Other fandoms in comparison - What Harry Potter got Wrong, they're getting right?
Okay, HP can't be the only fandom we occupy, and it's been a while since anything's been posted, so I decided to revv up a new discussion.
Now I'll admit, there are still things I love about HP and the fandom (those genuinely good parts of the books I can't let go of, really good people to chat up with, non-canon fanfiction, and a few other things). But ever since DH, I couldn't help but start looking at a new fandom I've recently been getting into, Metal Gear Solid, and I really can't help but notice that many of the things HP got wrong, MGS was doing right. Of course, I did wonder that my frustration with the flaws in Harry Potter's writing ultimately make me try looking for a replacement that wouldn't disappoint, and thus start seeing Metal Gear as being flawless.
Well, okay, I'm not blind. Even MGS has its share of flaws. It tends to really cheapen up characters in some moments for comedic (or dramatic) effect, shamelessly breaks the fourth wall like there's no tomorrow (which, to me anyway, makes the experience feel less immersive), the romance is sometimes shallow, character development hits you like a hammer in the side of the head, it has a very intricate plot that's almost difficult to follow, and sometimes has things that are just plain silly (like Liquid Snake still living on through his arm).
Now, my main problems with HP included the female characters, one-dimensional villains, the lack of real depth of human psychology, the black-and-white morality, and the uninteresting/badly done romantic subplots.
Female characters - To be honest, I found most of the female characters of Harry Potter to be either uber-bitches who couldn't do anything of real importance (other than marrying and having babies), or dead. There are exceptions of course (Hermione, Narcissa, Bellatrix, and Fluer) but as a whole, most of them were just disappointments. Especially Ginny, who just centered her whole life on Harry, a guy who never even gave the the time of day until she grew a rack and began using ultra-moisturizing conditioner, and then just threw away every aspect of herself as long as it meant Harry would deign so much as a glance at her. And there was also Tonks, a trained Auror who could change her appearance and will and she was also related to several important characters. But her role just got limited to making funny faces, moping, getting married to a guy who never really thought of her in that sense, having a baby and dying in the most disappointing way possible.
On the other hand, the females of Metal Gear Solid were actually done right. They were tough without being bitchy, basically. For example, Meryl Silverburgh was a tomboy who was infatuated with Snake, but unlike Ginny, Meryl's crush didn't define her character. She could take care of herself, she wouldn't let Snake coddle her (yes, I really don't buy that Ginny is Harry's equal, regardless of what JKR tries to push on people), and she actually proved herself to be strong and helpful. She wasn't slavishly devoted to Snake; she actually got him to trust her, and ultimately earns his love and respect. There was also Sniper Wolf, who was villainous without having to be a caricature, Olga, who did everything she could to protect her child, and The Boss, who's love for her country and for Naked Snake led for to sacrifice herself so that future generations wouldn't have to suffer a nuclear holocaust. And none of those aformentioned women needed men to help them do their jobs/come to their rescues; they all kicked more than enough asses themselves.
One-dimensional villains - Okay, there are some interesting villains (like Lucius Malfoy and Barty Crouch Jr.), but most of them were just flat or unrealistic. I found Voldemort to be really boring - he was practically born evil ("he was a funny baby" ring a bell?)! I'm sorry, but villains just don't get any lamer and more cardboard cut-out/2-dimensional than that! It completely threw out the theme of being defined by our choices rather than our blood. Hell, I was nearly expecting Mrs. Cole to say, "One day, I was combing Tom's hair, and I found a 666 on his scalp." Other villains were either "Not Bad After All," or complete and total wimps who couldn't do their own battles (Peter).
