Title: Perfect Love Characters: Gabriel, Peter Rating: PG Warnings: None Word count: 300 Setting: Shattered Salvation Summary: Gabriel considers why he loves Peter.
Blabbing about your character (nothing but good things to say)means2bhumanNovember 9 2012, 03:13:16 UTC
What a great...character analysis. From the other character! Its a really good summary of the relationship, at least as far as Peter and what-Peter-affects goes.
Something about the sharp contrast really, really, *really* works for me, not just: first paragraph is mostly flaws, second half is more reconciliation, realization, conclusion. I mean also: "Peter's an empath who is insensitive and reckless." That's a contrast. Peter's this *but* he's also this other thing. In the personality personal post I make (hopefully soon) you'll see why this is particularly interesting to me. Some people are born with opposing personality types (maybe more accurate in this case: Peter's born with opposing capability and goals - his personality is pretty solid, however what that personality has lent him as far as capabilities and goals go...well...that's less certain). In short, Peter has flaws that sometimes outweigh or get in the way of his positive attributes. That's so well written and deep for a character (or any person). I applaud that from my inner-most geek place.
Choleric personality types are the 'doers.' "Life is an activity" for them. They're supposed to be the most 'angry' and emotionally undeveloped, least religiously...capable of all the personalities (I disagree about the angry part). They refuse to see weakness - even in themselves - because they're optimists. That really strikes me as something that Peter has.
Aha! Peter also gets in his own way! That's fascinating! This guy who's so positive and wants to be so proactive (I just saw an interesting interview Milo did where he mentioned wanting to see Peter being more 'proactive' which I thought was cool and applicable. I thought "Well, Mary already knows that, but I'm just learning it") yet he kind of...sets himself up to fail. Its this weird...entitlement phenomenon (most Americans have it, along with a guilt complex and self-esteem issues - yay society). People want the benefit without having to work for it. Or they want to shortcut things and get some, but not all of the reward that's possible to get by planning, a little more time, thought and effort.
I liked "large in character" a whole lot. Not only because its broad enough to cover lots of things, but it implies that a lot of that large character is *good* character or good characteristics, never mind that we know that because its lumped with Peter's positive characteristics, but still. If you took that by itself, it's good stuff.
"Industrious" My mom always calls me that. Kind of one of those 'Aww, but Mo-oom!' things that still makes you warm and fuzzy on the inside because your mom knows you so well things? Anyway, great word! I don't see it very often.
Gabriel: Peter making a cerebral decision = sexy
A sin both boys share sometimes - over-focusing. Interesting.
I've been wondering this for some time now, but where did you get "perfect Peter imperfect"? I know it was in an SS chapter, I can even describe the scene, but why do I think it came from somewhere? It's a great description both of Peter's packaging or self-image that he wants and Gabriel's desires (right, wrong or fantastical notwithstanding). Peter wants to be seen as perfect, Gabriel wants to *be* perfect.
Oh, and this was really sweet. Quite lovey-dovey in its honesty.
Re: Blabbing about your character (nothing but good things to say)game_byrdNovember 9 2012, 03:33:47 UTC
Thank you so much!
I've been wondering this for some time now, but where did you get "perfect Peter imperfect"?
If it seems familiar, that's because DD3 has it in Brutal Honesty. Sylar, in it, uses "Perfect" as his pet name for Peter. I love it. It's so sweet and over the top and also strikes me as the sort of thing Sylar would be really into - 'perfection' as an ideal.
I'm pretty sure that my SS stuff way predates Brutal Honesty. I believe the first reference was Heidi complaining about what she hated most about Peter, was that he was too perfect. There's a circular logic at work with Peter that drove her up the wall until he started owning up to his errors. I've always tried to have her power be that she saw into people's hearts with near-perfect accuracy, so she could see what was going on inside Peter's soul. He wants to be recognized as good and heroic and self-sacrificing and all the things that virtuous people are. And so he became a nurse, then a hospice nurse (because being a nurse wasn't noble enough by itself), then took several steps down career-wise to be a paramedic (because being a hospice nurse wasn't noble enough either). Now he works shit hours doing hard work under stressful and occasionally gross conditions, often thankless and always underpaid ... just so he can feel good enough about himself that he can face himself in the mirror every morning.
