LOL RP
Reading over the rp_anon_meme* and recent events in Daisychain are really making me worried.
Characterization. My fucking characterization. Goddammit, I've watched the entire thing what must be a thousand times now and I'm still worried and flaily and taking forever on tags because holy shit do I have this right would he react this way OH GOD EVERYONE IS GOING TO KNOW IF I SCREW UP. Dr. Horrible is such a fucking popular character and practically everyone knows him and I've seen several places get him completely, beautifully right and HAHAHA NO PRESSURE AT ALL, AMIRITE?
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I'm not going to lie -- one of the reasons I picked him up at Daisychain was because I couldn't play him at Asylum Project. There. I said it. There just wouldn't have been anything for him to do locked up in a building for the rest of forever. One of the big draws to playing him was being able to build all sorts of cool technology, which just would not have been possible at Trecedim. (They get... what? Glue and popsicle sticks? Billy's pretty inventive, but I doubt even he could create a stun ray out of all that.) I wanted to write for him in a place where he'd actually be able to do all that, hence a big, open area like Manhattan.
Daisychain, though? Is not the most wonderful place for a Dr. Horrible, I've found. All the villainous acts he commits are either to a) take Captain Hammer out, or b) destroy the status quo/change what passes as acceptable in society/get into the Evil League of Evil. I would even go so far as to say that if it's not for either of these points or if he can't justify it as such, he won't do it. He's a bad guy, but he has a purpose. Power and fame and money are all nice and all, but that's not why he's in the business.
So what happens when he's thrown into a place where there's no status quo?
No reason to change what's acceptable in society?
No Evil League of Evil?
No Captain Hammer?
Billy is in a position where continuing the villain thing is only going to make it harder for him to survive, and he knows it. And these people, this place? How do you fix something that doesn't exist? Everyone's helping each other out and just pulling together to try to survive -- I really can't see him doing any of the things we see in canon because there's simply no reason to. He actually sorta approves of the way the people are getting along; the only people who are making trouble are other villains, and he won't speak out against them or make an effort to stop them just on principle.
The obvious answer here is LOL CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. Billy here is going to have to change and adapt in this situation, but I'm not sure the direction I'm thinking of taking him is actually going to be in-character. He's going to have to realize that villainy? Is not a good career choice. Srsly, buddy. Especially when you live in an area where news gets around fast and there's a team of competent heroes who can and will kick your ass six ways to Sunday. I don't want to turn him into a good guy, but he's really going to have to work on the whole "playing well with others" thing.
And Penny. Ohhh God, Penny. HAVE FUN TRYING TO KEEP YOUR SECRET IDENTITY A SECRET HAHAHAHA. Captain Hammer could see through his paper-thin disguise; at least two people in Manhattan have figured out his real name or met him out of costume. The chances of him slipping up or someone calling him out are hilariously high.
ALSO: relationships! I love Billy and I love Penny and I fucking love them together, but goddammit he is going to have to work if he ever wants to end up with her ever. Conquering the world is not the way to court her, man. His inability to even realize what she wants from him is such a huge issue, and I kinda want to punch him for it sometimes. It actually bothers me when I see people RP them getting together very quickly, because I can't see it happening without some serious talks. They like each other, that much is obvious (that sorta kinda not really lean-in in Act II will always, always slay me), but Penny's a good girl who just sorta watched Dr. Horrible attempt to murder her superhero boyfriend. Yeah. She's going to need some time to process that.
TL;DR: I know I need to make him grow. I'm just worried I won't be able to do it right or make it believable. AAAAAAAH.
Goddammit I don't make a good not-villain fffffff.
Oh fuck, I need to make him sing more dammit. It's just not IC if he doesn't sing. COME ON HE'S FROM A MUSICAL.
*Not because I was mentioned or someone complained about me; the discussions there just got me thinking.
Characterization. My fucking characterization. Goddammit, I've watched the entire thing what must be a thousand times now and I'm still worried and flaily and taking forever on tags because holy shit do I have this right would he react this way OH GOD EVERYONE IS GOING TO KNOW IF I SCREW UP. Dr. Horrible is such a fucking popular character and practically everyone knows him and I've seen several places get him completely, beautifully right and HAHAHA NO PRESSURE AT ALL, AMIRITE?
---
I'm not going to lie -- one of the reasons I picked him up at Daisychain was because I couldn't play him at Asylum Project. There. I said it. There just wouldn't have been anything for him to do locked up in a building for the rest of forever. One of the big draws to playing him was being able to build all sorts of cool technology, which just would not have been possible at Trecedim. (They get... what? Glue and popsicle sticks? Billy's pretty inventive, but I doubt even he could create a stun ray out of all that.) I wanted to write for him in a place where he'd actually be able to do all that, hence a big, open area like Manhattan.
Daisychain, though? Is not the most wonderful place for a Dr. Horrible, I've found. All the villainous acts he commits are either to a) take Captain Hammer out, or b) destroy the status quo/change what passes as acceptable in society/get into the Evil League of Evil. I would even go so far as to say that if it's not for either of these points or if he can't justify it as such, he won't do it. He's a bad guy, but he has a purpose. Power and fame and money are all nice and all, but that's not why he's in the business.
So what happens when he's thrown into a place where there's no status quo?
No reason to change what's acceptable in society?
No Evil League of Evil?
No Captain Hammer?
Billy is in a position where continuing the villain thing is only going to make it harder for him to survive, and he knows it. And these people, this place? How do you fix something that doesn't exist? Everyone's helping each other out and just pulling together to try to survive -- I really can't see him doing any of the things we see in canon because there's simply no reason to. He actually sorta approves of the way the people are getting along; the only people who are making trouble are other villains, and he won't speak out against them or make an effort to stop them just on principle.
The obvious answer here is LOL CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. Billy here is going to have to change and adapt in this situation, but I'm not sure the direction I'm thinking of taking him is actually going to be in-character. He's going to have to realize that villainy? Is not a good career choice. Srsly, buddy. Especially when you live in an area where news gets around fast and there's a team of competent heroes who can and will kick your ass six ways to Sunday. I don't want to turn him into a good guy, but he's really going to have to work on the whole "playing well with others" thing.
And Penny. Ohhh God, Penny. HAVE FUN TRYING TO KEEP YOUR SECRET IDENTITY A SECRET HAHAHAHA. Captain Hammer could see through his paper-thin disguise; at least two people in Manhattan have figured out his real name or met him out of costume. The chances of him slipping up or someone calling him out are hilariously high.
ALSO: relationships! I love Billy and I love Penny and I fucking love them together, but goddammit he is going to have to work if he ever wants to end up with her ever. Conquering the world is not the way to court her, man. His inability to even realize what she wants from him is such a huge issue, and I kinda want to punch him for it sometimes. It actually bothers me when I see people RP them getting together very quickly, because I can't see it happening without some serious talks. They like each other, that much is obvious (that sorta kinda not really lean-in in Act II will always, always slay me), but Penny's a good girl who just sorta watched Dr. Horrible attempt to murder her superhero boyfriend. Yeah. She's going to need some time to process that.
TL;DR: I know I need to make him grow. I'm just worried I won't be able to do it right or make it believable. AAAAAAAH.
Goddammit I don't make a good not-villain fffffff.
Oh fuck, I need to make him sing more dammit. It's just not IC if he doesn't sing. COME ON HE'S FROM A MUSICAL.
*Not because I was mentioned or someone complained about me; the discussions there just got me thinking.