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butterflyI was never a big Superman fan as a kid. He was too perfect, you know? Big shiny guy without any flaws.
I first thought that he was interesting in Lois and Clark: the New Adventures of Superman. I fell in love with Dean Cain's Clark Kent. And it is Clark Kent that I fell for. He was a total sweetheart, but he wasn't perfect. And he was real to me, in a way that Superman wasn't.
I like the version of Superman where that's the disguise that Clark wears. How did they put it? "Superman is what I can do, Clark Kent is who I am."
And I loved the love story. Lois and Clark were wonderful together. They fit.
So then Smallville started and I didn't watch right away. I started watching about halfway through, when someone showed me an episode and I realized that there was some quality there. Now, there's cheese and there's suck on occasion, but overall? I'm very glad that I started watching.
I got attached to Clark pretty quickly. I like the heros. I also got attached to Lex pretty quickly. I like the complicated ones, the yearning ones. Some of my favorites are the ones who search and want and hope and try and always end up burned.
Knowing the end of the story is a blessing and a curse. A part of me wants to hope that Clark can save Lex from that fate. At the same time, I want the Rift in all its glorious pain. I want the Clark I saw in Shattered. I love the tragedies - Romeo and Juliet, Moulin Rouge, and West Side Story are three of my favorite movies. And in all of them, there's this terrible knowledge of the futility of hope, and yet the hope and love persists. Every time, I hope for Romeo to see Juliet wake up before he drinks the poison. I hope that Satine doesn't die. I hope that Tony isn't shot.
I see that same beauty in the story of Connor. And in the ultimate story of Lex on Smallville.
It's the glory of a supernova, the sheer beauty of self-destruction. Terrible and amazing.
And on a totally different topic, I'm thinking of getting rid of my splash/warning page. I've always hated having it, and I'm thinking I'll just put the warning stuff on the main page. I'll be very clear about the whole thing, but on the main page. I put the page there in the first place because of that horrible thing with my last job, where my employer came across my website and I ended up not working for her anymore. Huge levels of unfun. But I think it's enough to have the warning on the main page. Also, I doubt I will ever accidentally email my website's address to Burgerville, as they don't ever email me.
I first thought that he was interesting in Lois and Clark: the New Adventures of Superman. I fell in love with Dean Cain's Clark Kent. And it is Clark Kent that I fell for. He was a total sweetheart, but he wasn't perfect. And he was real to me, in a way that Superman wasn't.
I like the version of Superman where that's the disguise that Clark wears. How did they put it? "Superman is what I can do, Clark Kent is who I am."
And I loved the love story. Lois and Clark were wonderful together. They fit.
So then Smallville started and I didn't watch right away. I started watching about halfway through, when someone showed me an episode and I realized that there was some quality there. Now, there's cheese and there's suck on occasion, but overall? I'm very glad that I started watching.
I got attached to Clark pretty quickly. I like the heros. I also got attached to Lex pretty quickly. I like the complicated ones, the yearning ones. Some of my favorites are the ones who search and want and hope and try and always end up burned.
Knowing the end of the story is a blessing and a curse. A part of me wants to hope that Clark can save Lex from that fate. At the same time, I want the Rift in all its glorious pain. I want the Clark I saw in Shattered. I love the tragedies - Romeo and Juliet, Moulin Rouge, and West Side Story are three of my favorite movies. And in all of them, there's this terrible knowledge of the futility of hope, and yet the hope and love persists. Every time, I hope for Romeo to see Juliet wake up before he drinks the poison. I hope that Satine doesn't die. I hope that Tony isn't shot.
I see that same beauty in the story of Connor. And in the ultimate story of Lex on Smallville.
It's the glory of a supernova, the sheer beauty of self-destruction. Terrible and amazing.
And on a totally different topic, I'm thinking of getting rid of my splash/warning page. I've always hated having it, and I'm thinking I'll just put the warning stuff on the main page. I'll be very clear about the whole thing, but on the main page. I put the page there in the first place because of that horrible thing with my last job, where my employer came across my website and I ended up not working for her anymore. Huge levels of unfun. But I think it's enough to have the warning on the main page. Also, I doubt I will ever accidentally email my website's address to Burgerville, as they don't ever email me.
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(no subject)
Date: 2003-11-25 08:11 pm (UTC)You've just put my thoughts into words, probably better than I could have!
I don't have time right now to do a long comment, but I just have to when I get home (am at work now :)).
But what you said about Moulin Rouge, Romeo & Juliet and West Side Story? Word.
Talk about this later. It's just...Yes.
(no subject)
Date: 2003-11-25 08:37 pm (UTC)Part One
Date: 2003-11-27 03:53 am (UTC)I was never a big Superman fan as a kid. He was too perfect, you know? Big shiny guy without any flaws.
