Teen Wolf Part 3: The Hunters & Misc. Comments
So, this is the third and final installment to my all-things Teen Wolf posts. First part of this one will focus on the Hunters, and after that I'll talk a little bit about pairings and such.
In case you missed them, and are interested.
Teen Wolf Part 1: The Wolves
Teen Wolf Part 2: The Humans
The Hunters
Chris Argent
Chris is probably my favorite of the hunters we're about to meet. Sure his day job is to sell weapons and his calling is to hunt down and kill werewolves, but at least he has a code and sticks to it.
I like Chris because he's conflicted, because finding the moral right of things is important to him and is very rarely easy. I also think he's usually a really good father. He messes up from time to time, and he can be manipulated, but he loves his daughter and more than anything just wants to protect her.
It certainly doesn't hurt any that I've loved the actor since he was Martouf on Stargate: SG-1.
Victoria Argent
I don't much like Victoria. She's cold and manipulative. She seems mostly willing to stick to the code at first, but she definitely steps over a few lines when she tries to kill Scott. It's probably telling that the only reason I feel bad about her death at all is because of how it almost broke Chris and Allison and not at all because I'm sad to see her go. It almost feels as if she's the true Argent of the bunch. She's got more in common with Kate and Gerard than Chris does.
Allison Argent
I'm largely indifferent to Allison. She's Scott's girlfriend, and I kind of find them both a little bit dull. She does at least have some kick-ass skills.
I don't dislike her, though I know a lot of fans really do. I think for the most part her actions are really understandable. She's so confused and hurt and angry, and someone gives her an outlet for all of that anger, a focus. I'd be shocked if she didn't take it. It is probably telling though, that like her mother, I only have the one picture of her alone.
Gerard Argent
Gerard is strange. He shows up looking for vengeance, and I feel like he uses everyone around him in his quest for it. He's not a nice man. He's not even a good man. He's all too willing to give up the code that Chris struggles with every day. He manipulates Chris and Allison. He manipulates Scott. He's definitely a necessary character, but I don't like him.
Kate Argent
I haven't even bothered to find a picture of Kate. She's dead, and that's probably the most important thing you need to know about her. She took advantage of Derek's trust once and is ultimately responsible for the death of pretty much his entire family. Just how much advantage she took is the subject of a lot of fannish concern, but at the very least she made him believe she loved him and then used him to gain access to the house. She's an evil manipulative bitch, and I'm not sad that she's gone.
There are other hunters, but we don't really ever meet them. They're important because they're there, not because of who they are.
So, moving on.
I'm really enjoying the fandom so far. I've found them to be surprisingly reasonable and tolerant. Who knows if that will last or if we're going to get ship wars and other such bullshit before it's through, but it's a nice place for now.
As for the the predominant ships, I'm finding them kind of amusing. The big ship seems to be Stiles/Derek and I can see where they get it. Definitely can't deny they have some serious chemistry.
It's not altogether comfortable or friendly chemistry, but it's chemistry, and it can certainly at least look like sexual tension. And let's face it, even though Derek often acts like Stiles is worse than useless and Stiles has actively argued for killing Derek in the past, they help each other out a lot. They've saved each other's lives. Derek has no problem just popping up and asking Stiles for things, even though he should have no claim over Stiles's time and effort. And Stiles pretty much always does whatever it is that's asked of him.
And everyone involved knows that these two fascinate people. They play it up, and don't seem in the least bit put off by it. I still think the people who see Sterek canon in the future are more than a little nuts, but I get where they're coming from.
That said, Stiles is pretty easily the little black dress of fandom. I've seen him paired with pretty much everyone, and that's because he kind of works with pretty much everyone. I'm not a fan of Stiles/Scott just because I love their friendship, and want it to stay a friendship. I'm also not sure that Scott is smart enough for Stiles, who does seem to value intelligence. Stiles' interactions with Danny are frequently right on the edge of uncomfortable flirtation. Stiles' unending love for Lydia is canon, and while I tend to think that he doesn't love her nearly as much as the idea of her, I do think they'd be good together. Stiles/Erica is kind of scary, but it works because Erica did have a crush and Stiles is fundamentally a good guy. Stiles/Isaac has very littel basis in canon, but Isaac is fairly broken, Stiles is simultaneously scared of him and worried about him. So yeah, Stiles goes with pretty much anyone.
