Pairing quiz (The 2012 edition)
Well, decided to post this one here, too, to make any sort of update. Basically just some questions about favourite and not-so-favorite fictional pairings, I like to take this quiz once a year and rant about them. You can kinda notice it's been a rainy summer- some answers are longer than required, I believe. And, well, you're welcome to comment with your own opinions if anything of this is interesting to you, I do enjoy comparing notes on ships (and it's perfectly okay to disagree with my opinions, so long as you're civil ;) )
So here we go...
Six Ships I Love:
1.)Kirk/Spock (Star Trek: The Original Series) (Like this pairing needs an introduction...)
2.)Methos/Alexa Bond (Highlander: The Series)
3.)Rapunzel/Flynn Rider (Disney's Tangled)
4.)Fox Mulder/Dana Scully (The X-Files)
5.)Niki Sanders/Mohinder Suresh (Heroes)
6.)Scotty/Uhura (Star Trek: The Original Series)
Three Ships I Liked, but Not Anymore:
7.)Rowena Price/Miles Haley (Perfect Strangers)
8.)Larxene/Axel (Kingdom Hearts)
9.)Jak/Tess (The Jak & Daxter games)
Three Ships I Don't Like (Nah, I don't exactly hate these couples, but since something has to go here, too...):
10.)Jack Sparrow/Angelica Teach (Pirates of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides)
11.)Doctor 9 & 10/Rose Tyler (Doctor Who)
12.)Spock/Droxine (Star Trek: The Original Series)
Two Ships I'm Curious About, but Don't ACTUALLY Ship:
13.)Rufus Shinra/Yuffie Kisargi (Final Fantasy 7)
14.)Spock/Miranda Jones (Star Trek: The Original Series)
1.) Why do you dislike #11 so much? (Doctor/Rose)
I really wanted to like Rose, since she wasn't completely incapable. She had her moments. But usually she just...bored me. Maybe the good-looking exuberant flashy genius omnipotent omniscient alien time traveling Doctor with his tragic backstory overshadowed her. Maybe I had too high expectations- I'd seen many hardcore Doctor/Rose shippers before I started following the show myself, so perhaps I expected more than was delivered. Maybe if they had been "just friends" a season before getting into romance, I'd be shipping it by now. But the pacing of the romance just felt too forced and rushed to seem natural for the Doctor's character, in my opinion. Too much, too soon.
So in conclusion... I don't hate this pairing, or Rose (or the Doctor, for that matter). It's just that it doesn't really evoke any feelings in me at all.
2.) Who is someone you know that ships #13 (Rufus/Yuffie)
My sis. She's been telling me about some Ruffie fanfics that seem really good, so I suppose I'll have to read them some day. =)
3.) What would be your ideal scenario for couple #3? (Rapunzel/Flynn
They live happily ever after, of course. =
4.) Which is your favorite episode for #1? (Kirk/Spock)
"Interesting. Where would you estimate we belong, Miss Keeler?"
"You? At [Kirk's] side, as if you've always been there and always will."
-Spock and Edith Keeler, The City on The Edge of Forever
Edith's sort-of 'Shipper on Deck' moment is my absolute favourite. I occasionally ship Kirk and Spock in other pairings, too, but it takes a good (fanfic) writer to convince me they won't eventually end up choosing each other over anyone or anything that threatens to get between them. I've seen more than one person saying "Even my slightly homophobic parent agrees Kirk and Spock belong together". =D Another great favorite is the infamous backrub scene from Shore Leave.
Actually, almost any moment when Kirk and Spock (and McCoy) spend time together is a treat. Of course I like the rest of the crew a lot (yes, including Chapel and Rand) and enjoy also scenes where there's no K&S-interaction, but the sheer joy they find in each other's company is simply such a blast to watch. =
5.) How long have you been following couple #6? (Scotty/Uhura)
Almost a year by now, I reckon. They make a sweet couple, and were also one of the few things I really liked about the fifth TOS-film X)
6.) What's the story with #8? What made you stop liking them/caring? (Larxene/Axel)
Lost my interest in the characters, and didn't care to try reviving it. Plus, no time to look for fic to sustain my interest. Fic is important to me if the pairing, like this one, is noncanon with a relatively small fanbase. Frankly, over the past years I've gotten lazy with new ships: nowadays, if it isn't canon or has a substantial amount of (non-romantic) canon interaction, I usually don't care to get involved =/ Lazy, I know.