I know what you mean here. That's why I think of the movies my favourite is the second one - because he chose to give up his powers and become human, even though it was short-lived. It still showed him as flawed and capable of decisions. But I did find the movies lacking (except for my inexplicable crush on Gene Hackman's Lex - my Lex-lust was born long before Michael's Lex was a gleam in the eyes of the SV PTB) in many ways.
I first thought that he was interesting in Lois and Clark: the New Adventures of Superman.
It was L&C that inspired my own love for the characters. It just...wokred. So very well.
And it is Clark Kent that I fell for. He was a total sweetheart, but he wasn't perfect. And he was real to me, in a way that Superman wasn't.
Because this is how it was for me, too. I hadn't fallen for Christopher Reeve's Clark, because Reeve's Clark seemed like...like a human disguise for Superman. He wasn't important like Dean Cain's Clark was, like Tom Welling's Clark is.
I like the version of Superman where that's the disguise that Clark wears.
Yes. I can't say more than that. Just yes.
How did they put it? "Superman is what I can do, Clark Kent is who I am."
*nods* That's a big reason for my Smallville love. It's not about Superman. It's about Clark. And Lex, and the other characters. But deep down, Clark is (and should be) the centrepiece of the show. Much as Buffy was an ensemble with a lead character, or Angel.
And I loved the love story. Lois and Clark were wonderful together. They fit.
I adored it. Simply loved it. It is high on my list of best TV canon romances ever. Dean Cain and Teri Hatcher had a wonderful chemistry. Right up there with Pacey & Joey from Dawson's Creek, David & Maddie from Moonlighting, and far too many others to name.
So then Smallville started and I didn't watch right away. I started watching about halfway through, when someone showed me an episode and I realized that there was some quality there.
I watched from the beginning. I'd heard such...well, frankly mixed word of mouth on the show, that I knew I'd have to watch to make up my own mind. I wasn't sure I'd like it, because I was pretty attached to Lois & Clark, but I had to watch it when I knew Annette O'Toole was in it, because I'd liked her, oddly enough, since she played Lana in the third movie.
I got attached to Clark pretty quickly. I like the heros.
I was surprised how quickly it was. I think by the time he'd tripped over in front of Lana? I was in love. He was just so cute about it. And I happen to not hate Lana, which probably helps in finding it cute. But I just...I have a huge kink for sweet dorkiness. And that's what Clark exudes in those scenes (I've just rewatched the pilot, so it's very fresh in my mind).
I also got attached to Lex pretty quickly. I like the complicated ones, the yearning ones.
Ah, Lex. Complicated is the word, indeed. So very complicated and interesting and fascinating. I'm actually more of a Clark person than a Lex person if forced to choose one, but...god. Lex is fascinating.
Some of my favorites are the ones who search and want and hope and try and always end up burned.
Oh, yes. The hope that this time they'll find what they're looking for, this time it'll work out, this time they'll find it was the right time to try, this time is the time that's right for them. And it never is, but they keep going, they never lose hope. Or it takes them a very long time to lose hope and they never lose it completely even if the rest of the world might think they have.
Continued...
Part Two
Date: 2003-11-27 03:54 am (UTC)Knowing the end of the story is a blessing and a curse.
It is. It so very truly is.
A part of me wants to hope that Clark can save Lex from that fate.
Yes. In my heart? I want Clark's love (whether agape in canon or Eros in slash) to be
enough to save Lex from his twisted destiny. I really do. But I don't know if it's possible. I
would like it to be, but I don't know if it is. I don't know if, deep down, the damage is already
done. I'd like to think it's not, but...
At the same time, I want the Rift in all its glorious pain.
Yes. I think the Rift could be the opportunity for a tremendous storytelling achievement. The
true breakdown of love and how it turns into rivalry - note I don't say hate.
You see, I can foresee Clark and Lex in Smallville canon having a relationship as complicated,
enduring and, yes, deep down loving, as Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr (Magneto) in the X-
Men movie. That is actually my sincere hope of how it turns out if Lex is destined to
fulfil this destiny.
I love the tragedies - Romeo and Juliet, Moulin Rouge, and West Side Story are three of my
favorite movies.
They are three of my own favourites. I even love Romeo & Juliet enough to read the play on it's
own. It's that special to me. The tragedy and the undying love. And Moulin Rouge...god, yes.
So beautiful and tragic. And Satine, so fragile and yet strong and accepting of her fate.
And in all of them, there's this terrible knowledge of the futility of hope, and yet the hope and
love persists.
Yes. Even when things are at their darkest, the love still exists. It may not always be the love of
the couple, but love itself never truly dies. Romeo & Juliet dying may serve to unite their families
in tragedy, Satine's dying is not pointless for she loved Christian when she was alive and maybe
has led him to think of new things, at the very least. And in West Side Story, Tony's death
brings the gangs together in a way nothing else really could have.