Scott/Allison are the canon couple that gets a fair amount of fic, though I've found that it's often just background. I find them both painfully dull and their relationship to be just about as dull.
There's a small niche of Lydia/Allison which I'm kind of intrigued by, but not sold on.
Jackson is probably the second most paired up character on the show, and I'm pretty sure that's just because he's so pretty. Jackson/Danny is common, and pretty well supported by canon. Sure, Danny says that Jackson isn't his type, but he doesn't look like he has an argument when Jackson says that he's everyone's type. Jackson/Derek is not uncommon though it tends to be a pretty kinky dom/sub type of thing that I can't completely get into. Often they don't really even like each other, and I prefer my couples to have at least some genuine affection between them. Jackson/Scott is also not entirely unheard of, though I really don't get it. I guess, mostly because they spend a fair amount of time kind of obsessed with each other, but it never feels anything more than antagonistic to me. There's a fair amount of Jackson/Lydia/Stiles which is actually a threesome I can really get behind, and it is sometimes really well done. Lydia makes it work. Jackson/Erica/Isaac is not uncommon and I'm pretty sure that's just because of this insanely hot scene.
There's also a fair amount of Isaac/Erica and some Erica/Boyd. I can see either pairing and would not object.
And then there's the fairly cute, usually background to a story with other pairings, pairing of Melissa McCall/Sheriff Stilinski. The man really needs a first name. Fanon is making him a John, but I'm not sure that I like that name for him. Too many years where John meant John Sheppard maybe, but it just doesn't feel right somehow.
So, right now, I'm pretty much willing to ship most anyone with most anyone else, as long as the story is strong. I've read a ton of good Derek/Stiles, but I'm so sick of reading about age difference angst that I could scream so I think I'll be avoiding it for awhile. I've read a couple of very good Jackson/Lydia/Stiles stories, and some pretty decent Lydia-centric gen. I'd love to find more Jackson-centric fic or Isaac-centric fic, and no that's not at all because I'm shallow and they are so very very pretty. I'd also like to just see some good ensemble gen fic for the series, but there doesn't seem to be much gen out there.
That was more rambly than I really intended, but I'm not terribly focused right now.
In case you missed them, and are interested.
Teen Wolf Part 1: The Wolves
Teen Wolf Part 2: The Humans
The Hunters
Chris Argent
Chris is probably my favorite of the hunters we're about to meet. Sure his day job is to sell weapons and his calling is to hunt down and kill werewolves, but at least he has a code and sticks to it.
I like Chris because he's conflicted, because finding the moral right of things is important to him and is very rarely easy. I also think he's usually a really good father. He messes up from time to time, and he can be manipulated, but he loves his daughter and more than anything just wants to protect her.
It certainly doesn't hurt any that I've loved the actor since he was Martouf on Stargate: SG-1.
Victoria Argent
I don't much like Victoria. She's cold and manipulative. She seems mostly willing to stick to the code at first, but she definitely steps over a few lines when she tries to kill Scott. It's probably telling that the only reason I feel bad about her death at all is because of how it almost broke Chris and Allison and not at all because I'm sad to see her go. It almost feels as if she's the true Argent of the bunch. She's got more in common with Kate and Gerard than Chris does.
Allison Argent
I'm largely indifferent to Allison. She's Scott's girlfriend, and I kind of find them both a little bit dull. She does at least have some kick-ass skills.
I don't dislike her, though I know a lot of fans really do. I think for the most part her actions are really understandable. She's so confused and hurt and angry, and someone gives her an outlet for all of that anger, a focus. I'd be shocked if she didn't take it. It is probably telling though, that like her mother, I only have the one picture of her alone.
Gerard Argent
Gerard is strange. He shows up looking for vengeance, and I feel like he uses everyone around him in his quest for it. He's not a nice man. He's not even a good man. He's all too willing to give up the code that Chris struggles with every day. He manipulates Chris and Allison. He manipulates Scott. He's definitely a necessary character, but I don't like him.
Kate Argent
I haven't even bothered to find a picture of Kate. She's dead, and that's probably the most important thing you need to know about her. She took advantage of Derek's trust once and is ultimately responsible for the death of pretty much his entire family. Just how much advantage she took is the subject of a lot of fannish concern, but at the very least she made him believe she loved him and then used him to gain access to the house. She's an evil manipulative bitch, and I'm not sad that she's gone.