And then look at the villains of Metal Gear. The biggest example could be the one who started it all, Big Boss (no pun intended). Big Boss, as detailed in MGS3: Snake Eater, was a soldier following what his country ordered him to do. And in just the span of that one game, the guy was tortured repeatedly, lost an eye, was forced to kill his mentor/lover, and was abandoned by the woman he grew to love. When you think of it like that, it's no wonder Big Boss became so disillusioned with politics and the structure of the military. He wanted to create a world for soldiers where they wouldn't be shunned or used at the whim of politicians, and he would use the Metal Gear and its nuclear launching capabilities to achieve that goal. He wasn't born a monster; Big Boss was made into one from years of betrayals, heartaches and disillusionments. There was also Solidus, who wasn't entirely a villain; he had noble goals and had brutal methods of achieving them. And Ocelot, who may be the Patriots' lackey is still able to fight his own battles, and had more than enough fight in him to act on his own motives.
Badly done human psychology - I don't claim to be an expert in human psychology, but even JKR should've seen that people with the degree of emotional baggage Harry has accumulated through the seiers have difficulty forming long term relationships and being good parents. Harry had to fight Voldemort, had to deal with a lot of pressure, seen his closest friends get murdered and was abused and neglected as a child by his relatives. When thinking in that context, Harry must’ve had a lot of inner demons to contend with. That sort of thing would take years to heal from. And yet, it seemed obvious that Harry and Ginny married shortly after their seventh years at Hogwarts and had kids immediately. There was no sign of Harry’s mental trauma anywhere; it was as though it never even existed. Either that or he just got over it really, really quickly. And I was also rather ticked off at how Ginny's incident at the Chamber of Secrets got what could be considered an honorable mention. She was possessed and almost killed by a soul fragment of an evil reigning Dark Lord and all there is to be said about it was a "Lucky You"? If that were the case, then the whole thing was pointless. To be honest, I would've been really happy if Ginny had gotten a little bit of payback on Voldemort for traumatizing her at only 11 years old, but she got nothing to do.
But the characters of MGS all suffer some form of psychological problems for what they've done in their lives, and it's shown that they still suffer from it and they don't heal very quickly or easily from it. Snake, Big Boss, and Raiden all suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder from their grueling experiences on the battlefield. Otacon and Fortune both have a massive case of "survivor's guilt." Liquid has a severe inferiority complex. Vamp has a deranged love for killing. And that's only the tip of the iceberg concerning the characters' mental/emotional problems. All of those characters pay for their traumas; they're treated realistically and this ultimately makes the story of MGS that much more powerful and poignant.
Black-and-white morality - The world of Harry Potter really felt like it was divided into completely good and completely evil people, with one's morality being determined by which House they're sorted into at the age of eleven. I absolutely hated that, because it was such an over-simplified and downright ignorant view of the world. Yes, there are those occasional black-and-white examples out there, but there's way more shades of grey in between; but there was no true grey area character in HP (except for maybe Snape, but even that's arguable).
Contrast that to MGS, which is full of morally grey characters. Sure, there are distinct villains in the story, but there's a sense of evil that permeates the atmosphere, like evil can come from anywhere, even with the flawed, and sometimes selfish heroes. For example, Solid Snake clearly fights for a good cause (the eradication of the Metal Gear weapons), but he's a cold, efficient killer who has no remorse for the people he kills that borders on vindictive. And as said before, Solidus Snake had a noble goal and he loved his country, but his methods of freeing America from the shadowy illuminati rule of The Patriots were very brutal and questionable. Hardly anyone is really truly good or bad in MGS; many, if not all of them, were in a more morally grey area.
Uninteresting/Badly done romantic subplots - I'm pretty sure that anyone who knows me knows that I really hated the romances in Harry Potter. There are exceptions, like James/Lily, Bill/Fleur (I'll admit that it was the cuteness of this couple that got me through Deathly Hallows during some of its worst points), and Lucius/Narcissa. But as a whole, most of the romances were either unrealistic, like Lupin/Tonks (I will never forgive JKR for writing it the way she did), forced and out of nowhere like Harry/Ginny (I don't care what anyone, even Rowling herself says, that relationship was weak, underdeveloped and a complete joke) or just flat-out abusive like Ron/Hermione (I fail to see how those canaries were supposed to be funny).