TL, DR: laziness.
7.) Which ship do you prefer - #2 or #4? (Methos/Alexa or Fox Mulder/Dana Scully)
I ship both couples a lot, but I'd go with Mulder and Scully on this one. Methos/Alexa is my cute, fluffy, tender Hurt/Comfort-ship that I like reading when I'm in the mood for fluff, but Mulder/Scully can work but cute AND sexy for me :shrug: I guess it is because Alexa's failing health makes me think she and Methos may never had 'gone all the way'. Also, her character overall has too much of a frail, ethereal touch for me to feel comfortable reading this pairing in anything rated higher than T .
8.) You have the power to make one ship non-existent. Choose from #10 or #12. (Jack Sparrow/Angelica Teach or Spock/Droxine)
I'm knocking something that's already lying down, but I'd say Spock/Droxine-shipping already appears non-existent. Probably no mystery, especially considering Droxine's bigotry. It doesn't last very long, either- they flirt, and Spock seems really interested, until after circa ten minutes Droxine turns out to be an elitist...bimbo is too nicely said, really. She's not just ignorant, she's willfully ignorant.
So, might as well pick this pairing. I have nothing against Spock being attracted to a woman/alien female, that's not it- if Roddenberry wanted it, I have nothing to add - but... not this girl. She's not even all that good-looking. Pretty, sure, but "extreme feminine beauty"? (On the other hand, perhaps Fridge Brilliance: Spock is an alien, who says his idea of female perfection is the same as my Hollywood-influenced ones?) IMO, there were better alternatives, like Romulan Commander Chick or Miranda Jones (or as originally intended, Uhura, though of course they weren't allowed to do that in the 60's). Heck, that girl Vanna from the same episode would've been a lot better already.
9.)What interests you about #14? (Spock/Miranda Jones)
Firstly there's Dr Miranda Jones herself. She's intelligent, cool and collected, independent, but at the same time also has some pretty vicious sides to her. She's blind, but also a telepath (which would make for interesting sex scenes, I bet). She gets to be both the sort-of antagonist and to save the day- I haven't seen a lot of female characters who get to take such an active part in how the storyline is shaped.
Also, as someone on a promptmeme pointed out, the aspects of a relationship between a human with Vulcan traits and a Vulcan with human traits would be interesting to explore. Plenty of chances for character study. Plus, sometimes I simply want a doomed affair, and given how Is There in Truth No Beauty? ent, there is great potential for it to go down in flames
10.) When did you stop liking #7? (Rowena/Miles)
*SPOILERWARNING for 'Perfect Strangers'*
About 15-20 minutes from the end of the film, when Rowena discovered Miles' secret room, and then the ending definitely killed my interest for good. Probably my shortest ever time as shipper.
11.)Did your waning interest in #9 kill your interest in the show? (Jak/Tess)
Nope, not at all. I liked (and still like) these games enough to still actively participate in the fandom for another year or two after I stopped shipping this pairing.
12.)What's a song that reminds you of #5? (Niki/Mohinder)
'Lovestoned' (particularly the later half) by Justin Timberlake, because of a fanvid I saw once when I was looking for shipping videos.
13.)Which of these ships do you love the most?
It's a tie between Kirk/Spock and Mulder/Scully, I'd say =D
14.) Which do you dislike the most?