There are other hunters, but we don't really ever meet them. They're important because they're there, not because of who they are.
So, moving on.
I'm really enjoying the fandom so far. I've found them to be surprisingly reasonable and tolerant. Who knows if that will last or if we're going to get ship wars and other such bullshit before it's through, but it's a nice place for now.
As for the the predominant ships, I'm finding them kind of amusing. The big ship seems to be Stiles/Derek and I can see where they get it. Definitely can't deny they have some serious chemistry.
It's not altogether comfortable or friendly chemistry, but it's chemistry, and it can certainly at least look like sexual tension. And let's face it, even though Derek often acts like Stiles is worse than useless and Stiles has actively argued for killing Derek in the past, they help each other out a lot. They've saved each other's lives. Derek has no problem just popping up and asking Stiles for things, even though he should have no claim over Stiles's time and effort. And Stiles pretty much always does whatever it is that's asked of him.
And everyone involved knows that these two fascinate people. They play it up, and don't seem in the least bit put off by it. I still think the people who see Sterek canon in the future are more than a little nuts, but I get where they're coming from.
That said, Stiles is pretty easily the little black dress of fandom. I've seen him paired with pretty much everyone, and that's because he kind of works with pretty much everyone. I'm not a fan of Stiles/Scott just because I love their friendship, and want it to stay a friendship. I'm also not sure that Scott is smart enough for Stiles, who does seem to value intelligence. Stiles' interactions with Danny are frequently right on the edge of uncomfortable flirtation. Stiles' unending love for Lydia is canon, and while I tend to think that he doesn't love her nearly as much as the idea of her, I do think they'd be good together. Stiles/Erica is kind of scary, but it works because Erica did have a crush and Stiles is fundamentally a good guy. Stiles/Isaac has very littel basis in canon, but Isaac is fairly broken, Stiles is simultaneously scared of him and worried about him. So yeah, Stiles goes with pretty much anyone.
Scott/Allison are the canon couple that gets a fair amount of fic, though I've found that it's often just background. I find them both painfully dull and their relationship to be just about as dull.
There's a small niche of Lydia/Allison which I'm kind of intrigued by, but not sold on.
Jackson is probably the second most paired up character on the show, and I'm pretty sure that's just because he's so pretty. Jackson/Danny is common, and pretty well supported by canon. Sure, Danny says that Jackson isn't his type, but he doesn't look like he has an argument when Jackson says that he's everyone's type. Jackson/Derek is not uncommon though it tends to be a pretty kinky dom/sub type of thing that I can't completely get into. Often they don't really even like each other, and I prefer my couples to have at least some genuine affection between them. Jackson/Scott is also not entirely unheard of, though I really don't get it. I guess, mostly because they spend a fair amount of time kind of obsessed with each other, but it never feels anything more than antagonistic to me. There's a fair amount of Jackson/Lydia/Stiles which is actually a threesome I can really get behind, and it is sometimes really well done. Lydia makes it work. Jackson/Erica/Isaac is not uncommon and I'm pretty sure that's just because of this insanely hot scene.
There's also a fair amount of Isaac/Erica and some Erica/Boyd. I can see either pairing and would not object.
And then there's the fairly cute, usually background to a story with other pairings, pairing of Melissa McCall/Sheriff Stilinski. The man really needs a first name. Fanon is making him a John, but I'm not sure that I like that name for him. Too many years where John meant John Sheppard maybe, but it just doesn't feel right somehow.
So, right now, I'm pretty much willing to ship most anyone with most anyone else, as long as the story is strong. I've read a ton of good Derek/Stiles, but I'm so sick of reading about age difference angst that I could scream so I think I'll be avoiding it for awhile. I've read a couple of very good Jackson/Lydia/Stiles stories, and some pretty decent Lydia-centric gen. I'd love to find more Jackson-centric fic or Isaac-centric fic, and no that's not at all because I'm shallow and they are so very very pretty. I'd also like to just see some good ensemble gen fic for the series, but there doesn't seem to be much gen out there.
That was more rambly than I really intended, but I'm not terribly focused right now.