But the romance in Metal Gear Solid feels organic and natural. It doesn't rely on cheap hormonal lust, possessivness, or other unhealthy aspects. Snake and Meryl grew to trust each other and see each other as people; Harry only loved Ginny for her dancing hair and firewhiskey kisses, and Ginny only loved Harry because he was a celebrity. The Boss and The Sorrow were clearly in love with each other, and she had to kill him because of her duty and she was haunted by it for the rest of her life. Lupin was considering abandoning his pregnant wife, and even if he was unhappy in his marriage, should've taken her feelings into consideration. Snape didn't care one bit about Lily's happiness; Harry and James could die as long as Snape could have her all to himself; his love was more like a very unhealthy obssession. Raiden and Rosemary may have looked unhealthy at first, with them keepeing secrets from each other, and him even raising his hand at her, but they ultimately reconcile and become more truthful with each other. Ron and Hermione are disrespectful to each other; they never compromise after an argument, they share no common interests and they are just too damn different. Big Boss and Eva grew to really love and trust each other; protected each other, and they both fought and relied on each others' skills for the mission. Harry just coddles Ginny, never lets her fight, and doesn't trust in her ability to fight and take care of herself the way he trusts Ron and Hermione. And Ginny just accepts it, without so much as a "But I can do this! Let me prove myself to you!" The romances in Metal Gear Solid actually were based on real emotion, trust, support and equality. Sure, they have their shallow moments at times, but in the end, they were much more human, realistic and geniune. In some cases, they were downright tragic and sad. I didn't see any of that similar compelling quality in the Harry Potter romances.
Of course I'm fairly sure my relationship with MGS will end in heartache and sorrows once the fourth (and supposedly final) game in the franchise, Guns of the Patriots, comes out . I'll treasure the sweet, sweet memories we had if it did, and hope that what happened between me and HP made me strong enough to cope if it happens again.
So what about you guys? Do you feel similar in that frustration with something that bugged you in HP made you seek out some kind of replacement? Do you think that some other fandom you have got something right that Harry Potter got wrong? Go ahead and discuss.
Now I'll admit, there are still things I love about HP and the fandom (those genuinely good parts of the books I can't let go of, really good people to chat up with, non-canon fanfiction, and a few other things). But ever since DH, I couldn't help but start looking at a new fandom I've recently been getting into, Metal Gear Solid, and I really can't help but notice that many of the things HP got wrong, MGS was doing right. Of course, I did wonder that my frustration with the flaws in Harry Potter's writing ultimately make me try looking for a replacement that wouldn't disappoint, and thus start seeing Metal Gear as being flawless.
Well, okay, I'm not blind. Even MGS has its share of flaws. It tends to really cheapen up characters in some moments for comedic (or dramatic) effect, shamelessly breaks the fourth wall like there's no tomorrow (which, to me anyway, makes the experience feel less immersive), the romance is sometimes shallow, character development hits you like a hammer in the side of the head, it has a very intricate plot that's almost difficult to follow, and sometimes has things that are just plain silly (like Liquid Snake still living on through his arm).
Now, my main problems with HP included the female characters, one-dimensional villains, the lack of real depth of human psychology, the black-and-white morality, and the uninteresting/badly done romantic subplots.
Female characters - To be honest, I found most of the female characters of Harry Potter to be either uber-bitches who couldn't do anything of real importance (other than marrying and having babies), or dead. There are exceptions of course (Hermione, Narcissa, Bellatrix, and Fluer) but as a whole, most of them were just disappointments. Especially Ginny, who just centered her whole life on Harry, a guy who never even gave the the time of day until she grew a rack and began using ultra-moisturizing conditioner, and then just threw away every aspect of herself as long as it meant Harry would deign so much as a glance at her. And there was also Tonks, a trained Auror who could change her appearance and will and she was also related to several important characters. But her role just got limited to making funny faces, moping, getting married to a guy who never really thought of her in that sense, having a baby and dying in the most disappointing way possible.