Spock/Droxine, I guess, since I can't really imagine anything that'd make me like that pairing. I could potentially OT3 ship Rose and the Doctor with Jack Harkess. And although I for some reason don't ship Jack/Angelica, it doesn't mean I hate the pairing. Angelica still manages to make me smile, and she does seem like the kind of girl Jack would go for
But Spock/Droxine... there's nothing in it to inspire my interest at all, really (other than that it means Spock isn't completely immune to good-looking blondes. Now, who else is a good-looking blonde? ;)).
15.) If you could have any of these two pairings double date, who would it be?
Ummm...For simplicity's sake, I'd pick Kirk/Spock and Scotty/Uhura. No need to worry about time traveling or other stuff to make the universes work out. Though, there are chances that couples 2, 4 and 5 could find some way to be around in the 23rd century. And if anyone has a wild theory about how Flynn and Rapunzel could end up on a double date with Kirk and Spock or Scotty and Uhura, I'm all ears =D
16.) Have #2 (Methos/Alexa) kissed yet? Elaborate if you'd like.
Not in Timeless, if memory serves, but I guess they may have done it at some point during their traveling. =)
17.) Did #4 (Mulder/Scully) have a happy ending? If the show hasn't ended yet, do you think a happy ending is likely?
I haven't actually had a chance to watch the second movie yet, but I guess they both are alive at least, so there's probably a chance for a happy ending. There was a third movie in the making, though (last time I checked, anyway), so I guess I'll have to wait for that one for a definite conclusion.
18.) What would make you start shipping #14? (Spock/Dr. Miranda Jones)
Watching the episode again I suppose, and/or reading a decent fic. Or writing one, if I had the skills to do that.
19.) If only one could happen, which would you prefer - #2 or #6? (Methos/Alexa or Scotty/Uhura)
Scotty/Uhura, I think. Methos/Alexa is cute as a button, but I think their story would've worked almost as well if they had been really great friends/platonic lovers, too. Not that Uhura's and Scotty's relation is uninteresting to me unless it's romance, but something about them really makes me want it to be that. Like Kirk and Spock, they fit so well and seem so comfortable together, like they have gone on together for ages already before they begin. Also, they greatly improved the 5th movie for me, so they definitely deserve some more love. =)
20.) You have the power to decide the fate of #10. What happens to them? (Spock/Droxine)
I'm fine with the way it ended in canon.
-*-*-*-
Well, that was that. Comments are welcome! =)
So here we go...
Six Ships I Love:
1.)Kirk/Spock (Star Trek: The Original Series) (Like this pairing needs an introduction...)
2.)Methos/Alexa Bond (Highlander: The Series)
3.)Rapunzel/Flynn Rider (Disney's Tangled)
4.)Fox Mulder/Dana Scully (The X-Files)
5.)Niki Sanders/Mohinder Suresh (Heroes)
6.)Scotty/Uhura (Star Trek: The Original Series)
Three Ships I Liked, but Not Anymore:
7.)Rowena Price/Miles Haley (Perfect Strangers)
8.)Larxene/Axel (Kingdom Hearts)
9.)Jak/Tess (The Jak & Daxter games)
Three Ships I Don't Like (Nah, I don't exactly hate these couples, but since something has to go here, too...):
10.)Jack Sparrow/Angelica Teach (Pirates of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides)
11.)Doctor 9 & 10/Rose Tyler (Doctor Who)
12.)Spock/Droxine (Star Trek: The Original Series)
Two Ships I'm Curious About, but Don't ACTUALLY Ship:
13.)Rufus Shinra/Yuffie Kisargi (Final Fantasy 7)
14.)Spock/Miranda Jones (Star Trek: The Original Series)
1.) Why do you dislike #11 so much? (Doctor/Rose)
I really wanted to like Rose, since she wasn't completely incapable. She had her moments. But usually she just...bored me. Maybe the good-looking exuberant flashy genius omnipotent omniscient alien time traveling Doctor with his tragic backstory overshadowed her. Maybe I had too high expectations- I'd seen many hardcore Doctor/Rose shippers before I started following the show myself, so perhaps I expected more than was delivered. Maybe if they had been "just friends" a season before getting into romance, I'd be shipping it by now. But the pacing of the romance just felt too forced and rushed to seem natural for the Doctor's character, in my opinion. Too much, too soon.
