I think it's possible that Pepper did overreact, but I would also argue that it is in character for her.
In the second movie, Pepper is on the verge of leaving Tony's birthday party when he starts behaving like an ass (it's only because Rhodey comes in that she ends up staying). She also shuts Tony down cold during his big emotional declaration, even though it's pretty obvious where he's going with it. And at the end of the film, she quits her job as CEO in response to "not being able to handle the stress." I feel as though she does exhibit a very strong impulse to cut-and-run as a self-defense mechanism. This is totally reasonable, because her comment to Tony in the first film, "You're all I have, too," suggests that Pepper has had look out for her own interests in the past, because she hasn't had anyone to do it for her. (I explored these aspects of her personality in greater depth in a short piece I wrote called "Green".)
In first movie, Pepper quits (even though she is talked out of it) rather than watch Tony continue on a self-destructive path. In addition to bolstering the theory above, this also suggests that she would be willing to make a decision that she felt was in Tony's best interests even if it came at great personal cost. Consider: if Tony is "out" as a superhero, a family makes him vulnerable in so many ways. It also makes Pepper and her child more vulnerable if she and Tony aren't together, and Tony has just explicitly said that he had no intention of the involvement being long-term. He also doesn't make any effort to follow up with her after the argument, which probably would have brought things to a head and at the very least ensured that they parted on more civil terms.
I like Pepper, I do. But like Tony, she has flaws, and blind spots, and like Tony, she makes mistakes. I wouldn't find her nearly as interesting otherwise. :)
I'm not saying that she wouldn't later occasionally regret the precipitous nature of her actions, but I think the character evidence is there.
Explaining all of this at the start of the story would have been a little too much use of the old Exposition Hammer, though, I think. ;)
But of all those times you listed, she still stuck by his side. Even though she quit her job, was going to leave the birthday party, closed down emotionally, etc, it didn't suggest that she was trying to leave his whole life. Just that she was putting up another wall.
That's not to say she wouldn't ever just up and leave him, though. But I think something like that would happen after a something catastrophic. Not just him worried about long term. Cause I think she already knows to take baby steps with him and that of course long term would scare him in the first few months. But changing her name and making herself completely unfindable just seemed a little over the top for me considered it started with just his one comment.
She strikes me as the type who would walk out, breathe, and then come back whether after a few hours or a few days. Especially if she was carrying his child.
But the great thing about fic is that everyone interprets these characters differently and this gives us a way to express those interpretations and share them with other people.
I'm not saying you're wrong. Just that I see her reacting differently.
Yeah, I meant the scene with comment (as well as his not following up to apologize or have a discussion) to be synecdochic, in the way that most of the snatches of dialogue in the previous stories have been. And it's not just about Tony's insecurities in the relationship--Pepper is bound to have a few of her own.
I also don't think that she changed her name and moved and disappeared all in one day. I see it as being a process that happened gradually, over several months. I also think that if you're someone whose self-preservation strategy is to put up walls and create distance, that wanting to do what's best for your child might intensify this behaviour, rather than mitigate it.
I know I'm not going to convince you that it was in character, and that's okay. I just want to make it clear (to anyone who might be reading this) that I've put a lot of thought into these pieces and specifically into their progression and the various aspects of both characters that they explore. :)
Oh I can tell you that you've put a lot of thought into this. I just like offering my opinion (an opinion of one of your readers) since I know you won't take it personally (since that's not the point). It's just another way of thinking.
But I can definitely see what you mean and what leads to this. Like I said, it's a really well written interpretation of a character we both clearly love and think a lot about. :)
I look forward to the next two chapters! Also, I'll be reading Green sometime tonight, too. ;) I've been so lacking in fanficiton lately. :(
In the second movie, Pepper is on the verge of leaving Tony's birthday party when he starts behaving like an ass (it's only because Rhodey comes in that she ends up staying). She also shuts Tony down cold during his big emotional declaration, even though it's pretty obvious where he's going with it. And at the end of the film, she quits her job as CEO in response to "not being able to handle the stress." I feel as though she does exhibit a very strong impulse to cut-and-run as a self-defense mechanism. This is totally reasonable, because her comment to Tony in the first film, "You're all I have, too," suggests that Pepper has had look out for her own interests in the past, because she hasn't had anyone to do it for her. (I explored these aspects of her personality in greater depth in a short piece I wrote called "Green".)
In first movie, Pepper quits (even though she is talked out of it) rather than watch Tony continue on a self-destructive path. In addition to bolstering the theory above, this also suggests that she would be willing to make a decision that she felt was in Tony's best interests even if it came at great personal cost. Consider: if Tony is "out" as a superhero, a family makes him vulnerable in so many ways. It also makes Pepper and her child more vulnerable if she and Tony aren't together, and Tony has just explicitly said that he had no intention of the involvement being long-term. He also doesn't make any effort to follow up with her after the argument, which probably would have brought things to a head and at the very least ensured that they parted on more civil terms.
I like Pepper, I do. But like Tony, she has flaws, and blind spots, and like Tony, she makes mistakes. I wouldn't find her nearly as interesting otherwise. :)
I'm not saying that she wouldn't later occasionally regret the precipitous nature of her actions, but I think the character evidence is there.
Explaining all of this at the start of the story would have been a little too much use of the old Exposition Hammer, though, I think. ;)
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But of all those times you listed, she still stuck by his side. Even though she quit her job, was going to leave the birthday party, closed down emotionally, etc, it didn't suggest that she was trying to leave his whole life. Just that she was putting up another wall.
That's not to say she wouldn't ever just up and leave him, though. But I think something like that would happen after a something catastrophic. Not just him worried about long term. Cause I think she already knows to take baby steps with him and that of course long term would scare him in the first few months. But changing her name and making herself completely unfindable just seemed a little over the top for me considered it started with just his one comment.
She strikes me as the type who would walk out, breathe, and then come back whether after a few hours or a few days. Especially if she was carrying his child.
But the great thing about fic is that everyone interprets these characters differently and this gives us a way to express those interpretations and share them with other people.
I'm not saying you're wrong. Just that I see her reacting differently.
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I also don't think that she changed her name and moved and disappeared all in one day. I see it as being a process that happened gradually, over several months. I also think that if you're someone whose self-preservation strategy is to put up walls and create distance, that wanting to do what's best for your child might intensify this behaviour, rather than mitigate it.
I know I'm not going to convince you that it was in character, and that's okay. I just want to make it clear (to anyone who might be reading this) that I've put a lot of thought into these pieces and specifically into their progression and the various aspects of both characters that they explore. :)
Reply
But I can definitely see what you mean and what leads to this. Like I said, it's a really well written interpretation of a character we both clearly love and think a lot about. :)
I look forward to the next two chapters! Also, I'll be reading Green sometime tonight, too. ;) I've been so lacking in fanficiton lately. :(
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