He's not doing it to be a good guy and that's what Heidi sees so clearly. He's doing it for the image of being a good guy. He's doing it so people will think he's a hero. He's doing it so that in God's ledger, his sins might be overlooked. When this is pointed out to him, he just doubles down on pretending to be even more selfless, where the irony is that every selfless act is done out of selfish neediness for outside confirmation of his self-worth.
Heidi started SS by disdaining Peter and wanting nothing to do with him. As time's gone by, she's mellowed, he's grown, and she's decided that he's doing the best he can and the best thing she can do in response is to stop needling him and give him some helpful advice now and then.
I dunno how this comment turned into being about Heidi ... ha.
Re: Blabbing about your character (nothing but good things to say)means2bhumanNovember 13 2012, 23:31:01 UTC
I didn't remember DD using the 'Perfect' nickname! That is cute.
That's right - I'd forgotten Heidi said it first. I sympathized with everyone's plight in that chapter (can't remember the name of it) - Heidi's, Gabriel's (and Gabriel's inherited Nathan role), and Peter.
(Speaking of Heidi, the actress was in one of Milo's earlier TV shows, just one episode. They shared a kiss. It was...very weird. Plus she looked just like one of the supposedly younger girls Milo's character also liked. Just very weird. Adrian auditioned to be Milo's character's father in something prior to Heroes, also).
Selflessness is so rarely selfless. We tell ourselves 'its the right thing to do' but that's usually just the cover story for our true motivation, whatever that be; it varies. However, a good act is still, usually, a good act. Thus I think we can clear Peter of most of that selfishness that comes with his selflessness because, well, everyone who does a good deed is usually just as guilty (if we're counting that as a fault).
I summed up what I tried to say before, but I did it better this time: Peter is a dreamer, he just dreams above what he's willing to be patient to plan to do.
Hmm. Though I wonder if his family is the main reason he feels so...sinful. Or is that hidden guilt? Normal, human guilt? Something to think about.
Re: Blabbing about your character (nothing but good things to say)game_byrdNovember 14 2012, 01:51:10 UTC
In canon, he had a lot of disdain for his father's 'blood money' and he called it that. He was urging Nathan to turn against his dad. I think he felt like he was the only decent person in his family and thus had a chip on his shoulder, burden to carry. You can kind of see it in season 3 when Hesam asks him about whether Nathan's his brother. Peter tries to brush it off, but admits it, and obviously isn't happy about it, tries to distance himself from Nathan. So I think he carries guilt-by-association.
Something about the sharp contrast really, really, *really* works for me, not just: first paragraph is mostly flaws, second half is more reconciliation, realization, conclusion. I mean also: "Peter's an empath who is insensitive and reckless." That's a contrast. Peter's this *but* he's also this other thing. In the personality personal post I make (hopefully soon) you'll see why this is particularly interesting to me. Some people are born with opposing personality types (maybe more accurate in this case: Peter's born with opposing capability and goals - his personality is pretty solid, however what that personality has lent him as far as capabilities and goals go...well...that's less certain). In short, Peter has flaws that sometimes outweigh or get in the way of his positive attributes. That's so well written and deep for a character (or any person). I applaud that from my inner-most geek place.
Choleric personality types are the 'doers.' "Life is an activity" for them. They're supposed to be the most 'angry' and emotionally undeveloped, least religiously...capable of all the personalities (I disagree about the angry part). They refuse to see weakness - even in themselves - because they're optimists. That really strikes me as something that Peter has.
Aha! Peter also gets in his own way! That's fascinating! This guy who's so positive and wants to be so proactive (I just saw an interesting interview Milo did where he mentioned wanting to see Peter being more 'proactive' which I thought was cool and applicable. I thought "Well, Mary already knows that, but I'm just learning it") yet he kind of...sets himself up to fail. Its this weird...entitlement phenomenon (most Americans have it, along with a guilt complex and self-esteem issues - yay society). People want the benefit without having to work for it. Or they want to shortcut things and get some, but not all of the reward that's possible to get by planning, a little more time, thought and effort.
