was doing with the nuke-laden jumper.

[wildcat88.livejournal.com]

The disregard for his health and his aversion to Heightmeyer rank very high on my list. He has never refused medical treatment or hidden his condition. He may postpone it if it's an emergency (shoulder in The Eye) but he doesn't deny it. And his first reaction to Teyla's sleeplessness in The Gift was to report it to Heightmeyer. He obviously values her skills.

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

And his first reaction to Teyla's sleeplessness in The Gift was to report it to Heightmeyer. He obviously values her skills.

That right there is what makes it hard for me ot buy Sheppard's rather angry insistance on not seeing Heightmeyer. Depending on the fic and what's going on, sometimes it's plausible, other times it makes him seem like a hypocrite.

But what really bothers me, on a personal level in fact, is when Sheppard is being forced to open up. Criticised for not doing so more, threatened until he does, chewed out because he didn't do so sooner. To me, it's just wrong, and not only wouldn't help the situation but could very possibly make it worse. I get the impression that Shepaprd is a bit of a control freak, and forcing him to open up is doing exactly what he hates - taking away his control.

Again, depending on the story and what's going on, sometimes it has been necessary. But, in my opinion, forcing him to open up would only have him repressing even more.