On the other hand, the females of Metal Gear Solid were actually done right. They were tough without being bitchy, basically. For example, Meryl Silverburgh was a tomboy who was infatuated with Snake, but unlike Ginny, Meryl's crush didn't define her character. She could take care of herself, she wouldn't let Snake coddle her (yes, I really don't buy that Ginny is Harry's equal, regardless of what JKR tries to push on people), and she actually proved herself to be strong and helpful. She wasn't slavishly devoted to Snake; she actually got him to trust her, and ultimately earns his love and respect. There was also Sniper Wolf, who was villainous without having to be a caricature, Olga, who did everything she could to protect her child, and The Boss, who's love for her country and for Naked Snake led for to sacrifice herself so that future generations wouldn't have to suffer a nuclear holocaust. And none of those aformentioned women needed men to help them do their jobs/come to their rescues; they all kicked more than enough asses themselves.
One-dimensional villains - Okay, there are some interesting villains (like Lucius Malfoy and Barty Crouch Jr.), but most of them were just flat or unrealistic. I found Voldemort to be really boring - he was practically born evil ("he was a funny baby" ring a bell?)! I'm sorry, but villains just don't get any lamer and more cardboard cut-out/2-dimensional than that! It completely threw out the theme of being defined by our choices rather than our blood. Hell, I was nearly expecting Mrs. Cole to say, "One day, I was combing Tom's hair, and I found a 666 on his scalp." Other villains were either "Not Bad After All," or complete and total wimps who couldn't do their own battles (Peter).
And then look at the villains of Metal Gear. The biggest example could be the one who started it all, Big Boss (no pun intended). Big Boss, as detailed in MGS3: Snake Eater, was a soldier following what his country ordered him to do. And in just the span of that one game, the guy was tortured repeatedly, lost an eye, was forced to kill his mentor/lover, and was abandoned by the woman he grew to love. When you think of it like that, it's no wonder Big Boss became so disillusioned with politics and the structure of the military. He wanted to create a world for soldiers where they wouldn't be shunned or used at the whim of politicians, and he would use the Metal Gear and its nuclear launching capabilities to achieve that goal. He wasn't born a monster; Big Boss was made into one from years of betrayals, heartaches and disillusionments. There was also Solidus, who wasn't entirely a villain; he had noble goals and had brutal methods of achieving them. And Ocelot, who may be the Patriots' lackey is still able to fight his own battles, and had more than enough fight in him to act on his own motives.
Badly done human psychology - I don't claim to be an expert in human psychology, but even JKR should've seen that people with the degree of emotional baggage Harry has accumulated through the seiers have difficulty forming long term relationships and being good parents. Harry had to fight Voldemort, had to deal with a lot of pressure, seen his closest friends get murdered and was abused and neglected as a child by his relatives. When thinking in that context, Harry must’ve had a lot of inner demons to contend with. That sort of thing would take years to heal from. And yet, it seemed obvious that Harry and Ginny married shortly after their seventh years at Hogwarts and had kids immediately. There was no sign of Harry’s mental trauma anywhere; it was as though it never even existed. Either that or he just got over it really, really quickly. And I was also rather ticked off at how Ginny's incident at the Chamber of Secrets got what could be considered an honorable mention. She was possessed and almost killed by a soul fragment of an evil reigning Dark Lord and all there is to be said about it was a "Lucky You"? If that were the case, then the whole thing was pointless. To be honest, I would've been really happy if Ginny had gotten a little bit of payback on Voldemort for traumatizing her at only 11 years old, but she got nothing to do.
But the characters of MGS all suffer some form of psychological problems for what they've done in their lives, and it's shown that they still suffer from it and they don't heal very quickly or easily from it. Snake, Big Boss, and Raiden all suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder from their grueling experiences on the battlefield. Otacon and Fortune both have a massive case of "survivor's guilt." Liquid has a severe inferiority complex. Vamp has a deranged love for killing. And that's only the tip of the iceberg concerning the characters' mental/emotional problems. All of those characters pay for their traumas; they're treated realistically and this ultimately makes the story of MGS that much more powerful and poignant.