So in conclusion... I don't hate this pairing, or Rose (or the Doctor, for that matter). It's just that it doesn't really evoke any feelings in me at all.
2.) Who is someone you know that ships #13 (Rufus/Yuffie)
My sis. She's been telling me about some Ruffie fanfics that seem really good, so I suppose I'll have to read them some day. =)
3.) What would be your ideal scenario for couple #3? (Rapunzel/Flynn
They live happily ever after, of course. =
4.) Which is your favorite episode for #1? (Kirk/Spock)
"Interesting. Where would you estimate we belong, Miss Keeler?"
"You? At [Kirk's] side, as if you've always been there and always will."
-Spock and Edith Keeler, The City on The Edge of Forever
Edith's sort-of 'Shipper on Deck' moment is my absolute favourite. I occasionally ship Kirk and Spock in other pairings, too, but it takes a good (fanfic) writer to convince me they won't eventually end up choosing each other over anyone or anything that threatens to get between them. I've seen more than one person saying "Even my slightly homophobic parent agrees Kirk and Spock belong together". =D Another great favorite is the infamous backrub scene from Shore Leave.
Actually, almost any moment when Kirk and Spock (and McCoy) spend time together is a treat. Of course I like the rest of the crew a lot (yes, including Chapel and Rand) and enjoy also scenes where there's no K&S-interaction, but the sheer joy they find in each other's company is simply such a blast to watch. =
5.) How long have you been following couple #6? (Scotty/Uhura)
Almost a year by now, I reckon. They make a sweet couple, and were also one of the few things I really liked about the fifth TOS-film X)
6.) What's the story with #8? What made you stop liking them/caring? (Larxene/Axel)
Lost my interest in the characters, and didn't care to try reviving it. Plus, no time to look for fic to sustain my interest. Fic is important to me if the pairing, like this one, is noncanon with a relatively small fanbase. Frankly, over the past years I've gotten lazy with new ships: nowadays, if it isn't canon or has a substantial amount of (non-romantic) canon interaction, I usually don't care to get involved =/ Lazy, I know.
TL, DR: laziness.
7.) Which ship do you prefer - #2 or #4? (Methos/Alexa or Fox Mulder/Dana Scully)
I ship both couples a lot, but I'd go with Mulder and Scully on this one. Methos/Alexa is my cute, fluffy, tender Hurt/Comfort-ship that I like reading when I'm in the mood for fluff, but Mulder/Scully can work but cute AND sexy for me :shrug: I guess it is because Alexa's failing health makes me think she and Methos may never had 'gone all the way'. Also, her character overall has too much of a frail, ethereal touch for me to feel comfortable reading this pairing in anything rated higher than T .
8.) You have the power to make one ship non-existent. Choose from #10 or #12. (Jack Sparrow/Angelica Teach or Spock/Droxine)
I'm knocking something that's already lying down, but I'd say Spock/Droxine-shipping already appears non-existent. Probably no mystery, especially considering Droxine's bigotry. It doesn't last very long, either- they flirt, and Spock seems really interested, until after circa ten minutes Droxine turns out to be an elitist...bimbo is too nicely said, really. She's not just ignorant, she's willfully ignorant.
So, might as well pick this pairing. I have nothing against Spock being attracted to a woman/alien female, that's not it- if Roddenberry wanted it, I have nothing to add - but... not this girl. She's not even all that good-looking. Pretty, sure, but "extreme feminine beauty"? (On the other hand, perhaps Fridge Brilliance: Spock is an alien, who says his idea of female perfection is the same as my Hollywood-influenced ones?) IMO, there were better alternatives, like Romulan Commander Chick or Miranda Jones (or as originally intended, Uhura, though of course they weren't allowed to do that in the 60's). Heck, that girl Vanna from the same episode would've been a lot better already.