I liked "large in character" a whole lot. Not only because its broad enough to cover lots of things, but it implies that a lot of that large character is *good* character or good characteristics, never mind that we know that because its lumped with Peter's positive characteristics, but still. If you took that by itself, it's good stuff.
"Industrious" My mom always calls me that. Kind of one of those 'Aww, but Mo-oom!' things that still makes you warm and fuzzy on the inside because your mom knows you so well things? Anyway, great word! I don't see it very often.
Gabriel: Peter making a cerebral decision = sexy
A sin both boys share sometimes - over-focusing. Interesting.
I've been wondering this for some time now, but where did you get "perfect Peter imperfect"? I know it was in an SS chapter, I can even describe the scene, but why do I think it came from somewhere? It's a great description both of Peter's packaging or self-image that he wants and Gabriel's desires (right, wrong or fantastical notwithstanding). Peter wants to be seen as perfect, Gabriel wants to *be* perfect.
Oh, and this was really sweet. Quite lovey-dovey in its honesty.
Reply
I've been wondering this for some time now, but where did you get "perfect Peter imperfect"?
If it seems familiar, that's because DD3 has it in Brutal Honesty. Sylar, in it, uses "Perfect" as his pet name for Peter. I love it. It's so sweet and over the top and also strikes me as the sort of thing Sylar would be really into - 'perfection' as an ideal.
I'm pretty sure that my SS stuff way predates Brutal Honesty. I believe the first reference was Heidi complaining about what she hated most about Peter, was that he was too perfect. There's a circular logic at work with Peter that drove her up the wall until he started owning up to his errors. I've always tried to have her power be that she saw into people's hearts with near-perfect accuracy, so she could see what was going on inside Peter's soul. He wants to be recognized as good and heroic and self-sacrificing and all the things that virtuous people are. And so he became a nurse, then a hospice nurse (because being a nurse wasn't noble enough by itself), then took several steps down career-wise to be a paramedic (because being a hospice nurse wasn't noble enough either). Now he works shit hours doing hard work under stressful and occasionally gross conditions, often thankless and always underpaid ... just so he can feel good enough about himself that he can face himself in the mirror every morning.
He's not doing it to be a good guy and that's what Heidi sees so clearly. He's doing it for the image of being a good guy. He's doing it so people will think he's a hero. He's doing it so that in God's ledger, his sins might be overlooked. When this is pointed out to him, he just doubles down on pretending to be even more selfless, where the irony is that every selfless act is done out of selfish neediness for outside confirmation of his self-worth.
Heidi started SS by disdaining Peter and wanting nothing to do with him. As time's gone by, she's mellowed, he's grown, and she's decided that he's doing the best he can and the best thing she can do in response is to stop needling him and give him some helpful advice now and then.
I dunno how this comment turned into being about Heidi ... ha.
Reply
That's right - I'd forgotten Heidi said it first. I sympathized with everyone's plight in that chapter (can't remember the name of it) - Heidi's, Gabriel's (and Gabriel's inherited Nathan role), and Peter.
(Speaking of Heidi, the actress was in one of Milo's earlier TV shows, just one episode. They shared a kiss. It was...very weird. Plus she looked just like one of the supposedly younger girls Milo's character also liked. Just very weird. Adrian auditioned to be Milo's character's father in something prior to Heroes, also).
Selflessness is so rarely selfless. We tell ourselves 'its the right thing to do' but that's usually just the cover story for our true motivation, whatever that be; it varies. However, a good act is still, usually, a good act. Thus I think we can clear Peter of most of that selfishness that comes with his selflessness because, well, everyone who does a good deed is usually just as guilty (if we're counting that as a fault).
I summed up what I tried to say before, but I did it better this time: Peter is a dreamer, he just dreams above what he's willing to be patient to plan to do.
Hmm. Though I wonder if his family is the main reason he feels so...sinful. Or is that hidden guilt? Normal, human guilt? Something to think about.
Reply
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