Black-and-white morality - The world of Harry Potter really felt like it was divided into completely good and completely evil people, with one's morality being determined by which House they're sorted into at the age of eleven. I absolutely hated that, because it was such an over-simplified and downright ignorant view of the world. Yes, there are those occasional black-and-white examples out there, but there's way more shades of grey in between; but there was no true grey area character in HP (except for maybe Snape, but even that's arguable).
Contrast that to MGS, which is full of morally grey characters. Sure, there are distinct villains in the story, but there's a sense of evil that permeates the atmosphere, like evil can come from anywhere, even with the flawed, and sometimes selfish heroes. For example, Solid Snake clearly fights for a good cause (the eradication of the Metal Gear weapons), but he's a cold, efficient killer who has no remorse for the people he kills that borders on vindictive. And as said before, Solidus Snake had a noble goal and he loved his country, but his methods of freeing America from the shadowy illuminati rule of The Patriots were very brutal and questionable. Hardly anyone is really truly good or bad in MGS; many, if not all of them, were in a more morally grey area.
Uninteresting/Badly done romantic subplots - I'm pretty sure that anyone who knows me knows that I really hated the romances in Harry Potter. There are exceptions, like James/Lily, Bill/Fleur (I'll admit that it was the cuteness of this couple that got me through Deathly Hallows during some of its worst points), and Lucius/Narcissa. But as a whole, most of the romances were either unrealistic, like Lupin/Tonks (I will never forgive JKR for writing it the way she did), forced and out of nowhere like Harry/Ginny (I don't care what anyone, even Rowling herself says, that relationship was weak, underdeveloped and a complete joke) or just flat-out abusive like Ron/Hermione (I fail to see how those canaries were supposed to be funny).
But the romance in Metal Gear Solid feels organic and natural. It doesn't rely on cheap hormonal lust, possessivness, or other unhealthy aspects. Snake and Meryl grew to trust each other and see each other as people; Harry only loved Ginny for her dancing hair and firewhiskey kisses, and Ginny only loved Harry because he was a celebrity. The Boss and The Sorrow were clearly in love with each other, and she had to kill him because of her duty and she was haunted by it for the rest of her life. Lupin was considering abandoning his pregnant wife, and even if he was unhappy in his marriage, should've taken her feelings into consideration. Snape didn't care one bit about Lily's happiness; Harry and James could die as long as Snape could have her all to himself; his love was more like a very unhealthy obssession. Raiden and Rosemary may have looked unhealthy at first, with them keepeing secrets from each other, and him even raising his hand at her, but they ultimately reconcile and become more truthful with each other. Ron and Hermione are disrespectful to each other; they never compromise after an argument, they share no common interests and they are just too damn different. Big Boss and Eva grew to really love and trust each other; protected each other, and they both fought and relied on each others' skills for the mission. Harry just coddles Ginny, never lets her fight, and doesn't trust in her ability to fight and take care of herself the way he trusts Ron and Hermione. And Ginny just accepts it, without so much as a "But I can do this! Let me prove myself to you!" The romances in Metal Gear Solid actually were based on real emotion, trust, support and equality. Sure, they have their shallow moments at times, but in the end, they were much more human, realistic and geniune. In some cases, they were downright tragic and sad. I didn't see any of that similar compelling quality in the Harry Potter romances.
Of course I'm fairly sure my relationship with MGS will end in heartache and sorrows once the fourth (and supposedly final) game in the franchise, Guns of the Patriots, comes out . I'll treasure the sweet, sweet memories we had if it did, and hope that what happened between me and HP made me strong enough to cope if it happens again.
So what about you guys? Do you feel similar in that frustration with something that bugged you in HP made you seek out some kind of replacement? Do you think that some other fandom you have got something right that Harry Potter got wrong? Go ahead and discuss.