9.)What interests you about #14? (Spock/Miranda Jones)
Firstly there's Dr Miranda Jones herself. She's intelligent, cool and collected, independent, but at the same time also has some pretty vicious sides to her. She's blind, but also a telepath (which would make for interesting sex scenes, I bet). She gets to be both the sort-of antagonist and to save the day- I haven't seen a lot of female characters who get to take such an active part in how the storyline is shaped.
Also, as someone on a promptmeme pointed out, the aspects of a relationship between a human with Vulcan traits and a Vulcan with human traits would be interesting to explore. Plenty of chances for character study. Plus, sometimes I simply want a doomed affair, and given how Is There in Truth No Beauty? ent, there is great potential for it to go down in flames
10.) When did you stop liking #7? (Rowena/Miles)
*SPOILERWARNING for 'Perfect Strangers'*
About 15-20 minutes from the end of the film, when Rowena discovered Miles' secret room, and then the ending definitely killed my interest for good. Probably my shortest ever time as shipper.
11.)Did your waning interest in #9 kill your interest in the show? (Jak/Tess)
Nope, not at all. I liked (and still like) these games enough to still actively participate in the fandom for another year or two after I stopped shipping this pairing.
12.)What's a song that reminds you of #5? (Niki/Mohinder)
'Lovestoned' (particularly the later half) by Justin Timberlake, because of a fanvid I saw once when I was looking for shipping videos.
13.)Which of these ships do you love the most?
It's a tie between Kirk/Spock and Mulder/Scully, I'd say =D
14.) Which do you dislike the most?
Spock/Droxine, I guess, since I can't really imagine anything that'd make me like that pairing. I could potentially OT3 ship Rose and the Doctor with Jack Harkess. And although I for some reason don't ship Jack/Angelica, it doesn't mean I hate the pairing. Angelica still manages to make me smile, and she does seem like the kind of girl Jack would go for
But Spock/Droxine... there's nothing in it to inspire my interest at all, really (other than that it means Spock isn't completely immune to good-looking blondes. Now, who else is a good-looking blonde? ;)).
15.) If you could have any of these two pairings double date, who would it be?
Ummm...For simplicity's sake, I'd pick Kirk/Spock and Scotty/Uhura. No need to worry about time traveling or other stuff to make the universes work out. Though, there are chances that couples 2, 4 and 5 could find some way to be around in the 23rd century. And if anyone has a wild theory about how Flynn and Rapunzel could end up on a double date with Kirk and Spock or Scotty and Uhura, I'm all ears =D
16.) Have #2 (Methos/Alexa) kissed yet? Elaborate if you'd like.
Not in Timeless, if memory serves, but I guess they may have done it at some point during their traveling. =)
17.) Did #4 (Mulder/Scully) have a happy ending? If the show hasn't ended yet, do you think a happy ending is likely?
I haven't actually had a chance to watch the second movie yet, but I guess they both are alive at least, so there's probably a chance for a happy ending. There was a third movie in the making, though (last time I checked, anyway), so I guess I'll have to wait for that one for a definite conclusion.
18.) What would make you start shipping #14? (Spock/Dr. Miranda Jones)
Watching the episode again I suppose, and/or reading a decent fic. Or writing one, if I had the skills to do that.
19.) If only one could happen, which would you prefer - #2 or #6? (Methos/Alexa or Scotty/Uhura)
Scotty/Uhura, I think. Methos/Alexa is cute as a button, but I think their story would've worked almost as well if they had been really great friends/platonic lovers, too. Not that Uhura's and Scotty's relation is uninteresting to me unless it's romance, but something about them really makes me want it to be that. Like Kirk and Spock, they fit so well and seem so comfortable together, like they have gone on together for ages already before they begin. Also, they greatly improved the 5th movie for me, so they definitely deserve some more love. =)
20.) You have the power to decide the fate of #10. What happens to them? (Spock/Droxine)
I'm fine with the way it ended in canon.
-*-*-*-
Well, that was that. Comments are welcome! =)