Every time, I hope for Romeo to see Juliet wake up before he drinks the poison. I hope that
Satine doesn't die. I hope that Tony isn't shot.
Yes. I have hoped that too. That this time it's different. That this time the universe rearranges
itself.
Oddly, these are three fandoms I have little to no interest in denial fic for. I don't want
happy, joyful, no tragedy stories. It's almost an insult to the original, IMO. I don't look
for Satine-didn't-die fic in Moulin Rouge (though I know it exists), and I don't think there's
enough fic for the others to make it necessary for me not to look. Why would I want to read a
story in which the main plot point of the canon was ignored for a false feeling of happiness? I'm
more harsh with this in Moulin Rouge because the death is disease-based. I have looked for
(and written) denial-fic in fandoms where the death was by murder. I don't think this
makes me false in my views, but I wanted to be clear.
<i>Knowing the end of the story is a blessing and a curse. </i>
It is. It so very truly is.
<i>A part of me wants to hope that Clark can save Lex from that fate. </i>
Yes. In my heart? I <b>want</b> Clark's love (whether agape in canon or Eros in slash) to be
enough to save Lex from his twisted destiny. I really do. But I don't know if it's possible. I
would like it to be, but I don't know if it is. I don't know if, deep down, the damage is already
done. I'd like to think it's not, but...
<i>At the same time, I want the Rift in all its glorious pain.</i>
Yes. I think the Rift could be the opportunity for a tremendous storytelling achievement. The
<b>true</b> breakdown of love and how it turns into rivalry - note I don't say hate.
You see, I can foresee Clark and Lex in Smallville canon having a relationship as complicated,
enduring and, yes, deep down loving, as Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr (Magneto) in the X-
Men movie. That is actually my sincere <b>hope</b> of how it turns out if Lex is destined to
fulfil this destiny.
<i>I love the tragedies - Romeo and Juliet, Moulin Rouge, and West Side Story are three of my
favorite movies. </i>
They are three of my own favourites. I even love Romeo & Juliet enough to read the play on it's
own. It's that special to me. The tragedy and the undying love. And Moulin Rouge...god, yes.
So beautiful and tragic. And Satine, so fragile and yet strong and accepting of her fate.
<i>And in all of them, there's this terrible knowledge of the futility of hope, and yet the hope and
love persists. </i>
Yes. Even when things are at their darkest, the love still exists. It may not always be the love of
the couple, but love itself never truly dies. Romeo & Juliet dying may serve to unite their families
in tragedy, Satine's dying is not pointless for she loved Christian when she was alive and maybe
has led him to think of new things, at the very least. And in West Side Story, Tony's death
brings the gangs together in a way nothing else really could have.
<i>Every time, I hope for Romeo to see Juliet wake up before he drinks the poison. I hope that
Satine doesn't die. I hope that Tony isn't shot.</i>
Yes. I have hoped that too. That this time it's different. That this time the universe rearranges
itself.
Oddly, these are three fandoms I have little to no interest in denial fic for. I don't <b>want</b>
happy, joyful, no tragedy stories. It's almost an insult to the original, IMO. I don't <b>look</b>
for Satine-didn't-die fic in Moulin Rouge (though I know it exists), and I don't think there's
enough fic for the others to make it necessary for me not to look. Why would I want to read a
story in which the main plot point of the canon was ignored for a false feeling of happiness? I'm
more harsh with this in Moulin Rouge because the death is disease-based. I have looked for
(and <b>written</b>) denial-fic in fandoms where the death was by murder. I don't think this
makes me false in my views, but I wanted to be clear.
<i.I see that same beauty in the story of Connor. And in the ultimate story of Lex on
Smallville.</i>
Yes. I agree. Beautiful and terrible and tragic and almost mythic.
Bring it on. I can't wait.
<i>It's the glory of a supernova, the sheer beauty of self-destruction. Terrible and amazing.</i>
Yes. Gloriously powerful.
Re: Part One
Date: 2003-11-28 03:37 pm (UTC)And yay! Long thoughts!
Reeve's Clark seemed like...like a human disguise for Superman.
*nods*
Exactly. The Clark Kent part of him didn't matter as much as I felt it should.
And yes, sweet dorks are wonderful things.
Re: Part Two
Date: 2003-11-28 03:39 pm (UTC)fulfil this destiny.
That's the perfect example. Yes. Exactly.
Oddly, these are three fandoms I have little to no interest in denial fic for.
Absolutely. When I watch them, I wish that the story could have a happy ending, but at the same time, I don't want anyone to try to force a happy ending where it doesn't belong.